NFL Week 14 Hot Takes

I started to write this late Sunday afternoon, this is what I had:

“I have to start with Jeff Fisher and the Rams, whom I’ve been on an island standing up for all season.  But yesterday was rock bottom, and while I won’t move off my belief that Fisher is a good head coach, it just clearly isn’t going to work there and a change is needed.  If they want to salvage the Jared Goff trade/pick, a house cleaning is needed in that front office and on the sidelines.  It’s a GREAT gig.  They’re moving into a new stadium in two more seasons, they have a potential Pro Bowl QB in Goff (yes, I’m not bailing on him after 5 FREAKING GAMES!!!), Pro Bowl RB in Todd Gurley, they have a lot of great pieces on D, and oh yeah…it’s L.A.  I don’t know if he is interested in leaving his post in the MNF booth, but Jon Gruden would be absolutely perfect for the job.  They need a guy who is going to help develop Goff and get this offense going.”

The right move was made by Rams ownership.  It doesn’t sound like Les Snead is safe either.  Josh McDaniels is the name a lot of people are tossing around, and I like that idea.  I question whether or not McDaniels can be a great head coach, but the fit might be good enough to make this a playoff team.  He would get that offense pointed in the right direction.  They desperately need to build up that offensive line.  With good protection, the talent they have at WR specifically is good enough that Goff could do some damage.  But more so, with a good O-line, not only does that allow Goff to make some throws, but Todd Gurley could then get it going again.  It isn’t a big fix, they just need the right people running things in L.A.

KC beat Oakland on Thursday, and as much as I didn’t like it I’ve been on that since day one of the season.  You can read literally anything I’ve wrote from the start of the season on, I have not moved off that point.  Oakland is making the playoffs, KC is winning the division.  Come playoff time I’ll take the Raiders because I’ll take Derek Carr all day over Alex Smith, but over 16 games the Chiefs are the better team.

Rex Ryan might get fired?  Tyrod Taylor isn’t the answer for the Bills at QB?!  Right.  Did the Pegula’s actually need two seasons to figure this shit out?!?  Rex isn’t anything of a good coach.  Taylor is a solid backup to have but he is the typical guy who once coaches have film on he gets exposed.  Perhaps with the right coach he could get to a Alex Smith “type” level, but he’s not a franchise QB.  It’s rebuilding time once again for the Bills as they close in on 20 years without seeing the playoffs.  I feel awful for that fan base.  Yes, THAT fan base who seem to have an insane amount of complete dip shits.  Dip shits, but they deserve a lot better.

Cleveland is going 0-16 now for sure.  I can’t believe I bet them AGAIN.  Not only does this team not win, they never even beat the spread!  The Bengals are terrible, and they rolled the Browns.  No words have yet to be invented to describe the Browns.  But I do believe this organization has a great chance to finally move forward believe it or not.  I think Hue Jackson is a good coach, they look like they will have not only the top pick but another top 10 pick in the draft, there are some pretty good QB’s in this year’s draft including Ohio born Mitch Trubisky.  The draft stuff isn’t even worth looking at until March or so once the combine and pro day’s have commenced and the coaches and GM’s start looking at the film on these kids, but point is this could be the draft that finally turns the Browns around.

I think it’s safe to say the Packers are now back.  That was pretty impressive.  I know I had that game, and made the point that the weather specifically could hurt the Seahawks, but that was total domination by the Packers.  For their WR’s to light up the Seahawks secondary like that was something (mind you, no Earl Thomas, but still).   There is very little room for error for the Packers.  Two games back of Detroit in the NFC North, but if they can makeup one game by week 17 it’ll be a showdown in Motown for the NFC North.  Win and you’re in.  I like both teams, I love great football, and I’m really pulling for that scenario.  With Matt Stafford now playing hurt, it’s not far fetched at all.

I know, I know, I’ve been calling the Giants frauds and yet they’ve now knocked off the Cowboys twice this season.  The D is clearly elite, maybe I’ll retract calling them frauds, but I still don’t believe in this Giants team.  What did Dallas have to play for?!  With the Seahawks losing the Cowboys have a very comfortable lead for home field in the NFC, the NFC East crown, it just was a nothing game for the Cowboys.  Yet the Giants still only beat them 10-7.  To me, they still have to prove it.

Well my picks weren’t great this week.  0-2 on the over/under’s.  But I did have a nice little 3-2 week ATS.  Let’s see how I did guessing the lines.  Again, the goal is to be within a point.

L.A. at Seattle -7.5

This is maybe the furthest I’ve been off on these yet.  Figured on a short week, the Rams have the Seahawks number, it wouldn’t be THAT big.  Wrong.  WRONG!  Seattle -14.5.

Miami -3.5 at NY Jets

Dolphins are only favored by 2.5.  I guess I’m right, but I like that for Miami because I don’t think Matt Moore is THAT far off Ryan Tannehill.

Green Bay -7 at Chicago

Another one right, as the Pack are favored by 6.5.  The Bears are playing everyone tough these days, might have to take them if this line does in fact get to Packers -7.

Cleveland at Buffalo -7.5

Bills are favored by 10.5, and I don’t blame Vegas one bit here.  As I said earlier, the Browns can’t beat the spread let alone a team!  Unreal, because the Bills can’t win right now either, yet they’re favored by 10.5.

Philadelphia at Baltimore -6.5

Ravens are -6.  I’m writing this as the Monday nighter is being played (16-3 at the half for the Pats), so it’s not on the board right now but that’s what it’s projected to be.

Tennessee at Kansas City -6.5

Another win as the Chiefs are favored by 6.

Pittsburgh -6 at Cincinnati

Steelers are only favored by 3.5?!  I think I’ll lay some coin on the Steelers here, even if A.J. Green is back.

Detroit at NY Giants -3

No surprise that with Stafford injured and the Giants beating the Cowboys on Sunday night, Giants -4.5.

Indianapolis at Minnesota -1.5

Another big miss by me here.  I assumed the Colts would beat the Texans, they got humiliated at home, so now the Vikings are favored by 4.

Jacksonville at Houston -4.5

Of course that Colt/Texans game messed with this line too as the Texans are favored by 6.

New Orleans at Arizona -2.5

Spot on.

San Francisco at Atlanta -9.5

Another massive miss by me here, as the Falcons are -14.

Oakland -1 at San Diego

Vegas didn’t do what I thought they might do, which was make this a bait game.  Raiders -3, I’d take the Chargers.  Potentially the last game for the Raiders in San Diego, this is the Chargers Super Bowl.

New England -3 at Denver

Spot on from what I found, though again like the Ravens this game isn’t on the board yet on Sports Interaction.

Tampa Bay at Dallas -6.5

Cowboys -7 so a win here.

Carolina at Washington -3

Wow, Redskins by 5.  Looks like Vegas is finally figuring the Panthers out.  Can’t wait to see what the over is in this one.  So this is my first losing week guessing the lines.  7/16.  Can’t win’em all.

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