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17-5 on the year on posted NFL Sunday plays (17-3 on initial plays, 0-2 on added plays)
Top Play -
4-0 Indianapolis -3.5 @ 0-4 Tennessee - Peyton Manning is in the zone to start the year, unlike the injury problem he had to overcome last year before they started clicking. Manning is completing over 70% of his passes for an average of 334 yds per game, and has thrown 9 TD's already. The Colts have now won 13 consecutive regular season games, 10 of those by at least 4 pts. WR's Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie have more than made up for the loss of Anthony Gonzalez. Of course Reggie Wayne is back to being his normal, dominating self with 26 receptions for 399 yards and 3 TD's so far. And the duo of Joseph Addai and rookie Donald Brown have combined for 315 yds and 4 TD's on the ground, and another 225 yds and a TD through the air. Everyone keeps picking Tennessee, expecting last year's version to finally emerge, but it ain't happening. Their pass defense has been horrible, giving up an average of 282 ypg so far, with 10 passing TD's. On offense, they still have RB Chris Johnson doing his thing, and a trio of decent receivers in Nate Washington, Justin Gage and rookie Kenny Britt, who have combined for 565 yds and 4 TD's. But QB Kerry Collins has only completed 57% of his passes for 914 yds, with 6 INTs to just 5 TD's. Matt Schaub torched this defense for 357 yds and 4 TD's with no INT's in the last game in this stadium. Manning and Co. should roll in this one.
The rest -
3-1 New England -3 @ 4-0 Denver - The Pats found out a way to get by a loaded Baltimore team last week by a whole TD. Denver has been playing great defense, but still have only faced Cincinnati, Cleveland, Oakland, and a Dallas team due for a letdown. That's my take anyway. I can't believe they win this game to go 5-0 with Kyle Orton, Brandon Marshall, a banged up Buckhalter and Knowshon Moreno against Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker and their 4 deep rushing crew.
0-3 Carolina -3.5 vs 1-3 Washington - Carolina desperate for a win and coming off of a bye, and Washington got their much needed 2nd 'W' last week. The Redskins 2 wins have been against the 2 worst teams in the NFL in St Louis and Tampa Bay, they got them both at home, and have only managed to win both games by a combined 5 pts. The Panthers were 8-0 at home last year in the regular season, winning 6 of them by at least 9 pts, and all of them by at least 3. The Redskins have lost their 2 road games by 5 and 6 pts, and gave the lowly Lions their 1st win in 19 games, Clinton Portis is hurting, and they have a serious lack of offense outside of him. I think Carolina gets their 1st win here easily, and look for big games from DeAngelo Williams and Steve Smith.
0-4 Cleveland +6 @ 1-3 Buffalo - Cleveland showed signs of life last week against Cincinnati with QB Derek Anderson and RB Jerome Harrison joining the starting lineup for the first time this year. The Browns took the division rival Bengals to OT and probably should have won the game. Anderson passed for 269 yds and a TD, with 1 INT, in his debut and RB Jerome Harrison had a great day with 152 combined yds on 34 touches. Anderson also found a new friend, as rookie WR Mohamed Massaquoi caught 8 passes for 148 yds and an 18.5 ypc average. Buffalo is reeling, losing their last 2 games by a combined 48 pts, with their only win of the season against hapless Tampa Bay. These teams appear to be going in different directions, and I think it's asking a lot from the Bills, at this point, to win by a TD.
2-2 Dallas -8.5 @ 0-4 Kansas City - Cowboys seem to be alternating good efforts, and were probably ripe for a let down in their last game after 2 huge nationally televised home games to anoint their new stadium. The Chiefs have lost to everyone but Oakland by double-digits. And the 3 decent teams they faced (Bal, Phi, NYG) have combined for 1350 yds, 74 FD's, and 99 pts (that's an average of 450 yds, 24 FD's and 33 pts per game!), and have held the Chiefs to an average of just 192 offensive yds and 12 FD's per game.
Top Play -
4-0 Indianapolis -3.5 @ 0-4 Tennessee - Peyton Manning is in the zone to start the year, unlike the injury problem he had to overcome last year before they started clicking. Manning is completing over 70% of his passes for an average of 334 yds per game, and has thrown 9 TD's already. The Colts have now won 13 consecutive regular season games, 10 of those by at least 4 pts. WR's Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie have more than made up for the loss of Anthony Gonzalez. Of course Reggie Wayne is back to being his normal, dominating self with 26 receptions for 399 yards and 3 TD's so far. And the duo of Joseph Addai and rookie Donald Brown have combined for 315 yds and 4 TD's on the ground, and another 225 yds and a TD through the air. Everyone keeps picking Tennessee, expecting last year's version to finally emerge, but it ain't happening. Their pass defense has been horrible, giving up an average of 282 ypg so far, with 10 passing TD's. On offense, they still have RB Chris Johnson doing his thing, and a trio of decent receivers in Nate Washington, Justin Gage and rookie Kenny Britt, who have combined for 565 yds and 4 TD's. But QB Kerry Collins has only completed 57% of his passes for 914 yds, with 6 INTs to just 5 TD's. Matt Schaub torched this defense for 357 yds and 4 TD's with no INT's in the last game in this stadium. Manning and Co. should roll in this one.
The rest -
3-1 New England -3 @ 4-0 Denver - The Pats found out a way to get by a loaded Baltimore team last week by a whole TD. Denver has been playing great defense, but still have only faced Cincinnati, Cleveland, Oakland, and a Dallas team due for a letdown. That's my take anyway. I can't believe they win this game to go 5-0 with Kyle Orton, Brandon Marshall, a banged up Buckhalter and Knowshon Moreno against Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker and their 4 deep rushing crew.
0-3 Carolina -3.5 vs 1-3 Washington - Carolina desperate for a win and coming off of a bye, and Washington got their much needed 2nd 'W' last week. The Redskins 2 wins have been against the 2 worst teams in the NFL in St Louis and Tampa Bay, they got them both at home, and have only managed to win both games by a combined 5 pts. The Panthers were 8-0 at home last year in the regular season, winning 6 of them by at least 9 pts, and all of them by at least 3. The Redskins have lost their 2 road games by 5 and 6 pts, and gave the lowly Lions their 1st win in 19 games, Clinton Portis is hurting, and they have a serious lack of offense outside of him. I think Carolina gets their 1st win here easily, and look for big games from DeAngelo Williams and Steve Smith.
0-4 Cleveland +6 @ 1-3 Buffalo - Cleveland showed signs of life last week against Cincinnati with QB Derek Anderson and RB Jerome Harrison joining the starting lineup for the first time this year. The Browns took the division rival Bengals to OT and probably should have won the game. Anderson passed for 269 yds and a TD, with 1 INT, in his debut and RB Jerome Harrison had a great day with 152 combined yds on 34 touches. Anderson also found a new friend, as rookie WR Mohamed Massaquoi caught 8 passes for 148 yds and an 18.5 ypc average. Buffalo is reeling, losing their last 2 games by a combined 48 pts, with their only win of the season against hapless Tampa Bay. These teams appear to be going in different directions, and I think it's asking a lot from the Bills, at this point, to win by a TD.
2-2 Dallas -8.5 @ 0-4 Kansas City - Cowboys seem to be alternating good efforts, and were probably ripe for a let down in their last game after 2 huge nationally televised home games to anoint their new stadium. The Chiefs have lost to everyone but Oakland by double-digits. And the 3 decent teams they faced (Bal, Phi, NYG) have combined for 1350 yds, 74 FD's, and 99 pts (that's an average of 450 yds, 24 FD's and 33 pts per game!), and have held the Chiefs to an average of just 192 offensive yds and 12 FD's per game.
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