NFL Week 3
Last Week: 9-7 (8-8 o/u)
Season: 19-13-0 (19-13-0)
Pittsburgh at Miami (-1/33.5) - Steelers and the under
Jacksonville at Tennessee (-6/35.5) - Titans and the over
Cleveland at NY Giants (-3/37) - Browns and the over
Baltimore (-3/34) at Cincinnati - Ravens and the over
Houston at Kansas City (-8/48.5) - Texans and the under
New Orleans at St. Louis (-7/47.5) - Saints and the under
Chicago at Minnesota (-9/44.5) - Bears and the under
Philadelphia (-4.5/44.5) at Detroit - Eagles and the over
Arizona at Atlanta (-10/42.5) - Cards and the over
San Diego at Denver (-10/47) - Chargers and the under
Green Bay at Indianapolis (-6/48.5) - Packers and the under
San Francisco at Seattle (-11/44) - Seahawks and the over
Tampa Bay at Oakland (-3/34) - Raiders and the over
Dallas at Washington (-2/35) - Cowboys and the over
:: Ryan 2:25 AM
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NFL Week 2
Last Week: 10-6 (11-5 o/u)
Season: 10-6-0 (11-5-0)
Denver (-3/39) at Jacksonville - Jaguars and the over
Pittsburgh at Baltimore (-3.5/35) - Ravens and the over
Houston at Detroit (-3/43) - Lions and the under
Indianapolis at Tennessee (-1/46.5) - Colts and the over
Chicago at Green Bay (-8.5/41) - Packers and the under
Washington (-3/41) at NY Giants - Redskins and the under
San Francisco at New Orleans (-7.5/42) - Niners and the under
St. Louis at Atlanta (-2/46) - Rams and the over
Carolina at Kansas City (-6/47) - Chiefs and the over
Seattle (-3/37) at Tampa Bay - Bucs and the under
Cleveland at Dallas (-4.5/39) - Cowboys and the over
New England (-8/41) at Arizona - Pats and the over
Buffalo at Oakland (-3.5/38) - Raiders and the over
NY Jets (-3/45.5) at San Diego - Jets and the over
Miami at Cincinnati (-5/39) - Bengals and the under
Minnesota at Philadelphia (-3/48.5) - Eagles and the over
:: Ryan 9:33 AM
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NFL Week 1
Last Week: 0-0 (0-0 o/u)
Last Season: 140-115-10 (145-119-3)
Indianapolis at New England (-3.5/45) - Pats and the under
Tennessee (-3/38) at Miami - Titans and the over
Oakland at Pittsburgh (-4.5/41) - Steelers and the over
Tampa Bay at Washington (-1.5/38.5) - Redskins and the under
Baltimore (-3/37) at Cleveland - Ravens and the under
Jacksonville at Buffalo (-3/35) - Jaguars and the over
Cincinnati at NY Jets (-4.5/42) - Jets and the over
Detroit at Chicago (-3/39.5) - Lions and the over
Arizona at St. Louis (-11/45.5) - Cards and the over
Seattle (-2.5/45) at New Orleans - Seahawks and the under
San Diego at Houston (-4.5/44) - Texans and the over
NY Giants at Philadelphia (-9.5/42) - Eagles and the over
Dallas at Minnesota (-4.5/44) - Cowboys and the over
Atlanta (-3.5/44.5) at San Francisco - Niners and the under
Kansas City at Denver (-3/47.5) - Chiefs and the over
Green Bay at Carolina (-3/43.5) - Packers and the under
:: Ryan 2:30 AM
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NFL Preview
Not Making Friends in New England
No, I didn't pick the Patriots to repeat as Super Bowl champions. Better yet, I didn't even pick them to win their division! Maybe it's because the Manhattan Clam Chowder has been better than the New England Clam Chowder around here lately. Maybe my shipment of the Bill Belichick Kool Aid got lost in the mail. Maybe I'm just crazy.
I realize most people will go with the last choice. I've never said I wasn't crazy, but I don't think this has anything to do with sanity at all. I've always been a believer in going with your gut. And all throughout the preseason, it's been telling me to be the first one to jump off the Patriot bandwagon.
Now you're going to have to trust me on this one, but I put up quite a fight with my gut. Look at the Pats schedule and they seem primed for a huge season. Sure, opening the season in front of the world with Indy is a tough chore, but after that it gets much easier. In order: at Arizona, BYE, at Buffalo and home for Miami. By my estimations those are three easy wins and even a week to rest.
I know what you must be asking yourself (other than if I'm crazy): "But Ryan, it sounds as if you haven't jumped off the bandwagon at all." Wait, wait, wait. I'm not done.
More simple tasks lie ahead with games at Cleveland and home for San Francisco. Yawn.
No, really, I'm getting there.
It's not that I'm predicting them to fall off the table the way Tampa Bay did last season. I'm crazy, but I don't need to be institutionalized. I just doubt a team can play at that high of a level for 14 straight weeks. By all accounts, their back to back games at Kansas City (on MNF) and home for Baltimore will no doubt have playoff implications. If you're keeping score at home that's games 8 and 9 without a break.
With them first looking towards Kansas City and then recovering from Baltimore, they're bound to lose one or both of the bookend games: home for Buffalo and at Cleveland. All of a sudden they could find themselves fighting for a playoff spot. That's right I said it.
You think Tennessee, Denver, Jacksonville and the rest of the AFC are just going to roll over and hand a wild card to the Patriots just because they're defending champs? Call up Jon Gruden and ask if that happens.
In the end, I do think New England will end up in the playoffs. But after fighting to get there, I'm guessing a quick one and done. My money is on one major injury (Brady?) and a few malcontents (Ty Law anyone?).
In no way should this necessarily be seen as a ringing endorsement for the Jets to be this season's Panthers. The Jets will win the division due to an easier overall schedule and the lack of a true test until week 7 at New England. Yes, they too have to deal with 14 weeks without a bye, but when your most difficult one-two punch is at home (Seattle and New England), you're in a pretty good shape.
As for the whole league, here's how I see it when the dust settles:
AFC East
Jets
Patriots*
Bills
Dolphins
AFC North
Ravens
Bengals
Steelers
Browns
AFC South
Colts
Titans
Jaguars
Texans
AFC West
Chiefs
Broncos*
Raiders
Chargers
NFC East
Eagles
Cowboys*
Redskins
Giants
NFC North
Packers
Vikings
Lions
Bears
NFC South
Panthers
Bucs
Saints
Falcons
NFC West
Seahawks
Rams*
Niners
Cardinals
*Wild Card Teams
AFC Championship Game: Chiefs over Ravens
NFC Championship Game: Panthers over Packers
NFL Champion: Kansas City Chiefs
Coach of the Year: Herman Edwards
Offensive Player of the Year: LaDainian Tomlinson
Defensive Player of the Year: Ray Lewis
Offensive ROY: Roy Williams
Defensive ROY: Vince Wilfork
League MVP: Ray Lewis
:: Ryan 1:47 AM
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