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NFL Week 15 Picks and Predictions | TooAthletic.com

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Sports December 7, 2022

Prediction: This Person Will Be Dallas Cowboys Next Head Coach

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The college football world took notice earlier this month when the University of Colorado dipped into the FCS to find their next head coach. This coach was the Coach of the Year in 2021 and led his school to a perfect 12-0 record in 2022, earning him a spot with the woeful Buffalo’s program in the Pac-12 Conference. No one took a more personal interest than a certain owner in the NFL … and when THIS person takes notice of your career, chances are your career will soon involve working for them. The person who took notice is Jerry Jones, and the person he’s keeping an eye on is Deion Sanders, who will be the next head coach of the “fairly” well-known team football Jones’ owns, the Dallas Cowboys.

When it comes to talent evaluation, no one is “better” than Jerry Jones. The owner, president, and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys, and if you don’t believe me, just ask him (just don’t look at the standings or playoff results over the last three decades, PLEASE).

Jerry Jones believes his eagle eye is one of the best in the National Football League when it comes to players and coaches despite the recent hirings of Jason Garrett and Mike McCarthy or the fact he ran Jimmy Johnson out of Big D since only Jones was allowed to have an ego or accept credit for the team success in the very distant past.

Last week, mere hours before Deion Sanders won his final game at Jackson State University before upstaging the win his by telling the school and his players he was leaving for Colorado, Jerry Jones waxed poetic about his former player. Jones, who was always involved in a bidding war with the San Francisco 49ers over Sanders’ services in the early 1990’s said of his former “Prime Time” cornerback:

“You couldn’t be talking to anybody that knows him any better than I do. Deion has such a positive enthusiasm about him, and a real genuine ‘one and one is three.’ It’s a positiveness about him. He has a real understanding of what a player’s mentality can and should be. He’s a great communicator and he’s a real leader of men.”

There are generally speaking two types of sports coaches and managers: Those who have a way they believe works and finds players who fit their plan, or those who look at what they have and draw up a plan around them. When Sanders arrived in Colorado, he encouraged the players on his inherited 1-11 team to put in for a job using the NCAA’s transfer portal, something he won’t be able to do if, or when, he joins an NFL team. This indicates that he only wants certain types of players on the field, and he will be his way or the highway with the Buffalos or in the NFL. Now, while Sanders might be able to be king of his football program in college, with unions, salary caps, front offices and 31 other pro teams fighting you tooth and nail, his method may not transfer that well from the place where they play football on Saturday to that place where Sunday is gameday.

Jerry Jones, for all his shortfalls as a football general manager, is, first and foremost, a businessman, which includes marketing … and what would put the Dallas Cowboys on the lips of almost every football fan and media member than having #21 wearing a Lone Star cap on the sidelines of AT&T Stadium? Jones has already begun playing the loyalty card with Sanders, reminding him who took care of him (more or less) during his Hall of Fame playing career, and now Jones can say he was slightly ahead of the curve when predicting greatness for Sanders as a head coach at Colorado, making it so much easier to call up Neon Deion and tell him his next job as an NFL head coach is waiting for him in Dallas.

Yes Cowboys Nation, I predict by 2026, Deion Sanders will be the next coach of your team.

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Sports December 4, 2022

NFL Week 13 Picks and Predictions

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As we reach the final month of 2022, we have also reached Week 13 of the NFL season. As some teams wonder what went wrong between the summer and now, other teams have their fans dreaming about a playoff berth to start the year along with postseason glory come February. Here now is my take on every single game that will be played during week 13 in the NFL along with some thoughts on what every team has done this season, and what lies ahead in the coming months.

Buffalo -3.5 (8-3) at New England (6-5): Take away the Patriots two games against the Jets over the past month and New England is not only a sub-.500 team, but is also out of the AFC playoff picture to start December. Bills QB and MVP candidate Josh Allen has fallen out of first place in the AFC East thanks to a tough loss against the Vikings Veterans’ Day weekend before winning twice in Detroit due to an historic snowstorm. Buffalo is tied with Miami atop the division, but are second based upon current tiebreakers, which makes this came huge for the team’s chances of winning the division and making their road to the Super Bowl easier. The Vikings showed Buffalo how to defeat the Patriots last Thursday night and the Bills will learn their lesson well. Despite being on the road for the third straight week Buffalo -3.5 is the play for me here.

Pittsburgh (4-7) at Atlanta -1.0 (5-7): No one in the NFC South is out of the divisional title race yet, with the Falcons only a half-game behind the Buccaneers, while the Steelers take their trip down to Dixie at the bottom of the AFC North despite their Monday night win in Indianapolis. We found out that without talented players, Mike Tomlin isn’t going to draw more out of his team that they have, which is why his streak of above .500 season will end in early January. Marcus Mariota has proved to be a quarterback who can hit his stride and string together touchdowns and even wins, but also play bad enough to have teams looking for other options. In short, he will make a great backup QB for most of his career who might catch lightning in a bottle in the right place one day. With the Falcons in the playoff hunt, it is difficult to pick against them at home when average players generally perform better, so it’s Atlanta -1.0 in this early Sunday game.

Green Bay -4.5 (4-8) at Chicago (3-9): With the confirmation that he has been playing hurt, it is no wonder that Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are having one of their worst seasons in franchise history. It also makes me wonder why Rodgers is even suiting up for this NFC North battle … perhaps is it only to defeat the Bears one more time in his career before turning over the starting job to Jordan Love, or maybe Green Bay believes that 9-8 is still possible this season. For Chicago, it is clear Justin Fields has proven himself to be the lesser of all the running QBs in the league as his production is nowhere near that of players named Hurts, Jackson or Murray, leaving the Bears with decisions to make next season, namely will Fields still take the field. While I don’t expect Rodgers to finish the season in uniform, he will be for this game, which means the Packers are still the better team and should win this divisional rivalry game. Green Bay -4.5 to win.

Jacksonville -1.0 (4-7) at Detroit (4-7): If the NFL had a Future’s Game like other sports did, players from both the Jaguars and Lions would appear it in as both look as thought they are trending in the right direction for 2023. Don’t like seeing Detroit as a home underdog here, but the Jags are probably a slightly better team, which also means they are ripe to be picked off in an upset. Believe it or not, both of these teams have played well this season and could, under different circumstances, have a better record than each of them do; this tells me that this could be one of the best games of the weekend for fans (and prop bettors) to enjoy. Taking the points and the Lions.

NY Jets (7-4) at Minnesota -3 (9-2): The Vikings have wins over the Bills and Patriots in the last three weeks, posting 33 points in each game, with the game in between being a 40-3 blowout loss to the Cowboys. Do oddsmakers really see more Dallas the Buffalo or New England in this Jets team? Probably so because of their running game and the team’s new QB Mike White, who took over last week and posted a win over the Bears. New York doesn’t have much offensive talent, but with White behind center, are now able to take shots down the field, something Zach Wilson rarely did. Getting into a shootout, however, is not the way the Jets will win this road game, so liking Gang Green means a lower scoring close game, something they have done before to other teams, such as the Bills. The Vikings are better and at home, so laying the points is my play here, but this will be a one-score game in either direction when these team walk off the field.

Washington -2.5 (7-5) at NY Giants (7-4): The bloom is off the Giants’ rose this season with a win over Houston the only thing keeping them from starting December on a four-game losing streak. New York only posted 24 points against the Texans, who never felt out of their game, and have failed to surpass 20 points in their three losses, that tells me the rest of the league has caught up to the Giants’ limited offense and they will limp home toward to the finish line this season. As for Washington, despite leading all of professional sports in off-field distractions, they are poised to pass the Giants in the NFC East standings with a win this weekend, the first of two games these teams will play over the rest of the season. The Commanders started their current three-game winning streak with an 11-point victory over Philadelphia, which is why they are a road favorite over a less talented Giants team this weekend. Washington is trending up while New York is trending down coming into this game, so, after this divisional showdown, there will still be a 7-5 team at the bottom of the standings, the Giants. Washington -2.5 for the win and the easy cover.

Tennessee (7-4) at Philadelphia -5.0 (10-1): The NFL’s first 10-win team this season will need to keep their foot on the gas for most, if not all of December thanks to the rebirth of the NFC East. The Titans, despite being in first place in the AFC South also seem to be one play short when it comes to challenging the NFL’s elite teams after coming up short to Kansas City and Cincinnati. Eagles’ QB Jalen Hurts has become what many felt Kyler Murray would be in Arizona and Lamar Jackson would have continued to be after his MVP season; and with Philly’s offensive line seemingly unstoppable, Hurts seems to have a better formula for postseason success than the other players. At this point, it is Super Bowl or bust for the Eagles having been the best team in the NFC at least, and perhaps the entire NFL from Week One. As the cold weather descends upon the Northeast, Mother Nature may make the Philadelphia offense one dimensional more than opposing defenses. In this game, laying less than a touchdown makes the Eagles -5 the best play.

Denver (3-8) at Baltimore -8.5 (7-4): Stories of an average to poorly attended birthday party for Broncos’ QB Russell Wilson reached social media this week with those who were there saying only half the Denver players showed up. Detractors pointed out that Wilson has not always been kind to his new AFC West teammates, and they made their feelings clear by skipping his party; others might just say with a 3-8 record, what’s the point of going to the party if you feel like you won’t be part of the team in 2023. For the Ravens, last week defeat to Jacksonville dropped them back into a tie with Cincinnati for first place in the AFC North, with Cleveland and Pittsburgh at 4-7. The Ravens feasted on the NFC South over the last month with wins over Tampa Bay, New Orleans and Carolina. They now have another lay up win on their schedule to start December and maintain their share of the divisional lead. It is clear little, if anything is working well in Denver, and with Wilson under a new contract, those around him will pay the price. Hard to see a path to victory for the Broncos here or seeing them staying within ten, Ravens -8.5 to win and cover.

Cleveland -7.0 (4-7) at Houston (1-9-1): I wonder if the 11-game suspension of Deshawn Watson was appealed on the grounds that the NFL wanted this week to mark the return of the embattled quarterback if the appeal would have been upheld. That is, after all, the only reason to watch this game and I would expect interviews from some of those who filed a lawsuit against Watson to be interviewed since some are expected to attend this game. Don’t worry, I am sure CBS will have wall-to-wall coverage of the entire story during the broadcast (NOT!). As for the game itself, yeah, Watson does make the Browns better, however, Sherlock Holmes could send Dr. Watson and Cleveland would still be favorited by a field goal on Sunday afternoon. Is there any way for Houston to win this game? Yes, if Deshawn Watson tries too hard and makes a ton of mistakes; and even then, Cleveland should win this game and give the Texans a lower first-round draft pick in 2023 after this miserable season. Browns -7 to win and cover.

Seattle -7.5 (6-5) at LA Rams (3-8): The Rams have taken the Super Bowl hangover to new depths this season as they are on target to have a double-digit losing season, making fans in Detroit happy as the Lions hold LA’s first round pick in next year’s draft. In the Pacific Northwest, the Geno Smith MVP express has been derailed by the Seahawks QB returning to his well-established losing ways, something commentators were trying to forget over the first half of the season. Seattle is now a game behind the 49ers in the NFC West, with many seeing San Francisco making a deep postseason run come January. Nevertheless, this is a “get right” game for Pete Carroll’s team and a chance to keep their names in the postseason hunt after 12 games, and with the Rams banged up and likely reason to cash out, giving up the 7.5 points should be easy for bettors like me this week.

Miami (8-3) at San Francisco -4.0 (7-4): Do we dare call this a late season Super Bowl preview? Many are predictions (actually, they are changing their previously made incorrect predictions) that at least one if now both of these divisional leaders will reach the big game come February. Miami streaks into this game winners of five straight, but none of them having a winning record, while the ‘Niners have won four straight with only one win over a team above .500, the 6-5 Chargers. So, perhaps talk to the Super Bowl is a bit premature to start December, talk to me in a month. The Dolphins are all about streaks, winning their first three before losing their next three, and now with a five-game win streak. The ‘Niners started off slowly, losing to Chicago and Denver, scoring ten points in each game, with the middle of October seeing Atlanta and Kansas City hand them two more losses before Halloween. Now they are atop the NFC West and heading in the right direction, with only their head coach Kyle Shanahan in the way of another title run. I don’t believe in Tua Tagovailoa, and I do believe in Jimmy Garoppolo, so this pick is easy, San Fran. -4 to win.

Kansas City -2.5 (9-2) at Cincinnati (7-4): Tiebreakers and home field in the AFC title game could be on the line in this AFC showdown of top five scoring offenses. KC scores over 29 points a game to lead the NFL with the Bengals posting nearly 26 for fifth best; and with each team yielding over 21 points per game on defense, the over/under of 52.5 might just be for the first half. The Bengals broke the two-year hold Kansas City had on the AFC by reaching the Super Bowl last year, and these teams could be giving us a playoff preview late Sunday afternoon. Patrick Mahomes seems to be having more fun playing QB for KC now that Tyreek Hill is with the Dolphins, and the Super Bowl loss has done little to affect the confidence of Joe Burrow in Cincy. As for the game, I hope this is an old-fashioned AFL shootout with 40+ points put on the board by both teams since that’s exactly what the NFL wants in 2022 to make bettors of all kinds happy. Who will win … KC has proven to be more focused this year, but at home, give me the 2.5 points and the Bengals to cover if not win a field-goal game.

LA Chargers -1.5 (6-5) at Las Vegas (4-7): Winning the AFC West is not likely for the upstart Chargers this season, but with a chance to pad their record over the Raiders, earning an AFC Wild-Card spot is definitely in their control. Quarterback Justin Herbert is single-handedly keeping this team involved in the postseason chase, and the Chargers are going to be a force in 2023 if they can keep their QB healthy and add some more talent to their roster. On the other hand, the Raiders have proved to be an ongoing train wreck since the Jon Gruden error, I am era, began despite it ending last year. This team’s roster is inconsistent and the play of their stars outside WR Devante Adams has been shaky at best, leading to their poor record. The Chargers need this road game in the worst way, but their stats say they in a too-close-to-call dogfight; I have faith in Justin Herbert however, which is why giving up the 1.5 points is easy for me. LA to win and cover in the desert.

Indianapolis (4-7-1) at Dallas -11 (8-3): The Jeff Saturday Experience reaches Sunday Night Football this weekend as the Colts head to Big D to take on the Cowboys. Saturday took over the head coaching job in Indy three games ago, going 1-2, but losing his last two. The ‘Boys took over second play in the NFC East with wins over the Vikings and Giants while the Giants lost before falling in Dallas on Thanksgiving. The Colts returned to QB Matt Ryan under their new head coach, with the former Falcon looking older by the week while Tony Pollard has proven to be the better option for the Cowboys at running back, surpassing the overrated and overpaid Ezekiel Elliott in production. Dallas knows what it takes to win so far this season, but for those of us outside the Metroplex, doesn’t Jerry’s World need to mix things up a little bit by having the franchise with the Lone Star on their helmets sign Odell Beckham, Jr.? If you want to watch a good team implode before your eyes and under the cluelessness that is personified by head coach Mike McCarthy, let #13 join the Dallas Cowboys later this month. As for this game, despite the big number, Big D has the better team this year and Dallas -11 should win and cover, but barely.

New Orleans (4-8) at Tampa Bay -3.5 (5-6): Tom Brady drove his former head coach Bruce Arians out of Tampa Bay as part of his return to the Buccaneers; however, with TB12 running the show, it appears the team isn’t as good as many though during the preseason. Blame it on the divorce of Brady missing so much practice time during camp and the season if you wish, but as the future Hall of Famer will tell you, there are no excuses, only results, and for Tampa Bay, the only reason to bring back Brady was to make a Super Bowl run … and right now they need a win to reach .500. If it wasn’t for the fact the entire NFC South was so bad, talking about the Saints on Monday Night Football would be left to those who have players on their fantasy team or have a parlay dependent upon someone from the Bayou. This team is rebuilding, pure and simple, and even if they win and move closer to first place, 5-8 team shouldn’t speak the word playoffs, period. If Brady and the Bucs can’t win this game to get back to .500, they the NFC South should be relegated to the XFL next spring and forced to win there in order to return to the NFL. Tampa Bay -3.5 since only the Buccaneers “need” this game, while the Saints need higher draft picks and better players.

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NFL Week 13 Picks and Predictions | TooAthletic.com

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Sports November 13, 2022

NFL Week 10 Picks and Predictions

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Veterans’ Day Weekend brings with it the tenth week of the NFL season, the official start of the second half of the schedule. As the action on the field continues to surprise and confuse fans and pundits, teams prepare for their playoff push as postseason berths and bye weeks are still up for grabs in both conferences. Here now is our picks and predictions of all the Week 10 action around the NFL.

Atlanta -2.5 (4-5) at Carolina (2-7): Duces are wild for the host of Thursday Night Football this week since the Panthers have two wins on the season, enter the game on a two-game losing streak, but are still only two losses behind the NFC South leading Buccaneers and Falcons. Carolina will host Atlanta to start Week Ten in a game even Amazon wishes they could use the return label on. Atlanta is liked by most early bettors as money line and the point spread players are supporting the Falcons by a 4-to-1 margin despite the computers calling this a field goal game. The Dirty Birds are eighth in the NFL in scored at 24 points per game but are also allowing 25 points per game on defense, explaining their nearly .500 record to date. Quarterback Marcus Mariota has likely reinforced the notion that he is a solid backup, but an inconsistent NFL starter without a solid supporting cast, something Atlanta is years away from having. With the Panthers unable to stop the run or the pass on defense, their 25 points per game average is likely to be reached by the Falcons, and Carolina inability to run or pass the ball well on offensive makes this appear to be an easy game to pick, at least on paper. Falcons -2.0 to win, cover and get back to .500 on the year.

Seattle (6-3) vs. Tampa Bay -3.0 (4-5): The Sunday morning game from Germany features the other co-leader of the NFC South as the favored (???) Buccaneers take on one of the surprise teams in the league in the Seahawks. Seattle takes their trip halfway around the world with a four-game winning streak which has propelled them from below .500 to the leaders of the NFC West; all of which appears to mean nothing to oddsmakers who have labeled them a field goal underdog. Oddsmakers are, perhaps, trying to bait Seattle fans into taking the points this week, and if that is the case, they have succeeded since money line and point spread layers are all over the three points the Seahawks are being given on a neutral field, shunning the inconsistent Tampa Bay offense. Seattle will need to prove they are score close to their 27 points per game average if they want to win this game … that’s because Tampa Bay only allows 18 points, the same low amount the Bucs’ offense has been producing on average so far this year. This will likely be a race to 21 or 24 points, which has me worried for those betting the over with a 44.5 sitting on the board. As for the game, I think the Buccaneers needed to get away for a while, and they will show up in a big way this week, and with their defensive likely chipping in with a big turnover, its Tampa Bay -3 for me.

Minnesota (7-1) at Buffalo -3.5 (6-2): If not for the Jets knocking off the Bills and handing them their second AFC East defeat, this would have been a matchup of 7-1 teams with “Super Bowl Preview” written all over the marquee. Nevertheless, this could very well be who we see playing in the final game of the season since falling short of the Super Bowl would be a disappointment for both of these teams. Bettors are grabbing points here, maybe victims of the “what have you done for me lately” pitfall after watching Buffalo come up short last week. On paper the Bills have a better defense than the Vikings with a slightly better offense, which is why the computers made this a 3 or 4 point game. Buffalo is also likely to be more focused after suffering a surprised loss to the Jets, turning what could have been a two-game divisional lead into just a half game. Minnesota has defeated all comers this season not named Philadelphia, but there is likely no team closer to how the Eagles play than the Bills. That’s why Buffalo -3.5 is the play here for me.

Detroit (2-6) at Chicago -3.0 (3-6): With the Packers down and out this year, the NFC North is a one-team division this season, and the Lions and Bears are not that team. The Bears have allowed 84 points in their last two games, both losses, while the Lions were able to add to Green Bay’s misery by holding them to nine points last week, giving Detroit win number two on the year. Lions’ QB Jared Goff is ahead of Bears’ QB Justin Fields on yards even if you add the rushing yards the Chicago signal caller has so far this season. Both of these teams are trying to find their way, with at least one of them looking for a new quarterback as soon as possible … with this season maybe showing fans of the Bears that Fields may not be the best choice for QB of the future. I like how the Lions play, and last week’s win will boost their confidence heading into another NFC North battle, that’s why, for me, it will be Detroit +3 for the outright win here.

Denver (3-5) at Tennessee -2.5 (5-3): WOW, an NFL game where the over/under is 36.5 points. Well, they must be expecting bad weather in Nashville this weekend (sunny and 45 degrees). Clearly it won’t be raining points either in this game since Denver only averages 15 points a game while the run-heavy hosts from Tennessee only average 18.5. If the Broncos feel like there’s still life in their season, this could be a great place for them to pick up a win. After all, the Titans only average 155 passing yards per game while Denver only yields 166.75, best in the NFL. So, unless Derrick Henry can pave the way to the end zone and field goals, the Broncos might be able to find one or two big plays on offense to take a lead and maybe even hold it. The Titans are at the Broncos’ mercy in this contest, so taking the points works well for me. Denver -2.5 for the win.

Jacksonville (3-6) at Kansas City -9.5 (6-2): I have tried to support the grown and potential of the Jaguars this season, perhaps thinking too highly of them at times. This week, however, won’t be one of those weeks as Jacksonville heads to the Midwest to take on Kansas City. The Jags needed a visit from the Raiders to break their losing streak last week while only a loss to Buffalo put a blemish on KC’s October record which was added to by a win against Tennessee last week. With the Bills losing last week and facing a tough test this week, KC might be the team with the best record in the AFC by the end of play Sunday … perhaps giving them something to focus on and play for during the middle part of their schedule, a time of year in recent seasons they have struggled to find their A-Game. Unless Jacksonville and run for 200 yards and control the game for 35-plus minutes, this is Kansas City’s game to lose. KC -9.5 to win and cover.

Cleveland (3-5) at -3.5 Miami (6-3): Without having their bye week yet, the Dolphins have fallen into third place in the mighty AFC East while the Browns are closer to last place in the AFC North than they are to first place. Cleveland hasn’t played since Halloween when they manhandled the Bengals while Miami hasn’t been home since October 23rd when the defeated the Steelers to start their current three-game winning streak. The Browns are three weeks away from seeing the debut of Deshawn Watson as their QB, but without winning some games between now and then, they may be out of the playoff hunt which is currently a chase of the AFC North leading Baltimore Ravens. Sadly, for the Dawg Pound, facing the Dolphins is not likely to be a place where they can find a win. Miami is the better team, and they should win going away. Dolphins -3.5 easy.

Houston (1-6-1) at NY Giants -5.0 (6-2): The Giants take one week off for their bye and lose a spot in the NFC East standings and they are now (based upon head-to-head) behind the second-place Dallas Cowboys. Houston is seeing their plan come together and they continue to be in the lead for the worst record this season, giving them first pick of next year’s QB Draft Class. Giants fans must be both happy and confused by only seeing their team favored by five points at home off a bye week against a Texans’ team with the league’s worst record. That’s because New York hasn’t had too much comfortable wins and have needed to come back late in many of them, and in those games where they had leads, they never blow anyone out as they rely on their running game to seal the victory. The Texans can be competitive, and unless the Giants drop the hammer early and often on them with TDs, Houston will keep this game close, so I am taking the five points and expecting the Giants to play as they have all season, with late game miracle ball for a close win.

New Orleans (3-6) at Pittsburgh -1.5 (2-6): These are two teams who are proving without a Pro-Bowl level quarterback, you cannot win in the NFL. These teams are so closely matched up in their ineptitude that the Steelers are only getting half of the normal three-points afforded to home teams by oddsmakers. Pittsburgh has only scored 15 points per game on average this year and have only broken 21 points in an opening week overtime against Cincinnati, which they won. On the other hand, the Saints have been able to score in most of their wins and losses this year, making them dangerous for a team that struggles to put two TDs on the scoreboard. Yeah, Pittsburgh is at home, but these are not the same Steelers fans are used to anymore. Saints +1.5 to win outright.

Indianapolis (3-5-1) at Las Vegas -6.0 (2-6): If it wasn’t for the fact that former ESPN commentator Jeff Saturday has returned to the Colts to be their head coach, this game would have zero meaning. The fact that Saturday, a former Colts lineman tweeted out how much the Raiders suck just days before taking over the Colts for this game, the fact that someone with zero NFL coaching experience is the head coach for this game would be the dominate news. Not sure how the numbers work out to make home team a six-point favorite especially considering the Raiders’ QB Derek Carr has fewer passing yards then Matt Ryan, who has been benched by the Colts. Las Vegas did win their two home games in October over Denver and Houston while the Indy has won on the road since a 12-9 victory at Denver over a month ago. The Raiders might win, but I can’t see them defeating anyone by more than a touchdown, so I am taking Indianapolis +6 to cover.

Dallas (6-2) at Green Bay (3-6): With the Eagles and Vikings playing so well, this game, believe it or not, could have NFC Wild-Card tiebreaker written all over it come January. That may be hard to believe for some living on the frozen tundra, however, the Packers are likely playing for a Wild-Card and the Cowboys are two games behind the Eagles, making this a someone important game, especially if the Packers win. Green Bay is only posting 17 points per game and during their five-game skid of never surpassed 22 points in a game. Dallas is looking to catch lightning in a bottle the way the Rams did last year when they traded for WR Odell Beckham, Jr, with the free agent only needing to be signed coming off an injury this year. Even without OBJ, the Cowboys are playing better with head coach Mike McCarthy calling plays that work best for his players on the field, not from his days as the Packers head coach. I would like to see the Packers get back into the playoff hunt, but just can’t see them getting better here. Dallas -5 to win/cover.

Arizona (3-6) at LA Rams -1.5 (3-5): The bottom half of the NFC West due battle in this mostly meaningly game. Both of these teams have struggled this season with talk of Kliff Kingsbury being on the hot seat in Arizona and, perhaps, coaching for his job on a week-to-week basis. The Rams are a shadow of themselves compared to last year as the whole team recovers from their Super Bowl hangover in 2022. Arizona is giving up nearly 27 points per game on defense, setting things up for a Rams offense that is scoring ten points less every sixty minutes. The Air Raid offense of the Cardinals can’t average more than 22.6 points, only one point more than what the Rams yield, making this a contest of the Cards’ D and the Rams’ O. With late word on Wednesday that Matthew Stafford is in concussion protocol, this betting line will change quickly, which makes Arizona +1.5 the play now since they will likely be favored by kick off late Sunday afternoon.

LA Chargers (5-3) at San Francisco -7.0 (4-4): People love the 49ers nowadays, even favoriting them over the Seattle Seahawks in weekly rankings despite their .500 record. The Chargers know they have a showdown with the AFC West leaders from Kansas City coming up in primetime next week, but this primetime game will prove to make that game more or less important. Perhaps the oddsmakers know San Francisco’s defense is better than their offense in allowing only 18.4 points per game, and the fewest rushing yards and 8th fewest passing yards, making this a game of field position as much as scoring on Sunday night. LA relies on the passing game, which may make them one dimensional in this contest, but also will give them a chance to break a few long plays to stay in the game and score some points. The spread, for me, looks too high in this game, so, on that basis, I am taking the Chargers (+7) to keep in close even if they don’t win.

Washington (4-5) at Philadelphia -11.0 (8.0): This #1 hosting #4 in the NFC East is how Week Ten will end, with the Eagles flying high as an 11-point favorite. This will be the Eagles’ third division game. They defeated Washington on the road in late September for their third win of the year and knocked off Dallas before their bye week on October 16th. Commanders’ fans might be getting their wish as word has it that ownership (Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Snyder) have hired a first to look into selling at least a portion of the team if not all if it. If true, the team may be able to come out from the dark cloud it has played under for years and maybe, just maybe, return to some of their past glory. As for this week, the glory may all belong to the Eagles as they are the favorite of bettors on the money line and point spread, even with the double-digit spread. Washington has proven they can beat teams not playing their best, while the Eagles have just defeated all comers. Laying 11 points isn’t easy, but under the light, Philly and thrived this year. Eagles -11 to cover.

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Sports October 19, 2022

NFL Week Six Recap – TOOATHLETIC TAKES

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The middle weekend of October saw many surprise teams continue their unexpectedly good or bad seasons as early battles for divisional leads took centerstage. The talk of offensive scoring being down seemed to be replaced by the simple true that all any team needs to do is outscore their opponent regardless of the total points scored. Now, with a third of the 2022 regular season in the book, we recap week six in the NFL.

Washington 12 (2-4), Chicago 7 (2-4): The Thursday Night primetime game once against laid an egg for Amazon as both the Commanders and Bears struggled to find points. In fact, if this game had been played twice to the same final score, they still would have fallen a half-point short of the over/under. Heading into the game, Washington head coach Ron Rivera called out his team’s quarterback play as the main reason why they had only won a single game. During Thursday’s game, Carson Wentz fractured the ring finger on his throwing hand, likely leaving him out of action for several weeks and elevating Taylor Heinicke to starter. As for the Bears, it is becoming clear that Chicago QB Justin Fields is unable to produce points at the NFL level on a regular basis. Only time will tell if that’s because of his lack of skills, or the team’s roster.

Atlanta 28 (3-3), San Francisco 14 (3-3): The 49ers’ defense must have been delayed at the airport for this game since, after allowing no first half touchdowns all season, Marcus Mariota and the Falcons hung three scores on the scoreboard in the first thirty minutes. The San Francisco offense likely had an early flight back to the west coast as they failed to score in the second half, causing the team to fall back to .500 on the season. The loss did not knock the ‘Niners out of first place in the NFC West, but only highlights how the division is 2022, a far cry from last season.

New England 38 (3-3), Cleveland 15 (2-4): Early on in this game, both New England and Cleveland fans has reason to unite as chats of “Yankees Suck” echoed throughout FirstEnergy Stadium. The Dawg Pound’s mood quickly changed in the second half when, after trailing 10-6 heading into the third quarter, the Browns allowed Patriots’ backup QB Bailey Zappe go on a rampage, ending the game with 306 passing yards and two TDs as New England scored a pair of touchdowns in each of the final two quarters. Fans booed the Browns off the field as the team’s season has not been the same without Deshawn Watson on the field, but with the entire AFC North at either 3-3 or 2-4, Cleveland’s playoff chances will likely come down to if they can win the division. As for New England, getting back to 3-3 still sees them in tied for third place, but behind the Dolphins, who they have lost to already this season.

NY Jets 27 (4-2), Green Bay 10 (3-3): Last week the Packers couldn’t find points in London against the Giants, and this week, they lost the backend of their New York, New York schedule as the Jets ran the ball up and down Lambeau Field at will, especially in the second half. The game was tied at 3-3 at the half before Gang Green’s took off with an offensive TD drive and they a blocked punt that was returned for another score. Green Bay’s only TD came late in the third quarter to make the score 17-10 before the Jets added ten more points in the fourth quarter for their third win in a row, and in the process, dropped the Packers down to .500, two games back of the divisional leaders in the NFC North.

Indianapolis 34 (3-3), Jacksonville 27 (3-3): The resurrection of Matt Ryan continues in Indianapolis as the former Falcons QB orchestrated a last-minute scoring drive that ended with a 32-yard TD pass to Alec Pierce. Jacksonville QB Trevor Lawrence did his best to win the game when he led a TD drive of his own, leaving the field with 2:48 left on the clock and a one-point lead. His efforts were not enough to overcome Ryan’s two fourth quarter scoring passes and knocked the Jaguars out of the top spot in the AFC South while thrusting the Colts into the playoff picture after six weeks as another division has airtight standings.

Minnesota 24 (5-1), Miami 16 (3-3): Kirk Cousins had two TD passes for the Vikings down on South Beach, but it was a 53-yard scoring run by Dalvin Cook that gave the Vikings an insurmountable lead over the Dolphins in the fourth quarter. Miami went back to QB Teddy Bridgewater after Skyler Thompson suffered a thumb injury in this game, with Bridgewater tossing for 329 yards and two scores. His efforts were not enough to give Miami a lead at any point during the game after falling behind 7-3 but does give the team hope going forward that their season may not be a total loss with Tua Tagovailoa on the bench with his well-documented injures. The Vikings flew home with a two-game advantage in the NFC North and an early two-game lead for the second spot in the playoff seeding.

Cincinnati 30 (3-3), New Orleans 26 (2-4): Bengals’ QB Joe Burrow returned to the place where he won a national championship at LSU this weekend and put on a show for his former college fans by tossing three TD passes and running for a fourth in a Bayou win. Burrow won a knockout win over Andy Dalton, who started at QB for the Saints and did his best to keep up with the former Tiger. New Orleans yielded the game’s final nine points after taking a 26-21 lead with 11:11 left on the clock allowing Cincinnati to return to .500 on the season in what has proven to be a difficult year as the reigning AFC Champions. All that while the Saints are still looking to move on from the Sean Payton/Drew Brees era and finding it difficult to do so both on and off the field.

NY Giants 24 (5-1), Baltimore 20 (3-3): This intra-conference matchup was a microcosm of how the season has gone for both of these franchises. New York wowed the home fans at MetLife Stadium for the third time his season by coming from behind to win this game by scoring the final 14 points of the contest; that while the Ravens continue to struggle on defense to hold lead and keep teams out of the end zone when the game is on the line. Baltimore’s falls to .500 on the season, matching their 1-1 record at MetLife Stadium while the Giants are now 3-1 at home with another victory in London, that does mean, however, that their second half schedule will be more difficult since it will hold more road games, a true test of one of 2022’s surprise teams.

Pittsburgh 20 (2-4), Tampa Bay 18 (3-3): The news of Tom Brady’s attendance at the wedding of Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft Saturday night broke a few hours before the Buccaneers took the field in Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers. With the future Hall of Fame quarterback losing to Mitchell Trubisky and publicly scolding his own offensive line during the game, it appears that the return of Brady has gone as well on the field as his life is going off it. Trubisky came into this game after starting QB Kenny Pickett suffered a concussion and tossed a six-yard touchdown pass to Chase Claypool to give the Steelers a 20-12 lead. From there it was the Steelers’ defense that used all the rope they were given to hold on to their advantage, even giving up a touchdown to Brady with 4:45 left in the game; but stopped a game-tying two-point conversation to secure the win. The streak of Pittsburgh’s head coach Mike Tomlin never having a sub .500 season is going to be severely tested this year, but this is the kind of win that a poorly coached team would lose. As for Tampa Bay, it should not be too long before stories of the doubled standards being granted to their quarterback come to light.

LA Rams 24 (3-3), Carolina 10 (1-5): The Panthers will likely make more headlines off the field for the next two weeks now that word has come out that their all-purpose running back Christian McCaffery is on the trading block between now and November 1st. This news comes days after the team fired their head coach Matt Rhule in his third season with four more still left on his contract. Carolina confirmed they are fielding calls with other teams claiming their asking price of “multiple first-round picks” is too high. Nevertheless, the Panthers appear poised to be high on the NFL Draft picking list as the search for their next franchise QB is already underway. As for the game, the Rams did what they needed to do, win a home game over a bad team to get back to .500 and move back into a tie with the ‘Niners for first place in the NFC West. LA QB Matt Stafford overcame throwing a pick-six late in the first half to give Carolina a 10-7 lead to score the games final 17 points to lock up a win in a game that only two cities were hopefully forced to see.

Seattle 19 (3-3), Arizona 9 (2-4): In this crazy NFL season where everything seems to be turned upside down, it was Geno Smith and the Seahawks outplaying Kyler Murray and the Cardinals in this NFC West water pistol duel. Smith seems to have found a home in Seattle and brought his NFL quarterbacking career back to life while Murray’s new contract is not paying dividends for Arizona. It is difficult to imagine how oddsmakers set the over/under for this game at 50.5 points, just as it is difficult to imagine either of these teams playing more than 17 games this season as they sit at the bottom of the division looking up at the 49ers and Rams.

Buffalo 24 (5-1), Kansas City 20 (4-2): In the Tiebreaker Bowl, the Bills went to KC and took control of the AFC with a signature road win. MVP front runner Josh Allen led a game-winning drive that ended with 69 second on the clock when the QB found Dawson Knox for a 14-yard TD to seal the win. On the stat sheet, Josh Allen fought to a draw with KC QB Patrick Mahomes with Allen going 27/40 for 329 yards and three TDs and Mahomes going 25/40 for 338 yards and two scores. Buffalo is the only one-loss AFC team now while Kansas City joins the Jets, (J-E-T-S, JETS, JETS, JETS) as the only 4-2 AFC teams. It is easy to see how these two teams will be the last two standings in the AFC Playoffs with a Championship Game rematch for a trip to the Super Bowl three month away.

Philadelphia 26 (6-0), Dallas 17 (4-2): This primetime battle for first place in the NFC East could have been called at halftime after the hometown Eagles posted two touchdowns and two field goals as part of a 20-0 run that only ended with a Dallas FG right before halftime. Dallas QB Cooper Rush suffered his first career loss after throwing three interceptions but did manage to pull the Cowboys to within 20-17 early in the fourth quarter. Eagles’ QB and MVP front-runner Jalen Hurts posted a TD as the game’s final score midway into the final period, putting the game out of reach and keeping his team undefeated on the season. The loss dropped Dallas to third in the division while the win kept the Eagles one game ahead of the Vikings in the NFC.

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NFL Week Six Recap | TooAthletic.com

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Sports September 25, 2022

NFL Week 3 Picks And Predictions

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NFL Week 3 Picks And Predictions
As we reach the first weekend of autumn, the third week of the NFL season has arrived … And with six undefeated teams and seven winless teams in the league, the NFL has already reached what it loves the most, parity. With divisional and conference play on tap from Thursday Monday, here, now is a preview with our predictions of what will happen during Week Three of the 2022 National Football League season.

Pittsburgh (1-1) at Cleveland -4.5 (1-1): This AFC North game starts the week’s schedule on Thursday night, with both teams having up and down seasons so far by winning their opener and dropping their second games. It is difficult to get too excited about either one of these teams yet, and with an over/under number of 38.5 posted for this game, watching this matchup may be difficult for fans outside of the Great Lakes Region. Other than their collapse late against the Jets last week, I guess you could say the Browns have played better than the Steelers, but not by much. Cleveland is hosting this game on a short week, which is why they are getting favorite status, but with everyone expecting a close game, taking the 4.5 and Pittsburgh is my play.

Houston (0-1-1) at Chicago -2.5 (1-1): When the NFL schedule wheel spins every season, it can sometimes give us great matchups, and then, in this case, we end up with the Texans playing the Bears. After play well in Week One, both of these team laid eggs in their Week Two losses. I supposed the Bears believe they are further along in their rebuilding project now that Justin Fields is taking the snaps at QB, but his numbers are less than impressive, leaving much to be desired. They are, however, the better team on the field this weekend and Da Bears -2.5 is the safe bet.

Las Vegas (0-2) at Tennessee -2.5 (0-2): In this interesting AFC matchup, you probably could have made some big money if you had bet both the Raiders and Titans would be winless heading into their game. Las Vegas is averaging 21 points per game but can’t seem to stop anyone with a pulse from scoring. Tennessee was a FG away from defeating the Giants on opening day before getting trounced Monday night in Buffalo, setting this up for a high scoring game for whomever can put together a solid game plan and execute it. I think the bloom is off the rose named Ryan Tannehill since, without an outside threat, no one is worried about him beating their defense, and running Derrick Henry just isn’t the same when you can key on him. It may not be a pretty game, but that’s just how the Raiders have always loved to play. Taking Las Vegas +2.5 to win outright.

Kansas City -6.5 (2-0) at Indianapolis (0-1-1): Early returns out of Kansas City is trading Tyreek Hill was a good thing for them as well for Miami and both teams are 2-0 with KC’s offense looking as good as it did during their Super Bowl winning season. Sadly, the trade market wasn’t as friendly for the Colts, who picked up QB Matt Ryan from Atlanta, and to say that Ryan looks like he should have retired is an understatement. After all, Indy did put up 20 points against Houston before getting blanked last week at Jacksonville, looking bad in doing so. This has mismatch written all over it, and with KC’s renewed focus and production, laying the 6.5 points is the play.

Buffalo -6.0 (2-0) at Miami (2-0): The co-leaders of the AFC East square off on South Beach this weekend in an important early season divisional showdown. Both teams have scored this season, with the Bills posting 72 points and the Dolphins tallying 62; but what has The Mafia a six-point favorite is defense, with Buffalo only allowing 10 and 7 points in their two wins with Miami getting lit up for 38 points last week against Baltimore. With Josh Allen able to do many of the things Lamar Jackson does for the Ravens, this looks like it might be a bad matchup for Miami, or at the very least, it will be a high-scoring game (O/U is 52.5). Say what you want about the Dolphins’ offense, it takes defense to win big games, which this is one of. Taking Buffalo -6 to win and cover on the road against their biggest threat in the division.

Detroit (1-1) at Minnesota -6.0 (1-1): In the NFC North, every team is either tied for first or last depending upon how you want to look at it. Of the four teams in the division, no one has scored more points or allowed more than the visiting Lions have after two weeks; and as for the Vikings, after dominating Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in Week One, they have yielded one more point than they have scored after two weeks). Detroit has shown no quit in their first two games, almost coming back against the Eagles before holding off the Commanders last week. Don’t know which Minnesota team will show up this week, but I do believe Detroit will come prepared and ready to play hard and well, and with six points also available to me, I am taking the Lions +6 to cover.

Baltimore -3.0 (1-1) at New England (1-1): Last week the Patriots got their first 2022 victory over the Steelers, and this week they take on another AFC North team as they host the Ravens. The Ravens are playing their third straight AFC East team after defeating the Jets to start the season and falling in shootout at home to the Dolphins last week. New England’s offense has done little to impress friends or foes, posting just 24 points in two weeks, having many wondering if Mac Jones has fallen to third among active Alabama QBs in the NFL. Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa gave the Patriots’ defense trouble on opening weekend, something that the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson should be able to learn from and improve upon. Ravens -3, even on the road, is the play here.

Cincinnati -5.0 (0-2) at NY Jets (1-1): The defending AFC champs are still looking for their first win of this year having fallen in overtime to the Steelers before losing on a last-second field goal in Dallas last week. The Jets, playing their third game against AFC North opponents, were man-handled by the Ravens in Week One before stealing one against the Browns last week. Cincy has been in both their games, with the other team making one play to beat them, while the Jets, other than two possessions and one special teams’ play last week, have been dominated most of the year. The Bengals, believe it or not, need this game more despite it still being September, which is why I am picking Cincinnati (-5) to use the Jets to get right this Sunday and post their first 2022 win.

New Orleans -3.0 (1-1) at Carolina (0-2): The news ahead of this game surrounds Saints’ QB Jameis Winston, who is reportedly playing with four fractured vertebrae in his back as well as an ankle injury. The fact that New Orleans is still favored on the road despite their quarterback’s medical condition doesn’t bode well for a Panthers’ team who lost to the Browns in Week One and the Giants last week, all by a total of five points. I have personally never been a big fan of Winston on or off the field, and with him hurting bad, making him limited at practice, if Carolina is going to break through, doing so against an NFC South divisional opponent feels like the time it can, and should happen. Taking the Panthers (+3) to cover and probably win outright.

Philadelphia -6.5 (2-0) at Washington (1-1): The NFC East co-leading Eagles head down I-95 to take on a Washington team who has defeated the Jaguars and lost to the Lions so far this year. Philly fans watched their QB Jalen Hurts post three TDs in the first half of their Monday night win over Minnesota last week after their opening week win at Detroit. Don’t see the Commanders’ offense giving too many problems to the Eagles’ defense, while the reverse is true anytime Hurts is on the field for Philly. That’s why I see the Eagles going to 3-0 with a win (-6.5) in Washington.

Jacksonville (1-1) at LA Chargers -7.0 (1-1): The Jaguars are the only AFC South team with a win so far this year, giving them the lead in the division … They take on a Chargers team playing their first game outside the AFC West, with a win over Las Vegas to start the year, and a loss last week on Thursday night at Kansas City. Jags’ QB Trevor Lawrence play well in their win last week over the Colts, but facing an LA team who believes they are title worthy will be a much tougher task, especially on the road. Justin Herbert is moving into elite status among NFL QBs even if he is the second best within his own division thanks to Patrick Mahomes. On Sunday, he will show how and why he should be considered elite. Chargers -7 to win and cover at home.

Atlanta (0-2) at Seattle -2.0 (1-1): In the Rebuilding Bowl, the Falcons head from the ATL to the PNW to take on a Seahawks team in a game to be seen by a small portion of American television markets. The only win between this duo came when Seattle booed, and the defeated Russell Wilson and the Broncos on the opening Monday Night of the year. Atlanta has fallen twice by a total of only five points so far this year, losing by one to the Saints Week One, and at the Rams by four in the front half of their NFC West twin-bill. Neither team is going anywhere this year, making this just another random bad game thanks to the NFL Schedule Wheel. While the Falcons have been competitive, playing against the 12s in Seattle is a different kind of challenge, even when Geno Smith is the Seahawks starting QB. The ‘Hawks will find their opening night mojo this week, cover the two-point spread and win their second game of the year.

Green Bay (1-1) at Tampa Bay -1.0 (2-0): In a game worthy of marble and Matchbox car races on social media, two of the best take to the field again against each other as Aaron Rodgers and the Packers head to Central Florida to take on Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. It was nice of the NFL to play this game between Brady’s scheduled days off as it was very kind of TB12 to play this game rather than requesting a personal day. As for the game itself, these could be two of the NFC best team come December, so home field advantage could be on the line in this very early autumn matchup. Money is coming even almost evenly between these two teams, with the one-point spread showing how closely matched up these two rosters are. Tampa’s roster will be missing WR Mike Evans, who was suspended for this game after his fight in last week’s game against New Orleans, leaving Tom Brady one important weapon short on offense. Who runs the ball better could decide who wins this game, and for that, I will take Green Bay over Tampa Bay. It that same running game that is also why the over/under is only 41 points in this game. It will be close, but with the Packers jumping out ahead and being able to run the ball well, it’s GB +1 here.

LA Rams -3.5 (1-1) at Arizona (1-1): Each of these NFC West teams bounced back from their poor showing in Week One to post wins in Week Two. This week the four-way tie among 1-1 teams will be broken up a little bit with the Rams heading to the desert to take on the Cardinals. The question is, which versions of these teams will show up Sunday afternoon, the opening week teams which were blown out, or the more improved Week Two teams? With the Rams needing to hold on late to defeat Atlanta and the Cardinals needing overtime to defeat the Raiders, Arizona looks closer to bring able to break out and find themselves again. That’s why I am surprised oddsmakers are still posting the Rams as a 3.5-point favorite, probably more a product of recent team success in LA vs. Arizona. The money is coming in on a 5-to-4 basis for the Cardinals here, and that’s where I see this game going to, taking Arizona +3.5 to keep it close and maybe win.

San Francisco -1.5 (1-1) at Denver (1-1): Jimmy G against Chef Wilson, just like everyone drew up this Sunday Night matchup in the spring when the schedules were announced. ‘Niners QB Jimmy Garoppolo is counting up wins and his money since Trey Lance was lost to a broken ankle to start the season. In what will now be his walk year, Garoppolo has a chance to prove how wrong San Francisco was to believe in Lance by playing and winning in a system he already knows. The Broncos earned their first win with Russell Wilson as their QB last week, albeit against the Texans, with a chance to impress a primetime audience with a good showing against a better opponent. The 49ers are the better team now that Garoppolo is at the helm of the offense, and despite being on the road, they are a slight favorite, meaning the oddsmakers agree. I am going with the nearly two-thirds of the bettors who are on the favorite here, give me San Fran -1.5 to win and cover.

Dallas (1-1) at NY Giants -1 (2-0): Just as one of the NFC East co-leaders are facing a division foe, so are the Giants, who host the ‘Boys on Monday Night Football. With wins over Tennessee and Carolina, New York is breathing air it hasn’t been allowed to for years, while the Cowboys are still looking to find themselves without Dak Prescott despite a last-second win over Cincinnati last week. It has been the health of Saquon Barkley that has allowed the Giants offense to click this season as the former Penn State product has produced six yards per carry this season. If/when he is healthy, Barkley could be the best running back in the division and allow Giants QB Daniel Jones to show what he really can do with a competent head coach and balanced offensive attack. Dallas is limited without Prescott at QB, and those limits will be more pronounced with each game Cooper Rush needs to play in his place. If this was another other franchise besides the one with the star on their helmet, the Cowboys will likely be a 4 or 5-point underdog here. Thankfully New York only needs to cover a one-point spread, which they will to remain undefeated and end the third week of the 2022 NFL season.

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Sports September 20, 2022

NFL Week Two Recap – TOOATHLETIC TAKES

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The theme of the 2022 NFL season continued in Week Two as underdogs and road team made headlines. The late action also saw a team’s quarterback go down for the season to injury as several surprising teams raised their record to 2-0 or fell to 0-2 during play on Sunday. The parity of the league seems to be showing up this season as the margin of victory or defeat is small and one wrong play call or official’s call is all it takes to swing a game’s momentum. Here now is a recap of all the NFL action from week two of the season.

Kansas City 27, LA Chargers 24: Amazon Prime Video was given an old-fashioned, hard hitting NFL games to kick off their Thursday Night Football coverage. Players were finding themselves airborne and planted in the Arrowhead Stadium turf as the two favorites in the AFC West dueled for sixty minutes. With Chargers’ QB Justin Herbert finishing the game with a rib injury, it was Kansas City who walked away with the win after taking a late ten-point lead which LA didn’t have enough time to comeback from. The heath of Herbert will be a question going into Week Three and possibly for the next several weeks with the team reevaluating his condition on Wednesday.

Miami 42, Baltimore 38: For the first three quarters of this game, it was the Lamar Jackson highlight show, with the Ravens’ QB running for a 79-yard touchdown and building up a 35-14. In the fourth quarter, Baltimore’s defense collapsed, and Miami spoiled the Ravens’ home opener with a 28-3 comeback. Justin Tucker did allow Jackson and the Ravens’ offense to leave the field with a three-point lead with 2:23 left on the clock; but the Dolphins posted their fourth TD of the quarter with 19 seconds left on the clock on a Tagovailoa pass to Jaylen Waddle. Is Miami this good or were we fooled last week by the Ravens’ defense facing the Jets? Yes to both.

Jacksonville 24, Indianapolis 0: The Matt Ryan (unofficial) farewell tour continues to get ugly as the Colts went to Jacksonville this week and were blanked by the Jaguars’ defense. Ryan tossed three interceptions and had no running game in this one-sided defeat with Trevor Lawrence going 25-30 with two TD to ice this AFC South affair. Yes, America, the 1-1 Jags are tied atop the AFC South and would, if the season ended Monday night have the third seed in the playoffs. How good Jacksonville can be remains to be seen; however, I fear we already know how bad the Colts are.

New England 17, Pittsburgh 14: Things are not coming easy for these two teams on offense, but it was the Patriots who did just enough to prevail in this battle of AFC foes. The traveling Patriots build a 17-6 lead after three quarters, smothering the Steelers offense until the first play of the fourth when Pittsburgh found the end zone for the only touchdown. New England QB Mac Jones posted 252 yards on a 21-35 passing day with the Patriots’ defense ahead of schedule as Bill Belichick normally takes a few weeks to find his rotation on that side of the ball. I guess calls for the firing of the Jedi Master will be silenced for a few days after this tough road win.

NY Giants 19, Carolina 16: Teams that win close games early in the season often become danger, while those teams who come up short in those games often watch their season spiral out of the control. For the New York Giants, posting their second straight win in dramatic fashion should be a warning sign for the rest of the NFC East … While for the Carolina Panthers, coming up three points short in a game there for the taking might mean Baker Mayfield may not be their long-term answer at quarterback. New York’s Graham Gano posted two 50+yard field goals in the fourth quarter in this kicking battle, while the Panthers saw Mayfield to 14-29 for 145 yards in the loss.

Tampa Bay 20, New Orleans 10: As reports surfaced Sunday morning that Tom Brady will be allowed to take Wednesday’s off at practice for the rest of the 2022 season, he and his Bucs’ teammates posted their second straight road win to start the year. This game was a snooze-fest for third quarters with each team posting only a field goal, and if it wasn’t for a fight between Tampa Bay WR Mike Evans and Saints DB Marshon Lattimore which saw both players ejected, there would be had zero highlights over the first 45 minutes. After posted ten quick points midway into the fourth quarter, it was a pick-six of New Orleans’ QB Jameis Winston that sealed the victory, making the final TD the Saints scored garbage time points.

Detroit 36, Washington 27: It was the Lions defense who won this game in the first half when they shutout the Commanders while chipping in a safety to help the Lions post a 22-0 lead. Jared Goff did watch Carson Wentz pull to within eight points just over four minutes left in the forth quarter, but put away the win when he matched the Washington TD drive with one of his own. Washington did get back to within nine points just after the two-minute warning, but once they missed the two-point conversion, the game was effectively over, with the Lions winning.

NY Jets 31, Cleveland 30: Browns’ RB Nick Chubb had a banner day in the team’s home opener, posting three rushing touchdowns, the last of which coming with 2:02 on the clock, giving the Dawg Pound a 31-17 advantage. Joe Flacco managed to hit Corey Davis on a 66-yard TD pass to close the gap, and the Jets recovered the ensuing onside kick to set up another Flacco TD pass to steal a road win in a game the Browns coughed up badly. New York played well in the second quarter when they posted their first 14 points, and for the final two minutes of the game when they posted 14 more … Cleveland is playing just well enough to keep things close so far this season, but have found bad ways to lose their first two games in 2022.

LA Rams 31, Atlanta 27: After a dominating first half and posting the first TD of the second half, the Rams held a 28-3 lead over the Falcons. Atlanta posted 14 of the next 17 points with the defense adding another touchdown on a blocked punt, allowing Marcus Mariota to close to within three 31-25. It would be as close as the winless Falcons would get as the Rams held on to win their first game of 2022 in their second home contest of the season. Few people had faith in Atlanta, and those who had the LA in their knockout pools won, but not those who laid the point. It is clear the Rams have a big Super Bowl hangover and appear lucky to be 1-1 rather than 0-2.

San Francisco 27, Seattle 7: The short week and no Russell Wilson on the opposite sideline created a very flat Seahawks team as they traveled to Levi’s Stadium and were never in their NFC West game against the 49ers. For San Francisco, Sunday marked the return of Jimmy Garoppolo who carried the ‘Niners to victory after Trey Lance broke his ankle, knocking him out of the rest of the 2022 season … This will clearly amp up the drama in Northern California since Jimmy G reworked his contract in order to become a full free agent at the end of the season, and now has a chance to prove himself one more time in an offense he had has great success in. Sorry, Mr. Lance, but San Francisco are a better team now than they were at the start of the day, and the NFC West needs to be on notice, because the 49ers are true contenders in the division now.

Denver 16, Houston 9: For the second time in seven days the Broncos scored only 16 points; but unlike last week in Seattle, this week 16 was sweet for Russell Wilson and company, as it was enough to secure the win. Houston’s defense might be a force in the AFC South after allowing 29 points in two games this season; but with no offensive support, the Texans are 0-1-1 to start the year. It is hard to believe the rumors that Aaron Rodgers would have accepted a trade to Denver with their lack of star power on offense; but I guess Wilson’s struggled are making the 12th Man in Seattle happy. As for Houston, the draft board is already taking shape for the Spring of 2023.

Dallas 20, Cincinnati 17: It appears even the runners-up from last season are suffering from a Super Bowl hangover after the Bengals went to Dallas and lost on a last second FG in Jerry’s World. Cincy only posted on FG in the first half before adding two more in the third quarter. Down 17-9 late in the fourth quarter, Joe Burrow finally found the end zone, with a two-point conversion drawing his team into a tie. Dallas managed to kick a 50-yard field goal to steal a win over a better team, giving them their first win of the year and dropping the Bengals to 0-2. Dallas’ new starting QB Cooper Rush outplayed Burrow, but don’t expect this to last into the fall.

Arizona 29, Las Vegas 23 (OT): The Raiders opened their Death Star for the 2022 season as posted a 23-7 lead after three quarters … but that’s when Kyler Murray and the Cardinals’ offense took off over the Las Vegas Strip. Murray posted two fourth quarter TD with a two-point conversation after each one to tie the game with five seconds left. Then halfway through overtime it was a defensive touchdown that won the game for Arizona after Hunter Renfrow caught, and then dropped a Derek Carr pass; allowing Bryon Murphy, Jr. to run 59 yards to the end zone. In this battle in the desert, Las Vegas should have won, but didn’t, and they don’t have Jon Gruden to blame this time around. As for Arizona, their defensive will need to get better if his 1-1 team wants to make any noise in the NFC West or during the postseason in January.

Green Bay 27, Chicago 10: Nothing helps Packers’ fans R-E-L-A-X more than seeing Aaron Rodgers playing an NFC North team at home, something the fan base really needed after Green Bay laid an egg in Minnesota to start the season last week. The Packers’ defense smothered the vanilla Bears’ offense and Rodgers did almost anything he wanted against the Chicago defense, with the outcome never really being in much doubt. A late goal-line stand by the Packers’ defense aided the win, with some saying the ghost of Lambeau Field were in the replay booth and ignored Justin Fields breaking the plain of the end zone with the tip of the football. The better team won this game, and Bears’ fans will just need to accept they are not ready to compete with the Packers.

Buffalo 41, Tennessee 10: It was the Josh Allen show during the early game of this week’s Monday Night Football twin-bill. Allen is making his early case for the MVP by posting 82 points over his first two games, including 34 unanswered in two quarters during his home opener against the Titans. Tennessee scored 13 points in the first half against the Giants in Week One and only 20 more in their last six quarters; making their offense look unable to compete for an AFC South title this season. Allen’s best friend Monday Night was Stefon Diggs, who caught three of his QB’s four TD passes and accounted for 148 of Allen’s 317 passing yards. The Titans did take advantage of the blowout loss by letting Mailk Willis take a few snaps at quarterback … perhaps indicating that starter Ryan Tannehill will be on short leash in upcoming games.

Philadelphia 24, Minnesota 7: The momentum created by the Vikings in their upset win over the Packers last week didn’t make it over the Ben Franklin Bridge into Philadelphia on Monday Night this week. That’s because the Minnesota defense had no answers for Eagles’ QB Jalen Hurts in the first half, allowing the former Alabama standout to post three touchdowns, two of which were running scores as part of a 57-yard ground attack. Vikings’ QB Kirk Cousins matched Hurts’ three TDs with three INTs, including two in the offensive red zone as part of an ugly loss.

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Sports September 20, 2022

Offensive Player of the Year Predictions

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One of the most fascinating aspects of football is that every part of a team has its role to play, and successful teams almost always feature contributions from all areas.

Still, there is no doubt that the biggest stars in the NFL have tended to be offensive players. Elite quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs regularly dominate the sports headlines and even the end-of-season awards. This year, thousands of fans will have a bet on the Offensive Player of the Year and there is always a lot of speculation about who will win the award.

AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year odds

The award for the Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY) is announced at the end of the season, but there are thriving betting markets associated with this award that run throughout the season. Betting on this award is a form of futures market, and some sports bettors prefer to specialize in this type of betting, as the odds can be extremely rewarding if you make the right pick early enough. The odds will also fluctuate from week to week and game to game based on how the games play out.

What exactly is the AP Offensive Player of the Year Award?

The AP Offensive Player of the Year Award is a prize awarded by the Associated Press to the offensive player who has had the most impactful season. The winner is chosen by a US-wide panel of sports writers. Over the years, it has been won by some of the most famous names in the NFL, including Tom Brady, Jerry Rice, Barry Sanders, Drew Breese and Payton Manning.

The award has been running since 1972 and the winner has often set an NFL record, such as Dan Marino, the 1984 winner, who was the first man to pass for 5,000 yards in a season. So far in the history of the award, 28 out of 49 winners have also been voted AP Most Valuable Player.

Who won the award in 2021?

The 2021 winner was wide receiver Cooper Kupp, of the LA Rams. The Rams won the Super Bowl at the end of the 2021/22 season and Kupp was a big part of their success, recording the wide receiver ‘triple crown’ having led the NFL for receptions, touchdowns and yards. Cupp didn’t win the season MVP award, but he did win the Super Bowl MVP after recording eight receptions, 92 yards and two touchdowns, as the Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20.

What position does the award winner typically play?

Although there have been 49 awards, only players from three positions have ever won it. Cupp was just the third wide receiver to win it, while quarterbacks have won it 20 times – Patrick Mahomes being the last to do so, in 2018. Running backs have dominated, winning the award 26 times.

There have been multiple dual winners, the most recent being Peyton Manning, who won it in 2004 and 2013, but only two players have won three OPOY titles, and both were running backs. Earl Campbell of the Houston Oilers won it for three consecutive years beginning in 1978 and Marshall Faulk of the Rams was the winner in 1999, 2000 and 2001.

Our pick for 2022 Offensive Player of the Year

Picking the OPOY winner can be tough but looking at recent trends can often be a good place to start. In the last 10 years, the balance seems to have shifted a little in favor of quarterbacks and wide receivers, who have won six times, reflecting the increasing dominance of the pass over the run.

Another factor to consider is that OPOY winners nearly always come from successful teams. That isn’t hugely surprising, but it does rule out elite players on mediocre teams. In fact, the average number of wins recorded by the last 10 OPOY winners is 12.

So, we’re looking for an elite player who is likely to put up huge numbers for a strong team. Cooper Cupp is once again prominent in the betting, along with Colts running back Jonathan Taylor and Justin Jefferson, who recently recorded a receiver triple crown.

However, our pick is the 2020 winner Derrick Henry. Before breaking his foot in Week 8 last season, he was on his way to earning back-to-back OPOY wins. This season, the Titans offense will go through Henry more than ever before due to the departure of AJ Brown, and he has a great chance to dominate offensively.

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Sports September 19, 2022

WTF: The New MLB Rules Won’t Work

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Major League Baseball is already looking forward to 2023 as they announced wide ranging group of rule changes for next season. The changes are expected to impact, and hopefully increase offensive output while also making the game more interesting for fans who want more action. Yet, the solutions that MLB came up with not only hurt the game, but reward the bad behavior which pushed the game to the point it reached thanks to the “Moneyball” trend touching every front office in the league. Yes, fans, yet again, Major League Baseball messed up their own rulebook.

No one manages to undercut their own playoff races more than Major League Baseball, who announced a series of important rule changes for the 2023 season just as they began handing out postseason berths. While the timing of these announcements are just as bad as when they announced the 2023 schedules, the rule changes MLB did make public have drawn lots of attention for all the wrong reasons since many of them are bad and will have unintended consequences. Yes, the pitch clock will hopefully prove to be a good thing if properly enforced, with the umpires’ unwillingness to the rules in place now causing the need to add a clock to the game that never needed one before. However, some rules are just silly and are being added for cosmetic reasons.

Bigger Bases: Most of Major League Baseball was pushing for a “second” first base to be added in foul territory since that’s where the batter/runner’s basepath is when a ball is put in play. Instead, in the name of safety, MLB will increase the size of each of the three bases from 15” square to 18” square in the name of safety. This extra-large pizza box is supposed to also increase stolen base attempts since runners will have the ability to reach the base easier since it will be (wait for it) 4.5 inches close to the previous base. Base size has never been a factor as to why analytics has virtually stolen the stolen base from baseball. The bigger bases are not likely to change how team view the risk of having running caught stealing vs. leaving them on base for the two or three-run home run.

Two Pickoff Max: Major League Baseball has had games slowed down for decades when speedsters like Rickey Henderson and Lou Brock reached first base. Now, MLB is telling pitchers they only can attempt to pick of a runner twice before needed to throw the ball to home plate; while a third attempt is allowed, a balk will be call if the runner is safe at first base. If the pick off is hurting the game that much and the games desperately needs stolen bases that much, then get rid of the pick off all together, something most teams won’t embrace since stealing has proven to be physically demanding on runners legs and arms (when they slide head first) and is considered a bad play by those who look at the game as if it is played on a spreadsheet, not a diamond.

Defensive Shifts: In the category of enabling bad behavior, Major League Baseball has outlawed defensive shifts in the infield with their new rule requiring two infielders be on each side of second base when each pitch is thrown. The same four defenders will also be required to keep their feet on the infield dirt rather than start any play in the outfield. I always thought the purpose of a defense was to prevent a team from getting base hits; but now, after years of trying to hit the ball over the defense, MLB has decided enough is enough, and will force hitter to use the entire field … something hitters no longer need to do since more batted balls will be hits with more room on the pull side of the field. On paper this rule makes sense, but in reality, offensives won’t change their approach in the batter’s box but will still be rewarded for their pull first mentality.

The line from the movie “A Few Good Men” that comes to mind here is, “There’s paper law, and then there’s trial law.” In this case, there’s paper baseball and then there’s real baseball. Will there be more stealing in 2023 rather than 2022? Maybe (the minor leagues saw a 0.6/attempts per game increase with the bigger bases), but it won’t be enough for the casual fans MLB wants to attract to notice. Will there be more hits? Maybe, but now pitchers will try even harder for strikeouts rather than letting hitters put the ball in play. The reality is, however, that this might have been the best Major League Baseball could do since it is clear the Analytics Departments of every baseball team is growing by the year and new owners like Steve Cohen of the New York Mets spending millions to provide programs to process more data rather than just watching games and talking to the players in uniform. The result, a game more traditional fans won’t like and those dispassionate fans won’t notice has changed, making these rules as unimportant as they could be.

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Sports September 19, 2022

Terrible Look: Should Oregon Be Punished for What Their Students Did?

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The college football season is well underway, with students and fans finding out quickly how good or bad their school’s roster is. This weekend, however, the students of Oregon showed the nation how nasty those in the stadium can be during a game when they chanted a profanity against their opponents from BYU. Sadly, a video showing how the students smeared their school’s name Saturday night, with the program and most students distancing themselves from the actions of a few. The question still remains: Should Oregon be punished for what a few students did?

The chant was focused directly at the players of BYU, a Mormon school located in Utah, and the message was clearly, HATE.

The chat of “Fuck the Mormon” was heard throughout Autzen Stadium, a chat which overshadowed the 41-20 victory by the 25th ranked home team over the 12th ranked visitors. By the time the stadium was empty, a video where the chat could be heard went viral for all the nation to hear, shaming the students and the school.

“F*CK The Mormons” chanted by Oregon Fans at Autzen stadium during their game vs. BYU.

Thoughts?

pic.twitter.com/vgC9YMXrav

— Benjamin Criddle (@CriddleBenjamin) September 18, 2022

Players from BYU showed their respects before the game by running out onto the field with a flag with the name Spencer Webb, an Oregon player who passed away this summer during a climbing accident. One BYU player also placed flowers on the four-yard line in tribute to Webb, who was planning to wear that number this season.

BYU ran out of the tunnel pregame with an Oregon flag that had Spencer Webb’s name and number on it 🙏🦆

Classy move, Cougars. pic.twitter.com/miYrKLzcOE

— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 17, 2022

For whatever it may be worth, reports are that only a few students in the stands took part in the chat. Nevertheless, it was captured for all to hear and now the University of Oregon must wear it. European soccer leagues have banned teams from having fans in their stadium if previous spectators get out of hand with what they say or do during a match. In this case, I feel as if Oregon should not be allowed to admit students into their home games for a least a few weeks if not the rest of the 2022 season and should be asked to forfeit the tickets which would have gone to their own students to those from their opponent’s school free of charge.

What the students from Oregon did was both criminal and cowardly, hiding a crowd hoping to bait their schoolmates into spewing hate at a football game. It is too bad that the university wasn’t able to find a few of them and let them meet the players who carried out the flag with Spencer Webb’s name or the player who placed flowers onto the field … It is also too bad that these hateful students didn’t have the guts to look any of the BYU players in the eye and express their narrow-minded opinions face to face. That’s why everyone at Oregon and the next school’s student body who is thinking about following their lead needs to be showed that what happen will not be tolerated.

I also hope that BYU invites the students from Oregon who were chatting for a visit to Utah so they can really learn what Mormons are all about.

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