Deflategate vs. HGHgate

Two of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, Tom Brady (Source: Greg M. Cooper/USA Today Sports and Peyton Manning (Source: USATSI), have had major off the field problems arise before the Super Bowl

The conference championships have come and gone and there are only two teams left standing. The National Football Conference champion is the Carolina Panthers, a team that has constantly been derided by critics as being the “worst 15-1 team ever,” despite facing 18 opponents and, other than the Week 16 loss in Atlanta, have beaten all of those teams. Star quarterback Cam Newton, the assumed Most Valuable Player of the league, has been facing criticism over his “controversial” celebrations after scoring touchdowns, most notably this mother, who has an interesting way of expressing her opinions on Newton. The constant questions regarding the legitimacy of how good the Panthers are has suddenly shifted to presumptions that they will dominate Super Bowl 50 due to their American Football Conference opponent. That would be the Denver Broncos.

The Broncos have definitely had a season that can be described as a roller coaster ride. Quarterback Peyton Manning, the longtime golden boy of the National Football League, endured possibly the toughest season of his 18-year NFL career. His 2015 campaign featured him throwing only nine touchdowns versus 17 interceptions, easily the worst TD-INT ratio of his career, as well as a completion percentage of 59.8% and 2,249 passing yards, the lowest totals since his rookie year back in 1998. His Week 10 performance against the Kansas City Chiefs was the cherry on the awful sundae as Peyton became the 67th quarterback in NFL history to post a quarterback rating of 0.0 in a game. He went 5-20 passing, with no touchdowns, four interceptions and a measly 35 yards to his credit. A performance so unlike Peyton led to a move that was equally unprecedented: head coach Gary Kubiak benched Manning in favor of the younger Brock Osweiler.

Backup quarterback Brock Osweiler took Peyton Manning’s starting job only to see Manning take it right back (Source: Chris Humphreys, USA TODAY Sports)

Osweiler, a product of Arizona State, has been with Denver since 2012 and has been learning under Manning. So, it was natural that Osweiler filled in nicely for Manning, going 5-2 in seven games started, including a Week 12 overtime thriller over the New England Patriots. He made everybody start to wonder whether that Kansas City performance would be the last NFL snaps Peyton Manning would ever take. Then, the Broncos five turnovers in the regular season finale against the San Diego Chargers and, to provide a spark, Osweiler was benched and Manning entered an NFL game for the first time as a backup and led the Broncos to a victory and the #1 seed in the AFC. Victories over the Pittsburgh Steelers and the aforementioned Patriots have gotten the Broncos to Super Bowl 50 and the biggest storyline of them all has arisen: will this be Peyton Manning’s final hurrah? If he wins, he could have a chance to go out on top, just like Denver general manager and former QB John Elway, who won back-to-back Super Bowls with the Broncos and promptly retired after the second.

However, there is one major dark cloud looming over the impending Super Bowl festivities, one that the NFL can hardly afford right now. The Al Jazeera report of Manning’s wife receiving a shipment of human growth hormone back in 2011 has raised questions about both the material covered in the report and its authenticity. While the unexpected brilliance Manning had following his 2011 neck surgery, his record breaking 2013 campaign the biggest example, is suspect for a QB in his late 30s, the fact that the lead pharmacist in the Al Jazeera investigation, Charlie Sly, has been backpedaling like no tomorrow, it seems like Manning’s claims of the report being “utter garbage” are pretty accurate.

Chances are you probably saw references to Deflategate like this one last year (Source: Nate Beeler, The Columbus Dispatch)

The main problem with this whole saga is the NFL itself. Remember last year and the whole Deflategate controversy involving the Patriots? The minute that story broke, the amount of media coverage was painfully endless to the point where it felt every single minute ESPN programming began, 85% was focused solely on Deflategate. It dragged on and on, months after the Patriots’ victory in Super Bowl XLIX last February and, while we still have no definite answer to the controversy, coverage has died down significantly since then. If the Patriots were AFC champions, then it might be a different story, so that is something to be happy about. Despite all that, the NFL was vicious in their investigation of the Patriots organization and Tom Brady, yet only on January 27 did the NFL officially announce they will begin investigating Al Jazeera’s claims. We can only wonder whether it will be an intense investigation akin to Deflategate or along the lines of the Ray Rice controversy, which was deemed as a pathetic attempt at handling the seriousness of domestic violence. The added fact that Major League Baseball and the United States Anti-Doping Agency are working together to see whether Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies and Ryan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals did receive banned substances like the Al Jazeera report mentioned and the NFL is not taking the same measures makes you wonder whether the NFL front office takes the report seriously.

The best reason why the media stuck with the Deflategate story? Everyone hates success. You ask a common fan of a sport which teams are the most hated and typically the same answers always come up. Baseball has the New York Yankees, football has the Dallas Cowboys, basketball has the Los Angeles Lakers, and hockey has the Montreal Canadiens. Then, there are the teams that recently spring into the pantheon of hated teams, simply because of their success. The Seattle Seahawks have started to experience success with Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll, so the rest of the NFL fanbases are not too thrilled with that. The San Francisco Giants went from the team that has never won a World Series since leaving New York to winning three World Series in a five year span and consistent winning is never a good thing to other fans. Back when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh were together, the Miami Heat were easily the most reviled team due to the sudden increase of Heat fans that were probably only LeBron fans. The Boston Bruins have skyrocketed to the most hated NHL teams due to both their Stanley Cup victory in 2011 which caused the Vancouver riots and the constant accusations of dirty play. The talks of a New England dynasty, coupled with the notable postseason failures of Manning, could be the reason why HGHgate could be swept under the rug while Deflategate was all over the place.

Do I personally believe the Al Jazeera report? No. Are these claims reported by Al Jazeera true? That is a question that we have no definitive answer to as of yet, but it is another off the field story that may be a major talking points in the days before the biggest Super Bowl in NFL history from a marketing standpoint. The Golden Super Bowl held in the Golden State is led by the golden boy of the league in Peyton Manning, who could provide a storybook ending to a Hall of Fame career. Yet, this report should be a bigger deal to most because, despite Charlie Sly’s backpedaling, it could have serious implications on how we view Peyton Manning’s tenure as a Denver Bronco if Al Jazeera was proven correct in their findings. If deflated footballs deserved that much attention, taking performance-enhancing drugs should get the same amount, if not more.

Super Bowl XLIX: Patriots-Seahawks Preview

Well, it all comes down to tonight. We have endured two weeks of 24/7 analysis, countless interviews, numerous Marshawn Lynch jokes, and now our patience has paid off. Tonight we will see the long-awaited matchup between the AFC Champion New England Patriots and the NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks. Of course, there are so many people giving their two cents of the game, so I will go ahead and do the same. Why? Just because I have done so many previews in the regular season and not doing one for the most important NFL game of them all would be just silly. Now, let us get started.

New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks

Starting off, as always, is the battle of the signal callers.

QUARTERBACKS

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (Source: Jim Rogash/Getty Images North America) vs. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (Source: Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America)

It is pretty remarkable to see how far Russell Wilson has come since his college days as a member of the North Carolina State Wolfpack and Wisconsin Badgers. You know the story of the QB drafted in the third round, only to become the starter and now he is starting his second straight Super Bowl in only his third year in the league. Sure, the defense is the staple of the Seahawks, but Wilson has shined as the signal caller, despite being drafted after guys like Brandon Weeden and Brock Osweiler. If you are surprised by Tom Brady being back in the Super Bowl for the sixth time, you really should not be. Even though the Patriots not have not won a Super Bowl since Super Bowl XXXIX, Brady has still been as dominant as ever, making something out of essentially nothing. He has Rob Gronkowski, but he is making guys like Brandon LaFell and Julian Edelman look like All-Pro athletes. Based on what I have seen thus far, I have to side with Wilson here. Brady put up great numbers against both the Ravens and Colts, whereas Wilson had an excellent game versus the Panthers but was largely unimpressive for the majority of the Packers game. However, we all expected Wilson to crumble against Denver. I think he will do fine tonight.

VERDICT: SEAHAWKS

Now, I am just doing this part of I don’t get fined. Obligatory Marshawn Lynch reference aside, running back time.

RUNNING BACKS

Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount (Source: Jim Rogash/Getty Images North America) vs. Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (Source: Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images North America)

Ah, the New England running back situation. You always seem to throw everybody into a state of confusion. Stevan Ridley was supposed to be the main guy, but then he got hurt. Shane Vereen was up next and did fine, until Jonas Gray ran all over Indianapolis and took the job away. Then, the Steelers released LeGarrette Blount only for New England to sign him and have him become the feature running back. Oh, and Brandon Bolden is there too. I think it is safe to say that Blount looks to be the main guy, especially after ripping the Colts apart two weeks ago. Seattle has the opposite situation when it comes to their backs, as Marshawn Lynch is clearly the main guy utilized in the offense, with Robert Turbin sprinkled in from time to time. While Blount has shown he steps up his game during the postseason, it is pretty hard to go against Beast Mode. Almost makes you wonder whether the Buffalo Bills truly knew what they had when they traded him away for a fourth-round and a fifth-round draft pick. Hindsight is 20/20.

VERDICT: SEAHAWKS

Here is where it gets very interesting: the receivers.

RECEIVING UNITS

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America) vs. Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse (Source: Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America)

The Seattle receivers want you to doubt them. After all, they are not the flashy receivers one would expect, especially compared to last year. Percy Harvin and Golden Tate are gone, leaving Jermaine Kearse, Doug Baldwin, Paul Richardson, and Luke Willson to catch Russell Wilson’s throws. They have stepped when they are called upon and, especially Kearse, typically delivered. That is not to say New England has weapons at receiver, for the Patriots have skilled talent themselves. Brandon LaFell has become a different player since leaving Carolina, Julian Edelman has suddenly become Tom Brady’s favorite receiver to target since last season, and guys like Danny Amendola and Tim Wright have made big plays when their numbers are called. However, the deciding factor, naturally, is tight end Rob Gronkowski, who is back to his dominant self after tearing his ACL and MCL last season. The reliable scoring threat has 12 regular season touchdowns and kept up the scoring pace, with a touchdown in both the Baltimore and Indianapolis games. It is kind of hard to go against such a monster, so New England is where I lean here.

VERDICT: PATRIOTS

Defense wins championships is that old phrase people always say. Which defense is supreme?

DEFENSE

Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis (Source: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images North America) vs. Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (Source:Tom Pennington/Getty Images North America)

New England was dealt a major blow when linebacker Jerod Mayo went down for the season with a knee injury that he suffered in Week 6. Despite that injury, it opened the door for sophomore linebacker Jamie Collins to prove his worth and he promptly delivered by becoming the new leader of the linebacker core. Nose tackle Vince Wilfork and defensive end Rob Ninkovich have wrecked havoc on the defensive line and safety Patrick Chung has elevated his game to new heights this season. It begins and ends, however, with shutdown cornerback Darrelle Revis, who has been electric all season long. The Seahawks have their own shutdown cornerback in the form of Richard Sherman, who has come a long way since his postgame rant last season. You know all about the rest of the Legion of Boom, safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor and fellow cornerback Byron Maxwell,  so you do not heard about them again. Seattle has linebackers K.J. Wright, Malcolm Smith and Bobby Wagner, plus defensive ends Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett. Seattle has the #1 ranked defense in the league; it would be foolish to go against them.

VERDICT: SEAHAWKS

So, who raises the Lombardi Trophy tonight?

PREDICTION

This game will be a dogfight tonight. So many weapons, both on the offensive and defensive sides, will be on display tonight and it will be a treat to see. The last time these teams have played each other, Seattle won 24-23 in October 2012 in Russell Wilson’s sixth game in the league. A lot has changed since then, so it would be foolish to base a decision off a game that happened two seasons ago. That being said, I buy Seattle in tonight’s game. Why? Well, remember last Super Bowl? The one where an unstoppable offense was clashing with an immovable defense? The defense ended up smashing and making the offense non-existent. That defense has since had another year together and seemingly got better this season. They say to normally side with the team that gets hot at the right moment. New England has been hot during the postseason, but Seattle has been hot since their November 23 game against Arizona. A two game streak versus an eight game streak makes a big difference to me, and I like the consistency that Seattle has had. That, coupled with the exhilarating overtime victory two weeks ago has me believing Seattle will defend their title and win a second straight Super Bowl.

SEAHAWKS 27, PATRIOTS 18

Enjoy the Super Bowl everyone!

NFL Week 15 Head-to-Head Predictions

Hello and Welcome to week 15 of the NFL! The playoff race is heating up, with a huge win by Arizona on Thursday night that leads to a basically winner-take-all matchup on Sunday Night Football! What else can you ask for? Last week Liam went a tough 1-2, with the Packers only winning by six and kneeling on the 5 yard line. Andrew went 2-1, and his lone loss was an embarrassing performance by the Saints at home. What goodies to our pickers have this week? Read on!

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ANDREW’S PICKS

Had a winning weekend last Sunday, not that it really matters anymore. My overall record is still a crappy  17-21-1. Might be able to make one last push to the .500 mark, but it’s gonna be difficult. My picks and are from GT Bets, via Oddsshark. I hope you enjoyed you’re week off, as I’m predicting another mediocre week for me.

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions (-7.5)

With the Lions in full control of their playoff destiny, I expect a huge performance from them against their divisional rivals. Their defense has been stout all season, under new head coach Jim Caldwell, and their offense looks to be getting back on track with Megatron at full strength and Joique Bell looking like a stud running-back. The Lions have put up 31 points in the last two weekends, and while the Viking defense is good, Stafford and Megatron should put up some points.  The Vikings barely beat the hapless Jets last weekend at home, and Teddy Bridgewater is going to have a tough time against the Lions pass rush and secondary.  The Vikings defense conceited 24 points to the hapless Jets offense. The Lions should be able to at least put up that at home against that defense. I’m taking the Lions here, to win in what should be a thorough beating of the Vikes.

New Orleans Saints (-3) at Chicago Bears

The Saints didn’t show up to play last weekend. They really haven’t shown up to play all season.  They have played like garbage for most of this season, their defense is pathetic, and the offense has been lackluster despite all of the weapons they have. They are somehow still are in the middle of a tight Divisional race, even with a disgusting 5-8 record. They have screwed me multiple times this season, but somehow I still keep coming back to them. The Saints have to show up eventually…right?! The Bears ironically have the exact same record as the Saints, and they are no where near a playoff race. Both of these defenses suck, so this game should be a high scoring affair. I’m going to double-down on my stupidity, and pick the Saints again here. They are somehow favorites on the road, which says how bad the Bears are. The Bears are completely in disarray, with the offensive coordinator apparently calling out the star QB Jay Cutler. The Bears are free-falling, and the Saints need to take advantage of this. I would say a loss puts them out of the playoff picture, but they could probably go 6-10 and still make the playoffs in that lowly division. Sean Payton is the better coach than Mark Trestman,  and he needs to get his team up for this game. I’m taking the Saints, in what should be an offensive showdown.

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots (-7.5)

The Dolphins beat the Pats earlier in the season. That doesn’t bode well for them in this one. Bill Belichick has not been swept by a divisional opponent since like 2001. There’s a reason it hasn’t happened in over 13 years. The Patriots are rolling right now, winners of eight of their last nine games. Their only lost came in a close game against the Packers. This team is clicking on offense and defense, and I can’t see them losing the Dolphins. The Dolphins have a very slim chance at the playoffs, and basically need to win out to have a chance. The Dolphins should be fired up in this game, but I can’t see them coming out with a win. The line is a little high for my taste, but I’m still gonna take the Pats in this one. They have been too impressive as of late to pick against them.

Andrew’s picks: Patriots (-7.5), Saints (-3), and Lions (-7.5)

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LIAM”S PICKS

So, last week was another rude reminder of how bad I can be when it comes to picking these games. First, I bought into the Ryan Tannehill project against the Ravens, which resulted in a Baltimore victory. I went against my better judgment when it came to gargantuan spreads and chose Green Bay, who were 13 point favorites to overcome that line, so they naturally did not against the Falcons. At least New England bailed me out by beating San Diego by nine, thanks to a long Julian Edelman touchdown catch. That 1-2 week has me sitting at 21-17-1, which leaves little room for error, so I will naturally choose some games that can go either way. My lines are from 5Dimes, via Oddsshark.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers (-3)

Ah, the NFC South. The biggest joke division in the NFL since the Seahawks won the NFC West a few years back with a 7-9 record. Of course, that team went on to beat the Saints in the Beast Quake game, while the winner of this division should not have much success in the postseason. Carolina is 4-8-1, yet is still in the race thanks to the mediocre play of Atlanta and New Orleans, so they still have a chance to get in the playoffs. They have to keep winning, though not having young gun Cam Newton under center due to his car accident may be on the minds of the Panther players. Nevertheless, this game may provide the spark Carolina needs, as they have played and defeated Tampa all the way back in Week 1, without Cam playing that game either. It will be tough, especially since Tampa has the services of rookie wideout Mike Evans, who has developed into Tampa’s major scoring weapon. However, Carolina has a young wideout of their own in Kelvin Benjamin, so it will be exciting to see how these two fare in their second matchup of the season. Plus, Carolina may actually have a running back who can actually run the ball, due to Jonathan Stewart’s breakout performance against New Orleans last week. Overall, both teams are pretty pathetic, but I will take Carolina, the lesser of the two evils here. Derek Anderson proved he could beat this defense before, so why not do it again?

Pittsburgh Steelers (-3) at Atlanta Falcons

The Pittsburgh Steelers are an enigma to me. On one hand, they have that insane scoring run against Houston, have Big Ben throw for six touchdowns against Indianapolis and Baltimore, and then score 25 points in the fourth quarter against AFC North-leading Cincinnati. On the other hand, they score no offensive touchdown against Jacksonville, get embarrassed at home against Tampa, forget how to play offense against the Jets, and nearly lose to Tennessee. This team is a bad case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and it gives me headaches every week they play. This week will hopefully be the former rather than the latter, but considering that the Falcons have a sub-.500 record, that may be a gamble. Pittsburgh has struggled mightily against bad teams, so there is a cause for concern. Having defensive end Brett Keisel out for the season due to a triceps injury certainly does not help the cause. One thing that could go in the Steelers’ favor is the questionable status of star wideout Julio Jones for Atlanta. Jones ripped apart the secondaries of both Arizona and Green Bay, to the tune of 21 catches and 448 receiving yards. Even if Jones plays, which I expect him to, the explosiveness he is known for may not be there. Hopefully, that is the case and Pittsburgh can go into the Georgia Dome and hand Matt Ryan a rare home loss.

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (-9)

Well, this rivalry was hyped up all offseason due to what happened in last season’s NFC Championship Game. We finally got the first head-to-head on Thanksgiving night, and it promptly was pretty underwhelming, to say the least. In a game dominated by field goals and defense, Seattle entered Levi’s Stadium and left the clear cut winner, by a 19-3 margin. Now, with all of the distractions going on off the field going hand-in-hand with dismal performances against Seattle and Oakland, the Niners now have to enter CenturyLink Field and contend with the 12th Man and the noise that they make. The rumblings about head coach Jim Harbaugh and the idea whether he would entertain the notion of leaving San Fran for the University of Michigan must be ignored for the Niners to have a legitimate shot. Then again, quarterback Colin Kaepernick has looked so lost these past two weeks that he will need to be at his A game if the 49ers even want to stay in this game. Both defenses are pretty solid, especially San Fran’s considering what they are missing due to injury, but I trust in Seattle’s a bit more. The Legion of Boom is starting to make big plays again, Marshawn Lynch is running wild, and Russell Wilson, while not having the stylish numbers, is still making plays and getting points on the board. That is the last thing San Fran wants to hear. I choose you, Seahawks.

Liam picks: Panthers (-3), Steelers (-3), Seahawks (-9)

Enjoy Week 15 of the NFL season everybody!

NFL Week 14 Head-to-Head Predictions

Well, hello there. Welcome Back! Orr Sports has been on a sort of a hiatus for the last ten days or so. Thanksgiving got in the way, plus Andrew had a birthday. Both of our pickers had too good of a time celebrating, and Liam is having technical issues with his laptop.  All in all, it led to you having a few days to rest your eyes, and get ready for the final push of NFL picks. Have no fear, because we are back and ready to go. This week brings some exciting matchups, so let us see what Liam and Andrew do this week.

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ANDREW’S PICKS

So we took Week 13 off, which given my record, was a good thing. Before we left, I continued my trend of brutal 1-2 weekends. Week 12 saw another backdoor Dolphins cover that killed any chance of me catching Liam. My overall record is a dismal 15-20-1. Since this competition is basically over, I’m going to get creative with my picks from here on out. I will take more risks, and do some more crazy stuff. I also might pick more than 3 games, depending on what I like from here on out. Let’s congratulate Liam, as he’s all but locked up being the better of the two pickers this season. My picks and are from GT Bets, via Oddsshark. I hope you enjoyed you’re week off, as I’m predicting another mediocre week for me.

New York Giants (-1.5) at Tennessee Titans

The Giants suck this season. The Titans suck this season. Both teams are playing against each other. One of these two teams has to win…right? I’m picking the Giants to suck less and end up leaving Nashville with a win. The Giants have a breakout star in Odell Beckham Jr., and if Eli Manning is smart, he should throw it up to him on almost every passing down. Rueben Randle and Preston Parker have been non-factors in the offense. Tight end Larry Donnell has looked good, but is very inconsistent. The season is over, just throw it up to OBJ on every play, and let him do some spectacular things. The Giants had a win all but confirmed at halftime in Jacksonville last weekend, only to have the Jaguars play their best football all season in the second half, and squeaked out a last-second win. The Titans are on a 6 game losing streak, and lost their last 2 games by 24 and 19 points. The Titans look like they are starting Zach Mettenberger, despite suffering an injury in his last game. Then again his backup is Jake Locker, so an injured Mettenberger is probably still better than a healthy Locker. Either way, the Giants should win this game. They got embarrassed by the Jaguars last weekend, and should be revved up to destroy a Titans team that is jockeying for the 1st overall pick.

Seattle Seahawks (+1) at Philadelphia Eagles

Everyone knows I’m a fan of Mark Sanchez. I was in the minority of Jets fans that still wanted him on the team after last season. He’s played very good in the absence of Nick Foles, running the high-octane Chip Kelly offense. He will face his toughest test thus far this season, home against a stellar Seahawks defense. The Seahawks look to have gotten their mojo back, as they’ve held their last two opponents (the Cardinals and the 49ers) to just six points combined. Their defense seems to be the stout unit they were last year, and while their offense has struggled this season, they still put up enough points to win. This game should be epic, as both teams are trying to win their respective divisions. The Eagles are prolific offensively, even with Marky Mark at the helm, and their defense and special teams have both played very well all season. The line suggests that this is basically a pick-em game, and I’m going with the Seahawks to pull out a close one. I know they have to travel across country, and I know they aren’t as good of a team on the road as they are at home, but until Sanchez proves that he can take out a top-5 defense, I’m taking the defense.

Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints (-10)

The Saints are fighting for a division title, despite the fact they have an under .500 record. Drew Brees has not been his MVP self this season, despite having thrown for the 2nd most yards this season. Their offense has a new element, with Mark Ingram emerging as a top-back in the League, not surprisingly as he’s scheduled to be a free agent after this season. The Offensive weapons are there for Brees, with some tight end that no one has heard of, and a couple of stellar young receivers in Kenny Stills, Joseph Morgan and Nick Toon. Their defense is atrocious, as Rob Ryan clearly is an overrated defensive coordinator. Their defense couldn’t stop me and 10 of my friends on offense, let alone Cam Newton. Still, even with a horrid defense and a good offense, the Saints should easily handle the Panthers. When these two teams played in October, the Saints won by 18 points, and the game wasn’t even that close. I expect the Saints to roll over the Panthers at home, as both the offense and defense has struggled mightily this season. Cam Newton is nursing too many injuries to count, and they haven’t replaced all of the players they lost in Free Agency last offseason. If the Saints want to win this division, they need this win. The Saints and Falcons have the same record, but the Falcons are ahead of the Saints by a tiebreaker. The Saints can pick up a solid divisional win against the Panthers here this weekend, and I expect them to win by at least 2 scores.

Andrew’s picks: Giants (-1.5), Seahawks (+1), and Saints (-10)

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LIAM”S PICKS

We are back, and it was a much needed week off. Week 12 saw my first 1-2 week since Week 5 and it was a pretty sight. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers actually let me down for once in their hotly contested victory over the pesky Vikings. The Cowboys started out doing the typical Dallas thing in trailing early, but then the Giants did their typical Giants thing, blew that lead, and lost… by three points rather than the needed four. However, Brian Hoyer and the Brownies bailed me out thanks to Billy Cundiff’s game winning field goal against the Falcons. So, I stand at 20-15-1, not as bad as Andrew makes it out to be. That must be the Jets defeatist attitude he has. Either way, hopefully the break recharged my picking juices and will get me back in the right direction. My lines are from Bovada, via OddsShark.

Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins (-3)

Ryan Tannehill and the Fins got more than they bargained for when they went up against a Jets team with nothing to lose and looking to play spoiler on Monday night. After getting destroyed on the ground by Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory, the Dolphins figured it out, actually defended against the run, and forced Geno Smith to throw the ball. Needless to say, that is an excellent situation to force the Jets into. The Ravens are not the Jets and Joe Flacco is not Geno Smith. Flacco has some weapons, like Steve Smith and Torrey Smith, and having a revitalized running back in Justin Forsett definitely helps the cause. The biggest concern for Baltimore is their defense, which sustained a massive blow this week with the suspension of star defensive tackle Haloti Ngata due to testing positive for Adderall. While they still have a great linebacker trio of Daryl Smith, C.J. Mosley, and Terrell Suggs, Ngata is a major force on the defensive line, which will severely be missed when it comes to pressuring the quarterback. The 3,287 passing yards allowed, the second most in the league, certainly is a sticking point for Tannehill and his receivers. Without Ngata providing a lot of pressure, Tannehill should have more time to air it out to Mike Wallace, Jarvis Landry, and the rest of his receivers. Elvis Dumervil cannot do everything himself on the defensive line, and I doubt that rookie Timmy Jernigan will be able to provide a Ngata-like presence. Both teams need a victory today, and I think Miami will be the team to do it.

New England Patriots (-4) at San Diego Chargers

So, that Tom Brady vs. Aaron Rodgers was pretty exciting, wouldn’t ya say? It lived up to the hype, though the Brady Bunch probably would have liked it to have gone in their favor. Now, they travel to Qualcomm Stadium to face off against a Chargers squad that had a critical comeback win over the Ravens. Philip Rivers has had a stupendous game, leading the Bolts down the field and hitting Eddie Royal for the game winner. This is a promising Sunday Night Football game and seeping with potential. The Patriots have their always puzzling running back situation, with Shane Vereen, Jonas Gray, and LeGarrette Blount handling the carries. Who will dominate the running is a mystery to everyone, so your guess is as good as mine. The Bolts have Ryan Mathews back, but he was ineffective last week. Rookie Branden Oliver has become non-existent ever since Mathews returned, despite his hot stretch in the middle of the season. So, naturally, the running situations are pretty murky. San Diego has got Keenan Allen rolling, Eddie Royal scoring, and Antonio Gates still making plays. New England has Rob Gronkowski bulldozing defenders, Brandon LaFell making critical catches, and Julian Edelman proving himself due to his 112 targets and 77 receptions. It is pretty even offensively, so the defense is key. San Diego, led by safety Eric Weddle, has the edge over New England, led by linebacker Jamie Collins, but I still buy the Pats. Bill Belichick knows how to fix mistakes, and last week was a misstep. I choose you, New England.

Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers (-13)

You would think I am the president of the Green Bay Packers Fan Club by the sheer frequency of predictions I make that have the Cheeseheads included. There really is no ulterior motive behind it, I just like Aaron Rodgers and the way he plays, especially at Lambeau Field. When a guy has thrown 20 touchdowns and no interceptions at home, you kind of get the idea that he feels comfortable in front of the home crowd. Rodgers in December, who is 13-4 in the month the past five seasons, is even more troubling for Atlanta, who are probably one of the most unimpressive division leaders in recent memory. While last week’s win over the Cardinals was a decent victory, it may have been too little, too late. It is pretty bad that Matt Ryan, one of the bright young guns in the league, has played pretty well this season and has a fearsome one-two punch of Julio Jones and Roddy White, but has to deal with an absolutely atrocious defense to have faith in. Linebacker Paul Worrilow has been a bright spot in an otherwise dreadful defensive core that knows how to force turnovers, but not much else. Probably the key factor is this matchup is the Falcon pass defense versus the Packer run defense. I feel like a broken record for always saying this, but running the ball down Green Bay’s throat should be the priority of keeping Rodgers off the field and stand a chance. However, Atlanta gives up an absurd 3,419 passing yards, the most allowed in the league, which should cause Rodgers to be licking his chops. Eddie Lacy should be excited too, as Atlanta has allowed 15 rushing touchdowns, also the most allowed in the league. I normally stay away from gigantic lines like this, but I cannot resist. Green Bay is where I go to here.

Liam picks: Dolphins (-3), Patriots (-4), Packers (-13)

Enjoy Week 14 of the NFL season!

NFL Week 12 Head-to-Head Predictions

Well, here we are at Week 12 of the 2014 NFL season. Last week featured a return to mediocrity for Andrew and a H2H first for Liam. The season is winding down, meaning each pick matters more and more. Who will emerge victorious in this season of predictions? Will there be any more great selections? Will the Thursday Night Football predictions please, please stop? Those questions will be answered (except that last one) in the next few weeks. Let us get going.

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ANDREW’S PICKS

Another mediocre week at 1-2. My overall record is still a poor 14-18-1. I could have easily been 0-3 if the Panthers are not pathetic, and missed a relatively easy Field Goal in the 4th quarter. Liam sucks on Thursday picks, but somehow seems to be pretty decent on Sunday picks. That does not bode well for me, as I have only 5 weeks left in the season. I’m 5 games behind Liam, and need to make a move now if I’m going to catch him.  Sunday, November 23rd, and are from GT Bets, via Oddsshark. We all need to rally together, and collectively defeat Liam. I’ll keep my picks short, as I don’t find a need to articulate on predictions that will probably be wrong. I’m picking three home favorites this weekend, because, hey why not? Let’s hope for a 3-0 weekend.

Miami Dolphins at Denver Broncos (-7)

The Dolphins are playing well, and have a chance to make the playoffs this year. That is surprising, considering all the drama that has been around them since last season (anyone remember Richie Incognito?). I’ve picked against the Dolphins many times this season, and every time they have proven me wrong. But this time, I am (somewhat) more confident. The Broncos are coming off a bad loss to St. Louis last weekend, and despite the fact that their two major running-backs are injured, I think the immortal Peyton Manning is going to look to bounce back. The Dolphins had 10 days off coming off a Thursday night win over the Bills, all but sealing their fate as the 3rd place team in the AFC East, with my pitiful Jets coming in last. The Dolphins have been impressive, and if they weren’t playing the Broncos on the road, I actually might consider picking them. But Peyton Manning coming off a loss with only a touchdown spread? I’m taking Manning. This would be a huge win, and they could further solidify their top 2 seed in the AFC with Kansas City choking away a huge Thursday Night game against the Raiders. I’m going with the Broncos, as I expect them to win by at least a few scores in this one, as they are going to want to prove that they are the class of the AFC.

Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans (-2)

Both the Bengals and the Texans are coming off huge road wins last weekend. The Texans are fighting for a Wild-Card spot, while the Bengals have jumped ahead into 1st place in the tough AFC North. Both teams are solid, but the Bengals seem to have huge problems playing in Houston. Andy Dalton has had his worst games playing in Houston, and the Texans defense is legit. The Offense seemed to be revitalized with a change at QB, and while I don’t expect a blowout, I do see the Texans winning the game outright by at least a field goal. Cincinnati has lost five straight to the Texans, including two losses in the playoffs, and I don’t see this trend ending today. Even with Bengals’ running-back Gio Bernard expected to play, I see the Texans climbing above the .500 mark, and they continuing their to fight their way into a Wild-Card spot.

Detroit Lions at New England Patriots (-7)

It’s no surprise that I hate the Patriots. I hate Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and everyone else that’s apart of their organization. That being said, I know their team is for real this year. Gronk has proven to be the best Tight End in the League, Brady is immortal, and it really doesn’t matter who they put at running-back, as they seem to always get 100+ yards and a TD. The Lions are coming off a bad loss to the Cardinals, where the Pats are coming off a huge win on Sunday night against the Colts. The Pats look to be the best team in the AFC, and I see them continuing their winning ways. Stafford has never won a big game on the road in his career, and playing in New England will not be easy on him. Remember in the beginning of the season when the so-called experts thought the Pats were finished? Yeah, they were way off. They are solid on both sides of the ball, and know how to win a big game. Detroit has been good all season, but this is a tough matchup for them. I’m taking the Pats, unfortunately, as I see them winning by at least a TD.

Andrew’s picks: Broncos (-7), Texans (-2) and Patriots (-7)

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LIAM”S PICKS

So, this is a weird thing to be doing. I am making my predictions first for the first time ever, I believe. Let us hope these choices will be similar to the ones I made last week. Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers continued to not let me down thanks to their slaughtering of the Eagles. The 49ers capitalized on the awfulness of Eli Manning and intercepted him five times en route to a six point victory. The New England Patriots did not appreciate being underdogs again, so Jonas Gray ran wild, the defense got to Andrew Luck, and the Pats destroyed Indy by 22 points. That left me at a perfect 3-0 record for the week, my first perfect week so far this season. My 19-13-1 record is pretty great at this point in the season, but let us not stop there. My picks are from Saturday, November 22 and my lines are from Topbet, via Oddsshark.

Cleveland Browns at Atlanta Falcons (-3)

He’s back. After two months of waiting out his ten game suspension, wide receiver Josh Gordon is making a return to Cleveland. The NFL’s leading receiver is a blessing in disguise for Brian Hoyer, whose sub-par performance led the Browns back to the cellar of the AFC North with a “terrible” 6-4 record. Andrew Hawkins will welcome Gordon back, so opposing cornerbacks will focus their attention on Gordon. The release of running back Ben Tate means that the trust in Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West is strong, but they must be able to break through against an Atlanta defense that allows the most yards in the league. The Cleveland defense must keep Steven Jackson at bay, since this is the same unit that allowed Houston backup running back Alfred Blue to dash for 156 yards. That cannot happen against Jackson, especially given his struggles throughout the season. Joe Haden can cover Julio Jones, but the absence of nose tackle Phil Taylor and linebacker Karlos Dansby shall sting. Despite the losses, I still Gordon will help Hoyer air it out and lead Cleveland to the victory.

Green Bay Packers (-8) at Minnesota Vikings

Yup, they are back. You can never have too much of a good thing. Aaron Rodgers and the rest of the Cheeseheads decided that the only way to follow their amazing performance against the rival Chicago Bears was to mirror that same performance against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Pack dominated Mark Sanchez and the Eagles, forcing four turnovers and scoring off two of them. Rodgers threw three touchdown passes, running back Eddie Lacy ran another in. Even safety Micah Hyde returned a punt for one. The only thing bad that game was kicker Mason Crosby having two extra points blocked. So, now they face off against the Minnesota Vikings and rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. The last time they played, Green Bay thrashed the Vikes 42-10 in Green Bay. Sure, Bridgewater did not play in that game, but does that make a difference? Minnesota may have claimed Ben Tate from Cleveland to help Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata out, but that will not matter too much. I keep saying teams need to run against the atrocious Packer run defense, but they trail so early, throwing seems like the only option. I thik you know where I am going here.

Dallas Cowboys (-4) at New York Giants

Surprise! Another Sunday Night Football game as one of my three selections. Well, it is time again for SNF to show up and, this time, the NFC East shines. Sure, they could have switched this game with Arizona-Seattle, but I digress. Anyhoo, the Cowboys are rested and quarterback Tony Romo should be ready to go against a Giants team that could not catch a break. They were in the game against San Francisco until the very end, but Eli Manning kept giving San Fran more and more opportunities. Now, I am fully aware that Manning is pretty efficient against Dallas throughout his career, but that is speaking statistically. Record-wise, he is 10-10 in 20 regular season meetings. He has the weapons to work with in Rueben Randle, Larry Donnell, and Odell Beckham, Jr. Dallas still has Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, as well as touchdown happy Terrance Williams. Of course, the key in all of this is running back DeMarco Murray, the leading rusher in the league with a mind-boggling 1,233 rushing yards. Murray has had success against the G-Men in the past, so if he can continue that trend, Romo will have room to work and Dallas will keep pace with Philadelphia in the division.

Liam picks: Browns (+3), Packers (-8), Cowboys (-4)

 

NFL Week 11 Head-to-Head Predictions

Hello and welcome to Week 11 in the NFL. Both Liam and Andrew went a solid 2-1 last weekend. Once again Liam picked a game on Thursday night, and once again we just won’t talk about it.  We’ll pretend that Thursday games don’t happen. The season is dwindling down, as there is only six more solid weekends of Football after today, not counting the Playoffs. The games are getting harder to pick, but our writers are up for the challenge, kinda… sort of…. not really. Let’s see if both prognosticators can rise to the occasion.

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Andrew’s Picks

Coming off a solid weekend, I’m still running out of time to catch up to Liam. I went 2-1, and should have been 3-0 if not for a questionable Jimmy Graham offensive pass interference that would have led the Saints to a victory. Overall, I’m still a poor 13-16-1, but once again am one perfect weekend from getting back to the .500 mark, a place I have not been all season. With six weekends more to go, and with Liam actually trying on the Sunday picks (unlike his Thursday picks), I need to make my move now. Once again,  let’s all join together and hope Liam’s horrible Thursday night picking record starts rubbing off on his Sunday picks. Fingers doubly-crossed!  I’m picking three road teams this weekend, a risky move on my part. But I like to live life on the edge. My picks are from Saturday, November 15th, and are from GT Bets, via Oddsshark.

Seattle Seahawks (pk) at the Kansas City Chiefts

The Seahawks have been lackluster all season, but still find themselves with a 6-3 record, and in a good position to make a move on another division title (especially with the first-place Cardinals losing their starting QB for the season). Their passing game has looked dysfunctional, and their defense, which was the best defense in the League last season, has had deficiencies. Despite all these flaws, I’m picking the Seahawks here. It’s a pick ’em game, so all I need from them is a straight out victory, be it by 1 point or 10 points. The Seahawks are a gutty, gritty team, that seems to find a way to pull out games late, when they have absolutely no right to do so. The Chiefs are coming off a huge win in Buffalo, where the stingy Buffalo defense had Alex Smith in turmoil all game. The Seahawks defense, while not as dominant as last year, are still very tough.  Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch was in absolute beast mode last weekend against the Giants, and the Chiefs are going to have a tough time trying to stop him, even if he is coming into the game nursing a rib injury. I’m taking the Seahawks to win an ugly game here.

Atlanta Falcons (-1) at the Carolina Panthers

I’m not a huge fan of either team here, as the Falcons have really not been impressive in any one of their 3 wins, minus the Buccaneer shalacking. Somehow, at a gaudy 3-6 record the Falcons are only one game behind the Saints for the Division lead. The Panthers are also only one game behind in the NFC South, but their record is 3-6-1, so technically worse than the Falcons. Falcon head coach Mike Smith is probably going to get canned at the end of the season, even if they do sneak into the playoffs. The only reason I like the Falcons in this game, is because the Panthers have looked even worse than Falcons this season. The Panthers are coming off a complete beat-down by Mark Sanchez and the Eagles, Cam Newton is playing hurt, and their defense is horrible. The Falcons need to be recharged by the fact that they have had a horrible first 9 games of their season, yet they are still in striking distance of the playoffs. The NFC South sucks, and one of these teams have to win the division. Why can’t it be the Falcons, with Matty Ice, Julio Jones, Roddy White and Steven Jackson? Every defense in the division sucks, so this game might be a shootout, but the spread basically makes this game a pick ’em. I’m taking the Falcons to win this game outright, and make one last push to the playoffs. If they lose, Mike Smith should just stay into North Carolina and not get on the plane.

Detroit Lions (+1) at Arizona Cardinals

In the game of the year thus far, the two best teams in the NFC square off at 4:25 in Phoenix. Jim Caldwell has completely turned around the state of Detroit Lions football, as they are a defensively stout and disciplined team. They have found a great compliment to Megatron in Golden Tate, Megatron will have his hands full with All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson playing opposite him, and Matthew Stafford will face off against the best defense he’s seen this season. The Cardinals are without their starting QB Carson Palmer (who they lost for the season), days after signing him to a three-year extension. Drew Stanton is a solid backup, but he’s no Palmer, and the Lions’ defense is for real this season. In my basically third pickem game, I’m taking the Lions in this one. Despite what the head coach Bruce Arians has said, he’s going to have to scale back the offense a tad with Stanton as QB instead of Palmer. Stanton is a bit of a gunslinger, so expect a few turnovers in this one. Plus the rushing attack for the Cardinals has been basically non-existent all season. That does not bode well against a Lions defense that ranks number 2 in the League in rushing defense, and 3rd in the League in passing defense. I expect both teams to put up some points in this one, but I see the Lions pulling out a close win.

Andrew’s Picks: Seahawks (pk), Falcons (-1), and Lions (+1)

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LIAM’S PICKS

You ever heard that old phrase “Go with your gut, not with your heart” before? Well, that happened last week, because I kept telling literally every single person I talked in regards to the Steelers-Jets game that I would be not surprised if Pittsburgh lost due to their dreadful trend of playing down to terrible teams. Of course, they lost and looked pitiful over the course of the game. Naturally, I involved that game in my Head-to-Head picks… but I picked Pittsburgh. So, I did not listen to my own words of caution. Not falling for that this week, so do not expect Pittsburgh-Tennessee here. It was not all bad last week, as Arizona rallied behind Drew Stanton and had the defense go crazy and Aaron Rodgers helping me out again by making the Bears look like the Cubs on Sunday night. A fourth straight 2-1 weekend has me sitting at 16-13-1, a respectable record that is not sub-.500, so that is something. Let us hope that continues. My lines are from Sunday, November 16, and are from 5Dimes, via Oddsshark.

San Francisco 49ers (-4) at New York Giants

Rashad Jennings is coming back from his knee injury and that should be very comforting to fans of the New York Giants. While Andre Williams has done a pretty good job filling in for Jennings, the running attack has definitely not had the same spark with Jennings sitting out. The three victories for the G-Men all featured super performances on the ground, but the third win was when Jennings went down, so who knows what he will do today. The same can be said of San Francisco, who has been wildly inconsistent throughout the 2014 campaign. They have had moments like last week’s crazy overtime victory in the Superdome, but also have had bad moments, namely the heartbreaker against St. Louis. It probably does not help San Fran that star linebacker Patrick Willis is officially done for the rest of the season, but what they do gain is suspended defensive end Aldon Smith back. His nine-game suspension is done and Smith should be ready to rock today, so that gives the Niners a much needed boost in their already solid defense. Jim Harbaugh is also 8-1 all-time when playing on the East Coast, the only loss being to his brother, John, in Baltimore in 2011. I will go for the 49ers here.

Philadelphia Eagles at Green Bay Packers (-5)

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I have picked Green Bay pretty frequently throughout the Head-to-Head Predictions matchups and the Packers have (almost) helped me out every time. Last week was another example of that, thanks to Aaron Rodgers dismantling the Bears and their decrepit defense. Now, they face an actual defense this time around against the Philadelphia squad led by the ex-Jet, Mark Sanchez. Sanchez shredded the Panthers and had one of his best games a professional quarterback. He has the arsenal of talent, showing off Jordan Matthews to the world, as well as having Darren Sproles show why New Orleans never should have let him go. However, this is the Packers we are talking about, and they are facing an Eagles team that allows the fourth most passing touchdowns in the NFL. Rodgers should be licking his chops once he gets word of that statistical nugget. Okay, maybe Philly does not really have a defense. If the Eagles want a chance to win, they desperately need Sproles and the wildly ineffective LeSean McCoy to make plays and gash the woeful Green Bay run defense apart. Otherwise, Green Bay will help me out again and win, and that is what I expect them to do.

New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts (-3)

Yup, it is another Sunday Night Football game here. Do not act surprised, for I enjoy the intrigue that these games have, and this one is no exception. Andrew Luck, probably the brightest young star in the NFL today, tries to defend his home turf against the venerable Tom Brady and the Patriots. Obviously, whoever thought this line up clearly forgot about the Broncos-Patriots tilt, where New England was a home underdog but eviscerated Peyton Manning and company. This is different, seeing as how the Brady Bunch are on the road this week, but he is still Tom Brady. That Kansas City beatdown lit a fire under Brady, Bill Belichick, and the rest of the Patriots and they have not lost since then. Brady, in particular, has been firing on all cylinders, throwing 18 touchdown passes versus only one lone interception. Shane Vereen and Jonas Gray have handled the rushing attack, while Brandon LaFell has become a reliable target for Brady to go along with Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski. Indianapolis is a superb team, with a scoring machine as their offense, but the pass defense has been slowly getting exposed, thanks to the otherworldly performance of Ben Roethlisberger (Got to mention Pittsburgh at least once in my picks, I guess) and his 522 passing yards and six touchdown passes. Eli Manning, while not like Ben’s game, did perform better than most of the Colts’ opposition. Tom Brady is Tom Brady for a reason, and there has not been a defense he has not picked apart yet. Peyton may not have the horseshoe helmet on these days, but New England still should have a good time tonight. I have the Pats.

Liam picks: 49ers (-4), Packers (-5), Patriots (+3)

As always, enjoy your NFL Sunday.

NFL Week 9 Head-to-Head Predictions

Hello and welcome to Week 9 of the NFL Season. The Major League Baseball season is officially over, and the NBA season tipped off this week. The Thursday Night Football game was sloppy, and the Saints could have won by thirty points if not for some ugly Drew Brees turnovers. There are six teams on the bye this week, so picks will be a bit more tough this weekend. Despite that, we here at Orr Sports are up for the challenge (or hopefully so).

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Andrew’s Picks

Another down week last Sunday, as I went 1-2, bringing my overall record to an unsatisfactory 10-14. The Jets did what the Jets usually do and disappoint, and the Colts ran into a career day from Big Ben. My one win came from the Saints, proving again that they are just a different team at home. My poor season continues, and I’m running out of time to right this ship. My optimism is starting to fade that I can actually get this season back on track, but a solid week 9 will lift my spirits. Let’s hope for the best here. My picks are from Saturday, November 1st, and are from GT Bets, via Oddsshark.

Arizona Cardinals (+2.5) at Dallas Cowboys

This is a very risky pick, as I am making it without knowing the status of one Tony Romo. If Brandon Weeden starts in his place, the line will probably swing the other way, and the Cowboys will become the underdog. But where it is right now, it’s too tempting not to take the Cards here. This team is coming off a huge last second win against the Eagles last Sunday. Gunslinger Carson Palmer is utilizing his weapons much more than Drew Stanton did in his absence. Larry Fitzgerald is coming off his best game, rookie receiver John Brown is starting to find his way in the league, and Michael Floyd looks like the clear number 1 receiver on the team. The Cowboys defense, which took a lot of flack in the offseason, has actually played pretty well until last Monday. The Redskins, led by third-string quarterback Colt McCoy, picked apart this overachieving defensive unit to a stunning overtime win. This secondary will be put to the test again this weekend against Palmer and those aforementioned receivers. The Cardinals defense is solid, led by a top tier cornerback in Patrick Peterson, and should do a pretty good job at slowing down the Cowboys offense, with or without Romo. I love the Cardinals in this game, especially getting points. It looks to be a close contest between these two top NFC teams, but I’m taking the Cardinals here.

San Diego Chargers (+2) at Miami Dolphins

After winning five games in a row, the Chargers have lost two tough division games to the Chiefs and Broncos. The latter came on a national TV Thursday night game, meaning they had ten days to try and stop this skid. They are on the road, playing an early East Coast game in Miami. The Dolphins, meanwhile, have come off two very good wins against the Bears and Jaguars. This is going to be a tough matchup for the Chargers, as the Dolphins have a pretty solid defense and the Chargers are beat up on the offensive line. Still, I like the Chargers in this one. Philip Rivers has had a great season thus far, even with a weak offensive line. Their running game has been solid, regardless of whoever they trot out there. Their receiving corp has been very good all season, and their defense is solid. This is no way going to be an easy game for San Diego, but I’m still picking the Chargers. I trust Rivers way more than I do Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill, and the Dolphins have not played well at home over the last two seasons. They are just a measly 5-6 in their last 11 games at home. I’m taking the Chargers with the 2 points here.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Cincinnati Bengals (-10)

The line is a big high for my liking, as the Jaguars have played well as of late, but I’m still picking the Bengals. Cincinnati had a huge win last weekend against the Ravens, who was playing extremely well coming into the game. The Bengals are supposed to be getting back the best receiver in the League in A.J. Green on Sunday, and that should make QB Andy Dalton extremely happy. The Bengals are in a tough division, and need a statement win here against the Jaguars. The Bengal defense, which is what Head Coach Marvin Jones has made a career on, has been dreadful this entire season. If they can’t capitalize against the turnover prone Jaguars, I’m not sure they will ever right this ship. Star running back Gio Bernard is out, but Jeremy Hill should fill in serviceable.  Rutgers alum Mohamed Sanu has shown that he can be a perfect compliment to AJ Green, and Andy Dalton has had a good rapport with him over the last few weekends. I see the Bengals building off their huge win against the Ravens last weekend, and rolling over a 1-7 Jacksonville team.

Andrew’s Picks: Cardinals (+2.5), Chargers (+2), and Bengals (-10)

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LIAM’S PICKS

So, Week 8 was pretty kind to me (for the most part) when it came to my selections. The Dolphins had two interceptions of Blake Bortles and promptly returned them both for touchdowns in Miami’s dominant victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Browns (shockingly) did not let me down and had a ten point victory over the hapless Oakland Raiders. Then, there was the Ravens losing by three to the Bengals, a point over the line. So, another 2-1 week for me has me at a cool 12-11-1 for the 2014 season. Time to see if I can keep it up with three more picks, all home teams yet again. My lines are from today and are from Topbet, via Oddsshark.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Cleveland Browns (-7)

Here we go again, putting my faith in the Browns again. Last week should have been a given, due to the ineptitude of the Oakland Raiders, and that assumption paid off for Cleveland (and me), but this is another week where Cleveland faces off against another NFL cellar dweller, this time facing off against Tampa Bay. Brian Hoyer had a reversal of fortunes against the Oakland defense, going 19-28 with one passing touchdown. While not out of this world numbers, he did not throw an interception and was sacked only once. The three-headed monster of Ben Tate, Terrance West, and Isaiah Crowell were practically non-existent against Oakland, running for a measly 39 yards. Now, they face a Tampa defense that is one of the worst units in football. The trade of Mark Barron to the St. Louis Rams leaves a major void in the secondary, especially considering Barron was one of the lone bright spots on that defense. Lavonte David is still on the Bucs’ roster, but that may not be good enough. That overtime loss at the hands of the Vikings last week may fuel the fire, but with struggling running back Doug Martin out today and the defense showing no signs of improving, I am trusting Cleveland again this week. Don’t let me down guys.

Denver Broncos (-3) at New England Patriots

Remember when the Patriots went to Kansas City a few weeks ago and got absolutely slaughtered on Monday Night Football? That feels like ages ago, and the Patriots seemed to have forgotten that too. Well, maybe not forgot, but use that game as bulletin board material as a reminder of how vulnerable they can be when not prepared. Well, four games later and New England is 4-0 in those games with Tom Brady throwing 14 touchdowns and no interceptions. Now, they face off against longtime adversary Peyton Manning and the Broncos, who have had ten days to prepare for this confrontation. The last time they played in Foxboro, Denver blew a 24-0 halftime lead and lost 34-31 in overtime. Denver rectified that by beating New England in the postseason, but that was last season. The Denver offense is a well-oiled machine as always, but New England has had their share of offensive explosions this season, so it comes down to the defenses. The Broncos have the better defense, yards-wise, as the rush defense is air tight and the pass defense is slightly better while the Patriots have been gutted by the run and the pass has not been hurting them too badly. Those facts do not take into account the impact Darrelle Revis had in the passing game, as passes normally do not go his way. However, the main factor is that the Patriots are at home, and Peyton Manning is not as automatic in Foxboro as he is anywhere else. New England is dangerous, especially when considered as the underdogs.

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers (PK)

Ah, another Sunday Night Football game featured as one of my picks. Also, the game features the Steelers, so they are involved in a choice I make yet again. The last time Pittsburgh was on SNF, they made the Carolina Panthers look like the Carolina Pussycats, dominating every facet of the game… and I picked against them, naturally. This time, I feel a bit more confident in siding with Pittsburgh since, despite my fandom, we have not seen eye-to-eye in regards to these picks. I pick Carolina to beat Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh wins. I pick Pittsburgh to beat Tampa, they lose. I pick Pittsburgh over Jacksonville, they nearly lost. It has been a shaky ride, so why pick them again, especially against their hated rivals? Well, that Thursday Night game in September was a disaster, though Big Ben did not have receivers with much experience with the passing game, excluding Antonio Brown and Heath Miller. Six weeks later, and the Steelers have improved drastically on offense. Brown needs no explanation, Le’Veon Bell has made a bigger impact both on the ground and through the air, and Heath is Big Ben’s security blanket. Markus Wheaton has had his struggles, but is slowly getting there. The bigger X-factor could be Martavis Bryant, who made his name known last week in the record-setting performance against the Indianapolis Colts last week. I know that these games are typically always close and, even though Baltimore lost a heartbreaker last week, they will be hungry for a season sweep of the Black and Gold. Terrell Suggs has been iffy this season, but he is always a major player in this rivalry, so the offensive line for Pittsburgh must not underestimate Suggs. Justin Forsett and Lorenzo Taliaferro have been great for the Baltimore running game, but I would take Le’Veon Bell any day of the week. Antonio Brown, especially with Baltimore cornerback Jimmy Smith out tonight, makes yet another case for himself as the league’s top wide receiver, and the Steelers keep the momentum from last week going and eke by Baltimore tonight.

Liam picks: Browns (-7), Patriots (+3), Steelers (PK)

As always, enjoy the Week 9 games.

Thursday Night Football: Jets-Patriots Preview

So last Thursday Night actually saw two decent teams in the Colts and Texans. Even better, the game was actually competitive. What a relief compared to all the other borefests that have occurred. Pretty ironic that Arian Foster, the guy who criticized TNF the most was involved in a five-point game. But enough of last week, Week 7 starts tonight and we get a classic AFC East rivalry between the New York Jets and New England Patriots. I may being a bit generous when I say “classic” because New England has taken control of this series since a certain University of Michigan alum took over at quarterback. Nevertheless, the Jets have been known to surprise the Patriots every now and then, but will this time be one of those times? Let us examine this matchup.

New York Jets vs New England Patriots

As always, first up are the quarterbacks.

QUARTERBACKS

Jets quarterback Geno Smith (Source: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images North America) vs Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (Source: Brett Carlsen/Getty Images North America)

Yeah, let us just hurry and get this one out of the way fast. Second year man Geno Smith has been up and down, but mostly down. Since New York’s Week 1 game against the Oakland Raiders, where Smith had completed 82% of his passes and had a quarterback rating of 96.6, his numbers have plummeted to the point of no return. The biggest catastrophe was the Week 5 nightmare against San Diego, when Smith only threw for 27 yards. His ability as a mobile quarterback was vanished from last season, as Geno has 102 rushing yards on the season and five fumbles already. His backup, Michael Vick, has a mere 20 pass attempts, so it is safe to assume that Geno will be the Jets’ starter. Then, there is Tom Brady for New England. After four weeks of very un-Tom Brady mediocrity, Brady has had two stellar performances against Cincinnati and Buffalo, to the tune of 653 passing yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions. History has shown that Brady has his struggles against New York, as he averages 233 yards and a little over a touchdown in 24 career matchups. Geno may not have as much experience as Brady, but he has played New England twice, averaging 224 yards and two interceptions in those games. So, any question who I am going with in this face-off?

VERDICT: PATRIOTS

Both teams are not exactly loaded at the running back department. Regardless, whose is better?

RUNNING BACKS

Jets running back Chris Johnson (Source: Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America) vs Patriots running back Shane Vereen (Source: Jim Rogash/Getty Images North America)

This breakdown is a bit trickier. The Jets have a trio of running backs, all of whom are having some struggles. High-profile signing Chris Johnson has not been able to produce since his 2,006 rushing yards season in 2009. He has yet to rush to 100 yards yet in the season, and has seen his carries decrease every week. Bilal Powell, a surprise for the Jets last season with 697 rushing yards, has been non-existent this season. Then again, New York implemented a two-back strategy last season. That leaves Chris Ivory, the former New Orleans Saint, as the featured back for the Jets. Ivory emerged as the Jets’ number one option after his 139 yards performance against his former team last season. While he has not exactly wowed anybody so far, he is the best New York has got. New England, on the other hand, has issues. Their feature was Stevan Ridley, with his 340 rushing yards. However, Ridley tore his ACL and MCL against Buffalo, so he is out for the season. Enter Shane Vereen, who will be taking over the rest of the way. Brandon Bolden will probably take the backup role, which will be interesting to see Bolden take some reps. I will give Vereen the edge here for one major reason: his role in the passing game. Vereen has been Tom Brady’s favorite running back to involve in the passing game, targeting Vereen 25 times through the first six games.The Jets’ running backs have been targeted by Geno Smith 34 times combined. Point goes to New England.

VERDICT: PATRIOTS

So, how about those receivers? Whose got the better unit?

RECEIVING UNIT

Jets wide receiver Eric Decker (Source: Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America) vs Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (Source: Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images North America)

The talent is there for both teams. The only problem is actually the football in their hands. Geno Smith and Tom Brady’s weapons actually are pretty close when it comes to their targets, Jet players with 202 targets and Patriot players with 214 targets. Jeremy Kerley and Julian Edelman are the top targets, and with Eric Decker and Rob Gronkowski on these rosters, that is saying something. Granted, both Edelman and Kerley are both talented players, but Decker and Gronk are the established veterans. It is the supporting cast that should be the primary focus of this. Unfortunately, doing that makes this even harder to compare and contrast. The Jets have a promising tight end in Jace Amaro, who is quickly passing Jeff Cumberland for most prominent tight end in the passing game. There is the third wide receiver in David Nelson, who has a few catches. The Patriots have Brandon LaFell as their second wide receiver alongside Edelman, though his catches do not come close to his targets. Timothy Wright has made the most of his targets, catching all but one pass thrown his way. Kenbrell Thompkins, Danny Amendola, and Aaron Dobson round out the New England receivers, though they have not made as much of an impact as the rest. I guess if I had to pick, I would go with New England again, mainly due to the fact that the Patriot receivers have a combined 1,514 receiving yards compared to the 1,186 yards by the Jet receivers. Having Shane Vereen involved in the passing game helps their case too.

VERDICT: PATRIOTS

So who has got the defense working best?

DEFENSE

Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson (Source: Ron Antonelli/Getty Images North America) vs Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis (Source: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images North America)

You would think the Jets have the best chance to be competitive in this category. After all, defense has been the calling card of the New York Jets during the Rex Ryan era. True, the total yardage allowed is not a ridiculous amount, as the Jets have allowed the 13th fewest yardage so far this season. However, the turnover-producing machine from year’s last is nowhere to be found in 2014, as New York has only forced three turnovers in their six games. The pass defense has been absolutely ripped to shreds, to the tune of 1,410 passing and, more alarmingly, 15 touchdown passes versus one lone interception. Losing young cornerback Dee Milliner for the season due to an Achilles injury will definitely not help the atrocious pass defense. The run defense, the Jets’ specialty, has picked up some slack thanks to the ninth fewest rushing yards allowed. Those numbers are all well and good, except for the resurgence of the New England defense, namely the turnovers forced. The Patriots are tied with the Texans with 14 forced turnovers, the most in the NFL this season. Those 14 forced turnovers are also one away from matching the total number of turnovers the Jets forced all from last season. The bonus factor of having All-Pro cornerback (and former New York Jet) Darrelle Revis leading the pass defense will help give the Pats a fighting chance. Losing star linebacker Jerod Mayo to another season-ending injury will not help the New England defense, but they dealt with his loss last year and did pretty good. So, yet again, point goes to the Patriots.

VERDICT: PATRIOTS

So, I bet you are wondering who I am gonna pick, huh? Well, let us get this over with.

PREDICTION

Now, the oddsmakers feel that this game is gonna be a blowout, with New England listed as either a 9.5 or ten point favorite, depending on what site you use for betting lines. The Jets have been in an absolute free-fall since their five-point squeaker against Oakland in the opening week of the season. New England has been going the opposite way in the past two weeks, firing on every cylinder imaginable. Now, the big question is will this game be a blowout like the betting lines are predicting. While I might be tempted to pick New England in a snorefest, the Jets have played the Patriots close the past few contests. Tom Brady is 18-6 is the 24 matchups with the Jets, but last year’s pair of games were each decided by three points. The last blowout in this series was the Butt Fumble game on Thanksgiving night two years ago. I think it will be a close game, but New England will prevail in this game.

PATRIOTS 26, JETS 17

Keep your eyes peeled this weekend for the Head-to-Head predictions for Week 7.

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Andrew’s Take

Long story short: the Jets will lose, but might cover the spread, and I’m an idiot that’s going to pick them to win.

Long story long: this season has been awful. The Jets will get to show off their horrible team on national television this week. Oh freaking joy. This has been the worst season thus far in the entire Rex Ryan era, and this season brings back the pain and futility of my youth. I remember seeing Vinny Testeverde rupture his Achilles in the first game of the 1999 season, after the Jets were coming off an AFC-title game loss to the eventual Super Bowl champs Denver Broncos in 1998. From start to finish, the 1999 season was a huge letdown, as they finished 8-8. Head coach Bill Parcells retired after that season, and a guy named Bill Belicheck, who was in-line to take over for Parcells, left for New England, and the rest is history. This season is on its way to being the same kind of disappointment, and it’s becoming more and more apparent that Rex Ryan will be fired.

The Rex Ryan-era Jets have a history of embarrassing losses on national TV games. Remember back all the way to Week 3 of this season, when they were down 14-0 after 5 minutes against the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football, after a horrid pick-6 by Geno Smith and a muffed punt. The infamous “butt fumble” game took place at 8 pm on Thanksgiving night, for the entire country to see (they were also playing the Patriots that night). Try and remember as far back as 2010, when the Jets played these same Patriots on Monday Night Football, and got routed 45-3.  This game might get ugly tonight folks.

That being said, I’m still picking the Jets to cover the spread and win outright. It’s right now at 10 points, and I think they can keep this game close. They have had an embarrassing season, and starting 1-6 basically puts this season on ice (though 2-5 isn’t going to make it much better). I had picked them to cover the spread against the Broncos on Sunday, which they would have if not for a fluke pick-6 with 45 seconds left in the game. The Jets are bound to win a game eventually, and for the most part they played the Broncos tough, as Peyton Manning only threw 3 Touchdowns against them. That’s a moral victory, right?

You’re getting 10 points here, and they should have covered that spread last week against the Broncos, which is a better team than the Pats (ranted that game was at Metlife and this one is in Foxborough). Eventually I’ll be rewarded for picking the Jets. I doubt it will be this week, but what the hell. The Laws of Averages say they need to win a game sooner or later, right? Why can’t it be tonight? Plus Geno is due for a good game. And the defense is bound to eventually make a big stop. And Eric Decker looks like he’s healthy. And the defensive line has been good all season. And Rex Ryan is coaching for his job. And the Patriots are a very beat up team. Even after all these positives, I still have no faith in this pick, but….

New York Jets 20, New England Patriots 17

More Than Just Football

Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still and his daughter Leah (Source: Devon Still [man_of_still75] on Instagram)

There has been a lot of nonsense going on in the National Football League these days. Between all of the domestic abuse cases to the Adrian Peterson fiasco, nothing seems to be helping the NFL’s image. It is easy to focus on the negative things because of the overabundance of media coverage. I was focused on writing about another negative story, but not a high profile one. The focus was on former Denver Broncos kicker Matt Prater, who was released before his four-game suspension for testing positive for alcohol was over. To me, that is a slap in the face to a man who has been with the Broncos for years and did so much for the team. That was going to be the topic of this piece; that is until something happened that made a major impact on everyone who witnessed it, heard about it, or just flat out care about it.

Sunday night was filled with a range of emotions, from the joy felt by Peyton Manning for being the second quarterback to ever throw 500 touchdown passes to the miserable feeling that the Tennessee Titans had for blowing a 28-3 lead and losing by a single point. The most emotional moment, however, came from Foxboro, Massachusetts where the New England Patriots pummeled the Cincinnati Bengals 43-17, ensuring that there would be no undefeated teams in 2014. Now, why would a 26-point regular-season beatdown warrant the most emotions? It is actually very simple, for all it took was a video and some cheerleaders. That all factors in with a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, defensive tackle Devon Still, whose daughter, Leah was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma back in June.

This story first became a news item back in August. Even though Still did not make the 53-man roster, he could stay on the practice squad in order to pay for the cancer treatments that his daughter needed. Then, during the week when the Ray Rice dilemma was the number-one story of the football world, New Orleans Saints’ head coach, Sean Payton, provided a moment that most may have missed due to the extreme coverage of Rice. Despite the Bengals and Saints facing off in November, Payton bought 100 Devon Still jerseys, which the Bengals are selling at their team store to help raise money for the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center.

Still with the words “Leah Strong” on his eye black on Sunday night (Source: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

The Patriots took it to the next level Sunday night. During a break in the third quarter, with New England dominating the game, a video tribute dedicated to Still’s daughter played on the Jumbotron. Still was quite emotional when he saw this video, but it was the other tribute that probably affected him the most. Still had said in the past that his daughter loved cheerleaders, and the Patriots’ cheerleaders were wearing pink jackets for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. They removed their jackets to show that they all were wearing Still’s #75 jersey. That gesture was the moment that reduced Still to tears. Add in Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft’s donation of $25,000 to the Children’s Hospital and Medical Center, and New England made the nation see them as more than a successful franchise. They saw them as being good people.

It especially hits home due to the continued presence of cancer in my life. People I care about have been afflicted with cancer; even I faced my own bout with cancer when I was an infant. The support from good people that my parents received was overwhelming. Years later when I was told about the support, it stuck with me too. I was thoroughly moved. I was too young to remember all the radiation treatments I endured. Still’s daughter has gotten to the age where those memories will be a very haunting experience. Having numerous radiation surgeries and treatments should not be the lasting memory of a young child. They should be able to enjoy themselves during that stage in their life. I hope that everything turns out okay for Still’s daughter, because stories involving cancer hit home for me, in more ways than one.

Devon Still will probably never be considered amongst the greatest defensive tackles of all-time. He will most likely not be mentioned in the same breath as Warren Sapp, “Mean Joe” Greene, and Alan Page. He is not even the best defensive tackle on his own team, due to the presence of All-Pro Geno Atkins. Devon Still is, however, one of the brightest stories in all of sports today. It should not matter what team you root for, because you should support this man. This is more about football; it is about life.

(If you are interested, go to this page for information on purchasing a Devon Still jersey, this page for a Still Strong t-shirt, or go to this page to make a donation towards Still’s Pldgit campaign)

NFL Week 2 Head-to-Head Predictions

We apologize that it took so long for us to get our picks up this week, but we spent extra time deliberating, analyzing, examining, pontificating and crunching the numbers to find the six best picks for Week 2 (or we just got lazy and forgot, I’ll let you decide). This week, our lines are from this morning (9/14/14) and we got our lines from the online sportsbook topbet, via the website oddshark (for some reason, the Bovada site was not giving us all the lines, so it’s their loss). Anyway, here’s our week 2 predictions. Enjoy!

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Andrew’s Picks

After having a less than stellar first week of predictions, going 1-2, I have refined and re-tuned my picks for this week. Let’s see if these BS changes will lead to any new success. I picked three road teams, which could be a risky bet. But who doesn’t love to live dangerously?

Atlanta Falcons (+5) against the Cincinnati Bengals

Okay, I understand that the Falcons will probably not put up the same scoring bonanza like they had last week against the Saints, but this offense should still be able to put up some points on the road. The Falcon offense looked like they were in midseason form, as they seem to be very deep at the skill position players. The Bengals last week escaped with a 7 point win against the Ravens, on the back of a Hail Mary-type pass to A.J. Green that involved him tipping it to himself before running it in for the touchdown. I don’t think the Falcons will win outright, though that would be a HUUGE statement win to steal a game on the road against one of the best teams in the AFC. You’re getting 5.5 points here; give me the Falcons to, at the very least, cover the spread.

New Orleans Saints (-6) against the Cleveland Browns

The Saints lost a tough game last weekend to the Falcons, as QB Matty Ice had a career day against the New Orleans defense. The Saints do not want to start the season 0-2, and I can see an offensive onslaught against the Browns. I know the Saints have trouble playing away from home, but their offensive talent should shine against the Browns this weekend. The Cleveland rushing attack looked good, but I can’t see Brian Hoyer and Andrew Hawkins having the same kind of day that Matt Ryan and Julio Jones had last week. Look for the Saints to win by at least a touchdown.

Seattle Seahawks (-5.5) against the San Diego Chargers

The Chargers looked very unimpressive Monday night against the Cardinals. The Seahawks looked very dominant against the Packers. The Seahawks defense looks like they are poised to be the best defense in the league again, while the Chargers offense looked paltry in the first half against Arizona. The Chargers are coming off a short week while the Seahawks have had ten days since opening the season last week Thursday. All of this seems like a recipe for disaster for the Chargers. I’m not seeing a rout, but give me the Seahawks to win by at least a touchdown here, and start off the season 2-0 in their bid to win back-to-back Super Bowls.

Andrew picks: Falcons (+5), Saints (-6), and Seahawks (-5.5)

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Liam’s Picks

I went 2-1 thanks to the Colts and Vikings and no thanks to the Jets. Can I keep up the pace? Will I continue my dominance? Will I realize it is only Week 1? The answers to those questions would be: Maybe, hopefully, and yes. Here are my selections for Week 2 of the NFL regular season.

Arizona Cardinals at New York Giants (-1½)

Well, I was completely set to have the Cardinals as my pick in their matchup the G-Men. Now, QB Carson Palmer is out with shoulder problems, so backup Drew Stanton is set to his spot. Stanton is getting his first NFL action since December 19, 2010 when he was a Lion. That game saw him perform well and helped lead the Lions. Call me crazy, but I think he can do it again here. The Giants still have a defense prone to big pass plays and Arizona has got two deep threats in veteran Larry Fitzgerald and budding star Michael Floyd. Add in Andre Ellington, who did pretty good for a guy everyone expected to not play on Monday, and you got a squad that could sneak away with a victory.

New England Patriots (-3½) at Minnesota Vikings

The Pats got stymied by the Dolphins’ relentless rushing attack and got beat last week. Now, they face a Minnesota team that is riding high on an absolute whooping on the St. Louis Rams. Granted, the Rams had QB Shaun Hill start the first half and third string QB Austin Davis fill in for Hill in the second half. Now, the Vikes are facing an angry New England squad that is facing their first 0-2 start to a season since 2001. Oh, and the Vikings are playing without star running back Adrian Peterson, who has some issues of his own. Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon are not AP. The confidence I had in Minnesota last week is not there anymore.

Detroit Lions at Carolina Panthers (-1)

Megatron and Matthew Stafford got right off to a fast start this season, connecting for two touchdowns in their Monday night victory over the G-Men. Now, they will face a recovering Cam Newton, who missed last week with injured ribs. Newton may have a tough time getting used to life without longtime Panther Steve Smith, so it may take some time to readjust. Ndamukong Suh and company will be looking for Newton to use those legs of his to run all over the field and I think they will be ready for him. Megatron will put up his expected numbers, Golden Tate will provide a decent amount of production, and the Lions should be able to get the job done.

Liam picks: Cardinals (+1½), Patriots (-3½), and Lions (+1)