12 October 2008
Baltimore Ravens (2.8) Indianapolis Colts (1.5)
Carolina Panthers (2.1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1.83)
Chicago Bears (1.71) Atlanta Falcons (2.25)
Cincinnati Bengals (3.3) New York Jets (1.44)
Detroit Lions (8) Minnesota Vikings (1.13)
Miami Dolphins (2.45) Houston Texans (1.62)
Oakland Raiders (3.75) New Orleans Saints (1.31)
St Louis Rams (8) Washington Redskins (1.13)
Jacksonville Jaguars (2.65) Denver Broncos (1.57)
Dallas Cowboys (1.44) Arizona Cardinals (2.9)
Green Bay Packers (2.2) Seattle Seahawks (1.77)
Philadelphia Eagles (1.5) San Francisco 49ers (2.8)
13 October 2008
New England Patriots (3.4) San Diego Chargers (1.4)
14 October 2008
New York Giants (1.29) Cleveland Browns (4)
All teams have had at least 4 games now, time to look at how the league looks ratings-wise.
NY Giants 303 Washington 302 Tennessee 291 Dallas 258 Chicago 255 Carolina 250 Philadelphia 244 Arizona 238 Pittsburgh 237 Tampa Bay 234 Minnesota 228 Baltimore 227 New Orleans 209 San Diego 209 Denver 204 Indianapolis 190 New England 189 Green Bay 178 Jacksonville 178 Buffalo 175 Atlanta 161 Miami 155 Cleveland 143 Cincinnati 140 NY Jets 134 Houston 133 Oakland 103 San Francisco 95 Seattle 54 Kansas City -15 Detroit -22 St Louis -29
The first thing that leaps out is that 7 of the top 8 teams are in the NFC.
You might expect the 2 unbeaten teams to be top but when you consider the Redskins schedule so far, which has included 3 road trips to other teams in the top 7 you have to be impressed. The scary thing is they should get better as the season goes on. Their next 3 games are against teams with a combined record of 1 win and 11 losses, the sole win coming against a winless team. That could well see them at 7-1 at the mid-point of the season.
This is a play against Indy. They are 2-2, but without much imagination, should be 0-4. Scoring 21 pts,last week, in five minutes to win the game, in that fashion is mind boggling. They have been playing very poorly and have lucked out a couple wins. They are living off reputation at this point. They haven’t shown anything thus far to prove they should be a favorite against anyone, except maybe St Louis and Detroit. This team is flat out playing badly.
The Colts can’t stop the run without Sanders, and he’s still going to be out this week. They aren’t stopping the pass much better either. The thing that is more disturbing is the fact that the offense isn’t playing well. The team scored 31 pts. Last week, but if you really look at it, they had ONE drive in the first quarter, that was impressive. The 21 pts to end the game were gifts. Yes they drove down the field, on that first score of those 21 points, but Houston was letting them gain yards, to chew up up time off the clock. The touchdown was on a 4th down, desperation play. Then the other two scores were handed to them on fumbles that never should have occurred. Houston’s quarterback was just plan reckless.
This week they are playing against a Baltimore defense that’s playing as well as anyone. Even if they were playing like the Colts of the last few years, they’d have a difficult task to score many points, this week. This offense isn’t that same group that we are used to seeing. They will struggle horribly to score many points.
They only way I see Indy scoring many points, would be set up by mistakes by Flacco, if he’s put in a position to have to be the play maker. I don’t see that happening. Baltimore will play a ball control running game, requiring Flacco to pass in only obvious passing situations. This won’t be the Titans or Steelers defense that he’s facing this week. He should be able to manage the game well and limit any mistakes.
Last week’ Colts games, I feel I was on the right side, with a bad result. I don’t see it happening again.
I’ll take Baltimore +5, with a score of, Baltimore 17 – 13 Indianapolis.
Best of Luck Dogg
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dogg,
Posts: 351 | Location: Pennsylvania USA | Registered: 08 September 2008
If you look at the surface of this game, you see two 3-2 teams squaring off, both at or near the top of their division. If you look closer though, only one of the two is actually a contender. That team is the Bears. Chicago has a very good defense, and excellent special teams, with and offense that isn’t as bad everyone thinks it is. Atlanta on the other ad has won against either bad teams, or teams that are not as good as expected, plus injured. The schedule has been very good to the Falcons.
Last week they went to Green Bay, which historically is a tough place to play. The thing is, Green Bay was a team of walking wounded. Their quarterback probably shouldn’t have played, but they don’t have a backup that’s able to take a team to victory, so they played him anyways. Their defense was a shambles with key players out or playing injured. With all of this, they still barely won the game.
The other two games they won were against horrible Detroit and Kansas City teams. When they played quality opponents like Tampa Bay and Carolina, they lost miserably, 24-9, in both contests. Both of Chicago’s two losses also came against those two clubs, but the games were much different. Carolina beat the Bears with a last minute score, 20-17. Tampa Bay beat them in overtime 27-24.
Chicago’s defense will stop the Atlanta running game with their smothering line and linebackers, forcing rookie quarterback Matt Ryan to beat them. He won’t be able to. This will be a game of field position. Atlanta will be pinned in their own territory most of the game. The Bears specials teams are the best in the game., lead by kick returner Devin Hester. This man is a game breaker. Over the last three seasons he’s averaged 24 yards per punt return, with four returned for touchdowns. He frequently gives the Bears a short field to work with and creates situations where the offense only needs relatively shorts distances to score, putting tremendous pressure on a defense.
I feel the combination of a good defense against an inexperienced offense, plus the added pressure of bad field position will be too much for Atlanta to overcome.
I’ll take Chicago -3, with a final score of, Chicago 24 – 6 Atlanta
Best of Luck Dogg
Posts: 351 | Location: Pennsylvania USA | Registered: 08 September 2008
Philadelphia @ San Francisco .. Philadelphia – 4.5
If you look at this game you see two teams at 2-3. That’s where the similarity stops. One team has under achieved, the other has over achieved. San Francisco has definitely over achieved. I like many thought they were/are a better team than they actually are. The only teams they have beaten are a winless Detroit team, and a one win Seattle team, whose only win came against the winless St. Louis squad. Early in the season, I though the 49ers were a better than expected team. Now I feel I over estimated them. Quarterback J.T. O’Sullivan is getting beat up back there. He’s taking too many sacks and getting hit seemingly ever time he fades back to pass. Philly will do what they did to Pittsburgh. They will have exotic blitzes to confuse and pressure him. He will be running for his life the entire game. I can’t see the 49ers mustering up much if any offense, in this game.
Philadelphia will probably be without Westbrook due to two broken ribs suffered in the Washington game. I don’t see this as a major factor against a poor San Francisco defense. McNabb will be able to pass against them and score enough points to get a comfortable win, even without their #1 running back. Even without a running game this season (28th of 32 teams) they are 9th in total yards, 5th in passing yards, and 10th in points scored. Defensively San Francisco is ranked 22nd in total yards given up, 19th in passing yards and 22nd in points scored against.
This game is a mismatch in every way. Philadelphia “needs” this win to even have a prayer to stay in the playoff running. This is a team that they can beat up on. I look for Philadelphia to coast to a victory.
I’ll take Philadelphia -4.5, with a score, Philadelphia 31 – 10 San Francisco
Best of Luck Dogg
Posts: 351 | Location: Pennsylvania USA | Registered: 08 September 2008
1. NY GIANTS 2. DALLAS 3. ARIZONA 4. TENNESSEE 5. DENVER 6. SAN DIEGO 7. NY JETS 8. PITTSBURGH 9. PHILADELPHIA 10. WASHINGTON
Depends how you rate teams, defeats cost teams in my ratings as does low scoring wins, hence Washington only being 10th. The Jets are artificially high as they racked up a lot of pts in one match.
If you were punting on Superbowl now youd have to take NYG as they are top rated but not favs. 9.6 on betfair. Tennessee are 3rd favs but for me they dont score enough pts and will get caught out at some point. Denver are interesting because they showed in the first 3 games they can score but were weak defensively, but they toughened up well to beat Tampa last week. They have a nice game against Jacksonville this week which should give more information on their potential.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mugz,
The Titans are so over rated. They don't have a prayer of winning the superbowl.
Yes they are 5-0 but who have they beat???
A banged up Jags team, a useless Bengals team, a winless Texans team, an inconsistent Vikings team and a decent win @ Baltimore but they aren't that good.
They have a very nice schedule this year and will make the play-offs but when those play-offs come, its bye bye Titans.
TENN is the class act right now. everyone else is struggling or has an achilles heel: NE (QB); Buff (QB and run defense); Denver (Defense); Indy (Laugh laugh, no playoffs for them); Pitt (too banged up).
Seems everybody is anti Colts at the moment for some reason.
Colts will get the victory sunday and put pressure on those Titans who have us to play twice yet.
The titans aren't a class act at all. Most teams would be 5-0 with that schedule and most defences would look good against those 5 teams. I'm not a hater of the Titans, I'm hust saying people are over-rating them
Originally posted by Indi Colts: The Titans are so over rated. They don't have a prayer of winning the superbowl.
Yes they are 5-0 but who have they beat???
A banged up Jags team, a useless Bengals team, a winless Texans team, an inconsistent Vikings team and a decent win @ Baltimore but they aren't that good.
They have a very nice schedule this year and will make the play-offs but when those play-offs come, its bye bye Titans.
Good old Indy, nothing if not predictable. A quick look at your team’s record shows us the following:
Tenn. beat Jacksonville in week 1 the Colts lost to that banged up team in week 3. Hmm. I’d say they were more banged up in week 3 than week 1. Indy was routed by a decent Chicago team and needed so many miracles to beat Minnesota (a team Tenn. handled with ease) and Houston (another team Tenn. blew off the field) that I’m surprised we aren’t seeing massive pilgrimages to these places of divine intervention.
Nobody knows today who is going to win the Superbowl but I do know that as of today the Titans have a much bigger chance (due to their stifling defense and looking at the competition in AFC this year) than the Colts who might not even make the playoffs. Baltimore is coming to town this week and the two following weeks Indy travels to GB and Tenn. Let’s see where your Colts stand after those three weeks.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: airmike,
The Baltimore Ravens, with a new head coach and a rookie starting at quarterback, are off to a better start than was expected this NFL season, following up a 3-13 campaign of last year with two wins in their first four games. Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Colts, with several key players coming off serious injuries after a quick exit from the playoffs last season, have struggled a bit so far this season, and should consider themselves fortunate to be where they're at, which is 2-2. Thus is the situation as the Ravens travel to the most recent home of the franchise that preceded them in Crab City for an interesting AFC inter-divisional bout Sunday afternoon. And the Colts have lost their first two games in their new Lucas Oil Stadium In the QB match-up, Ravens rookie Joe Flacco has completed 58% of his passes this season, which ranks in the lower third among NFL quarterbacks, for a 5.7 yards-per-attempt average, which is very low, and a 1-4 TD/INT ratio. All of which computes to a 61.9 passing rating. Meanwhile, Peyton Manning and his group of targets have looked a little off so far this season. Manning has completed 62% of his throws for a 6.7 YPA average and a 5/5 TD/INT ratio, which computes to a 79.2 rating. Colts win their first home game
Any punters worried about the expected snow in Denver, it hasn't materialised. The weather is fine there so weather conditions should affect the score.
Colston is inactive for the Saints, so you would have to think the chances are that Lance Moore should be on the scoresheet today.
Best prop of the today, imo Eli Manning over 235.5 yds v Cleveland @ Ladbrokes.
It could get messy!
