Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 66 of 1503)

2011 NFL Week 2 Point Spreads & Preview

September 14, 2011 / Anthony Stalter

Eagles (1-0) @ Falcons (0-1), 8:20PM ET
Outside of Chargers-Patriots or maybe Bears-Saints, there isn’t a juicer matchup on the schedule this week. The Falcons should be embarrassed by the way they performed last week in Chicago but they have zero time to wallow in self pity because Michael Vick and the Eagles come storming into the Georgia Dome this weekend. Andy Reid has had major ownage on the Falcons over the years, as Philly is 9-2-1 against the spread in its last 12 games against Atlanta, which includes a 4-1-1 ATS mark on the road. With defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux set to miss over a month with a knee injury, the Falcons’ defense is in major trouble. An 0-2 start for the defending NFC South champions is a big-time reality.
THE ODDS: EAGLES –1.5

Chargers (1-0) @ Patriots (1-0), 4:15PM ET
Two teams picked by many to win their respective divisions will square off in New England on Sunday when the Pats host the Chargers at 4:15PM ET. These two teams met in San Diego last October and despite dominating the first half, the Bolts fell to the Pats, 23-20. The underdog is 6-2 against the spread in the last eight meetings between these two teams, while the under is 4-1 in the last five meetings. That said, the over is 4-1 in the last five meetings in New England and after watching Tom Brady dissect the Dolphins on Monday night, it’s hard to envision a low-scoring game this Sunday at Foxboro.
THE ODDS: PATRIOTS –7

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Remember when some people thought the Pats should trade Brady? Ha! That was funny.

September 13, 2011 / Anthony Stalter

Hey, I’m guilty of it. We’re all guilty of it. We see a player get seriously injured and one of the first statements out of someone’s mouth is, “This may be career-threatening.”

The latest example of this is Peyton Manning. He recently had his second neck surgery in less than five months and at least one clown in the media wrote last week about how the Colts may wind up with Andrew Luck in next year’s draft. We live in a world where present news is old news and everyone has a blog nowadays so getting a jump on a story often takes precedence. But the media (and fans too, because they’re just as guilty even though the media provides a nice patsy for them) could learn a thing or two about Manning’s situation from Tom Brady.

As I watched Brady carve up the Dolphins for 517 yards and four touchdowns on Monday night, I had to laugh thinking about Matt Cassel’s 2008 season. He was so good that year that some wondered if the Pats should trade Brady and go with the younger Cassel at quarterback.

The idea wasn’t that far-fetched either. At the time, there was no timetable set for Brady’s return after he had season-ending knee surgery earlier in the year. Nobody knew when he would return in ’09, or if he would return at all. Cassel was also set to become a free agent, which further complicated the situation. If the Pats traded him or allowed him to leave via free agency, they risked not having an experienced quarterback for 2009 if Brady couldn’t recover.

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Sunday Evening Quick-Hitters: Reactions from Week 1 in the NFL

September 11, 2011 / Anthony Stalter

Every Sunday evening throughout the 2011 NFL season I’ll compile quick-hit reactions from the day that was in football. I vow to always overreact, side with sensationalism over rationalism, and draw conclusions based on small sample sizes instead of cold, hard facts. It’s the only way I know how to write…

DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING…

– According to every NFL analyst in America, there was a better chance of Cam Newton putting his pants on backwards than resembling anything even close to a quarterback. But lo and behold the kid can play a little. He completed 24-of-37 passes for 422 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, setting a record for most passing yards in a NFL debut. He also rushed eight times for 18 yards and scored on the goal line in the Panthers’ 28-21 loss the Cardinals. Thanks to Newton, Steve Smith looked rejuvenated after spending a year in NFL hell last season. Obviously the former Auburn product isn’t going to throw for 400-plus yards every week but even his biggest critics have to be impressed with how he performed in his debut. And hey, the young man even put his pants on straight, too.

– The Steelers, the Falcons and the Chiefs: What are three teams who apparently forgot that the preseason was only four weeks long, Alex? Give credit where credit is due – the Ravens, Bears and Bills were dominate on Sunday. But it’s not like any of those teams used black magic to fool the Steelers, Falcons and Chiefs, who were absolutely shocked that they had to suit up today. Those three teams, who all won their divisions a year ago, mind you, managed to make flying to the moon look easier than playing football.

– Speaking of the Bills, this team isn’t a pushover any more. Forty-one points on the road? Good grief, man. Ryan Fitzpatrick is just good enough to be dangerous and they have some offensive weapons in Steve Johnson, Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller. Given how bad the offensive line looked in preseason, Chan Gailey has to be thrilled with his team’s performance. And the best part about the Bills today? They acted as if they expected that outcome. I dare say they were fun to watch.

– Not many people had the Bengals beating the Browns in Cleveland today, which is why they wind up in the “DIDN”T SEE THAT COMING” section. But I’m telling you, if Andy Dalton can play mistake free and just mange games in his first year, Cincinnati won’t be as bad as everyone expects.

External Sports, NFL

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Fade Material: NFL Week 1 Predictions

September 11, 2011 / Anthony Stalter

Colts @ Texans, 1:00PM ET
I realize Peyton Manning isn’t playing today but everyone just expects the Colts to stay in the locker room and take a loss. Kerry Collins is nothing more than a short-term stop gap but he knows how to run an NFL offense. With Arian Foster out (which is huge for an Indy defense that has had trouble stopping the run the past 16 years), I like the Colts to keep it somewhat close. The Colts are 6-1 against the spread in their last seven games as an underd and 5-1 ATS in their last six games as a road dog.
THE PICK: COLTS +9

Titans @ Jaguars, 1:00PM ET
This games comes down to the quarterback position. Matt Hasselbeck’s better days are behind him but he’s a veteran that knows how to get the ball into the hands of his best weapons. Luke McCown, on the other hand, just found out he was starting earlier this week. The Titans are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games in Week 1 and 11-3 ATS in their lat 14 games in September.
THE PICK: TITANS +1

Eagles @ Rams, 1:00PM ET
Everyone is high on the Rams this season, and for good reason. But they’ve got a tough matchup against an Eagles team that will give Sam Bradford plenty of issues. The Rams’ secondary will also have its hands full with Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson and the fast Eagle offense. The Rams are 1-9-1 against the spread in their last 11 games in Week 1 and 15-33-3 ATS in their last 51 games in September.
THE PICK: EAGLES -3.5

Bengals @ Browns, 1:00PM ET
The Browns are on the upswing while the Bengals are seemingly headed for disaster. But this is a division rivalry and if Andy Dalton can at least resemble a NFL quarterback, the Bengals are better than people think. The underdog is 7-1 against the spread in the last eight meetings between these two teams, while the Browns are 0-4 ATS in their last four division games.
THE PICK: BENGALS +6.5

Check out Bullz-Eye.com for a complete list of NFL Week 1 odds.

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Fade Material: College Football Week 2 Predictions

September 10, 2011 / Anthony Stalter

My “Fade Material” in Week 1 actually wasn’t fade material at all, as I went 3-1 with my picks. I hit Boise State, Minnesota and Stanford, while Oregon ruined my shot at a perfect week. It’s a shame too because if you can’t trust a Duck, who can you trust?

TCU @ Air Force, 3:30PM ET
The Horned Frogs are 5-2 against the spread in their last seven games against Air Force and 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a straight up loss. The Falcons, meanwhile, are 1-5 ATS in their last six games following a straight up win and 1-6 ATS in their lat seven conference games. I just don’t see TCU starting the year 0-2 and this is practically a pick’em.
THE PICK: TCU -1

Alabama @ Penn State, 3:30PM ET
The Crimson Tide are 7-0 against the spread in their last seven non-conference games and 6-1 ATS in their last seven games in September. They’re also 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall and 4-1 ATS in their lat five games as a favorite. ‘Bama proved last year that Penn State didn’t belong on the same field as them and while things could be different this time around with the Nittany Lions play at home, I like the Tide defense to dominate in this one.
THE PICK: ALABAMA -10

College Football, External Sports

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Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 66 of 1503)

2011 NFL Week 2 Point Spreads & Preview

Remember when some people thought the Pats should trade Brady? Ha! That was funny.

Sunday Evening Quick-Hitters: Reactions from Week 1 in the NFL

Fade Material: NFL Week 1 Predictions

Fade Material: College Football Week 2 Predictions

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