NFL: Week 3 Rewind
By Brian Edwards
The underdogs were barking up a storm in Week 3 of the NFL season, cashing tickets at an 11-5 against-the-spread clip. Eight of those 11 underdogs won outright, while the ‘over’ posted a 9-7 record.
Let’s take a game-by-game look at the Week 3 action.
Falcons 27, Saints 24 (overtime)
I’ve always thought head coaches that call a timeout at the last second to “ice” a kicker are such knuckleheads. On that note, I was shocked to see Sean Payton use that boneheaded move in Sunday’s 27-24 overtime loss to the Falcons. Of course, Payton’s TO nullified a blocked field goal, and Atlanta’s Matt Bryant then nailed a 46-yard game winner. The Falcons won outright as 4 ½-point underdogs, hooking up money-line backers with a payout in the plus-180 range (paid $180 on $100 wagers). The Saints and Falcons are now tied atop the NFC South, but Atlanta has the tiebreaker edge – for now.
Eagles 28, Jags 3
If you wish, you can go back and check the old-school Power Hours archive files. When Michael Vick was sent to prison, I stated with authority that IF he got his head straight (he appears to have done so), his incarceration could be a blessing in disguise for his career. I discussed how much of a pounding his body was taking with the Falcons and how two years off would give him time to heal and that I thought he wouldn’t lose much from an athleticism standpoint. Well, here we are, and those words are ringing true several years later. Vick dominated the Jags in a run-away-and-hide win for the Eagles. Vick connected on 17-of-31 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. He also had a 17-yard TD run. Philadelphia took the cash as a three-point favorite, while the 31 combined points fell ‘under’ the 44 ½-point total.
Cowboys 27, Texans 13
With a 0-2 record, Dallas was desperate for a win as a three-point underdog at unbeaten Houston. That’s exactly what the Cowboys got, cruising to a 27-13 victory behind an efficient passing game led by Tony Romo, who completed 23-of-30 throws for 284 yards and two TDs without a turnover. DeMarcus Ware, the pride of the Troy Trojans program, made life miserable for Matt Schaub with three sacks. The ‘Boys are now 1-2 going into their bye week with a home game against Tennessee looming. The 40 combined points stayed ‘under’ the 47 ½-point tally.
Vikings 24, Lions 10
Minnesota was in the same situation as Dallas, but it was a double-digit home favorite. The Vikings got their first win and hooked up their backers thanks to another monster performance from RB Adrian Peterson, who exploded for 160 yards and two TDs on 23 carries. Another positive sign for the Vikes was the production of Percy Harvin, who had six receptions for 62 yards and a TD, in addition to a 23-yard punt return. The Lions, who closed as high as 13-point ‘dogs at many books, failed to cover for the first time this season.
Bengals 20, Panthers 7
Cedric Benson scored on a one-yard plunge in the first quarter and then found paydirt again on a seven-yard reception from Carson Palmer to put the game on ice. The Bengals cashed tickets as three-point road favorites, while the 27 combined points stayed ‘under’ the 37-point total. Marvin Lewis’s team is 2-1 and in a second-place tie with the Ravens in the AFC North. The Steelers lead the loop by one game with a perfect 3-0 mark. The Bengals play at Cleveland and then host the Bucs before their open date.
Ravens 24, Browns 17
Joe Flacco threw three touchdown passes without being intercepted, but the Ravens failed to cover the number as 12 ½-point favorites. Anquan Boldin pulled down all three TD grabs from Flacco and finished with eight receptions for 142 yards. Cleveland took a 17-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter when Seneca Wallace found Benjamin Watson for a one-yard TD pass. The Browns stayed in the game thanks to their ground attack led by Peyton Hillis, who rushed 24 times for 144 yards and one TD. (Remember, Hillis played in the same backfield at Arkansas with Darren McFadden and Felix Jones.) But once the Browns took the lead, Baltimore quickly answered with Flacco finding Boldin for their third TD connection. The 41 combined points jumped ‘over’ the 36 1/2-point total.
Chiefs 31, 49ers 10
Here’s the NFL’s biggest surprise team – unbeaten Kansas City. The Chiefs rolled to a 3-0 record by trouncing the winless 49ers as short home underdogs. Matt Cassel threw three TD passes, while the RB combination of Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles combined for 192 rushing yards on 31 carries. Rookie playmaker Dexter McCluster continued to do just that – make plays. The Ole Miss product had three catches for 69 yards and one TD, in addition to a 30-yard punt return. The 41 combined points slipped ‘over’ the 38-point total on the game’s final play, a 12-yard TD pass from Alex Smith to Josh Morgan.
Titans 29, Giants 10
The Titans went on the road and outscored the G-Men 19-0 in the second half to cruise to an easy win in the Meadowlands. Tennessee won outright as a three-point ‘dog, hooking up money-line supporters with a payout in the plus-135 range. Chris Johnson went off, erupting for 125 rushing yards and a pair of TD runs. A week after getting yanked in favor of Kerry Collins in a loss to Pittsburgh, Vince Young play mistake-free football. He completed 10-of-16 passes for 118 yards and one TD without committing a turnover. Eli Manning threw for 386 yards, but he was picked off twice and didn’t throw a TD pass. The Titans are in a three-way tie for first place in the AFC South with the Colts and Texans. They host the Broncos in Week 4.
Steelers 38, Bucs 13
Down to its fourth-string QB in the pecking order, Pittsburgh was listed as a short road favorite at Tampa Bay. I jumped all over the Steelers and it turned into an easy winner, as they stayed unbeaten and atop the brutal AFC North. Making his first start since 2007, veteran signal caller Charlie Batch threw three TD passes in the first half and Mike Tomlin’s club cruised to an easy victory at the New Sombrero. Rashard Mendenhall ran 19 times for 143 yards and one TD, while Mike Wallace had three catches for 100 yards and two TDs. The 51 combined points sailed ‘over’ the 33-point total. In fact, the ‘over’ was already a winner at intermission when the Steelers led by a 28-6 count.
Patriots 38, Bills 30
New England improved to 2-1 and took a share of first place in the AFC East along with the Jets and Dolphins. However, the Pats failed to cover the number as 14 ½-point favorites, while the 68 combined points flew ‘over’ the 42 ½-point tally. Tom Brady connected on 21-of-27 passes for 252 yards and three TDs without throwing a pick. He continued to establish a nice rapport with rookie tight end Aaron Hernandez, who had a team-high six receptions for 65 yards. Randy Moss had two catches for 42 yards and two TDs. Buffalo rookie C.J. Spiller got into the end zone on a 95-yard kickoff return.
Rams 30, Redskins 16
Washington appeared to be on the cusp of a 2-0 record when it had the Texans on the ropes in Week 2. Eight days later, the Redskins are 1-2 instead with a trip to Philadelphia looming. St. Louis scored the last 16 points of the game to collect its first win of the Sam Bradford Era. Bradford threw for 235 yards and one TD, while Steven Jackson and Kenneth Darby both had a TD run apiece. The Rams won outright as five-point home underdogs, cashing generous plus-180 tickets for money-line backers. The 46 combined points catapulted ‘over’ the 39-point total.
Cardinals 24, Raiders 23
Arizona improved to 2-1 and stayed in a first-place tie with Seattle in the NFC West thanks to Sunday’s nail-biting win over Oakland. Sebastian Janikowski missed three field goals, including the potential game-winner from 32 yards out as time expired. Nevertheless, Oakland backers took the money as a 5 ½-point underdog, while gamblers supporting the ‘over’ also cashed in. Derek Anderson’s eight-yard TD pass to Larry Fitzgerald in the third quarter proved to be the difference. On the bright side for the Raiders, Darren McFadden continued to stay healthy and produce big numbers. The Arkansas product ran for 105 yards to bring his season tally to 345. Oakland will host the Texans next week, while the Cardinals play at San Diego.
Colts 27, Broncos 13
Indianapolis won for a second straight week thanks to a defense that gave up yards galore but tightened up in the red zone. Denver’s Kyle Orton threw for a career-high 476 yards, but couldn’t get his team into the end zone at crunch time. Peyton Manning threw for 325 yards and three TDs without committing a turnover. Austin Collie had 12 receptions for 171 yards and a pair of TD grabs. The Colts took the cash as six-point favorites, while the 40 combined points fell ‘under’ the 47-point tally.
Seahawks 27, Chargers 20
The demise of Leon Washington was greatly exaggerated. After sustaining a brutal knee injury with the Jets last year, some thought the speedster might be done. However, that notion was put to rest Sunday when Washington returned a pair of kicks for touchdowns, including the game winner in the final stanza to lift the Seahawks into the win column. They won outright as 3 ½-point underdogs, cashing money-line tickets in the plus-150 range. Philip Rivers threw for 455 yards for the Bolts, but they continued to struggle to get victories in the month of September, as has been the trend during much of Norv Turner’s tenure. The 47 combined points inched ‘over’ the 44-point total.
Jets 31, Dolphins 23
If we’ve learned anything about Jets’ QB Mark Sanchez in his brief NFL career to date, it’s that he has the propensity to respond to adversity by playing his best football. After a disaster of a performance in a Week 1 loss to Baltimore, Sanchez has looked like an All-Pro. To be exact, he has led the Jets to back-to-back wins over division rivals by throwing for six TD passes without being intercepted. Dustin Keller hauled in six catches for 98 yards and two TDs, while Braylon Edwards had two catches for 87 yards and one TD. LaDainian Tomlinson added 70 rushing yards and a TD run at crunch time, as the Jets won at Miami as 2 ½-point underdogs. The ‘over’ was an easy winner. The ‘Fins will look to bounce back when they host the Pats, while Jets go on the road to face Buffalo.
Bears 20, Packers 17
Chicago stayed unbeaten thanks to a pair of short field goals from Robbie Gould, including a 19-yarder with four ticks remaining. Green Bay beat itself with an unfathomable 18 penalties and a costly fumble at crunch time. The Bears won outright as three-point underdogs, as their money-line backers brought home a plus-140 payout. The 37 combined points fell ‘under’ the 46-point total. Chicago will take its unbeaten ledger to the Meadowlands to face the Giants next week, while the Packers will host the Lions at Lambeau Field.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
Kudos to Kevin Kolb for being a team player during the Eagles’ blowout win. There’s still a good chance that Kolb’s name will get called in 2010, as Vick still puts himself in harm’s way, albeit not as much.
After sustaining a bruised knee in Baltimore’s win over the Browns, Ray Rice is considered “questionable” at Pittsburgh.
MVP Candidates:
1-Michael Vick (Eagles)
2-Chris Johnson (Titans)
3-Adrian Peterson (Vikings)
4-Clay Matthews (Packers)
5-Peyton Manning (Colts)
Coach of the Year Candidates
1-Mike Tomlin (Steelers)
2-Todd Haley (Chiefs)
3-Lovie Smith (Bears)
4-Tony Sparano (Dolphins)
5-Mike Smith (Falcons)
My Top Ten
1-Steelers
2-Ravens
3-Falcons
4-Saints
5-Jets
6-Packers
7-Colts
8-Eagles
9-Bengals
10-Patriots
vegasinsider.com.