Ravens center Matt Birk named Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year

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02/04/2012 - Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Baltimore Ravens center Matt Birk was honored as the 2011 NFL Man of the Year on Saturday. The award recognizes a player's off-the-field community service as well as his playing excellence.

"I am honored and truly humbled to be named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year," said Birk. "This award is not about the recipient, but rather a celebration of the decades-long tradition of NFL players using their unique platform to touch lives and make a positive and lasting impact in the communities in which they work and live. Walter Payton left a legacy that went beyond the playing field. He continues to be an inspiration and example of what a complete NFL player should aspire to become. I am grateful to have played for two organizations, the Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens, which encourage and support their players' community efforts. I have always considered it a privilege to play in the NFL and serve the communities that support our game."

Birk, who just finished his in 14th NFL season, has started 96 consecutive games, the NFL's second-longest active streak among centers. This past season, he blocked for Ravens running back Ray Rice, who scored a franchise-record 15 total touchdowns and rushed for a career-high 1,364 yards. Rice also led the league with 2,068 yards from scrimmage.

A Harvard graduate, Birk's "Ready, Set, Read!" program as part of his H.I.K.E. Foundation (hope, inspiration, knowledge and education), has reached close to 100,000 children in the Baltimore area. The goal is to motivate students to read at home though an incentive-based system.

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MySportsbook.com favors Bears, Bengals, Chargers and Colts to remain perfect

LAS VEGAS , Sept. 28 - Two big match-ups of undefeated teams have fans salivating at the Week Four schedule in the NFL. The Chicago Bears stifling defense looks to provide a less than hospitable welcome to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night in a battle of two 3-0 teams in the NFC conference. In the AFC, the San Diego Chargers (2-0) head to Maryland to face the surprising Baltimore Ravens (3-0) as both try to keep pace atop the conference standings. Betting Lines makers at MySportsbook.com, online sportsbook and casino, have set the Bears as 3.5 point favorites while the Chargers are a 2.5 point bet.

Of the three remaining undefeated teams, only one, New Orleans, enters this week's game as an underdog. Despite an emotional and resounding win over Atlanta on Monday night, the Saints are a 7.5 point underdog against the struggling Carolina Panthers. Indianapolis looks to stay perfect when they face the New York Jets as a 9 point road favorite while the Cincinnati Bengals are a 6 point favorite at home to the New England Patriots.

Six teams enter the week still looking for their first win, with a seventh, Tampa Bay, on a bye week. The prospect of dropping another game would not bode well for a potential playoff run. Since 1990, just three teams -- the 1992 Chargers, 1995 Detroit Lions and 1998 Buffalo Bills -- have overcome losing their first three games of the season to earn a postseason berth. And only the Chargers managed to accomplish the feat after starting 0-4.

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