tampa +4(SIA)
doesn't seem to be the popular side here and i know i am throwing in against a big trend but i like the bucs for a few reasons.
from the tb perspective, i like that the players know that dungy's job is in jeopardy. i think they will play hard for him and when this team plays hard, they do well.
tb comes into the game from a different perspective. last yr, they were coming in on a downer. they had a chance for HFA and they blew it. they were disappointed. here they are in the role of underdogs and that will help motivate them.
i think brad johnson is a winner and has respect. i think tb's power run game will be successful against philly's undersized(but extremely quick) front 7. running b/t the tackles will bring up the safteys and open up the middle for keyshaun and the TE on play action. if tb can get a balanced attack going, it spells trouble for philly. however, given tb's frequent offensive woes, that is a hit or miss prop.
tb also played a tougher sched and is, i think, the better team.
philly got 8 games vs the likes of nyg, wash, az and dallas. given that, if they were a good team, they should not have lost more than 4 games this yr.
early on, philly's run game showed promise. it has been virtually non-existent down the stretch. tb should have no problem taking away the run.
they have the team speed on D to control mcnabb's running and mcnabb has 1 target that will require any attention in the passing game(pinkston and mitchell are virtual non-factors). i think tb's lbs can handle their backs out of the backfield and tb should have the luxury of being able to put a saftey on the te b/c they won't need help on pinkston.
yes, the weather factor is against me but i think this game is likely to be low scoring and 4 pts is a sweet amt to get here.
i like tb outright.
besides, how bad do you think the networks would want a stl/tb and chi/gb card next week?
i will grab tb+4 for 2x and tb on the ml for .5x
oakland -4
lots of news about problems in oakland. wasn't there lots of news about problems in ny before last week?
vinny is nearing the end and 2 trips on short rest to win in that spot is asking a lot of the jets. i think oakland has too much despite the injuries and infighting.
again, looking at the networks, if the jets win, then they don't get the pitt/balt matchup that they need.
i was impressed that oakland stopped the jets ground attack(save the breakaway by jordan) and i think they will have no problem quieting the air attack. i see vinnie making a few mistakes here and the raiders finally playing like they did early in the yr. they are overdue for a good effort and they have too many weapons on both sides not to produce something.
gb -3.5
green bay gets healthy up the middle on D. they have been hurting over the last 5 weeks vs the run. gilbert brown missed all of those games. coincidence? i think not.
there is still revenge from '99 and brett favre is not a guy to go against in a 1 and done situation. lambeau magic is rekindled and the pack wins this one easy.
balt +3(sia)
i was hoping to get pickem. maybe it's a bad sign that balt came up at +3 but i have to grab what i perceive as huge value.
the key to this game is elvis not turning the ball over. if balt can hold onto the ball(no turnovers), there is no way they lose.
miami doesn't have a ground game and balt doesn't let anyone run on them. fiedler is extremely inconsistent and his best(and only) weapon is questionable for the game.
i can see miami scoring a TD w/o a turnover.
on the other hand, miami's vaunted D is hurting up the middle(both DTs and thomas are hurt). billick has to know this and they will be running hard early. when the saftey's come up, grbac should find sharpe and the fb open in the middle for some nice gains. i see this a low scoring and onesided. i am going to take the chance that billick reigns in grbac and balt plays conservative and therefore wins.
2x balt +3 and 1x balt ml.
thoughts?
doesn't seem to be the popular side here and i know i am throwing in against a big trend but i like the bucs for a few reasons.
from the tb perspective, i like that the players know that dungy's job is in jeopardy. i think they will play hard for him and when this team plays hard, they do well.
tb comes into the game from a different perspective. last yr, they were coming in on a downer. they had a chance for HFA and they blew it. they were disappointed. here they are in the role of underdogs and that will help motivate them.
i think brad johnson is a winner and has respect. i think tb's power run game will be successful against philly's undersized(but extremely quick) front 7. running b/t the tackles will bring up the safteys and open up the middle for keyshaun and the TE on play action. if tb can get a balanced attack going, it spells trouble for philly. however, given tb's frequent offensive woes, that is a hit or miss prop.
tb also played a tougher sched and is, i think, the better team.
philly got 8 games vs the likes of nyg, wash, az and dallas. given that, if they were a good team, they should not have lost more than 4 games this yr.
early on, philly's run game showed promise. it has been virtually non-existent down the stretch. tb should have no problem taking away the run.
they have the team speed on D to control mcnabb's running and mcnabb has 1 target that will require any attention in the passing game(pinkston and mitchell are virtual non-factors). i think tb's lbs can handle their backs out of the backfield and tb should have the luxury of being able to put a saftey on the te b/c they won't need help on pinkston.
yes, the weather factor is against me but i think this game is likely to be low scoring and 4 pts is a sweet amt to get here.
i like tb outright.
besides, how bad do you think the networks would want a stl/tb and chi/gb card next week?
i will grab tb+4 for 2x and tb on the ml for .5x
oakland -4
lots of news about problems in oakland. wasn't there lots of news about problems in ny before last week?
vinny is nearing the end and 2 trips on short rest to win in that spot is asking a lot of the jets. i think oakland has too much despite the injuries and infighting.
again, looking at the networks, if the jets win, then they don't get the pitt/balt matchup that they need.
i was impressed that oakland stopped the jets ground attack(save the breakaway by jordan) and i think they will have no problem quieting the air attack. i see vinnie making a few mistakes here and the raiders finally playing like they did early in the yr. they are overdue for a good effort and they have too many weapons on both sides not to produce something.
gb -3.5
green bay gets healthy up the middle on D. they have been hurting over the last 5 weeks vs the run. gilbert brown missed all of those games. coincidence? i think not.
there is still revenge from '99 and brett favre is not a guy to go against in a 1 and done situation. lambeau magic is rekindled and the pack wins this one easy.
balt +3(sia)
i was hoping to get pickem. maybe it's a bad sign that balt came up at +3 but i have to grab what i perceive as huge value.
the key to this game is elvis not turning the ball over. if balt can hold onto the ball(no turnovers), there is no way they lose.
miami doesn't have a ground game and balt doesn't let anyone run on them. fiedler is extremely inconsistent and his best(and only) weapon is questionable for the game.
i can see miami scoring a TD w/o a turnover.
on the other hand, miami's vaunted D is hurting up the middle(both DTs and thomas are hurt). billick has to know this and they will be running hard early. when the saftey's come up, grbac should find sharpe and the fb open in the middle for some nice gains. i see this a low scoring and onesided. i am going to take the chance that billick reigns in grbac and balt plays conservative and therefore wins.
2x balt +3 and 1x balt ml.
thoughts?
