NFL 2013/14 General Discussion Thread

[the sicilian]

I like Bills +2.5...jets qb still holding the ball too long and Bills not as bad as people think both sides of the ball

[The Camel]

Love this

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

First time I've seen him in a whole game rather than just highlights.

I had always assumed he was a finesse scat type back.

I was wrong!

[The Camel]

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?

I can't find the stat, but I am pretty sure the week after a team loses their star player (usually from injury obv, but I assume it will hold true for him being traded away too) a team covers the spread somewhere in the region of 70%.

A combination of the line moving too much to compensate and the other players stepping up their effort/performance levels.

[redarmi]

I have never seen that stat before but the line move is never anywhere near as much as that so I don't think it can be sustainable  in the long run.  Also in this spot I am not sure Trent Richardson really counts as a "star" player in that sense does he?  He is hardly a franchise player.

[redarmi]

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.

The price has gone here but I still like the side.  Pouncey is a huge injury but it has made them look worse than they are.  They had a OL in the position when he went down and unsurprisingly couldn't do anything then had less than a week to get Velasco ready straight off the street in a position that requires snaps to get the timing between him and the QB right.  I think we will see a big improvement this week on that front and I thought he did alright anyway.  Heath Miller coming back is pretty huge imo and gives them a lot more options.  This is their season on the line here on MNF whilst Chicago are in fairly good shape.  Just seems a decent spot for the Steelers to me.  I took a bit of +2.5.

[Simon Galloway]

Aldon Smith on DUI and weed possession rap ... how is he playing Sunday?

[Longy]

Aldon Smith on DUI and weed possession rap ... how is he playing Sunday?

He is getting a lift to the ground

[Tal]

Aldon Smith on DUI and weed possession rap ... how is he playing Sunday?

He is getting a lift to the ground

On a magic flying carpet

[Marky147]

Aldon Smith on DUI and weed possession rap ... how is he playing Sunday?

You'd imagine that 8/9 figure salaries would at least make these guys think about what they're doing, but it just seems to go completely the other way, and they just bowl along doing whatever they please.

[Simon Galloway]

He is getting a lift to the ground

 

[Longy]

Browns trying real hard for that no.1 pick and as many picks as possible in next years draft.

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 1m
Cleveland fielding offers for and open to trading WRs Josh Gordon and Greg Little. At least one team has made a quality offer for Gordon.

[TightEnd]

Baltimore, Patriots and 49ers could all use Gordon, if they are sure he will behave

Apparently Joe Thomas the LT has been sought too


Quite fun to watch, tearing up a team that won't compete for the play offs and starting again

[Tal]

Baltimore, Patriots and 49ers could all use Gordon, if they are sure he will behave

Apparently Joe Thomas the LT has been sought too


Quite fun to watch, tearing up a team that won't compete for the play offs and starting again

When will that happen in Dallas?

 

[TightEnd]

Baltimore, Patriots and 49ers could all use Gordon, if they are sure he will behave

Apparently Joe Thomas the LT has been sought too


Quite fun to watch, tearing up a team that won't compete for the play offs and starting again

When will that happen in Dallas?

 

More than enough talent to compete for the play offs in a division where every team has weaknesses

thanks for the concern though.

[Tal]

BettingEmporium I ain't, but Tal's Betting Bizarre Bazaar is open for business:

Carolina +2
Detroit -1
New Orleans -7
Buffalo +2.5
Jacksonville +19
Oakland +14
Indianapolis +10

Six-folds and a seven-fold to a £1 Billy Bigtime unit.

Probably not going to put Mr Boyle out of business this evening, so I doubt he will mind me winning this one.