Picks of the Week - Divisional Round

Solid start to the playoffs, finishing in the black.  A couple of low-scoring games kept me from being waaaaay up, but that is the nature of betting.  Let's see if I can capitalize on a good playoff start as we head into divisional weekend!

For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread.  I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100.  Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler.  On to the picks.

Houston Texans +9 at Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City is the overwhelming favorite, and I believe they will win this game.  But, 9 points is a lot for this stage of the playoffs, especially given how close Kansas City's games have been this year.  Plus, Houston's defense is tough (6th against the pass; 11th against the rush, 7th in total defense), and Will Anderson, Jr. is on a heater right now.  And with Danielle Hunter's win percentage on the other side of the defensive line being the highest in the NFL, this game is going to be close.

Kansas City Chiefs -455 v. Houston Texans (Bet $455 to win $100)

I learned a long time ago not to bet against Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs.  Even if this game is going to be close, I still feel strongly that Kansas City advances to the Conference Championship weekend; especially if Joe Mixon does not play for Houston (he is questionable).  Plus, Andy Reid is not going to lose coming off a bye week.

Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs OVER 41 1/2

Have to take the over in the lowest O/U number of the weekend.  Plus, the defenses average giving up over 41 total on the season, so I will take it.

Detroit Lions -8 1/2 v. Washington Commanders

The Commanders have had a helluva run this year, and finished as the 5th highest-scoring team in the NFL, but Detroit has been otherwordly on offense, averaging over 33, and their defense is 7th in points allowed.  With an extra week to rest up, and with David Montgomery returning, Detroit should cruise.

Detroit Lions -455 v. Washington Commanders (Bet $455 to win $100)

I already mentioned I think that Detroit is going to cruise, so I have to pick them with the money line, right?  Here is another reason why, Detroit is 5th against the run on defense, which could stifle Washington's 3rd-ranked rush offense, or at least limit it to less yard than they are used to gaining.  And oh yeah, Washington is on a short week.

Washington Commanders at Detroit Lions UNDER 55 1/2

The contrapositive of the earlier over/under bet.  If you can't bet the under on the highest number, when can you?

Los Angeles Rams +6 1/2 at Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia's offense just hasn't looked right lately, even with Saquon doing his thing.  Jalen Hurts only threw for 131 yards last week in his first game back from injury for a team that is only 29th in the NFL in passing.  The Rams could focus on Saquon and try to limit his yards, as much as any time can.  On the other side, even a great pass defense like the Eagles are going to have problems with Puka Nacua, especially in inclement weather.

Los Angeles Rams +240 at Philadelphia Eagles (Bet $100 to win $240)

Some upset has to occur, right?  If so, I think it is this one, as the Rams have been a completely different team since Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua returned in Week 7, going 9-3 (including last week's win) since.  And yes this includes a 37-20 loss to the Eagles in Week 12, and I am willing to bet that Saquon doesn't have another 255 yard game along with A.J. Brown going for over 100 as well.   What scares me?  The Rams are playing on a short week, having played the Monday night game last week.

Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia Eagles OVER 42 1/2

I thought for sure that I was going to pick the under hear, with sub-freezing temperatures expected, but inclement weather often produces turnovers in plus-territory, meaning two or three extra scoring possessions.

Baltimore Ravens -1 at Buffalo Bills

If a road favorite is only favored by 1, are they truly a road favorite?  Yes the loss of Zay Flowers may hurt, but as I typed last week, the Ravens are scary in two-tight end sets as that increases the big blockers for Derrick Henry, and Isaiah Likely joins Mark Andrews as excellent pass catchers.  Josh Allen has been a force of nature this year, but Lamar is the MVP as far as I am concerned, and Baltimore's number 1 rushing defense will make Allen's arm try to beat them, in inclement weather.

Baltimore Ravens -115 (Bet $115 to win $100)

So, I really could have just bet Buffalo at Even here, which would hedge against my points spread bet, but because of the vig, that would have meant that I just lost $20 with no potential payout, so, the smart thing to do here is just bet on the Ravens for both, and hope for the best.

Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills OVER 51 1/2

No real reason for picking this over other than I just really want this to be a high scoring game, and I hope this helps manifest the outcome.  But really, both teams average scoring over 30 a game (30.5 for Baltimore and 30.9 for Buffalo), so I don't feel that this is too much of a reach.

Big Bets:

Houston Texans +9 at Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City is the overwhelming favorite, and I believe they will win this game.  But, 9 points is a lot for this stage of the playoffs, especially given how close Kansas City's games have been this year.  Plus, Houston's defense is tough (6th against the pass; 11th against the rush, 7th in total defense), and Will Anderson, Jr. is on a heater right now.  And with Danielle Hunter's win percentage on the other side of the defensive line being the highest in the NFL, this game is going to be close.

Going to get my big bets early, taking the Texans to cover for all of the reasons mentioned in this post.  Also, this game is going to be tough to watch as I need KC to win, but not by too much.  Fun times.

Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs OVER 41 1/2

Have to take the over in the lowest O/U number of the weekend.  Plus, the defenses average giving up over 41 total on the season, so I will take it.

Hoping that Kansas City coming off a bye week hits 30 on their own.

Record

Last Week's Record:  11-7

Last Week's Big Bet:  1-1

Year-to-Date Record:  145-135-10

Big Bet Year-to-Date: 10-10

Last Week's Winnings (Losses): $213.50

Year to Date's Winnings (Losses): ($601.50)

Picks of the Week

 

As expected, last week was a cluster - A1 certified cluster.  But what to expect when we don't even know who will be playing or for how long half the time.  I will say BOOO to the Dallas Cowboys for playing Trey Lance the entire game, keeping Cooper Rush from hitting a $250,000 bonus, and a big kudos to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who threw one last pass to Mike Evans securing 1,000 yards on the season, and a $3 million bonus.  

It's playoff time, so hopefully it is time to use everything we learned this year to make some real money!

For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread.  I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100.  Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler.  On to the picks.

Los Angeles Chargers -2 1/2 at Houston Texans

The Chargers defense is the number 1 scoring defense in the NFL.  Houston's defense is no slouch either, finishing 6th against the pass and 7th in total defense.  But, J.K. Dobbins is expected to return, and that can only open up things for a Justin Herbert-led passing offense that has discovered a true weapon in Ladd McConkey.

Los Angeles Chargers -155 at Houston Texans (Bet $155 to win $100)

If I am willing to pick the Chargers against the spread on the road, then -155 is not enough of a change to warrant a hedge bet and taking Houston.  If it was -180 or something, then I might have thought about it, but not for this.

Los Angeles Chargers at Houston Texans OVER 41 1/2

The defenses are too good for this to be a shootout, but this line is low  Simething like 27-20 or 27-17 seems right to me.

Baltimore Ravens -9 1/2 v. Pittsburgh Steelers

This line may seem really high for an intradivisional game in which the teams split during the regular season, but the Steelers that defeated the Ravens 18-16 in week 11 are not the same Steelers that Baltimore decimated 34-17 in Week16, or even the ones that are playing now.

Baltimore Ravens -550 v. Pittsburgh Steelers (Bet $550 to win $100)

Baltimore's defense is 1st against the run, which should minimize what little strength on offense the Steelers have (11th in rushing/27th in passing).  The Ravens on offense are the best rushing team in the NFL averaging over 187 yards per game.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens OVER 44 1/2

Baltimore will have over 30 themselves behind Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.  Yes, losing Zay Flowers hurts, but that just means an increase in two-tight end sets with Isaiah Likely joining Mark Andrews, and that is dangerous to defenses, especially in short yardage situations.

Buffalo Bills -8 v. Denver Broncos

I have seen this line as high as 9 1/2, so if I can take 8 I will.  This is the end of a Cinderella-like run for Denver this year, and although their future could be bright with some more offensive weapons, this isn't their year.

Buffalo Bills -425 v. Denver Broncos (Bet $425 to win $100)

Buffalo is just better, and they will win this game.  So, have to take them in the money line - no doubts.

Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills OVER 47 1/2

Not including last week's game where Buffalo rested everybody, they have scored on their own 40, 24, 48, 42, 35, 30,30,30 31, and 34 in their previous 10 games.  Sure looks like a good over bet to me as all we will need is Denver to score SOMETHING.

Philadelphia Eagles -5 v. Green Bay Packers

Jordan Love is playing (as is Jalen Hurts), but Green Bay is nowhere near as explosive without Christian Watson, who is out after tearing his ACL.  Philadelphia's defense is already 1st against the pass (and total defense), and this will make it easier for them to defend.

Philadelphia Eagles -240 (Bet $240 to win $100)

I hate not having some money line to hedge my bets against the favorites (and yes, the Chargers are the favorites even though they are the lower seeded team and playing on the road), but I feel that Philly is going to slam Green Bay, so I have to take it.

Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles UNDER 45 1/2

Both teams defenses shoould keep this really low scoring, and I do not expect Green bay to contribute much toward the total.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers -3 v. Washington Commanders

Great season by Washington, led by the odds-on favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels (it should be Brock Bowers, but I digress).  Baker Mayfield has this Bucs offense humming along, as they are 4th in scoring, 4th in rushing, 3rd in passing, 3rd in total offense and 1st in 3rd down percentage.  Compare that to Washingon's defense which is 3rd against the pass, but 30th against the run, 11th in total defense, and 18th in scoring defense.  Daniels will make plays to keep the Commanders in the game, but Tampa should be too much.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers -160 v. Washington Commanders (Bet $160 to win $100)

This might ordinarily be one of the games where I would hedge a bet, but the spread just isn't big enough to do that.  Bucky Irving will have a big game, keeping the Commanders offense off the field.

Washington Commanders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers UNDER 50 1/2

If you can't take the under on the highest O/U on the board, when can you?

Los Angeles Rams +2 1/2 v. Minnesota Vikings

In a game moved to Glendale because of the massive fires in Los Angeles and Los Angeles County, you would think the Rams would lose their home-field advantage, which they earned by winning their division - even though Minnesota had a better record.  But, everybody is going to be cheering for the Rams, securing their "home field".  Also, they have a lot to play for on behalf of all of LA (as do the Chargers).  I look a lot at the Week 8 game in which the Rams won 30-20 in Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp's first games back from injury.

Los Angeles Rams +125 v. Minnesota Vikings (Bet $100 to win $125)

If I think an underdog is going to win outright, then I absolutely am going to take them for the money line.  

Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams OVER 47 1/2

Minnesota's pass defense is 28th in the NFL, meaning Stafford, Nacua and Kupp could have field days.  Likewise, Los Angeles' pass defense is 20th in the NFL, menaing Darnold, Jefferson and Addision could also have big days.  That should mean lots of points.

Big Bets:

Philadelphia Eagles -5 v. Green Bay Packers

Jordan Love is playing (as is Jalen Hurts), but Green Bay is nowhere near as explosive without Christian Watson, who is out after tearing his ACL.  Philadelphia's defense is already 1st against the pass (and total defense), and this will make it easier for them to defend.

Green Bay is done for this year.  The Bears lost last week was a symptom that this is not the same team as earlier in the season.

Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams OVER 47 1/2

Minnesota's pass defense is 28th in the NFL, meaning Stafford, Nacua and Kupp could have field days.  Likewise, Los Angeles' pass defense is 20th in the NFL, menaing Darnold, Jefferson and Addision could also have big days.  That should mean lots of points.

Lots of offensive firepower is hard to shut down for 60 minutes.

Record

Last Week's Record:  7-9

Last Week's Big Bet:  0-1

Year-to-Date Record:  134-128-10

Big Bet Year-to-Date: 9-9

Last Week's Winnings (Losses): ($455)

Year to Date's Winnings (Losses): ($815)

Picks of the Weeks - Conference Championship Weekend!!!

 

The fantastic Wildcard Wekeend continued with a 6-2 week in the Divisional Round, including winning both big bets!!!  Cannot do much better than that!  An amazing playoff run that I hoop continues through Conference Championship Weekend.  Either way, this looks like it will be some great football watching today.  Who to bet on?  Let's see!

For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread.  I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100.  Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler.  On to the picks.

Kansas City Chiefs + 4 1/2 at Baltimore Ravens

There is a legitimate chance that the Chiefs could win this game outright, so might as well take the points, right?  That, and Patrick Mahomes is 9-1-1 against the spread in his playoffs career.  I still expect the Ravens to win the game though, based on the fact that Buffalo easily sliced through the Chiefs defense, exposing what was the thrid best defense in the NFL - and Baltimore is a much better offense than Kansas City.

Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens OVER 43 1/2

I expect this to be a 50+ point game, despite the fact that these two teams are first (Baltimore) and second (Kansas City) in the NFL in points allowed.

San Francisco 49ers -7 1/2 v. Detroit Lions

A lot of focus will be on the fact that both teams are tough against the run - with Detroit finishing second in the NFL and San Francisco finishing third, but the Lions are much worse against the pass (27th in the NFL) and Deebo Samuel is playing this week to give San Francisco that extra weapon for Detroit to try to stop.  

Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers UNDER 52 1/2

Honestly, I do not feel strongly either way on this.  Some sustained drives might limit possessions, keeping the score low - but just a guess.

Big Bet:

Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens OVER 43 1/2

I expect this to be a 50+ point game, despite the fact that these two teams are first (Baltimore) and second (Kansas City) in the NFL in points allowed.

Both offenses should be in full effect in this game.  I honestly expected the O/U to be around 47 to 48, so I will take the OVER.

Record

Last Week's Record:  6-2

Last Week's Big Bet:  1-0

Playoffs' Record:  15-5

Playoffs' Big Bet:  3-0

Year-to-Date Record:  159-119-14

Big Bet Year-to-Date:  10-11
Last Week's Winnings (Losses): $680

Playoffs' Winnings (Losses):  $1,550

Year to Date's Winnings (Losses): $2,645

Picks of the Week

Well, my major winning streak ends at 1.  A super roller coaster start to the season.  That means this week should be good, right?  Since I am visiting the President's Cup, I don't have much time to think, nay overthink, my picks, so hopefully that is a good sign.  For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread.  I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100.  Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler.  On to the picks...

Cleveland Browns -4 1/2 v. Pittsburgh Steelers

Finally a Thursday night win!

Chicago Bears -3 v. Houston Texans

I don't like this bet at all, but the Bears are never worse than when playing against Aaron Rodgers.  Rodgers is not on the Texans.

Detroit Lions +6 at Minnesonta Vikings

Minnesota should win this game.  But, Detroit is going to be a tough out for everybody this year!

Baltimore Ravens -3 at New England Patriots

Gotta take some road favorites, and New England's offense is nowhere near as explosive as Miami's.  Look for Baltimore to take an early lead and not give it away!

Carolina Panthers +2 1/2 v. New Orleans Saints

Honestly, this pick is because I am not sure if Jameis Winston will play, and if he does, whether he will be effective due to injury.

Kansas City Chiefs -5 1/2 at Indianapolis Colts

This is probably the week that the Colts remember they have Jonathan Taylor on their team, so take this pick with a grain of salt, but until they do, Kansas City for sure.

Washington Commanders +6 1/2 v. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles are much better than the Commanders and will win this game.  However, Washington has been able to move the ball themselves, so I look for a closer game than most.

Miami Dolphins +4 1/2 v. Buffalo Bills

If you play defensive back, please give the Buffalo Bills a call as they have virtually nobody healthy at that position.  Oh yeah, that is the position that would cover Tyreke Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

New York Jets +6 v. Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati is giving up too many points considering they have done nothing but disappoint so far this season.  Could they regain the form from the end of last season?  Of course they could.  But, I am not betting on it.

Las Vegas Raiders -2 at Tennesee Titans

Everybody that follows this blog should know my rule against betting for west coast teams travelling to the east coast and playing the early game (the fail to cover approximately 2/3 of the time.)  Good thing Nashville is in the central time zone.

Jacksonville Jaguars +3 at Los Angeles Chargers

This line opened at double digits earlier this week.  If the line has fallen that much, there is no way that Justin Herbert is playing, and maybe Keenan Allen misses too!

Atlanta Falcons +1 at Seattle Seahawks

This is an awful, awful game.

Los Angeles Rams -3 1/2 at Arizona Cardinals

At some point in time the Rams offense has to pick up, right?

Green Bay Packers +1 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Honestly, neither Aaron Rodgers nor Tom Brady has any idea who is going to be catching passes in this game.

San Francisco 49ers -1 at Denver Broncos

Denver has yet to impress anyone this year, and the 49ers offense seems to run more smoothly with Jimmy Garoppolo.

New York Giants -1 v. Dallas Cowboys

Why not?  Does this game actually count for something?

Big Bet:

Baltimore Ravens -3 at New England Patriots

Gotta take some road favorites, and New England's offense is nowhere near as explosive as Miami's.  Look for Baltimore to take an early lead and not give it away!

My rule - Always pick a home team for the big bet, and try to pick one getting points.  Way to not follow your own rules!

Last Week's Record:  4-11-1

Last Week's Big Bet:  0-0-1

Year-to-Date Record:  16-15-1

Big Bet Year-to-Date:  1-0-1
Last Week's Winnings (Losses):  ($810) 

Year to Date's Winnings (Losses):  $100

Picks of the Week

HOORAY! The NFL is officially back with its first full slate of games, and nobody is happier than I am.  Since we have no pre-season, little or no fans, and everything is focused on Covid, I feel that I am in a perfect position to start the season with a bang.  Whether that is good or bad, who knows.  We shall see.

For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread.  I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100.  Winners count as winners, whereas losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler.  On to the picks.

Houston Texans + 9 1/2 at Kansas City Chiefs
No way Texans win this game, but if they had even tried to throw deep at least 2 or 3 times, this game is under 10.

Chicago Bears + 2 1/2 at Detroit Lions

We don't know if we are getting 2018 Mitchell Trubisky or 2019 Mitchell Trubisky, but this Bears defense, when fully healthy, can really do some things.  Robert Quinn isn't playing yet, but that shouldn't matter against a basically one-dimensional Lions offense that has to figure out what it is doing with its running game.  It may come to fruition this year (Peterson, Swift and Johnson), but it is going to take some time until they come up with a proper rotation. 

Atlanta Falcons +2 v. Seattle Seahawks

So, the fans issue is going to take a way from a lot of teams' home-field advantages.  However, until I see how teams settle in this season, I am still not going to be on a west coast team travelling east and playing the early game.  The travel is still the problem.  I think Seattle is going to be really good this year, but going to stick with the tried-and-true betting rules for this one.

Baltimore Ravens -7 1/2 v. Cleveland Browns

Virtually the entire secondary of the Browns is going to miss this game, which means that Jackson will be able to throw, as well as run.  Cleveland's offense should not be as bad as last year, but I don't know if they can stop Baltimore enough to stay in this one.

New York Jets + 6 1/2 at Buffalo Bills
None of us know what we are getting with Sam Darnold in this one, and we do not know if Adam Gase is actually going to use Le'Veon Bell properly, but Darnold looked good at the end of last season and Gase has to know he needs Bell.  Stefon Diggs makes minimal difference in this game.

Carolina Panthers +3 v. Las Vegas Raiders

I can't believe I just typed "Las Vegas Raiders", but that excites me.  Carolina might have some growing pains, but Teddy Bridgewater is a solid, experienced professional.  So, I will bet against a west coast team travelling west and playing in the early game again, especially when giving up points, just like Seattle.

Indianapolis Colts -7 1/2 at Jacksonville Jaguars
Road intra-divisional favorites are tough to bet, but not when playing Jacksonville after the Jaguars have completely dismantled its teams.  Philip Rivers will be rejuvenated this year, with a running game and a great offensive line led by Quinten Nelson (and yes I just highlighted an offensive lineman).

Green Bay Packers +2 1/2 at Minnesota Vikings

Is Dalvin Cook ready to go?  Does Aaron Rodgers have something to prove?  Do we see Jordan Love?  Who knows?  Give me the points.

Miami Dolphins +7 at New England Patriots
Bill Belichick blah, blah, blah.  Tom Brady is gone.  But, more importantly, the Patriots' entire defense opted out of this season.  Fitzpatrick slings enough to keep this one close.

Philadelphia Eagles -5 1/2 at Washington Football Team
So, I will not refer to the Washington Football Team as the Washington Racists this year, and those longtime blog readers know I have been doing that for a long time, not just the last year or two.  This is not a bandwagon issue.  Anyway, can Dwayne Haskins make the jump?  Can the Eagles run without Miles Sanders?  Can Carson Wentz continue to lead this team with a flawed roster?  Yes, at least this week.

Los Angeles Chargers -3 at Cincinnati Bengals

So, the Bengals have the late afternoon session, nullifying the west coast travelling of the Chargers.  The Chargers will miss Philip Rivers, but they have playmakers all over the field.  Joe Burrow has a ton o confidence, and some skill position talent (Joe Mixon and eventually A.J. Green).  But, I look for the Chargers linebackers with Denzell Perry man flanked by Kyzir White and Kenneth Murray to make a lot of plays on Burrow and the Bengals.

New Orleans Saints -3 1/2 v. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Everyone is going to talk/write about Brady, Fournette, Gronkowski and all of the new players.  It is going to take some time for them to gel.  Not so for Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas.

Arizona Cardinals +7 at San Francisco 49ers

A Super Bowl hangover for the 49ers, I feel.  And, a breakout MVP-caliber season for Kyler Murray with Kenyan Drake and Larry Fitzgerald all being joined by DeAndre Hopkins.

Dallas Cowboys -2 1/2 at Los Angeles Rams

Mike McCarthy has to make a lot of difference over Jason Garrett, right?

Pittsburgh Steelers -6 at New York Giants
TJ Watt, Bud Dupree, Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt should be in Daniel Jones' face all night.  Plus, Ben Roethlisberger is back.

Denver Broncos +3 v. Tennesee Titans

Just a gut feeling that Drew Lock is going to have a really good season, and Melvin Gordon is going to have a lot of running room with Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy opening things up for him.  Tennessee returns Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry,  but will be missing Adoree Jackson and Vic Beasley, whil Von Miller is out for the season for the Broncos.

Big Bet

Baltimore Ravens -7 1/2 v. Cleveland Browns

Virtually the entire secondary of the Browns is going to miss this game, which means that Jackson will be able to throw, as well as run.  Cleveland's offense should not be as bad as last year, but I don't know if they can stop Baltimore enough to stay in this one.

Baltimore's defense should be improved (really, can that happen?) with the additions of rookie inside linebacker Patrick Queen, drafted in the first round from LSU, and perennial Pro-Bowler and professional defensive menace Calais Campbell coming over from Jacksonville.

Last Week's Record: 0-0
Last Week's Big Bet:  0-0
Year-to-Date Record:  0-0
Big Bet Year-to-Date:  0-0
Last Week's Winnings (Losses): 
Year-to-Date's Winnings (Losses): 

Picks of the Week

With the exception of the Minnesota - New Orleans game, last week was very good.  Even with my 3 losses from that one wildcard game (and one BAD one at -$400), I still finished up for the week.  Let's see how that playoff luck continues in the divisional round.

For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread.  I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100.  Winners count as winners, whereas losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler.  On to the picks.  Since it is the playoffs, I might make more big bets, and I will also be betting the money lines in the games.

Minnesota Vikings +7 at San Francisco 49ers
Look, I get why San Francisco is favored, but with a defense like Minnesota's that is playing extremely well, this number seems high to me.  Give me the touchdown.

San Francisco 49ers -320 over Minnesota Vikings (Bet $320 to win $100)
San Francisco is the better team, they should win this game.  Of course, Minnesota got me last week as well, but Rudolph did push-off on the game winning touchdown and the playoff rules stink - both teams should at least get one possession.

Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers UNDER 44 1/2
These defenses are good, and San Francisco is getting a ton of players back from injury.

Tennessee Titans +10 at Baltimore Ravens
Tennessee is the type of hard-nosed, ball-control team that could give Baltimore trouble.  For that, there is no way that I will give up 10 points in this round of the playoffs.

Baltimore Ravens -450 v. Tennessee Titans (Bet $450 to win $100)
This is the type of line to make me consider taking Tennessee, but I do feel that the Ravens will win this game, and I am confident in that so I have to take the money line on them to win.

Tennessee Titans at Baltimore Ravens UNDER 47
Two ball control teams will limit possessions, thus limiting scoring.

Kansas City Chiefs -9 1/2 v. Houston Texans
I love DeShaun Watson.  Hell, probably no non-fan of Clemson or the Houston Texans love DeShaun Watson more than I do.  I still feel he should be quarterbacking the Chicago Bears.  But, if not for his super-heroics last week, Houston does not get passed the Buffalo Bills.  And, this Kansas City team is way better than the Buffalo Bills, especially offensively.  It sounds stupid to give up 9 1/2 in the divisional round of the playoffs, but in this case, I will do it.  Kansas City by 2 touchdowns.

Kansas City Chiefs -450 v. Houston Texans (Bet $450 to win $100)
See my analysis of the Baltimore money line and the Chiefs ATS bet.  Patrick Mahomes will put up POINTS.

Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs UNDER 51
A 35-14 Chiefs victory still hits the under here.

Seattle Seahawks +4 1/2 at Green Bay Packers
Yes, I know that Russell Wilson's numbers in Green Bay are his worst in any stadium, but he can keep the Seahawks in this game.  Green Bay's secondary is much improved from last year, but D.K. Metcalfe has improved the Seahawks receiving corps.  This game will be close.

Green Bay Packers -200 v. Seattle Seahawks (Bet $200 to win $100)
Despite the fact that I think this is going to be a close game, at plus $170, there is not enough value for me to take a team with no running game fronted by Travis Homer.

Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers OVER 46 1/2
I can't pick all unders, and in this one, Green Bay wins 27-24.

Big Bet I

Minnesota Vikings +7 at San Francisco 49ers
Look, I get why San Francisco is favored, but with a defense like Minnesota's that is playing extremely well, this number seems high to me.  Give me the touchdown.
This game is going to be close.

Big Bet II

Kansas City Chiefs -9 1/2 v. Houston Texans
I love DeShaun Watson.  Hell, probably no non-fan of Clemson or the Houston Texans love DeShaun Watson more than I do.  I still feel he should be quarterbacking the Chicago Bears.  But, if not for his super-heroics last week, Houston does not get passed the Buffalo Bills.  And, this Kansas City team is way better than the Buffalo Bills, especially offensively.  It sounds stupid to give up 9 1/2 in the divisional round of the playoffs, but in this case, I will do it.  Kansas City by at least 2 touchdowns.

This game is not.  35-14.

Big Bet III (Because it's the playofs)

Seattle Seahawks +4 1/2 at Green Bay Packers
Yes, I know that Russell Wilson's numbers in Green Bay are his worst in any stadium, but he can keep the Seahawks in this game.  Green Bay's secondary is much improved from last year, but D.K. Metcalfe has improved the Seahawks receiving corps.  This game will be close.
Seattle would win this game is Chris Carson was healthy.

Last Week's Record:  7-5
Last Week's Big Bet:  2-1
Year-to-Date Record:  131-134-4
Year-to-Date Big Bet:  16-8
Playoff Record:  7-5
Last Week's Winnings (Losses):  $85
Playoff Winnings (Losses):  $85
Year-to-Date Winnings (Losses):  ($815)

Professional Football Wrap-Up

Here are my thoughts from Week 11 of the NFL season.

Game of the Week

Cleveland Browns 21 Pittsburgh Steelers 7,  This game earns this award for everything except the actual play on the feel. Cleveland sent 2 Pittsburgh receivers - JuJu Smith-Schuster and Dionte Johnson - to the locker room because of helmet-to-helmet hits, -including one ejection.  Then, with time almost out, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett hits Mason Rudolph way late, holds him up for a couple of seconds and then slams him to the ground with his entire body weight.  Interestingly, this results in none of the actual 3 penalties that Garrett committed.  Rudolph reacts by trying to rip Garrett's helmet off, and when that doesn't work, but kicking Garrett in the nether regions trying to get Garrett's body weight off of him.  Garrett responds by actually ripping Rudolph's helmet off, and then swinging, and connecting, with the now helmetless noggin of Rudolph.  Markice Pouncey then comes him, hits Garrett a couple of times, shoves him to the ground, and with another Steeler on top of Garrett, kicks Garrett.  Rudolph - at this time yelling and screaming behind Pouncey, Cleveland Browns lineman Larry Ogunboji comes running in and shoves Rudolph to the ground from the back.  Garrett suspended indefinitely, but no shorter than the rest of the season, Pouncey for 3 games and Ogunboji for 1.  Pouncey likely would not have been suspended until he started kicking.  These teams play in two weeks. 

Best Team Performance

Baltimore Ravens.  For the second consecutive entry (the last one was week 9), the Ravens gave the best team performance, pummeling the Houston Texans 41-7 as Lamar Jackson cemented his place in the MVP race by throwing for 222 yards and 4 scores, and rushing for 86 more yards, as Houston had no answer for the mercurial Jackson.

Least Impressive Team Performance

Carolina Panthers.  The Panthers were absolutely obliterated by the now-resurgent Atlanta Falcons 29-3.  Christian McCaffrey showed some fight with 191 total yards, but this game was never close, not even at 0-0.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Offense)

Dak Prescott, QB - Dallas Cowboys.  Trying to ensure that Russell Wilson and Lamar Jackson do not run away with the MVP race, Prescott threw for 444 yards and 3 TDs, as the Cowboys defeated the Detroit Lions 35-27.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Defense)

Maxx Crosby, DE, Oakland Raiders.  Crosby had 4 - YES 4 - sacks against the Cincinnati Bengals as the Raiders defeated the winless Bengals 17-10.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Special Teams)

Jason Sanders, K - Miami Dolphins.  Only because he recovered only the second successful onside kick in the NFL this year.  Yes, HE recovered it.  Sanders kicked the ball along the ground before him in the second quarter with the Dolphins trailing the Buffalo Bills 16-7, and jumped on it as soon as the ball traveled 10 yards.

Most Impressive Team Performance (Premier League)

Off for international duty.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Premier League)

Off for international duty.

Goat of the Week

Myles Garrett, DE - Cleveland Browns.  You can't swing a helmet at another player, especially if that player is already helmetless and you swing at his head.  A long suspension is warranted.

Goat of the Week (Premier League)

Off for international duty.

Hit of the Week

Myles Garrett, DE - Cleveland Browns.  See above.

Breakthrough Performance

Bo Scarborough, RB - Detroit Lions.  The humongous running back out of Alabama finally got the opportunity to play after being re-called from the practice squad, and he gained 55 yards on only 4 carries and 1 TD, as the Lions lost to the Cowboys 35-27.  Taking advantage of the injury to Kerryon Johnson, and despite rumblings to the fact that two separate other backs were going to be featured by the Lions, Scarborough came in and showed why he was such a force for the Crimson Tide.

Finally

Deebo Samuel, WR - San Francisco 49ers.  Taking advantage of injuries in the receiving corps, Samuel caught 8 balls for 134 yards, showcasing his speed along the way.

Impact Injury

James Conner, RB - Pittsburgh Steelers.  Conner, who was supposed to be healthy for the Browns game after coming off a previous shoulder injury, was not and he was pulled early by Mike Tomlin and the rest of the coaching staff.  The Steelers are going to need Conner to advance to the playoffs. 

Team Rising

Atlanta Falcons.  Listen, I know that the Falcons are a long, long way off.  But, we cannot overlook two straight intra-divisional trouncings that they have put on rivals New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers in consecutive weeks, including their 29-3 win at Carolina this week.  .

Team Falling

Jacksonville Jaguars. After some intriguing performances by Gardner Minshew II in relief of Nick Foles, the Jaguars have proven only that they are not very good no matter who is behind center right now, after falling to 4-6 after a 33-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.  More indicative of the Jaguars value is that they have not beaten a team with an over .500 record this season.

Best Teams

(All teams will be ranked by record, even if teams with more losses may be better than a team with fewer losses, since Bill Parcells always said that you are what your record says.  The inverse is true for the Worst Teams rankings.) (Yes, I know that you could have a worse record and be better, see e.g., Baltimore Ravens, but we are working off record.)

1. San Francisco 49ers

2. New England Patriots

3. Baltimore Ravens 

4. Green Bay Packers

5. Seattle Seahawks

Worst Teams

(All winless teams will be ranked here until all teams have at least 1 win, then I will rank them based upon which teams I think are the worst, regardless of record.)

32. Cincinnati Bengals

31. Washington Racists

30. New York Giants

29. Miami Dolphins

28. Denver Broncos

Middle Teams

15. Pittsburgh Steelers
16. Philadelphia Eagles
17. Tennessee Titans

18. Carolina Panthers

Last Week's Trivia Question/Answer

Last Entry's Trivia Questions were:

In Week 7, Aaron Rodgers passed for 400 yards and 5 TDs, while also rushing for a TD.  What other quarterbacks (2) have done that in the history of the NFL?

Answer:  Norm van Brocklin and Mark Rypien.

Preview - Game(s) of the Week

6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers v. Atlanta Falcons.  Not because this game is important or has playoff implications, but the Buccaneers offense is prolific (2 of the top 3 receivers right now in the NFL), and the fact that the Falcons have been playing great makes this a must-watch.  

5. Dallas Cowboys v. New England Patriots.  Two playoff-contenders with serious flaws, but huge fanbases.  Both will likely learn what their respective teams really are.  Would be ranked higher if it wasn't cross-conference.

4. Seattle Seahawks v. Philadelphia Eagles.  We know the Eagles are not what they have been the past couple of years, but a win against the Seahawks could very likely change the course of their season.  Seattle - especially Russell Wilson - is playing great right now, so this game should be really good.

3. Manchester City v. Chelsea.  Two of the four teams at the top of the table battle at the Etihad.  The fourth and third ranked teams respectively seem to be going in opposite directions as City have a loss and a draw in their past two matches across all competitions (albeit the loss was to table-leading Liverpool), and Chelsea have won 2 and drew one across all competitions.  Manchester City is riding old favorites Sergio Aguero and Kevin de Bruyne, while Chelsea has been relying on newcomers Tammy Abraham and Christian Pulisic.  This battle should be great - if everyone is healthy.

2. Baltimore Ravens v. Los Angeles Rams.  This Monday night matchup is fantastic as Lamar Jackson is a much watch.  Not ranked number this week simply because the Rams' offense has been stagnant.  

1. Green Bay Packers v. San Francisco 49ers.  With a combined record of 17-3, this is easily the best matchup of the weekend, and could be a battle for home-field advantage.

Trivia

As the lone remaining winless team, the Cincinnati Bengals have the inside track to selecting first in the 2020 NFL Draft. Name the three players in Bengals history that were selected with the number 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.  (Hint:  There were 3).

Sports Bar Review of the Week

Nectar
Seminole Casino - Coconut Creek
5550 NW 40th Street
Coconut Creek, FL  33073

I did not watch the games in a sports bar this week because I was attending the Third Eye Blind concert in the Seminole Casino - Coconut Creek in Coconut Creek, Florida.  We did, however, go to one of the bars in the casino to watch part of the night game.  This is a review of that bar - Nectar.

Nectar is technically classified as a lounge, and serves sushi and pizza.  We, however, had food before we went to the concert so we did not eat.

We ordered some drinks, which were mostly subpar.  Three of us ordered dirty martinis, which had absolutely NO dirtiness to them at all.  The double Patron on the rocks, however, was exactly as ordered (which should always be the case).

The atmosphere was really cool.  Loungy, but not douchy.  It had some couches around the edges, but had some booths and high top tables that made it look less bougie and more like an upscale bar.  Not a lot of televisions, but enough were you could see the game from anywhere (since there was only 1 game on at the time - and yes I know the goal of Nectar is not to be a sportsbar).  But, it worked.

Now, all of the minuses listed above (or N/As as to the food) are well limited by the AWESOME music played by the DJ.  She concentrated strictly on 80s and 90s R&B and hip-hop.  Yes, it had songs like the predictable but always enjoyable Jump Around, but it also played lesser-played (at clubs that is) songs like Too Close by Next and what I call the 90s ladies, Jade, SWV, and the like.  There was a small dance floor off to one side of Nectar, but that did not matter as everyone was out of their respective seats and just danced in all of the aisles.  This place was BUMPIN'.

Given that we were not expecting this lively atmosphere since we just wanted a couple of last drinks and a view of the game, this place was awesome.  Drinks and the fact we did not want food keep it from being rated a Russell Wilson or Lamar Jackson, so Nectar's rating is:

DAK PRESCOTT.

Professional Football Weekly Round-Up

Here are my thoughts from Week 9 of the NFL season, which coincidentally also marks the half-way point of the season!

Game of the Week

San Francisco 49ers 28 at Arizona Cardinals 25,  This game earned bonus points for being on a Thursday night, which are traditionally HORRIBLE.  San Francisco holding off a game Arizona Cardinals team lead by rookie Kyler Murray (241 yards passing, 2 TDs, 34 yards rushing) and newly arrived Kenyan Drake (110 yards rushing, 1 TD, 54 yards receiving) to stay undefeated, and, as the weekend unfolded remain the only undefeated team in the NFL.  Jimmy Garappolo threw for 317 yards and 4 TD, buoyed by the newly arrived Emmanuel Sanders (7 receptions, 112 yards, 1 TD). 

Best Team Performance

Baltimore Ravens.  The Ravens hosted the New England Patriots (and their supposedly vaunted defense) on Sunday night, and sent the Patriots home with a 37-20 defeat. Lamar Jackson threw for 163 and a score, and rushed for 61 more with 2 TDs, and handed the ball off to Mark Ingram II for another 115 yards - thus announcing a Baltimore challenge to New England supremacy in the AFC.

Least Impressive Team Performance

Jacksonville Jaguars.  The darlings of London traveled to their second home only to get easily handled by the Houston Texans 26-3.  Gardner Minshew II's 3 turnovers and otherwise lackluster performance (albeit aided by a number of drops by the Jaguars wide receivers) will make his way to the bench as the recovered Nick Foles resumes the starting role after next week's bye week.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Offense)

Russell Wilson, QB - Seattle Seahawks.  In what many expected to be an easy game, the Seahawks needed every bit of Wilson's 29-43 for 378 yards and 5 TDs as Seattle defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 40-34.  Wilson has cemented himself as one of the 4 MVP candidates of the half-season (the others being Lamar Jackson, Christian McCaffrey and Aaron Rodgers).

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Defense)

Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram III, Nick Bosa, DEs, Los Angeles Chargers.  Bosa and Ingram totaled 1 1/2 sacks each against Aaron Rodgers, but were even more impressive as they harassed the Packers' offensive line all day, not giving Aaron Rodgers enough time to set up and pick apart the defense, as he finished only 23-35 for 161 yards.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Special Teams)

Dustin Hopkins, K - Washington Racists.  Not really important, but he hit all 3 of his kicks and scored the teams only 9 points during a 24-9 shellacking at the hands of the Buffalo Bills.

Most Impressive Team Performance (Premier League)

Sheffield United.  Sheffield United had the most dominating performance this weekend, dropping Burnley 3-0 at home.  behind a brace from midfielder John Lundstram.  The 3 points pulled Sheffield United up into 6th place in the table, only a point behind Europa League qualifying.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Premier League)

Sadio Mane, F - Liverpool.  Trailing 1-0 to Aston Villa, all Mane did was assist on the game-tying goal in the 87th minute and score the game-winner in the 90+4 minute.  Honorable mention to the Chelsea youngsters Tammy Abraham, who scored his 9th league goal good for second in the Premiership, and Christian Pulisic, who coming off a hat trick scored again for his 4th goal in the last 2 games.

Goat of the Week

Gardner Minshew II, QB - Jacksonville Jaguars.  Perhaps it was the pressure of playing for his job in the face of Nick Foles returning from injury, perhaps it was just the NFL getting some tape on him, or perhaps it was just Minshew regressing to the mean, but his 3 turnovers (despite over 300 yards passing), and overall lackluster performance in a 26-3 thrashing had Londoners ('ites?) wishing for Blake Bortles.

Goat of the Week (Premier League)

Heung-Min Son, F - Tottenham Hotspur.  Son, who I believe is the most underrated soccer play in the world and whose offensive abilities are often overshadowed by club teammate Harry Kane (think Evgeni Malkin), instead earned a red card for a literal ankle breaking tackle on Everton midfielder Andre Gomes  The send-off occurred with Tottenham leading 1-0 in the 79th minute.  Of course, 18 minutes later Everton scored the game-tying goal through second-half substitute Cenk Tosun.

Hit of the Week

Heung-Min Son, F - Tottenham Hotspur.  Son, who I believe is the most underrated soccer play in the world and whose offensive abilities are often overshadowed by club teammate Harry Kane (think Evgeni Malkin), instead earned a red card for a literal ankle breaking tackle on Everton midfielder Andre Gomes  The send-off occurred with Tottenham leading 1-0 in the 79th minute.  Of course, 18 minutes later Everton scored the game-tying goal through second-half substitute Cenk Tosun.

This is not a cut-and-paste error, this is also the hit of the week.

Breakthrough Performance

Devin Singletary, RB - Buffalo Bills.  Partly because the team is interning him behdind Frank Gore, and partly because of an early season injury, Singletary is slowly being worked into the primary back role for the Bills.  Sunday, against the Washington Racists, Singletary was the primary back, carrying the ball 20 times for 95 yards and 1 score, while also garnering 3 receptions for 45 yards.  Now, a lot of Singletary's carries came after the game was well-in-hand so there was no use to subject Frank Gore to injury, but the youngerster is showing why the Bills have him in their present and future plans.

Finally

Dwayne Haskins, QB - Washington Racists.  This finally really goes to the team, who finally decides to start their first round draft pick Haskins despite the fact that they have been horrible all year, even if Case Keenum and Colt McCoy are better.  At some point you have to let the kid loose to see what you have.  The Racists finally did that.  Even if they don't like what they find in Haskins, they need to know if he is their quarterback of the future, or if they need to select one in what everyone says is a quarterback heavy draft in 2020.

Impact Injury

Adam Thielen, WR - Minnesota Vikins.  The All-Pro played only 9 snaps and saw only 1 target before being removed in this week's 26-23 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs because of a hamstring injury.  Coach Mike Zimmer would only say that Thielen will play whenever the doctors say he is ready.  Losing a receiver of this caliber hurts the team in general, but especially Stefon Diggs, as defenses can roll safeties and double coverages toward the mercurial Diggs. 

Team Rising

Los Angeles Chargers.  The Chargers rise to 4-5 after a 26-11 victory over Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.  A 4-5 record may not seem like the team is "rising", but with this performance and the gradual return to health of all of their players, combined with Melvin Gordon being almost fully phased into the lineup after an early season holdout, and the team is poised to make a possible run toward the playoffs.

Team Falling

Chicago Bears. Ugh!  Matt Nagy and Mitchell Trubisky are on a short list.

Best Teams

(All teams will be ranked by record, even if teams with more losses may be better than a team with fewer losses, since Bill Parcells always said that you are what your record says.  The inverse is true for the Worst Teams rankings.)

1. San Francisco 49ers

2. New England Patriot

3. New Orleans Saints 

4. Green Bay Packers

5. Seattle Seahawks

Worst Teams

(All winless teams will be ranked here until all teams have at least 1 win, then I will rank them based upon which teams I think are the worst, regardless of record.)

32. Cincinnati Bengals

31. Washington Racists

30. New York Jets

29. Atlanta Falcons

28. Miami Dolphins

Middle Teams

15. Philadelphia Eagles
16. Pittsburgh Stelers

17. Oakland Raiders

18. Detroit Lions

Last Week's Trivia Question/Answer

Last Entry's Trivia Questions were:

1.  With Josh Rosen now starting for the Miami Dolphins, there are now 3 quarterbacks to make starts for 2 different teams in their first two seasons in the NFL.  Who are the other two?

Answer:  Spurgeon Wynn (Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings); and Jacoby Brissett (New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts).

2.  With New England's most recent victory over Buffalo in Buffalo, Tom Brady now has the most wins of any quarterback in the NFL in Buffalo this century (since 2001).  Who has the next most?

Answer:  Drew Bledsoe and Tyrod Taylor (14 wins)

Preview - Game(s) of the Week

6. Los Angeles Rams v. Pittsburgh Steelers.  Pittsburgh at 4-4 has a legitimate shot at the playoffs, and they host the surging Rams, who themselves are chasing both the 49ers and Seahawks in the NFC West.  

5. Los Angeles Chargers v. Oakland Raiders.  As noted earlier, the Chargers are now healthy and surging.  Oakland is playing much better than expected.  Can Oakland run against the stout Charger defensive line?  The answer to that question likely holds the winner of this game.

4. Liverpool v. Manchester City - This is the LSU v. Alabama of the Premiership.  The top two teams clash against each other, in a divisional battle (for those that don't know - the Premier League is just one big division).

3. Carolina Panthers v. Green Bay Packers.  Green Bay is coming off an embarrassing loss at the hands of the Chargers, and Carolina is playing better with Kyle Allen behind center.

2. Minnesota Vikings v. Dallas Cowboys.  A game with huge playoff implications.  This will be a fun one to watch.  Even though Dalvin Cook and Ezekial Elliott will not actually be facing each other, this will be a de facto "best running back in the NFL" fight (with apologies to Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey).  

1. Seattle Seahawks v. San Francisco 49ers.  NFC West supremacy at stake.  Yes, if the Seahawks win they are still in second place, but a win would make it clear that Seattle is the best team in the division. If San Francisco wins, the 1972 Dolphins will have to wait at least another week to pop champagne.

Trivia

In Week 7, Aaron Rodgers passed for 400 yards and 5 TDs, while also rushing for a TD.  What other quarterbacks (2) have done that in the history of the NFL?

Sports Bar Review of the Week

I was traveling home from the Artist Formerly Known as the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, so no sports bar to review this week.

Professional Football Weekly Wrap-Up

Here are my thoughts from Week 3 of the NFL season, based purely on what I was able to see.  For the first time this season (thanks Irma) I watched a lot of football, so I have a pretty good sample size.

Game of the Week

New Orleans Saints 30 v. Houston Texans 28 - A two play 75 yard drive by the Texans to take the lead, only to be outdone by a picture-perfect final last second drive by Drew Brees (who was 3-5 on the drive; the 2 incompletions being spikes to stop the clock), culminating in a career-best 58-yard field goal by Will Lutz.  Two amazing quarterbacks showing their wares the entire game along with big plays by many on both sides.  GREAT game.

Best Team Performance

Baltimore Ravens - They dominated the Miami Dolphins so thoroughly that this game was over with 6:50 remaining in the first half, and that was before the Ravens scored again to take a 42-10 lead into halftime.  Just a dominating performance, scoring a franchise-record 59 points.  The defense performed too, only giving up 10 points, while sacking the Dolphins' quarterbacks 3 times, and intercepting them twice.

Least Impressive Team Performance

Cleveland Browns - Obviously Miami was the worst performance, but it is too easy to pick them here (as I am sure I will have multiple opportunities to do so in the future).  Cleveland came into this season with all the hype of their offseason acquisitions (more than just Odell Beckham, Jr.), and they absolutely laid an egg in their 43-13 throbbing by the Tennessee Titans, and team that was supposed to be in decline this year.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Offense)

Lamar Jackson, QB - Baltimore Ravens.  The run-first quarterback ended up the game with the sixth-highest rushing yards on his own team, even being out-gained on the ground by Robert Griffith, III 9-6.  What Jackson did do was throw the ball; 17-20 for 324 and 5 TDs (with no interceptions).  It was just the Dolphins, but he looked like he has evolved from just a run-only quarterback.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Defense)

Roy Robertson-Harris DT/DE, Chicago Bears - His stats don't jump completely off the page (1 sack, 2 tackles for loss, 3 total tackles), but as a interior defensive lineman, he controlled this game as the Bears held the Packers to a total of 47 yards rushing. And, it wasn't that Aaron Rodgers dominated, throwing for only 203 yards.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Special Teams)

Will Lutz, K - New Orleans Saints.  After narrowly missing a 56-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, Lutz stepped up and calmly hit a career long 58-yarder to win the game as time expired in the second half.  Teammates said they knew it was good after hearing the thunderous explosion of Lutz's foot hitting the ball, as it just sounded like a solid kick with distance.

Most Impressive Team Performance (Premier League)

The Premier League was off this weekend for national team duty.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Premier League)

The Premier League was off this weekend for national team duty.

Goat of the Week

Antonio Brown, WR - Oakland Raiders/New England Patriots/Who Knows?  I am not going to recount all of his shenanigans that led to his release by the Oakland Raiders and the signing by the New England Patriots, but in a week in which he lost $20 something million, and could not play, the Patriots trouncing of the Steelers 33-3 showed that the Patriots don't NEED Brown, and the Raiders 24-16 defeat of the Denver Broncos shows that they don't need him either.  And this was all before the federal lawsuit filed against him alleging sexual battery, rape, invasion of privacy and false imprisonment.

Goat of the Week (Premier League)

The Premier League was off this weekend for national team duty.

Hit of the Week

Myles Jack, LB - Jacksonville Jaguars.  His punch at Sammy Watkins led to him being thrown out of the game.  

Breakthrough Performance

Josh Jacobs, RB - Oakland Raiders - Perhaps the Raiders don't need Antonio Brown because they have a running game. Jacobs, the rookie first round pick out of Alabama, gained 85 yards rushing with 2 TDs, and added 28 yards receiving.  He is the first running back with 100 total yards from scrimmage and 2 TDs in his first game since LaDanian Tomlinson.  Honorable Mention to Marquise Brown and T.J. Hockenson.

Finally

Mark Ingram, II, RB - Baltimore Ravens - Now Ingram has had much success in the NFl, but he has finally settled into a starting, power-back role that suits his skills.  Even with Lamar Jackson throwing the ball all over the field, Ingram made the most of his 14 carries, gaining 107 yards and scoring 2 TDs.

Impact Injury

Tyreek HIll, WR, Kansas City Chiefs.  Hill, the speedster that opens up everything else for the Chiefs offense, is out for 4 to 6 weeks with a shoulder injury sustained against the Jacksonville Jaguars.  At least the Chiefs have Travis Kelce as a primary receiving target and Sammy Watkins to play out wide.  In that same game, Jaguars quarterback Nick Foles broke his clavicle and is out indefinitely, but at least 8 weeks.  Gardner Minshew III, a rookie out of Washington State, replaced Foles and went 22-25 for 275 yards and 2 TDs, with 1 interception, in the Jaguars 40-26 loss to the Chiefs. 

Team Rising

Tennessee Titans - Obliterated the Browns, who were supposed to be this year's darlings.  They are not among the best teams, but they are rising.

Team Falling

Chicago Bears - Yes, a 10-3 loss to the Packers is not terrible, as the Packers are a really good team.  The problem is how they looked on offense, which was borderline horrid.  And, they travel to Denver for week 2.  This could get ugly, fast.

Best Teams

(All undefeated teams will be ranked ahead of all others until all teams have at least 1 loss, then I will rank them based upon which teams I think is best, regardless of record.)

1. Baltimore Ravens

2. New England Patriots

3. Kansas City Chiefs

4. New Orleans Saints

5. Los Angeles Chargers

Worst Teams

(All winless teams will be ranked here until all teams have at least 1 win, then I will rank them based upon which teams I think are the worst, regardless of record.)

32. Miami Dolphins

31. Cleveland Browns

30. Pittsburgh Steelers

29. Atlanta Falcons

28. New York Giants

Middle Teams

15. Buffalo Bills

16. Detroit Lions

17. Arizona Cardinals

18. Houston Texans*

*  Please note, I think the Texans are much better than this, but my criteria is, at least until several games in and the undefeateds and winless have sorted themselves out, to make my ranking based upon record first.  In this case, the Texans are the best team that lost this week.

Preview - Game(s) of the Week

5.  Kansas City Chiefs v. Oakland Raiders - Obviously Kansas City will be the overwhelming favorite.  But, if the Raiders can keep it close, squeak one out, or even look good at home this week, their entire season changes.

4. Chicago Bears v. Denver Broncos - Both playoff contenders were upset (although the Bears defeat at the hands of the Packers can hardly be called an "upset") in week one, meaning the loser starts off in a hole of 0-2.  Very important game for both teams.

3.  Tottenham v. Crystal Palace - The Spurs host surprising 4th place Crystal Palace in a battle that should see Tottenham vault closer into the Top 4.  A Crystal Palace win or draw in London could go a long way in showing us they might be for real.

2. Minnesota Vikings v. Green Bay Packers - The two 1-0 squads in the NFC North meet in week 2, with the Packers having the opportunity to not only start 2-0, but to start 2-0 in the division.  Dalvin Cook looks to be a more dangerous running game than the Bears showed last week against Green Bay, so we can see exactly how much the Packers focus actually improved their defense in the offseason.

1. New Orleans Saints v. Los Angeles Rams - Easily the best game of week 2, the NFC Championship rematch should be exciting as both teams come into the matchup off a win, New Orleans looked much better than the Rams, but have to travel to LA for this one.  If you are a football fan, this is the game to watch.

Trivia

Since we are beginning a new season, a multi-part trivia question.  Tom Brady begins his 20th season with the New England Patriots.  How many players have played at least 20 years with only one team throughout their careers, and out of those players, who has played the most years (and with which team)?

Sports Bar Review of the Week

(Hint:  Ratings based upon a week-to-week analysis of QB Play, not their career, so the scale varies from week-to-week.)

Duffys' Sports Grill
225 Clematis Street
West Palm Beach, FL
561/249-1682

Duffy's is a large, local chain, having actually started in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and have grown to 34 locations statewide, from Lake Mary in the north, to Kendall in the south, to Tampa and Sarasota in the west.  It is what you expect a sports bar to be when you arrive, and has a fairly typical sports bar menu, although that menu has expanded and changed over the years.

As far as game watching, their are a ton of televisions in this location (enough so that all games are running simultaneously), although you can really on focus on 2 or 3 depending upon where you are sitting.  The televisions are pre-labeled with min-pennants of the teams that will be showing on each tv, so that you can plan where to sit.  Duffy's is the official sports bar of the Miami Dolphins, so you can expect that the sound will be on the Dolphins game so long as they are playing.  This was to all of our detriment, but that is the fault of the Dolphins, not Duffy's.  This location did eliminated about 4 or 5 bar hi-top tables to put in kids carnival and video games (claw anyone?), but we were told by the new General Manager (who is very nice), that she was going to eliminate most of those (probably keeping Golden Tee).  This will allow for more tables, and thus more people and better football watching atmosphere.  Even without the extra tables, the place was full, but not crowded - unlike usual.  Several factors could play into this:  (1) the Dolphins were home (only 1 hour down the street); (2) the Patriots were the night game (they are usually a bid draw); and (3) lots and lots of construction on the streets surrounding Duffy's.  In any event, I have been in this Duffy's with a lot more action going on.  Nevertheless, good for football watching, for your team or your fantasy team.  Parking can be a problem, but I ubered
Atmosphere Rating:  Philip Rivers

Having eaten at Duffy's many, many times before, I did not have to sample much of the food to know what I was getting.  Neverheless, we did have buffalo wings - hot (traditional sports bar food), and the sesame-encrusted ahi tuna with soba noodles (non-tradiional sports bar food).  The wings are good, but the hot is not super-hot.  So, if you do look hot wings, order the Florida Heat Wave or Atomic Ghost Chili.  I generally prefer the Spicy Roasted Garlic (delicious), but others in my group wanted to traditional hot.  As far as the ahi - it is nowhere close to as great as you will get at a seafood restaurant or sushi joint, but it is AMAZING for a sports bar.  The sauce on the soba noodles is delicious, and the cucumber salad is fantastic as a small side.  Although not in this trip, I can recommend the burgers, among other items, as well.
Food Rating:  Carson Wentz

As far as drinks, Duffy's has a full bar.  As we were settled in for a long day of watching football, we were not out to get drunk, but with a small variety of beer choices (normal and craft), a full array of liquor choices, but a limited wine menu, Duffy's is exactly what you would expect from a sports bar.  The 2-4-1 specials make it well worth the trip.
Drink Rating:  Matthew Stafford

The server was new to me, and although it took him a bit to warm up to our boisterousness and humor, he was timely with his service and always available.  To me, this is GREAT.  He even put up with all of our separate tabs, which at least we warned him about ahead of time.
Service Rating:  Dak Prescott

As Duffy's is a general service restaurant/bar, and not a specialty bar, it's menus cater to the general public, and have a little bit of everything, and not a ton of variety in some things.  This pleases most people, but won't everybody.  That being said, we got exactly what we came for and expected.  A very good day of watching football at a very good place.  We will be back.
Overall Rating:  DeShaun Watson

Trivia Answer

None this week.  Tune in next week.