WINLESS WATCH
Jaguars
(0-6): at Washington
Raiders
(0-5): vs. Cardinals
MUST WATCH GAMES
Jets at Patriots
Last
week's Colts at Texans game on Thursday Night was the closest game that aired
this season. This will probably not be close.
Must
like last Sunday's game between the Broncos and Jets this game contrasts the
difference between having a good quarterback and in the Jets case, bad
quarterbacks.
The
Jets won on opening day against the Raiders and that is all they have done so
far. The Patriots have won back-to-back games and are looking to continue their
winning ways.
The
Broncos and Jets turned out to be entertaining. These are division rivals so it
could be a good game.
Falcons at Ravens
Matt
Ryan, selected third overall by the Falcons, made an instant impact for the
franchise.
Ryan
has started all but two games in his time with the Falcons, led the team to
winning seasons every season except in 2013, and the Falcons have made the
playoffs in four of the last six seasons.
Joe
Flacco was selected with the 18th overall pick by the Baltimore Ravens. In
2008, the Ravens made a deep playoff run that ended with their loss to eventual
Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship Game.
Flacco
led the Ravens to the playoffs for five consecutive seasons from 2008 to 2012.
The 2012 season culminated with Flacco and the Ravens making a deep playoff run
to the franchise's second Super Bowl championship. Flacco in that postseason
threw for 11 touchdowns and no interceptions and captured the Super Bowl MVP
award.
So
who has had the better career?
Ryan
has good regular season stats and is a viable option for a fantasy draft, but
in the playoffs he has only led the Falcons to one playoff win (Seahawks at
home in January 2013) and in the 2010 playoffs the Packers embarrassed the
1-seeded Falcons 48-21.
Flacco
has the ability to put up the numbers as he showed last week in Baltimore's win
over the Buccaneers in Tampa. Flacco threw for 5 touchdowns in the 48-17 win
that was declared over at halftime. I think what gives Flacco the edge is his
performance in the playoffs. He has an 9-4 playoff record, led the Ravens to
three AFC Title Game appearances, and mentioned above has a Super Bowl ring.
I
think the edge has to go to Flacco because of what he has accomplished in
Baltimore so far, but the debate will continue on.
Bengals at Colts
The
Colts are one of the hottest teams in the league right now. After an 0-2 start,
they have won 4 straight games against the Jaguars, Titans, Ravens, and Texans.
All those teams did not make the playoffs last year, but the Ravens and Texans
did give them some adequate competition.
Meanwhile
the opposite could be said about the Bengals.
The
Bengals despite putting up 37 points on the Panthers at home and running back
Giovani Bernard running for 137 yards, 89 of which came on a touchdown run,
they couldn't come up with the victory.
They
didn't lose the game either.
The
Panthers and Bengals tied last Sunday.
Mike
Nugent missed what was assumed to be a game winning field goal at the end of
overtime. This is the third season with a tie game (2012, 2013, 2014).
The last time there was a tie game in at least three
consecutive seasons
was from 1986-89 and before that 1980-84.
Since
starting 3-0, Cincinnati is 0-1-1.
Saints at Lions/Panthers at Packers
Detroit
is 4-2 and is 1st in the NFL in fewest points given up. New Orleans is 2-3 and
has given up 30 or more points in three games (1-2 in those games) and allowed
100 or more rushing yards in their three losses.
Despite
these records, this has the feeling of an elimination game of sorts. Yes,
Detroit leads their division and hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the
Packers. Whoever loses this game could have a difficult time making the
playoffs.
Speaking
of the Packers, they host the Panthers. Last season the Packers tied a game and
it did help them win the division outright finishing half a game ahead of
Chicago. If the Packers had lost to the Vikings, Green Bay still would have won
the NFC North because of tiebreakers. They split the season series with Chicago
so the next tiebreaker is division which Green Bay went 3-3 vs. Chicago going
2-4. The Packers are currently on a three game winning streak since starting
the season 1-2.
The
Panthers tied the Bengals on Sunday and like the Packers it could help or
hinder their playoff chances. Right now Carolina is in the middle of a five
game stretch where they play 2013 playoff teams and so far it has resulted in their first game ending in a
tie. There are four games remaining and it could be telling if this Panthers
team makes a repeat appearance in the 2014 playoffs. Like the Saints at Lions, the Panthers at Packers game has a playoff elimination game feeling.
Giants at Cowboys
The
Cowboys are 5-1.
At
the beginning of the season, I was a TAD
critical of the Cowboys
2014 prospects at the beginning of the season.
Behind
the offensive line and leading NFL rusher DeMarco Murray MAYBE this Cowboys
team could be a playoff team.
After
Murray scored the touchdown that put Dallas up for good with 3:23 left in the
game, I think I saw a bit of Emmitt Smith and that offensive line that led the
Cowboys to those Super Bowls in the 1990s.
If
DeMarco Murray was his own team, he would be 5th in the NFL in team rushing.
This
was also another game where the entire load was not put on quarterback Tony
Romo. Romo was 21-32 for 250 yards and 2 touchdowns including this pass to
Terrance Williams that kept a drive alive.
The
Dallas defense held Russell Wilson to 126 yards passing, 12 yards rushing and a
touchdown, and intercepted him on Seattle's final possession.
The
Giants were expected to compete for the NFC East crown but have stumbled to
.500 after 6 games. The Eagles gutted the Giants in a nationally televised
game. To add further insult to injury, the Giants lost wide receiver Victor
Cruz for the season due to a knee injury.
There
is some hope for the Giants coming into this game and that is they have had
some success at Jerry World. Since its opening in 2009, the Giants have a 4-1
record in that stadium.
Chiefs at Chargers
Currently
the Chargers are in first place in the AFC West while the Chiefs are 2-3. The
Chargers faced a scare from a revitalized Raiders team who were playing their
first game under interim coach Tony Sparano, but San Diego survived to win at
Oakland 31-28.
Before
discounting the Chiefs it should be noted that Andy Reid's teams are 13-2 after
the bye week. After this game their schedule does ease up a bit. They play
three teams that did not make the 2013 playoffs so the Chiefs could be in the
mix of the AFC Wild Card race before their home November matchup against the
Seahawks.
When
these two teams faced each other in the 2013 season finale in San Diego, the
Chiefs did not play most of their starters which allowed the Chargers to sneak
into the playoffs as the AFC 6-seed. This time both teams will be at full
strength.
49ers at Broncos
It
would not surprise me if both teams end up meeting in Phoenix at the end of the
season. Right now the 49ers are the second Wild Card team and trailing the
division leading Cardinals by a half-game overall and losing the head-to-head
tiebreaker. They don't face Arizona until the last game of the season so it is
important that they try to keep pace with them.
History
could be made in Denver on Sunday Night as Peyton Manning tries to break the
career passing touchdown record. Currently the record holder is Brett Favre who
passed for 508 touchdowns. Manning needs three passing touchdowns to break the
record.
Denver
will be in the national spotlight for the next couple of games. After this game
against the 49ers, they host the Chargers in an AFC West showdown on Thursday
Night followed by traveling east to play the Patriots in another matchup
between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady and then two games on the road against the
Raiders and Rams.
And
now the picks.
Kickoff
times are mountain time, games airing in Denver are noted by (DEN), and picks
are in BOLD.
Me
|
|||
WEEK
6
|
11-3-1
|
9-5-1
|
10-4-1
|
TOTAL
|
59-31-1
|
58-32-1
|
57-33-1
|
BYE WEEK
Buccaneers,
Eagles
THURSDAY NIGHT, CBS/NFL 6:15 PM
Jets
at Patriots
FOX 11AM
Panthers
at Packers (DEN)
Falcons
at Ravens
Seahawks at Rams
Saints at Lions
Vikings
at Bills
CBS 11AM
Bengals
at Colts
Dolphins
at Bears
Titans
at Washington
Browns at Jaguars
FOX 2PM
Giants
at Cowboys (DEN)
Cardinals at Raiders
CBS 2PM
Chiefs
at Chargers (DEN)
SUNDAY NIGHT, NBC 6:15 PM
49ers
at Broncos
MONDAY NIGHT, ESPN 6:15 PM
Texans
at Steelers
No comments:
Post a Comment