For the second consecutive week, an NFL game ended in a tie. Luckily, this one happened in London, where real football fans are used to two teams playing to a draw. Of course, they’re watching a soccer match and the score is either 0-0 or 1-1 instead of 27-27. As Jason and I discussed this week on the latest episode of “Cheesesteak & Chowder,” the football is the last of the four major professional sports where a game can end in a tie. Baseball and basketball games will continue until there’s a winner, even if they have to play 18 innings or 5 overtimes. There’s nothing better in sports that playoff overtime hockey, and while I’m not a fan of the stupid shoot-outs in the NHL, at least and the end of the day there’s a winner.
Think about some of the most famous quotes in football. Vince Lombardi told us that “winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” Remember Herman Edwards and his epic press conference? “You play to win the game. Hello? You PLAY to WIN the game.” Truth, right? I praised Oakland’s Jack Del Rio for going for two points and a win in week 1 in lieu of the PAT that would have tied the Saints. By the same token, I knew the Eagles were hosed last week when Doug Peterson was content to let time expire and go to overtime even though they had all three timeouts. Unacceptable.
In football, especially the big business that is the NFL, every game matters, or at least it should. So what’s the solution? Tune into the podcast to hear how we would solve this problem.
Atlanta (-3.5) over TAMPA BAY – Usually when a game shapes up as a high-scoring affair, like this one does, the score ends up being 16-13 or something like that. I’ll take the bait, though. Falcons 38, Buccaneers 34
KANSAS CITY (-7.5) over Jacksonville – Nick Foles (!) gets the start for Kansas City. No idea if we’re getting Dr. Jekyll (27 TD, 2 INT for the 2013 Eagles) or Mr. Hyde (couldn’t beat out Case Keenum for the 2015 Rams). Chiefs 28, Jaguars 19
MINNESOTA (-6) over Detroit – A real eye-opener this week with Norv Turner resigning as Minnesota’s OC. Not that the Viking offense was a juggernaut by any stretch, but this is a clear message that they need to get their asses on track. Vikings 22, Lions 14
Philadelphia (+2.5) over NEW YORK GIANTS – I say this is a loser leaves town match, with the winner keeping their wild card playoff chances alive. Wonder what happens if they tie. Eagles 27, Giants 21
CLEVELAND (+7.5) over Dallas – So Dallas is the best team in the NFC, and the only Brown that has been balling this year (Terrelle Pryor) is questionable with a hamstring…how is this line only seven and a half? Maybe Vegas knows something… Browns 24, Cowboys 23
New York Jets (+3.5) over MIAMI – I know the Jets are terrible, but I don’t think the Dolphins should be favored over anyone. Jets 23, Dolphins 21
Pittsburgh (+2) over BALTIMORE – Ben Roethlisberger could play this week, just two weeks removed from surgery to repair a torn meniscus. And just in time, too, because if this was Landry Jones in Baltimore, I’d be all over the Ravens. Steelers 20, Ravens 16
New Orleans (-3.5) over SAN FRANCISCO – There are only a handful of circumstances that would cause me to give up points with the Saints on the road, but in San Francisco certainly qualifies. Saints 28, 49ers 15
Carolina (-3) over LOS ANGELES – After his outburst this week about the officiating (which was completely justified, by the way), I’m expecting Cam Newton to get a few roughing the passer calls to go his way. Panthers 31, Rams 24
GREEN BAY (-7) over Indianapolis – The Packers are taking the “zero running back” philosophy a little too seriously, aren’t they? Aaron Rodgers might throw 70 passes this week. Packers 35, Colts 17
SAN DIEGO (-5) over Tennessee – The Titans are sneaky good, whereas the Chargers are good but just unlucky. I’ll bank on San Diego finally catching some breaks this week. Chargers 27, Titans 21
OAKLAND (-1) over Denver – This has the potential to be the game of the weekend, and should provide a real test for the 6-2 Raiders. I’m doing this simply because I like David Carr a heck of a lot better than Trever Siemian. Raiders 25, Broncos 18
SEATTLE (-7) over Buffalo – The 12th Man in Seattle on a Monday night? Too Easy. Seahawks 23, Bills 13
Bye: Arizona, Chicago, Cincinnati, Houston, New England, Washington
Week 8: 9-3-1 Straight up; 7-6 Against the spread
2016 Season: 73-45-2; 59-61
Think about some of the most famous quotes in football. Vince Lombardi told us that “winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” Remember Herman Edwards and his epic press conference? “You play to win the game. Hello? You PLAY to WIN the game.” Truth, right? I praised Oakland’s Jack Del Rio for going for two points and a win in week 1 in lieu of the PAT that would have tied the Saints. By the same token, I knew the Eagles were hosed last week when Doug Peterson was content to let time expire and go to overtime even though they had all three timeouts. Unacceptable.
In football, especially the big business that is the NFL, every game matters, or at least it should. So what’s the solution? Tune into the podcast to hear how we would solve this problem.
Atlanta (-3.5) over TAMPA BAY – Usually when a game shapes up as a high-scoring affair, like this one does, the score ends up being 16-13 or something like that. I’ll take the bait, though. Falcons 38, Buccaneers 34
KANSAS CITY (-7.5) over Jacksonville – Nick Foles (!) gets the start for Kansas City. No idea if we’re getting Dr. Jekyll (27 TD, 2 INT for the 2013 Eagles) or Mr. Hyde (couldn’t beat out Case Keenum for the 2015 Rams). Chiefs 28, Jaguars 19
MINNESOTA (-6) over Detroit – A real eye-opener this week with Norv Turner resigning as Minnesota’s OC. Not that the Viking offense was a juggernaut by any stretch, but this is a clear message that they need to get their asses on track. Vikings 22, Lions 14
Philadelphia (+2.5) over NEW YORK GIANTS – I say this is a loser leaves town match, with the winner keeping their wild card playoff chances alive. Wonder what happens if they tie. Eagles 27, Giants 21
CLEVELAND (+7.5) over Dallas – So Dallas is the best team in the NFC, and the only Brown that has been balling this year (Terrelle Pryor) is questionable with a hamstring…how is this line only seven and a half? Maybe Vegas knows something… Browns 24, Cowboys 23
New York Jets (+3.5) over MIAMI – I know the Jets are terrible, but I don’t think the Dolphins should be favored over anyone. Jets 23, Dolphins 21
Pittsburgh (+2) over BALTIMORE – Ben Roethlisberger could play this week, just two weeks removed from surgery to repair a torn meniscus. And just in time, too, because if this was Landry Jones in Baltimore, I’d be all over the Ravens. Steelers 20, Ravens 16
New Orleans (-3.5) over SAN FRANCISCO – There are only a handful of circumstances that would cause me to give up points with the Saints on the road, but in San Francisco certainly qualifies. Saints 28, 49ers 15
Carolina (-3) over LOS ANGELES – After his outburst this week about the officiating (which was completely justified, by the way), I’m expecting Cam Newton to get a few roughing the passer calls to go his way. Panthers 31, Rams 24
GREEN BAY (-7) over Indianapolis – The Packers are taking the “zero running back” philosophy a little too seriously, aren’t they? Aaron Rodgers might throw 70 passes this week. Packers 35, Colts 17
SAN DIEGO (-5) over Tennessee – The Titans are sneaky good, whereas the Chargers are good but just unlucky. I’ll bank on San Diego finally catching some breaks this week. Chargers 27, Titans 21
OAKLAND (-1) over Denver – This has the potential to be the game of the weekend, and should provide a real test for the 6-2 Raiders. I’m doing this simply because I like David Carr a heck of a lot better than Trever Siemian. Raiders 25, Broncos 18
SEATTLE (-7) over Buffalo – The 12th Man in Seattle on a Monday night? Too Easy. Seahawks 23, Bills 13
Bye: Arizona, Chicago, Cincinnati, Houston, New England, Washington
Week 8: 9-3-1 Straight up; 7-6 Against the spread
2016 Season: 73-45-2; 59-61