NFL Betting News and Trends For Thursday 8/30/18

Patriots vs. Giants Preview and Predictions in NFL

NFL Previews 29th August 2018 By Charles Jay

The New England Patriots aren't likely to have a whole lot of competition in the AFC East unless something rather catastrophic happens. And even if it does, the division isn't exactly deep. But their standard is much higher, as it is always "Super Bowl or bust."

The New York Giants hope they can provide the principal competition for the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East, and if a few things fall right for them, they can make it happen. They did well to change the atmosphere, and one of the things they did was bring in a big-impact running back and not a "quarterback of the future."

So these teams, who have a nasty history that includes two Super Bowl victories on the part of the Giants, will tangle at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ on Thursday night.

TV: 7 PM ET, Local Coverage, NFL Network (replay). LINE: Giants -2.5. O/U: 38.5.

ABOUT THE PATRIOTS: The Pats lost their third game of the pre-season to the Carolina Panthers 25-14. In the process, Tom Brady got in his last work before the regular season opener, completing 12 of 18 passes for 102 yards.
One big key to New England's success this season is going to revolve around Sony Michel's ability to step in and be a dual-purpose back, and he may eventually elevate himself to being a featured back. Michel was taken next-to-last in the first round out of Georgia but suffered a knee injury, which had the potential to set him back. But he has returned to practice and impressed the staff, including his position coach, Ivan Fears, who says "It looks like he's going to be what we expected to be." He'll be in the rotation for certain in Week 1. And while Mike Gillislee and Jeremy Hill don't have as much upside as Michel, they have a chance to get a lot of playing time in the backfield. It might come down to who produces this week. Gillislee had some modest numbers (35 rushing yards, one catch) last week, while Hill sprained an ankle. Shaq Mason, who has been a starting right guard for most of the last three seasons, has signed a five-year contract extension that is worth $50 million, with $23.5 million of it guaranteed. The Pats suffered a big blow in the last couple of weeks when offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn, another of their first-round draft choices from Georgia (like Michel) sustained a torn Achilles and is out for the season.

ABOUT THE GIANTS: In a game that was less contentious than it has been in recent years, the Giants scored a 22-16 victory in the "Snoopy Bowl" against the Jets last week. Eli Manning is apparently ready to go, as he threw for 188 yards. Jhurell Pressley, signed on August 20, led the team with 71 yards on the ground and is making a bid for a roster spot. He was in camp with the Minnesota Vikings in 2016 when Pat Shurmur was the offensive coordinator there. After Saquon Barkley, Big Blue is planning on backing him with veteran Jonathan Stewart, along with Wayne Gallman. So catching on in some way is Pressley's objective, and he'll have a chance in the pre-season finale. And by the way, Barkley, who has been bothered with a hamstring and kept out of action as a precaution, is participating in 7-on-7 drills. There is no reason to believe he should not be ready for the season opener. Olivier Vernon, who was signed for big money a couple of years ago, then has underwhelmed, should be available for the season opener, though he has a high ankle bruise. Vernon has had 15 sacks in the last two seasons, but defensive coordinator James Bettcher, who has re-positioned Vernon in his 3-4 alignment, would like to see more.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Odell Beckham Jr. finally signed his contract extension. It's for five years and $95 million, with a massive $65 million guaranteed. He is now the highest-paid receiver ever.

2. James Bettcher, who was brought on board by new coach Pat Shurmur as defensive coordinator, has switched the alignment from a 4-3 to a 3-4. This is the kind of thing that often necessitates some awkward moves, mostly for defensive ends who now have to become outside linebackers.

3. The Patriots are the -700 favorites to win the AFC East, and they are also +500 to capture Super Bowl 53. The Giants are +425 to win the NFC East, and +2000 to win the Super Bowl.

PREDICTION: Giants 17, Patriots 14
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Colts vs. Bengals Preview and Predictions in NFL

NFL Previews 29th August 2018 By Charles Jay

The Indianapolis Colts come into the 2018 season with an awful lot of optimism, because they expect to have their Pro Bowl quarterback behind center. And they are taking every measure to make sure that he's ready when the bell rings.

The Cincinnati Bengals were simply flat last season because their offense did not perform. Is there any reason to believe things might be different this season? That is a legitimate question.

The Colts and Bengals will meet up on Thursday night in a game that will not include a lot of starters but will go a long way toward determining who may be kept on board to play reserve or special teams roles. It takes place at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.

NFL Football Previews and Predictions

TV: 7 PM ET, Local Coverage, NFL Network (replay). LINE: Bengals -2.5 (-115) O/U: 34.

ABOUT THE COLTS: Of course, since everybody's eyes are on Luck, there has been a lot of unrest about a minor foot injury that he had suffered. But even though the team did concede that it was going to sideline him for a while, he did return to practice on Monday. Luck will not play in this final pre-season game, but the Colts, very mindful of wild speculation, are insisting that he will indeed be ready to play in the regular season opener. One of the fundamental concerns about the Indianapolis offense was being able to put together enough of a running game, and because there were no major moves made in the off-season, Marlon Mack was expected to be part of that. But Mack may not be ready for Week 1, as he sits out with a hamstring injury. The Colts are in such a situation that Christine Michael, a journeyman who has been largely forgotten about, is actually the guy taking the first-team reps while Mack is out. If Frank Reich, entering his first season as head coach, wants to truly protect Luck, one of the ways he can do it is to at least be able to present the threat that the Colts are going to move over land. Speaking of protecting Luck - and hamstring injuries - Anthony Castonzo, who some people consider one of the best left tackles in the NFL, is obviously hoping to be able to play in the season opener, and Reich would not want to have to go to the alternative, Le’Raven Clark, if he doesn't have to. Naturally, part of the off-season initiative was to solidify the left side of the offensive line, which included drafting Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson, and having Castonzo healthy.

ABOUT THE BENGALS: The Bengals hope that what they saw from John Ross last Sunday was a harbinger of things to come. Ross, who was drafted in the first round last season but contributed almost nothing, caught a 57-yard touchdown pass from Andy Dalton, beating Pro Bowl cornerback Vontae Davis in the process. Ross set a record for the fastest 40-yard time in the NFL Scouting Combine but proved not ready to play in the league, even when healthy. This might be a do-or-die year for him, and unquestionably Cincinnati can use some people who are able to take some attention away from AJ Green on the other side. By the way, Green caught four passes last Sunday, including the touchdown, and every sign is that he is in mid-season form at the moment. Of course, if Cincinnati's going to make some kind of a comeback offensively (they were ranked last in the NFL in 2017), will have to get a Pro Bowl-caliber season out of Andy Dalton, who has proven capable of it before. Dalton was 11 for 16 last week in the 26-13 win against Buffalo, with 180 yards and two touchdowns. He has given every indication that will produce much better this season. Last year he did have 25 TD passes and a dozen interceptions. Coming into the final game, the battle is for the backup QB job. Jeff Driskel went four of seven for 75 yards last week, while Matt Barkley was 9-16 for 112 yards and an interception. Bengals Owner. GM Mike Brown opened up the pocketbook to the tune of $110 million to sign defensive linemen Geno Adkins and Carlos Dunlap to contract extensions.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Mack led the Colts in rushing last season, with 358 yards on the ground, and added 225 in receptions. No other Indianapolis running back in camp right now had triple digits in either of those categories in 2017.

2. Interestingly enough, these teams will turn around play each other in the regular season opener, scheduled for a week from Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium. So would stand to reason that they wouldn't show each other much of the playbook.

3. The Bengals are +700 to win the AFC North and +8500 to win the Super Bowl. Indianapolis is +500 to be the AFC South champ and +5500 for Super Bowl honors.

PREDICTION: Bengals 20, Colts 14
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Dolphins vs. Falcons Preview and Predictions in NFL

NFL Previews 29th August 2018 By Charles Jay

The Miami Dolphins stripped away several of their veteran players in the off-season, and now they have to rely on the health of their starting quarterback. There are a lot of holes in this team, and they must be addressed before they are going to be considered real contenders in the AFC East.

The Atlanta Falcons would like to return to the Super Bowl, where they were a couple of seasons ago, and for that to happen their offense needs to get turbo-charged again. Maybe the addition of wide receiver Calvin Ridley will contribute toward that happening, but they also need Devonta Freeman, part of their dual-purpose backfield, to stay injury-free.

The Dolphins and Falcons lock horns at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Thursday night at 7 PM ET.

See all the Pro Football Predictions

TV: Local Coverage, NFL Network (replay). LINE: Pick'em. O/U: 36.5.

ABOUT THE DOLPHINS: One of the things Miami fans didn't necessarily want to see out of Ryan Tannehill, who was returning to the lineup after more than a year and a half out of it, is an issue with "ball security." Yet there he was, fumbling twice last Saturday in the loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Tannehill didn't do too badly by the numbers, completing 11 out of 16 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown, but that has been the story of his career – pretty good numbers, but not enough in the way of victories to show for it. Neither of his fumbles resulted in a turnover, but that was just his good luck. Coming into the season opener, you've got to be at least a little bit concerned with how sharpies going to be, having missed all of last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Devante Parker, the former first-round draft choice, has not been cleared to catch footballs yet, as he continues to recover from a finger injury. He would be considered questionable at the moment to go in the season opener, and if he can't make post, look for Danny Amendola, acquired in the off-season, to get his snaps. If Parker is ineffective due to this injury, that puts the Miami receiving corps in rough shape since obviously, Jarvis Landry has a new address these days (Cleveland). It appears as if coach Adam Gase is not interested in putting too big a burden on Kenyan Drake in the Dolphin backfield. He is going to do everything in his power to see that 35-year-old Frank Gore, who has returned "home" after a lot of years in San Francisco and Indianapolis, splits carries with him.

ABOUT THE FALCONS: Giorgio Tavecchio, a kicker who has just been cut by the Oakland Raiders, was picked up by the Falcons, presumably for the purpose of playing in this pre-season finale. Matt Bryant is aging (43), and maybe they don't want to take a chance on him. Tavecchio gets a chance to play and maybe impress someone enough to catch on somewhere else. But with David Marvin (who will punt Thursday), the Falcons now have three kickers with them, and at least one of them will have to go. Brandon Fusco, a member of the San Francisco 49ers last season, has been named the starting right guard by head coach Dan Quinn. Fusco has 80 NFL starts to his credit, and he beat out Wes Schweitzer to get to the first team. There has been some level of continuity with the Falcons on the offensive line, as four of the five starters who helped this team reach the Super Bowl two seasons ago are still with the team. One plus for Fusco is that he spent last season in a Kyle Shanahan offense, and the Falcons have not changed things appreciably on offense since Shanahan left Atlanta (and the coordinator position) for San Francisco. Calvin Ridley, the first-round draft pick who looked so outstanding two weeks ago, dropped three passes in Saturday's loss against Jacksonville. So yes, before getting overly excited with the rookie as a perfect complement to Julio Jones, he's going to have his moments of difficulty. Dan Quinn is now 4-11 against the spread in pre-season action as an NFL head coach.

EXTRA POINTS

1. These teams met last season. The Dolphins, who went into the game as a 13.5-point underdog, overcame a 17-0 halftime deficit and emerged with a 20-17 victory at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Jay Ajayi had 130 yards on the ground, but he's no longer in Miami. Kenyan Drake did not play.

2. Marvin Hall, battling for the last Atlanta roster spot as a wide receiver, has caught two passes in the NFL, and one of them was a 40-yard TD from Matt Ryan against the Dolphins last October.

3. The Falcons are +150 to be the champions of the NFC South and +1800 to win the Super Bowl, which will be held in their building this season. The Dolphins are +700 to capture the AFC East crown and +8500 to win the Super Bowl.

PREDICTION: Dolphins 19, Falcons 17
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Jets vs. Eagles Preview and Predictions in NFL

NFL Previews 29th August 2018 By Charles Jay

The New York Jets may yet begin their "new era" with a new quarterback earlier than expected, although curiously, their head coach has not given the aggressive The Apple press the heads-up on whether that is going to happen. Maybe there is something about this pre-season finale that will help this thing come to a conclusion.

The Philadelphia Eagles certainly don't want their own quarterback situation to become muddled, and so that means a very low-risk policy. This is a team with some reason to believe it can contend well into the future, and we saw last season that they can perform even if their starting quarterback is out of action.

These clubs will come together for the final exhibition on Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field in the City of Brotherly Love.

National Football League Preseason Previews

TV: Local Coverage, NFL Network (replay). LINE: Jets -3.5 (-115). O/U: 36

ABOUT THE JETS: Head coach Todd Bowles has been adamant that he's making no decision on who the starting quarterback will be until after the last pre-season game. Perhaps this means that Teddy Bridgewater will get some snaps and an opportunity to either solidify his position on the depth chart or allow the Jets to showcase him in a trade. Bridgewater completed 11 of 15 passes last week against the Giants, while Sam Darnold was 8-16 for 86 yards. It should be mentioned that Darnold has been taking most of the snaps with the first team in practice, and reports are that many of the things the Jets have looked for out of him, he has delivered. So maybe the plan to have Josh McCown keep the seat warm for the time being will go out the window. But that has not been decided yet. Bowles also said that some of his starters may play in this game as well, although he did not specify which ones they were or how long they could be in the game. The Jets are obviously not satisfied that Elijah McGuire will be recovered from his foot surgery in time to make the season opener, and in fact, they may wind up to placing him on an injured reserve list that will keep him out for the first eight games of the season. So they have taken the step of signing Charcandrick West, a solid veteran who had been cut by the Kansas City Chiefs in a cost-cutting move. West can run from scrimmage and catch passes, and he is good for backfield depth. The team is still awaiting word on how the NFL is going to deal with disciplinary situations involving wide receiver Robby Anderson and linebacker Dylan Donahue. Both may get suspended, but the league has taken much longer than expected to finish their review of each situation, and that has left management in something of a quandary as far as personnel movement is concerned.

ABOUT THE EAGLES: What's really interesting about this game is the fact that both of these coaches are holding out a decision as to who will start at quarterback in the opener until Friday at the earliest. Of course, with the Eagles' situation, it's more related to injuries and recovery. Carson Wentz has not even been cleared for full contact, so obviously would be foolish for Doug Pederson to make the call on his availability. Both Wentz and Nick Foles have been splitting up the first-team snaps in practice, so either one of them should be sharp enough when the bell rings. Naturally, neither one of them is going to be put in harm's way either. But keep in mind that the defending Super Bowl champs go into action earlier than everyone else, as they've got the first Thursday night game against the Atlanta Falcons. We know that Nate Sudfield can handle things behind center, but the real intrigue is going to come from somebody who is fifth on the depth chart. Christian Hackenberg never saw the field in the regular season for the Jets, although they had taken him in the second round out of Penn State. He was much maligned and lost the respect of the staff. After getting cut loose, he was then cut by the Raiders and wound up with the Eagles. And Pederson will put him on the field in what could present a very interesting dynamic. "If I get the chance to play on Thursday," Hackenberg says, "I’m looking forward to seeing how it all translates to the field. Being here, it’s been good for my game and for me." The 2013 Big Ten Freshman of the Year may be a candidate to stick around on the practice squad.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Hackenberg has played for the Jets AGAINST the Eagles in the last two pre-season finales, completing 21 of 53 passes for 159 yards. He is slightly below 50% accurate in two years of pre-season play, with four interceptions - three of which were returned for touchdowns.

2. Eagles WR Alshon Jeffery is expected to miss the first two games of the regular season with a shoulder injury. But he is coming off the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list this weekend.

3. The Eagles are priced at +850 to defend their Super Bowl title, and they are the -170 favorites to capture the NFC East. The Jets are +1100 to win the AFC East, and +8500 to win the Super Bowl.

PREDICTION: Jets 21, Eagles 16
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Browns vs. Lions Preview and Predictions in NFL

NFL Previews 29th August 2018 By Charles Jay

The Cleveland Browns are in the middle of what they feel is an exciting rebuilding project, but they really need a coach who knows what he's doing to make the thing complete, and there are critics who are not sure whether they have that at the moment.

The Detroit Lions went through some controversy not long after the hiring of their own head coach, but so far it looks as if it is full steam ahead, and last week's result had to be pretty encouraging.

Now the Lions, who were somewhat embarrassed by the New York Giants in their last game at Ford Field, return home for the preseason finale against the Browns.

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TV: 7 PM ET, NFL Network. LINE: Browns -2 (-120). O/U: 35

ABOUT THE BROWNS: There has been some criticism of head coach Hue Jackson because he has not had Baker Mayfield on the field with first-team starters. That won't change this Thursday night, but Mayfield will start the game anyway. The difference, of course, is that he'll be working with second and third-team players. And so the question is, why? And those things may have been asked about Jackson when he put Tyrod Taylor back into last week's game after getting injured. Various pundits have suggested that Jackson should be fired. Josh Gordon has been the center of some speculation during this training camp, and his situation has come under either even closer scrutiny because of the fact that Cleveland is the subject of this year's "Hard Knocks" documentary series on HBO. Gordon, who had gone to Florida to seek some help emotionally and with his substance abuse, has been cleared by the league to practice, and if he's close to 100%, is going to be a major contributor. But there was enough doubt about all of this that the Browns sat down with Dez Bryant to discuss a contract. Gordon came back to practice but had a little bit of a hamstring issue which limits his activity. Tight end David Njoku, a first-round pick last year, has a load of potential and could be ready for a breakout season. Now he is nursing an ankle injury, and the team is very optimistic that he'll be just fine for the season opener. And the fact that he is working to the side and not sidelined completely is a good sign of that.

ABOUT THE LIONS: The team found itself down 27-6 in the third quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but then things started to turn. The Lions started to edge back with Matt Cassel behind center against Tampa Bay's "twos" and there was an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown by Brandon Powell. Jake Rudock made the comeback complete when he took the team on a last-minute touchdown drive after the Bucs tried to sit on the ball, and Detroit emerged with a 33-30 victory. Cassel went 7-11 for 60 yards, while Rudock was 9-12 for 58 yards. And this issue of who will fill the backup role has probably not been resolved just yet. Rudock has some things in his favor; namely a 72% completion rate and 94.5 passer rating in this pre-season. But Cassel has the experience advantage, obviously, and even if he got cut he would get picked up by somebody else. Luke Willson, who came over from the Seattle Seahawks with the idea that he could become the team's #1 tight end, suffered a knee injury that forced him to leave the game with Tampa Bay, and he could have lost some ground, but got back to practice on Monday. Ameer Abdullah was the Lions' starting tailback last year, but with a new commitment to the run, the team added LeGarrette Blount and draft pick Kerryon Johnson, which made him expendable. So Matt Patricia is giving him extra playing time in this finale in an attempt to give him a chance to do enough to stick with the roster. Abdullah fumbled twice against the Giants a couple of weeks ago.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Can the Browns improve from a place-kicking standpoint? Zane Gonzalez, who made only 75% of his field-goal attempts last year, is sticking around, despite a challenge from Ross Martin. The Browns made that obvious when they cut Martin on Tuesday.

2. Defensive end Robert Ayers, with the Buccaneers the last two seasons, was signed on Monday and then suddenly cut on Tuesday, without much of an explanation as to why.

3. The Lions are +500 to win the NFC North and +3500 to win Super Bowl 53. The Browns are +700 to win the AFC North and +5500 for the Super Bowl.

PREDICTION: Lions 21, Browns 17
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Redskins vs. Ravens Preview and Predictions in NFL

NFL Previews 29th August 2018 By Charles Jay

Most people who follow the Washington Redskins are well aware that coach Jay Gruden’s bread-and-butter is the short passing game. So after losing Kirk Cousins in free agency, if Alex Smith can give them some continuity at the quarterback spot, this team might offer something for the Philadelphia Eagles to think about in the NFC East.

The biggest story in the Baltimore Ravens' camp this season has been that of their rookie quarterback, a former Heisman Trophy winner who they moved up in the draft to pick. Lamar Jackson may not be completely ready to shoulder the burden that comes with running an NFL offense, but when he's in the game, all eyes are on him.

The Redskins and Ravens, neighbors in the Mid-Atlantic region, will meet up on Thursday night at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

TV: 7:30 PM ET, Local Coverage, NFL Network (replay). LINE: Ravens -6.5 (-115). O/U: 35.5.

ABOUT THE REDSKINS: The Redskins may have lost 29-17 to the Denver Broncos last week, but Adrian Peterson has them some reason for hope as far as their running game is concerned. In one half of football, he gained 56 yards. And head coach Jay Gruden gave him eleven carries, so he wasn't fibbing earlier in the week when he told reporters he would give A.P. some action. We're still not sure what this all means, and we are relatively certain that at his age, there is no future in the NFL for him as a feature back. But he can play some kind of role with the team and remember that this is a club that has suddenly had to deal with the injury absence of a rookie ball-carrier (Derrius Guice) who they were counting on heavily. Could he actually be the starter for Washington? Well, he may be a better alternative right now for the 'Skins than either Rob Kelley or Samaje Perine, and if the intention is to keep Peterson around through the final cuts, we have to wonder if maybe one of those other two could become a casualty. Perine is in some peril in that regard, since he has an ankle injury and had to sit out against Denver. Perhaps there is something in the final pre-season game that will help team brass make a decision. Chris Thompson, who fits in more as a third-down back and has been kept out of pre-season action as he recovers from a broken leg, is going to have a roster spot. And Gruden wants to assure people that tight end Jordan Reed, who has been kept out of the pre-season, will indeed be on track to play in the season opener.

ABOUT THE RAVENS: There was no question on the part of many observers that Lamar Jackson was going to have to polish himself up quite a bit to be able to become a starting quarterback in the NFL. He was a little uneasy in the pocket, although his feet give him a chance to get out of almost any situation. Through the first two games, Jackson completed just 42% of his passes. But he was much more effective last week, as he went 7-for-10 for 98 yards and ran for 39 more. He had both a rushing and passing touchdown, and the Ravens won easily. He is currently listed #2 on the depth chart behind Joe Flacco, although one cannot discount the impressive showing Robert Griffin III has made in camp. Right now the Ravens are showing holdovers in the backfield, with Alex Collins, Buck Allen, and Kenneth Dixon. Is that enough for them to play any kind of power football this season? Don't forget that Flacco averaged just 5.7 yards per attempt in 2017. Perhaps we underrate Collins, the former Arkansas standout; he had 973 yards (4.6 ypc) last season. Head coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg were hoping to be tight end-heavy in the offense this season. That may still be the case, but they'll have to start off without first-round draft pick Hayden Hurst for about a month as he deals with surgery to repair a stress fracture in his foot. Jaleel Scott, a wide receiver who was drafted in the fourth round, is on injured reserve with a rather severe hamstring injury. He was not coming around as fast as the Ravens hoped he would anyway. Harbaugh is now 28-15 ATS in the pre-season, and Baltimore has covered its pre-season finale in each of the last four seasons.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Baltimore linebacker Kamalei Correa, who played high school ball with former Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, will now reunite with him as the Ravens traded him to Tennessee on Tuesday. He was picked in the second round out of Boise State in 2016 but only brought back a sixth-round pick from the Titans.

2. Placekicker Kaare Vedvik, who has been impressive in camp as an undrafted free agent, isn't going to unseat Justin Tucker with the Ravens, but will invariably wind up somewhere else, as a number of teams are just waiting for him to get cut, according to ESPN reporter Adam Schefter.

3. The Redskins are +425 to win the NFC East, and +5000 to win the Super Bowl. The Ravens are priced at +300 in the AFC North and +3500 to be Super Bowl champions.

PREDICTION: Ravens 23, Redskins 13
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Panthers vs. Steelers Preview and Predictions in NFL

NFL Previews 29th August 2018 By Charles Jay

The Carolina Panthers appear ready to go for the 2018 season, and most observers believe that if Greg Olsen stays healthy, Christian McCaffrey carries the ball more and Cam Newton responds to his new O-coordinator, they can take a trip back to the playoffs.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have gone through a little of their training camp drama surrounding All-Pro running back Le'Veon Bell, but those situations will resolve themselves. The Steelers, under Mike Tomlin, have been a pretty consistent proposition and there is little question that they'll be playoff contenders once again.

The Panthers and Steelers get together on Thursday night at Heinz Field in the preseason finale.

TV: 7:30 PM ET. Local Coverage, NFL Network (replay). LINE: Steelers -2.5 (-115). O/U: 36.5.

ABOUT THE PANTHERS: There was an interesting story on the Sports Illustrated website about the influence new Carolina offensive coordinator Norv Turner was going to have over this offense and in particular quarterback Cam Newton. And the opinion was that the presence of Turner was probably going to benefit Newton a number of ways, including allowing him to emphasize downfield passing a little more. Remember that Newton has a strong arm, but isn't the most accurate thrower in the world, so expecting him to be a trigger man for some version of the West Coast offense is not realistic. Of course, having the consistent running game very much a part of any success Carolina is going to have. McCaffrey will be a great check-down receiver, but will also have his chance to demonstrate he can run between the tackles home. And CJ Anderson, who has played his previous NFL career in Denver, is thought to be an upgrade over aging Jonathan Stewart. The Panthers are obviously happy about their 25-14 victory over the Patriots last week, but as far as the situation involving Newton's backup is concerned, it's still so there doesn't seem clear. Garrett Gilbert and Taylor Heinicke both threw for 46 yards last week, and between them and Kyle Allen, they'll all get another chance to shine against Pittsburgh.

ABOUT THE STEELERS: Joshua Dobbs is going to get the start for the Steelers at quarterback against the Panthers. The second-year man from Tennessee is the fourth different QB to start again during this pre-season, and interestingly enough, Mike Tomlin indicated that it is possible that his team could keep four quarterbacks coming out of the exhibition schedule. On Thursday night, Landry Jones might also play, in addition to rookie Mason Rudolph. Certainly, Dobbs has some upside, as he is one of those "dual-purpose" types, who is smart enough to understand aeronautical engineering, so the NFL playbook is obviously a snap. He was the fourth-round draft pick last season, but with Jones having had some starts under his belt and Rudolph somebody the Pittsburgh management feels as some upside, there's a tendency to look at Dobbs as the one who could be the "odd man out." Le'Veon Bell denied a story that he would be reporting to the team on Labor Day. The All-Pro running back, who is not signed his franchise tender, is, by all accounts, in shape, and according to offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner, will have a regular workload in the season opener if and when he decides to come back aboard.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Panthers' new owner, David Tepper, who paid a record $2.2 billion for the team, is already talking about doing some things that former owner Jerry Richardson would not have done; namely, include a new uniform combination with black helmets, and construct an indoor practice facility.

2. Taylor Heinicke will start at quarterback for Carolina on Thursday night and will play a quarter. He spent time under current Panthers' offensive coordinator Norv Turner when both were with the Minnesota Vikings. Garrett Gilbert will play the second quarter, with Kyle Allen taking over after halftime.

3. The Panthers are priced at +225 to win the NFC South and +2500 to win Super Bowl 53. The Steelers are the -300 favorites to win the AFC North and +850 to emerge as Super Bowl champions.

PREDICTION: Steelers 20, Panthers 14
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Jaguars vs. Bucs Preview and Predictions in NFL

NFL Previews 29th August 2018 By Charles Jay

Not that many people expected the Jacksonville Jaguars to make the quantum leap they did last season, but it gives you an indication as to what can be accomplished through defense, a running game and conservative play that minimizes mistakes. But they have to hope that they can get something dynamic out of Blake Bortles without having to pay for it with interceptions and fumbles.

The Tampa Bay Bucs hope that they don't have to start behind the eight-ball, so to speak, as they will miss quarterback Jameis Winston for the first three games in an extremely competitive division (NFC South) that had three teams in the playoffs last year. But the talent is there, at least on the offensive side, to take some opponents to the wire.

The Jaguars and Bucs do battle on Thursday night at Raymond James Stadium in the finale for both teams in this NFL pre-season.

TV: 7:30 PM ET. Local Coverage, NFL Network (replay). LINE: Bucs -1.5. O/U: 35.5.

ABOUT THE JAGS: The Jaguars suffered a big blow in the receiving corps when Marqise Lee, who suffered a knee injury against the Atlanta Falcons last week, was placed on injured reserve. He will not be available this season, and that may, on the surface, make it look like Jacksonville is a little thin at the wide receiver position, with Keelan Cole and Dede Westbrook, both of whom were rookies last year, joining Dante Moncrief. The Jags have to get some kind of production out of DJ Chark, the second-round draft pick out of LSU. And from listening to head coach Doug Marrone, who said he is "comfortable" with his team's situation, they won't be adding a veteran. It is unclear whether defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, who sustained a pectoral injury, will be ready for the regular season opener. An original report said he had returned to practice on Monday, but indeed he had not. Another defensive lineman and Dante Fowler is the subject of trade rumors, especially after you suspended by the team for fighting. He also has a one-game suspension at the start of the regular season. It is a virtual certainty that he won't be with the team next year (they didn't exercise an option for 2019), but says he feels good from a physical standpoint: “Physically, I feel really good. My knee is really good. I feel faster than I’ve ever been, more explosive, jump higher than I’ve ever been."

ABOUT THE BUCS: It was a very disappointing result for the Buccaneers against the Detroit Lions last time out, but at least they were able to show some mastery with their first unit. The Bucs led 27-6 in the third quarter before Detroit started to mount a comeback. By this time, James Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick were both out of the game. Winston threw for 60 yards in what will be his last pre-season action, and in fact, his last action until Week 4 since he is suspended for the first three games. Wide receiver Mike Evans was being monitored after taking a blow to the back in the game that caused him to be removed, and that is one guy Tampa Bay cannot afford to be without. There has to be some concern at the running back position, as Charles Sims was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. The options are not overly attractive; Peyton Barber is going to be the feature back as it stands now. It really should have been second-round draft pick Ronald Jones from USC, but Dirk Koetter and his offensive staff have been sorely disappointed with what they've seen from him in camp. The top three quarterbacks will sit for the Bucs in the preseason finale, including Ryan Griffin, who is going to start the season as the #2 man. So Austin Allen, who played his college ball at Arkansas, may go the entire way for Tampa Bay.

EXTRA POINTS

1. With 322 yards on the ground last season, Blake Bortles is the Jags' second-leading returning rusher.

2. The aforementioned Fitzpatrick, who will start the first three games for the Bucs, passed for 1103 yards and seven TD's with three interceptions last year. He had previously spent two seasons with the New York Jets, and in 2015 he got close to leading the Jets to the playoffs.

3. The Jaguars are priced at +150 to win the AFC North, and +1700 to be crowned Super Bowl champions. The Buccaneers are +950 to win the NFC South and +5500 to win the Super Bowl.

PREDICTION: Jaguars 19, Bucs 17
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Bills vs. Bears Preview and Predictions in NFL

NFL Previews 29th August 2018 By Charles Jay

It's not often that you have a genuine battle to see who will start at quarterback coming down to the last game of the preseason, but that's exactly the situation for the Buffalo Bills as they enter their finale. And it may turn out that a youngster who experienced one of the most embarrassing outings of 2017 could wind up the opening day starter.

Of course, if you follow the NFL at all, you know that the Bills have a good idea who their quarterback of the future is. So do the Chicago Bears, who made the commitment to Mitchell Trubisky, with first-year head coach Matt Nagy accepting the responsibility of bringing him along.

The Bills and Bears will meet up on Thursday night at Soldier Field, and it's likely we won't be seeing a lot of starters in the game.

TV: 8 PM ET. Local Coverage, NFL Network (replay). LINE: Bears -3 (-105). O/U: 36.5.

ABOUT THE BILLS: The original plan was for AJ McCarron, who had been languishing as a backup in Cincinnati, to assume the starting job in Buffalo until Josh Allen, the first-round draft pick out of Wyoming, was ready to play. Forgotten in this whole scenario was Nathan Peterman, who made a start in place of Tyrod Taylor against the Los Angeles Chargers last season and threw five interceptions in the first half. Well, this is basically what happened – McCarron has suffered an injury to his shoulder (first reported as a broken collarbone) and he's been held out of action. There is a little bit of mystery surrounding this, but the bottom line is that he won't play Thursday night. Allen threw for just 34 yards last week and had to leave to be evaluated for a concussion. Then Peterman came in and completed 16 out of 21 passes with 200 yards in the second half. Head coach Sean McDermott has indicated that he doesn't really have any problem at all starting Peterman in the season opener, but whoever takes snaps a is going to be working with a tattered offensive line. That's one of the reasons the team has been careful with running back LeSean McCoy (1138 yards last year), who is nursing a groin injury.

ABOUT THE BEARS: So will the Bears' first-round draft pick, linebacker Roquan Smith out of Georgia, hit the field for some pre-season action before the real thing starts? Well, on Tuesday, Nagy said that Smith probably wouldn't play. But this would not affect his ability to be involved in the regular-season opener September 9 against the Green Bay Packers. What would probably happen is that he would be operating under a snap count. Smith held out for three weeks, making him the last first-round NFL pick to sign a contract. Not only is Nagy not going to play his starters against Buffalo, he held almost all of them out last week against Kansas City. That was an unconventional move, but remember that the Bears have played an extra pre-season game, having participated in the Hall of Fame Game against Baltimore, which kicked off the season. As for quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, he is getting busy putting together a game plan for Green Bay. And the starters on both sides of the ball are occupied with preparations for the Packers, as we imagine is the case with the coaching staff. Kevin White, who came to the Bears as a first-round draft pick but has been felled by injuries for a good part of his tenure, caught his first TD pass last week - a 29-yarder off the arm of backup QB Chase Daniel. "It's just the beginning," says White. Meanwhile, Javon Wims, who arrived this season as an undrafted rookie out of Georgia, had 114 yards receiving against the Chiefs. The Bears may wind up with some depth at the receiver position after all.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Bears released veteran guard Earl Watford, who had been a starter in Arizona but had difficulty hooking on after that, having been cut by Jacksonville before coming to the Windy City. Watford was quickly signed by Cleveland.

2. Adam Shaheen, a second-year tight end who could be one of Chicago's top red zone targets, suffered an ankle injury against Kansas City, but Nagy said that he would not have to go on injured reserve. The expectation is that the Bears are going to start the season with four tight ends on the roster.

3. The Bills are priced at +950 to win the AFC East and +6600 to win the Super Bowl. The Bears are +700 to bring home the bacon in the NFC North and +8500 to win the Super Bowl.

PREDICTION: Bills 21, Bears 16
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Cowboys vs. Texans Preview and Predictions in NFL

NFL Previews 29th August 2018 By Charles Jay

When the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans get together in the pre-season, it isn't necessarily an all-out "Battle for the Lone Star State." But there's always a little pride on the line, even if it is mostly second and third-stringers participating since the respective fan bases probably care a great deal.

For the Texans, this season is about getting healthier, as injuries ruined them last year. Quarterback Deshaun Watson and defensive end JJ Watt have a chance to be contributing from the start, and that could make a world of difference.

The Cowboys have a big void in the middle of the offensive line to deal with, and that could be an ongoing issue for them throughout the season. But if Ezekiel Elliott can stay on the field, they can figure out a way around it.

The Cowboys and Texans will meet at NRG Stadium in Houston for the pre-season finale.

TV: 8 PM ET. Local Coverage, NFL Network (replay). LINE: Texans -4 O/U: 34.

ABOUT THE COWBOYS: Right guard Zack Martin, who suffered a knee injury, has been practicing and is considered to be a good possibility to make a post for Week 1. That's great news for the Cowboys, who are going to be without center Travis Frederick for a while. Joe Looney will replace Frederick for as long as it takes, but he may be held out of Thursday's game so as not to risk injury to him and put the Dallas offensive line even further in a hole. Frederick is going to team meetings and watching practice, as he continues to receive treatment for Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Any timetable for his return is very uncertain. Is there a battle between Cooper Rush and Mike White for the backup job behind Dak Prescott? The Cowboys probably feel a little awkward about having a rookie in that position, but White, who set records at Western Kentucky, has been impressive. Some of the scouts who saw him at the combine felt as if he was about as NFL-ready as anybody. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, the first-round draft pick out of Boise State, will miss his third pre-season game with a strained groin, and there is some doubt as to whether he will be in the lineup for the opener against the Carolina Panthers. He was not ticketed to be a starter at middle linebacker anyway; Jaylon Smith, who has been impressive coming off the knee injury that eliminated his rookie season, is #1 on the depth chart over there.

ABOUT THE TEXANS: There is no question that the Texans are going to be healthier than they were last season when they placed more people on injured reserve than any other team. But that does not mean they are completely free of injury. Running back D'Onta Foreman, who suffered an Achilles injury last year and is still recovering, had to be put on the reserve/PUP list, which means that he will not be available for the first six games of the season. The Texans were not one of those teams that went out and got a lot of backfield help in the off-season, so what they are going to be left with are Lamar Miller and Alfred Blue. And is that enough? Foreman, who had been a 2000-yard rusher for the Texas Longhorns, could have given that position group some flexibility. An encouraging sign is that Deshaun Watson came out of the pre-season in one piece, and now the Texans can have him from the start of the season. Watson did not have a big outing against the Rams last week, throwing for just 15 yards and being intercepted. Seantrel Henderson, who will be the starting right tackle, had a non-cancerous cyst removed and should be good to go for the season opener against the New England Patriots. Pass rusher Whitney Mercilus, who got All-Pro recognition two years ago but had a pectoral muscle tear that sidelined him for the most part last season, is on target to play against New England, even though he has been dealing with a hamstring injury. And JJ Watt, who broke his leg last season, returned to the field and looked just fine against the Los Angeles Rams last week.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Kellen Moore, the Cowboys' new quarterback coach, spent six seasons in the NFL, and in 2015 he threw for 435 yards, becoming only the fifth player in franchise history to get beyond 400 yards.

2. Will Fuller has been a curious case for the Texans - burning speed, bad hands. The Notre Dame alumnus has been beset with hamstring issues but head coach Bill O'Brien, who says "Will's doing good," indicates there isn't any real reason he wouldn't be expected to play the season opener.

3. The Cowboys are priced at +375 to win the NFC East and +2000 to win the Super Bowl. The Texans are +175 to be the AFC South champions and +1700 to win Super Bowl 53.

PREDICTION: Texans 21, Cowboys 13
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Rams vs. Saints Preview and Predictions in NFL

NFL Previews 29th August 2018 By Charles Jay

The Los Angeles Rams pulled an incredible coup last season when they hired Sean McVay to be their head coach, and they immediately became one of the most dangerous offenses in football. This season you can expect much of the same, and maybe even a little more. But his defense that's the place they could have made even bigger strides as they've upgraded just about everywhere.

The New Orleans Saints made some strides on defense last season themselves, but they know they have a ways to go in that department. And as far as moving the football is concerned, as long as Drew Brees has it in his hands, this team has a chance to score

When the Rams and Saints get together, you know there is going to be the potential for a lot of fireworks. Unfortunately, that's not going to be the case when they meet up on Thursday night, and the respective teams' starters are not a factor. The Superdome will host the pre-season finale for both teams.

TV: 8 PM ET. Local Coverage, NFL Network (replay). LINE: Saints -4. O/U: 36.5.

ABOUT THE RAMS: The management went out and hired the youngest head coach in league history, and whereas Jeff Fisher the not have this team going in the right direction, Sean McVay appeared to have all the right answers. Jared Goff made a great turnaround in his sophomore season, tossing 28 touchdown passes with only seven interceptions, and Cooper Kupp became a legitimate go-to wide receiver, with 62 catches. No offensive renaissance could have been accomplished, however, without the wizardry of Todd Gurley, who had 1305 rushing yards and 788 through pass receptions, scoring 17 touchdowns overall. The question may be what this team will do if he does not duplicate what he did last season. Brandin Cooks was pretty dangerous when he played for the Saints and was a little more for New England last season, but now he's just been added to the arsenal in Los Angeles. The Rams were smart to have hired defensive coordinator Wade Phillips last season; he took his 3-4 scheme and helps the Rams improve enough to make the playoffs. However, we are looking at the possibility of tremendous steps forward this season, because the Rams have put together a genuine "shutdown" duo at corner, with Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters. If those two guys can handle receivers one-on-one, it frees up the rest of the secondary to snuff out any other offensive threats. Ndamukong Suh will be somewhere on that defensive line, and so will Aaron Donald, sooner or later. The problem with Donald is that he is holding out, looking for a better contract, just as he did last season, but this time around the Rams are in a little better position to deal with his absence.

ABOUT THE SAINTS: Apparently the Saints did not feel as if Taysom Hill or Tom Savage were ready to assume the backup position to Brees, so they made a deal with the New York Jets to acquire Teddy Bridgewater, who has missed the better part of the last two seasons with a knee injury. Bridgewater, originally a first-round draft pick by Minnesota, led the Vikings to the playoffs and found himself rewarded with a Pro Bowl berth in his second season. But everyone is by now familiar with the gruesome knee injury he suffered during 2016 training camp that changed his life. He looked pretty good in camp and during the pre-season games for the Jets, but there wasn't really a place for him, with Sam Darnold and veteran Josh McCown on hand. The Saints were hoping Cam Meredith would bounce back better from last year's ACL injury, especially as they had signed him to a contract that contained $5.4 million in guarantees. But he has not caught a pre-season pass so far, although from a health standpoint he says that "I feel like I'm starting to come around and feel like myself." At press time, it was expected that the Saints would sign a contract with wide receiver Tanner McEvoy, who has played all over the place, including the quarterback position in his days at the University of Wisconsin and some safety for the Seattle Seahawks, with whom he spent the last two seasons. As you may have guessed, he's also played plenty on special teams as well.

EXTRA POINTS

1. If you recall, Donald held out last season as well and did not come into the fold until one day before the season began. So he missed that first game, a romp over the Indianapolis Colts, playing for the first time in Week 2.

2. In three seasons with the Saints, current Los Angeles wide receiver Brandin Cooks caught 215 passes from Drew Brees, with 27 touchdowns, and he had back-to-back seasons of 1138 (2013) and 1173 yards (2016).

3. The Rams are -155 to win the NFC West and +800 to win the Super Bowl. The Saints are +125 to be champions of the NFC South and +1300 to emerge as Super Bowl champions.

PREDICTION: Saints 20, Rams 14
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Vikings vs. Titans Preview and Predictions in NFL

NFL Previews 29th August 2018 By Charles Jay

Have the Minnesota Vikings taken the final step toward becoming a Super Bowl team? That is what they hope they've done with the free-agent acquisition of Kirk Cousins. What might make for smoother sailing in the NFC North, however, is a defensive unit that might just be the best in the NFL. So understandably the Vikings are brimming with confidence at the moment.

The Tennessee Titans have new uniforms and maybe a new attitude under head coach Mike Vrabel. They obviously weren't too bad last season, as they reached the playoffs. Marcus Mariota has upside, as he is bound to do better, statistically speaking, then he did in 2017. The next step would be beating out Jacksonville and Houston in the AFC South.

The Vikings and Titans will meet on Thursday night at 8 PM ET at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.

TV: 8 PM ET, Local Coverage, NFL Network (replay). LINE: Titans -1. O/U: 35.5.

ABOUT THE VIKINGS: The key to the Vikings' success on offense this year is likely to be the synergy between Cousins and new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, who took the place of Pat Shurmur, who left to become head coach with the New York Giants. Cousins had built his career with strong relationships with his coordinators, and one of them was Sean McVay, currently the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams. Minnesota may not have a lot of depth that the receiver spot, but their front-line people are very strong. Adam Thielen caught underpasses last season, then Stefon Diggs provides a big-play element. Will Dalvin Cook be able to make a full recovery from his knee injury and become one of the most explosive feature backs in the league, as a lot of people are predicting? If so, that makes Minnesota pretty hard to stop. You know, it's interesting that Mike Zimmer, the head coach, gets all the credit for the defense going almost from last to first in the league, but one person who deserves a lot of credit is George Edwards, who is actually in his fifth year as the defensive coordinator. How good were they in 2017? Well, let's put it this way – they allowed fewer yards and fewer points than any other team in the NFL. And if Mike Hughes, the first-round draft pick, is as good as advertised, this unit gets even better.

ABOUT THE TITANS: Tennessee had an offense designed to be heavy on the run under Mike Mullarkey, who termed it "exotic smashmouth." With Vrabel, there'll be a little more of an effort to get things going through the air. Mariana had 13 touchdown passes and 50 interceptions, so naturally, some improvement is needed there. It would also help of right tackle Jack Conklin, easily one of the best in his position in the NFL, could be healthy and play the full schedule. The Titans a going to depend a lot more on Derrick Henry, the former Heisman Trophy winner, but what they get with Dion Lewis, the former New England Patriot, is a running back who is a premier pass catcher out of the backfield. There is a new offensive coordinator, as Greg Lafleur, who helped Sean McVay transform the Rams from the 32nd-ranked scoring offense to #1, has been hired. His special project is Mariota, and truth be told, he has a lot to work with. They will need to get something better out of the receiving corps, as there were not many significant moves made in that direction in the off-season. Keep in mind that Dick LeBeau, the Hall of Famer and defensive innovator, is no longer on the scene, but Dean Pees, who was the coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, maybe in a position to upgrade a unit that ranked 13th in the NFL, giving up 328 yards per game last season. One big positive for Tennessee's stop unit is that these guys can really get after the quarterback (fifth in the league in sacks), and they have addressed defense in the draft as well, taking linebacker Rashaan Evans in the first round and defensive and Harold Landry of Boston College in the second. Landry, by the way, looks like he might be able to get past his recent ankle injury more quickly than anticipated.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Titans are 9-1-2 ATS in their last dozen regular-season games at Nissan Stadium.

2. The Vikings have covered 22 of their last 29 games at home.

3. Minnesota is -105 to win the NFC North and plus +850 to emerge victorious in Super Bowl LIII. Tennessee is +250 to be the AFC South champions, and +3500 to win the Super Bowl.

PREDICTION: Vikings 21, Titans 17
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