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The Denver Broncos had a disappointing season last year, finishing 5-11, which was good for last place in the AFC West. This year, the team is hoping to turn things around and make it back to the playoffs. Their odds of winning the Super Bowl are +3000. Also in further NFL season predictions we look at their competition.
The Broncos won the Super Bowl three seasons ago, thanks to a dominating defense and the experience of Peyton Manning, who retired after the season. Since Manning’s retirement, the Broncos have been unable to find a quarterback good enough to get them back into the playoffs.
Last season, the team rotated between Trevor Siemian. Also, Paxton Lynch and Brock Osweiler, who were ineffective. The Broncos decided to move on from the trio, and signed veteran quarterback Case Keenum, who led the Minnesota Vikings to the NFC Championship Game last season, to be their starter this year.
Keenum, who had bounced around the league until he found the right fit in Minnesota. Was expendable because the Vikings signed free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins during the offseason. With Keenum going into the season as the undisputed starter for the Broncos, they are hoping their confidence in him is rewarded with a playoff run.
NFL Season Predictions
The Broncos have some offensive weapons that should make life easy for Keenum. Playmakers like Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas are expected to bounce back from their disappointing 2017 campaign, now that they have a veteran at the quarterback position.
Denver’s running game is still a question mark. However, it is expected to improve this season if they have a consistent passing attack. Opponents have been able to stop the run over the past two seasons because they knew the Broncos couldn’t beat them through the air.
Defensively, the Broncos still have the core of players. These helped them win the Super Bowl three seasons ago. They were dominant in stretches last season, but tired out quickly because they spent too much time on the field. If their offense can buy them some rest next season, expect them to return to their championship form. Hope you enjoyed these picks. NFL betting predictions and more to come. Be sure to visit back soon.
The Buffalo Bills ended their 17-year playoff drought last season. They were expected to have a better run next season after losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wildcard game. However, things might not go as planned. The team made several head scratching changes. In today’s Bills season preview we look at their NFL online betting odds to win Super Bowl 2019.
Buffalo’s odds to win the Super Bowl this season is +10000.
After a 7-9 finish to the 2016 season. The team started to sour on starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Rumors coming out of the front office indicated they wanted to trade their quarterback. Despite the rumors, the Bills brought Taylor back for another season. However, drafted Nathan Peterman, hoping he would be their quarterback of the future.
During the season, the team benched Taylor in favor of Peterman, who threw five interceptions in the first half of his first career start. Taylor was given back the starting job and helped Buffalo end their playoff drought.
Buffalo Bills NFL Online Betting
During the offseason, the Bills shipped Taylor off to Cleveland and signed former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback AJ McCarron, who was expected to get the starting job. However, the Bills used the seventh overall pick in the draft to select Wyoming’s Josh Allen, who will compete with McCarron for the starting job.
The Bills also lost Pro Bowl offensive lineman Richie Incognito, who decided to retire then unretired, leading the team to release him.
With LeSean McCoy and Kelvin Benjamin still on the roster, the Bills have some offensive weapons, but with their quarterbacks having four career starts between them, their offense will struggle this season. Enjoy these NFL online betting picks.
Defensively, the Bills made a few improvements. Drafting linebacker Tremaine Edwards with the 16th overall pick. Also, defensive tackle Harrison Phillips with the 32nd pick.
With the Patriots expected to continue dominating the division. Hence, the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets expected to be improved, the Bills are likely going to struggle this season and likely to miss out on the playoffs.
Tom Brady is hoping he has another shot at the Superbowl. The New England Patriots are getting ready to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in the Superbowl on Sunday, but before they square off, both teams have to fulfill their media obligations.
On Tuesday, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who will be attempting to become the oldest quarterback to win the Super Bowl, said he hopes former teammate Chris Long, who won a Superbowl last year with the Patriots, takes it easy on him if he gets an opportunity to bring him down. The Patriots are currently -4.5 point favorites over the Eagles in Super Bowl 2018 betting at online sportsbooks ahead of Superbowl 52 on Sunday, February 4th, 2018 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
“I hope he doesn’t hit me too hard if he gets a shot. Hopefully he respects his elders a little bit out there,” Brady said with a smile Tuesday. Are you ready for Superbowl 53?
Brady also added that he had a lot of respect for Long, who donated his entire 2017 salary to different charities.
Superbowl 53
“I really enjoyed my time with Chris. He’s a helluva player and he made huge plays for us last year. He’s made some great plays for the Eagles this year. They have a dominant pass rush — on both edges, right up the middle, and he’s a big part of that. He’s a great leader, practices his butt off, great enthusiasm. I have a ton of respect for him.” For more NFL team matchups including the Patriots visit here.
Brady is the first 40-year-old quarterback to guide his team to the SuperBowl. Brady will break Peyton Manning’s record of being the oldest quarterback to win the Super Bowl. This is, if they defeat the Eagles on Sunday.
Brady will also pass another legend on Sunday. He will become the oldest non kicker to play in the Super Bowl, a distinction that was held by Jerry Rice, who was 40 years and 105 days old when he played in the Super Bowl with the Oakland Raiders in 2003.
What new and exciting update will happen this week in NFL online betting? The Pittsburgh Steelers will be going for their seventh consecutive win when they take on AFC North rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. The game will be played at Paul Brown Stadium and is scheduled to begin at 8:30 PM. ET. NFL Week 13 is here!
The Steelers are tied with the New England Patriots for the best record in the AFC, and have the second best record in the NFL.
Despite their dominance this year, the Steelers have a habit of playing down to their competition, which they did again on Sunday when they played the Green Bay Packers, making this a dangerous game for them.
Ben Roethlisberger threw four touchdowns for the second consecutive week, bringing his season total to 20. However, he also threw two interceptions, bringing his season total to 12.
Against the Bengals, Roethlisberger will need to take better care of the football or risk losing to a Bengals team that is playing very well right now.
Defensively, the Steelers secondary has to do a better job, after allowing Green Bay quarterback Brett Hundley to throw for 245 yards and three touchdowns.
Despite their slow start to the season, the Bengals have won their last two games and three of their last five games, working themselves back into the middle of the AFC playoff race.
A win against the hated Steelers will bring their record to 6-6, with a slight chance of making the playoffs if they win out or win three of their last four games, making this a very important game for them.
Andy Dalton has been playing well for the past five games, throwing nine touchdowns without an interception. The Bengals will be hoping Dalton continues playing well because it will give them a better chance to win this game.
Running back Joe Mixon, who rushed for a career-high 114 yards against the Cleveland Browns, will likely see a lot of touches in this one against a Steelers defense that has given up eight touchdowns on the ground this year.
The Steelers are favored to win this game by 6 points. The over/under on total points scored is 43.5. Pittsburgh is the better team, but this is a big rivalry game and the Bengals are desperate for a win. Take Cincinnati +6.
The Carolina Panthers will be going for their fifth consecutive win when they travel to Louisiana to take on the New Orleans Saints. The game will be played at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and is scheduled to begin at 4:25 PM. ET for NFL Week 13 wagering.
Carolina Panthers Analysis
The Panthers have been one of the most unpredictable teams this year, but they still find ways to win. On Sunday, they withstood one of the worst games quarterback Cam Newton ever had, and were still able to get the win over the New York Jets.
Unfortunately for Carolina, they aren’t playing the Jets this week and they will have to be at their best if they want to defeat the Saints.
Despite Newton’s struggles, the Panthers were able to get solid production from their running backs and timely stops from their defense, which helped them get the win.
The Panthers were embarrassed by the Saints in their first meeting, losing 34-13, so they will be trying to get some pay back in this one.
New Orleans Saints Analysis
The Saints had won eight consecutive games before losing to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Now, they will try to get back to their winning ways against a rival they defeated on the road earlier this season.
The Saints have been very solid on both sides of the ball this season, which is one of the reasons they have been so successful this year. However, quarterback Drew Brees finally has a solid running game to compliment the passing attack, giving them their most balanced offense in a while.
Rookie running back Alvin Kamara has been special for the Saints, and almost helped them complete a comeback against the Rams, finishing with 188 yards from scrimmage and 2 touchdowns.
The Saints will be expecting Kamara to give the Panthers defense fits on Sunday to help them get the win.
Pick and Prediction
The Saints are favored to win this game by 3.5 points. The over/under on total points scored is not yet available.
The Saints will be tough to beat, but the Panthers have enough talent to do so. Take Carolina +3.5.
The Buffalo Bills will be trying to keep their slim playoff hopes alive when they travel to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs in what is considered a must-win game for both teams. The game will be played at Arrowhead Stadium and is scheduled to begin at 1 PM. ET.
Tyrod Taylor will start at quarterback for the Buffalo Bills against the Chiefs in Week 12! The Bills were in possession of the final Wildcard playoff spot last week, when head coach Sean McDermott decided to make a quarterback switch, benching veteran Tyrod Taylor for rookie Nathan Peterman.
At the time of the announcement, some thought it was a knee jerk reaction to Taylor throwing for only 56 yards against the New Orleans Saints, but McDermott claimed it wasn’t.
On Sunday, Peterman threw five interceptions in the first half of their game against the Los Angeles Chargers, before getting yanked in favor of Taylor.
By the time Taylor was put in the game, the Bills were already facing a big deficit, and he was unable to bring the team back.
This week, the Bills haven’t announced who their starting quarterback for this game will be, but from the comments McDermott made on Monday, it is very likely Peterman will remain the starter for the rest of the season.
Can the Chiefs turn things around at home against the Bills? Since their 5-0 start to the season, the Chiefs have lost four of their last five games, and have seen their lead in the AFC West shrink, which is why this is considered a big game for the team.
The good news is if the Bills start Peterman on Sunday, it means the team has given up on their season and the Chiefs’ defense should be able to take advantage of a rookie quarterback making his second career start in the loudest stadium in the league.
Expect the Bills to have a run-heavy game plan for the Chiefs, which means they can stack up the box and go after the rookie when the Bills are forced to abandon the run.
In this week’s NFL prediction we pick the Chiefs to cover. The Chiefs are favored to win this game by 9.5 points. The over/under on total points scored is not yet available. The Chiefs should have a field day going up against a rookie, so take them at -9.5.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day! To help enjoy all of your festivities we have updated betting odds for NFL Thanksgiving Games 2017 with the Vikings and Lions kicking off first at 12:30 PM EST, followed by the Chargers at Cowboys with a kickoff time of 4:30 PM EST, with the late game scheduled to start at 8:30 PM EST
The Los Angeles Chargers will participate in the annual Thanksgiving game this year when they visit the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. The game will is scheduled to begin at 4:30 PM. ET.
Los Angeles Chargers Betting –
The Chargers will be trying to win their second consecutive game when they go up against the Dallas Cowboys, who are struggling without left tackle Tyron Smith and starting running back Ezekiel Elliott, who will be sitting out the third game of his six game suspension.
The Chargers defense came up big on Sunday, intercepting Buffalo quarterback Nathan Peterman five times in the first half, helping the team get an easy win at home.
Despite the easy victory on Sunday, the Chargers offense struggled to get in the end zone, and accounted for only four of the team’s touchdowns.
If they plan on winning the game against the Cowboys, they will have to do a better job moving the ball around, especially on the ground, where they are averaging 94.4 yards per game.
Dallas Cowboys Betting –
The Cowboys have lost two straight games, and can’t afford to lose a third straight if they want to make the playoffs this season.
As expected, Elliott’s absence has affected their offense, and has forced the team to rely more on Dak Prescott to get things going.
Unfortunately for the Cowboys, Prescott wasn’t able to get the team going on Sunday night, throwing three interceptions in their loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Alfred Morris did a decent job filling in for the suspended Elliott, rushing for 91 yards on 17 carries. However, the Cowboys had to abandon the run in the third quarter after falling behind the Eagles.
This week, expect to see the Cowboys focus on running the ball more, so Prescott doesn’t have to force throws like he did on Sunday.
How to Bet on NFL Thanksgiving Games 2017
In order to know how to bet on NFL Thanksgiving Games 2017 tomorrow, you first need to know the odds, where to bet, and most importantly, who to bet on. The Cowboys are favored to win the game by 1 point. The over/under on total points scored is 48 points. The Cowboys need this game more than the Chargers, who don’t have a realistic shot of making the playoffs, so take Dallas with -1. We expect a big game from Dak Prescott so the Cowboys might be a lock in tomorrow’s game.
The New England Patriots in Week 11 will be trying to increase their lead in the AFC when they face the Oakland Raiders on Sunday afternoon in Mexico. The game will be played at Estadio Azteca, and is scheduled to begin at 4:25 PM. ET. The current NFL wagering line at the top sportsbooks all have the Pats as -6.5 road favorites.
What Makes the Patriots Betting Favorites?
At 7-2, the Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers are tied for the best record in the AFC, which means both teams will continue battling for home field advantage until the final weeks of the season, barring significant injury for either team.
During the offseason, this game was expected to be one of the biggest games of the year because the Raiders were expected to compete with the Patriots for the AFC title.
Nine games into the season, the Patriots are doing what they usually do, while the Raiders look like a team that might have been crowned too early.
With the Patriots adding Martellus Bennett last week, expect the team’s struggles in the red zone to end, now that Brady has another big target to utilize in the end zone.
Why Will the Raiders Lose?
At 4-5, the Raiders have gone from a team expected to compete for the AFC crown to a team that is just trying to make the playoffs.
After a 2-0 start to the year, the Raiders lost four consecutive games and haven’t been back over .500 since. A loss to the Patriots will all but end their playoff hopes because they would have to win six consecutive games just to get to 10 wins, and hope a lot of the teams ahead of them lose.
The good news for Raiders fans is that the team has won two of its last three games and they look to be getting back on track. However, it might be too late to save their season.
If You Want to Bet on the Patriots Raiders Game in Week 11
* The Patriots are favored to win this game by 6.5 points. The over/under on total points scored is not yet available.
* The Patriots are clearly the better team, but I think the Raiders have a lot of fight left in them so take Oakland +6.5.
Before last Tuesday’s trade deadline, the San Francisco 49ers acquired highly sought after quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo from the New England Patriots for a second round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
The 49ers, who are in desperate need of a quarterback, tried to acquire Garoppolo during the offseason but were rejected by the Patriots.
With Garoppolo in the last year of his rookie contract, the Patriots had a choice of signing him to a long-term deal or risk losing him in free agency for nothing.
Since 40-year-old Tom Brady hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down this season, the Patriots eventually decided to part ways with the 25-year-old backup.
In the limited action Garoppolo saw as Brady’s backup, he completed 67 percent of his passes for 690 yards, 5 touchdowns, and zero interceptions.
With Garoppolo in the fold, the 49ers have a quarterback they feel can lead them back into the playoffs, which will change their approach to the upcoming draft.
Instead of using what is expected to be one of the top picks in the draft on an untested rookie, they can either use the selection to get the best player available, or trade the pick for more picks that will be used to fill the other holes on the team.
Even though the 49ers are still looking for their first win of the season, the franchise isn’t in a rush to get Garoppolo on the field. General Manger John Lynch said he wants Garoppolo to learn the offense and get comfortable in it before the team puts him on the field. Even though the quarterback position has been taken care of, the 49ers still have a lot of work to do before they can start thinking about making the playoffs.
The team needs to upgrade the offensive line and add some depth at the receiver position and that’s why Jimmy G is expected to start in Week 10. Defensively, their secondary also needs to be improved as well as their corps of linebackers.
The Dallas Cowboys will be trying to win their fourth straight game when they travel to the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta to take on Matt Ryan and the Falcons. The game is scheduled to start at 4:25 PM. ET.
Prior to the start of the season, the week 10 matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons was expected to be an NFC Championship Game preview. Now that half of the games have been played, it looks more like a game between two teams just trying to make the playoffs.
The Cowboys have fought their way back from a slow start, but there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the team because of the ongoing Ezekiel Elliott saga.
Elliott has been fighting his six-game suspension since the start of the season and has seen the suspension lifted and reinstated too many times this season. A last minute stay allowed him to play on Sunday against the Chiefs, but his status for this game remains in limbo as a panel of judges is set to hear his case during the week.
Despite the uncertainty, Elliott has been playing well in the past four games, and is starting to look like the runner that led the league in rushing last year. If he plays, expect the Cowboys to feed him a lot, especially after the Falcons gave up over 200 rushing yards to the Panthers on Sunday.
NFL Week 10 Betting Picks and Predictions
The Falcons have lost four of their last five games and are in danger of missing the playoffs after falling behind the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers in the NFC South.
Matt Ryan has been forced to carry the load offensively with the running game’s inconsistency this year. Defensively, the Falcons have been average, allowing 21.7 points per game, which is 15th in the league. However, their high-scoring offense has been MIA for most of the season so their defensive efforts have been wasted on numerous occasions.
The Falcons are favored to win this game by 3.5. The over/under on total points scored is not yet available.
Atlanta currently has the advantage because of Elliott’s predicament. Even if Elliott isn‘t playing, take the Cowboys +3.5.
The week’s NFL Week 9 Sunday Night Football game features two teams that are in make or break situations, when the Oakland Raiders visit the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. The game is scheduled to begin at 8:30 PM. ET and will mark the return of Marshawn Lynch to the Oakland Raiders after his 1 week suspension.
After winning 12 games last season, the Raiders were expected to contend for the Super Bowl this season. Instead, they find themselves hoping just to make the playoffs. After a 2-0 start to the season, the Raiders have lost five of their last six games, and find themselves falling quickly to the bottom of the AFC.
Fortunately for the Raiders, the AFC playoff race is wide open, with 10 teams hovering between 4-3 and 3-5. While the Raiders still have a chance to make the playoffs, they can’t afford to lose more than one more game if they want to make a playoff push, which means they need to win this game.
Especially since they’re going up against a backup quarterback in Matt Moore.
The Dolphins are also on the outside of the playoffs, despite having the same record as the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are currently in 6th place in the playoff standings.
Miami also can’t afford a loss, but they still have more wiggle room than the Raiders, who already have five losses this year.
The Dolphins have been unable to put up points this season, and are averaging more points against them than they have scored.
Their defense will once again have to keep them in this one and hope the offense can put up enough points for them to hold the lead.
Matt Moore, who made his first start of the season on Thursday, showed the Dolphins fans that have been clamoring for him to start why he has been a backup his whole career. He will need to play much better and avoid the turnovers that killed Miami’s chances on Thursday.
The Raiders are favored to win by 3 points. The over/under on total points scored is 44.5. Taking the Raiders on the road this season has been a fool’s errand because their only road win of the year came in week 1 against the Tennessee Titans. Despite how bad Miami looked last week, I’m picking the Dolphins to cover in this one. Take Miami +3.
The betting action in NFL Week 9 continues when the Kansas City Chiefs try to snap a two-game losing streak when they travel to Arlington, Texas to take on the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. The game is scheduled to start at 4:25 PM. ET.
Kansas City Analysis
The Chiefs are coming off their bye week, but they still have the lead in the AFC West, and the second best record in the conference.
Their offense, led by Alex Smith, who is having an MVP level season, is still one of the best in the NFL. Rookie running back Kareem Hunt is second in the league with 717 rushing yards, while Tyreke Hill is 11th with 515 receiving yards.
Defensively, the Chiefs have to improve if they want to be seen as a real contender this season. Their defense has given up 20 points or more in four games this season, and have to do a better job of keeping opponents out of the red zone.
Dallas Cowboys Analysis
The Cowboys could be without Ezekiel Elliott, who is third in the league in rushing this season, due to a six game suspension that has been tied up in the courts. A Judge is expected to rule on the case this week, so Dallas will know where they stand before Sunday’s game.
If the Cowboys don’t have Elliott for this game, former Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris is expected to get the majority of the carries, with Darren McFadden also getting some playing time.
The Cowboys defense has been playing well in the last two weeks, and the team will need them to be even better if they have to play the next six games without the 2016 season’s rushing leader.
Dak Prescott will also have to step up to make up for Elliott’s absence. With the Philadelphia Eagles sitting pretty on top of the division, the Cowboys are hoping they can get one of the Wildcard playoff spots this year.
Pick and NFL Week 9 Prediction
The Cowboys are favored to win this game by 1.5 points. The over/under on total points scored is 49. The Cowboys haven’t been very good at home this season, so I’m picking the Chiefs to cover in this one. Take Kansas City +1.5.
The Buffalo Bills and New York Jets will kick things off in the NFL this week when they meet for Thursday Night Football. The game will be played at MetLife Stadium, and is scheduled to begin at 8:30 PM. ET.
Buffalo Bills Analysis
The Bills have been quietly flying under the radar this season, but after their win over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, it is safe to say the Bills are one of the best teams in the NFL.
The fact that they are very good this season has been a surprise because the team wasn’t expected to finish better than third in the AFC this year.
The Bills have found success this season with a strong running game, a pretty good defense, and a quarterback that has taken good care of the ball.
With games against the Jets, Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers, and Indianapolis Colts left on their schedule, the Bills are realistically a playoff contender as long as they keep playing well.
New York Jets Analysis
The Jets have been a roller coaster of emotions this season. They started off with a two game losing streak, then reeled off three straight wins, and have now lost three straight games. The good news for the Jets and their fans is despite the inconsistencies they have shown this season, this team will be very good in the future.
The Jets could easily be 6-2 right now, but they’ve had a tendency to blow leads late in games, which has cost them their last three games. Against the Patriots, they had a 14 point lead that they lost in the second half. The same happened against the Miami Dolphins, who they allowed to come back from a 28-14 lead last week to win the game in overtime.
This week, they had a one point lead against the Atlanta Falcons going into the 4th quarter, but couldn’t hold on again and lost the game.
NFL Week 9 Betting Pick and Prediction
The Bills are favored to win by 3.5 points, the over/under on total points scored is 42.5.
The Bills have won four of their last five and three of those wins were by at least seven points. Take the Bills -3.5.
Rookie of the Year favorite Deshaun Watson will lead the Houston Texans into CenturyLink Stadium on Sunday afternoon to take on Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks in a game that means a lot to both teams as they try to fight their way to the top of their respective divisions. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:05 PM. ET.
Houston Texans Wagering Analysis
The Texans are coming off their bye week and find themselves one game behind the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars who won their games this weekend. With the AFC South unexpectedly competitive this year, the Texans need a win against the Seahawks to keep pace with their division rivals.
Deshaun Watson, who leads the league in touchdown passes, will need to continue his stellar play for the Texans to have a chance to win this game in what will be a very hostile environment.
Thanks to Watson, the Texans have the second highest scoring offense in the league. They Texans have gone over 30 points in each of their last four games and will be hoping to make it five games in a row.
Houston has the 14th best total defense in the NFL this season, but they haven’t been able to keep their opponents out of the end zone, allowing 24.5 points per game, which is 24th in the league.
Seattle Seahawks Wagering Analysis
The Seahawks are second in the NFC West, behind the surprising Los Angeles Rams, who are 5-2. After a 1-2 start, the Seahawks have won their last three games, and are going for their fourth straight win.
Offensively, the Seahawks are scoring 22 points per game, which is 16th in the league. Their defense has been pretty good as well, holding opponents to 17.4 points per game, which is 6th in the league.
The Texans offense is the best the Seahawks have faced so far, so it will be interesting to see how their defense, which has struggled against mobile quarterbacks in the past, handle the Texans’ rookie phenom.
In NFL Week 8 odds the Seahawks are favored to win by 5.5 points. The over/under on total points scored is 43.5 combined points.
Houston has been playing well recently, but a rookie quarterback going against the Legion of Boom in Seattle is the perfect recipe for disaster. Take Seattle -5.5.
NFL Week 8 is going to have just as many questions at quarterback for the Green Bay Packers as last week. Third year quarterback Brett Hundley made his first career start for the Green Bay Packers against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, filling in for an injured Aaron Rodgers, who isn’t expected back until the end of the season.
Judging by his performance against the Saints, the former UCLA signal caller is not the answer Mike McCarthy and the Packers were hoping he would be.
The New Orleans Saints are renowned for their offense, thanks to Drew Brees, who continued his assault on the record books. However, their defense has been one of the worst in the NFL for the past few seasons, and quarterbacks like Sam Bradford, Luke McCown, and even Blake Bortles have looked like All-Pros against the Saints’ defense. After the win the Saints will look to keep things moving in the right direction in Week 8 as -9 point betting odds favorites at home against the visiting Chicago Bears.
While Hundley wasn’t expected to throw for 400 yards against the Saints, he was expected to be able to move the ball and finish with at least 200 yards against their secondary.
However, Hundley finished the game completing 12 of 25 passes for 87 yards and 1 interception. Hundley managed an average of 3.5 yards per completion, in what had to be one of the worst quarterback performances in recent years.
The Saints’ defense deserves some credit for their performance, but Hundley also has to shoulder a lot of the blame because the Packers finally got their running game going, with Aaron Jones gaining 131 yards and 1 touchdown on the ground, which opened up a lot of play action opportunities Hundley couldn’t take advantage of.
To put this in another context, rookie quarterbacks Deshaun Watson, Mitchell Trubisky, and DeShone Kizer, each threw for over 100 yards in their first career starts, and each faced a much tougher defense than the Saints have.
Hundley has been in the league for three years, and should know Green Bay’s offense better than any of the rookie quarterbacks mentioned, which makes his performance on Sunday more baffling.
During the week, Mike McCarthy said the team would move forward with Hundley and practice squad member Joe Callahan in Rodgers’ absence, and snapped at a reporter who asked if the team would give Colin Kaepernick a tryout after Tony Romo said he had no interest in coming out of retirement.
At this point, even 48-year-old Brett Favre gives the team a better chance of winning than Hundley. If McCarthy wants to make the playoffs this year, he will need to rethink his stance on the quarterback position.
On Sunday, reports started circulating that Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant was unhappy in Pittsburgh and requested the team trade him. Could this have anything to do with the love Antonio Brown and Le’veon Bell received in Week 6’s play calls, and we are likely to see more of the same in Week 7.
For Steelers fans, the news was surprising to say the least as the team and fans have stood behind him through his numerous suspensions, including the suspension that took him out of the 2016 season.
On Monday, ESPN reported that the trade request was made weeks ago, but as of today, the Steelers don’t have any intention of trading him.
According to sources close to the situation, Bryant is frustrated about how he is being used on offense, which prompted him to ask for a trade.
Since returning from his suspension, Bryant has 17 catches on 34 targets for 231 yards and 1 touchdown.
Interestingly, his 34 targets is second on the team behind Antonio Brown, who has 74 targets. This shows that the team has been trying to keep Bryant involved in the offense more than any receiver other than Brown, but he hasn’t made the best of the opportunities he has had.
After not playing football for over a year, it is obvious to anyone that watches the sport that Bryant didn’t come into camp in the best shape, and still has some rust. As the season goes on, he will eventually work himself back into the receiver he was before the last suspension, if he doesn’t get suspended again before the season is over.
Another reason why Bryant’s number dropped this year is the fact that rookie receiver Juju Smith-Schuster, has been getting a lot of looks this season, and has been making the most of his opportunity. Smith-Schuster has 15 catches on 24 targets for 192 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Bryant, who is signed through the 2018 season doesn’t have a lot of options at the moment. If he doesn’t get traded this season, he could sit out most of next year hoping for a new contract, but with JuJu Smith-Schuster showing he is capable of being the team’s second receiver, the Steelers can afford to have Bryant sit out as many games as he wants.
When he becomes a free agent after the 2018 season, he won’t be able to get the type of contract he wants because he will be seen as a head case that could be suspended at any time. If Bryant knows what’s best for him, he will just keep a low profile and do what he can to help the team win.
On Sunday, the Green Bay Packers’ playoff chances took a big hit when quarterback Aaron Rodgers took a hit that forced him out of the game.
The hit occurred as Rodgers was rolling out to his right early in the first quarter, looking for an open receiver. After Rodgers let the ball go, Minnesota Vikings linebacker Aaron Barr hit him in the midsection, driving him to the ground where he landed on his throwing shoulder.
Rodgers was visibly in pain as he writhed on the ground, but he was able to walk off the field, where he was looked at in the injury tent by the team physicians. Of course, this injury sparked rumors of the Green Bay Packers hiring Colin Kaepernick soon afterwards!
Rodgers was then taken to the locker room and soon after, the team announced he had broken the collarbone in his throwing arm and will be out indefinitely.
With Rodgers out of the game, the Packers turned to third-year quarterback Brett Hundley, who hadn’t seen a lot of action in three seasons. Hundley’s first pass was an interception that set up a Vikings touchdown. He finished the game with 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions, and the Packers lost to the Vikings, dropping them to 4-2 for the year.
The good news for the Packers and their fans is that Rodgers suffered a similar injury in 2013, missing seven games with a broken left collarbone. He was ab le to return for the final game of the season and helped the Packers clinch the NFC North title and make the playoffs.
If the Packers don’t want to miss the playoffs this year, they’re going to have to find a quarterback that is capable of helping them win games. One of the names that hit the rumor mill on Sunday was former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, but it might be difficult to get Romo to leave the broadcasting booth and come back to play.
However, if the Miami Dolphins were able to convince Jay Cutler to come out of retirement, anything is possible.
Vice President Mike Pence and his wife went to watch the Indianapolis Colts take on the San Francisco 49ers to support future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, who was being honored by the Colts with a jersey retirement ceremony.
However, Pence didn’t stay long at Lucas Oil Field. The Vice President and his wife left the game after the national anthem because over 20 players on the 49ers team took a knee during the anthem.
All the Colts players stood for the anthem and locked arms while wearing black T-shirts with the words “We Will” on the front and “Stand for equality, justice, unity, respect, dialogue, opportunity” on the back for the second consecutive week.
After leaving the stadium, Pence issued a statement on Twitter explaining his actions.
“I left today’s Colts game because President Trump and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem. At a time when so many Americans are inspiring our nation with their courage, resolve, and resilience, now, more than ever, we should rally around our Flag and everything that unites us.”
On Sunday afternoon, President Trump also took to Twitter to say he asked Pence to leave the game if players knelt during the anthem.
“I asked @VP Pence to leave stadium if any players kneeled, disrespecting our country. I am proud of him and @SecondLady Karen,” Trump wrote.
According to ESPN, the pool reporter that was assigned to the vice president was told to stay outside because Pence might leave the game early.
After the game, 49ers safety Eric Reid called Pence’s walkout a publicity stunt.
“First of all, does anyone know the last time he’s been to a football game?” Reid said after the game. “OK, with that being said, he tweeted out a 3-year-old photo of him at a Colts game. So with the information that I have, the last time he’s been to a football game is three years ago. So this looks like a PR stunt to me.
On Sunday, New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. fractured his ankle during the team’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Beckham injured his ankle when he went up for a catch and landed awkwardly on the ground. As soon as he fell the Chargers players around him knew it was serious and immediately called for medical help.
Beckham was unable to walk and had to be carted off the field with four minutes left in the game.
According to a Giants source that spoke with ESPN, it was the same ankle Beckham injured during the preseason.
Beckham, who was in a lot of pain when he was carted off the field, had a towel over his head and looked to be in tears.
“Obviously, you never want to see any receiver go down, and it looked like he was in some pain,” quarterback Eli Manning said. “So I just told him I’d be thinking about him. And obviously, we don’t know the severity of it, but hopefully he’ll be OK.”
Before being carted off the field, Beckham had five receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown. He had scored a 48 yard touchdown that gave the Giants the lead before he left the game, but the team couldn’t hold on to the lead after he left.
Manning fumbled the ball in the Giants’ territory on the very next play after Beckham was taken off, leading to a Chargers’ score that gave them the lead for good.
“That’s rough. He’s our best player,” cornerback Eli Apple said. “He’s a brother to everybody and somebody we really care about. That is kind of tough.”
Beckham was the fourth Giants receiver to leave the game, but he will be missed the most because he is their best offensive player.
Brandon Marshall also suffered an ankle injury that required him to be taken off the field in a cart. Sterling Shepard also left the game with an ankle injury. Both receivers did not return to the game.
Early in the third quarter, Dwayne Harris was carted off the field with a foot injury, and the Giants ended up finishing the game with one healthy receiver.
Two weeks ago, Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys players and coaches took a knee before the national anthem as a show of solidarity and unity after President Trump made some disparaging remarks about NFL players.
After the team’s loss to the Green Bay Packers, Jones said all the Dallas players will stand for the national anthem, and those that don’t will be benched.
“If there’s anything that is disrespectful to the flag, then we will not play,” Jones said. “Understand? We will not … if we are disrespecting the flag, then we will not play. Period.”
According to CBS Sports, defensive ends Damontre Moore and David Irving raised their fists at the end of the national anthem before the game against the Packers. Jones said after the game that he was unaware of their actions.
“We as a team are very much on the page together,” Jones said. “We made our expression. I’m very supportive of the team, but under no circumstances will the Dallas Cowboys — I don’t care what happens — under no circumstances will we as an organization, coaches, players, not support and stand and recognize and honor the flag. Period.”
On Monday, NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith issued a statement addressing the situation.
Smith said he met with team owners last week and commissioner Goodell and Giants owner John Mara, who is the chairman of the NFL management council, gave him assurances the owners would “respect the Constitutional rights of our members without retribution.” Smith also said that “no player is disrespecting our country or our flag” by protesting during the national anthem.
Even though the players that have taken a knee have said on numerous occasions that they aren’t disrespecting the flag, but trying to call attention to police brutality and racism, Jones said it is all about the perception.
“If it comes between the impression or the perception that we’re not standing together, supporting each other or the perception that we’re disrespecting the flag, the perception that we’re not together will be secondary to not respecting the flag,” Jones said. “Respecting the flag is first.”
Houston Texans rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson led the Clemson Tigers to a national championship victory over Nick Saban’s Alabama team a year after losing to the Crimson Tide in the national championship game.
After the game, Watson decided to forgo his final year in college and declared for the NFL Draft. Leading up to the draft, Watson saw his stock drop for a variety of reasons, and by the time the 2017 NFL Draft came around, Watson ended up being the third quarterback taken in the draft after the Houston Texans traded up to pick him at number 12.
The fact that Watson, who was arguably the best quarterback in college last season went third was surprising, especially since there were quarterback needy teams like the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, and New York Jets with high picks that decided to pass Watson up.
It was also surprising to see the Chicago Bears draft Mitchell Trubisky, who started only one season in college, take over an established player like Watson.
Before the draft, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney compared passing on Watson to passing on Michael Jordan. Watson himself said any team that picked another quarterback over him would have to live with the consequences.
Five games into the NFL season, Watson is already the favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award, while Trubisky lost his first ever career start in the Monday Night game against the Vikings. Going into NFL Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns Watson is sure to pick up another win for the Texans.
Watson came off the bench in the Texans week 1 loss to the Jaguars and hasn’t looked back since. He has completed 62.1 percent of his passes for 1,072 yards, 12 touchdowns and 4 interceptions for a 100.7 passer rating. He also has the best quarterback rating in the league.
In four and a half games, Watson has already broken or tied several rookie records, and if he can stay healthy, will likely rewrite the rookie record book by the time the season is over.
With the 49ers still looking for their first win and the Bears currently 1-3. Their general managers have to be kicking themselves for passing on Watson during the draft.
The Minnesota Vikings hope of making the playoffs was dealt a blow on Sunday when rookie running back Dalvin Cook tore his ACL during their game against the Detroit Lions.
The injury occurred during the third quarter when Cook made a cut to avoid being tackled by Detroit’s Tavon Wilson. Cook immediately grabbed his knee and fumbled the ball as he fell to the ground in pain.
The team had been hoping it wasn’t a serious injury, but there worst fears were realized when test results confirmed it was an ACL tear.
Cook, who was drafted to replace Adrian Peterson, who was released by the team in the offseason, was on pace to have over 400 rushing yards in four games, and provided the offense with balance as defenses started to game plan for him.
The team will turn to former Oakland Raider Latavius Murray, who was signed in the offseason, to take on the primary runner role. Murray, who has seen limited action this season because of Cook, is more than capable of handling the workload, and rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2015. Last season, he rushed for 788 yards in 14 games.
Murray, who is also recovering from offseason ankle surgery, had 21 yards on 7 carries on Thursday. Despite his ankle not being at 100 percent, Murray said he is ready to carry the workload.
“To be honest, I think I’m still getting to that point,” Murray said of his ankle getting back to 100 percent. “I think it’s not going to quite feel the same for a while. I knew that dealing with my previous ankle procedure.”
Cook is expected to undergo surgery to repair the torn ACL, but head coach Mike Zimmer said Cook will have to wait until the swelling in the knee goes down before he can undergo the surgery.
Zimmerman also didn’t rule out the possibility of the team signing another running back to give them more depth at the position.
Week 5 of the NFL season kicks off with a Thursday night game between the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The game will be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, and is scheduled to begin at 8:25 PM. ET.
Patriots Analysis
The Patriots came into the season as the favorites to win the Super Bowl, but after four games, they find themselves behind the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East. New England’s offense is the second best in the league, scoring 32.3 points per game. However, their defense has been one of the worst in the league, allowing opponents to average 32 points per game, which is the second most so far this season.
If the Patriots are to repeat as champions this year, they will need to start playing better on the defensive end, if not, they might not make it to the playoffs this year.
Buccaneers Analysis
The Bucs also came into the season with playoff aspirations, but they haven’t been consistent this season. They struggled with a winless New York Giants team this week after being blown out by the Vikings a week ago. Their game against New England will be their toughest test so far, and will help the team guage just how good they are this season.
Tampa Bay’s passing game has been very good so far with Jameis Winston picking up where he left off last season. Tampa Bay is averaging 277 passing yards per game, which is the third most in the league, but their running game needs improvement as they average 84.7 points per game, which is 26th in the league.
The Bucs should be able to move the ball against New England’s defense, but they cannot afford to settle for field goals against the Patriots when they get into the red zone.
Pick and Prediction
The Patriots are 5.5 point favorites going into the game, but they haven’t shown that they are capable of stopping opposing offense this year so I’m picking Tampa Bay to cover the spread.
This Week in NFL news, more controversy. On Saturday, while speaking at a rally, President Donald Trump said if a player decided to take a knee during the national anthem, he would love to see an NFL owner say, “Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out. He’s fired. He’s fired!”
After he made the comments, athlete from the NFL, NBA, and MLB were quick to denounce the president’s comments and before their games on Sunday, decided to show signs of solidarity.
Some teams like the Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers decided to stay in the locker room during the singing of the anthem on Sunday. According to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, it was to prevent the team from being dragged into a political fight.
Other teams decided to take a different approach with players either locking hands or kneeling. Team owners, who issued statements condemning the president’s remarks, also participated in the protest and locked hands with their players during the anthem.
Also, if you can believe it. Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys (America’s Team) also took a knee last Sunday in the NFL wide protest.
Others, like the Oakland Raiders, decided to seat while the anthem was being played.
Despite the overwhelming show of solidarity by the players and owners, there were a lot of people unhappy with the way the teams handled the situation.
Fans in attendance could be heard booing the players that didn’t stand for the anthem, and some fans were urging the players to stand up while the anthem was being played.
Pittsburgh offensive lineman, Alejandro Villanueva, a former Army Ranger who spent three tours in Afghanistan, was seen standing just outside the tunnel with his hand over his heart while the anthem was being played before their game in Chicago.
According to James Harrison, who said he was surprised Villanueva didn’t stay in the locker room with his teammates, there were no bad feeling in the locker room because Villanueva was a military man. However, Mike Tomlin said he was disappointed in Villanueva’s action because he wanted the whole team to be unified in their response.
Villanueva’s actions apparently went well with the fans because on Monday afternoon, his gear was the best selling at the NFL store.
There are a lot of big games in NFL Week 4, and one of the biggest is the NFC North matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears in the Thursday Night Football game. The game will be played at Lambeau Field on Thursday and starts at 8:25 PM. ET.
The Packers needed overtime to defeat the winless Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, but the win puts them at 2-1, and a three-way tie with the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, who play each other this week.
Last season, the Packers had to overcome a slow start to the season and win their final six games to make the playoffs, which is a situation they will try to avoid putting themselves in this year.
Despite a 1-2 start to the season, the Bears have shown that they are a team capable of defeating the best teams in the league, after making the Atlanta Falcons work for their week one win, and defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
The win over the Steelers will give the team a lot of confidence going into this game, which should make this a very interesting game.
The Packers struggled with the Seattle Seahawks in their season opener, but were able to get the win. The next week, they were dismantled by the same Atlanta Falcons that had trouble putting the Bears away on the road.
To add insult to the loss to the Falcons, the Packers also lost some of their best players to injuries, which was evident when they needed overtime to defeat the Bengals on Sunday.
Aaron Rodgers has historically owned the Bears, but without his top weapons, the Bears should be able to keep this close and might even walk away with a win if they can keep pressure on Rodgers all game long.
Look for Chicago to try and run the ball against the Packers who still have problems with good running backs. If they can get their ground game going, they will be able to control the clock and keep Rodgers on the sideline, giving them a better chance to win the game.
Pick and Prediction
The Packers are favored to win by seven points. Green Bay hasn’t looked very impressive this season, but the team has more talent than the Bears and a quarterback that has feasted on Chicago’s secondary in the past so take the Packers at -7 in this one.
The Cincinnati Bengals offense has finally gotten back on track, but will it be enough heading into NFL Week 4 where they are -3.5 point favorites against the Cleveland Browns?
The Cincinnati Bengals came into the season with high hopes, but things haven’t worked out for the team so far. The Bengals are now 0-3 and find themselves in a hole that might be too deep to climb out of.
The reason the Bengals remain winless this season is their offense has been one of the worst in the NFL. After going without an offensive touchdown in their first two games of the season, the Bengals decided to part ways with their offensive coordinator.
At the time of the move, most people outside the organization thought the team was panicking and made a knee jerk reaction. However, after Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers, it appears the Bengals made the right move.
On Sunday, Cincinnati was able to score its first offensive touchdown of the season on their very first possession of the game. Granted the touchdown came against a Packers team dealing with a lot of injuries on both sides of the ball, the Bengals will take them anyway they come.
The Bengals ended up scoring 24 points in the game, and led the Packers for most of the game. In the end, it was their defense, which had kept them in their previous two games that let them down.
Cincinnati’s defense allowed Aaron Rodgers to rally his team and make a comeback. Green Bay managed to tie the game in regulation before sending it to overtime where they won by three points.
While the Bengals are disappointed in their 0-3 start to the season, they have to be happy that their offense finally got going and with the Steelers and Ravens struggling, they still have a chance to win the division. Our NFL Week 4 predictions for the Bengals would be to take them to cover the -3.5 point spread against the Bears on Sunday, October 1st, 2017.
With their next game coming against the Cleveland Browns, the Bengals have a great chance to win their first game of the season on Sunday.
The first 2 weeks of the NFL season have been surprising to say the least! Anything can happen in the NFL and it already has so far this season. Today we will preview NFL Week 3 and share our winning picks with you for the Saints and Panthers game, as well as the Vikings and Buccaneers game.
Before we begin we will start with with a recap of what has happened thus far this season.
The New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings played their first Monday Night Football game of the season at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on September 11. The game was scheduled to begin at 7:10 PM. ET. The Vikings were victorious and defeated the Saints by a score of 29-19.
Saints Analysis
The Saints finished last season 7-9, but are hoping to get back into the playoffs this season, and upgraded their team with players like Adrian Peterson, who was released by the Vikings during the offseason.
Even though Peterson will share carries with Mark Ingram, expect the Vikings’ all-time leading rusher to get a lot of playing time against his former team as he tries to show them they made a mistake letting him go.
Drew Brees is expected to continue his assault on the record books this season, but he might have a tough time doing so against a Vikings defense that was good against the pass last year.
Prediction
The Saints will be defeated by the Carolina Panthers by a score of 24-19.
Vikings Analysis
The Vikings will start the season again without quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who is still recovering from a knee injury he suffered last preseason.
Without Bridgewater, the Vikings will once again turn to Sam Bradford, who started hot but faltered late in the season.
Dalvin Cook, the Vikings replacement for Peterson will also make his regular season debut in this game and will be out to prove the team made the right choice drafting him to replace Peterson.
The Vikings defense, which was one of the best in the league in the first half of last season, is expected to be improved, but they will be facing a tough test going up against veteran Drew Brees, who can carve them up if his offensive line gives him enough time.
Prediction
The Vikings defense will keep them in the game, but the Buccaneers offense will eventually be too much for them and Tampa Bay will get the win.
J.J. Watt and the Houston Texans suffered a loss in NFL Week 1, but it was bittersweet because news of J.J. Watt’s hurricane relief fund passed $30 million in charity.
Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt started a fundraiser this week to help victims of Hurricane Harvey. The initial goal of the fundraiser was $200,000. By Thursday, over $10 million had been raised.
On Twitter, Watt thanked those that donated for their generosity, and said he would leave the fund open to see how high it can go.
On Wednesday night, Watt said he has already been using the money that was raised to help victims of Hurricane Harvey.
“We’re filling the semi-trucks as we speak. Many people have donated their trucks, their time, donated food, water, clothing, generators, things like that,” Watt said. “We’re going to get those trucks down here by this weekend. … The tentative plan is Sunday we’re going to have a bunch of my teammates help me out in a few different locations around town to be determined, and we’re going to hand out those supplies.
“We’re basically trying to find (a) the safest areas we can get to — obviously we don’t want to put anybody in danger — but then (b) the areas that need it the absolute most. So, we’re going to try and set up — literally, it’s going to be open up the back of a semi-truck and start handing out water, start handing out clothes.”
Watt kicked things off by donating $100,000 to the relief fund, others like the Tennessee Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, each donated $1 million to the fund.
According to ESPN, others like the owners of the Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, New York Jets, and the Detroit Lions have also donated to other hurricane relief funds like the Red Cross and United Way.
After spending most of the week in Dallas, the Texans returned home their families on Wednesday after finding a safe route to take.
Bruce Arians Believes Blaine Gabbert Can Be A Starter Again
Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians recently told reporters that he believes backup quarterback Blane Gabbert can once again become a starter in the NFL.
Gabbert, who was the first round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2011, struggled in Jacksonville after being named starter two weeks into the 2011 season, and was never the player the team had hoped he would be.
In 2014, the Jaguars drafted Blake Bortles, which made Gabbert expendable and he was promptly traded to the San Francisco 49ers for a sixth round pick.
Gabbert, who had a 5-22 record as a starter in Jacksonville, quickly got another opportunity to start for the 49ers after incumbent starter Colin Kaepernick struggled.
Kaepernick regained the starting job in San Francisco last season, and the team let Gabbert go after the season was over.
The Cardinals signed Gabbert during the offseason. In the preseason, Gabbert showed he was still capable of leading a team, and finished preseason completing 36 of 57 passes for 496 yards 1 touchdowns and 1 interception.
Despite his preseason performance, the Cardinals announced that Drew Stanton will be their backup quarterback this season.
After the announcement was made, Arians was asked about Gabbert’s play.
“I’ve been very pleased,” coach Bruce Arians recently said of Gabbert, per the team’s official website. “Short-term, I’d be very comfortable if he had to play for us. Long-term, if he continues at this rate, he could be a starter.”
Starting quarterback Carson Palmer also had a lot of praise for Gabbert.
“I had worked out with him a handful of times a couple of years ago in the offseason,” Palmer said. “Very aware of his skill-set. He’s as talented as it gets throwing the football and moving around in the pocket and on the run. I haven’t been surprised.”
If Gabbert continues playing well, the Cardinals don’t see any reason he can’t help a quarterback needy team.
The AFC has been dominated by the New England Patriots over the past decade, and with Tom Brady planning to play well into his 40s, they might dominate for another decade. Despite being the best team in the conference, the Patriots don’t play in the toughest division, which is why we are using this opportunity to determine the best division in the AFC.
AFC East
As previously mentioned, the Patriots own the division, but last season, the Miami Dolphins emerged as a playoff contender. This year, with Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill injured, the Patriots might once again be the only playoff team in the division. Current divisional betting odds posted at the Bovada sportsbook have the Patriots as 11-4 favorites to win the Super Bowl.
Last season, the AFC East finished 26-22 against the rest of the conference, but 11 of those wins came for the Patriots, who were clearly the best team in the league last year.
AFC North
This used to be the toughest division in the NFL, but the Ravens and Bengals were terrible last year, leaving the Steelers as the only team standing. This year, the Steelers, Ravens, and Bengals are expected to be in the playoff hunt so expect the division to return to being one of the toughest in the NFL.
Last season, the AFC North finished 22-26 against the AFC, thanks in large part to the Browns, who went 1-11 against the rest of the conference.
AFC South
This might not be the best division in the conference, but it is a very competitive one. The Texans will once again be the favorites, but the Titans and Colts are also expected to be in the mix once again.
Last season, the AFC South finished 20-28 against the rest of the AFC.
AFC West
This was without a doubt the best division in the AFC last year. Both the Raiders and Chiefs finished with 12 wins, and the Broncos also had nine, barely missing the playoffs. This year, some drop off is expected, but these teams will still be very good and tough to beat.
Last season, the AFC West went 28-20 against the rest of the AFC.
The AFC West was clearly the best division last year, and I expect them to be the best division in the conference once again this season.
The New England Patriots are going into the season as the favorites to win the Super Bowl, but their chances of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy for the second consecutive season suffered a huge blow over the weekend when they lost wide receiver Julian Edelman.
Edelman fell to the ground during the Patriots preseason game against the Detroit Lions, and after the game, team officials said he suffered an ACL injury and will be forced to miss the entire season.
Edelman’s injury is a big blow to the Patriots offense because the receiver always seems to come up with big plays when the team needs them.
Last season, Edelman finished with 98 catches for 1,106 yards and 3 touchdowns. Even though the touchdowns don’t stand out, the receptions and the yards were crucial in helping the team win its fifth Super Bowl.
Since joining the team in 2009, Edelman has been quarterback Tom Brady’s favorite receiver because of the trust the two men have on the field. In a radio interview, Brady said the biggest thing he will miss about Edelman is the trust they shared because they have been playing together for so long, he can anticipate where Edelman will be on the field during games.
To further illustrate the point, since 2013, Edelman has 436 receptions, which is 187 more receptions than any other Patriots receiver, including Rob Gronkowski, who is a big part of their offense.
Without Edelman, Brady will be forced to rely on new addition Brandin Cooks and Chris Hogan, who showed some promise last year.
As long as Tom Brady is still throwing the ball, the Patriots will okay, but their path to the Super Bowl just got tougher without Edelman to help Brady move the chains whenever he gets into trouble.
On Wednesday, the NFL announced the cancellation of the final preseason game between the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans that was scheduled to take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The game, which was supposed to be played on Thursday, was cancelled because the Texans can return home sooner than expected after staying in Dallas while Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc on Houston.
The Texans issued a statement on Wednesday saying they will drive home after finding a safe route to travel.
“At this time, the priority of our organization is getting our players, coaches and staff back home to be reunited with their families, many of whom have been evacuated from their homes and are currently sheltered. The team feels it is imperative to get back home to help the Houston community recover from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey,” the team said.
There were also discussions about whether to cancel the Thursday night game between the Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Saints as remnants of the storm heads towards Louisiana. However, the Saints have announced that the game will go on as scheduled.
Tickets for the game between the Cowboys and Texans went on sale on Tuesday with the proceeds going to the hurricane relief fund. Fans can request a refund and if they don’t, the money will still go to the relief fund.
The game had initially been moved from NRG Stadium in Houston because of the flooding in Houston, but with players and team staff not having seen their families throughout the storm, playing an exhibition game didn’t seem to make much sense.
“I think there’s more important things than football right now,” Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee said. “Houston being able to get home and see their families is a big deal.”
“I know that they’re probably anxious to get home and see their families and just assess the situation,” said Cowboys tight end Jason Witten. “I said it a couple days ago, but this is bigger than football.”
We are getting a lot of fans asking us a simple question these past few days, When does the NFL season start? so we figured we would answer them before throwing NFL picks and predictions at them.
NFL Week 1 kicks off with the Thursday night game on Thursday, September 7th, 2017 between the Kansas City Chiefs and defending Super Bowl Champions, the New England Patriots. Also, the first NFL Sunday of this season is Sunday, September 10th, 2017.
Now without further ado, our breakdown of the NFC West going into the NFL 2017-18 regular season.
The NFC West was a one team show last season as the Seattle Seahawks dominated the division and took back the division crown from the Arizona Cardinals, who had a disappointing season. This year, the Cardinals are expected to bounce back and try to reclaim the title from Seattle.
The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams on the other hand aren’t expected to be any good this year, but stranger things have happened in the NFL.
Which team will win the NFC West in 2017?
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals made the NFC Championship game in 2015, but regressed last year and won only seven games. With plenty of talent on both offense and defense, the Cardinals can make a Super Bowl run, but they have to figure out how to win the division first.
The Cardinals are projected to win eight games, but are too talented and should win at least 10 games.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams teased their fans early in the season last year, and at one point were on top of the NFC West standings. Unfortunately, the team couldn’t maintain the level or performance for the whole season and lost their final seven games of the season.
The Rams are projected to win 5.5 games, but I think that’s too generous considering the teams they have to play. Los Angeles will probably finish with four or five wins this year.
San Francisco 49ers
The New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, and 49ers will be competing for the worst record in the NFL this season, but I think the 49ers will finish with the worst record.
The 49ers don’t have a quarterback, their running back has a history of injuries, and their defense is a shell of what it used to be. The good news for the 49ers and their fans is they will be able to find a franchise quarterback with the top pick in next year’s draft.
San Francisco is projected to win 4.5 games this season but I don’t see them winning more than three.
Seattle Seahawks
After an offseason filled with spats and rumors of infighting, the Seahawks will finally get back to doing what they do best, win football games. Seattle is projected to win 10.5 games this year and with gimmes against the 49ers and Rams, I don’t see why they can’t.
Like the Panthers, the Seahawks have a questionable offensive line. The team tried to address it during the offseason but we won’t know how much it has improved until the season starts. I expect the Seahawks to win the division again this year.
The NFC North has belonged to the Green Bay Packers for the better part of a decade, but the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings are waiting in the corner trying to dethrone Aaron Rodgers and his teammates.
Last year, the Vikings and Lions looked like they were going to be the top two teams in the division, but the Packers rallied late in the season, winning their last six games and taking the division title for the seventh time in 10 years.
How will the 2018 Packers fare this season? Find out in our NFC North NFL predictions and preview.
Chicago Bears
The Bears didn’t have a good offseason and are likely going to finish at the bottom of the division. Chicago is projected to win 5.5 games this season, but that might be generous considering the team lost its starting quarterback and best wide receiver.
Rookie Mitch Trubisky will take over as the team’s starting quarterback, but Chicago fans should expect some growing pains before the team is ready to compete for the division.
Detroit Lions
The Lions came close to winning the division last year, which was surprising since quarterback Matthew Stafford’s best offensive weapon, Calvin Johnson retired during the previous offseason. The Lions are a good offensive team, but their defense will need to play better if they are to be considered a legitimate contender.
Detroit is projected to win eight games, but I expect them to win more than that.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers know their window to win another Super Bowl is closing, so the team made sure to surround Aaron Rodgers with enough weapons to help him win games. The Packers also spent the offseason trying to fix their defense so it will be interesting to see how good they are this year.
The Packers are projected to win 10 games, and with the firepower they have, I don’t see why they shouldn’t win more.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings might be the most difficult team to predict in the division. They had one of the best defenses in the NFL last year, but their offense wasn’t very good or consistent.
Rookie running back Dalvin Cook could be this year’s Ezekiel Elliot, but with Teddy Bridgewater still recovering from last year’s season ending injury, Sam Bradford will once again be thrust into the starting lineup, which didn’t work out very well for the team last year.
The Vikings are projected to win 8.5 games, but I don’t see them winning more than eight games.
Even though they will face some competition from the Lions, the Packers are still going to be the kings of the NFC North.
Today we will be previewing the AFC North and taking a look at current betting odds on which team is likely to come out of the AFC North and make the NFL playoffs.
The AFC North, which has historically been one of the toughest in the NFL, had a down year last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers being the only team in the division that finished with a winning record. This year, the division is expected to be more competitive as the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals improved their rosters. Even the Cleveland Browns, who won only one game last season, are expected to be improved this year.
With that being said, here is a quick preview of the AFC North.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens started well last season, but faltered down the stretch finishing with an 8-8 record. The team lost veteran receiver Steve Smith, who retired in the offseason, but added Jeremy Maclin, who is expected to be their top receiver.
The biggest question mark going into the season is at the running back position. Last season, Terrance West led the team with 774 yards and 5 touchdowns, and the team is hoping he can emerge as their feature back this season.
The Ravens are projected to win nine games, and I believe they will win more than that this season as they return to the playoffs.
Cincinnati Bengals
Like the Ravens, the Bengals were a surprising disappointment last season, especially since they won the division the year before. The Bengals added Joe Mixon, a top rated running back that fell into their lap in the second round and are hoping having a well balanced offense will help get them back into the playoffs.
The Bengals are projected to win 8.5 games this year, and I believe they will win more than that and compete with the Ravens and Steelers for the division title.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns were the worst team in the league last season, but the good news for their fans is they really can’t be any worse than they were last year.
During the offseason, Cleveland added quarterback Brock Osweiller and drafted young defensive talent like Miles Garrett, so I expect to see a slight improvement from last season.
The Browns are projected to win 4.5 games this season, but I don’t see it happening in what will be a tough division this year.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have the talent to make it to the Super Bowl, but there are too many questions surrounding the team. Will Ben Roethlisberger be able to play the whole season? Will LeVeon Bell report to training camp on time or will he hold out for most of the season? And will Martavis Bryant stay sober this year or get suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse policy?
The Steelers are projected to win 10.5 games, and I can see them winning more if they have all their pieces for the whole season. If not, they likely won’t win 10 games this year.
