Hello readers! The dust has settled, the football stands are empty, and the fans are around the water cooler for what would be sure a talked about the week in the National Football League. With week 9 completed, the regular season is halfway over. In this column, I will talk about the imperfection of being perfect in the NFL, as well as the week's recap.
Perfection!
On Sunday, the final unbeaten team, the Los Angeles Rams, lost to the New Orleans Saints. This continues a trend that hasn't been marked since 2007 when the New England Patriots were undefeated in the regular season. Though they didn't go undefeated all the way. The record 18-1 is rough to hear for some. Only the 1972 Miami Dolphins were the only team to go through a regular season, playoffs, and championship undefeated.
The idea of going undefeated is hard but actually going undefeated is harder. Especially in today's NFL. The Los Angeles Rams, going into the regular season were the consensus favorite to get to the Super Bowl, possibly to even win it. To even get to 8-0 in the regular season is nothing to scoff at. Only one thing is for certain, the rest of the 1972 Miami Dolphins will pop those champagne bottles and celebrate their team being still the only undefeated team. The ghosts get to rest for another season.
The recap
Oakland 3, San Francisco 34: TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders
Nick Mullens raised a lot of eyebrows on Thursday night when he made his debut and completely destroyed the Raiders defense. Torching them for 262 yards and three touchdowns. The Raiders rebuilding process continues on. They looked lost out there looking for a light at the end of the tunnel to reach it. Unfortunately, they're halfway there.
Week 10: Oakland: vs LA Chargers; San Francisco: vs NY Giants
TW: 0-1; CV: 0-1
Atlanta 38, Washington 14: TW: Redskins; CV: Redskins
Going into the game, people talked about the Redskins defense about holding themselves together against adverse odds. The Atlanta Falcons had different ideas. Tevin Coleman of the Falcons had a day on the ground and air, getting 88 rushing and 68 receiving (with two touchdowns). The Redskins really had no answer for it as Adrian Peterson was held to 17 rushing yards.
Week 10: Atlanta: @ Cleveland; Washington: @ Tampa Bay
TW: 0-2; CV: 0-2
Chicago 41, Buffalo 9: TW: Bears; CV: Bears
The game wasn't really close as the Bears just dismantled the Bills on offense. Nathan Peterman had three interceptions in the game and the Bears took advantage of them as much as they could. There were 14 points off turnovers for the Bears and Jordan Howard would rush for two touchdowns in the game. The Bears continue to stay within the NFC North and the Bills QB nightmare continues, one would think that anyone could play for them. How worse could it get?
Week 10: Chicago: vs Detroit; Buffalo: @ NY Jets
TW: 1-2; CV: 1-2
Detroit 9, Minnesota 24: Vikings; CV: Vikings
The game was a defensive showcase of the Vikings pass rush. The pass rush was highlighted by Danielle Hunter, a 4th-year man out of LSU, who had 3.5 sacks on the day. Detroit had no answer for it as even Matthew Stafford was rattled only throwing for 199 yards and no touchdowns. A true defensive effort is a thing that is not seen much in today's NFL, sadly.
Week 10: Detroit: @ Chicago; Minnesota: Bye week
TW: 2-2; CV: 2-2
Kansas City 37, Cleveland 21: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
In a game after they fired their head coach, Hue Jackson, the Cleveland Browns looked to stay respectable and against one of the top teams in the AFC, they looked like it. Baker Mayfield threw for two touchdowns on 297 yards passing and kept Kareem Hunt down to 91 yards. The Chiefs were the better team however as their magical season continues. Patrick Mahomes threw for 375 yards for three touchdowns.
Week 10: Kansas City: vs Arizona; Cleveland: vs Atlanta
TW: 3-2; CV: 3-2
NY Jets 6, Miami 13: TW: Dolphins; CV: Jets
The game was capped off of a defensive performance by the Miami Dolphins as they got four interceptions off of Sam Darnold. It was overall a sleeper effort if you enjoy passing offenses as both QB's didn't throw for over 300 yards. Then again if you play against the Jets, you're bound to have a lax day on offense. Frank Gore had a decent game with 53 rushing yards.
Week 10: NY Jets: vs Buffalo; Miami: @ Green Bay
TW: 4-2; CV: 3-3
Pittsburgh 23, Baltimore 16: TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
It was a classic AFC North battle between these two teams. A bit of offense and a lot of defense. Totally different than their week 4 matchup. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 270 yards on two touchdowns while James Conner had 107 yards on the ground. It proved to be a matchup between the Steelers offense vs one of the best defenses this season in the Ravens. Close game though. Joe Flacco only had 209 yards passing, not quite good enough.
Week 10: Pittsburgh: vs Carolina (Thursday night); Baltimore: Bye week
TW: 5-2; CV: 4-3
Tampa Bay 28, Carolina 42: TW: Panthers; CV: Panthers
The Carolina Panthers looked really good in this game. Really good is an understatement though. They manhandled the Buccaneers who pretty much had to go with their passing game early and often as the Bucs offense couldn't stop Cam Newton and company. If you have to play this team in the playoffs, beware. Ryan Fitzpatrick had four touchdowns and two interceptions but ultimately he had to be a one-man wrecking crew for them in the game, and that's not a good formula to win games in the NFL.
Week 10: Tampa Bay: vs Washington; Carolina: @ Pittsburgh (Thursday night)
TW: 6-2; CV: 5-3
Houston 19, Denver 17: TW: Texans; CV: Texans
The ultimately came down to the leg of Brandon McManus of the Denver Broncos. He would miss a game-winning field goal. Hate to see a game like that end for a Broncos fan but both teams played a clean game. Deshaun Watson threw for two touchdowns on 213 passing yards and Case Keenum would get one touchdown on 290 passing yards. Both defenses were solid but as I said before, it came down to a kick.
Week 10: Houston: Bye week; Denver: Bye week
TW: 7-2; CV: 6-3
LA Chargers 25, Seattle 17: TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
The LA Chargers had one hell of a game. Melvin Gordon had 113 rushing yards with a touchdown, Keenan Allen had 124 receiving yards but it was really about Seattle with a near comeback victory at the end of the game. Russell Wilson had a stellar game with 235 passing yards with two touchdowns. Not quite enough of a winning effort for Seattle.
Week 10: LA Chargers: @ Oakland; Seattle: @ LA Rams
TW: 8-2; CV: 7-3
LA Rams 35, New Orleans 45: TW: Saints; CV: Rams
The game was really what would be to be expected: a shootout to the end. You have to give quite a bit of credit for the Rams for hanging in there when they were down 21 points to get to a 35-35 tie in the 4th quarter. Unfortunately, the Rams had no answer to the Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas who had 211 receiving yards. If this was a playoff preview, then I'd love to see it again. Quite a good game if you enjoy offense, not so much if you prefer defense.
Week 10: LA Rams: vs Seattle; New Orleans: @ Cincinnati
TW: 9-2; CV: 7-4
Green Bay 17, New England 31: TW: Packers; CV: Patriots
In a game of GOAT vs GOAT, it would be the GOAT with the five rings that would ultimately win the game. The Patriots really ran the ball well against a Packers defense that was looking optimistic holding off the Rams offense last week. The Packers ultimately had to come down to the arm of Aaron Rodgers to carry the team. Things are not pretty in the Frozen Tundra.
Week 10: Green Bay: vs Miami; New England: @ Tennessee
TW: 9-3; CV: 8-4
Tennessee 28, Dallas 14: TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys
The game was a sour debut for the addition of Amari Cooper to the Cowboys offense. The wideout did have a decent game with eight receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown. At times the Cowboys offense just looked a bit sluggish at times, Ezekiel Elliot didn't have a standout, 100-yard game that we're used to seeing out of him. I had been critical of the Titans offense at times during the season, and boy did they prove me wrong. Marcus Mariota accounted for three of the game's four touchdowns (two passing, one rushing). Definitely not a pretty sight in Big D.
Week 10: Tennessee: vs New England; Dallas: @ Philadelphia
TW: 9-4; CV: 8-5
Records:
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-3
Week 9: 9-4:
Overall: 82-50-2
Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 10-4
Week 9: 8-5
Overall: 76-56-2
See you guys on Wednesday for the Week 10 picks column!
-Tom
Monday, November 5, 2018
Thursday, November 1, 2018
NFL 2018 Week 9 Picks
Hello readers! The time has come yet again to write up and post a column for the National Football League's 9th week of competition. The 9th week of the season is the mid-way point of the year, pretty much from here on out the week's get to the double digits and the playoff picture gets a bit clearer. We're still a few weeks away from really getting into the "playoffs" discussion. In this column, I'll talk about trades in the NFL, a recap of the trade deadline's moves, and of course the picks.
Trades in the NFL
When it comes to trades in sports, you usually hear more about trade news from such sports leagues like the NBA, MLB, and the NHL. A trade in the NFL, you don't really hear about it as much. Most often than not the reason for this is that the season is shorter, most teams are happy with what they have on their rosters, and the draft picks are in general more valuable as you can find a diamond in the rough than the other sports. Not also to mention that you have a free farm system in the NCAA to back you up.
If a team would trade something, that specific team would trade their player for a future draft pick. The name of the game is what you get out of that trade than what you give. If you trade your star wide receiver for a lower round draft pick (like a 5th rounder) then it wouldn't be as valuable since you get to pick later in the draft. It's all about relative value.
Secondary help in Washington, running back depth in Baltimore, and more.
The Green Bay Packers perhaps made the big news on trade deadline day as they would send Ha-Ha Clinton Dix and Ty Montgomery to Washington and Baltimore respectively. Clinton-Dix, the 5th year man out of Alabama, has recorded 27 tackles with three interceptions. Montgomery, ran the ball 26 times for 105 yards and a touchdown on the season. The Packers received a 4th-round pick for Clinton-Dix and a 7th-round 2020 pick for Montgomery.
A couple of wide receivers also got traded. Demaryius Thomas was traded to the Houston Texans for a 4th and 7th round picks. Denver would also trade a 7th-round pick to Houston as well. Thomas has received 402 yards and three touchdowns on the season. Golden Tate would be traded to Philadelphia for a 2019 3rd round pick. Golden Tate has 517 yards receiving for three touchdowns on the season. As far as who was the real winner of it all, it would be the Oakland Raiders. We shall see if these moves pay off for these teams in the future.
Cool video of the week
This week's cool of the week is a sort of a throwback to what the NFL was like 10 years ago. The NFL was a totally different place in 2008. Such things were: Tom Brady was out for the season due to a knee injury, the Patriots would not win the AFC East, Vince Young was a promising star in the league, Marshawn Lynch was playing for the Buffalo Bills, Brett Favre was traded to the Jets, and a promising quarterback named Aaron Rodgers would start his first full season in the NFL. The Youtube channel, KTO, is a pretty cool channel, check out the channel's other work.
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-3
Overall: 73-46-2
Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 10-4
Overall: 68-51-2
Enjoy your Halloween, the weekend and the week's games. I'll see you guys on Monday for the week's recap column!
-Tom
Trades in the NFL
When it comes to trades in sports, you usually hear more about trade news from such sports leagues like the NBA, MLB, and the NHL. A trade in the NFL, you don't really hear about it as much. Most often than not the reason for this is that the season is shorter, most teams are happy with what they have on their rosters, and the draft picks are in general more valuable as you can find a diamond in the rough than the other sports. Not also to mention that you have a free farm system in the NCAA to back you up.
If a team would trade something, that specific team would trade their player for a future draft pick. The name of the game is what you get out of that trade than what you give. If you trade your star wide receiver for a lower round draft pick (like a 5th rounder) then it wouldn't be as valuable since you get to pick later in the draft. It's all about relative value.
Secondary help in Washington, running back depth in Baltimore, and more.
The Green Bay Packers perhaps made the big news on trade deadline day as they would send Ha-Ha Clinton Dix and Ty Montgomery to Washington and Baltimore respectively. Clinton-Dix, the 5th year man out of Alabama, has recorded 27 tackles with three interceptions. Montgomery, ran the ball 26 times for 105 yards and a touchdown on the season. The Packers received a 4th-round pick for Clinton-Dix and a 7th-round 2020 pick for Montgomery.
A couple of wide receivers also got traded. Demaryius Thomas was traded to the Houston Texans for a 4th and 7th round picks. Denver would also trade a 7th-round pick to Houston as well. Thomas has received 402 yards and three touchdowns on the season. Golden Tate would be traded to Philadelphia for a 2019 3rd round pick. Golden Tate has 517 yards receiving for three touchdowns on the season. As far as who was the real winner of it all, it would be the Oakland Raiders. We shall see if these moves pay off for these teams in the future.
Cool video of the week
This week's cool of the week is a sort of a throwback to what the NFL was like 10 years ago. The NFL was a totally different place in 2008. Such things were: Tom Brady was out for the season due to a knee injury, the Patriots would not win the AFC East, Vince Young was a promising star in the league, Marshawn Lynch was playing for the Buffalo Bills, Brett Favre was traded to the Jets, and a promising quarterback named Aaron Rodgers would start his first full season in the NFL. The Youtube channel, KTO, is a pretty cool channel, check out the channel's other work.
Week 9 picks
Week 9 in the NFL regular season starts in Santa Clara, California and ends in Arlington, Texas. The Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants, and the Philadelphia Eagles are on a bye week. CBS will have the single, regional game, and FOX will have the doubleheader. There will be a Thursday night game, seven early games, three late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. A total of 13 games. Let's get to the picks!
Oakland (1-6) @ San Francisco (1-7) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders
Both teams took losses last week as the Raiders lost to the Colts and the 49ers to the Cardinals. I might go on a whim and give the Raiders a nod in the matchup. CJ Beathard could not be starting due to a wrist injury and if that's the case then Nick Mullens would get the nod. The Raiders have some stability on the quarterback with Derek Carr and the Raiders defense could have a decent game against the Niners. Really bad game for Thursday night, which sadly goes together.
Chicago (4-3) @ Buffalo (2-6) (FOX): TW: Bears; CV: Bears
The Bears got a win against the Jets and the Bills lost to the Patriots last week respectively. The Bears have been playing well on offense and had a rebound game against the Jets last week after giving up 30+ points to the Dolphins and Patriots. I feel the Bears will dominate on both sides of the ball as the Bills have no real answer on offense and their defense could give some trouble to the Bears but I'm not holding my breath on the Bills getting the upset.
Pittsburgh (4-2-1) @ Baltimore (4-4) (CBS): TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
The Steelers got a win against the Browns and the Ravens lost to the Panthers last week. The game will come down to the Steelers offense vs the Ravens defense. Which one will break the other? Ultimately I like the Steelers chances in this one. If the Steelers can make a few big plays against the Ravens defense, with either Antonio Brown and James Conner helming the offense for Pittsburgh, I'll take them. The Ravens could very well win the game as well since they are at home. It's a huge game for both teams if they want to gain some ground on each other in the division.
Atlanta (3-4) @ Washington (5-2) (FOX): TW: Redskins; CV: Redskins
Falcons were on a bye week and the Redskins got a win against the Giants last week. The game will come down to which offense shows up for the Redskins. Washington is 25th in overall offense on the season. The defense should be fine as they did pick up Ha Ha Clinton-Dix from the Packers this week. Alex Smith will need to step up in the air attack as the Falcons will try to focus on Adrian Peterson and try to shut him down. I'll take the Redskins due to their running attack and tight defense.
Detroit (3-4) @ Minnesota (4-3-1) (FOX): TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
Both teams took losses last week as the Lions lost to the Seahawks and the Vikings to the Saints. The game will come down to which team shows up for the Vikings. Will it be a dominating defensive effort for the Vikings or will it be like last week's Saints game for them? In a tight divisional race, I'll give the Vikes a benefit of the doubt as they still have a solid defense and an offense that can get going in a hurry. Give me the Purple & Gold.
Kansas City (7-1) @ Cleveland (2-5-1) (CBS): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The Chiefs got a win against the Broncos and the Browns lost to the Steelers last week respectively. The game will come down to if the Chiefs can avoid the trap game and get a win a hostile Cleveland crowd. If the Browns can avoid doing Browns things then they have a chance in the game. I can't hold my breath as the Browns did get rid of Hue Jackson earlier in the week. I'll take the Mahomes Train for another week.
NY Jets (3-5) @ Miami (4-4) (CBS): TW: Dolphins; CV: Jets
Both teams got losses last week the Jets lost to the Bears and the Dolphins to the Texans. The game is really and truly a toss-up game. Not based on the fact that both teams are good, but that they're really bad. I'm only really taking the Dolphins because they're at home and the Dolphins offense is slightly better than the Jets. Not also to mention the last time that both teams were playing each other, Sam Darnold had a terrible game.
Tampa Bay (3-4) @ Carolina (5-2) (FOX): TW: Panthers; CV: Panthers
The Buccaneers lost to the Bengals and the Panthers got a win against the Ravens. The game will come down to who will start for the Buccaneers this Sunday. Will it be Ryan Fitzpatrick or Jameis Winston? Such questions at quarterback have me questioning on if they can win. I'll take the Panthers in this one as they have a fun offense to watch and can play defense with the big boys (13th overall defense). Cam Newton could have a big game.
Houston (5-3) @ Denver (3-5) (CBS): TW: Texans; CV: Texans
The Texans got a win against the Dolphins and the Broncos lost to the Chiefs last week. The game will feature a return of Demaryius Thomas to Denver. The game could be quite the offensive showcase for both teams but they also play good defense as well. Vegas as the Broncos as a 1-point favorite in the game. It's really a toss-up matchup.
LA Chargers (5-2) @ Seattle (4-3) (CBS): TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
The Chargers were on a bye and the Seahawks beat the Lions last week. The game is a really good matchup if you do enjoy offense vs defense. I like the Chargers in the matchup as they have a versatile offense, and it will depend on if they can have success against the Seahawks defense as it is ranked 5th in overall defense. The game will really come down to which team can control the line of scrimmage more.
LA Rams (8-0) @ New Orleans (6-1) (FOX): TW: Saints; CV: Rams
Both teams got wins last week as the Rams beat the Packers and the Saints beat the Vikings. The game is the marquee game of the early/late games as both teams offenses are very stellar. The only question will be whether or not the Saints defense can rise to the challenge of stopping the Rams running game and forcing the Rams into being a one-dimensional offense. If they can do that they have a shot at forcing the Rams to lose for the first time this season, thus laying the ghosts of the 1972 Dolphins to rest for another year. Geaux Saints!
Green Bay (3-3-1) @ New England (6-2) (NBC): TW: Packers; CV: Patriots
The Packers lost to the Rams and the Patriots beat the Bills last week. The game is certainly a good one on paper but as far as both defenses goes, not so much. The two offenses feature two quarterbacks that wear #12 and are both quite good. The game will come down to which defense can step up and give their team's offense the best chance to win the game as both offenses will put points on the board. Don't let me down for another week, please Packers!
Tennessee (3-4) @ Dallas (3-4) (ESPN): TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys
Both teams were on a bye last week. The week finishes up with a decent matchup in Texas. The Cowboys will have a new weapon in Amari Cooper to showcase how well he can run against a Titans defense that is ranked 11th in the league. The game will come down to which offense shows up to play. I'll take the Cowboys in the game as they might get a boost in the passing attack with Cooper in their lineup, as well as Ezekiel Elliot doing Ezekiel Elliot things.
Local TV Schedule (via 506sports.com, subject to change):
CBS Single:
Kansas City @ Cleveland
Greg Gumbel, Bruce Arians, Trent Green
FOX Early:
Detroit @ Minnesota
Thom Brennamen, Chris Spielman
FOX Late:
LA Rams @ New Orleans
Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
For more info on which game will be on in your area, check out: NFL Maps: Week 9
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-3
Overall: 73-46-2
Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 10-4
Overall: 68-51-2
Enjoy your Halloween, the weekend and the week's games. I'll see you guys on Monday for the week's recap column!
-Tom
Monday, October 29, 2018
NFL 2018 Week 8 Recap
Hello readers! Another week of the National Football League has passed us by yet again. The week that was week 8 has provided: a team getting its 2nd win on the year, the return of Ryan Fitzpatrick and an unbeaten streak continue. The column will only a recap, I'll explain in a bit.
For those who might not know, I'm a Red Sox fan and those who follow baseball know that tonight (October 28th) is the chance that the Red Sox clinch the World Series title. Long story short, if the Red Sox win there's a possibility that there won't be a recap for this week because I celebrated too hard. If they don't clinch it then its business as usual. I'll make an attempt to finish it by the time the Monday night game is over. No guarantees. Let's get to the recap.
Miami 23, Houston 42: TW: Texans, CV: Texans
The game looked decent on paper as I had mentioned in the picks column. The game would see a return to the Deshaun Watson that we got to know last season. Throwing for five touchdowns with 239 passing yards. Not a bad game. For the Dolphins though, Danny Amendola had more touchdown passes than your starter, Brock Osweiler, which was one. It was a dismantling of epic proportions.
Week 9: Miami: vs Jets; Houston: @ Denver
TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0
Philadelphia 24, Jacksonville 18: TW: Eagles, CV: Jaguars
In a game where the Eagles defense was giving up points, it would be the Eagles leader/king/emperor/etc who would rally his team/country into victory against the opposing team/enemy. Yes, I did include a rather unique outlook to this recap. The Jaguars are still looking for answers on defense as well as some questions on offense. I'm sure Prince Harry was allowed in for a snap or two in this game. ;-)
Week 9: Philadelphia: Bye week; Jacksonville: Bye week
TW: 2-0; CV: 1-1
Baltimore 21, Carolina 36: TW: Panthers, CV: Panthers
In a game that wasn't as close as most people thought it would be, the Panthers put up quite a bit of points in this game. Cam Newton had a stellar game completing 21 out of 29 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns. The Ravens defense looked clueless on a few plays, like a few running plays with DJ Moore. Offensively the Ravens offense couldn't quite get anything going from the air attack as Joe Flacco would throw two interceptions.
Week 9: Baltimore: vs Pittsburgh; Carolina: vs Tampa Bay
TW: 3-0; CV: 2-1
Cleveland 18, Pittsburgh 33: TW: Steelers, CV: Steelers
In a game where a city needed a break from tragedy, the Steelers were more than happy to provide their fans that comfort. The events from the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue on Saturday was still heavily on the minds of the city and certainly, my thoughts and well wishes are to those who were affected in the tragedy. James Conner provided two touchdowns on the ground and Ben Roethlisberger would throw two touchdowns in the game. The Browns had a decent game with Baker Mayfield throwing for two touchdowns of his own but the Browns haven't won in Pittsburgh since 2003 and sadly would continue that trend.
Week 9: Cleveland: vs Kansas City; Pittsburgh: @ Baltimore
TW: 4-0; CV: 3-1
Denver 23, Kansas City 30: TW: Chiefs, CV: Chiefs
The continuing story of Patrick Mahomes II lives on and in this game was stellar. Throwing for four touchdowns and throwing 304 passing yards, he is having a season for the ages. The Broncos wouldn't really recover from it. Denver had a decent game on the ground and Case Keenum had a good game but you would have to play a great, mistake-free game against the Chiefs. The Broncos didn't.
Week 9: Denver: vs Houston; Kansas City: @ Cleveland
TW: 5-0; 4-1
NY Jets 10, Chicago 24: TW: Bears, CV: Bears
In a game that Chicago needed to keep up with the Vikings in the NFC North, they got the job done. Mitch Trubisky had a two-touchdown performance while throwing for 220 yards. The Jets couldn't get anything going on offense to counter the Bears while both quarterbacks would throw for zero interceptions. Not much else to really state in this game.
Week 9: NY Jets: @ Miami; Chicago: @ Buffalo
TW: 6-0; CV: 5-1
Seattle 28, Detroit 14: TW: Lions, CV: Lions
Well in a game where I got wrong, the Seattle Seahawks were practically 100% right. The Seahawks looked great on offense and defense. Russell Wilson had a perfect quarterback rating in the game with 248 passing yards and three touchdowns. The Seahawks defense came up with three turnovers (two fumbles and one interception). The Lions despite all that couldn't get the Seahawks offense off the field. The time of possessions were 35:55 for the Seahawks, 25:05 for the Lions. Tough way to lose.
Week 9: Seattle: vs LA Chargers; Detroit: @ Minnesota
TW: 6-1; CV: 5-2
Tampa Bay 34, Cincinnati 37: TW: Bengals, CV: Bengals
It was an ugly game for both teams. The Bengals would put up 34 points in the first three-quarters of the game, they would only put up three in the 4th quarter. The Buccaneers couldn't get anything going on offense due to Jameis Winston having another four-interception game. Winston would get benched for Ryan Fitzpatrick, the man that had led them to two wins earlier in the season, he would not disappoint. The Bucs would get 18 points in the 4th quarter and unfortunately, the Bengals would get the win off of a Randy Bullock field goal.
Week 9: Tampa Bay: @ Carolina; Cincinnati: Bye week
TW: 7-1; CV: 6-2
Washington 20, NY Giants 13: TW: Redskins, CV: Redskins
The game was highlighted by a defensive unit of the Redskins that looked to shut down the Giants offense. D.J. Swearinger picked off Eli Manning two times in the game. The Redskins running game was great once again with Adrian Peterson going for 149 yards and a touchdown. Not also to mention that Eli Manning was sacked seven times in the game.
Week 9: Washington: vs Atlanta; NY Giants: Bye week
TW: 8-1; CV: 7-2
Indianapolis 42, Oakland 28: TW: Colts, CV: Colts
In a week that would see Amari Cooper gone in Oakland, the Raiders offense held it together for most of the game. Andrew Luck and company would have much more success, however. The game really came down to the Colts running game with Marlon Mack getting two touchdowns from 132 rushing yards. Derek Carr did throw for three touchdowns in the game but in a season where it went from possible Super Bowl contender to a potential #1 draft pick, its looking rough in Oakland.
Week 9: Indianapolis: vs Jacksonville; Oakland: @ 49ers (Thursday night)
TW: 9-1; CV: 8-2
Green Bay 27, LA Rams 29: TW: Packers, CV: Rams
It was a really good game for the most part. Both offenses had good games, Aaron Rodgers had one touchdown, Jared Goff had three. The Packers defense held their own as well. The deciding factor was a late fumble by Ty Montgomery. Hate to see a game like that end that way when you question how would Aaron Rodgers answer back. The ghosts of the 1972 Dolphins remain for another week.
Week 9: Green Bay: @ New England; LA Rams: @ New Orleans
TW: 9-2; CV: 9-2
San Francisco 15, Arizona 18: TW: 49ers, CV: 49ers
It was a game that lived up to the "Toilet Bowl" hype but it wasn't the worst thing that I've ever seen on a television set. The game was a showcase of how good Josh Rosen can be. Rosen had 252 passing yards for two touchdowns in the game. The 2nd touchdown would come with 0:34 left to play in the game and a successful 2-point conversion. Perhaps the Cardinals aren't a lost cause.
Week 9: San Francisco: vs Oakland (Thursday night); Arizona: Bye week
TW: 9-3; CV: 9-3
New Orleans 30, Minnesota 20: TW: Saints, CV: Vikings
The rematch of the "Minneapolis Miracle" the Saints would end up getting the last laugh in the game. The Vikings had a decent game on offense, Kirk Cousins would have a good game throwing for 389 yards for two touchdowns. The Saints, however, had an okay game, Drew Brees only threw for 120 yards for a touchdown. The real story of the game was the Saints defense getting two Vikings turnovers (one fumble, one interception). The Vikings really laid an egg on this one. The Red Sox also won the World Series by the way. I'm a bit tipsy right now. Well worth it.
Week 9: New Orleans: vs LA Rams; Minnesota: vs Detroit
TW: 10-3; CV: 9-4
New England 25, Buffalo 6: TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
The game was a snoozefest for most of the game. Full of field goals. It was good to see some of the 1990's Bills there in Buffalo in honor of Thurmon Thomas' jersey getting retired. The 4th quarter was kind of interesting as there was a pick-six by Devin McCourty. When was the last time that Tom Brady had no touchdown passes in a game? Still, a 29-3 record vs the Bills is quite extraordinary.
Week 9: New England: vs Green Bay; Buffalo vs Chicago
TW: 11-3; CV: 10-4
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-3
Overall: 73-46-2
Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 10-4
Overall: 68-51-2
See you guys on Wednesday/Thursday for the picks/predictions for Week 9!
-Tom
For those who might not know, I'm a Red Sox fan and those who follow baseball know that tonight (October 28th) is the chance that the Red Sox clinch the World Series title. Long story short, if the Red Sox win there's a possibility that there won't be a recap for this week because I celebrated too hard. If they don't clinch it then its business as usual. I'll make an attempt to finish it by the time the Monday night game is over. No guarantees. Let's get to the recap.
Miami 23, Houston 42: TW: Texans, CV: Texans
The game looked decent on paper as I had mentioned in the picks column. The game would see a return to the Deshaun Watson that we got to know last season. Throwing for five touchdowns with 239 passing yards. Not a bad game. For the Dolphins though, Danny Amendola had more touchdown passes than your starter, Brock Osweiler, which was one. It was a dismantling of epic proportions.
Week 9: Miami: vs Jets; Houston: @ Denver
TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0
Philadelphia 24, Jacksonville 18: TW: Eagles, CV: Jaguars
In a game where the Eagles defense was giving up points, it would be the Eagles leader/king/emperor/etc who would rally his team/country into victory against the opposing team/enemy. Yes, I did include a rather unique outlook to this recap. The Jaguars are still looking for answers on defense as well as some questions on offense. I'm sure Prince Harry was allowed in for a snap or two in this game. ;-)
Week 9: Philadelphia: Bye week; Jacksonville: Bye week
TW: 2-0; CV: 1-1
Baltimore 21, Carolina 36: TW: Panthers, CV: Panthers
In a game that wasn't as close as most people thought it would be, the Panthers put up quite a bit of points in this game. Cam Newton had a stellar game completing 21 out of 29 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns. The Ravens defense looked clueless on a few plays, like a few running plays with DJ Moore. Offensively the Ravens offense couldn't quite get anything going from the air attack as Joe Flacco would throw two interceptions.
Week 9: Baltimore: vs Pittsburgh; Carolina: vs Tampa Bay
TW: 3-0; CV: 2-1
Cleveland 18, Pittsburgh 33: TW: Steelers, CV: Steelers
In a game where a city needed a break from tragedy, the Steelers were more than happy to provide their fans that comfort. The events from the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue on Saturday was still heavily on the minds of the city and certainly, my thoughts and well wishes are to those who were affected in the tragedy. James Conner provided two touchdowns on the ground and Ben Roethlisberger would throw two touchdowns in the game. The Browns had a decent game with Baker Mayfield throwing for two touchdowns of his own but the Browns haven't won in Pittsburgh since 2003 and sadly would continue that trend.
Week 9: Cleveland: vs Kansas City; Pittsburgh: @ Baltimore
TW: 4-0; CV: 3-1
Denver 23, Kansas City 30: TW: Chiefs, CV: Chiefs
The continuing story of Patrick Mahomes II lives on and in this game was stellar. Throwing for four touchdowns and throwing 304 passing yards, he is having a season for the ages. The Broncos wouldn't really recover from it. Denver had a decent game on the ground and Case Keenum had a good game but you would have to play a great, mistake-free game against the Chiefs. The Broncos didn't.
Week 9: Denver: vs Houston; Kansas City: @ Cleveland
TW: 5-0; 4-1
NY Jets 10, Chicago 24: TW: Bears, CV: Bears
In a game that Chicago needed to keep up with the Vikings in the NFC North, they got the job done. Mitch Trubisky had a two-touchdown performance while throwing for 220 yards. The Jets couldn't get anything going on offense to counter the Bears while both quarterbacks would throw for zero interceptions. Not much else to really state in this game.
Week 9: NY Jets: @ Miami; Chicago: @ Buffalo
TW: 6-0; CV: 5-1
Seattle 28, Detroit 14: TW: Lions, CV: Lions
Well in a game where I got wrong, the Seattle Seahawks were practically 100% right. The Seahawks looked great on offense and defense. Russell Wilson had a perfect quarterback rating in the game with 248 passing yards and three touchdowns. The Seahawks defense came up with three turnovers (two fumbles and one interception). The Lions despite all that couldn't get the Seahawks offense off the field. The time of possessions were 35:55 for the Seahawks, 25:05 for the Lions. Tough way to lose.
Week 9: Seattle: vs LA Chargers; Detroit: @ Minnesota
TW: 6-1; CV: 5-2
Tampa Bay 34, Cincinnati 37: TW: Bengals, CV: Bengals
It was an ugly game for both teams. The Bengals would put up 34 points in the first three-quarters of the game, they would only put up three in the 4th quarter. The Buccaneers couldn't get anything going on offense due to Jameis Winston having another four-interception game. Winston would get benched for Ryan Fitzpatrick, the man that had led them to two wins earlier in the season, he would not disappoint. The Bucs would get 18 points in the 4th quarter and unfortunately, the Bengals would get the win off of a Randy Bullock field goal.
Week 9: Tampa Bay: @ Carolina; Cincinnati: Bye week
TW: 7-1; CV: 6-2
Washington 20, NY Giants 13: TW: Redskins, CV: Redskins
The game was highlighted by a defensive unit of the Redskins that looked to shut down the Giants offense. D.J. Swearinger picked off Eli Manning two times in the game. The Redskins running game was great once again with Adrian Peterson going for 149 yards and a touchdown. Not also to mention that Eli Manning was sacked seven times in the game.
Week 9: Washington: vs Atlanta; NY Giants: Bye week
TW: 8-1; CV: 7-2
Indianapolis 42, Oakland 28: TW: Colts, CV: Colts
In a week that would see Amari Cooper gone in Oakland, the Raiders offense held it together for most of the game. Andrew Luck and company would have much more success, however. The game really came down to the Colts running game with Marlon Mack getting two touchdowns from 132 rushing yards. Derek Carr did throw for three touchdowns in the game but in a season where it went from possible Super Bowl contender to a potential #1 draft pick, its looking rough in Oakland.
Week 9: Indianapolis: vs Jacksonville; Oakland: @ 49ers (Thursday night)
TW: 9-1; CV: 8-2
Green Bay 27, LA Rams 29: TW: Packers, CV: Rams
It was a really good game for the most part. Both offenses had good games, Aaron Rodgers had one touchdown, Jared Goff had three. The Packers defense held their own as well. The deciding factor was a late fumble by Ty Montgomery. Hate to see a game like that end that way when you question how would Aaron Rodgers answer back. The ghosts of the 1972 Dolphins remain for another week.
Week 9: Green Bay: @ New England; LA Rams: @ New Orleans
TW: 9-2; CV: 9-2
San Francisco 15, Arizona 18: TW: 49ers, CV: 49ers
It was a game that lived up to the "Toilet Bowl" hype but it wasn't the worst thing that I've ever seen on a television set. The game was a showcase of how good Josh Rosen can be. Rosen had 252 passing yards for two touchdowns in the game. The 2nd touchdown would come with 0:34 left to play in the game and a successful 2-point conversion. Perhaps the Cardinals aren't a lost cause.
Week 9: San Francisco: vs Oakland (Thursday night); Arizona: Bye week
TW: 9-3; CV: 9-3
New Orleans 30, Minnesota 20: TW: Saints, CV: Vikings
The rematch of the "Minneapolis Miracle" the Saints would end up getting the last laugh in the game. The Vikings had a decent game on offense, Kirk Cousins would have a good game throwing for 389 yards for two touchdowns. The Saints, however, had an okay game, Drew Brees only threw for 120 yards for a touchdown. The real story of the game was the Saints defense getting two Vikings turnovers (one fumble, one interception). The Vikings really laid an egg on this one. The Red Sox also won the World Series by the way. I'm a bit tipsy right now. Well worth it.
Week 9: New Orleans: vs LA Rams; Minnesota: vs Detroit
TW: 10-3; CV: 9-4
New England 25, Buffalo 6: TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
The game was a snoozefest for most of the game. Full of field goals. It was good to see some of the 1990's Bills there in Buffalo in honor of Thurmon Thomas' jersey getting retired. The 4th quarter was kind of interesting as there was a pick-six by Devin McCourty. When was the last time that Tom Brady had no touchdown passes in a game? Still, a 29-3 record vs the Bills is quite extraordinary.
Week 9: New England: vs Green Bay; Buffalo vs Chicago
TW: 11-3; CV: 10-4
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-3
Overall: 73-46-2
Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 10-4
Overall: 68-51-2
See you guys on Wednesday/Thursday for the picks/predictions for Week 9!
-Tom
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
NFL 2018 Week 8 Picks
Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming yet again. The week that was week 7 is in the books and we are nearing the halfway point into the season. There is yet to be a defined favorite in either conference but it would seem that the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Rams would be the favorites, but they do have their flaws. In this column, I'll discuss the recent trade of Amari Cooper to the Cowboys and which teams have given their fans a Trick or a Treat thus far into the season. The picks are also in here too.
Tanking in Oakland?
When Jon Gruden was given the head coaching position in Oakland, the team looked to finally have a solid base of talent that could make noise in the AFC. All that changed when the Raiders traded Khalil Mack to the Bears for draft picks. Once the news of wide receiver Amari Cooper was being traded to the Dallas Cowboys, most people felt that the Raiders were looking for more of a hard rebuild than a possibility of getting back to solid football.
As far as the move for the Cowboys, it certainly gives them another weapon to work with. It will relieve some of the pressure on Cole Beasley, Allen Hurns, and Tavon Austin. The Cowboys on passing offense this season is ranked at 29th in the league, the Cowboys running game has been their staple thus far in the season.
The move for the Raiders could possibly mean that the Raiders are looking to shop Derek Carr around for a 1st round draft pick and possibly more. If Carr gets traded then I could possibly see the Raiders losing 13-14 games this season. A rough way to go when I picked them to go to the Super Bowl. Granted when I made that prediction they did trade Mack to the Bears, I figured that they could possibly get better on defense, not the case (haha).
Trick/Treat
Since Halloween is next week (writing this on the 24th) I figured that I should do a little trick/treat in honor of the holiday. I did this last season and I actually enjoyed it. Here are the teams that have given their fans a trick.
Oakland Raiders
The Raiders this season have been abysmal, its reminiscent of the late 2000's Raiders teams that had JaMarcus Russell at quarterback. The Raiders only win thus far was an overtime win against the Browns! The Raiders offense has been sub-par. They rank 25th in run offense and 10th in passing offense. They traded their star players in Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper and are looking at a possible 13-15 loss season.
New York Giants
The Giants have been just as bad as the Raiders. They extended Odell Beckham Jr.'s contract. He got paid big time! If you look at the expressions of Eli Manning, the Giants quarterback, he knows he is in a trainwreck of a team. The Giants offense are ranked 30th in run offense and 12th in pass offense, while they are playing better on defense, they just look lost out there.
The idea of Halloween is to get spooked but it is also to get a treat as well. Whether it be candy or you getting the chance to spook someone, Halloween works both ways. Here are the teams that I feel have treated their fans to something great.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs offense is playing out of its mind with Patrick Mahomes II helming the ship. The Chiefs only loss of the season was a close game against the New England Patriots but other than that they have done very well. Kansas City has given their fans a bit of a trick during the later stretches of the season, especially last year. When the Chiefs started out 5-0, they went on a bit of a stretch of bad football but finished with a 10-6 record to close out 2017. Not also to mention that they would lose in the AFC Wild Card to the Tennessee Titans. We will see if the Chiefs can keep up with they way that they're playing but it seems that no one can stop the train.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns this season have done a complete 360 compared to last season. The offense seems to respond very well to Baker Mayfield's leadership and the Browns defense is very underrated (when they don't try to shoot themselves in the foot). If the Browns had a capable kicker for them they could easily be above .500, and they even got to break open this when they beat the Jets earlier this season:
New Orleans Saints
The Saints have been quite good on offense and are #1 in rushing defense so far. The story is of course on Drew Brees has thrown over 500 touchdown passes and has the all-time passing yards record. The addition of Eli Apple from the Giants will give the Saints some versatility on the secondary. Could be an interesting year as they are trying to go for a Super Bowl run this year.
Cool video of the week:
Since I'm in the Halloween mood this week, I felt that this week's cool video of the week should feature a song that is quite spooky and quite memorable. The song is Michael Jackson's "Thriller" from the album of the same title in 1982. The music video is fairly long but the song makes it worth it. Enjoy.
Week 8 Picks
Week 8 in the National Football League will start in Houston, Texas and ends in Buffalo, New York. The week has 14 games on the slate. Teams that are on bye week are the Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, and the Dallas Cowboys. The week features a Thursday night game, a Sunday morning game, seven early games, three late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. FOX will have the doubleheader and CBS will show the single, regional game. Let's get to the picks!
Miami (4-3) @ Houston (4-3) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Texans, CV: Texans
The Dolphins lost to the Lions and the Texans beat the Jaguars last week respectively. The week starts with a fairly decent matchup in the AFC. The Dolphins have some stability at quarterback with Brock Osweiler but their defense is suspect. I trust the Texans a bit more based on I like their defense and Deshaun Watson can get the ball to their skill players.
Philadelphia (3-4) @ Jacksonville (3-4) (NFL Network): TW: Eagles, CV: Jaguars
Both teams took a loss last week as the Eagles lost to the Panthers and the Jaguars to the Texans. The game is in London again and it will be a 9:30 eastern time start with NFL network showcasing the game on their network, so if you don't have the channel you'll have to look elsewhere to watch it. The Eagles are still recovering from winning the Super Bowl last year and I just can't trust the Jaguars anymore since Blake Bortles has fallen off the face of the earth since their game against the Patriots earlier in the year. Fortunately no more London games for the rest of the year after this week.
Baltimore (4-3) @ Carolina (4-2) (CBS): TW: Panthers, CV: Panthers
The Ravens took a loss against the Saints and the Panthers got a win against the Eagles last week. The game will come down to whether or not the Panthers offense can do well against the vaunted Ravens defense. If the Panthers running game can keep the Ravens defense on the field longer than they should win.
Cleveland (2-4-1) @ Pittsburgh (3-2-1) (CBS): TW: Steelers, CV: Steelers
The Browns are coming off a loss against the Buccaneers and the Steelers were on a bye week last week. The last time these two teams met, they ended up with a tie. The Browns should've won the first matchup with a field goal but couldn't quite do it. The Steelers still don't have Le'veon Bell on the team so far (CBS Sports still shows an empty space in the starter slot for the Steelers halfback position). Despite all this drama, I feel the rested Steelers can run the ball well on the Browns and if the Browns do Browns things the Steelers should win.
Denver (3-4) @ Kansas City (6-1) (CBS): TW: Chiefs, CV: Chiefs
Both teams are coming off a win with the Broncos beating the Cardinals and the Chiefs beating the Bengals last week. The previous meeting between the teams was a 4-point win for the Chiefs so it was closer than most people would've wanted. The Chiefs will win it but I feel it will be close to the chest. As long as Mahomes does well enough.
NY Jets (3-4) @ Chicago (3-3) (CBS): TW: Bears, CV: Bears
Both teams are coming off losses as the Jets lost to the Vikings and the Bears to the Patriots. The game will feature two young quarterbacks that love to throw the ball a lot, and some of those passes may get intercepted. I feel the Bears will win based on that their defense will dominate the line of scrimmage and the turnover battle.
Seattle (3-3) @ Detroit (3-3) (FOX): TW: Lions, CV: Lions
The Seahawks were on a bye and the Lions beat the Dolphins last week. The game is a rematch of the 2016 NFC wild-card game where the Seahawks beat the Lions in that game. The Seahawks then are a different team now. I feel the game will come down to the Lions offense vs the Seahawks defense as the key matchup. If the Lions offense can keep Seattle's defense on the field for a majority of the game, they have a good chance for victory. Then again the Lions have been known to do Lions things.
Tampa Bay (3-3) @ Cincinnati (4-3) (FOX): TW: Bengals, CV: Bengals
The Buccaneers got a win against the Browns and the Bengals lost to the Chiefs last week. The Bengals have somewhat been off track for the past few weeks, their defense is banged up a bit. I'm going to put my faith in the Bengals for at least another game but the game is a toss-up. The Buccaneers could win the game off of their passing offense.
Washington (4-2) @ NY Giants (1-6) (FOX): TW: Redskins, CV: Redskins
The Redskins got a win against the Cowboys and the Giants lost to the Falcons last week. The Giants are pretty bad this season and coming into a division game against the Redskins, one would think that they would have to play better at home. The Redskins I feel will win based on their running game and a few big plays. The Giants could get a win too but the NFC East is a pretty terrible division this season, that's for certain.
Indianapolis (2-5) @ Oakland (1-5) (CBS): TW: Colts, CV: Colts
The Colts got a win against the Bills and the Raiders were on a bye week last week. The Raiders are a mess as well. Not a lot of offense to sustain themselves and a defense that can give up points like crazy. The Colts could be affected by jet lag but I'll take the Colts in this game with the arm of Andrew Luck and recent performances of the Colts defense.
Green Bay (3-2-1) @ LA Rams (7-0) (FOX): TW: Packers, CV: Rams
The Packers were on a bye week and the Rams got a win against the 49ers. I'm sure a lot of you are thinking "What the hell are you thinking, Tom?" well I'm supporting my team and I feel the matchup can play into the Packers favor in a few ways. The Packers could win if: Aaron Rodgers is upright, the defense plays well and gets turnovers early and often, and special teams does well. If the Packers do this and more then they have a shot to win. The Rams are the overall favorite and it wouldn't surprise me if they win the game.
San Francisco (1-6) @ Arizona (1-6) (FOX): TW: 49ers, CV: 49ers
Both teams got losses last week as the 49ers lost to the Rams and the Cardinals to the Broncos. The game is officially the "Toilet Bowl" game of the year thus far. Both teams are pretty terrible on both sides of the ball. The Cardinals are a sinking ship with a few of the crew wanting to jump overboard. As much as I want the Cardinals to win, I like the Niners in the game. Both teams could accidentally win the game or end in another tie. Anything is possible.
New Orleans (5-1) @ Minnesota (4-2-1) (NBC): TW: Saints, CV: Vikings
Both teams got wins last week as the Saints beat the Ravens and the Vikings beat the Jets. The game is a rematch of the NFC Divisional game where Stephon Diggs would get the game-winning touchdown to send the Vikes to the NFC Championship game. The will greatly depend on if the Vikings offense can keep up with the Saints offense as the Vikings defense will do Vikings defense things like getting stops but it will depend on Kirk Cousins' arm. I don't feel safe with Cousins but I'll take the Saints in the game.
New England (5-2) @ Buffalo (2-5) (ESPN): TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
The Patriots got a win against the Bears and the Bills lost to the Colts last week. The week finishes off with a somewhat decent game in Buffalo. The Patriots will win the game based on the Patriots stellar offense and their defense should do alright in this one. The Bills will most likely start Derek Anderson again and he should get better than what he did last week with a few more reps in practice to learn the Bills offense.
Local TV Schedule (via 506sports.com, subject to change):
CBS Single:
NY Jets @ Chicago
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo
FOX Early:
Seattle @ Detroit
Kevin Kugler, Ronde Barber, Chris Spielman
FOX Late:
Green Bay @ LA Rams
Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman
For more information on which game is going to be played in your area, check out: NFL 2018 Week 8 Maps
Records:
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Overall: 62-43-2
Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Overall: 58-47-2
Enjoy the games, have a good weekend, and I'll see you guys on Monday/Tuesday for the week's recap!
-Tom
Tanking in Oakland?
When Jon Gruden was given the head coaching position in Oakland, the team looked to finally have a solid base of talent that could make noise in the AFC. All that changed when the Raiders traded Khalil Mack to the Bears for draft picks. Once the news of wide receiver Amari Cooper was being traded to the Dallas Cowboys, most people felt that the Raiders were looking for more of a hard rebuild than a possibility of getting back to solid football.
As far as the move for the Cowboys, it certainly gives them another weapon to work with. It will relieve some of the pressure on Cole Beasley, Allen Hurns, and Tavon Austin. The Cowboys on passing offense this season is ranked at 29th in the league, the Cowboys running game has been their staple thus far in the season.
The move for the Raiders could possibly mean that the Raiders are looking to shop Derek Carr around for a 1st round draft pick and possibly more. If Carr gets traded then I could possibly see the Raiders losing 13-14 games this season. A rough way to go when I picked them to go to the Super Bowl. Granted when I made that prediction they did trade Mack to the Bears, I figured that they could possibly get better on defense, not the case (haha).
Trick/Treat
Since Halloween is next week (writing this on the 24th) I figured that I should do a little trick/treat in honor of the holiday. I did this last season and I actually enjoyed it. Here are the teams that have given their fans a trick.
Oakland Raiders
The Raiders this season have been abysmal, its reminiscent of the late 2000's Raiders teams that had JaMarcus Russell at quarterback. The Raiders only win thus far was an overtime win against the Browns! The Raiders offense has been sub-par. They rank 25th in run offense and 10th in passing offense. They traded their star players in Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper and are looking at a possible 13-15 loss season.
New York Giants
The Giants have been just as bad as the Raiders. They extended Odell Beckham Jr.'s contract. He got paid big time! If you look at the expressions of Eli Manning, the Giants quarterback, he knows he is in a trainwreck of a team. The Giants offense are ranked 30th in run offense and 12th in pass offense, while they are playing better on defense, they just look lost out there.
The idea of Halloween is to get spooked but it is also to get a treat as well. Whether it be candy or you getting the chance to spook someone, Halloween works both ways. Here are the teams that I feel have treated their fans to something great.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs offense is playing out of its mind with Patrick Mahomes II helming the ship. The Chiefs only loss of the season was a close game against the New England Patriots but other than that they have done very well. Kansas City has given their fans a bit of a trick during the later stretches of the season, especially last year. When the Chiefs started out 5-0, they went on a bit of a stretch of bad football but finished with a 10-6 record to close out 2017. Not also to mention that they would lose in the AFC Wild Card to the Tennessee Titans. We will see if the Chiefs can keep up with they way that they're playing but it seems that no one can stop the train.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns this season have done a complete 360 compared to last season. The offense seems to respond very well to Baker Mayfield's leadership and the Browns defense is very underrated (when they don't try to shoot themselves in the foot). If the Browns had a capable kicker for them they could easily be above .500, and they even got to break open this when they beat the Jets earlier this season:
The Saints have been quite good on offense and are #1 in rushing defense so far. The story is of course on Drew Brees has thrown over 500 touchdown passes and has the all-time passing yards record. The addition of Eli Apple from the Giants will give the Saints some versatility on the secondary. Could be an interesting year as they are trying to go for a Super Bowl run this year.
Cool video of the week:
Since I'm in the Halloween mood this week, I felt that this week's cool video of the week should feature a song that is quite spooky and quite memorable. The song is Michael Jackson's "Thriller" from the album of the same title in 1982. The music video is fairly long but the song makes it worth it. Enjoy.
Week 8 Picks
Week 8 in the National Football League will start in Houston, Texas and ends in Buffalo, New York. The week has 14 games on the slate. Teams that are on bye week are the Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, and the Dallas Cowboys. The week features a Thursday night game, a Sunday morning game, seven early games, three late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. FOX will have the doubleheader and CBS will show the single, regional game. Let's get to the picks!
Miami (4-3) @ Houston (4-3) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Texans, CV: Texans
The Dolphins lost to the Lions and the Texans beat the Jaguars last week respectively. The week starts with a fairly decent matchup in the AFC. The Dolphins have some stability at quarterback with Brock Osweiler but their defense is suspect. I trust the Texans a bit more based on I like their defense and Deshaun Watson can get the ball to their skill players.
Philadelphia (3-4) @ Jacksonville (3-4) (NFL Network): TW: Eagles, CV: Jaguars
Both teams took a loss last week as the Eagles lost to the Panthers and the Jaguars to the Texans. The game is in London again and it will be a 9:30 eastern time start with NFL network showcasing the game on their network, so if you don't have the channel you'll have to look elsewhere to watch it. The Eagles are still recovering from winning the Super Bowl last year and I just can't trust the Jaguars anymore since Blake Bortles has fallen off the face of the earth since their game against the Patriots earlier in the year. Fortunately no more London games for the rest of the year after this week.
Baltimore (4-3) @ Carolina (4-2) (CBS): TW: Panthers, CV: Panthers
The Ravens took a loss against the Saints and the Panthers got a win against the Eagles last week. The game will come down to whether or not the Panthers offense can do well against the vaunted Ravens defense. If the Panthers running game can keep the Ravens defense on the field longer than they should win.
Cleveland (2-4-1) @ Pittsburgh (3-2-1) (CBS): TW: Steelers, CV: Steelers
The Browns are coming off a loss against the Buccaneers and the Steelers were on a bye week last week. The last time these two teams met, they ended up with a tie. The Browns should've won the first matchup with a field goal but couldn't quite do it. The Steelers still don't have Le'veon Bell on the team so far (CBS Sports still shows an empty space in the starter slot for the Steelers halfback position). Despite all this drama, I feel the rested Steelers can run the ball well on the Browns and if the Browns do Browns things the Steelers should win.
Denver (3-4) @ Kansas City (6-1) (CBS): TW: Chiefs, CV: Chiefs
Both teams are coming off a win with the Broncos beating the Cardinals and the Chiefs beating the Bengals last week. The previous meeting between the teams was a 4-point win for the Chiefs so it was closer than most people would've wanted. The Chiefs will win it but I feel it will be close to the chest. As long as Mahomes does well enough.
NY Jets (3-4) @ Chicago (3-3) (CBS): TW: Bears, CV: Bears
Both teams are coming off losses as the Jets lost to the Vikings and the Bears to the Patriots. The game will feature two young quarterbacks that love to throw the ball a lot, and some of those passes may get intercepted. I feel the Bears will win based on that their defense will dominate the line of scrimmage and the turnover battle.
Seattle (3-3) @ Detroit (3-3) (FOX): TW: Lions, CV: Lions
The Seahawks were on a bye and the Lions beat the Dolphins last week. The game is a rematch of the 2016 NFC wild-card game where the Seahawks beat the Lions in that game. The Seahawks then are a different team now. I feel the game will come down to the Lions offense vs the Seahawks defense as the key matchup. If the Lions offense can keep Seattle's defense on the field for a majority of the game, they have a good chance for victory. Then again the Lions have been known to do Lions things.
Tampa Bay (3-3) @ Cincinnati (4-3) (FOX): TW: Bengals, CV: Bengals
The Buccaneers got a win against the Browns and the Bengals lost to the Chiefs last week. The Bengals have somewhat been off track for the past few weeks, their defense is banged up a bit. I'm going to put my faith in the Bengals for at least another game but the game is a toss-up. The Buccaneers could win the game off of their passing offense.
Washington (4-2) @ NY Giants (1-6) (FOX): TW: Redskins, CV: Redskins
The Redskins got a win against the Cowboys and the Giants lost to the Falcons last week. The Giants are pretty bad this season and coming into a division game against the Redskins, one would think that they would have to play better at home. The Redskins I feel will win based on their running game and a few big plays. The Giants could get a win too but the NFC East is a pretty terrible division this season, that's for certain.
Indianapolis (2-5) @ Oakland (1-5) (CBS): TW: Colts, CV: Colts
The Colts got a win against the Bills and the Raiders were on a bye week last week. The Raiders are a mess as well. Not a lot of offense to sustain themselves and a defense that can give up points like crazy. The Colts could be affected by jet lag but I'll take the Colts in this game with the arm of Andrew Luck and recent performances of the Colts defense.
Green Bay (3-2-1) @ LA Rams (7-0) (FOX): TW: Packers, CV: Rams
The Packers were on a bye week and the Rams got a win against the 49ers. I'm sure a lot of you are thinking "What the hell are you thinking, Tom?" well I'm supporting my team and I feel the matchup can play into the Packers favor in a few ways. The Packers could win if: Aaron Rodgers is upright, the defense plays well and gets turnovers early and often, and special teams does well. If the Packers do this and more then they have a shot to win. The Rams are the overall favorite and it wouldn't surprise me if they win the game.
San Francisco (1-6) @ Arizona (1-6) (FOX): TW: 49ers, CV: 49ers
Both teams got losses last week as the 49ers lost to the Rams and the Cardinals to the Broncos. The game is officially the "Toilet Bowl" game of the year thus far. Both teams are pretty terrible on both sides of the ball. The Cardinals are a sinking ship with a few of the crew wanting to jump overboard. As much as I want the Cardinals to win, I like the Niners in the game. Both teams could accidentally win the game or end in another tie. Anything is possible.
New Orleans (5-1) @ Minnesota (4-2-1) (NBC): TW: Saints, CV: Vikings
Both teams got wins last week as the Saints beat the Ravens and the Vikings beat the Jets. The game is a rematch of the NFC Divisional game where Stephon Diggs would get the game-winning touchdown to send the Vikes to the NFC Championship game. The will greatly depend on if the Vikings offense can keep up with the Saints offense as the Vikings defense will do Vikings defense things like getting stops but it will depend on Kirk Cousins' arm. I don't feel safe with Cousins but I'll take the Saints in the game.
New England (5-2) @ Buffalo (2-5) (ESPN): TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
The Patriots got a win against the Bears and the Bills lost to the Colts last week. The week finishes off with a somewhat decent game in Buffalo. The Patriots will win the game based on the Patriots stellar offense and their defense should do alright in this one. The Bills will most likely start Derek Anderson again and he should get better than what he did last week with a few more reps in practice to learn the Bills offense.
Local TV Schedule (via 506sports.com, subject to change):
CBS Single:
NY Jets @ Chicago
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo
FOX Early:
Seattle @ Detroit
Kevin Kugler, Ronde Barber, Chris Spielman
FOX Late:
Green Bay @ LA Rams
Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman
For more information on which game is going to be played in your area, check out: NFL 2018 Week 8 Maps
Records:
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Overall: 62-43-2
Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Overall: 58-47-2
Enjoy the games, have a good weekend, and I'll see you guys on Monday/Tuesday for the week's recap!
-Tom
Monday, October 22, 2018
NFL Week 7 Recap
Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has passed us by. The week that featured another OT game for the 7th straight week, a game that was a yard short of a possible OT, and a few blowouts. In this column, I'll rank the divisions from top to bottom through seven weeks. Of course the recap as well. Let's get to work.
Divisions: Worst to Best
The NFL is a parity league, one year there's a division with at least 2-3 teams with winning records, the next, only one team. This is fairly true this year with one example being the NFC West, considered to be one of the best, is having a slump of a season. One of the better divisions in football this year, in my opinion, is the AFC North. While yes the Browns and Steelers do have a tie, three teams have a record above .500, and the Browns having 2 wins (though they were close to getting #3). Here's my worst to best division rankings:
1. NFC West
2. AFC South
3. NFC East
4. AFC East
5. NFC South
6. AFC West
7. AFC North
8. NFC North
Recap
Denver 45, Arizona 10: TW: Broncos, CV: Broncos
It was a game that most people were expecting to see. The game was really a slaughter. The Cardinals offense was inept but it was also the Cardinals defense that really let the Broncos offense walk all over them. As expected the combined running attack of Phillip Lindsey and Royce Freeman really took over the game. Josh Rosen is a quarterback in learning and hopefully will learn from his three-interception performance. Poor roommate, his team is awful.
Next week: Denver: @ Kansas City; Arizona: vs San Francisco
TW: 1-0, CV: 1-0
Tennessee 19, LA Chargers 20: TW: Chargers, CV: Chargers
Both teams really played well, it spoke more for the Titans, however. The Titans ran the ball better, threw the ball better, and gave the Chargers more than what they could handle. The game came down to a decision by Mike Vrabel to go for the win with a 2-point conversion. Which they failed to capitalize. Chargers looking good as a potential contender in the AFC.
Next week: Tennessee: Bye week; LA Chargers: Bye week
TW: 2-0, CV: 2-0
Buffalo 5, Indianapolis 37: TW: Colts, CV: Colts
The game was all Indianapolis the 2nd quarter on. Andrew Luck had a heck of a game for 156 yards passing for four touchdowns. The Derek Anderson play for the Bills didn't quite work out well. Ultimately the game came down to points off of turnovers as the Bills turned the ball over five times. Not much else to say, the Colts get a good win.
Next week: Buffalo: vs New England (Monday night); Indianapolis: @ Oakland
TW: 3-0, CV: 3-0
Carolina 21, Philadelphia 17: TW: Eagles, CV: Panthers
The game was a story of two things: the 17 points unanswered by the Eagles during the three-quarters of the game, and the 21 points unanswered by the Panthers. The Eagles forgot to play after the 3rd quarter and it showed. Could there possibly be a Super Bowl hangover still left in Philly? Perhaps but you have to still play the whole game and keep to it.
Next week: Carolina: vs Baltimore; Philadelphia: @ Jacksonville (Wembley, London)
TW: 3-1, CV: 4-0
Cleveland 23, Tampa Bay 26: TW: Browns, CV: Buccaneers
Same old story for the Browns. The Browns were once again in an overtime game and unfortunately didn't quite get the W. Offensively, the Browns were sluggish at first but got started getting momentum after halftime. For the Buccaneers, it was redemption for Chandler Cantanzaro who was 2/3 for both extra points and field goals in the game. Rough game for the Dawg Pound.
Next week: Cleveland: @ Pittsburgh; Tampa: @ Cincinnati
TW: 3-2, CV: 5-0
Detroit 32, Miami 21: TW: Lions, CV: Lions
The game was a showcase of the Lions running attack of Kerryon Johnson who had 158 rushing yards on 19 carries. He outgained the entire running game of the Dolphins. Matthew Stafford and Brock Osweiler had good games but it would ultimately be the Lions who made the more plays and more yardage in this one. Scorcher down in Miami though.
Next week: Detroit: vs Seattle; Miami: @ Houston (Thursday night)
TW: 4-2, CV: 6-0
Houston 20, Jacksonville 7: TW: Jaguars, CV: Jaguars
It was a defensive battle between the two. The Texans defense would dominate the game though. In the picks column I thought the Jags would get back to winning ways, well they didn't. Blake Bortles was benched during the game for Cody Kessler who did provide a spark in the Jaguars offense. Deshaun Watson played the game through injury and did alright. He even rode on a private bus due to the fact that air pressure can affect on lungs and ribs. Lamar Miller did have a 100-yard rushing game. Time to jump off the Jaguars bandwagon.
Next week: Houston: vs Miami (Thursday night); Jacksonville: vs Philadelphia (Wembley, London)
TW: 4-3, CV: 6-1
Minnesota 37, NY Jets 17: TW: Vikings, CV: Vikings
The Vikings offense was off the chains with Kirk Cousins and Latavius Murray carrying the load on offense while the Vikings defense was doing Vikings defense things. The Jets were a different story, the Sam Darnold era again continued with him throwing three interceptions. There was also a lost fumble as well. The young QB is still learning.
Next week: Minnesota: vs New Orleans; NY Jets: @ Chicago
TW: 5-3, CV: 7-1
New England 38, Chicago 31: TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
A game that literally came down to a yard short from being a possible overtime game. The Patriots offense was really good, the Patriots defense was not. Sony Michel will be a huge loss if he misses time. Mitchell Trubisky is still a work in progress as he did throw two interceptions but did provide the Bears the help that they need from him. He was the one that almost got the Bears to a possible OT game, heartbreaker.
Next week: New England: @ Buffalo (Monday night); Chicago: vs NY Jets
TW: 6-3, CV: 8-1
New Orleans 24, Baltimore 23: TW: Ravens, CV: Saints
Drew Brees had yet to beat the Baltimore Ravens in his career, after the game he would get a win against each of the 32 teams in the league. The game came down to Drew Brees and the Saints offense taking control of the game, using the clock to their advantage going 4 for 5 on 4th down. The Ravens defense, who had a great game last week, would be on the field for 33 minutes of game time. The Ravens offense was good but ultimately came down to a missed extra point by Justin Tucker. Sadly that would be the final result of the game. Hard way to go.
Next week: New Orleans: @ Minnesota; Baltimore: @ Carolina
TW: 6-4, CV: 9-1
Dallas 17, Washington 20: TW: Redskins, CV: Cowboys
Much like the Saints-Ravens game, the game came down to the kicker. Brett Maher had to kick a 52-yard field goal and would miss it. If it wasn't for a false start by the Cowboys it would've been a 47-yarder, maybe a different result. The Redskins offense did alright but it would be Ryan Kerrigan, the Redskins linebacker, who would score a touchdown off of a Dak Prescott fumble. The Cowboys offense was good despite the turnover. Classic Cowboys-Redskins game.
Next week: Dallas: Bye week; Washington: @ NY Giants
TW: 7-4, CV: 9-2
LA Rams 39, San Francisco 10: TW: Rams, CV: Rams
The game was pretty much what the final score says. A Rams dominated effort. The Rams still continuing on with their unbeaten streak. It is hard to say that they can still continue with this unbeaten streak. Jared Goff had two passing touchdowns, Todd Gurley had three touchdowns (2 rushing, one receiving). The Niners had four turnovers with CJ Beathard getting hit with seven sacks. It's a tough road for them.
Next week: LA Rams: vs Green Bay; San Francisco: @ Arizona
TW: 8-4, CV: 10-2
Cincinnati 10, Kansas City 45: TW: Chiefs, CV: Chiefs
Not really a lot to say in this one. The offensive train that is Kansas City rolled over the Bengals in the game. Chiefs did well on both sides of the ball, Bengals not so much. Here's a little tidbit, on the Monday night game before Thanksgiving, there's the Rams-Chiefs game. If that game doesn't get flexed out (I'm sure it won't) and it stays as hyped as possible as a possible Super Bowl matchup, it will be quite the highly rated game on ESPN in a while.
Next week: Cincinnati: vs Tampa Bay; Kansas City: vs Denver
TW: 9-4, CV: 11-2
NY Giants 20, Atlanta 23: TW: Falcons, CV: Falcons
The game came down to some very questionable playcalling from the Giants in the game. To get a touchdown and a 2-point conversion with five seconds left in the game, it just seems weird to me. The Giants are now 1-6 and the Falcons are still alive.
Next week: NY Giants: vs Washington; Atlanta: Bye week
TW: 10-4, CV: 12-2
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Overall: 62-43-2
Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Overall: 58-47-2
Divisions: Worst to Best
The NFL is a parity league, one year there's a division with at least 2-3 teams with winning records, the next, only one team. This is fairly true this year with one example being the NFC West, considered to be one of the best, is having a slump of a season. One of the better divisions in football this year, in my opinion, is the AFC North. While yes the Browns and Steelers do have a tie, three teams have a record above .500, and the Browns having 2 wins (though they were close to getting #3). Here's my worst to best division rankings:
1. NFC West
2. AFC South
3. NFC East
4. AFC East
5. NFC South
6. AFC West
7. AFC North
8. NFC North
Recap
Denver 45, Arizona 10: TW: Broncos, CV: Broncos
It was a game that most people were expecting to see. The game was really a slaughter. The Cardinals offense was inept but it was also the Cardinals defense that really let the Broncos offense walk all over them. As expected the combined running attack of Phillip Lindsey and Royce Freeman really took over the game. Josh Rosen is a quarterback in learning and hopefully will learn from his three-interception performance. Poor roommate, his team is awful.
Next week: Denver: @ Kansas City; Arizona: vs San Francisco
TW: 1-0, CV: 1-0
Tennessee 19, LA Chargers 20: TW: Chargers, CV: Chargers
Both teams really played well, it spoke more for the Titans, however. The Titans ran the ball better, threw the ball better, and gave the Chargers more than what they could handle. The game came down to a decision by Mike Vrabel to go for the win with a 2-point conversion. Which they failed to capitalize. Chargers looking good as a potential contender in the AFC.
Next week: Tennessee: Bye week; LA Chargers: Bye week
TW: 2-0, CV: 2-0
Buffalo 5, Indianapolis 37: TW: Colts, CV: Colts
The game was all Indianapolis the 2nd quarter on. Andrew Luck had a heck of a game for 156 yards passing for four touchdowns. The Derek Anderson play for the Bills didn't quite work out well. Ultimately the game came down to points off of turnovers as the Bills turned the ball over five times. Not much else to say, the Colts get a good win.
Next week: Buffalo: vs New England (Monday night); Indianapolis: @ Oakland
TW: 3-0, CV: 3-0
Carolina 21, Philadelphia 17: TW: Eagles, CV: Panthers
The game was a story of two things: the 17 points unanswered by the Eagles during the three-quarters of the game, and the 21 points unanswered by the Panthers. The Eagles forgot to play after the 3rd quarter and it showed. Could there possibly be a Super Bowl hangover still left in Philly? Perhaps but you have to still play the whole game and keep to it.
Next week: Carolina: vs Baltimore; Philadelphia: @ Jacksonville (Wembley, London)
TW: 3-1, CV: 4-0
Cleveland 23, Tampa Bay 26: TW: Browns, CV: Buccaneers
Same old story for the Browns. The Browns were once again in an overtime game and unfortunately didn't quite get the W. Offensively, the Browns were sluggish at first but got started getting momentum after halftime. For the Buccaneers, it was redemption for Chandler Cantanzaro who was 2/3 for both extra points and field goals in the game. Rough game for the Dawg Pound.
Next week: Cleveland: @ Pittsburgh; Tampa: @ Cincinnati
TW: 3-2, CV: 5-0
Detroit 32, Miami 21: TW: Lions, CV: Lions
The game was a showcase of the Lions running attack of Kerryon Johnson who had 158 rushing yards on 19 carries. He outgained the entire running game of the Dolphins. Matthew Stafford and Brock Osweiler had good games but it would ultimately be the Lions who made the more plays and more yardage in this one. Scorcher down in Miami though.
Next week: Detroit: vs Seattle; Miami: @ Houston (Thursday night)
TW: 4-2, CV: 6-0
Houston 20, Jacksonville 7: TW: Jaguars, CV: Jaguars
It was a defensive battle between the two. The Texans defense would dominate the game though. In the picks column I thought the Jags would get back to winning ways, well they didn't. Blake Bortles was benched during the game for Cody Kessler who did provide a spark in the Jaguars offense. Deshaun Watson played the game through injury and did alright. He even rode on a private bus due to the fact that air pressure can affect on lungs and ribs. Lamar Miller did have a 100-yard rushing game. Time to jump off the Jaguars bandwagon.
Next week: Houston: vs Miami (Thursday night); Jacksonville: vs Philadelphia (Wembley, London)
TW: 4-3, CV: 6-1
Minnesota 37, NY Jets 17: TW: Vikings, CV: Vikings
The Vikings offense was off the chains with Kirk Cousins and Latavius Murray carrying the load on offense while the Vikings defense was doing Vikings defense things. The Jets were a different story, the Sam Darnold era again continued with him throwing three interceptions. There was also a lost fumble as well. The young QB is still learning.
Next week: Minnesota: vs New Orleans; NY Jets: @ Chicago
TW: 5-3, CV: 7-1
New England 38, Chicago 31: TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
A game that literally came down to a yard short from being a possible overtime game. The Patriots offense was really good, the Patriots defense was not. Sony Michel will be a huge loss if he misses time. Mitchell Trubisky is still a work in progress as he did throw two interceptions but did provide the Bears the help that they need from him. He was the one that almost got the Bears to a possible OT game, heartbreaker.
Next week: New England: @ Buffalo (Monday night); Chicago: vs NY Jets
TW: 6-3, CV: 8-1
New Orleans 24, Baltimore 23: TW: Ravens, CV: Saints
Drew Brees had yet to beat the Baltimore Ravens in his career, after the game he would get a win against each of the 32 teams in the league. The game came down to Drew Brees and the Saints offense taking control of the game, using the clock to their advantage going 4 for 5 on 4th down. The Ravens defense, who had a great game last week, would be on the field for 33 minutes of game time. The Ravens offense was good but ultimately came down to a missed extra point by Justin Tucker. Sadly that would be the final result of the game. Hard way to go.
Next week: New Orleans: @ Minnesota; Baltimore: @ Carolina
TW: 6-4, CV: 9-1
Dallas 17, Washington 20: TW: Redskins, CV: Cowboys
Much like the Saints-Ravens game, the game came down to the kicker. Brett Maher had to kick a 52-yard field goal and would miss it. If it wasn't for a false start by the Cowboys it would've been a 47-yarder, maybe a different result. The Redskins offense did alright but it would be Ryan Kerrigan, the Redskins linebacker, who would score a touchdown off of a Dak Prescott fumble. The Cowboys offense was good despite the turnover. Classic Cowboys-Redskins game.
Next week: Dallas: Bye week; Washington: @ NY Giants
TW: 7-4, CV: 9-2
LA Rams 39, San Francisco 10: TW: Rams, CV: Rams
The game was pretty much what the final score says. A Rams dominated effort. The Rams still continuing on with their unbeaten streak. It is hard to say that they can still continue with this unbeaten streak. Jared Goff had two passing touchdowns, Todd Gurley had three touchdowns (2 rushing, one receiving). The Niners had four turnovers with CJ Beathard getting hit with seven sacks. It's a tough road for them.
Next week: LA Rams: vs Green Bay; San Francisco: @ Arizona
TW: 8-4, CV: 10-2
Cincinnati 10, Kansas City 45: TW: Chiefs, CV: Chiefs
Not really a lot to say in this one. The offensive train that is Kansas City rolled over the Bengals in the game. Chiefs did well on both sides of the ball, Bengals not so much. Here's a little tidbit, on the Monday night game before Thanksgiving, there's the Rams-Chiefs game. If that game doesn't get flexed out (I'm sure it won't) and it stays as hyped as possible as a possible Super Bowl matchup, it will be quite the highly rated game on ESPN in a while.
Next week: Cincinnati: vs Tampa Bay; Kansas City: vs Denver
TW: 9-4, CV: 11-2
NY Giants 20, Atlanta 23: TW: Falcons, CV: Falcons
The game came down to some very questionable playcalling from the Giants in the game. To get a touchdown and a 2-point conversion with five seconds left in the game, it just seems weird to me. The Giants are now 1-6 and the Falcons are still alive.
Next week: NY Giants: vs Washington; Atlanta: Bye week
TW: 10-4, CV: 12-2
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Overall: 62-43-2
Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Overall: 58-47-2
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
NFL 2018 Week 7 Picks
Hello readers! That time of the week is almost upon us again as the National Football League enters into its 7th week of competition. The week offers a few games of offense vs defense, some sleeper games, and an all-NFC matchup on CBS for a late game. In this column, I'll go through the picks as well as my take on the NFL in London.
A Not So Jolly Good Time
In 2007, the NFL decided to have a game outside of North America for the first time. The chosen site was Wembley Stadium, in London. The first game was held on October 28th, 2007 between the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins. The Giants would win the contest 13-10.
While I do believe it can bring in a new market for the league, in a market that is heavily into Association football (soccer), cricket, and rugby (a rougher version of American football), it's not quite a huge investment to venture into. There has been talking of a team (like the Jacksonville Jaguars) to play quite a number of games in London. The idea might look good on paper but it has its drawbacks. Here's why:
Week 7 of the NFL starts in Glendale, Arizona and ends in Atlanta, Georgia. Truly a sea to shining sea (in reverse) sort of week. On the slate is 14 games. There will be a Thursday night game, a Sunday morning game, seven early games, three late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, and Oakland Raiders will be on the bye week. FOX will have the single, regional game, while CBS will have the doubleheader. Let's get to work!
Denver (2-4) @ Arizona (1-5) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Broncos, CV: Broncos
Both teams took losses last week as the Broncos lost to the Rams and the Cardinals to the Vikings. The week starts out with a sleeper. The game will come down to if the Broncos running game will have a good start against a 31st ranked rush defense in the Cardinals. The Cardinals offense needs to get back to basics and use David Johnson a lot with a few pass plays. Cardinals defense needs to step up as well because the Cardinals offense has struggled.
Tennessee (3-3) @ LA Chargers (4-2) (CBS): TW: Chargers, CV: Chargers
The Titans took a loss against the Ravens and the Chargers got a win against the Browns last week. The game will be on at 9:30 am Eastern time, televised nationally (which is somewhat of a nice thing if you're a morning person). The Chargers should get a win based on the fact that they have a proven quarterback in Philip Rivers and a balanced offensive attack with Melvin Gordon III helming the ground game. The Titans got a shellacking against the Ravens last week and I just don't feel haven't recovered from it. I'd be surprised if the Chargers lose this game.
Buffalo (2-4) @ Indianapolis (1-5) (CBS): TW: Colts, CV: Colts
Both teams ended up in the losing column last week as the Bills lost to the Texans and the Colts to the Jets. The two teams aren't that great. The Colts seem to be more built on offense than the Bills are. The Bills defense would have the edge in the game but you can't get much out of your defense if your own offense can't sustain a drive. I like the Colts with their offense.
Carolina (3-2) @ Philadelphia (3-3) (FOX): TW: Eagles, CV: Panthers
The Panthers lost to the Redskins and the Eagles got a win against the Giants last week respectively. The game really looks good on paper. The Eagles seem to be back to form after having a sluggish game against the Vikings a few weeks ago. The game feels like a shootout bound to happen as both offenses are roughly in the middle of the pack (Panthers are 22nd overall on offense, Eagles are 18th). I think the game will come down to whoever makes the most stops and can make the big play. The Eagles have a better defense overall (ranked 12th compared to the Panthers 14th). I'll take the Iggles.
Cleveland (2-3-1) @ Tampa Bay (2-3) (FOX): TW: Browns, CV: Buccaneers
The two teams took losses last week as the Browns lost to the Chargers and the Buccaneers lost to the Falcons. I know what you're thinking, why the Browns? Are you crazy! Yes and no. Yes, I am crazy, I have a bit of a lead overall on Cardinal Viking. I'm willing to take a risk. No, in that if the Browns take advantage of Buccaneers turnovers which Jameis Winston has a tendency to throw interceptions in games (already has 4 interceptions on the season), they can make life rough on Tampa. The Browns have a solid defense (okay 28th overall in defense). Maybe I am crazy.
Detroit (2-3) @ Miami (4-2) (FOX): TW: Lions, CV: Lions
The Lions were on a bye and the Dolphins got a huge win against the Bears last week respectively. The Dolphins got a boost on offense with Brock Osweiler at quarterback last week and they could very well continue that trend with the Lions coming to Florida. The Lions are ranked 7th in pass defense on the season so if they can create turnovers and let the Lions offense do their thing then they can come out with a victory. Or the Lions could do Lions things and sleepwalk through the entire game. If Brock Osweiler does careful passes and plays well on defense they can get a win as well.
Houston (3-3) @ Jacksonville (3-3) (CBS): TW: Jaguars, CV: Jaguars
The Texans got a win against the Bills and the Jaguars lost to the Cowboys last week. The two teams are pretty similar in terms of rankings. The game will come down to who can dominate in pass defense as both teams have legit pass defenses, thus causing the opponent to be more one dimensional. The Jaguars have had a rough patch so far this season and I feel they'll get back to winning ways with this game.
Minnesota (3-2-1) @ NY Jets (3-3) (FOX): TW: Vikings, CV: Vikings
Both teams got a win last week as the Vikings beat the Cardinals and the Jets to the Colts. The two teams on offense are very different you have a good rushing offense in the Jets and a passing offense in the Vikings. The Vikings defense has been mediocre to what we've been accustomed to but still solid. The matchup I feel that will be a factor is the Vikings defense versus the Jets offense. Will the Vikings defense shut down Sam Darnold and the Jets? I feel it will be the case.
New England (4-2) @ Chicago (3-2) (CBS): TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
The Patriots got a win against the Chiefs and the Bears lost to the Dolphins last week. The classic great offense vs great defense. The Bears had an off game against the Dolphins last week but should come back a bit better against the Patriots, since I mean you're playing against the GOAT. The game will come down to whichever team can control the line of scrimmage, which at the end of the day is the biggest factor of any football game. Can the Patriots get off to a good start? Or will the Bears hinder Tom Brady & company? I like the Patriots as they can do trickery against a defense and can play well enough on defense to give Brady enough time to win.
New Orleans (4-1) @ Baltimore (4-2) (FOX): TW: Ravens, CV: Saints
The Saints were on a bye and the Ravens got a win against the Titans last week. The game is another case of offense vs defense. The Saints have a great offense as is their custom, and the Ravens have a great defense. I feel it will be a matchup between the Ravens offense vs the Saints defense. Can the Saints defense stop the Ravens enough to give Drew Brees a chance to do his thing on offense? I like the Ravens as they are good on offense but better on defense (9th on offense and 1st on defense).
Dallas (3-3) @ Washington (3-2) (CBS): TW: Redskins, CV: Cowboys
The two teams got a win last week as the Cowboys beat the Jaguars and the Redskins beat the Panthers. Here is an interesting fact: The last time CBS showed a Cowboys/Redskins game was in Week 17 in 1993, and here's the crazy thing: Jim Nantz was the play-by-play commentator in both that game and this game. Illuminati aside, the game will come down to the matchup of the Cowboys wide receivers vs the Redskins defense. Will the Redskins secondary shut down the Cowboys passing attack and give Alex Smith a shot on offense to have the Cowboys defense on the field the longest. The Redskins have a solid running game and if they play balanced football on offense they should get a win.
LA Rams (6-0) @ San Francisco (1-5) (CBS): TW: Rams, CV: Rams
The Rams got a win against the Broncos and the 49ers lost to the Packers. Another all-NFC matchup on CBS. The Rams just look better on both offense and defense. The Niners had a good showcase against the Packers defense last week but its the Packers defense. I think the Rams will stay undefeated after this game but it will be a close game and it's a divisional rivalry game.
Cincinnati (4-2) @ Kansas City (5-1) (NBC): TW: Chiefs, CV: Chiefs
The two teams took losses last week as the Bengals lost to the Steelers and the Chiefs to the Patriots. The Chiefs offense has been stellar so far this season and they didn't let up against the Patriots. The Bengals on defense are ranked 29th overall, not a good sign against the 5th ranked offense in the Chiefs. I'll take the Chiefs as they have more offensive weapons than the Bengals but it will be a good showcase of offensive football. Which defense can make the most stops will be the key.
NY Giants (1-5) @ Atlanta (2-4) (ESPN): TW: Falcons, CV: Falcons
The Giants lost to the Eagles and the Falcons got a win against the Buccaneers last week. The week wraps up with a decent offensive matchup as both teams have great wide receivers but not quite great quarterbacks. The game will really come down to which defense for both teams will show up. The Giants are ranked 14th in overall defense but have given up 30+ points in the last two games and the Falcons defense are ranked 30th overall. I'll take the Falcons on a whim and a gut feeling.
Local TV schedule (via 506sports.com, subject to change):
FOX Single:
Minnesota @ NY Jets
Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis
CBS Early:
New England @ Chicago
Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts
CBS Late:
LA Rams @ San Francisco
Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon
For more info on which game is played in your area, check out: NFL 2018, Week 7 Maps
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Overall: 52-39-2
Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Overall: 46-45-2
Have a good rest of the week, enjoy the games, and I'll see you guys on Monday or Tuesday for the recap.
-Tom
A Not So Jolly Good Time
In 2007, the NFL decided to have a game outside of North America for the first time. The chosen site was Wembley Stadium, in London. The first game was held on October 28th, 2007 between the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins. The Giants would win the contest 13-10.
While I do believe it can bring in a new market for the league, in a market that is heavily into Association football (soccer), cricket, and rugby (a rougher version of American football), it's not quite a huge investment to venture into. There has been talking of a team (like the Jacksonville Jaguars) to play quite a number of games in London. The idea might look good on paper but it has its drawbacks. Here's why:
- There's a large time difference between the Eastern Standard/Daylight Time to London's time zone, British Standard Time. A five hour time difference. Depending on the time in the UK to the US, there's a possibility of people not even watching it.
- There's no guarantee that it will work. There was a thing called NFL Europe in the late 1990's to mid-2000's to help showcase the game. Why not just bring NFL Europe back if you're so desperate in bringing the game to another continent?
- The travel budget would be through the roof for not just the home team but the road team as well. Body clocks would be messed up. If you're so concerned with player safety, shouldn't your first priority be on the fact that if a player isn't mentally ready to play a game, how is he even ready physically to play it as well?
If you want to spread the game to other areas, do it in North America, it saves money on travel. Granted the NFL does a game in Mexico as a showcase, it would be good to bring it into Canada as well. You already have the Canadian Football League playing a different variation of the game. It's not like the Canadian market is devoid of football. Just seems silly to me. Thankfully I'm not the only one who feels this way.
Cool video of the week
When it comes to music I like to listen to a variety. Whatever sounds good to me, I like. The strange thing about music is that there is so much of it. So much that you never really hear it often because the radio never plays it, the song is chosen over for its singles, or artists that have more success tend to not put in their underrated work on their "greatest hits" albums. When it comes to these I listen to Spotify's "Sirius XM Deep Tracks" playlist or just search a random artist and listen to their "underrated" albums, often times their early work.
One such example of one song that I've been binging lately is an instrumental. The song is called "Summer Madness" by Kool & The Gang. The song was included on their 1974 album, Light Of Worlds, while not released as a single. The cool video of the week is an extended version of the song. Quite the song to chill out after a long day.
Week 7 of the NFL starts in Glendale, Arizona and ends in Atlanta, Georgia. Truly a sea to shining sea (in reverse) sort of week. On the slate is 14 games. There will be a Thursday night game, a Sunday morning game, seven early games, three late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, and Oakland Raiders will be on the bye week. FOX will have the single, regional game, while CBS will have the doubleheader. Let's get to work!
Denver (2-4) @ Arizona (1-5) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Broncos, CV: Broncos
Both teams took losses last week as the Broncos lost to the Rams and the Cardinals to the Vikings. The week starts out with a sleeper. The game will come down to if the Broncos running game will have a good start against a 31st ranked rush defense in the Cardinals. The Cardinals offense needs to get back to basics and use David Johnson a lot with a few pass plays. Cardinals defense needs to step up as well because the Cardinals offense has struggled.
Tennessee (3-3) @ LA Chargers (4-2) (CBS): TW: Chargers, CV: Chargers
The Titans took a loss against the Ravens and the Chargers got a win against the Browns last week. The game will be on at 9:30 am Eastern time, televised nationally (which is somewhat of a nice thing if you're a morning person). The Chargers should get a win based on the fact that they have a proven quarterback in Philip Rivers and a balanced offensive attack with Melvin Gordon III helming the ground game. The Titans got a shellacking against the Ravens last week and I just don't feel haven't recovered from it. I'd be surprised if the Chargers lose this game.
Buffalo (2-4) @ Indianapolis (1-5) (CBS): TW: Colts, CV: Colts
Both teams ended up in the losing column last week as the Bills lost to the Texans and the Colts to the Jets. The two teams aren't that great. The Colts seem to be more built on offense than the Bills are. The Bills defense would have the edge in the game but you can't get much out of your defense if your own offense can't sustain a drive. I like the Colts with their offense.
Carolina (3-2) @ Philadelphia (3-3) (FOX): TW: Eagles, CV: Panthers
The Panthers lost to the Redskins and the Eagles got a win against the Giants last week respectively. The game really looks good on paper. The Eagles seem to be back to form after having a sluggish game against the Vikings a few weeks ago. The game feels like a shootout bound to happen as both offenses are roughly in the middle of the pack (Panthers are 22nd overall on offense, Eagles are 18th). I think the game will come down to whoever makes the most stops and can make the big play. The Eagles have a better defense overall (ranked 12th compared to the Panthers 14th). I'll take the Iggles.
Cleveland (2-3-1) @ Tampa Bay (2-3) (FOX): TW: Browns, CV: Buccaneers
The two teams took losses last week as the Browns lost to the Chargers and the Buccaneers lost to the Falcons. I know what you're thinking, why the Browns? Are you crazy! Yes and no. Yes, I am crazy, I have a bit of a lead overall on Cardinal Viking. I'm willing to take a risk. No, in that if the Browns take advantage of Buccaneers turnovers which Jameis Winston has a tendency to throw interceptions in games (already has 4 interceptions on the season), they can make life rough on Tampa. The Browns have a solid defense (okay 28th overall in defense). Maybe I am crazy.
Detroit (2-3) @ Miami (4-2) (FOX): TW: Lions, CV: Lions
The Lions were on a bye and the Dolphins got a huge win against the Bears last week respectively. The Dolphins got a boost on offense with Brock Osweiler at quarterback last week and they could very well continue that trend with the Lions coming to Florida. The Lions are ranked 7th in pass defense on the season so if they can create turnovers and let the Lions offense do their thing then they can come out with a victory. Or the Lions could do Lions things and sleepwalk through the entire game. If Brock Osweiler does careful passes and plays well on defense they can get a win as well.
Houston (3-3) @ Jacksonville (3-3) (CBS): TW: Jaguars, CV: Jaguars
The Texans got a win against the Bills and the Jaguars lost to the Cowboys last week. The two teams are pretty similar in terms of rankings. The game will come down to who can dominate in pass defense as both teams have legit pass defenses, thus causing the opponent to be more one dimensional. The Jaguars have had a rough patch so far this season and I feel they'll get back to winning ways with this game.
Minnesota (3-2-1) @ NY Jets (3-3) (FOX): TW: Vikings, CV: Vikings
Both teams got a win last week as the Vikings beat the Cardinals and the Jets to the Colts. The two teams on offense are very different you have a good rushing offense in the Jets and a passing offense in the Vikings. The Vikings defense has been mediocre to what we've been accustomed to but still solid. The matchup I feel that will be a factor is the Vikings defense versus the Jets offense. Will the Vikings defense shut down Sam Darnold and the Jets? I feel it will be the case.
New England (4-2) @ Chicago (3-2) (CBS): TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
The Patriots got a win against the Chiefs and the Bears lost to the Dolphins last week. The classic great offense vs great defense. The Bears had an off game against the Dolphins last week but should come back a bit better against the Patriots, since I mean you're playing against the GOAT. The game will come down to whichever team can control the line of scrimmage, which at the end of the day is the biggest factor of any football game. Can the Patriots get off to a good start? Or will the Bears hinder Tom Brady & company? I like the Patriots as they can do trickery against a defense and can play well enough on defense to give Brady enough time to win.
New Orleans (4-1) @ Baltimore (4-2) (FOX): TW: Ravens, CV: Saints
The Saints were on a bye and the Ravens got a win against the Titans last week. The game is another case of offense vs defense. The Saints have a great offense as is their custom, and the Ravens have a great defense. I feel it will be a matchup between the Ravens offense vs the Saints defense. Can the Saints defense stop the Ravens enough to give Drew Brees a chance to do his thing on offense? I like the Ravens as they are good on offense but better on defense (9th on offense and 1st on defense).
Dallas (3-3) @ Washington (3-2) (CBS): TW: Redskins, CV: Cowboys
The two teams got a win last week as the Cowboys beat the Jaguars and the Redskins beat the Panthers. Here is an interesting fact: The last time CBS showed a Cowboys/Redskins game was in Week 17 in 1993, and here's the crazy thing: Jim Nantz was the play-by-play commentator in both that game and this game. Illuminati aside, the game will come down to the matchup of the Cowboys wide receivers vs the Redskins defense. Will the Redskins secondary shut down the Cowboys passing attack and give Alex Smith a shot on offense to have the Cowboys defense on the field the longest. The Redskins have a solid running game and if they play balanced football on offense they should get a win.
LA Rams (6-0) @ San Francisco (1-5) (CBS): TW: Rams, CV: Rams
The Rams got a win against the Broncos and the 49ers lost to the Packers. Another all-NFC matchup on CBS. The Rams just look better on both offense and defense. The Niners had a good showcase against the Packers defense last week but its the Packers defense. I think the Rams will stay undefeated after this game but it will be a close game and it's a divisional rivalry game.
Cincinnati (4-2) @ Kansas City (5-1) (NBC): TW: Chiefs, CV: Chiefs
The two teams took losses last week as the Bengals lost to the Steelers and the Chiefs to the Patriots. The Chiefs offense has been stellar so far this season and they didn't let up against the Patriots. The Bengals on defense are ranked 29th overall, not a good sign against the 5th ranked offense in the Chiefs. I'll take the Chiefs as they have more offensive weapons than the Bengals but it will be a good showcase of offensive football. Which defense can make the most stops will be the key.
NY Giants (1-5) @ Atlanta (2-4) (ESPN): TW: Falcons, CV: Falcons
The Giants lost to the Eagles and the Falcons got a win against the Buccaneers last week. The week wraps up with a decent offensive matchup as both teams have great wide receivers but not quite great quarterbacks. The game will really come down to which defense for both teams will show up. The Giants are ranked 14th in overall defense but have given up 30+ points in the last two games and the Falcons defense are ranked 30th overall. I'll take the Falcons on a whim and a gut feeling.
Local TV schedule (via 506sports.com, subject to change):
FOX Single:
Minnesota @ NY Jets
Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis
CBS Early:
New England @ Chicago
Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts
CBS Late:
LA Rams @ San Francisco
Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon
For more info on which game is played in your area, check out: NFL 2018, Week 7 Maps
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Overall: 52-39-2
Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Overall: 46-45-2
Have a good rest of the week, enjoy the games, and I'll see you guys on Monday or Tuesday for the recap.
-Tom
Monday, October 15, 2018
NFL 2018 Week 6 Recap
Hello, again readers! Another week of National League Football is past us. Each and every week we start to see who becomes more of a contender, to a pretender, to a team that will likely not continue their season into January. In this column, I'll give my take on fantasy football and as well as the recap of the week's games. Let's get to work.
Fantasy Football... yay or nay?
I'm sure I've mentioned this on this column and as well as the WordPress column days (those days seem so long ago) but I don't care for fantasy football, at least the fantasy football that requires commitment. The one thing that I do is daily fantasy. I could rant on about how fantasy football is dumb but I'll do it like a pro and cons.
Pros:
Philadelphia 34, NY Giants 13: TW: Giants, CV: Giants
Well, the game didn't go quite as well as I had hoped for the G-men, I felt they would've shown up more than what they did. You have to give credit to the Eagles, they showed up in a hostile environment against a division rival and you took care of business and took it to them too. Carson Wentz had a great day with throwing for three touchdowns.
TW: 0-1, CV: 0-1
Arizona 17, Minnesota 27: TW: Vikings, CV: Cardinals
The Vikings came away with a close win that probably should've been way more of a margin than the 10-point margin. Josh Rosen wasn't spectacular but wasn't terrible either, though throwing one interception and no touchdowns don't get it done. The Vikings relied heavily on the legs of Latavius Murray who would run for 155 yards and a touchdown. The Vikings miscues and turnovers could've cost them a lot more but they played the Cardinals. They will need to clean up their game if they want to win a championship.
TW: 1-1, CV: 0-2
Buffalo 13, Houston 20: TW: Texans, CV: Texans
It was another game for Josh Allen who didn't throw for over 100 yards but it would be the arm of Nathan Peterman who would throw for one touchdown for the Bills. It would be the only touchdown for Buffalo for the game. The Texans offense looked sluggish at times but it would be the defense of Johnathan Joesph who would score a late touchdown off of an interception. Three straight wins for the Texans who had started 0-3 on the year.
TW: 2-1, CV: 1-2
Carolina 17, Washington 23: TW: Panthers, CV: Panthers
It would be a bounce-back game for Adrian Peterson who would run for 97 yards in a renaissance season for the halfback. The game really came down to Josh Norman who played a great game with a forced fumble and an interception. The Panthers got a bit of a boost with Greg Olson returning but it wasn't enough to get a win in the nation's capital.
TW: 2-2, CV: 1-3
Chicago 28, Miami 31: TW: Bears, CV: Bears
The game almost came down to the wire but a field goal from Jason Sanders would give the Dolphins an edge in the game. The Bears looked good on offense, with another good start from Mitch Trubisky but it would be the defense that let the team down (somehow weird that it would be this game that they would let their guard down). Brock Osweiler had a game of his life throwing for 380 yards and three touchdowns. Sadly a game that the Bears let get away.
TW: 2-3, CV: 1-4
Indianapolis 34, NY Jets 42: TW: Jets, CV: Jets
The game was a surprise shootout. A shootout that a defensive guru would cringe over. The Jets would get three interceptions from their defense but it would come down to the legs of Jets kicker Jason Myers who would kick seven field goals in the game. A game that even Joe Namath and even Johnny Unitas would appreciate, maybe not so much with Unitas.
TW: 3-3, CV: 2-4
LA Chargers 38, Cleveland 14: TW: Chargers, CV: Browns
The Football gods giveth and they will taketh as well. It was a rough game for Baker Mayfield who threw two interceptions. The game was a one-sided affair which the Chargers needed in order to quiet down the Cleveland crowd, who will always show up for their team. The Chargers offensive attack was quite balanced with two touchdowns from Philip Rivers and three touchdowns for Melvin Gordon III. Rough game for Cardinal Viking.
TW: 4-3, CV: 2-5
Pittsburgh 28, Cincinnati 21: TW: Steelers, CV: Steelers
In a classic showdown between two AFC North rivals, the game didn't disappoint. The Steelers looked to get a win before going into a bye week, while the Bengals who have not beaten the Steelers since 2015. The game was a defensive affair with a good running offense. The game was a tough one to swallow for the Bengals who had let the Steelers score a game-winning drive in the final seconds of the game. Antonio Brown would score the game-winner. Poor queen city.
TW: 5-3, CV: 3-5
Seattle 27, Oakland 3: TW: Seahawks, CV: Raiders
The game in London's Wembley Stadium ultimately proved to be a Debbie Downer. The Seahawks dominated on both sides of the ball for this game. The Seahawks would sack Raiders quarterback Derek Carr six times and would cause three fumbles. Russell Wilson would throw for three touchdowns and 222 yards passing. The Raiders need a bye week to regroup and figure themselves out. Jon Gruden needs to find answers but still has yet to find them.
TW: 6-3, CV: 3-6
Tampa Bay 29, Atlanta 34: TW: Buccaneers, CV: Falcons
It would be an offensive showcase for the two teams. Jameis Winston would return to form in this game with four touchdowns and 395 yards passing. The two teams would trade touchdowns really and truly until the final minutes when Falcons kicker Matt Bryant would put the Falcons up by five where the final result would come. The Buccaneers almost pulled off a game for the ages in this one but would fall short. The Bucs have lost three straight since going 2-0 with Ryan "Fitzmagic" Fitzpatrick having a renaissance season, seems so long ago.
TW: 6-4, CV: 4-6
LA Rams 23, Denver 20: TW: Rams, CV: Rams
The Rams would remain the only undefeated team after the week's action was over. The ghosts of the 1972 Dolphins would soon start to appear. Todd Gurley would have a game for the ages as he would run for 208 yards for two touchdowns. For the Broncos, their bread and butter of a defense would prove to fail again but the offense played well enough to almost get a winner. Another fail would befall Dick Stockton as he well... I'll let this video explain it. Wrong sport, Dick!
TW: 7-4, CV: 5-6
Baltimore 21, Tennessee 0: TW: Ravens, CV: Titans
It was a score that should've been way more than the final result shows. The Ravens defense completely dominated the Titans offense, getting 11 sacks (a franchise record, one shy of the NFL record) in the game. The Ravens offense didn't have to do a whole lot as the defense played very well, holding the Titans offense to 106 total yards. Impressive.
TW: 8-4, CV: 5-7
Jacksonville 7, Dallas 40: TW: Jaguars, CV: Jaguars
If there was any bandwagon left on the Jaguars after this game, there's probably not a lot left. The score would really prove how dominant the Cowboys really were in the game. The Cowboys defense was at its best in this game. The offense got a nice spark from a good game by Cole Beasley who would get 101 receiving yards for two touchdowns. The Jaguars have lost three of their four games since going 2-0 to start the season. Rough way to go.
TW: 8-5, CV: 5-8
Kansas City 40, New England 43: TW: Patriots, CV: Chiefs
The game really truly lived up to its billing as the area played host to not just this game but the American League Championship Series with the Boston Red Sox hosting the Houston Astros. The game really came down to the final drive as Rob Gronkowski would get a huge gain that would ultimately lead to a Stephen Gostkowski field goal as the game winner. The Chiefs would get their first loss of the year but shouldn't feel down as they played well enough, not defensively well but Patrick Mahomes showed he can be a quarterback that can have a future in the league. You'll have ups and downs. Only the Rams remain as the only undefeated team left in the NFL.
TW: 9-5, CV: 5-9
San Francisco 30, Green Bay 33: TW: Packers, CV: Packers
The week wrapped up with a thrilling showcase of offensive football and defensive ineptitude. The Packers defense made CJ Beathard look good with two touchdowns from 245 passing yards. The Niners running game had a decent day from the ground with Raheem Mostert rushing for 87 yards, Matt Breida for 61 yards and a touchdown. Aaron Rodgers had a good game as is his custom. Still, haven't had a consistent running game for another week. It would help ease the pressure on Rodgers but a win is a win.
TW: 10-5, CV: 6-9
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Overall: 52-39-2
Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Overall: 46-45-2
I'll see you guys on Wednesday for the picks column!
-Tom
Fantasy Football... yay or nay?
I'm sure I've mentioned this on this column and as well as the WordPress column days (those days seem so long ago) but I don't care for fantasy football, at least the fantasy football that requires commitment. The one thing that I do is daily fantasy. I could rant on about how fantasy football is dumb but I'll do it like a pro and cons.
Pros:
- It gets people involved, it can be entertaining if you keep your eye on your team every week.
- You can get bragging rights over your friends on who can pick football players.
- You get that one player that you're always envious of (e.g. Tom Brady, Antonio Brown, etc).
- It requires a lot of work to keep up to date with your team.
- If your player is on a bye week and he's not on the bench and you forget, you're screwed for that week.
- You probably hate Tom Brady but you want him to do well so that you get a win, a win for something that you can get bragging rights for.
- If your star player gets injured, you're also screwed unless you find a diamond in the rough.
The one thing that I like about daily fantasy football is that I don't have to make that commitment, I can choose whichever player I need (within a budget of course) for that week's opponent. You can also set whatever lineups you want. The website I like to use is DraftKings but relatively any site is good. Last week I won 0.50 cents even though I put in about $4.50 into my lineups, not quite good. This week I did a bit better with winning $1.50 while putting in about $2.25 into my lineups. Hopefully, my luck can continue into next week. Maybe.
RECAP
Philadelphia 34, NY Giants 13: TW: Giants, CV: Giants
Well, the game didn't go quite as well as I had hoped for the G-men, I felt they would've shown up more than what they did. You have to give credit to the Eagles, they showed up in a hostile environment against a division rival and you took care of business and took it to them too. Carson Wentz had a great day with throwing for three touchdowns.
TW: 0-1, CV: 0-1
Arizona 17, Minnesota 27: TW: Vikings, CV: Cardinals
The Vikings came away with a close win that probably should've been way more of a margin than the 10-point margin. Josh Rosen wasn't spectacular but wasn't terrible either, though throwing one interception and no touchdowns don't get it done. The Vikings relied heavily on the legs of Latavius Murray who would run for 155 yards and a touchdown. The Vikings miscues and turnovers could've cost them a lot more but they played the Cardinals. They will need to clean up their game if they want to win a championship.
TW: 1-1, CV: 0-2
Buffalo 13, Houston 20: TW: Texans, CV: Texans
It was another game for Josh Allen who didn't throw for over 100 yards but it would be the arm of Nathan Peterman who would throw for one touchdown for the Bills. It would be the only touchdown for Buffalo for the game. The Texans offense looked sluggish at times but it would be the defense of Johnathan Joesph who would score a late touchdown off of an interception. Three straight wins for the Texans who had started 0-3 on the year.
TW: 2-1, CV: 1-2
Carolina 17, Washington 23: TW: Panthers, CV: Panthers
It would be a bounce-back game for Adrian Peterson who would run for 97 yards in a renaissance season for the halfback. The game really came down to Josh Norman who played a great game with a forced fumble and an interception. The Panthers got a bit of a boost with Greg Olson returning but it wasn't enough to get a win in the nation's capital.
TW: 2-2, CV: 1-3
Chicago 28, Miami 31: TW: Bears, CV: Bears
The game almost came down to the wire but a field goal from Jason Sanders would give the Dolphins an edge in the game. The Bears looked good on offense, with another good start from Mitch Trubisky but it would be the defense that let the team down (somehow weird that it would be this game that they would let their guard down). Brock Osweiler had a game of his life throwing for 380 yards and three touchdowns. Sadly a game that the Bears let get away.
TW: 2-3, CV: 1-4
Indianapolis 34, NY Jets 42: TW: Jets, CV: Jets
The game was a surprise shootout. A shootout that a defensive guru would cringe over. The Jets would get three interceptions from their defense but it would come down to the legs of Jets kicker Jason Myers who would kick seven field goals in the game. A game that even Joe Namath and even Johnny Unitas would appreciate, maybe not so much with Unitas.
TW: 3-3, CV: 2-4
LA Chargers 38, Cleveland 14: TW: Chargers, CV: Browns
The Football gods giveth and they will taketh as well. It was a rough game for Baker Mayfield who threw two interceptions. The game was a one-sided affair which the Chargers needed in order to quiet down the Cleveland crowd, who will always show up for their team. The Chargers offensive attack was quite balanced with two touchdowns from Philip Rivers and three touchdowns for Melvin Gordon III. Rough game for Cardinal Viking.
TW: 4-3, CV: 2-5
Pittsburgh 28, Cincinnati 21: TW: Steelers, CV: Steelers
In a classic showdown between two AFC North rivals, the game didn't disappoint. The Steelers looked to get a win before going into a bye week, while the Bengals who have not beaten the Steelers since 2015. The game was a defensive affair with a good running offense. The game was a tough one to swallow for the Bengals who had let the Steelers score a game-winning drive in the final seconds of the game. Antonio Brown would score the game-winner. Poor queen city.
TW: 5-3, CV: 3-5
Seattle 27, Oakland 3: TW: Seahawks, CV: Raiders
The game in London's Wembley Stadium ultimately proved to be a Debbie Downer. The Seahawks dominated on both sides of the ball for this game. The Seahawks would sack Raiders quarterback Derek Carr six times and would cause three fumbles. Russell Wilson would throw for three touchdowns and 222 yards passing. The Raiders need a bye week to regroup and figure themselves out. Jon Gruden needs to find answers but still has yet to find them.
TW: 6-3, CV: 3-6
Tampa Bay 29, Atlanta 34: TW: Buccaneers, CV: Falcons
It would be an offensive showcase for the two teams. Jameis Winston would return to form in this game with four touchdowns and 395 yards passing. The two teams would trade touchdowns really and truly until the final minutes when Falcons kicker Matt Bryant would put the Falcons up by five where the final result would come. The Buccaneers almost pulled off a game for the ages in this one but would fall short. The Bucs have lost three straight since going 2-0 with Ryan "Fitzmagic" Fitzpatrick having a renaissance season, seems so long ago.
TW: 6-4, CV: 4-6
LA Rams 23, Denver 20: TW: Rams, CV: Rams
The Rams would remain the only undefeated team after the week's action was over. The ghosts of the 1972 Dolphins would soon start to appear. Todd Gurley would have a game for the ages as he would run for 208 yards for two touchdowns. For the Broncos, their bread and butter of a defense would prove to fail again but the offense played well enough to almost get a winner. Another fail would befall Dick Stockton as he well... I'll let this video explain it. Wrong sport, Dick!
TW: 7-4, CV: 5-6
Baltimore 21, Tennessee 0: TW: Ravens, CV: Titans
It was a score that should've been way more than the final result shows. The Ravens defense completely dominated the Titans offense, getting 11 sacks (a franchise record, one shy of the NFL record) in the game. The Ravens offense didn't have to do a whole lot as the defense played very well, holding the Titans offense to 106 total yards. Impressive.
TW: 8-4, CV: 5-7
Jacksonville 7, Dallas 40: TW: Jaguars, CV: Jaguars
If there was any bandwagon left on the Jaguars after this game, there's probably not a lot left. The score would really prove how dominant the Cowboys really were in the game. The Cowboys defense was at its best in this game. The offense got a nice spark from a good game by Cole Beasley who would get 101 receiving yards for two touchdowns. The Jaguars have lost three of their four games since going 2-0 to start the season. Rough way to go.
TW: 8-5, CV: 5-8
Kansas City 40, New England 43: TW: Patriots, CV: Chiefs
The game really truly lived up to its billing as the area played host to not just this game but the American League Championship Series with the Boston Red Sox hosting the Houston Astros. The game really came down to the final drive as Rob Gronkowski would get a huge gain that would ultimately lead to a Stephen Gostkowski field goal as the game winner. The Chiefs would get their first loss of the year but shouldn't feel down as they played well enough, not defensively well but Patrick Mahomes showed he can be a quarterback that can have a future in the league. You'll have ups and downs. Only the Rams remain as the only undefeated team left in the NFL.
TW: 9-5, CV: 5-9
San Francisco 30, Green Bay 33: TW: Packers, CV: Packers
The week wrapped up with a thrilling showcase of offensive football and defensive ineptitude. The Packers defense made CJ Beathard look good with two touchdowns from 245 passing yards. The Niners running game had a decent day from the ground with Raheem Mostert rushing for 87 yards, Matt Breida for 61 yards and a touchdown. Aaron Rodgers had a good game as is his custom. Still, haven't had a consistent running game for another week. It would help ease the pressure on Rodgers but a win is a win.
TW: 10-5, CV: 6-9
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Overall: 52-39-2
Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Overall: 46-45-2
I'll see you guys on Wednesday for the picks column!
-Tom
Thursday, October 11, 2018
NFL 2018 Week 6 Picks
Hello readers! Another week of action in the National Football League is upon us once again. The sixth week of competition is sure to bring drama, excitement, and hopefully a win for your team. In this column, I'll talk about the game of American football in the snow, why there should be a cold weather Super Bowl more often, as well as discussing week's picks as well.
THE SNOW!!!!
The reason why I'm even discussing the word "snow" is that winter came early to where I live (Fargo, ND). Very early. This topic just gave me a thought to talk about how there's a love-hate relationship with the white stuff. Just to give you people a note: I like watching the snow, I liked playing in it when I was a kid but I hate driving it. It should only be on earth from November to January, after that mild temperatures. If only it was a perfect world. Most people will share my sympathy for it. Here's a short video that summarizes how I feel. Could be a Cool video of the week.
Philadelphia (2-3) @ NY Giants (1-4) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Giants, CV: Giants
Both teams took losses last week as the Eagles lost to the Vikings and the Giants to the Panthers. The NFC East division is somewhat of a bad division this season. No team seems to want to take a lead in the division. The Eagles took a hit on the running back position with the loss of Jay Ajayi for the season and will be licking their wounds after this game. I'd be surprised if the Eagles win this game. The Giants still proved they still have some vigor on offense and if their defense plays up to par they should get a win on the defending champs.
Arizona (1-4) @ Minnesota (2-2-1) (FOX): TW: Vikings, CV: Cardinals
Both teams got a win last week as the Cardinals beat the 49ers and the Vikings beat the Eagles. A hard week for my roommate, Cardinal Viking. Will he pick the Vikings, or will he pick the Cardinals. His team is the Cardinals but he also cheers for local teams which is the Vikings. I feel the Vikings will win as they seem to be better on paper with the offense and defense than the Cardinals. Guess my roommate will be Cardinal Red for this game.
Carolina (3-1) @ Washington (2-2) (FOX): TW: Panthers, CV: Panthers
The Panthers picked up a win against the Giants and the Redskins lost to the Saints last week respectively. The Panthers seem to be a solid team on offense and defense. Though they almost lost to a Giants team that has had a rough season so far. The Redskins defense was awful and the offense was sleepwalking. Give me the Panthers.
Chicago (3-1) @ Miami (3-2) (FOX): TW: Bears, CV: Bears
The Bears were on a bye week and the Dolphins lost to the Bengals last week respectively. The game will be quite warm and the Bears will have a decent test this week in the Dolphins. Khalil Mack has been the difference maker on defense for the Bears and the Bears offense had a great game against the Buccaneers a couple of weeks ago. I'll take the Bears.
Indianapolis (1-4) @ NY Jets (2-3) (CBS): TW: Jets, CV: Jets
The Colts took a loss against the Patriots and the Jets got a win against the Broncos last week respectively. The Colts can either be a great team that can beat a Redskins team on the road to a bad team that lost to the Patriots on the road as well. The Jets are the same thing but they have one more win than the Colts. I feel the Jets will win the game as they do have a better run game than the Colts and if Sam Darnold plays well enough to not throw picks they should get a win.
Pittsburgh (2-2-1) @ Cincinnati (4-1) (CBS): TW: Steelers, CV: Steelers
Both teams got a win last week as the Steelers beat the Falcons and the Bengals beat the Dolphins. Very difficult game to pick, the Bengals are a good team when they have to. They have a great win against the Ravens at home earlier in the season. The Steelers have been the drama bomb of the NFL this season and they got a win last week. I feel the Steelers need to win because they have a bye week next week and Le'Veon Bell is supposed to return to the team for Week 8. They need to win this game because they're in a tough division.
Seattle (2-3) @ Oakland (1-4) (FOX): TW: Seahawks, CV: Raiders
Both teams got a loss last week as the Seahawks lost to the Rams and the Raiders to the Chargers. The game will be in London's Wembley Stadium and will have been a long flight for both teams as it is about 8-9 hours of time difference between London to the West Coast. The Seahawks will get a win because I feel they will have a balance on offense and attempt to play solid defense against a Raiders team that is desperately trying to get a solid win. The Raiders could win as well using the same formula.
Buffalo (2-3) @ Houston (2-3) (CBS): TW: Texans, CV: Texans
Both teams got a win last week as the Bills beat the Titans and the Texans beat the Cowboys. The Texans got a lucky win last week against Dallas. The Bills also got a lucky win. The Bills offense has been awful and their defense has been the difference maker for them but I feel the Texans will win as they do have a better offense with Deshaun Watson and company. I'll take the Texans by a long shot.
LA Chargers (3-2) @ Cleveland (2-2-1) (CBS): TW: Chargers, CV: Browns
Both teams got a win last week as the Chargers beat the Raiders and the Browns beat the Ravens. The Browns have been a bit of a surprise for most experts and they should be at 5-0 right now if it wasn't for their inability to find kickers. The Chargers offense looks really, really good and the defense isn't that bad either. Cleveland has a great defense as well and they could win this game but I feel the better offense will win the day.
Tampa Bay (2-2) @ Atlanta (1-4) (FOX): TW: Buccaneers, CV: Falcons
The Buccaneers had a bye and the Falcons lost to the Steelers last week respectively. The bottom two teams in the NFC South will do battle. The Buccaneers were a surprise team with Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm of the hype train. I'll ride the Buccaneers bandwagon for this game as I feel they still are a better offense and the Falcons have some question marks with Devonte Williams with a knee injury. Could be a close game.
LA Rams (5-0) @ Denver (2-3) (FOX): TW: Rams, CV: Rams
The Rams got a win against the Seahawks and the Broncos lost to the Jets last week respectively. The Rams have been the better team for the past five weeks of the regular season. Denver has been a bit spotty in that regard. The Rams could possibly play a sleepwalker as the higher altitude of Denver could play a factor in the game but I'll take the Rams as a safe bet.
Baltimore (3-2) @ Tennessee (3-2) (CBS): TW: Ravens, CV: Titans
Both teams lost last week as the Ravens lost to the Browns and the Titans lost to the Bills. The game should be a Raven victory as the Ravens offense looks good on paper and the defense has been their bread and butter. It'll be a game which passing defense will show up as both teams are Top 5 in passing defense. The Titans could very well possibly win this game in a low scoring affair.
Jacksonville (3-2) @ Dallas (2-3) (CBS): TW: Jaguars, CV: Jaguars
The two teams lost last week with the Jaguars losing to the Chiefs and the Cowboys to the Texans. The Jaguars have lost two of their last three games since their victory against the Patriots. The Jaguars will need to play a lot better as Blake Bortles threw for four interceptions last week and the defense will need to hold down the fort against the Cowboys running game with Ezekiel Elliot. I'll take the Jaguars because they're still #1 on defense and top 10 in the offense.
Kansas City (5-0) @ New England (3-2) (NBC): TW: Patriots, CV: Chiefs
Both teams got a win last week as the Chiefs beat the Jaguars and the Patriots beat the Colts. The Chiefs could possibly walk away with a loss after this game. This game is been hyped up since really Patrick Mahomes has proven to be quite the offensive star in the league. We will learn a lot about the Chiefs in this game as well as the Patriots for a bit. The Pats at home are a tough bunch and I'll take them in this one. Trap game for the Chiefs.
San Francisco (1-4) @ Green Bay (2-2-1) (ESPN): TW: Packers, CV: Packers
Both teams got losses as the 49ers lost to the Chargers and the Packers to the Lions. The Monday night game pits two teams that have had great expectations to be in the playoffs but haven't quite hit the mark. CJ Beathard will get the start. The Packers should win the game if they run the ball effectively which is one of their hallmarks on offense. Hopefully, Mason Crosby can find the middle of the uprights well enough.
Local TV Schedule (via 506sports.com, subject to change):
CBS Early:
Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati
Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts
CBS Late:
Jacksonville @ Dallas
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo
FOX Single:
Arizona @ Minnesota
Sam Rosen, Ronde Barber
For more information on which game is played in your area, check out: NFL Week 6 Maps
Have a great weekend, enjoy the games, and I'll see you guys on Monday for the recap!
-Tom
THE SNOW!!!!
The reason why I'm even discussing the word "snow" is that winter came early to where I live (Fargo, ND). Very early. This topic just gave me a thought to talk about how there's a love-hate relationship with the white stuff. Just to give you people a note: I like watching the snow, I liked playing in it when I was a kid but I hate driving it. It should only be on earth from November to January, after that mild temperatures. If only it was a perfect world. Most people will share my sympathy for it. Here's a short video that summarizes how I feel. Could be a Cool video of the week.
I feel I've stated this opinion before but I'll say it again. It's silly to me to have a Super Bowl played in a warm/domed city every single year. In Super Bowl XLVIII it was held in New York, a cold weather city, in February. Sure it shouldn't be at a cold weather city every year either. I feel there should be a cold-weather Super Bowl once every ten years. That's all I'm asking. If Roger Goodell is looking at this, hear my plea. Please make this happen. It doesn't even have to be in Green Bay.
The game of American Football is meant to be played in the elements. Whether it be rain, sleet, or snow, it makes it more fun to watch and to play. If the fans are happy about the weather, there should be no reason for the players to be happy as well. It's a win-win scenario.
Cool video of the week
The Youtube channel, Urinating Tree, is literally one of the underrated channels on the website. He posts sports video on baseball, hockey, and football. The channel is currently at 177K subscribers and deserves to have more. He literally posted videos on the MLB playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the previous week of the NFL. Here's this week's cool video of the week, his latest video:
Week 6 of the NFL starts in New York, New York and ends in Green Bay, Wisconsin. There will be 15 games on the slate. It features a Thursday night game, nine early games, three late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. The New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions are on a bye week. CBS will have the doubleheader and FOX will have the single game. Let's get to the picks!
Philadelphia (2-3) @ NY Giants (1-4) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Giants, CV: Giants
Both teams took losses last week as the Eagles lost to the Vikings and the Giants to the Panthers. The NFC East division is somewhat of a bad division this season. No team seems to want to take a lead in the division. The Eagles took a hit on the running back position with the loss of Jay Ajayi for the season and will be licking their wounds after this game. I'd be surprised if the Eagles win this game. The Giants still proved they still have some vigor on offense and if their defense plays up to par they should get a win on the defending champs.
Arizona (1-4) @ Minnesota (2-2-1) (FOX): TW: Vikings, CV: Cardinals
Both teams got a win last week as the Cardinals beat the 49ers and the Vikings beat the Eagles. A hard week for my roommate, Cardinal Viking. Will he pick the Vikings, or will he pick the Cardinals. His team is the Cardinals but he also cheers for local teams which is the Vikings. I feel the Vikings will win as they seem to be better on paper with the offense and defense than the Cardinals. Guess my roommate will be Cardinal Red for this game.
Carolina (3-1) @ Washington (2-2) (FOX): TW: Panthers, CV: Panthers
The Panthers picked up a win against the Giants and the Redskins lost to the Saints last week respectively. The Panthers seem to be a solid team on offense and defense. Though they almost lost to a Giants team that has had a rough season so far. The Redskins defense was awful and the offense was sleepwalking. Give me the Panthers.
Chicago (3-1) @ Miami (3-2) (FOX): TW: Bears, CV: Bears
The Bears were on a bye week and the Dolphins lost to the Bengals last week respectively. The game will be quite warm and the Bears will have a decent test this week in the Dolphins. Khalil Mack has been the difference maker on defense for the Bears and the Bears offense had a great game against the Buccaneers a couple of weeks ago. I'll take the Bears.
Indianapolis (1-4) @ NY Jets (2-3) (CBS): TW: Jets, CV: Jets
The Colts took a loss against the Patriots and the Jets got a win against the Broncos last week respectively. The Colts can either be a great team that can beat a Redskins team on the road to a bad team that lost to the Patriots on the road as well. The Jets are the same thing but they have one more win than the Colts. I feel the Jets will win the game as they do have a better run game than the Colts and if Sam Darnold plays well enough to not throw picks they should get a win.
Pittsburgh (2-2-1) @ Cincinnati (4-1) (CBS): TW: Steelers, CV: Steelers
Both teams got a win last week as the Steelers beat the Falcons and the Bengals beat the Dolphins. Very difficult game to pick, the Bengals are a good team when they have to. They have a great win against the Ravens at home earlier in the season. The Steelers have been the drama bomb of the NFL this season and they got a win last week. I feel the Steelers need to win because they have a bye week next week and Le'Veon Bell is supposed to return to the team for Week 8. They need to win this game because they're in a tough division.
Seattle (2-3) @ Oakland (1-4) (FOX): TW: Seahawks, CV: Raiders
Both teams got a loss last week as the Seahawks lost to the Rams and the Raiders to the Chargers. The game will be in London's Wembley Stadium and will have been a long flight for both teams as it is about 8-9 hours of time difference between London to the West Coast. The Seahawks will get a win because I feel they will have a balance on offense and attempt to play solid defense against a Raiders team that is desperately trying to get a solid win. The Raiders could win as well using the same formula.
Buffalo (2-3) @ Houston (2-3) (CBS): TW: Texans, CV: Texans
Both teams got a win last week as the Bills beat the Titans and the Texans beat the Cowboys. The Texans got a lucky win last week against Dallas. The Bills also got a lucky win. The Bills offense has been awful and their defense has been the difference maker for them but I feel the Texans will win as they do have a better offense with Deshaun Watson and company. I'll take the Texans by a long shot.
LA Chargers (3-2) @ Cleveland (2-2-1) (CBS): TW: Chargers, CV: Browns
Both teams got a win last week as the Chargers beat the Raiders and the Browns beat the Ravens. The Browns have been a bit of a surprise for most experts and they should be at 5-0 right now if it wasn't for their inability to find kickers. The Chargers offense looks really, really good and the defense isn't that bad either. Cleveland has a great defense as well and they could win this game but I feel the better offense will win the day.
Tampa Bay (2-2) @ Atlanta (1-4) (FOX): TW: Buccaneers, CV: Falcons
The Buccaneers had a bye and the Falcons lost to the Steelers last week respectively. The bottom two teams in the NFC South will do battle. The Buccaneers were a surprise team with Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm of the hype train. I'll ride the Buccaneers bandwagon for this game as I feel they still are a better offense and the Falcons have some question marks with Devonte Williams with a knee injury. Could be a close game.
LA Rams (5-0) @ Denver (2-3) (FOX): TW: Rams, CV: Rams
The Rams got a win against the Seahawks and the Broncos lost to the Jets last week respectively. The Rams have been the better team for the past five weeks of the regular season. Denver has been a bit spotty in that regard. The Rams could possibly play a sleepwalker as the higher altitude of Denver could play a factor in the game but I'll take the Rams as a safe bet.
Baltimore (3-2) @ Tennessee (3-2) (CBS): TW: Ravens, CV: Titans
Both teams lost last week as the Ravens lost to the Browns and the Titans lost to the Bills. The game should be a Raven victory as the Ravens offense looks good on paper and the defense has been their bread and butter. It'll be a game which passing defense will show up as both teams are Top 5 in passing defense. The Titans could very well possibly win this game in a low scoring affair.
Jacksonville (3-2) @ Dallas (2-3) (CBS): TW: Jaguars, CV: Jaguars
The two teams lost last week with the Jaguars losing to the Chiefs and the Cowboys to the Texans. The Jaguars have lost two of their last three games since their victory against the Patriots. The Jaguars will need to play a lot better as Blake Bortles threw for four interceptions last week and the defense will need to hold down the fort against the Cowboys running game with Ezekiel Elliot. I'll take the Jaguars because they're still #1 on defense and top 10 in the offense.
Kansas City (5-0) @ New England (3-2) (NBC): TW: Patriots, CV: Chiefs
Both teams got a win last week as the Chiefs beat the Jaguars and the Patriots beat the Colts. The Chiefs could possibly walk away with a loss after this game. This game is been hyped up since really Patrick Mahomes has proven to be quite the offensive star in the league. We will learn a lot about the Chiefs in this game as well as the Patriots for a bit. The Pats at home are a tough bunch and I'll take them in this one. Trap game for the Chiefs.
San Francisco (1-4) @ Green Bay (2-2-1) (ESPN): TW: Packers, CV: Packers
Both teams got losses as the 49ers lost to the Chargers and the Packers to the Lions. The Monday night game pits two teams that have had great expectations to be in the playoffs but haven't quite hit the mark. CJ Beathard will get the start. The Packers should win the game if they run the ball effectively which is one of their hallmarks on offense. Hopefully, Mason Crosby can find the middle of the uprights well enough.
Local TV Schedule (via 506sports.com, subject to change):
CBS Early:
Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati
Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts
CBS Late:
Jacksonville @ Dallas
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo
FOX Single:
Arizona @ Minnesota
Sam Rosen, Ronde Barber
For more information on which game is played in your area, check out: NFL Week 6 Maps
Have a great weekend, enjoy the games, and I'll see you guys on Monday for the recap!
-Tom
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