NFL Week 9 Reaction

Miami Dolphins (6-3) @ Kansas City Chiefs (7-2)

The Chiefs win a big game that could have important implications for home field in the AFC playoffs. The Chiefs don’t always look pretty but they keep finding a way to win. The Dolphins fall to 0-3 vs teams with winning records.

Washington Commanders (4-5) @ New England Patriots (2-7)

The Commanders stay alive in the playoff race and the Pats stay alive in the Caleb Williams sweepstakes.

Sam Howell looks like a potential franchise QB. He makes mistakes, but is basically still a rookie and has a spark to him.

Dallas Cowboys (5-3) @ Philadelphia Eagles (8-1)

A very entertaining game where both teams nearly blew it. It ends with the better team winning.

Buffalo Bills (5-4) @ Cincinnati Bengals (5-3)

The Bills and Bengals are in 3rd and 4th places, respectively, in their division but I still feel like they a better suited to make a playoff run then every other team in their division. The Bengals have been back to their usual selves and I think their good play continues. The Bills have struggled lately but I think will start to rattle off some wins too. They are both better than their record indicates.

Game/Betting Picks Results

Game: 4-0 (24-9 Overall)

Spread: 4-0 (25-8)

O/U: 1-3 (17-15-1)

NFL Week 8 Reaction

New England Patriots (2-6) @ Miami Dolphins (6-2)

Nothing that shocking here. The Dolphins are a better team and they showed it. It’s still a little bitter because the Pats had chances to stay in the game and didn’t execute. Tua is now 6-0 vs Bill, which is pretty wild.

Cincinnati Bengals (4-3) @ San Francisco 49ers (5-3)

As predicted, the Bengals were fully healthy coming off a bye and played their best game of the season. Both of these teams are great and I think both will finish out the rest of the season strong.

Betting Picks Results

Moneyline: 2-0 (20-9 Overall)

Spread: 1-1 (21-8)

O/U: 1-1 (16-12-1)

NFL Week 8 Preview

New England Patriots (2-5) @ Miami Dolphins (5-2)

The Pats are coming off a surprising win, while the Dolphins are looking to rebound after losing to the Eagles. The Pats historically do not play well in Miami and the Dolphins are the best they have looked in years. I think the Dolphins win, the Pats cover (+9.5), and the over (47) hits.

Cincinnati Bengals (3-3) @ San Francisco 49ers (5-2)

This is the best game of the week, so I’m not sure how the NFL can justify the Bears-Chargers and Raiders-Lions games getting primetime slots over this one. Regardless, the 49ers have lost two close games they could’ve won, while dealing with injuries to key players. The Bengals have gotten healthier and started to look like themselves their past two games. They come off a bye week that came at the perfect time and are looking to get over .500. I think the refreshed Bengals win, cover (+5), and the under (43.5) hits.

NFL Week 7 Predictions

Buffalo Bills (4-2) @ New England Patriots (1-5)

As overmatched as the Pats have looked vs the Bills in recent years, this Pats team is even worse. The Bills will win, cover (-8), and the over (40) hits.

Los Angeles Chargers (2-3) @ Kansas City Chiefs (5-1)

A big game for a Chargers team that wants to get to .500 to get on track to make the playoffs. The Chiefs may be 5-1, but have not looked like their electric self on offense and have really relied on their defense to win games. I think the Chiefs win but the Chargers cover (+5.5) and the over hits (47.5).

Miami Dolphins (5-1) @ Philadelphia Eagles (5-1)

A high profile matchup between two 5-1 teams. I think the Dolphins have looked better this year, but that the Eagles are the better team overall and will make it further in the playoffs. I think the Eagles win, cover (-3), and the under hits (51.5).

Rookie QB Strategy

Every time a team drafts a potential franchise QB, the fanbase is pumped up but often gets let down. The truth is, that a huge determinate of a QB’s success is where they end up. Even a guy like Andrew Luck, who was one of the best QB prospects ever, played great for the Colts but had his career shut down due to his front office not being able to protect him. Below is what I think teams should down before/after drafting their future QB.

First, they need to build the team around him. With few exceptions (i.e. Luck or Trevor Lawrence) you can’t just draft a QB onto an awful team and expect things to turn around. It’s much smarter to draft a QB onto a team that has pieces around him. Start with a solid O-Line that can protect him. Then you want 1 or 2 good to great playmakers he can get the ball to and make him look good. Finally, an, at minimum, average defense that won’t lose him games in which he’s played well enough to win.

QBs should play as soon as possible. If a QB isn’t remotely ready or you have a capable guy ahead of him, then I get it. But if he is the best option you have, why not play him and let him get experience? The first year might suck, but if they are going to be a future star, then it should make them better. Trevor Lawrence had Urban Meyer his first year and has still developed into a great QB.

There are 3 types of exits for QBs after you have drafted them. If after one year they show complete ineptitude and are a bad locker room guy, then its time to move on. After year 2, if they have not shown flashes that they can be great, then its time to move on. Finally, by the end of year 3, if they have not developed into a good QB, it is time to move on. Devoting more than 3 years to a guy who isn’t the answer is unwise. Especially because every current star QB who has been drafted the last 10 years, has shown his talent by the end of year 3.

NFL Week 5 Reaction

Jacksonville Jaguars (3-2) @ Buffalo Bills (3-2) (In London)

As I predicted, the Jags took advantage of having been in London all week. Both teams were sloppy, the Jags were just less sloppy.

New Orleans Saints (3-2) @ New England Patriots (1-4)

The Saints are not that good, the Patriots are just that bad.

Dallas Cowboys (3-2) @ San Francisco 49ers (5-0)

As predicted, the Cowboys once again flopped horribly after a great showing last week. This game makes it clear that in the NFC there are the 49ers and Eagles then everybody else.

Brock Purdy gives off Tom Brady vibes. Right now, all he has to do is be a great field general just like Brady was his first couple years. He is the perfect QB for this team as he can distribute the ball like a point guard to all the weapons they have. The 49ers are loaded on both sides of the ball and look like the best team in football.

Betting Picks Results

Game: 2-1 (14-8 overall)

Spread: 3-0 (17-5)

O/U: 3-0 (11-10-1)

NFL Week 5 Preview

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2) @ Buffalo Bills (3-1) (In London)

A massive game in terms of AFC seeding. The Bills are probably the best team in the NFL right now and the Jags are starting to look more like themselves. The Jags have the huge advantage of having been in London all week and are more used to playing there than the Bills. I think the Bills win but do not cover (-5.5), and that the under (48.5) hits.

New Orleans Saints (2-2) @ New England Patriots (1-3)

The Saints roster is way more talented than the Pats, but Belichick is a much better coach than Dennis Allen. Both team played awful last week, but the Pats do not have any talent right now and are banged up. The Saints win, cover (+1), and the under (39) hits.

Dallas Cowboys (3-1) @ San Francisco 49ers (4-0)

The Cowboys are back to being in America’s good graces after killing the Pats last week. That, combined with the 49ers being a better and more physical team, is going to lead to a poor showing from Dallas. The 49ers will win, cover (-3.5), and the over (45) hits.

Odds via DraftKings

Current Quaterbacks Going to the Hall Of Fame

No Doubt

Aaron Rodgers: A four time MVP who throws the prettiest ball of all time. He’ll be a first ballot HOF and no one will bat an eye.

Patrick Mahomes: He is putting up numbers and accolades at a faster pace than any QB ever. It pains me to say, but he will make a run at the NFL GOAT and at minimum should be on the Mt. Rushmore for QBs if he stays healthy.

Likely In

Russell Wilson: Forget last year and the beginning of this year. He’s a nine time Pro Bowler, a Super Bowl Champ, an All-Pro, and the QB of a legendary team. I do think he needs one more MVP/OPOY/All-Pro type season to guarantee himself and he has a chance with Sean Payton. The one thing that could keep him out is if his play continues to be this ugly moving forward and our last memories of him are awful play and being overpaid.

Young, but will eventually make it

Justin Herbert: I think his floor is a Dan Marino type career where his team lets him down but he puts up all time numbers. If he can even win one Super Bowl, I think he goes down as a Top 10 QB ever.

Joe Burrow: He is a gamer and a winner and it looks like he’ll have Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase for years to come. I think the Bengals will win at least one Super Bowl and he’ll have many individual accolades.

Missing Out

Josh Allen: His play is absolutely amazing but playing like Superman has its consequences. I think he takes too many hits and it will lead to him having too short of a career to do what he needs to make the Hall.

Matthew Stafford: I don’t get the Hall buzz for Stafford. He has made one Pro Bowl, never been an All-Pro, never been considered a Top 5 QB, and never won a major award. It’s not even a question, he’s out.

NFL Week 4 Reaction

Miami Dolphins (3-1) @ Buffalo Bills (3-1)

As I have said, Tua and the Dolphins are overrated. He’s good enough to get the ball to the abundance of playmakers he has. But do we really trust him to outduel the great AFC QBs come playoff time? Or do we trust him to bring Miami back when they’re down in the playoffs? We saw what happened when the Fins went down Sunday. He looked like a deer in headlights and was terrible.

The Bills are a better team overall and showed it. They are great on offense and defense, and the AFC East is theirs to lose. The Tre White injury is a big blow, but the Bills still have a great chance to win the AFC.

New England Patriots (1-3) @ Dallas Cowboys (3-1)

Blow it up. The Pats absolutely stink and have no hope of getting better. They have ONE star player in Matt Judon and ONE promising young player in Christian Gonzalez. Sadly, those two got hurt Sunday and are out indefinitely. After that, the whole team is full of average guys who don’t have any chance of developing into studs. Trade away vets with value and draft a new QB and some offensive talent in this upcoming draft.

Not much else to say, but Bill needs to be more aggressive. The Pats needed to go for it on 4th and 1 at the beginning of the game. They suck on offense and need to get TDs whenever possible. And then when they did go for it on 4th down later in the game, they tried a QB sneak with unathletic Mac Jones and it failed.

As I predicted, the Cowboys completely and utterly outplayed the Pats. They were great in all aspects of the game and, unlike the Patriots, were disciplined too. They won’t make the Super Bowl, but they’ll compete for the NFC East title.

Betting Picks This Week

Game: 2-0 (12-7 Overall)

Spread: 2-0 (14-5)

O/U: 2-0 (8-10-1)

NFL Week 4 Preview

Miami Dolphins (3-0) @ Buffalo Bills (2-1)

A huggggggggge early season matchup in terms of determining who will win the AFC East. I thinks it’s pretty clear it’ll be between these two teams at this point. I am still skeptical of the Dolphins, as last year they started off 8-3 before finishing 9-8. I understand their win last week was insane and that they have been putting up points, but Buffalo is still the better team and has a point differential nearly identical to the Dolphins. I think the Bills win, cover (-2.5), and the over (53.5) hits.

New England Patriots (1-2) @ Dallas Cowboys (2-1)

Dallas is going through their classic cycle of playing well, getting overhyped, then under performing. Now that people are giving them shit for losing to the hapless Cardinals, they probably refocus and turn in a great game. The Pats defense will be able to limit the Cowboys offense. But the Dallas defense is legit and the Pats offense is so bad the Cowboys easily have the edge this game. I think the Cowboys win, cover (-7), and the under (43) hits.