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Week 15 Could be Best Week of 2010

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

It’s always nice to start a Sunday at 1-0, both straight up and against the spread.

That’s our blessing this week after the San Diego Chargers blasted the San Francisco 49ers 34-7 on Thursday night as Vincent Jackson caught three touchdown passes from Philip Rivers. With the win, the Chargers improved to 8-6 on the season and are now only a half game back of Kansas City in the race for first in the AFC West.

There are some big games this Sunday: Kansas City (with either Matt Cassell or Brodie Croyle at quarterback) is at St. Louis; 9-4 Philadelphia plays at the 9-4 Giants; 10-3 New Orleans is at 9-4 Baltimore; 8-5 Jacksonville plays at 7-6 Indianapolis; the 9-4 Jets are at 10-3 Pittsburgh and 8-5 Green Bay is at 11-2 New England on Sunday night.

Meanwhile, there are 23 teams still in contention for a trip to Super Bowl XLV in North Texas.

In a gigantic matchup in the AFC South this Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars can clinch the division crown with a win over the Indianapolis Colts.  If the Jaguars win, it will be the eighth consecutive season that at least one team has gone from last place to first place  in its division from one season to the next. That would be the longest such streak in NFL history. Of the 32 teams that have gone from “worst-to-first” in NFL annals, 15 of them have done so in the past 10 years (2000-09), including the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints last season.

It’s going to be a tremendous week and we’ll let the white-hot Dr. Football keep writing away. Both of our picks for all the games on the Week 15 schedule are as follows:

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Cleveland Browns (5-8) at Cincinnati Bengals (2-11) Line: Bengals by 1.5.

The Battle of Ohio just ain’t what it used to be. Cincinnati’s 23-20 loss at Cleveland on Oct. 3 was the first of 10 straight defeats for the Bengals, tying the franchise-record streak for futility in one season. They need a win to avoid tying the franchise-record skid for consecutive losses (11, spanning the 1992-93 seasons). The Browns have won five of their past 10 games and believe it or not are 4-2 in games in December under head coach Eric Mangini. No matter who quarterbacks for the Browns (Colt McCoy or Jake Delhomme), he should be able to toss touchdowns at will against the Bengals’ secondary which has been depleted by injuries. Cincinnati are 26th versus the run, so look for Peyton Hillis to have another big day.

Dr. Football BROWNS TO WIN.

The Coach: BROWNS TO WIN.

Washington Redskins (5-8) at Dallas Cowboys (4-9) Line: Cowboys by 6.5

Just like the Battle of Ohio mentioned above, this once mighty NFC division game and rivalry is about nothing this late in the season. Expectations were high for both teams heading into the season. Dallas were favourites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl in their own building after ending a 12-year drought without a playoff victory a season ago. Washington was touted as playoff bound after bringing in two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Mike Shanahan and six-time Pro Bowl quarterback Donovan McNabb. I guess both teams didn’t get the memo. Dallas has struggled at home all season (1-6), but they are 15-3 at home against the Redskins dating back to 1992.

Dr. Football: COWBOYS TO WIN BUT NOT COVER.

The Coach: COWBOYS TO WIN AND COVER

Houston Texans (5-8) at Tennessee Titans (5-8) Line: Titans by 1.5

Another meaningless divisional game. Most figured at the beginning of the season that this game would have playoff implications, but with both teams at 5-8 that ain’t gonna happen. Despite the fact that both teams have identical records, it is surprising to see the Vegas line favouring the Titans as they are in the midst of a 6 game losing streak, and the Texans are still a team that can score a lot of points. They’re the ninth ranked scoring offense in the NFL, seventh in passing and seventh in rushing, and have scored more than 20 points in six consecutive games. That’s more than the Titans can claim as they’ve gone over 20 points just twice in their last six games.

Dr. Football: TEXANS TO WIN.

The Coach: TITANS TO WIN AND COVER

Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5) at Indianapolis Colts (7-6) Line: Colts by 5.5

Simply put, if the Colts don’t win this one, their run of eight consecutive postseason berths likely comes to an end. The Jaguars have an opportunity to do something they have never done, win the AFC South and they clinch it if they can win on the road. The Colts have always had trouble with the Jaguars at home; the last six meetings in Indy have been decided by a touchdown or less with Jacksonville winning twice. The last three meetings have been decided by a field goal once and two points twice. Peyton Manning got his game back on track last week, and he should have a huge day as he faces a pass defense that is ranked 28th and has just four sacks in the last three games.

Dr. Football: COLTS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: COLTS TO WIN AND COVER

Kansas City Chiefs (8-5) at St. Louis Rams (6-7) Line: Rams by 1.5

It looks like Matt Cassel will start for the Chiefs after missing last week’s massacre at the hands of the Chargers because of an emergency appendectomy and one has to wonder if he will be 100%…but even at 25% he will be a better choice than Brodie Croyle. The Rams will try and chase him back to the hospital; they are fifth in the NFL with 36 sacks and will put tons of pressure on him.  The Rams are coming off a big loss to the Saints on the road where Sam Bradford looked especially bad. He always plays better at home, and I think he bounces back here.

Dr. Football: RAMS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: RAMS TO WIN AND COVER

Buffalo Bills (3-10) at Miami Dolphins (7-6) Line: Dolphins by 5.5

The Dolphins have established themselves as the NFL’s version of the “Road Warriors” (the wrestling team that kicked the snot out of ol’ Doc Football in 1984), with six wins in seven road games this season, but it’s been a much different story in their own building. Miami is just 1-5 in South Florida so far in 2010, with the only win a 29-17 decision over the horrible Titans in Week 10. . Buffalo is a team that doesn’t do a lot on offense and the Dolphins are pretty good on defense ranked 5th overall this year. Miami gets a rare home victory.

Dr. Football: DOLPHINS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: DOLPHINS TO WIN AND COVER

Detroit Lions (3-10) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-5) Line: Bucs by 6.5

Both teams are going into this game fresh off of wins last week. The Lions defeated the Packers 7-3 in a game where Aaron Rodgers left early due to a concussion and the Buccaneers stole a victory against the Redskins because of a botched extra point attempt by Washington which would have forced overtime. Although the Buccaneers home record is nothing to boast about 3-3, the Lions have an even worse road record 0-6. The Bucs are still very much alive in the playoff race; the Lions are toast. The one or two Lions fans in North America might think that the Bucs won’t be able to overcome the loss of Gerald McCoy and linebacker Quincy Black, but the simple fact is that it won’t matter, the Lions are terrible on offense.

Dr Football: BUCS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: BUCS TO WIN AND COVER

Arizona Cardinals (4-9) at Carolina Panthers (1-12) Line: Panthers by 3.5

The Cardinals will start rookie John Skelton again this week, even if Derek Anderson is healthy enough to play. Skelton completed just 15 of 37 passes for 146 yards with no touchdowns, but didn’t throw an interception and wasn’t sacked once in last week’s game against the Broncos, showing that he might be a QB that can lead the Cards into the future. One can’t say the same about Jimmy Clausen; he hasn’t exactly gave fans a lot to be excited about in years to come, as he has just one touchdown to seven interceptions this season. This will be a dreadful game to watch, and I’m sure that many in Charlotte will stay at home to avoid watching a live performance of “football follies”.  The Panthers will win it on the ground; Arizona ranks 30th in the league, allowing 143 yards a game, and the Panthers have rushed for at least 100 yards in six straight games, including a 212 yard performance last week against the Falcons.

Dr. Football: PANTHERS TO WIN AND COVER

The Coach: PANTHERS TO WIN AND COVER

New Orleans Saints (10-3) at Baltimore Ravens (9-4) Line: Ravens by 2.5

This is a big game for both teams. The Saints carry a six-game winning streak into this game and are one game back of the first-place Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South. The Ravens trail the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North by a game as well and have won three of four and five of their last seven outings.The Baltimore pass defense really struggled Monday night against Houston, nearly costing them a game. They aren’t as good against the pass this season, and that’s not a good thing against Drew Brees, as the Saints have put up at least 30 points in five straight games.

Dr. Football: SAINTS TO WIN

The Coach: SAINTS TO WIN

Philadelphia Eagles (9-4) at New York Giants (9-4) Line: Giants by 3.5

The Giants will be out to end a five-game skid against the Eagles in a matchup that will likely decide the division title and possibly propel the winner to a first-round bye for the playoffs. The Eagles have already beat the Giants this season, so if they win they have a two game lead with two games left to go. The Giants are the only team to hold Michael Vick without a touchdown pass when he has played an entire game this season. Vick threw for 258 yards and ran for 34 and one score in the earlier meeting. The Giants will have Vick’s number.

Dr. Football: GIANTS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: EAGLES TO WIN

Atlanta Falcons (11-2) at Seattle Seahawks (6-7) Line: Falcons by 6.5

The Falcons are playing their third consecutive road game and it’s a brutal one; playing on the west coast is always tough for east based teams, and Qwest field historically been a tough place to play for a team that plays indoors. There could be rain, snow, or both. The Falcons are lucky that the Seahawks aren’t any good, their offense will run wild against Seattle’s 31st-ranked defense. Matt Ryan will have a big game, as Seattle’s pass defense ranks 30th in the NFL at 266.0 yards allowed per game. The Seahawks let San Francisco’s Alex Smith, who was making his first start since Oct. 24, throw for 255 yards with three touchdowns last week.

Dr. Football: FALCONS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: FALCONS TO WIN AND COVER

New York Jets (9-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) Line: Steelers by 6.5

The Jets have been exposed over the last two weeks and they have major issues on offense. Mark Sanchez looks like he has lost his confidence and the receiving core have been dropping passes that hit them right in their hands. The Jets haven’t scored a touchdown in the past eight quarters. Going to Pittsburgh is not going to solve these issues, as the Steelers have one of the best defenses in the NFL, ranked 4th overall. Although Troy Polamalu, one of the two or three top defensive players in the NFL  is questionable for Sunday’s game with a leg injury, Pittsburgh will still shut down the Jets running attack and make Sanchez try and beat them with his arm. That won’t happen.

Dr. Football: STEELERS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: STEELERS TO WIN AND COVER.

Denver Broncos (3-10) at Oakland Raiders (6-7) Line: Raiders by 6.5

The Broncos are another team playing their third consecutive road game this weekend, but they won’t share the same result as the Falcons will. The Broncos can’t stop the run, ranking 31st in the NFL. Look for Oakland to have big success on the ground and Darren McFadden and Michael Bush will have huge games. This one will be ugly.

Dr. Football: RAIDERS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: RAIDERS TO WIN AND COVER

SUNDAY NIGHT

Green Bay Packers (8-5) at New England Patriots (11-2) Line: Patriots by 10.5

If I was Aaron Rodgers, I’d be walking around mumbling so the coach would think I would be unable to play. Who would want to start at anything less than 100% against the Patriots? If Rodgers can’t start, look for Matt Flynn to be thrown to the wolves. However, the Packers play solid pass defense, so I think that they will keep Tom Brady from doing his thing.

Dr. Football: PATRIOTS TO WIN BUT NOT COVER.

The Coach: PATRIOTS TO WIN AND COVER

Chicago Bears (9-4) at Minnesota Vikings (5-8) Line: Bears by 2.5

This will be a fun game on so many levels. First, they will try and squeeze 64,000 fans into a 50,000 seat stadium. With no beer. Second, it will be very cold. With no beer. Third, the Vikings will probably start wide receiver  Joe Webb as Jackson is out, and Favre probably will be too sore to go. Would you?  Maybe Fran Tarkenton will suit up, hell he will be in town for the Vikings 50th year celebration. Bears will be more focused as the division title is in sight. I hate to say this but

Dr. Football: BEARS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: VIKINGS TO WIN.

The Doc was 13-3 last week and is 130-78 this year, and against the spread he was 9-7 and is 114-94 YTD. The Coach went 11-5 straight up and is 116-92 this year and against the spread, he was 8-8 and is now 94-107-7 on the season.

Dave

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Not a Bad Week. Not Great, But Anything’s An Improvement

Posted on October 27, 2010 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

I have received plenty of complaints from friends who like to wager on the NFL. They say it’s never been crazier. They claim the games have never been closer. They claim the officials have to much to do with the outcomes. They say parity is killing their fun.

Killing their wins, maybe.

In fairness, the NFL stats people would probably agree with a lot of those complaints. Although they might not consider them mistakes, necessarily.

“Teams that you might expect to win don’t win,” said New England Patriots head coachBill Belichick during his weekly news conference. “Teams that you might not expect to win, win and win big.  A lot of real close, competitive games come down to the last possession, the last play or one key play right at the end of the game.  The league looks very competitive to me all the way across the board.”

Indeed.

According to the NFL’s head office: “With 31 of 104 NFL games (29.8%) decided by three points or fewer, the league is trending towards the highest percentage of three-point games since 1970 (1997, 67 of 240, 27.9%).”

Naturally, the Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers will expect a close game this week – eight of their 14 games this season have been decided by eight points or fewer – as the NFL returns to London and historic Wembley Stadium this week.  Both clubs seek to heat up as the second half of the season approaches.

The 49ers traveled directly from Charlotte to London on Sunday after a 23-20 loss to the Carolina Panthers and spent the entire week in the United Kingdom preparing for the Broncos, who arrive in the U.K. on Friday morning.

The Denver-San Francisco match-up will mark the fourth consecutive season in which a regular-season NFL game will be played at Wembley.  Another sellout crowd in excess of 80,000 is expected to greet the Broncos and 49ers.

According to the oddsmakers, most games will be close this week. The spread for eight of the 14 games is fewer than three points.

We had a pretty good week last week so we won’t change things up. Doc Football has decided to write this week’s picks once again and we’ll let him go.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Washington Redskins (4-3) at Detroit Lions (1-5) Line: Lions by 2.5.

The Lions have played better than their record shows, but unfortunately that doesn’t mean anything in the standings. With a 1-5 record, though, staying in contention won’t be easy and it will take a miraculous second half run. The good news for the Lions is that Matthew Stafford is back, after getting hurt in week one. When you look at this game, the Lions actually rank ahead of the Redskins on total offense (16 vs. 18) despite only winning one game so far. The Redskins, who have 15 sacks in the last six games, will bring the heat and test the returning Stafford, but will offer little else, as they are dreadful against both the run (30th) and pass (23rd).

Dr. Football: LIONS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: LIONS TO WIN AND COVER.

Buffalo Bills (0-6) at Kansas City Chiefs (4-2) Line: Chiefs by 7.5

I wonder if the Bills effort last week against the Ravens was the result of Ryan Fitzpatrick finally coming into his own, or the Ravens were looking to an easy win prior to their bye week? Fitzpatrick went 29 for 43 for 373 yards and four touchdowns and pushed the Ravens defence to its biggest test so far this year.  The Chiefs boast the league’s best rushing attack, and Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles should run wild against the Bills. With the Bills focusing on defending against the ground game, this will allow the unspectacular Matt Cassel to find his receivers. The Bills rank 29th against the pass anyway, so it’s not like Cassel will need much help in this matchup.

Dr. Football: CHIEFS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: CHIEFS TO WIN AND COVER.

Carolina Panthers (1-5) at St. Louis Rams (3-4) Line: Rams by 3

This is the Rams fifth home game this season and the Dome is a place where they have had success in 2010. The team is 3-1 in those contests with victories against Washington, Seattle and San Diego and with only a 17-13 loss to Arizona in week 1. The Rams are coming off a heartbreaking 18-17 defeat at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week. The Rams defense allowed a game winning touchdown in the closing seconds in a game they should of won. The Rams were able to post 285 yards on the Buccaneers last week and converted on 7 of 14 on third downs. The team had a great day running the football with 161 yards rushing on 31 carries for a 5 yards per rush average. The Panthers are coming off their first win this season as they defeated the San Francisco 49ers 23-20 last week, but 11 random fans from the stands could of done that.

Dr. Football: RAMS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: RAMS TO WIN AND COVER.

Green Bay Packers (4-3) at New York Jets (5-1) Line: Jets by 6.

The Packers and Jets are meeting for the first time since the 2006 season that saw the Jets post the 38-10 upset victory . The Packers defence allowed 402 yards to the Vikings last week. They gave up 196 yards on the ground despite the win. That is a huge concern as a the Jets are a good running team with the addition of LT and they are coming off a bye week. The Jets will be rested and have Darrelle Revis fully functional for this game. Unfortunately for the Packers, too many injuries will cast a dim light on their Super Bowl aspirations.

Dr. Football: JETS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: JETS TO WIN AND COVER.

Denver Broncos (2-5) vs. San Francisco 49ers (1-6) Line: 49ers by 1

The 49ers and the Broncos will take to the London stage to show off the NFL to a European audience. The fans there must be wondering what they did to piss off the NFL. Perhaps only a game between the 0-6 Bills and 1-5 Panthers would draw more groans. The 49ers, after a 23-20 loss in Carolina, arrived in London early in the week and even the citizens of London heard the whispers about coach Mike Singletary’s job security or lack thereof. Broncos coach Josh McDaniels admitted, in a 59-14 loss at home to the Raiders. that his team was “awful”. Horrible is more like it. They have now gone just 4-13 since opening the McDaniels’ era 6-0 last season. He could also be joining Singletary on the unemployment line if the Broncos can’t rally from this “awful” start. Two coaches fighting for their job is probably not the storyline the NFL was hoping to give the overseas fans.

Dr. Football: BRONCOS TO WIN (FANS TO LOSE)

The Coach: BRONCOS TO WIN.

Miami Dolphins (3-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (2-4) Line: Bengals by 2.

hese clubs are meeting for the first time since week 17 in the 2007 season that saw the Bengals earn the 38-25 victory. The Dolphins will be playing their fourth road game of the season and the team stands a perfect 3-0 away from Miami (too much South Beach maybe). They own victories against Buffalo, Minnesota and Green Bay, cities that can be described as anything but exciting. The Dolphins are coming off a 23-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last week in a game that has been dubbed “fumble gate” (more on that later). The team put up 313 yards on the Steelers last week and converted on only 3 of 12 on third down. The team disappointed in the red zone scoring zero touchdowns on three tries inside the Steelers 20 yard line. Their run game continues its struggles with just 64 yards on 21 carries. The Bengals have to be one of the biggest disappointments in NFL history as TO and “the artist formerly known as Chad Johnson” continue to run routs as Carson Palmer has been unable to get them the ball, although he did show signs of life last week as Cincinnati was able to produce 469 yards last week on the Falcons defence and converted on 7 of 12 on third down. The team passed for 385 yards and Palmer completed 36 of 50 passing for 412 yards with three touchdowns and no picks. The Dolphins are the true Road Warriors this season, and I believe they will successfully defend that title on Sunday.

Dr. Football: DOLPHINS TO WIN.

The Coach: BENGALS TO WIN AND COVER.

Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4) at Dallas Cowboys (1-5) Line: Cowboys by 7.

It says something about your team is when Vegas has the Cowboys as the 7 point favourite when your star QB is out for 6 weeks with an injury and jobber QB Jon Kitna is the starter. I got a good laugh on Tuesday morning when I read Roy Williams’ comments about backup Jon Kitna being under center for the foreseeable future; “Tony is our starter, but Jon is just as good,’ Williams said. “We are going to work this week in practice so we can get the timing down with the receivers. But I have complete faith in him. I have played with him for three years and I know how good he is.” Oh brother. Jags David Garrard should be back, but will probably spend most of the game on his back, as the Cowboys defence will be out to prove they are not the issue. Even though Kitna is not anywhere near what I would expect from an NFL starter, I can’t see any way the Cowboys can lose this week at home.

Dr. Football: COWBOYS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: COWBOYS TO WIN AND COVER.

Tennessee Titans (5-2) at San Diego Chargers (2-5) Line: Chargers by 3.5

Who would of guessed that of the 2 teams the Titans would be the one 5-2 and the Chargers would be 2-5. Not all of this can be blamed on Norv Turner’s poor September record. If you look at the stats, the Chargers are the best 2-5 team of all time; they rank first in both offence and defence, and Phillip Rivers has been having a great season and is on pace to eclipse Dan Marino’s single season yardage record. If fact, last week against the Patriots, San Diego lost despite 363 yards of offense and 23 first downs along with converting 7-of-15 third-down tries. So why have the Chargers lost 5 games so far this season? Early in the season they were victimized by special teams errors. On Sunday, it was primarily turnovers(four of them)  that cost them. YTD, the Chargers are tied for 30th in the NFL in turnover margin (minus-7), with their 18 giveaways in seven games one shy of their total for all of last season. The Chargers are also first against the pass, so the returning Vince Young will have to use Chris Johnson more, but San Diego just happens to be fourth against the run. If Young wants to pass he will need to get in sync with Kenny Britt who had three TDs and 225 receiving yards (after being benched for the first quarter) on Sunday. Britt has scored in five consecutive games. So what does all this mean? The Chargers are better on both sides of the ball despite their record.

Dr. Football: CHARGERS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: CHARGERS TO WIN AND COVER.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) at Arizona Cardinals (3-3) Line: Cardinals by 3

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers might be the surprise of the season so far. Not only have they surpassed their win total from last season by week 7, QB Josh Freeman has exceeded anyone’s expectations. Freeman will continue to develop and improve in each game ahead, and that will only mean more success for the Buc’s. But by no means is this team Super Bowl bound, the Buccaneers rank next to last in rushing defense, middle of the league in total defense, and well below average in total offense. The Cardinals are still struggling with putting Kurt Warner behind them as he is still seen every Monday night in tight pants, although he is not surrounded by 10 ugly mean looking men. The Cards put the boots to the Saints in New Orleans two weeks ago , but then limped into the rain at Seattle, where there plan for a win was doused. As I write this, it is stillunclear who will start for Arizona as  Max Hall suffered a concussion last week and then Derek Anderson took over and led Arizona on a scoring drive, but was dreadful afterward. This will be a close one, and I think the Cards will be happy to play at home.

Dr. Football: CARDINALS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: CARDINALS TO WIN AND COVER.

Minnesota Vikings (2-4) at New England Patriots (5-1) Line: Patriots by 5.5

This will be the first meeting between the Vikings and Patriots since the 2006 season that saw New England post a 31-7 victory against the Vikings in Minneapolis in a Monday Night game that saw the Patriots never run the ball…Brady beat the Vikes in the air.Favre’s status is uncertain as I write this. He has two fractures in his left ankle that could keep him on the sideline for the first time since 1992.
Tavaris Jackson has had the job before; his career record in 20 starts, including one post-season game, is 10-10. If Favre indeed suits up to keep his consecutive-games streak alive, he’ll have no problems against the New England secondary that has allowed at least 285 passing yards to each opponent in the past three weeks. The Patriots have struggled against the pass all season, and seem to be sputtering in the two games so far without Randy Moss (I wonder if he will get a reception like Favre did in Green Bay on Sunday night?) Speaking of Sunday night; if you read Scott Taylor’s blog this is what his take on the refereeing was:

Brad Childress is pissed and according to a Fox television analyst who was quoted by the St. Paul Pioneer Press — a man who used to be the NFL’s director of officiating — Childress has every right to be pissed.

In fact, the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings called Sunday night’s game in Green Bay, “the worst officiated game I’ve ever seen.”

Childress is upset about a dreadful call by head referee Scott Green, a guy who has been involved in so many questionable calls — and I use the word “questionable” in a moral sense, not in a sense of competency — that you have to wonder why he hasn’t been investigated by the NFL (and having said that, he even got the Super Bowl job this past year).

On Sunday night, Green’s field judge signalled “touchdown” on a pass from Brett Favre to Visanthe Shiancoe in the second quarter of Sunday’s game, a touchdown pass that should have given the Vikings a 21-14 lead and ultimately, should have given them the victory in what was a terrific football game.

That was the second worst job of officiating this year. Which game was worse? Read on my friends. Oh yea,

Dr. Football: VIKINGS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: VIKINGS TO WIN AND COVER.

Seattle Seahawks (4-2) at Oakland Raiders (3-4) Line: Raiders by 2

A Halloween game in Oakland? Isn’t every home game in Oakland Halloween?  Both teams are coming off convincing victories in divisional games with the Raiders crushing the Broncos 59-14 and the Seahawks topping the Cardinals 22-10.  Both teams could really use a win here as they both look to keep their momentum going as they push to be division champions. Oakland hasn’t won two consecutive games since the last two games of 2008.The match up here to watch is Oakland’s Darren McFadden vs. Seahawks defensive tackle Colin Cole. The Seahawks allow an average of 77.5 rushing yards per game, 2nd in the NFL. McFadden leads the Raiders rushing attack that is 3rd in the NFL at 158.4 rushing per game and the Raiders totalled over 300 rushing yards on Denver. The Raiders running attack will determine the outcome of this game. If  Cole and the rest of the Seahawks front seven can stuff the running lanes, that will put pressure on Jason Campbell to throw more, which hasn’t been Oakland’s recipe for victory. The Raiders can also run with Michael Bush who has been the alternate power mode to McFadden’s outside speed style.

Dr. Football: RAIDERS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: RAIDERS TO WIN AND COVER.

SUNDAY NIGHT

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-1) at New Orleans Saints (4-3) Line: Steelers by 1.5.

Big Ben got lucky last week after the referees in one of the stupidest decisions of all time decided that they couldn’t determine who recovered his end-zone fumble. To recap; Miami was leading 20-19 late in the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh was facing third-and-goal at the 2, Roethlisberger charged towards the goal line but was stopped just inches before and fumbled the ball. The ref that was standing RIGHT there put his hands in the air (like he just don’t care) and happily awarded the Steelers the touchdown. As the ball rolled into the end zone, EVERY Miami player and two Miami cheerleaders jumped on it. Dolphin’s coach Tony Sparano correctly challenged the play as it was even obvious to the guy flying the blimp that Ben fumbled before he broke the plain, and Miami recovered. After a replay review, referee Gene Steratore announced that Roethlisberger fumbled before scoring. But Steratore said his crew had no clear evidence as to which team recovered the ball, and the Steelers were awarded possession at the half-yard line, allowing Jeff Reed to kick the winner. Unbelievable. This week the Steelers will have to face the Saints. The defending champs haven’t played as anticipated this season and are coming off a loss to the Cleveland Browns in which QB Drew Brees threw four interceptions. Pittsburgh has won four consecutive road games and is the stronger team in this matchup.

Dr. Football: STEELERS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: STEELERS TO WIN AND COVER.

MONDAY NIGHT

Houston Texans (4-2) at Indianapolis Colts (4-2) Line: Colts by 5.5

With all the speculation this week about the status of Brett Favre’s 18-year record of consecutive starts, the Colts have a streak too, one that could end Monday night when they play host to Houston. The Texans have already beaten the Colts once this season, and will be looking to recreate the magic with a win at Lucas Oil Stadium. That’s not going to be that easy. Sure, the Colts defense may be hurting, but they do have linebacker Clint Sessions back making big plays. He wasn’t a factor the first time these two teams met but he has been on fire the last couple of games. The Texans defense is ranked last in the NFL allowing over 410 yards per game, and are ranked last against the pass, allowing an average of over 300 yards passing per game. Even in defeat, the Colts amassed 463 yards in the opener. Peyton Manning should have a big, big game even without his full set of receivers at his fingertips although Anthony Gonzalez will back after missing the past five games. The roof better be open in Indy, the Colts could very well blow it off.

Dr. Football: COLTS TO WIN AND COVER.

The Coach: COLTS TO WIN AND COVER.

If you’re still in a survivor pool you have lots of choices: Indianapolis, Kansas City, New York Jets and St. Louis.

The Doc was 7-7 last week and is 56-48 on the season. He was 9-5 vs. the spread, and sits at 55-49 this year. The Coach was 10-4 last week, 57-47 on the season. He was 7-6-1 against the spread and is 40-58-6 for the season.

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It’s the Wild Card Playoffs This Week. Hard Not to Like the Cowboys.

Posted on January 7, 2010 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

Romo, Romo, Romo, everybody is worried about Tony Romo.

Seems even my buddy, the great Dr. Sports, is worried that Romo, who has never won a playoff game, will choke again this weekend.

Well, Romo might indeed take the pipe, but I’m afraid that as the NFL post-season gets underway, he’s not the issue.

This weekend Romo’s Dallas Cowboys are four-point favorites in their re-match with the Philadelphia Eagles and there is a very good reason for that.

Last week’s 24-0 win over Philly in the final regular season game, comes a week after they shut out the Redskins. In fact, according to nflmedia.com, those two shutouts came right after they held the Saints to 17 and after they kept the Chargers to 20. In fact, in the last seven weeks, Dallas has allowed just 11.5 points per game.

Who cares about Tony Romo? Defence wins championships (is anybody playing better than Demarcus Ware these days?) and Doomsday is back in Dallas. That’s why The Coach likes the Cowboys.

Let’s take a closer look at this week’s Wild Card playdowns, courtesy of the keyboard of Dr. Sports…

SATURDAY

New York Jets 9-7 at Cincinnati Bengals 10-6 (-2.5)

The Jets completely humiliated the Bengals with their ground attack last Sunday night. Thomas Jones, Brad Smith and Shonn Greene helped the team compile 257 rushing yards on a 4.5 YPC. As NBC’s Cris Collinsworth repeatedly pointed out, the Bengals were being pushed around and looked like they were playing on roller skates. That will not happen again. Cincinnati was really porous against the run Sunday night for two reasons:

1. They didn’t play hard, as they seemingly were content to battle these Jets in the first round of the playoffs.
2. Stud defensive tackle Domata Peko and left end Robert Geathers (who specializes against the run) were both out.

The Bengals have a great defence that dominates versus the rush. It’s been a bit leaky lately because Peko has been out since Dec. 6, but he and Geathers are both expected back. Between Weeks 5 and 12 (the final week Peko was in the line up), the Bengals hadn’t allowed a single opponent to gain more than 92 yards on the ground. The Jets will not run all over Cincinnati this time, meaning Mark Sanchez will be asked to move the chains on his own. The Bengals have an excellent pass defence with two shutdown corners – Leon Hall did a great job on Braylon Edwards on Sunday night – so we just can’t see Sanchez having much success, especially considering the fact that he’ll be playing in a road playoff game in a hostile environment.

Dr. Sports: Bengals to win and cover

The Coach: Bengals to win and cover.

Philadelphia Eagles 11-5 at Dallas Cowboys 11-5 (-3.5)

The one thing people seem to be asking about the Cowboys is if Romo will choke. Romo has never won a playoff game, so there are still some believers out there who think that he’ll melt down again. The smart money says the Eagles are just too good a football team to be blown out/shut out by the same team, two weeks in a row. If they hit the big plays that they just missed by inches last week, this contest could come down to a field goal.

Dr. Sports: Cowboys to win but not cover.

The Coach: Cowboys to win and cover.

SUNDAY

Baltimore Ravens 9-7 at New England Patriots 10-6 (-3.5)

The loss of Wes Welker is huge. That should go without saying, but there are many out there who believe that Julian Edelman will be able to fill Welker’s shoes, allowing the Patriots’ offense to keep on clicking. Well, not Dr. Sports. Sure, Edelman will catch 9-10 passes and collect 90-110 yards, but it’s the stuff that doesn’t show up in the box score that will be paramount. Over the years, Tom Brady and Welker have developed a strong rapport. When the opposition is blitzing, Welker knows exactly what to do. In the 2-minute drill, Brady is confident in Welker and throws his way often. Edelman is just a rookie, and his inability to read what’s going on will hurt New England. With Welker out, the Ravens can double Randy Moss and blitz more. Dr. Sports doesn’t think the Patriots will be able to fix this in seven days. The Coach disagrees.

Dr. Sports: Baltimore to win.

The Coach: New England to win and cover.

Green Bay Packers 11-5 at Arizona Cardinals 10-6 (-2.5)

Even though the Cardinals attempted to rest their starters last week when the Packers beat them 33-7, they’ll still enter the Wild Card rematch with injury concerns. Anquan Boldin is questionable to play after spraining his ankle last week. The Cardinals still have Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston, but Boldin will be missed. The Cardinals still have some depth to their offense, but Boldin’s health could be a factor in Arizona’s productivity given that they aren’t likely to have much success running the ball. Packers Charles Woodson is expected to play despite suffering a shoulder injury last week. Green Bay has been on a roll offensively, with QB Aaron Rodgers completing 80 percent of his passes last week and giving up no interceptions for four straight games. On the other side of the ball they’ve allowed just two 100-yard rushing performances to opponents since Week 3. Except for the Steelers, no team has passed for more than 217 yards on them since Nov. 1. They also excel at getting to the quarterback; rookies Clay Matthews and Brad Jones have been terrific this year, especially during the team’s 7-of-8-game winning streak.

Dr. Sports: Packers to win.

The Coach: Packers to win.

The Doc went 165-91 for the season and 138-118 against the spread. The Coach, after going 13-3 last week, finished 162-94 straight up and 139-117 against the spread.

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Week 16, Just Two Weeks to go…

Posted on December 24, 2009 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

There are two weeks remaining in the 2009 NFL season and while most of the playoff participants have been locked down, this is still going to be a very interesting post-season.

In fact, whenever people ask, for weeks I’ve been saying I like Indianapolis and New Orleans in the Super Bowl. And I still do. However, if it happened to be Green Bay and New England I wouldn’t be at all surprised. That’s the beauty of the NFL.

The post-season is going to be tremendous. But first, there is a lot of unfinished business, especially in the AFC.

Just two weeks to go. Let’s take a closer look at Week 16….

FRIDAY NIGHT

San Diego Chargers 11-3  at Tennessee Titans 7-7 (-2.5)

The Chargers have pretty much sealed up the second seed in the AFC. They have nothing to gain with a win here. Meanwhile, the Titans’ season is on the line. On a holiday weeknight, they’ll be playing in front of a raucous crowd and they’ll be able to feed off that energy.

Dr. Sports: Titans to win and cover.

The Coach: Titans to win and cover.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Buffalo Bills 5-9 at Atlanta Falcons 7-7 (-8.5)

The Bills lost what Chris Berman called their “Super Bowl.” Also, Brian Brohm is now in for Ryan Fitzpatrick. There’s a reason he was so willingly discarded by the Packers. Why would the Bills put in a lot of effort off a very emotional defeat for some guy they don’t even know?

Dr. Sports: Falcons to win and cover.

The Coach: Falcons to win and cover.

Kansas City Chiefs 3-11 at Cincinnati Bengals 9-5 (-13.5)

The Bengals will dedicate the rest of their season to Chris Henry, but they still had Henry’s funeral to attend to this week. Plus, it’s not like you have to get up for the lowly Chiefs.

Dr. Sports: Bengals will win but they won’t cover.

The Coach: Bengals will win and cover.

Oakland Raiders 5-9 at Cleveland Browns 3-11 (-3.5)

Derek Anderson will get the nod at Browns QB because Brady Quinn is done for the year. Anderson has the bigger arm and superior downfield accuracy, but he also forces in way too many unwarranted balls into double coverage. Since the beginning of the 2008 season, the Browns are 0-4 against the spread when favoured. However, thy have won two straight.

Dr. Sports: Raiders to win.

The Coach: Browns to win and cover.

Seattle Seahawks 5-9 at Green Bay Packers 9-5 (-13.5)

This has “blowout” written all over it. The Seahawks absolutely stink, especially on the road, while the Packers are one of the top teams in the league. The only thing that bothers me here is the fact that Green Bay is coming off an emotional loss at Pittsburgh. Still, even if the Packers are playing at 75-80 percent, there’s a good chance they’ll still cover this high number.

Dr. Sports: Packers to win and cover.

The Coach: Packers to win and cover.

Houston Texans 7-7 at Miami Dolphins 7-7 (-2.5)

It’s worth noting that Houston owns Miami; in the four meetings between these two teams, the Texans have won each one, oddly enough by three points or less each time.

Dr. Sports: Texans to win.

The Coach: Dolphins to win and cover.

Jacksonville Jaguars 7-7 at New England Patriots 9-5 (-7.5)

This is a case where the game means a ton to one team and very little to the other. The Patriots don’t really have anything to play for here, as they pretty much have the AFC East locked up. Meanwhile, the Jaguars must win to stay alive in the playoff hunt. That being said, whenever the Jaguars are favoured or expected to win, they really struggle. Conversely, when no one believes in them, they thrive. This will be a close one,

Dr. Sports: Patriots to win, but they won’t cover.

The Coach: Patriots to win and cover.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-12 at New Orleans Saints 13-1 (-14.5)

I like the Buccaneers in this spot. The last two 13-0 teams that lost their 14th game of the year went on to lose the following contest as well. I don’t think the Saints will suffer a defeat to Tampa Bay, but I don’t like their chances of covering the spread in this meaningless game.

Dr. Sports: Saints to win, but not cover.

The Coach: Saints to win but not cover.

Carolina Panthers 6-8 at New York Giants 8-6 (-6.5)

New York is the one NFC team no one wants to face right now. They know how to win in the postseason and they completely dominated a Redskins squad that had been playing well in recent weeks. I think the Giants parlay that Monday night victory into several more and get on a roll. I’m confident they’ll get into the playoffs and upset at least one team in January.

Dr. Sports: Giants to win and cover.

The Coach: Giants to win and cover.

Denver Broncos 8-6 at Philadelphia Eagles 10-4 (-6.5)

Meaningless game for the Eagles. Even if they win here, they’ll still need to beat Dallas next week to win the NFC East. Also, the players will be too preoccupied with Brian Dawkins’ return.

Dr. Sports: Broncos to win.

The Coach: Eagles to win and cover.

Baltimore Ravens 8-6 at Pittsburgh Steelers 7-7 (-2.5)

I know the Ravens beat the Steelers last time, but Joe Flacco still hasn’t defeated Ben Roethlisberger. Though he’s a very cool quarterback under pressure, that has to weigh on his mind.

Dr. Sports: Steelers to win and cover.

The Coach: Ravens to win.

St. Louis Rams 1-13 at Arizona Cardinals 9-5 (-13.5)

A meaningless game for the Cardinals, but they’ve shown us in the past that they love to beat up on the Rams and Seahawks – even in late December.

Dr. Sports: Cardinals to win and cover.

The Coach: Cardinals to win and cover.

Detroit Lions 2-12 at San Francisco 49ers 6-8 (-11.5)

The 49ers are obviously the much better team, but I’m concerned with their mindset here. They had to beat the Eagles to stay alive for the divisional crown. Instead, they lost, which officially knocked them out of the playoff hunt. I’m not sure how San Francisco bounces back from that, especially against the lowly Lions. What’s their incentive here?

Dr. Sports: Lions to win.

The Coach: 49ers to win and cover.

New York Jets 7-7 at Indianapolis Colts 14-0 (-5.5)

The Jets are playing their Super Bowl here. Their season’s on the line. They’ll give the Colts their best shot…but it won’t be enough.

Dr. Sports: Colts to win and cover.

The Coach: Colts to win and cover.

SUNDAY NIGHT

Dallas Cowboys 9-5 at Washington Redskins 4-10 (+6.5)

Despite knocking off the Saints last week, Dr. Sports just doesn’t understand how this team is any different. They have the same idiot coach. They have the same quarterback who takes trips to Vegas before games. They have a malcontent receiver (Roy Williams). And they have the same prodding owner who makes “suggestions” each week. They are lucky to be playing the ‘Skins who officially quit on Jim Zorn Monday night.

Dr. Sports: Cowboys to win, but not cover.

The Coach: Cowboys to win and cover.

MONDAY NIGHT

Minnesota Vikings 11-3 at Chicago Bears 5-9 (+6.5)

This is just what the (Sports) Doctor ordered for the Vikings; the Bears. The Bears haven’t covered a single point spread since Nov. 1. Their offense stinks, their defence stinks, they’re dominated at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and their quarterback just doesn’t seem to care anymore. We just watched the Redskins mail it in on Monday night. Now, it could be Chicago’s turn in what might just be Lovie Smith’s final game in the Windy City.

Dr. Sports: Vikings to win and cover.

The Coach: Vikings to win and cover.

The Doc shit the bed last week and is now 148-77 overall and 115-110 against the spread. The Coach is 139-86 straight up and 113-112 against the spread.

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Week 14: It’s Time for the Pretenders to Take a Stand

Posted on December 10, 2009 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

TAMPA, Fla. — We’ll be in Tampa this Sunday to watch the Sanchez-less Jets take on the Freeman-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Remember, last week Josh Freeman threw five interceptions in the red zone? This game will be fun — just for the laughs.

As we head into Week 14, here are three things to keep in mind:

1) Some teams are just destined for greatness. The New Orleans Saints seem like a team of destiny.

Last Sunday in Washington the Saints were often sloppy and lethargic and with three minutes remaining in regulation, the 11-0 Saints trailed the Redskins 30-20. But a couple of breaks, one great pass from Drew Brees to Robert Meacham and finally an 18-yard field goal by Garrett Hartley in overtime gave New Orleans a 33-30 win and a 12-0 record. Yep, that’s a team of destiny.

2) Want to know how to beat the Tennessee Titans? Force them into turnovers.

When the Titans were going 0-6, they turned the ball over 18 times. The Titans then won five straight and turned the ball over three times in total. Then last Sunday, in a 27-17 loss to Indianapolis, Tennessee turned the ball over twice, including a Vince Young interception that the Colts converted into a touchdown. If the Titans win the turnover battle, they win the game. If they turn it over too often, they lose. Simple as that.

3) So what’s happened to the Pittsburgh Steelers? Obviously, the defending Super Bowl champions are 6-6 and have suffered at least six fourth-quarter collapses, but the biggest problem is the absence of Troy Polamalu.

The Steelers have been very weak on the back end of the defence and without Polamalu, they won’t win many football games. Luckily, they get the Browns this week.

All set? let’s take a closer look at Week 14…

THURSDAY NIGHT

Pittsburgh Steelers 6-6 at Cleveland Browns 1-11 (+9.5)

Mike Tomlin said he would “unleash hell” in December. Well, not so much last week, but they’ll be ready Thursday night. This is an absolute must-win for the Steelers, but if anyone is worried about that “road team” thing, the Pittsburgh to Cleveland commute isn’t a long one, and you can bet that there will be more Steelers fans in the stands than Browns supporters. This will essentially be a home game for Pittsburgh.

Dr. Sports: Steelers to win and cover

The Coach: Steelers to win and cover.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

New Orleans 12-0 at Atlanta 6-6 (+9.5)

Think Drew Brees will have any problems shredding the Falcons’ defensive backfield with his collection of weapons?

Dr. Sports: Saints to win and cover.

The Coach: Saints to win and cover.

Detroit Lions 2-10 at Baltimore Ravens 6-6 (-12.5)

The Ravens looked like they couldn’t care less on Monday Night. They didn’t look like they even want to get out of the huddle let alone run the offense. The Ravens need to win in order to remain in the AFC Wildcard race. If they have proven anything in 2009, it’s that they perform well against lesser competition.

Dr. Sports: Ravens to win and cover.

The Coach: Ravens to win and cover.

Green Bay Packers 8-4 at Chicago Bears 5-7 (+2.5)

This is a difficult one for the Packers. They are traveling on a short work week to battle a Bears team that will be playing its Super Bowl. Chicago has no chance at the playoffs, but it can at least knock arch rival Green Bay out of a wild card spot. That being said, the Bears stink and will ultimately find a way to lose. Football games are won in the trenches, and that’s an area where Chicago is incredibly weak right now.

Dr. Sports: Packers to win and cover.

The Coach: Packers to win and cover.

Seattle Seahawks 5-7 at Houston Texans 5-7 (-5.5)

Houston’s fourth-ranked passing offense challenges the Seahawks 25th-ranked passing defence. The Seahawks are also 1-5 on the road.

Dr. Sports: Texans to win and cover.

The Coach: Texans to win and cover.

Denver Broncos 8-4 at Indianapolis Colts 12-0 (-6.5)

Denver’s chances against Peyton are slim and none. Slim is out of town.

Dr. Sports: Colts to win and cover.

The Coach: Colts to win and cover.

Miami Dolphins 6-6 at Jacksonville Jaguars 7-5 (-2.5)

The Jaguars are one of the league’s best home teams at 5-1. Even though they play in front of sparse crowds. The Dolphins are 2-4 on the road. Both teams have rushing attacks that are in the top 25 per cent of the NFL. The differences between the two teams’ run defences are negligible. Home field will be the advantage here.

Dr. Sports: Jaguars to win and cover.

The Coach: Jaguars to win and cover.

Buffalo Bills 4-8 at Kansas City Chiefs 3-9 (PK)

This Chiefs are reeling right now after two losses as big underdogs to their divisional rivals. After getting blown out against the Broncos and Chargers, the Chiefs are done. But the Bills ain’t much better.

Dr. Sports: Bills to win.

The Coach: Chiefs to win.

Cincinnati Bengals 9-3 at Minnesota Vikings 10-2 (-6.5)

The Bengals are getting seven points and sport one of the league’s top five defences. The Vikings strength of schedule has come into question with losses against Pittsburgh and Arizona. It should be a close game.

Dr. Sports: Vikings to win, but not to cover.

The Coach: Vikings to win and cover.

Carolina Panthers 5-7 at New England 7-5 (-13.5)

The Patriots seldom lose two in a row, and they never lose three in a row. The last time Belichick and Brady dropped two consecutive games, they rebounded with a 35-0 victory over the Packers in 2006.

Dr. Sports: Patriots to win and cover.

The Coach: Patriots to win and cover.

New York Jets at 6-6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1-11 (+3.5)

This seems like a really horrible spot for the Jets. This is their last “easy” game before taking on the Falcons, Colts and Bengals. Following a win over the Bills, I don’t think they’ll be focused for the Buccaneers, especially with Kellen Clemens replacing the injured Mark Sanchez at quarterback.

Dr. Sports: Buccaneers to win.

The Coach: Bucs to win.

St. Louis Rams 1-11 at Tennessee Titans 5-7 (-12.5)

Little known fact, the Rams are a feisty 4-1 against the spread in their past five games. In fact, they haven’t lost by more than 10 points since battling the Colts on Oct. 25. The Titans have a conservative offense, so asking them to cover a 13-point spread is too much.

Dr. Sports: Titans to win, but not cover.

The Coach: Titans to win and cover.

Washington Redskins 3-9 at Oakland Raiders 4-8 (+1.5)

A team that has had so many close calls with stronger teams should be able to overcome a below average Raiders team, shouldn’t they? Don’t count on it. The Redskins have to travel cross country and the Raiders have momentum from defeating the defending champions. With the way 2009 has gone, the Skins will stumble against the Oakland Raiders. The Eagles did when they traveled west.

Dr. Sports: Raiders to win.

The Coach: Raiders to win.

San Diego Chargers 9-3 at Dallas 8-4 (-2.5)

Dallas starts December with… a loss! After losing 31-24 to the Giants, the Cowboys look like they may continue their December trend of losing their way out of the playoffs. The Chargers come into Dallas with a seven game winning streak and are looking to secure a bye week over the Cincinnati Bengals. The Cowboys are 5-1 at home. The Chargers are 5-1 on the road. But since it is December and the Chargers don’t lose in December.

Dr. Sports: Chargers to win.

The Coach: Chargers to win.

SUNDAY NIGHT

Philadelphia Eagles 8-4 at New York Giants 7-5 (-1.5)

The Eagles enter the game on a three game winning streak. In week 8, the Eagles defeated the Giants 40-17. The Eagles do play well on the road. The Giants must win to remain in the heart of the NFC Wildcard race. One week, the Eagles can look like the elite of the NFC. The next, they are losing to the Raiders.

Dr. Sports: Giants to win and cover.

The Coach: Eagles to win and cover.

MONDAY NIGHTER

Arizona Cardinals 8-4 at San Francisco 49ers 5-7 (+2.5)

The 49ers will be pumped to host their first Monday night game since Week 1, 2007. This will be their chance to show everyone that they are a legit team.

Dr. Sports: 49ers to win.

The Coach: Cardinals to win and cover.

The Doc is 128-64 overall and 104-86 against the spread. The Coach is 121-71 straight up and 100-90 against the spread.

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NFL Picks for Week 9: A Great Monday Nighter.

Posted on November 5, 2009 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

MINNEAPOLIS — Oh my goodness, there are a number of big games this week – Dallas at Philadelphia, Houston at Indianapolis, Miami at New England and Baltimore at Cioncinnati, and here I am in the Twin Cities watching hockey.

Oh well, I’ll be back in front of the 52-inch HD screen to watch the biggest game of Week 9: Pittsburgh at Denver on Monday Night.

The Steelers have Troy Polamalu back and are starting to look like the defending Super Bowl champs again. The 6-1 Broncos got hammered in Baltimore last week, but they’re playing at home and they’re steaming from last week’s loss.

This will be an outstanding Monday Nighter.

Of course, the rest of the week won’t be bad either, even without our beloved Minnesota Vikings on the sked. The Vikes have this week off and won’t play again until next Sunday when that juggernaut known as the Detroit Lions, invade the Metrodome.

Along with the Vikes, the Bills, Browns, Jets, Raiders and Rams have the byes in Week 9.

Let’s take a closer look at the final six-team bye week of 2009:

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Washington Redskins 2-5 at Atlanta Falcons 4-3 (-9.5)

The Falcons get a bit of a break from the tough part of their schedule with the sad-sack Redskins coming to town. Atlanta showed Monday night it could play with the best teams in the league. Washington can’t.

Dr. Sports: Falcons to win and cover.

The Coach: Falcons to win and cover

Arizona Cardinals 4-3 at Chicago Bears 4-3 (-2.5)

Here’s how Dr. Sports looks at this one: “Of both of these teams’ weaknesses, I think the Bears’ offensive line is the most obvious. If they couldn’t block the Browns and Antwan Odom-less Bengals, how are they going to keep the Cardinals out of the backfield? The Bears did play well last week against Cleveland, but who doesn’t? The Cardinals will bounce back from their disaster last week against Carolina to pull the road upset.” I disagree. The Bears are outdoors at home.

Dr. Sports: Cardinals to win.

The Coach: Browns to win and cover.

Baltimore Ravens 4-3 at Cincinnati Bengals 5-2 (+2.5)

Agains, Dr. Sports: “These teams are evenly matched. The Bengals have the better record and they’ve beaten some really good squads, including these Ravens on the road. Cincinnati has been a team that always pulls through when no one believes in them. As home underdogs, to a team they’ve already beaten, I think they’ll be playing for respect – which is an important angle in the NFL.” I disagree. Ray Lewis will be pissed.

Dr. Sports: Bengals to win.

The Coach: Ravens to win and cover.

Houston Texans 5-3 at Indianapolis Colts 7-0 (-8.5)

Once again, our own Dr. Sports: “Even though you must take the Texans seriously now, it ain’t gonna happen for them this week. The Colts stumbled a little against the 49ers last week, that’s why I think that this week they regroup and blow out their division rival.” I kind of disagree. I think the Colts will win, but not by nine.

Dr. Sports: Colts to win and cover.

The Coach: Colts to win but not cover.

Kansas City Chiefs 1-6 at Jacksonville Jaguars 3-4 (-6.5)

Dr. Sports likes the Jaguars in a cake walk. “Look for Mike Thomas, the Pac-10′s career leader in receptions, to have a breakout game. Also look for Larry Johnson to lay off the Twitter.” I’ll look for it, but this is what I’ll see: A dreadful Chiefs team against an equally dreadful Jags outfit.

Dr. Sports: Jaguars to win and cover.

The Coach: Jaguars to win and cover.

Miami Dolphins 3-4 at New England Patriots 5-2 (-10.5)

Bill Belichick and the Pats coaching staff have had two weeks to prepare for the Dolphins, their rookie quarterback and their Wildcat offense. The last three times they’ve had two weeks to prepare for an opponent in the regular season, they’ve covered the spread by an average of 14.6 points.

Dr. Sports: Patriots to win and cover.

The Coach: Patriots to win and cover.

Green Bay Packers 4-3 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0-7 (+9.5)

Check out this stat: The Bucs have played four teams that currently have winning records (Eagles, Giants, Cowboys, Patriots). In those four contests, they’ve been outscored 126-42!  Green Bay has a winning record and they have something to prove after getting thumped by the Vikings.

Dr. Sports: Packers to win and cover.

The Coach: Packers to win and cover.

Carolina Panthers 3-4 at New Orleans Saints 7-0 (-13.5)

Even though the Panthers have won six out of the last seven against the Saints, I can’t see New Orleans losing at home to them. The Panthers do have a tremendous ground game with Williams and Stewart and will keep it close.

Dr. Sports: Saints to win, but not cover.

The Coach: Saints to win but not cover.

Detroit Lions 1-6 at Seattle 2-5 (-9.5)

Remember Seattle’s 41-0 thrashing of Jacksonville a few weeks back? We both think history will repeat itself.

Dr. Sports: Seahawks to win and cover.

The Coach: Seahawks to win and cover.

San Diego Chargers 4-3 at N.Y. Giants 5-3 (-3.5)

Here again is Dr. Sports: “The Giants have legitimate problems. A good team doesn’t get blown out three times in a row. Eli is hurt and the defence stinks.” I disagree.

Dr. Sports: Chargers to win.

The Coach: Giants to win and cover.

Tennessee Titans 1-6 at San Francisco 49ers 3-4 (-3.5)

Wow! Here’s Dr. Sports: “For as awful as the Titans have been this season, they’re still riding a five-game winning streak against the NFC. Look for Jeff Fisher to get the best of his former Chicago Bears teammate Mike Singletary in an upset on the road Sunday. Chris Johnson outshines Frank Gore in a meeting between two of the league’s best young running backs.” I really disagree. By a lot.

Dr. Sports: Tennessee to win.

The Coach: San Francisco to win by two touchdowns.

SUNDAY NIGHT

Dallas Cowboys 5-2 at Philadelphia Eagles 5-2 (-2.5)

Dr. Sports loves the Eagles this one. They’re playing with fire and confidence right now. The Cowboys, meanwhile, will be going on the road for the first time in nearly a month. The Eagles are 5-1 against the spread versus Dallas the past three years.

Dr. Sports: Eagles to win and cover.

The Coach: Eagles to win and cover.

Pittsburgh Steelers 5-2 at Denver Broncos 6-1 (+2.5)

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is 4-0 in Monday night games, and Pittsburgh’s looking to win its fifth straight after a somewhat rocky 1-2 start. The Denver bandwagon emptied a bit after their 30-7 loss in Baltimore last weekend. The dream is over for Bronco fans.

Dr. Sports: Steelers to win and cover.

The Coach: Steelers to win and cover.

The Doc is 72-44 overall and 61-55 against the spread. The Coach is 73-43 straight up and 60-56 against the spread.

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Ravens-Vikings, Giants-Saints: The Big Games of Week 6 in the NFL.

Posted on October 16, 2009 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

TAMPA, Fla. — It’s Week 6 in the National Football League and this season, that means five potentially great football games.

If you have Sunday Ticket, lock on to Baltimore at Minnesota – there will be about 5,000 Winnipeggers in Minnie for this one – the Giants at the New Orleans Saints, Chicago at Atlanta, Arizona at Seattle and Monday night’s 5-0 Denver at 2-2 San Diego. Oh, it’s going to be a great week.

This week, the Coach will be live in Tampa for a matchup of titans — and yes, these teams are as bad as the Titans — as the 1-3 Carolina Panthers take on the 0-5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Sorry, it didn’t look all that when I was planning a trip through the NFL.

This has been a season in which the good teams have separated themselves from the bad ones and the concept of parity is a thing of the past. There are currently five undefeated teams — the Giants, Vikings, Saints, Broncos and Colts — and four winless teams — the Titans, Chiefs, Buccaneers and Rams. By the way, Congratulations to the Cleveland Browns who left the Winless Club with that stirring 6-3 win over Buffalo (which plays like a winless team).

So, as we said last week, with all this undefeated good news comes all that winless bad news as well, as the good teams separate themselves from the really, really awful ones. (Remember, the Cowboys, Colts, Dolphins and 49ers have the byes).

How many zeroes in the standings at the end of this week? Let’s take a closer look at Week 6…

Houston Texans 2-3 at Cincinnati Bengals 4-1 (-4.5)

The Bengals are obviously the better team, but Dr. Sports really loves Houston this week (I know, I don’t get it either). Cincinnati is coming off an emotional victory in Baltimore and according to the Good Doctor “will probably be flat as a favourite over an inferior Texans squad.”

Dr. Sports: Bengals to win but not to cover.

The Coach: Bengals to win and cover.

Detroit Lions 1-4 at Green Bay Packers 2-2 (-13.5)

Detroit really has been more competitive lately. The team lost by eight to the Steelers and had a legitimate shot at tying the game late in the fourth quarter. A week earlier, the Lions and Bears were tied at halftime. And a week before that, Detroit knocked off the Redskins.

Dr. Sports: Packers to win but not to cover.

The Coach: Packers to win but not to cover.

St. Louis Rams 0-5 at Jacksonville Jaguars 2-3 (-9.5)

The Rams will start Marc Bulger at quarterback, which should help a very inconsistent offense. However, they are on the road against a team that was embarrassed last week. That’s never good. Look for the Jaguars to bounce back.

Dr. Sports: Jags to win and cover.

The Coach: Jags to win and cover.

Baltimore Ravens 3-2 at Minnesota Vikings 5-0 (-2.5)

Despite their records, these teams are pretty much even. The difference is the strength of schedule (Baltimore’s has been much tougher) and that’s why Minnesota is only a 2 ½ point favourite.

Dr. Sports: Vikings to win and cover.

The Coach: Vikings to win and cover.

N.Y. Giants 5-0 at New Orleans Saints 4-0 (-2.5)

Wow, this is the game of the week! It’s evenly matched game and it should go right down to the wire. The Giants are a solid team that plays well on the road, but right now, nobody is better than Drew Brees. That’s right, not even Brett Favre.

Dr. Sports: Giants to win.

The Coach: Saints to win and cover.

Cleveland Browns 1-4 at Pittsburgh Steelers 3-2 (-13.5)

The Browns won a game 6-3 over Buffalo last week by completing only two passes. What do they get this week? Three?

Dr. Sports: Steelers to win and cover.

The Coach: Steelers to win and cover.

Carolina Panthers 1-3 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0-5 (+3.5)

Carolina won for the first time last week. Tampa Bay hasn’t won yet and with all the controversy down here this week, it’s hard to imagine they’ll get the job done. Still, this is a matchup of two bad teams and the Buccaneers are at home.

Dr. Sports: Tampa Bay to win

The Coach: Carolina to win and cover.

Kansas City Chiefs 0-5  at Washington Redskins 2-3 (-6.5)

It’s tough to lay 6.5 points with the Redskins because they have trouble scoring but while Kansas City put everything it had into beating an inconsistent Cowboys outfit last week, they couldn’t close the deal.

Dr. Sports: Redskins to win and cover.

The Coach: Redskins win and cover.

Philadelphia Eagles at Oakland Raiders (+13.5)

The Raiders have lost their last three games by a combined score of 96-16. This isn’t because they’re just that bad (which they are), it also has a lot to do with the fact that head coach Tom Cable will be in jail soon. Sure, the spread is large, but the Raiders are one giant disconnect right now. Worse yet, Andy Reid has a history of winning on the West Coast; he’s 9-3 against the spread when flying the across the country.

Dr. Sports: Eagles to win and cover.

The Coach: Eagles to win and cover.

Arizona Cardinals 2-2 at Seattle Seaawks 2-3 (-2.5)

Hard not to like the Seahawks at home this week. With Matt Hasselbeck back, they’re playing with fire and out to prove that they’re a contender again.

Dr. Sports: Seattle to win and cover.

The Coach: Seattle to win and cover.

Tennessee 0-5 at New England 3-2 (-9.5)

Please do not allow children under the age of 12 to watch this massacre. Sure, this was a great matchup before the season started, but it ain’t much now. Tennessee is already done. and they have to go to New England and play a team that is still angry after last week’s overtime loss. Tom Brady will carve up that Tennessee secondary.

Dr. Sports: Patriots to win and cover.

The Coach: Patriots to win and cover.

Buffalo Bills 1-4 at N.Y. Jets 3-2 (-9.5)

Call 9-1-1! Call 9-1-1! The Bills lost 6-3 at home to Cleveland last week. Surprised Dick Jauron is still working.

Dr. Sports: Jets to win and cover.

The Coach: Jets to win and cover.

SUNDAY NIGHT

Chicago Bears 3-1 at Atlanta Falcons 3-1 (-2.5)

If the Giants-Saints or Ravens-Vikings are the two best games this week, this is No. 3. Interestingly, Lovie Smith is just 1-4 against the spread coming off a bye. The Falcons are really dominant at home; Matt Ryan has only lost one game at the Georgia Dome, which was a last-second defeat against the undefeated Denver Broncos.

Dr. Sports: Falcons to win and cover.

The Coach: Falcons to win and cover.

MONDAY NIGHT

Denver Broncos 5-0 at San Diego 2-2 (-3.5)

On paper, the Broncos should win this game, but football is a game of emotion and talent — and homefield advantage. San Diego has all of the upside and none of the down.

Dr. Sports: Chargers to win and cover.

The Coach: Chargers to win and cover

Doctor Sports is 53-23 on the season and 44-32 against the spread while The Coach is 54-22 straight up and 42-34 against the spread.

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