By Jarvis Simes

Name the two points of the football season where backup quarterbacks get the most attention. Here’s a hint: We’re in the midst of one of them right now.

Roster cuts on Saturday sent the likes Jeff Garcia (OAK), Joey Harrington (NO) and Brian Brohm (GB) to the streets. Online betting shops are keeping a close watch on how the football bettors of the world react.

The most notable moves in the wake of journeyman Garcia’s dismissal from the House that Al built have been up... and down.

It seems confusing at first but there’s two big types of money moving the lines this week, the ‘Futures’ money and the straight betting money. Long-term investors, the ones picking the Over/Under on the Raiders Team Win Total, are buying into the Davis school of thought and hitting the "Over" 5.5 wins like it hasn’t been hit before. The belief is that QB JaMarcus Russell is going to be the face of the Oakland franchise for many years to come and with this vote of confidence he should be ready to take a big step.

Straight bettors, the ones picking sides in the second game of Monday Night Football’s Week 1 doubleheader, have absolutely zero confidence in Russell and are pounding the Chargers to win by double-digits.

San Diego (-9) has moved two and-a-half points up from its low (-6.5) and at this rate it may catch the other Monday Night fav, New England (-10.5). Wonder how many Sunday teasers are going to be tied the Chargers and Pats’ games Monday Night?

Other notable QB cuts were J.D. Booty (MIN), A.J. Feeley (PHI) and D.J. Shockley (ATL). Basically, if your first name consisted of two capital letters you were done.

Michael Vick was put on an exemption list in Philly which allows him to attend team meetings and study game film but he can’t practice. The Eagles play in Carolina this week and that line has moved to pick em after opening at Panthers -1.

Oh, the other time when backup passers make front page is when the starter gets hurt. Makin a preseason prediction on when that’s going to happen or to which team is almost as tough as picking the Super Bowl winner. There is one stat worth keeping tucked away, though, and it could come in handy during the next few months: Only six teams in league history have won a Super Bowl with a QB that was not the starter on opening day.

Tom Brady was the most recent gunslinger to come off the pine and lead his team to victory when he stepped in for Drew Bledsoe in 2001. Don’t know if anyone will accomplish the feat this year but one thing’s for sure, it won’t be Jeff Garcia. Or anyone whose first name is just two letters.

Here’s the complete list of backups that found Super Bowl glory:

- 2001 NE: Bledsoe – Brady
- 2000 BAL: Banks – Dilfer
- 1990 NYG: Sims – Hostetler
- 1987 WSH: Schroeder – Williams
- 1980 OAK: Pastorini – Plunkett
- 1974 PGH: Gilliam – Bradshaw