There are only three undefeated teams left in the NFL. If you want to get a little insane, it’s feasible that the Patriots, the Panthers and Bengals all finish 16-0, since none of those teams play each other.
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There is too much football left to be played, too many things that can happen. More reasons to back the Pats: They’ve scored in every quarter this season except the first one in Week 1, and they’re 11-1 vs. the NFC East in their last 12 games. The Panthers took on the Green Bay Packers and won 37-29. However, those losses were to Denver and Carolina. Wilson will answer though throwing two touchdowns one of which goes to Jimmy Graham. That type of coverage is why the Patriots have the 2nd best Field Position grade, just behind the Cincinnati Bengals. Ben Roethlisberger, Andrew Luck, and Tony Romo are all out for several weeks.
SEATTLE: Seahawks had a bye to try and figure out why the passing game is lagging. Now they are often thrown in the mix right away.
The new extra point rule is clearly working.
The 27-10 triumph over Washington yesterday was as comfortable a game as they are likely to have, (although when you are winning games by an average of 16 points, majority are fairly comfortable) and the reigning Super Bowl champions have been around the block enough times that the burden of chasing history is unlikely to weight them down unduly. Miami and Tennessee fired their coaches before the halfway mark, while Detroit fired its team president and general manager. This was after Detroit fired a few assistant coaches. Indianapolis let their offensive coordinator go.
The only constant is that the game itself is as strong as ever. For those who love football, this is what matters most.
Thursday, November 12, 2015, 8:30 p.m. And the Patriots are more than touchdown favorites at the NY Giants.
Houston (+10) at Cincinnati: The teams haven’t played since the 2012 playoffs, but the Texans have won the last five against Cincy, including playoff wins in 2011 and 2012.
Green Bay (6-1) heads into the meat of its NFC North schedule with four in a row, two with the lowly Lions. The Panthers are trying to win the NFC South for a third consecutive year, which no other team has accomplished. While they have a better record, the Cowboys have been hamstrung by injuries and seem on the cusp of being able to turn things around.
The Bucs are more than capable of making the Giants pay for poor defending as Jameis Winston improves on his reads and decisions. Rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota passed for 371 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions against the Saints and connected with tight end Anthony Fasano on the game-winning touchdown in overtime, Mariota has now thrown eight touchdowns and no interceptions in two games against NFC South opponents.
The Ravens beat a bad team, the Chargers, before their bye. Upset special, Titans win outright. It is worth noting they are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games against Houston, but I’ll roll the dice that this year’s Bengals squad is a different animal. He led a stirring comeback on the road last week.
Our U.S. fantasy expert Alex Ferguson had been happily riding the sensational New England Patriots offence (apart from one week where he didn’t… and it killed him), and this week Tom Brady & Co weren’t great against the Washington Redskins. I’m not sure the Saints defense is good enough to force him into those mistakes.
After a slow start, the Philadelphia Eagles are beginning to gel and Chip Kelly’s offense is starting to show promise as the race for the playoffs heats up. Meanwhile, the Eagles are wildly inconsistent. 6 straight losses and they are on the brink of a top-10 pick in the draft.
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers: As it is every week, this pick comes with the preview. Johnny Manziel vs Landry Jones.
BALTIMORE: The Jaguars need to take advantage of the second quarter Sunday; Ravens have been routed 66-33 in that frame. But, like his father packing up the team to leave Baltimore, Irsay’s digressions tend to disappear quickly into the night. Ravens win but fail to cover. But I believe Oakland’s defense will come up big, and Carr continues his exceptional play in a surprise win.
Redskins: DeSean Jackson had his first catch of the season last week versus the New England Patriots as he finished with three catches for 15 yards. We made plays in all three phases of the game. The Patriots come in with an 8-0 record, while the Giants are coming off a 32-18 win against Tampa Bay.
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The rest of the AFC playoff picture includes the Denver Broncos, who lead the AFC West by three games. The Chiefs are a mess.
