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National Football League

Page 752 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
My 2024 predictions, including the wacky and wonky!

[snip]

Better than expected: Bears, Dolphins, Titans.
Worse than expected: Browns, Chargers, Saints.

[snip]
Just checking what your assumption is of what is expected for these teams (so we can judge whether your predictions came true or not ;) )

One possible measure, according to the 1st spread betting company I looked at, these are spreads for the number of expected regular season wins :-

1Kansas City Chiefs11.6 - 12.2
2Philadelphia Eagles10.9 - 11.5
3San Francisco 49ers10.8 - 11.4
4Cincinnati Bengals10.7 - 11.3
5Baltimore Ravens10.6 - 11.2
6Detroit Lions10.5 - 11.1
7New York Jets9.9 - 10.5
8Houston Texans9.8 - 10.4
9Green Bay Packers9.8 - 10.4
10Miami Dolphins9.7 - 10.3
11Atlanta Falcons9.7 - 10.3
12Buffalo Bills9.6 - 10.2
13Dallas Cowboys9.5 - 10.1
14Chicago Bears9 - 9.6
15Los Angeles Rams8.9 - 9.5
16Cleveland Browns8.8 - 9.4
17Jacksonville Jaguars8.6 - 9.2
18Los Angeles Chargers8.6 - 9.2
19Indianapolis Colts8 - 8.6
20Seattle Seahawks8 - 8.6
21Pittsburgh Steelers7.7 - 8.3
22Tampa Bay Buccaneers7.5 - 8.1
23New Orleans Saints7.5 - 8.1
24Arizona Cardinals7 - 7.6
25Minnesota Vikings6.7 - 7.3
26Washington Commanders6.5 - 7.1
27Las Vegas Raiders6.4 - 7
28Tennessee Titans6 - 6.6
29New York Giants5.9 - 6.5
30Denver Broncos5.8 - 6.4
31Carolina Panthers5.6 - 6.2
32New England Patriots4.7 - 5.3
 
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Looking at those numbers:

My better than expected teams: Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Carolina,
My worse than expected teams: LA Rams, Indianapolis, Washington

Reasoning: Even if Russell Wilson is well past his best getting an experienced starter to play for basically nothing is a huge upgrade to what Pitt have had in recent years. Even Fields would be an upgrade. Green Bay seem a pretty solid team - Love in his 2nd full season could take a big step forward. Carolina another team where you'd expect the QB to improve a lot in his 2nd season. I don't see the Rams as a force without Aaron Donald. I think Richardson needs a lot a time - maybe next year for the Colts. I'd have Washington as contenders for next year's #1 overall pick
 
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My better than expected teams: Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Carolina,
My worse than expected teams: LA Rams, Indianapolis, Washington

Reasoning: Even if Russell Wilson is well past his best getting an experienced starter to play for basically nothing is a huge upgrade to what Pitt have had in recent years. Even Fields would be an upgrade. Green Bay seem a pretty solid team - Love in his 2nd full season could take a big step forward. Carolina another team where you'd expect the QB to improve a lot in his 2nd season. I don't see the Rams as a force without Aaron Donald. I think Richardson needs a lot a time - maybe next year for the Colts. I'd have Washington as contenders for next year's #1 overall pick
Good post.

Pittsburgh is like Las Vegas. They actually improved at QB (if marginally), roster didn't change much. But experts are picking both teams to win less games this coming year. I don't think either will be great, but it's kind of puzzling.

I will be really surprised if the Chargers win as many games as experts think. Year after year they tell us this will be their year, Herbert will break out. And now they are telling us Harbaugh will be coach of the year. But look at their roster, and their schedule, and honestly tell me you see them winning 9 games. But at the same time, I will at least be truthful and say like the Raiders there are a lot of question marks around the entire team.

I actually think Bryce Young will play okay. Better than last year for sure. I have seen nothing from him to make me think he'll be elite, or even any sort of top tier QB. But his numbers last year were horrible. So even an average year where they go 5-12 and he plays okay will be a positive.

I don't think the Eagles will be quite that good, because I don't think Jalen Hurts can beat good teams with his arm. We saw last season teams that shut down his ability to run the ball were able to beat him and slow their offense. I expect more of the same this coming season. They will be good, but I don't think the best team in the NFC.

It won't surprise me if KC goes 13-4 and exceeds expectations.
 
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I have to admit, I'm a little giddy about the game tonight. First game of the year, two solid teams... Plus, we have had HORRIBLE air quality (170-230 AQI) everyday except for Monday for 10 days now so I need some outlet!
Same, though debating if I’ll get the package on my phone. I’m trying to forgo the weekend bonus at work and have Sundays off to way the game. Then we will probably get YouTube TV in order to watch. Only downer is Grimaldis, the pizza place we order from, always has issues with getting the calzone how we want it for my mom so that’s a little deflating.
 
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Pittsburgh is like Las Vegas. They actually improved at QB (if marginally), roster didn't change much. But experts are picking both teams to win less games this coming year. I don't think either will be great, but it's kind of puzzling.
You think they actually improved at QB? You're joking...right? It's so bad in Steeler's nation, it came down to a coin flip to determine who's going to start. Lol. And now Wilson is hurt with his status unknown for the opener (IMO, he needs to retire & call it a career).

And Fields really needs a year or two of QB rehab. The Bears wouldn't have gotten rid of him if he wasn't that bad & there was any upside to his future (he only won 10 games in 38 starts over 3 seasons with a terrible QB rating of 82!). Remember he's a 11th OA pick who was supposed to lead the Bears to the promised land.

With Kyle Allen their 3rd QB, it looks a sad situation in Pittsburgh. The boo birds will be out in full force this year. Lol

 
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You think they actually improved at QB? You're joking...right?
I think Wilson, as washed up as he may be, is better than Pickett, who continually under impressed, and now borders on being a bust. Fields may still have potential that Pickett doesn't. I will agree it was maybe a mistake for the Steelers to let Rudolph go, as he played fairly well. But I'd take Wilson and Fields over Pickett and Rudolph, if barely.

I definitely think Minshew is a better QB than Garoppolo (today, and last year. A younger, healthier Jimmy was definitely better). Minsh beat out O'Connell also, and is way better than an old Hoyer, who was terrible. So he's better than all three of the Raider QBs from last year. And if he falters, the Raiders still have O'Connell who isn't likely to be worse than last season.

Obviously both of those teams are tying to use what they have now as a "bridge" until they can find their QB of the future, likely in the 2025 or 2026 draft.

I'll take KC in tonight's game. My only guess is Baltimore will come out motivated. But by the end it will be close, but obvious the better team is KC.

When I buy NFL packages of any sort I wait until October, when prices drop a lot. The deal I usually get is the one that has RedZone, plus full replays of games (condensed, and coaches footage) within a day of each game. That's enough for me. Love the condensed games. I often watch that (about 45 minutes) or just the last 10 or so minutes of close games. I'm not enough of a junkie to watch everything the way some people do. The cost of the full package is for rich people.
 
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I think Wilson, as washed up as he may be, is better than Pickett, who continually under impressed, and now borders on being a bust. Fields may still have potential that Pickett doesn't. I will agree it was maybe a mistake for the Steelers to let Rudolph go, as he played fairly well. But I'd take Wilson and Fields over Pickett and Rudolph, if barely.
Disagree: Pickett has far more upside than Wilson or Fields. Pickett was 14-10 in 24 starts over 2 seasons. He sustained the serious ankle injury that required surgery in week #13 last season that pretty much ended his season. The only reason he was released is because he crossed paths with Tomlin over his benching during the playoffs. Out of any coach in the league, you'd do not want to 2nd guess Tomlin's decisions or you'll be history. Tomlin is no nonsense coach & means business with disobedient players.

FFS, Wilson is already hurt - a non-contact injury during practice. Lol. He's washed up or Payton wouldn't have run him out of Denver. Same with Fields: A team isn't going to throw away a 11th OA pick after just three seasons unless he's really bad with no upside.
 
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Good win by the Chiefs and they continued to beat up on the Ravens causing the Ravens to keep doing self inflicting wounds. Both offenses need some warm up in order to fire on all cylinders. Chiefs defense picking up where it left off and their offense looking better for now compared to last year. Mahomes catch on the deflected pass was huge since that could have been a pick six or Racens wouldn’t have been so against the clock like at the end.


I thought we were watching flag football for the first part of the game.
 
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Most interesting games this weekend:

GB@PHI - After a great end to the season and fat check to Love, everyone expects GB to be good, but Philly still has depth, especially on D.
ARI@BUF - I'm curious how both teams actually perform. The Bills turned over a lot of players, but are almost strangely optimistic. Will Murray win out? Or play sandlot ball and win/blow the game?
JAX@MIA - Both of these teams seem stuck on the cusp of being really good. Will one look like it? Both QBs just signed huge money extensions. Will one earn it?
LV@LA - Both teams average. One (Chargers) really hyped with new HC, the other reviled: no QB, WR wants out (even though he insists otherwise, all "experts" say it's so). Someone has to win/lose!
DAL@CLE - Both teams have loaded rosters, and plenty of problems under the surface. This could be a telling game for one (or both) teams, early in the season.
NE@CIN - Hold your breath for Joe Burrow!
PIT@ATL - Hold your breath for Kirk Cousins!
NYJ@SF - Now, long inhale, deep...lots of O2, and hold for Aaron Rodgers!
 
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Entertaining game period, but especially for the first game of the season.
There are a lot of things to talk about, but the top two for me this AM:
-KC has a Worthy new star in the making
-BAL needs to pay attention to the new emphasis on O line formation
Funny I was only able to catch a couple of highlight versions and I was absolutely amazed from the little I saw that Baltimore offensive line was able to create so many opportunities for decent pass plays!! And despite having large toes! Was blown away and getting the ball off again and again with tiny time on the clock!! And the final score and plays super exciting no matter who you favored!!
 
Another entertaining game last nigh. Sloppier, I guess more first game like, than the season opener though.
Hello Barkley! Jacobs looked good too once he got going.
Brown, Smith, and Reed!

I haven't heard anything about Love yet,...I hope he is good to go next week!
--His ankle was definitely rolled under so that joint will be tender at best, I'm more worried about his fibula (and the soft tissue between the tib and fib.."high ankle") though.
Maybe we will hear something today.
 
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MCL sprain would be out 3-6 weeks. Just two games into the season, and one top QB already hurt. Let's roll the dice and see who else goes down tomorrow... I've posted before on the importance of having a solid back-up QB. Now we'll see just what GB can do without their young star. One thing I noticed was between Love, and the receivers, they missed a few red zone opportunities they need to work on. Him being out will hurt there for sure.

As to the highlights of the KC-Balt game, I don't think the game was quite as close as highlights or that last play made it seem. To me KC was definitely the better team. They looked every bit as good as last season, and the Ravens, at least their D, looked like they took one step back. Granted, week 1, a very long way to go.
 
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Miami-Jax was a very good game!
Rotten day for the Bengals. Or a very impressive day for the Patriots. Or both!
Panthers and Bryce picked up right where they left off! Saints looked good. 47 points!
Giants looked horrible. Made Sam Darnold look like Tom Brady.
Gritty wins for Buffalo, and Houston.
Titans blew their game against Chicago. That horrible pass by Levis was unreal.
Too many FGs in the NFL. 6 by Pittsburgh alone.
Kirk Cousins didn't come close to earning his money.