Thursday Night Football (Week 4)

Can the Giants make it two in a row? If Kirk Cousins keeps playing this way, will anyone even want RGIII back as a starter? It's Thursday of week 4 and also the first day {2nd night} of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year). I think the Giants take this as an opportunity to start anew, but then again, same could be true for Washington. Who wants to be 500% coming out of the first quarter of the 2014 season? I guess we'll see.

WEEK 3 RESULTS

Spread: 7-9

Straight Up: 8-8

Thursday Night Game:

NYG @ WAS (-3.5)

The Giants finally came alive last week, playing well on all fronts. Meanwhile, Kirk Cousins put up some really great numbers for Washington last week in an offensive battle against the Eagles. I still think that Philly has the best shot at winning this division outright; however, the winner of this game can carry some momentum at least aiming for 2^nd place in the division. 

If New York can continue to get their TE’s some touches, I think Eli and the Giants can eek out a win on the road. Either way, in these division games, I’d take the points, but I’m also taking the Giants in this one.

Spread: NYG

Straight Up: NYG

Score: 24-21  

Back to the Games (Week 2)

Thinking about football really does help pass the time. Before you know it, you forget about the brutal Monday night loss, only to be reminded that you are only a few days away from your team’s next crushing defeat. Not a great start to the season on the prediction front, but much like my Giants (I hope), I’m a closer.

WEEK 1 RESULTS

Spread: 7-9

Straight Up: 9-7

Let’s get right to the games:

PIT @ BAL (-3)

After the week they’ve had, the Ravens could really use a good win. I just don’t see it happening. Both Joe Flacco and Ben Roethlisgerger through for about 350 yards and 1 TD last week, the former though doing it on 62 pass attempts.  Flacco’s arm, like a major league pitcher, cannot withstand this all season. I like the Steelers to continue the balanced attack (led by Le’Veon “can’t suspend me now” Bell) and pull out the victory against their conference rival. 

Spread: PIT

Straight Up: PIT

Score: 24-17

MIA @ BUF (-0.5)

After last week’s games, this may actually prove to be one of the better week 2 matchups. Buffalo comes off of a nice OT win on the road in Chicago and also learned that this week that they would be sold to a group led by the current Buffalo Sabres owner, rather than fall into the hands of Jon Bon Jovi’s group. Well Buffalo, you’re halfway there, but far from getting back to Super Bowl territory. Miami comes off of a fairly dominant performance at home, beating the Patriots by 13. I think the difference in this game comes down to the RB’s. Whichever team has more trouble stopping the run will lose out. I think the duo of Moreno & Miller (Miami’s M&Ms?) will be too much for the Bills defense. Dolphins start the season 2-0. 

Spread: MIA

Straight Up: MIA

Score: 30-24

DET @ CAR (-2.5)

The Panthers pulled out a surprising victory last week without Cam Newton. Regardless of whether Newton plays or not this week, the Panthers secondary will have their hands full with Calvin Johnson. Even if they choose to double cover him with a roaming safety, that will leave plenty of options for Mathew Stafford on his check downs (any choice of three huge TE’s, RB Reggie Bush as well as WR Golden Tate). The Lions Achilles heel, as mentioned last week, is their lack of discipline on defense.  I expect them to continue to take unnecessary penalties, which will certainly hurt them in close games during this season. I just expect their proficient offense to offset most of these mistakes. I like the Lions by a lot.

Spread: DET

Straight Up: DET

Score: 35-20

ATL @ CIN (-5.5)

Matt Ryan looked like he was playing the Madden version of himself last weekend, putting up console worthy stats. Although the Bengals might have a better defense than the Saints, if Ryan is in the zone again, watch out. Cincinnati will also need more out of their offense aside from A.J. Green. Look for them to try and get Giovani Bernard a bit more involved. Either way, if this becomes a shootout, I like the Falcons by a TD.

Spread: ATL

Straight Up: ATL

Score: 31-24

NO @ CLE (+6)

Both these teams lost last week at the last possible second on game ending FG’s. The Browns, for the record, has a nice comeback turn up just short, while the Saints let the game slip out of their hands against the Falcons. Cleveland really is getting no respect at home getting six points and until further notice probably won’t. I expect safety Donte Whitner (12 tackles last week), to be extremely busy as Drew Brees attempt to pick apart the Browns secondary. In the end, I think the Saints learn to not squander a lead; putting the points on early and often and putting the game out of reach for the comeback Browns.

Spread: NO

Straight Up: NO

Score: 38-17

NE @ MIN (+3)

The Patriots had a disappointing loss on the road in Miami. Meanwhile, the Vikings went on the road and beat up an already decimated Rams group, knocking out 8^th string QB Shaun Hill in the process. The Vikings looked good on offense and their defense is still waiting to play against a first string offense. I’m not yet confident that the Patriots are that team. Vikings, coming off a 28 point win, getting points at home? I’ll take it. It also is fun to think of the Patriots starting 0-2.

Spread: MIN

Straight Up: MIN

Score: 27-24

ARI @ NYG (-2)

I hate this game for so many reasons, the least of which means that I think the Giants will start the season with their 2^nd loss. If anyone has been reading for the last week or so (I hope you’re out there), you’ll know I love the Giants, but don’t have high hopes for them at all. If they play again like they did in Detroit, they may have the #1 draft pick locked up before week 10. The Cardinals, on the other hand, played well enough to win, particularly in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s game. Carson Palmer looked reminiscent of a college QB, spreading the ball across multiple receivers and even scrambling for yardage on several plays. Until the Giants prove they can score at all, I like the odds of any team playing them. Cardinals by a FG.

Spread: ARI

Straight Up: ARI

Score: 13-10

DAL @ TEN (-3.5)

Jake Locker and the Titans went into KC and just dominated them in every facet of the game. Meanwhile, the Cowboys couldn’t have looked worse, unless they had gone up against the Giants. Tony Romo looked like his old self, making poor throws and incurring way too many turnovers. When you have a defense that can hold its own, sometimes you can survive, but when you have one of the worst professional defense’s I have ever seen, then you won’t win too many games. I like the Titans to dominate on offense, until the Cowboys prove they can stop anyone at all.  

Spread: TEN

Straight Up: TEN

Score: 27-17

JAC @ WAS (-6)

If I’m Gus Bradley, I am getting the mind erase thing from Men in Black, using it and telling them that they are about to start the second half up 17-0. The Jaguars hit the Eagles head on during the first half of last week’s game, only to see their lead, and ultimately, the game, disappear from their clenches. Good news for the Jags; they play a Washington team which struggled to score against a very good Texans defense. They need more out of every one of their offensive weapons, particularly RGIII, who as mentioned previously, I’m not sold on as being the future of their team. The Jags forced a lot of fumbles last week and Washington is susceptible to TO’s. I like the game to be close, with the Jags pulling out a win in the end, marking Coach Bradley’s first win for his new team.

Spread: JAC

Straight Up: JAC

Score: 24-21

Monday Games

This is the post I was avoiding having to write all weekend.  The one where I finally admit that the Giants offensive woes in the preseason truly will translate to a lack of success thought this 2014 NFL season. Then the Dolphins went out and shocked the Patriots, giving me at least, a glimmer of hope that the Giants may not be as bad as I think them to be.

Let's get to Monday night's games:

NYG @ DET (-5.5)

Detroit enters the season with a new head coach - Jim Caldwell.  Caldwell inherits a team with some sizable talent on offense (QB Matt Stafford, perhaps the league's best WR, Calvin Johnson as well as a nice RB duo of Reggie Bush and Joique Bell) and potential on defense. They also went out and drafter highly touted TE, Eric Ebron, who should help take the pressure off both Johnson and Stafford. I expect this year to be much like the previous ones - the Lions should score a lot and give up a lot of points. Due to Stafford's tendency for turnovers and their defense's lack of discipline, they can't be trusted in close games.

Tom Coughlin will age 10 years during this NFL season. Everyone will be discussing whether QB Eli Manning can grasp the new offensive scheme, something which thus far, looks to have escaped him. Even if he does, the Giants are really lacking offensive weapons. RB Rashard Jennings is solid, but I'm not sold on him being and every play, all-purpose back. Rookie RB Andrew Williams should spell Jennings a bit, but may not be enough coming out of the backfield. Everyone knows that WR Victor Cruz is the Giants #1, 2 & 3, option, leaving WR Rueben Randle with all the potential for a fine season - assuming the much maligned offensive line gives Manning enough time to throw. Manning has always been better with a solid receiving TE, but the Giants have lacked such an option for several years now. The defense (improved on paper due to some splashy off season signings), may have to work double time just to offset the lack of scoring that should come out of this anemic offense. 

It pains me to say, but until the Giants prove they can score, I can't trust them to cover, particularly on the road.

Spread: DET

Straight Up: DET

Score: 24-10

SD @ ARI (-3)

Much of Arizona's success this season will be determined by their running game. RB Andre Ellington has the potential for a 1,000+ yards - but he might not play tonight. Any absence there should cause QB Carson Palmer to rely heavily on WR's Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd. Fitzgerald, who is beyond his best years is still a viable threat with stick 'em for hands and Floyd has the potential to be very good. On defense, the Cardinals should be good, particularly with a strong secondary, which looks to be one of the top in the league. It remains to be seen, however, if all the pieces can come together to equal wins.

San Diego has a team that could easily win or lose 10 games.  I think everything depends on the number of team turnovers, especially in the hands of QB Phillip Rivers. Rivers has some decent weapons on offense including, RB's Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead, WR's Keenan Allen and Vincent Brown as well as TE Antonio Gates, who despite injuries and age, can still go up for the "jump ball" when necessary. On defense, much like the Cardinals, there are lots of questions, which can only be answered in-game. 

Tonight, I like San Diego to steal the home opener from the Cardinals.

Spread: SD

Straight Up: SD

Score: 27-24