Best bets – week 16

by | Dec 21, 2008 | NFL Gambling

No time for a review of last week’s crummy bets, but here goes for this week:

1. Detroit (+7) vs New Orleans:
Detroit sees this as the last game they can win and the Saints have not been good on the road. Lions lose in a shootout.

2. Carolina (+3.5) at New York Giants
Carolina is simply playing better than the Giants right now. They earn the first seed with this win.

3. New York Jets (-3.5) at Seattle
Seahawks have packed it in and the Jets are fighting for the division. Too much on the line for the Jets to screw this up.

4. Miami (-3.5) at Kansas City
I’m a little worried about the weather, but see above Jets over Seattle pick – playoff motivation carries them through.

Tebow’s NFL future not at quarterback?

by | Dec 20, 2008 | NFL Draft

My brother and I are certainly not NFL scouts. Nor did we stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

But we do occasionally pretend we know something about the game. One topic we discussed lately was the future of Tim Tebow in the NFL. We agreed that while many mock drafts on the Internet done by people of varying credibility see him as a first round draft pick, neither of us see him being a star quarterback once he turns pro.

Apparently a few others agree. CBSSportsline.com’s Gregg Doyel penned a column in October predicting that he would not be a stud QB in the pros. And I was listening to ESPN Radio’s Freddie Coleman on my way home tonight. He had draft expert Mel Kiper on and out of the blue he said the same thing.

It seems Tony and I aren’t the only ones that have noticed the weird, slow windup Tebow takes before he throws the ball, nor are we the only ones to think that while Tebow is a class act on and off the field and no doubt a tremendously entertaining and fantastic athlete, his arm strength is just below that needed to star in the NFL. There also are doubts about his ability to fit into a pro style offense.

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Slingin’ Sammy dies at 94

by | Dec 18, 2008 | NFL News

The year was 1940. The Washington Redskins had just lost to Chicago in the championship game by the score of 73-0. Looking for some deep musings on momentum swings or some other brilliant quote, a reporter asked Redskins quarterback Sammy Baugh if the outcome would have changed if an end hadn’t dropped an early touchdown pass.

Baugh, many media accounts are reporting, was known for being blunt and witty. He replied to the scribe: “Yeah, it would have been 73-7.”

That’s one of the popular Baugh stories. Another had to do with comments he made to two teammates who were on the ground after having collided. “One of you put your arm up so the buzzards won’t think you’re dead,” he told them.

The 94-year-old Baugh died yesterday from a number of health issues reportedly due to dementia and old age, media reports indicate. While he apparently was reserved, witty and somewhat of a recluse, he remains one of the key characters in the growth and history of the NFL.

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Bush ends another disappointing season

by | Dec 17, 2008 | NFL Random Thoughts

It was 1985 when Roger Craig ran for 1050 yards and caught another 92 passes for 1016 yards to become the first and still only running back to ever hit four figures in both categories during the same season.

The media-anointed superstar who was supposed to make that a regular feat when he was drafted second overall by New Orleans in 2006 went on injured reserve today after hurting his knee, finishing his third consecutive disappointing season early.

Sure, the expectations heaped upon Reggie Bush after he starred at USC were probably unfair. He never carried the load in college by himself and sometimes it does take running backs – as with all young players – some time to reach their potential.

But in his first three seasons Bush has given no indication that he is ever going to prove the Houston Texans wrong for passing on him with the first overall pick in the draft that season. In fact, his three-year totals barely exceed the stats put up by Roger Craig during that one fantastic season in the mid-1980s.

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Week 15 best bets

by | Dec 13, 2008 | NFL Gambling

Week 15 presents a tough slate of games as Tony and I attempt to stay on a roll with our game picks.

I hit three of four Best Bets last week as well, really making me wish I had one more crack at Vegas during the football season.

But alas, it appears as though pride at a job done decently will have to suffice until sometime next fall.

Best Bets

Last week: 3-1
Overall: 15-11

1. Tennessee (-2.5) at Houston
I was shocked when this line opened up between 3 and 3.5 points. I figured it would correct itself toward a higher number for the Titans to cover throughout the week. But it’s actually gone in the opposite direction, by some accounts. Our friends at vegas.com still list the game at Tennessee -3, which I think is really low – but the local newspaper this morning ran it at 2.5. Houston is playing better, no question. And the Texans have won three straight. But those games were against Cleveland, Jacksonville and Green Bay, three teams staggering to the finish line. Their three losses before that were to potential playoff teams in Indianapolis, Minnesota and Baltimore and the Texans gave up 102 points in those contests. The Titans are motivated as they still need to win to lock up home-field advantage for the playoffs and they finish with two tough games against Pittsburgh and Indianapolis, so they won’t take this game lightly.
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