AFC Betting Game Notes
By Teddy Covers
Welcome to Teddy’s weekly look at the NFL. Teddy spends every Sunday typing furiously at his laptop as he watches the games, giving you the key info that the box scores and game recaps simply don’t have. This week: AFC tidbits from around the league from Week 4 of the NFL season.
Cincinnati Bengals
Carson Palmer looks really good; a veteran quarterback with the brains to make good decisions with the football. But this team isn't winning games easily; one dogfight after the next. Every game has gone the exact same way, tight right through the finish.
This team sure looks like a better underdog than a favorite, but unlike many NFL teams, they have all kinds of confidence when trailing in the fourth quarter, needing one drive to win the game.
Buffalo Bills
Dick Jauron had three new starters in the secondary due to injuries, and it showed. And for the second straight week, they were absolutely gashed on the ground. This team is getting beaten up at the line of scrimmage defensively, giving up running yardage in chunks. Buffalo is not a confident, cohesive team right now.
Denver Broncos
Kyle Orton is still struggling with his accuracy, unable to hit receivers in stride - it's all dink and dunk from the Broncos passing game. I do like the way that Josh McDaniels calls plays - a nice mix of runs, short passes and downfield attempts, keeping opposing defenses off balance.
The secondary was another bright spot. Tony Romo didn't find open receivers at all, even when he had time. Five sacks today, including a forced fumble that led to an easy touchdown - the pass rush is outstanding. The great defensive numbers that they put up against weak offenses through the first three weeks were validated here against a real offense.
Cleveland Browns
Opponents have now scored 47 points off Browns turnovers after Jerome Harrison's fumble that was returned for a TD. That’s a clear sign of a team that can’t stop making crucial mistakes.
Kansas City Chiefs
Last week, Matt Cassel didn't complete a pass longer than 13 yards. Here, he didn't complete a 20-yard pass until garbage time. This passing game has no downfield element to it at all right now. The problem, of course, is on the offensive line which can't seem to pass protect for more than a second or two, continually getting beaten at the line of scrimmage.
Jacksonville Jaguars
This stadium is shockingly empty - not much of a home field edge for the Jags in terms of crowd support this year. But with two good games in a row for the first time in nearly a year, Jacksonville actually has some positive momentum and potentially some pointspread value after their awful start.
New York Jets
Mark Sanchez looked like a rookie QB on the road today, unable to turn it around in the second half like he has in all three previous games. But we cannot overlook the tremendous performance from New York’s defense. The Saints offense managed one field goal through 54 minutes, and Drew Brees was largely contained.
Darrelle Revis might be the best cover corner in the league right now, and this pass rush is relentless, only getting better when Calvin Pace returns from his suspension next week. In 43 defensive drives this year against the Texans, Patriots, Titans and Saints, the Jets have allowed only three touchdowns. Jets opponents were 0-6 on fourth down this year before Kris Jenkins jumped offsides in the fourth quarter here.
New England Patriots
It seems as if Belichick wants to shorten the game and keep his defense off the field as much as possible. Tom Brady isn't taking shots downfield and this offense is relentlessly methodical, dinking and dunking, relying on the running game, looking for six or seven minute drives as opposed to the quick hitters that were such a big part of the offense two years ago.
No coach in the league is more aggressive when it comes to exploiting in-game injuries. Once the Ravens starting left tackle went down with an injury, the Pats sent pressure from that side on nearly every play, really disrupting the Baltimore passing game. This defensive backfield is finally starting to make some plays, coming through with their first interception of the season.
Oakland Raiders
Offensively, this team loses a lot without starting guard Robert Gallery in the lineup. He seems to be the key to the unit and when he's out, their protection schemes break down. These receivers are awful, no help for the struggling JaMarcus Russell, a very soft group that won't take hits. Russell isn’t very good, but his receivers are making a bad situation worse.
Tennessee Titans
No Cortland Finnegan equals big problems for the Titans pass defense. This team looked defeated as soon as they took the field - this was not a ballclub that expected to be 0-3, and they looked resigned to their fate; flat from the start.