Steelers' finish has Las Vegas charged up

From Call wire services

November 18, 2008

The Pittsburgh Steelers walked off the field Sunday just happy they had won.

A lot of bettors in Las Vegas were more concerned by how many points they ended up winning by.

Winners turned into losers and losers ended up winning when a game that should have ended up 17-10 or 18-10 instead went into the record books as the first 11-10 final in NFL history. Though the score made no difference in the win and loss column, it did in the wallets of a lot of bettors on the Las Vegas Strip.

''Anyone who had a bet on the Pittsburgh side and thought they had won weren't too happy,'' said John Avello, director of the race and sports book at the Wynn resort.

A mistake by the officials on the final play of the game between the Steelers and San Diego Chargers didn't alter the outcome. But it did mean bettors who thought they had won money on the game actually lost, while those who thought they had lost ended up winning.

The Steelers were favored by 4 points.

Avello said there might have been $10 million bet on the game statewide, and many times more than that in illegal bets around the country and in offshore Internet betting sites. There was more money bet on Pittsburgh, he said, especially in parlay bets.

Though the officials later said they made a mistake in calling back the touchdown, the official score remains 11-10, and Nevada sports books paid off on the final score from Sunday.

Safety John Lynch retires after 15 years: John Lynch, the hard-hitting, nine-time Pro Bowl safety retired Monday, saying it was time to begin a new phase of life after 11 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and four more with the Denver Broncos.

He felt so strongly about the relationships he built with both clubs that he decided against stepping down in the colors of either team.

Nevertheless, returning to Tampa for the announcement spoke volumes.

''I played 11 years here. We won a Super Bowl. But much more important was the journey and the way we did things,'' Lynch said.

Giants' Jacobs, Ross have MRIs: New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs was having a precautionary MRI on his knee, although coach Tom Coughlin said he didn't think Jacobs had a serious injury.

Jacobs gained 73 yards on 11 carries in the 30-10 win over Baltimore that raised New York's record to 9-1. He left the game in the second quarter and returned for just two carries in the third as Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw took over. They helped the Giants rush for 207 yards against a team that had been leading the league allowing just 65 yards rushing per game.

''There is a little swelling, he is walking really well,'' Coughlin said of Jacobs.

Cornerback Aaron Ross, who had two interceptions, returning one for a touchdown, also underwent an MRI on his hamstring. Coughlin said Ross had aggravated an injury he had earlier in the year.

Rams OT Pace out 2-4 weeks: St. Louis offensive tackle Orlando Pace will be sidelined two to four weeks with a knee injury sustained in a 35-16 loss at San Francisco.

Rams running back Steven Jackson was already counted out for this week's game against Chicago because of a strained thigh.