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3-10-1 against the spread, and he can't spell

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by HandsomeHarley, Sep 28, 2006.

  1. HandsomeHarley

    HandsomeHarley Well-Known Member

    If you can't write, pick football games ... then again, if you can't pick football games ...

    Not everyone is sold on Ravens yet
    AP Graphic NFL PICKS, NFL WK 4
    By DAVE GOLDBERG
    AP Football Writer
    Maybe it’s Baltimore’s struggles in Cleveland last week. More probably it’s San Diego’s two rocking-chair wins (combined score 67-7) over two of the NFL’s worst, the Raiders and Titans.
    Whatever, the oddsmakers have made the Chargers 2 1/2-point favorites at Baltimore this week in a matchup between two early-season powers.
    Despite the narrow victory, the Ravens are encouraged that they went on the road, overcame an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit, got Chris McAlister’s end-zone interception, a 47-yard drive and a 52-yard field goal by Matt Stover to win at the buzzer. OK, so the Browns are 0-3, but they’re better than Tennessee and Oakland, San Diego’s victims before their bye last week.
    One reason for the Ravens’ improvement after a 6-10 season is the play of Steve McNair, who engineered the drive that led to Stover’s winner. Kyle Boller and his predecessors in a long line of Baltimore QBs wouldn’t have done it.
    “It emboldens them and gives them confidence. It’s a big part of the chemistry we’re beginning to develop,” coach Brian Billick says of his team’s reaction to the drive.
    On the other side of the ball Sunday will be Philip Rivers, who has completed nearly 72 percent of his passes in the two wins and has a passer rating of 107.4.
    But this is on the road against one of the league’s traditionally great defenses. And Rivers’ two starts are 132 fewer than McNair has had in his 11 seasons with the Houston/Tennessee franchise, plus this year with the Ravens.
    On the other hand, visitors are 25-21 this season. And the Chargers were 3-1 on East Coast trips last season; their stumbles at home cost them a playoff birth.
    Take the Baltimore defense over Rivers.
    RAVENS 16-12
    ———
    Seattle (plus 3) at Chicago (Sunday night)
    One of the few tough games left on the Seahawks’ schedule. And on Chicago’s ...
    SEAHAWKS 19-16

    New England (plus 6) at Cincinnati
    The Patriots will probably win the AFC East, but they won’t beat the AFC’s good teams.
    BENGALS, 23-13

    Indianapolis (minus 9) at New York Jets
    The Colts have given up 161.7 yards rushing and still are unbeaten, an unlikely stat considering that the four teams that are worse against the run are winless.
    But the Jets are gaining just 72.3 yards a game on the ground.
    COLTS, 28-20

    Green Bay (plus 10 1/2) at Philadelphia (Monday night)
    The Eagles won’t blow another big lead at home.
    EAGLES, 31-10

    Jacksonville (minus 3) at Washington
    No 22-of-22 for Brunell this week.
    JAGUARS, 18-9

    Minnesota (plus 1) at Buffalo
    All the Minnesota games (two wins) have been 3-pointers, 19-16, 16-13, 19-16.
    VIKINGS, 19-16

    Arizona (plus 8 ) at Atlanta
    Kurt Warner will get a rude reception from an angry team.
    FALCONS, 27-9

    New Orleans (plus 7) at Carolina
    Major letdown for the Saints? No, just a minor one by a team due to lose.
    PANTHERS, 24-20

    Dallas (minus 10) at Tennessee
    Dallas has too much defense — unless, like the Tuna, it’s weary from answering questions about T.O.
    COWBOYS, 27-3

    Miami (minus 5) at Houston
    The Dolphins were horrible at home against the Titans last week and the Texans have to win some time.
    But ...
    DOLPHINS, 6-5

    San Francisco (plus 7) at Kansas City
    Herm’s lads finally get one.
    CHIEFS, 22-10

    Detroit (plus 5) at St. Louis
    The Rams got lucky in Arizona last week. Now comes another historically challenged opponent.
    RAMS, 27-20

    Cleveland (minus 3) at Oakland
    What does it say about the Raiders that they’re home underdogs to a winless team?
    BROWNS, 19-2

    LAST WEEK: 3-10-1 (spread) 8-6 (Straight up)
    SEASON 16-26-2 (spread); 29-17 (straight up)
     
  2. Oz

    Oz Well-Known Member

    I thought this thread would be about Bill Simmons.
     
  3. da man

    da man Well-Known Member

    Well played, sir.
     
  4. TheSportsPredictor

    TheSportsPredictor Well-Known Member

    Wow, fire Hank Goldberg!
     
  5. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    I actually did, too.

    This guy isn't too bright. He picks the Colts to cover the 9-point spread and predicts they'll beat the Jets 28-20? He picked Jacksonville to beat Washington 18-9? Eighteen? When was the last time anybody finished with 18 points? Cleveland to beat Oakland 19-2? Nineteen is almost as random of a number as 18 (especially since with the score he's picking they'd never have a reason to go for two and would be likely to only score TDs and FGs), and he's predicting Oakland's only points will be a safety? Who is this clown?
     
  6. Walter_Sobchak

    Walter_Sobchak Active Member

    Tuesday Morning Quarterback used to have a running feature on the absurdity of picking final scores, and kept track of the New York Times' inability to predict final scores. I think the NYT went several years without picking one correctly.

    He also used the generic prediction of "Home team wins, 21-17" for all games, and he ended up doing better than his counterparts.
     
  7. Blitz

    Blitz Active Member

    No, he didn't pick Colts to cover ... unless I'm reading it wrong. The picks are listed with home team first, then "at" whoever they are playing.
    I agree, though, with the absurdity of pro and college picks which include scores. But Vegas loves to see this meaningless, valueless crap put out by AP and other services, then used by all those deskers who are eager to get the pages filled and sent to the pressroom.
    Vegas loves seeing guys like Dave and Hank Goldberg on the national circuit.

    But no, he didn't pick Indy to cover. He's telling his readers to take the Jets and the points.
    (And I'm taking his advice on that one with my Yahoo picks)
     
  8. Bill Simmons once lost a contest picking NFL winners to a dog (true story).

    He should always be reminded of that anytime he tries to give gambling advice.
     
  9. Oz

    Oz Well-Known Member

    I'll be curious to read tomorrow whether The Sports Gal still leads through three weeks.
     
  10. steelers over the colts, 21-18, in the playoffs last year
     
  11. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

    Sept. 10, 2006: St. Louis Rams 18, Denver Broncos 10
     
  12. Ben_Hecht

    Ben_Hecht Active Member

    It's a longstanding AP feature.

    I've seen a number of papers run it.

    Goldberg's fault, of course, but all the other pairs of eyes fell down on the job, as well.

    Some of them must have worked for the WWL, at one time . . .
     
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