NFL 2013/14 General Discussion Thread

[redarmi]

I would be very surprised if it got to +3.5 10/11 tonight.  I nicked a bit of KC 8/5 earlier in the week and think that is probably about the top of the market.  Everytime Pinnacle go to +3 11/10 or bigger they seem to see money and there are no indications from the charts that there is any great public money for Philly and the only money in Philly games this year from the syndicates has been against them.  If I had to place a bet I would bet the line closes pretty close to where it is now.

[Sheriff Fatman]

Bit of a mixture of the old and new tonight, with Andy Reid returning to the Linc and Donovan McNabb having his #5 retired today, but really need Chip to pull out a win at the end of it.

Have the same uneasy feeling tonight as I did for the Chargers game though, so not feeling too confident.

[Sheriff Fatman]

Reid doesn't need to do much if we carry on beating ourselves like this.

0-10 already.

[Marky147]

Reid doesn't need to do much if we carry on beating ourselves like this.

0-10 already.

Bit of redemption there, but no good for us boys who have knocked it in

[Sheriff Fatman]

Touching to see the Eagles putting in a big performance for Andy Reid.  Pity it's a season too late!

Comedy of errors so far.  Quite how we're still only 10pts down at this stage is a miracle.  Looks like Vick just dodged another INT bullet on the last play.

[kukushkin88]

Pittsburgh +3 @5/6 What do we think?. Ike Taylor looked as good as ever vs AJ Green and limiting Marshall is still huge vs the Bears, Heath Miller is almost certainly back too. With Polamalu starting to look like his old self and Marshall up against one of the best ever it could be a tough night for Cutler and he doesn't do tough nights well.

[TightEnd]

Pittsburgh +3 @5/6 What do we think?. Ike Taylor looked as good as ever vs AJ Green and limiting Marshall is still huge vs the Bears, Heath Miller is almost certainly back too. With Polamalu starting to look like his old self and Marshall up against one of the best ever it could be a tough night for Cutler and he doesn't do tough nights well.

Chicago OL is much much improved this year, and this is Huge for Cutler. He'll always make mistakes, and tends to be mentally fragile though

Take Marshall away and Alshon Jeffrey is much improved and Martellus Bennett is finally fulfilling his potential at Tight End and Forte will always help you put points up

Not that concerned with Pittsburgh's defense especially, as you say Taylor and Polamalu are good performers

What does worry me is

- the Pittsburgh O-Line protecting Roethlisberger. No signs of that happening yet. Loss of the center Pouncey was a huge loss.
- Dysfunctionality. Todd Haley and Roethslisberger not on the same page
- given this, Chicago's capability of creating turnovers via Tillman etc

It would be unprecedented for Pittsburgh to start 0-3 (0-2 hadn't happened under Tomlin until last week) and I do normally like decent home underdogs but I had Chicago as one of my bets of the week given the match ups here particularly Chicago D v Pittsburh O Line

[TightEnd]

Love this

Won't get any fantasy points but what a block!

[kukushkin88]

Pittsburgh +3 @5/6 What do we think?. Ike Taylor looked as good as ever vs AJ Green and limiting Marshall is still huge vs the Bears, Heath Miller is almost certainly back too. With Polamalu starting to look like his old self and Marshall up against one of the best ever it could be a tough night for Cutler and he doesn't do tough nights well.

Chicago OL is much much improved this year, and this is Huge for Cutler. He'll always make mistakes, and tends to be mentally fragile though

Take Marshall away and Alshon Jeffrey is much improved and Martellus Bennett is finally fulfilling his potential at Tight End and Forte will always help you put points up

Not that concerned with Pittsburgh's defense especially, as you say Taylor and Polamalu are good performers

What does worry me is

- the Pittsburgh O-Line protecting Roethlisberger. No signs of that happening yet. Loss of the center Pouncey was a huge loss.
- Dysfunctionality. Todd Haley and Roethslisberger not on the same page
- given this, Chicago's capability of creating turnovers via Tillman etc

It would be unprecedented for Pittsburgh to start 0-3 (0-2 hadn't happened under Tomlin until last week) and I do normally like decent home underdogs but I had Chicago as one of my bets of the week given the match ups here particularly Chicago D v Pittsburh O Line

Yep some valid points there. It's a remarkable thing, given that we are both NFL nuts with great records for identifying value. We almost always disagree! :-). More than one way to skin a cat I guess.

Anything else standing out?

[Tal]

Either of you like the Oakland line against Denver?

[TightEnd]

Pittsburgh +3 @5/6 What do we think?. Ike Taylor looked as good as ever vs AJ Green and limiting Marshall is still huge vs the Bears, Heath Miller is almost certainly back too. With Polamalu starting to look like his old self and Marshall up against one of the best ever it could be a tough night for Cutler and he doesn't do tough nights well.

Chicago OL is much much improved this year, and this is Huge for Cutler. He'll always make mistakes, and tends to be mentally fragile though

Take Marshall away and Alshon Jeffrey is much improved and Martellus Bennett is finally fulfilling his potential at Tight End and Forte will always help you put points up

Not that concerned with Pittsburgh's defense especially, as you say Taylor and Polamalu are good performers

What does worry me is

- the Pittsburgh O-Line protecting Roethlisberger. No signs of that happening yet. Loss of the center Pouncey was a huge loss.
- Dysfunctionality. Todd Haley and Roethslisberger not on the same page
- given this, Chicago's capability of creating turnovers via Tillman etc

It would be unprecedented for Pittsburgh to start 0-3 (0-2 hadn't happened under Tomlin until last week) and I do normally like decent home underdogs but I had Chicago as one of my bets of the week given the match ups here particularly Chicago D v Pittsburh O Line

Yep some valid points there. It's a remarkable thing, given that we are both NFL nuts with great records for identifying value. We almost always disagree! :-). More than one way to skin a cat I guess.

Anything else standing out?

Very difficult week

I can't see Cleveland getting more than 17 points with a 3rd string QB and a starting RB off the street. Much as I am loathe to go Ponder -6, I think I would have to expect Minnesota to cover the spread

Texans -2.5 at Baltimore. Texans look the real deal to me, always was Foster and the defense, with Hopkins at WR, two good Tight Ends as well as Foster and Andre they now have other ways of winning games

Think Bengals are decent (Dalton doubts, but rest of team good) and tempted by them as 3 point dogs at home to the Packers. Bengals probably need 24-28 points minimum to cover though.


yourself?

[TightEnd]

Either of you like the Oakland line against Denver?

Not like as such but I see how they win against the spread. They can control some time of possession with the running game. Whether they keep Manning off the field enough is the issue

[Tal]

Either of you like the Oakland line against Denver?

Not like as such but I see how they win against the spread. They can control some time of possession with the running game. Whether they keep Manning off the field enough is the issue

Must come a point where he stops being superhuman and reverts to exceptional, he says optimistically

[kukushkin88]

Pittsburgh +3 @5/6 What do we think?. Ike Taylor looked as good as ever vs AJ Green and limiting Marshall is still huge vs the Bears, Heath Miller is almost certainly back too. With Polamalu starting to look like his old self and Marshall up against one of the best ever it could be a tough night for Cutler and he doesn't do tough nights well.

Chicago OL is much much improved this year, and this is Huge for Cutler. He'll always make mistakes, and tends to be mentally fragile though

Take Marshall away and Alshon Jeffrey is much improved and Martellus Bennett is finally fulfilling his potential at Tight End and Forte will always help you put points up

Not that concerned with Pittsburgh's defense especially, as you say Taylor and Polamalu are good performers

What does worry me is

- the Pittsburgh O-Line protecting Roethlisberger. No signs of that happening yet. Loss of the center Pouncey was a huge loss.
- Dysfunctionality. Todd Haley and Roethslisberger not on the same page
- given this, Chicago's capability of creating turnovers via Tillman etc

It would be unprecedented for Pittsburgh to start 0-3 (0-2 hadn't happened under Tomlin until last week) and I do normally like decent home underdogs but I had Chicago as one of my bets of the week given the match ups here particularly Chicago D v Pittsburh O Line

Yep some valid points there. It's a remarkable thing, given that we are both NFL nuts with great records for identifying value. We almost always disagree! :-). More than one way to skin a cat I guess.

Anything else standing out?

Very difficult week

I can't see Cleveland getting more than 17 points with a 3rd string QB and a starting RB off the street. Much as I am loathe to go Ponder -6, I think I would have to expect Minnesota to cover the spread

Texans -2.5 at Baltimore. Texans look the real deal to me, always was Foster and the defense, with Hopkins at WR, two good Tight Ends as well as Foster and Andre they now have other ways of winning games

Think Bengals are decent (Dalton doubts, but rest of team good) and tempted by them as 3 point dogs at home to the Packers. Bengals probably need 24-28 points minimum to cover though.


yourself?

Still haven't got around to doing proper research for Sunday, pretty slack really. I like Atlanta +3 5/6 the best so far, the injuries are more than in the price I think.

I share your concerns about Dalton, lots to like at Cincy though as you correctly pointed out weeks ago. Have you seen the Hard Knocks programme featuring the Bengals? It's great stuff and to me really does highlight that Dalton's not quite the man to take them on. Quite an insecure sort of chap and there are few positions in all of sport where that characteristic is less desirable.

[TightEnd]

Yes I love the Hard Knocks programmes.

The Atlanta game is an important one for Miami, will get a realistic feel for whether they might challenge the Patriots or not. Another team where the defense is very good, and the doubts on the offense might be last year's thing.