Takin' a Peek at Week 9 in the NFL
I woke up this early this morning, as I normally do, drank 70 cups of coffee, as I normally do, and sat down to break down a few NFL games, as I normally do. But, this week I had trouble finding three games that most people gave a s*&^ about. The Pats, Steelers, Vikings, Chargers, Bears and Browns are all on their bye. The Colts are playing the Texans in a back up QB matchup of who gives a f^%$. The Jaguars will devour the Bengals. The Rams will mop the floor with what is left of the GMen. Maybe there would be a story if Jimmy Garoppolo, in his first start in San Fran, was playing a Cardinals team with Carson Palmer under center. But no. It's either Blaine Gabbert or Drew Stanton starting for the Cards, yikes.
*Cracks knuckles*
Let me break it down like this. The NFL is watched by eeerrbody when the all star players are playing or it's "your team" on TV. It's watched by some when a handful of franchise players go down or it's an under .500 prime time match up. And it's watched by fewer when you have a laundry list of backups on sub .500 teams playing other teams with a laundry list of backups on sub .500 teams. This week maybe the lowest ratings the NFL has ever seen. It started on Thursday Night Football when the Bills were pummeled by the Jets... a team that VegasInsider.com thought may have the worst season in the HISTORY of the NFL. Simply put, it's like the PGA. Tiger Woods isn't playing, ok I'll still tune in. Phil Mickelson and Jordan Speith aren't in the finals... I may see what's on Netflix. It's a match up of Jason Dufner and Bill Haas in the finals... you'd be hard pressed to even see interest from Verne Lundquist. Now, lets take that early morning shot of Wild Turkey 101 and brace yourself for Week 9 in the NFL.
SIDE NOTE: 38 year old, journeyman QB Josh McCown has 3 rushing TD this season WHICH is tied for FIRST with QBs this season! (Cam Newton & Dak Prescott)
1. Falcons [-2.5] (4-3) at Panthers (5-3) 1pm FOX- The Panthers were in the news (or sports news that is) this week when they traded away their #1 receiving threat, Kelvin Benjamin, to the Bills. Some say it was due to the 8mil the Panthers owned him next season or that the organization was done with his 'under production.' Either way you slice it he lead the team in receiving yards. And on a team that lacks depth in pass catchers it was just an odd move. Have no fear Carolina! Brenton Bersin is here to save the day and add to all that 'speed' that INTRIM Panthers GM Marty Hurney wants on his roster. Anyhoops. The Falcons have a chance today to move up in the NFC South and get off their "Super Bowl Hangover." How? They want to utilize their fast paced, no huddle offense today against a pretty solid Panthers D. Fast offenses work well when you have a good offense and can actually move the ball. When you run a fast paced playbook and your offense is terrible all you are doing is speeding to a quick 3 and out then putting a depleted defense back on the field. Luckily the Falcons rank 5th in total offense and boast an impressive 41% conversion rate on 3rd down. So, if the Falcons get up by AT LEAST 10 points at any point today I think they will have the game in the bag. The Panthers rush game is struggling as Jonathan Stewart, Christian McCaffery and Cameron Artis-Payne have a TOTAL of 454 rush yards. And, as mentioned before, they traded away their best receiver. NEAT.
Falcons-24 Panthers- 17
2. Buccaneers (2-5) at Saints [-7] (5-2) 1pm FOX- Thankfully the NFC South is here to help escort fans through this bleak week 9. The Saints are secretly on a FIVE game winning streak AND rank 7th in total offense and have the 15th best defense. That defensive rank may not seem outstanding but, the Saints are like the Colts of old. Have a good enough defense to bend but not break and let the offense rack up the points early. Then when you hit the 4th quarter the other team is basically forced to throw the ball to catch up which allows the defensive to aggressively rush the passer and force turnovers in the secondary (the same formula when the Saints won the SB in 2010.) Then there are the Bucs. A team that was pegged to make the playoffs this year is 2-5 and just all over the place. But, it starts with (you guessed it) QB Jameis Winston. In the Bucs 2 wins this season he threw 0 interceptions. In their 5 losses he has 6 interceptions which were not all 'last second heaves' late in the game. These are early in the 1st and 2nd Q where he just tries to jam the ball into double and triple coverage to Cameron Brate or deep to DeSean Jackson. Meanwhile, Doug Martin has failed to really do anything after coming off his suspension. Martin has 247yds and 2TD which is f$%*ing awful for one of the highest paid backs in the league. This leaves the Bucs lacking an identity on offense which is bad because their defense, especially their pass rush, is just a dumpster fire. Tampa has SEVEN TOTAL sacks. There are 10 individual players that have seven OR MORE this year alone. Jeeeeeesus.
Buccaneers-16 Saints- 28
3. Chiefs (6-2) at Cowboys [-2.5] (4-3) 4:25pm CBS- Vegas is giving the Cowboys a 2.5 point edge and ESPN's Football Power Index also gives the Cowboys a 58.6% chance to win.... hmmm.... interesting. Because, without reading anything or jumping into the numbers I would have taken KC in this one. Their two losses were at the hands of the Steelers 19-13 (by 6) and to division rival Raiders 31-30 (1 point) at the Black Hole. The Cowboys have 3 losses to the Broncos, Rams and Packers(with Aaron Rogers.) So, what to do with that information? Looking through defensive stats, offensive stats, rankings etc... this looks (on paper) to be a very close match up. BUT, I still think that KC is one of the best teams in the NFL this year. I'll take any offense that has RB Kareem Hunt, the #1 rusher in the NFL, and Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill (#6 & #7 in total receiving yards.) Dak Prescott is impressive and they have Cole Beasley back after coming off concussion protocol this week but, in a straight shoot out (which this will be) I will take Alex Smith and his explosive offense. Oh! Personal side note: Ezekiel Elliot is a f&*%ing dirt bag.
Chiefs- 31 Cowboys- 23
Whatever you are asking, the answer is I'm amazing.
*Cracks knuckles*
Let me break it down like this. The NFL is watched by eeerrbody when the all star players are playing or it's "your team" on TV. It's watched by some when a handful of franchise players go down or it's an under .500 prime time match up. And it's watched by fewer when you have a laundry list of backups on sub .500 teams playing other teams with a laundry list of backups on sub .500 teams. This week maybe the lowest ratings the NFL has ever seen. It started on Thursday Night Football when the Bills were pummeled by the Jets... a team that VegasInsider.com thought may have the worst season in the HISTORY of the NFL. Simply put, it's like the PGA. Tiger Woods isn't playing, ok I'll still tune in. Phil Mickelson and Jordan Speith aren't in the finals... I may see what's on Netflix. It's a match up of Jason Dufner and Bill Haas in the finals... you'd be hard pressed to even see interest from Verne Lundquist. Now, lets take that early morning shot of Wild Turkey 101 and brace yourself for Week 9 in the NFL.
SIDE NOTE: 38 year old, journeyman QB Josh McCown has 3 rushing TD this season WHICH is tied for FIRST with QBs this season! (Cam Newton & Dak Prescott)
1. Falcons [-2.5] (4-3) at Panthers (5-3) 1pm FOX- The Panthers were in the news (or sports news that is) this week when they traded away their #1 receiving threat, Kelvin Benjamin, to the Bills. Some say it was due to the 8mil the Panthers owned him next season or that the organization was done with his 'under production.' Either way you slice it he lead the team in receiving yards. And on a team that lacks depth in pass catchers it was just an odd move. Have no fear Carolina! Brenton Bersin is here to save the day and add to all that 'speed' that INTRIM Panthers GM Marty Hurney wants on his roster. Anyhoops. The Falcons have a chance today to move up in the NFC South and get off their "Super Bowl Hangover." How? They want to utilize their fast paced, no huddle offense today against a pretty solid Panthers D. Fast offenses work well when you have a good offense and can actually move the ball. When you run a fast paced playbook and your offense is terrible all you are doing is speeding to a quick 3 and out then putting a depleted defense back on the field. Luckily the Falcons rank 5th in total offense and boast an impressive 41% conversion rate on 3rd down. So, if the Falcons get up by AT LEAST 10 points at any point today I think they will have the game in the bag. The Panthers rush game is struggling as Jonathan Stewart, Christian McCaffery and Cameron Artis-Payne have a TOTAL of 454 rush yards. And, as mentioned before, they traded away their best receiver. NEAT.
Falcons-24 Panthers- 17
2. Buccaneers (2-5) at Saints [-7] (5-2) 1pm FOX- Thankfully the NFC South is here to help escort fans through this bleak week 9. The Saints are secretly on a FIVE game winning streak AND rank 7th in total offense and have the 15th best defense. That defensive rank may not seem outstanding but, the Saints are like the Colts of old. Have a good enough defense to bend but not break and let the offense rack up the points early. Then when you hit the 4th quarter the other team is basically forced to throw the ball to catch up which allows the defensive to aggressively rush the passer and force turnovers in the secondary (the same formula when the Saints won the SB in 2010.) Then there are the Bucs. A team that was pegged to make the playoffs this year is 2-5 and just all over the place. But, it starts with (you guessed it) QB Jameis Winston. In the Bucs 2 wins this season he threw 0 interceptions. In their 5 losses he has 6 interceptions which were not all 'last second heaves' late in the game. These are early in the 1st and 2nd Q where he just tries to jam the ball into double and triple coverage to Cameron Brate or deep to DeSean Jackson. Meanwhile, Doug Martin has failed to really do anything after coming off his suspension. Martin has 247yds and 2TD which is f$%*ing awful for one of the highest paid backs in the league. This leaves the Bucs lacking an identity on offense which is bad because their defense, especially their pass rush, is just a dumpster fire. Tampa has SEVEN TOTAL sacks. There are 10 individual players that have seven OR MORE this year alone. Jeeeeeesus.
Buccaneers-16 Saints- 28
3. Chiefs (6-2) at Cowboys [-2.5] (4-3) 4:25pm CBS- Vegas is giving the Cowboys a 2.5 point edge and ESPN's Football Power Index also gives the Cowboys a 58.6% chance to win.... hmmm.... interesting. Because, without reading anything or jumping into the numbers I would have taken KC in this one. Their two losses were at the hands of the Steelers 19-13 (by 6) and to division rival Raiders 31-30 (1 point) at the Black Hole. The Cowboys have 3 losses to the Broncos, Rams and Packers(with Aaron Rogers.) So, what to do with that information? Looking through defensive stats, offensive stats, rankings etc... this looks (on paper) to be a very close match up. BUT, I still think that KC is one of the best teams in the NFL this year. I'll take any offense that has RB Kareem Hunt, the #1 rusher in the NFL, and Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill (#6 & #7 in total receiving yards.) Dak Prescott is impressive and they have Cole Beasley back after coming off concussion protocol this week but, in a straight shoot out (which this will be) I will take Alex Smith and his explosive offense. Oh! Personal side note: Ezekiel Elliot is a f&*%ing dirt bag.
Chiefs- 31 Cowboys- 23
Whatever you are asking, the answer is I'm amazing.
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