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[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NFL Underdogs: Week 8 pointspread picks and predictions
By ANDREW CALEY

Trick or treat!

Yup, it’s the time of year when you get the young ones dressed up to go door-to-door on the only night of the year when it’s OK to accept candy from strangers. Then we raid our kids treat bags in the name of safety.

Or you can do what I do and just buy boxes of Halloween candy, shut off your lights like you’re not home, turn on the game and say goodbye to your self-respect. But, I digress.

Betting NFL underdogs can feel a lot like having a trick-or-treat option.

When you're looking at the upcoming NFL schedule for the week, sometimes you see a line or two and you can’t believe you’re getting points with a certain team and it can be a real treat, But if you aren’t careful, some lines seem almost too good to be true and you’re about to get tricked.

The point is betting underdogs will almost always make you feel like you’ve eaten too much Halloween candy: you won't feel very well at first and then you'll start questioning your life decisions before you know it.

Either way, whether it’s a treat or a trick, it’s sometimes just best to dive into that candy with no regrets.

That’s kind of the way I felt when I saw the Packers-Falcons line this week.

On the surface, Falcons -3 makes sense. They're the owners of the NFL’s best offense by a wide margin at 433.6 yards per game and are tops in scoring at 32.7 points per game. Matt Ryan is the league’s top rated quarterback (among those who have played every game this season) with his 2,348 yards passing, 16 touchdowns to just four interceptions. Atlanta even has a balanced offense with a decent run game. But, the Falcons still feel like a trick to me.

They have lost two in a row and are giving up 28.4 points per game this season. And while they are 5-2 against the spread, they are 0-2 ATS as favorites.

Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers come to town off a mini-bye and seem to have figured things out on offense. Rodgers finally went over 300 yards through the air and is finding real chemistry with receivers, Randall Cobb, DeVante Adams and Ty Montgomery, who all had over 10 receptions last week.

This will be a shootout, no doubt. But I think the Packers win by a field goal and getting three points - that’s a treat.

Pick: Packers +3

San Diego Chargers (+4) at Denver Broncos

I know, I know. I may be pressing my luck when it comes to reaching into the candy bag that is the San Diego Chargers one more time. But I just can’t help myself.

Ever since I saw the Chargers play these same Broncos in person just three weeks ago, there seems to be something fun about this team and Philip Rivers looks like a man on a mission. If they had any idea of how to close out games early in the season, they could easily be 7-0 straight up.

Even with the tough losses, the Chargers are still 5-2 ATS this season. They are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games on the road and are 6-0 ATS in their last six games versus the AFC West. The Chargers just show up for these games. Win or lose.

Additionally, I don’t think people are making a big enough deal about the Broncos losing starting running back C.J. Anderson. Anderson was the focal point of the offense and now all that responsibility lies with rookie Devonte Booker.

Look for the Chargers to force Trevor Seimian to throw the ball, while getting pressure from the outside. Can you say Joey Bosa? He has been a beast in his first two games with two sacks in each.

Like I said, I may be reaching into the candy bag one too many times, but I’ll probably do so until the Chargers make me sick.

Pick: Chargers +4

Arizona Cardinals (+3) at Carolina Panthers

Talk about seeing ghosts. At this point, these two teams look like shadows of the ones that faced off for the right to play in the Super Bowl last January.

The reigning MVP, Cam Newton, has struggled mightily this year. He is completing just 57.8 percent of his passes and ranks 27th in passing yards and 25th in passer rating.

Carson Palmer and the Cardinals' aerial attack haven’t looked much better, but they do have David Johnson. The second-year back has been fantastic, sitting second in the league in rushing and has given the Arizona offense balance.

Plus, the Cardinals still have one of the league’s top stop units, while Carolina’s defense has taken a major step back.

Arizona just looks like it still has something to play for, while Carolina looks disinterested and ready to plop on the couch, turn off the lights and dig in to that bag of candy.

Pick: Cardinals +3

Last week: 2-1 ATS
Season: 13-8 ATS

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Dogs to Watch - Week 8

Underdogs to Watch – Week 8

Back-to-back weeks of hitting at least one of these sizeable underdogs on the money line has definitely added some units to the bankroll as the Chargers were the ones that were able to come out on top SU and ATS in Week 7.

At +230 on the ML, San Diego was the only underdog that made this list last week to win outright, and after the list dwindled a bit a week ago, it's another short list of underdogs in Week 8. Thankfully, Cleveland's not on here for the first time since Week 1.

Week 8 Underdogs that Qualify

Buffalo Bills (+7); ML (+240)
San Diego Chargers (+5); ML (+190)
Philadelphia Eagles (+4.5); ML (+180)
Chicago Bears (+6.5); ML (+220)

Once again this week we've only got a big underdog of +4 points or more in primetime and it's the Chicago Bears on MNF. Chicago hopes to welcome QB Jay Cutler back to the field this week as they host a Minnesota team coming off their first loss of the year.

Typically, teams that suffer their first outright defeat after starting the year 4-0 SU or better are in a good “play against” spot the following week, but I'm not so sure that's going to be the case with Minnesota this week. The Vikings were flat out embarrassed by how they played on both sides of the ball against Philly last week and the extra day off to prepare for this one should help.

Secondly, it's tough to know what to expect from Chicago's offense these days and Cutler's projected return only adds more confusion. Chicago just doesn't have the numerous weapons on offense to seriously threaten the Vikings defense.

If some of those offensive guys play over their heads then there is a chance, but backing Chicago on the ML this week isn't the best option. That leaves us with the Bills (+240), Chargers (+190), and Eagles (+180) to see if there will be a big underdog win outright this week.

Buffalo and San Diego are in similar spots as they'll both face a divisional rival for the second time in a few weeks after beating them the first go around. These aren't your run of the mill division rivals either as they come in the form of New England and Denver and it's tough to see either organization get swept by the Bills or Chargers respectively.

Buffalo is the team more likely to be written off in this spot as the Tom Brady Revenge Tour keeps on rolling through the league. New England is an organization that will build this game up to being more than it actually is and while covering the point spread is a different question, Brady and the Pats should get the outright win in Buffalo this week.

San Diego goes to Denver just two weeks after they beat them 21-13 in San Diego on TNF. Playing the same rival twice in a three week span is tough and although that win over Denver started this two-game winning streak the Chargers are on, there's a strong chance it ends this week. The Chargers haven't won in Denver since before the Peyton Manning era there began and although it won't be Manning under center anymore, the result should stay the same.

That leaves the Philadelphia Eagles as the defacto choice left and even then it's not particularly a good one this week. Philadelphia heads to Dallas to take on a rested, 5-1 SU Cowboys team that looks to be one of the better teams in the entire NFL. Having a rookie QB and rookie RB read their press clippings during a week off can be troublesome for Dallas, but neither Prescott or Elliott have that kind of makeup about them and should be able to perform well against the Eagles in Week 8.

Philly has come away with two of the more surprising underdog victories this year against Pittsburgh and Minnesota, but both of those were played in Philadelphia and it's been a different story on the road. Simply put, the Eagles aren't in a good spot to get it done either this week.

So on the surface it's tough to back any of these sizeable underdogs on the ML this week as all are in tough spots and could very well go 0-4 SU.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NFL's biggest betting mismatches: Week 8
By MONTY ANDREWS

Each week, Monty Andrews breaks down some of the underlying mismatches in the NFL, giving you an inside edge when handicapping the schedule and setting your daily fantasy lineup.

Kansas City Chiefs at Indianapolis Colts (+2.5, 50)

Chiefs' slot problems vs. Hilton's remarkable consistency

Andrew Luck has had to make chicken salad out of chicken you-know-what the past few weeks, dealing with a spate of injuries to his receiving corps. With Donte Moncrief, Phillip Dorsett and Dwayne Allen all missing last week's game, Luck was down to a pair of reliable targets - T.Y. Hilton and Jack Doyle. And while Doyle was solid in his own right, it was Hilton's 7-133-1 line that buoyed the Colts to victory - and he's in great position to repeat those sensational statistics this week.

Hilton has been one of the most consistently good slot receivers in the sport, as evidenced by his last four years of Pro Football Focus grades. He posted an 83.1 grade in 2013, an 84.2 mark in 2014 and an 83.3 grade last season, and he has an 83.4 rating through seven games this year. He's ranked 10th among wide receivers in 2016 despite often facing the toughest coverage assignments, particularly with Moncrief and Dorsett out of action.

Sunday, he'll likely be matched up against second-year Chiefs slot cornerback Steven Nelson, who has a pitiful 48.4 PFF grade - 97th among 115 graded cornerbacks. His coverage rating (48.5) is virtually identical to his overall grade, and suggests he'll be completely overmatched against the speedy, elusive Hilton. Look for Indianapolis to exploit this one-sided matchup and feed Hilton all afternoon long, which should mean big things for the veteran Colts wideout.

Daily fantasy watch: WR T.Y. Hilton

Oakland Raiders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-1, 49)

Raiders' elite pass attack vs. Bucs' pass defense struggles

Derek Carr probably considers himself doubly blessed, and with good reason - in Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, he has two of the most talented wide receivers in the NFL on his side. And while much of the attention early in the season has been on the Raiders' inability to slow down opposing offenses, they've stayed in the majority of their games thanks to the 1-2 punch Cooper and Crabtree have provided. And those two should feast this weekend in Tampa Bay.

Cooper (82.5) and Crabtree (82.1) rank 11th and 12th, respectively, in PFF ratings among wide receivers; Oakland is the only team in the league to have two top-20 receiving options in the PFF rankings. They have identical 82.2 receiving grades, with Cooper the chain-moving target hog with three 120-yard games to his credit and Crabtree the red-zone option of choice. They're a big reason why Oakland has a top-12 passing offense and 13 TDs through the air.

Sunday's matchup will be a rough one for the Buccaneers' secondary, which comes into this one having allowed 10 passing scores against just four interceptions. Five members of the Tampa Bay base defense have grades below 50, including linebackers Lavonte David and Kwon Alexander and defensive back Chris Conte. Oakland's defense is weak enough to force Carr to air it out, and against a subpar Tampa Bay unit, the Raiders pass attack should thrive.

Daily fantasy watch: WRs Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree

San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos (-5, 43.5)

Chargers' late leaks vs. Broncos' fourth-quarter fury

The NFL is a fourth-quarter league - as in, if you can't score late, you probably won't win many games. An NFL-record 80 games have seen teams within seven points of each other at some point in the final quarter through seven weeks, so those late scoring drives have never been more important. And that bodes well for the Denver Broncos, who entertain a San Diego Chargers team this weekend that has significant trouble limiting fourth-quarter points.

The Broncos have been one of the most prolific fourth-quarter teams in the league, scoring 81 of their 167 points in the final 12 minutes over their first seven games. Their 11.6 fourth-quarter points-per-game average ranks second in the NFL, behind only the Colts (12.1). That mark is even higher at Sports Authority at Mile High Stadium, where Denver is averaging 12.8 fourth-quarter points over its first four home games.

San Diego had the Broncos' number in their meeting two weeks ago in California, escaping with a 21-13 win. But the Chargers allowed 10 fourth-quarter points in that one to let Denver make a game of it, and the 10.1 fourth-quarter points they surrender per game is the sixth-worst rate in football. San Diego will need to have a decent-sized lead in this one through three quarters if they hope to earn a pivotal season sweep of the defending champs.

Daily fantasy watch: RB Devontae Booker

Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys (-4.5, 43.5)

Eagles' questionable run defense vs. Cowboys' remarkable rush attack

No one can say the Philadelphia Eagles have a bad defense; it's quite the opposite, in fact, as they've allowed the third-fewest passing yards in the NFL while surrendering just six passing touchdowns through six games. But if there's one area where the Eagles may be exploitable, it's through the rushing game - and few teams are more capable of making teams pay on the ground than the surging Dallas Cowboys and their ultra-talented rookie running back.

The Eagles' base defense boasts six players with PFF grades north of 80, but the right side of the defensive line hasn't been nearly as impressive. RE Connor Barwin (71.7) and RT Beau Allen (44.8) represent a soft spot in Philadelphia's otherwise elite defensive line; their struggles have played a big part in the Eagles surrendering a whopping 4.5 yards per carry, the ninth-worst rate in the league. On the plus side, they've only surrendered three rushing scores.

Expect that number to climb this week, as they match up with one of the most formidable rush units in football. Three of Dallas' five offensive lineman have PFF grades above 83.5, with no member scoring below 66. Add in the explosiveness and power of Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott, who leads the NFL with 703 rushing yards, and it's clear that Dallas has a significant advantage in the ground game this week. Look for another big game from Zeke.

Daily fantasy watch: RB Ezekiel Elliott

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NFL Underdogs: Week 8 pointspread picks and predictions
By ANDREW CALEY

Trick or treat!

Yup, it’s the time of year when you get the young ones dressed up to go door-to-door on the only night of the year when it’s OK to accept candy from strangers. Then we raid our kids treat bags in the name of safety.

Or you can do what I do and just buy boxes of Halloween candy, shut off your lights like you’re not home, turn on the game and say goodbye to your self-respect. But, I digress.

Betting NFL underdogs can feel a lot like having a trick-or-treat option.

When you're looking at the upcoming NFL schedule for the week, sometimes you see a line or two and you can’t believe you’re getting points with a certain team and it can be a real treat, But if you aren’t careful, some lines seem almost too good to be true and you’re about to get tricked.

The point is betting underdogs will almost always make you feel like you’ve eaten too much Halloween candy: you won't feel very well at first and then you'll start questioning your life decisions before you know it.

Either way, whether it’s a treat or a trick, it’s sometimes just best to dive into that candy with no regrets.

That’s kind of the way I felt when I saw the Packers-Falcons line this week.

On the surface, Falcons -3 makes sense. They're the owners of the NFL’s best offense by a wide margin at 433.6 yards per game and are tops in scoring at 32.7 points per game. Matt Ryan is the league’s top rated quarterback (among those who have played every game this season) with his 2,348 yards passing, 16 touchdowns to just four interceptions. Atlanta even has a balanced offense with a decent run game. But, the Falcons still feel like a trick to me.

They have lost two in a row and are giving up 28.4 points per game this season. And while they are 5-2 against the spread, they are 0-2 ATS as favorites.

Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers come to town off a mini-bye and seem to have figured things out on offense. Rodgers finally went over 300 yards through the air and is finding real chemistry with receivers, Randall Cobb, DeVante Adams and Ty Montgomery, who all had over 10 receptions last week.

This will be a shootout, no doubt. But I think the Packers win by a field goal and getting three points - that’s a treat.

Pick: Packers +3

San Diego Chargers (+4) at Denver Broncos

I know, I know. I may be pressing my luck when it comes to reaching into the candy bag that is the San Diego Chargers one more time. But I just can’t help myself.

Ever since I saw the Chargers play these same Broncos in person just three weeks ago, there seems to be something fun about this team and Philip Rivers looks like a man on a mission. If they had any idea of how to close out games early in the season, they could easily be 7-0 straight up.

Even with the tough losses, the Chargers are still 5-2 ATS this season. They are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games on the road and are 6-0 ATS in their last six games versus the AFC West. The Chargers just show up for these games. Win or lose.

Additionally, I don’t think people are making a big enough deal about the Broncos losing starting running back C.J. Anderson. Anderson was the focal point of the offense and now all that responsibility lies with rookie Devonte Booker.

Look for the Chargers to force Trevor Seimian to throw the ball, while getting pressure from the outside. Can you say Joey Bosa? He has been a beast in his first two games with two sacks in each.

Like I said, I may be reaching into the candy bag one too many times, but I’ll probably do so until the Chargers make me sick.

Pick: Chargers +4

Arizona Cardinals (+3) at Carolina Panthers

Talk about seeing ghosts. At this point, these two teams look like shadows of the ones that faced off for the right to play in the Super Bowl last January.

The reigning MVP, Cam Newton, has struggled mightily this year. He is completing just 57.8 percent of his passes and ranks 27th in passing yards and 25th in passer rating.

Carson Palmer and the Cardinals' aerial attack haven’t looked much better, but they do have David Johnson. The second-year back has been fantastic, sitting second in the league in rushing and has given the Arizona offense balance.

Plus, the Cardinals still have one of the league’s top stop units, while Carolina’s defense has taken a major step back.

Arizona just looks like it still has something to play for, while Carolina looks disinterested and ready to plop on the couch, turn off the lights and dig in to that bag of candy.

Pick: Cardinals +3

Last week: 2-1 ATS
Season: 13-8 ATS

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Total Talk - Week 8
By Chris David

Week 7 Recap

The ‘under’ posted a 9-6 record last weekend and bettors saw similar team tendencies continue. The Falcons and Colts both went to the high side again in Week 7 and are now 6-1 to the ‘over’ this season. On the low side, Pittsburgh and New England kept their 5-2 ‘under’ marks in check as the Patriots earned a 27-16 win over the Steelers last Sunday. Other notable ‘under’ clubs include the New York Giants and Arizona, who both have seen the low side go 5-2 as well. Through seven weeks of the regular season, the ‘over’ has gone 55-51-1.

Things to Watch

-- The last of the three London games takes place on Sunday with the Redskins and Bengals meeting from Wembley Stadium at 9:30 a.m. ET. The ‘over/under’ has gone 8-8 in the first 16 games played in the NFL International series from the United Kingdom.

-- As of Friday evening, Atlanta and Green Bay are staring at the largest total of Week 8 at 52 ½ points. The Falcons scoring defense hasn’t been great but it’s been much worse at home (32.3 PPG) than on the road (25.5 PPG). Other clubs that have struggled at home compared to their numbers as visitors include the Saints (39.3 PPG), Buccaneers (32 PPG) and surprisingly the Broncos (18 PPG).

Seattle’s defense is allowing 8.3 PPG in its last eight regular season road games, which has helped the ‘under’ go 6-2 (75%) in those contests.

The Jets-Browns ‘over’ (44) is the most wagered one-sided total for Week 8 as of Friday.

Coast-to-Coast

I touched on this seasonal trend again in last week's Total Talk and it’s been profitable, so we’ll continue to make uses aware of it in Week 8 and check out not one but two more matchups that are in play this Sunday.

In 2015, West Coast teams playing in the Eastern Time Zone saw the ‘over’ go 11-5 (69%) in those games and that trend has continued this season. The angle went 2-0 last week and it's 8-0 to the ‘over’ on the season. Even though the Oakland-Jacksonville outcome was helped with a meaningless touchdown late, the Chargers and Falcons shattered their high total (53 ½) with a combined 63 points.

Arizona at Carolina: The Panthers blasted the Cardinals 49-15 in last year’s NFC Championship and that ‘over’ (47) connected easily. Including that result, Arizona is 7-1 to the ‘over’ in last eight NFC road games outside of the division. Carolina is off the bye and has watched the ‘under’ go 2-1 at home but one of those tickets came against the Vikings and Cam Newton was out for the other. The time change move to 1:00 p.m. ET could affect Arizona and it certainly did when the Cardinals visited Buffalo (33-18 loss) In Week 3.

Oakland at Tampa Bay: High total (49) for this matchup and the Raiders defense (430 YPG) is still statistically the worst in the league. What could concern ‘over’ bettors is that T-Bay is running the ball more with a combined 78 attempts the last two games and we all know the 'ground and pound' tempo bleeds the clock. Also, Tampa Bay is off a 34-point effort last Sunday, the third time they eclipsed 30 this season. Unfortunately, the Bucs followed those high-scoring outputs with seven points in each of the following games, both losses.

In case you’re interested, East Coast teams playing in the Western Time Zone have seen the ‘over’ go 4-3 with all three ‘under’ tickets taking place in Arizona.

Divisional Action

The Jaguars and Titans kicked off the divisional action in Week 8 with a high-scoring matchup and bettors should note that all five AFC South games this season have gone ‘over’ the number.

Four more matchups remaining this weekend and two of them are quick rematches.

New England at Buffalo: The Bills blanked the Patriots 16-0 in Week 4 and the ‘under’ (41) easily connected. As most know, QB Tom Brady wasn’t suited up for that loss. Since his return from suspension, the team has averaged 31.6 PPG and gone 3-0. New England has had a knack of scoring at Buffalo in recent seasons, averaging 38 PPG in their last four trips and that production helped the ‘over’ go 3-1. The Bills have seen the ‘over’ go 3-0 at home this season and they lit up the scoreboard with 31, 33 and 45 points. New England’s defense is underrated (15.3 PPG) and it appears the Buffalo won’t have RB LeSean McCoy available.

San Diego at Denver: In the 2014 and 2015 encounters, the two games played at Qualcomm Stadium between the pair went ‘under’ and the two tilts played at Mile High went ‘over’ the number. In the first matchup this season on Oct. 16, San Diego stifled Denver 21-13 at home and the ‘under’ (44 ½) easily connected. With all that being said, do we play the déjà vu angle on Sunday and lean to the high side? Denver has watched the ‘under’ cash in four straight and the offense won’t have RB C.J. Anderson available in this spot. The Chargers continue to be a great ‘over’ bet (5-2) and it will be interesting to see if their second-ranked scoring offense (29.4 PPG) will be able to score on a Denver defense that's great, but also plagued with injuries.

Philadelphia at Dallas: (See Below)

Minnesota at Chicago: (See Below)

Under the Lights

All three primetime games went ‘under’ last week and the results were very clear-cut. Including this past Thursday’s outcome between Jacksonville and Tennessee, the ‘under’ has gone 14-9-1 (61%) this season in the night contests.

Philadelphia at Dallas: These teams haven’t seen a total (43) this low since they met in the final game of the 2008 season. A lot of has changed since then as both clubs will be starting rookie QBs and most bettors are aware that the visitor has won six straight in this series and the ‘under’ has gone 4-2 in that span. The matchup between Philadelphia’s fifth-ranked defense (307 YPG) versus the third-ranked offense of Dallas (401.5 PPG) is going to be great to watch and very difficult to handicap. If you consider that a wash, then where will the points come from? Philadelphia is averaging 26 PPG but that number has been skewed, especially when you look at their total offensive yards (322.2, Ranked 28th). If you’re looking for an ‘over’ angle, then you can point to Dallas going 4-0 to the high side in its last four games when playing with rest.

Minnesota at Chicago: The ‘under’ is on a 4-1 run in this series and another low-scoring game is expected Monday with a low total (41) posted. The Bears are ranked last in scoring offense (15.9 PPG) and they’ll be facing the best scoring defense in the Vikings (14 PPG). Minnesota’s offense was held to a season-low 10 points last week at Philadelphia as they had four turnovers and QB Sam Bradford was sacked six times. Chicago QB Jay Cutler is expected to start and he’s easily one of the toughest signal callers to handicap. You just never know what to expect!

Fearless Predictions

For the second consecutive week ($20), I’ve failed to notch a total winner but I connected on the team total and teaser wager fairly easily. We’re still in the black ($410) as we approach the midway point of the season and that’s never a bad thing. As always, Press, Pass or Fade but in the end – Good Luck!

Best Over: Detroit-Houston 45 ½

Best Under: N.Y. Jets-Cleveland 44

Best Team Total: Indianapolis Over 24 ½

Three-Team Total Teaser (9-Point, +100)
Under 58 Washington-Cincinnati
Over 41 Kansas City-Indianapolis
Under 53 N.Y. Jets-Cleveland

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Total Talk - Week 8
By Chris David

Week 7 Recap

The ‘under’ posted a 9-6 record last weekend and bettors saw similar team tendencies continue. The Falcons and Colts both went to the high side again in Week 7 and are now 6-1 to the ‘over’ this season. On the low side, Pittsburgh and New England kept their 5-2 ‘under’ marks in check as the Patriots earned a 27-16 win over the Steelers last Sunday. Other notable ‘under’ clubs include the New York Giants and Arizona, who both have seen the low side go 5-2 as well. Through seven weeks of the regular season, the ‘over’ has gone 55-51-1.

Things to Watch

-- The last of the three London games takes place on Sunday with the Redskins and Bengals meeting from Wembley Stadium at 9:30 a.m. ET. The ‘over/under’ has gone 8-8 in the first 16 games played in the NFL International series from the United Kingdom.

-- As of Friday evening, Atlanta and Green Bay are staring at the largest total of Week 8 at 52 ½ points. The Falcons scoring defense hasn’t been great but it’s been much worse at home (32.3 PPG) than on the road (25.5 PPG). Other clubs that have struggled at home compared to their numbers as visitors include the Saints (39.3 PPG), Buccaneers (32 PPG) and surprisingly the Broncos (18 PPG).

Seattle’s defense is allowing 8.3 PPG in its last eight regular season road games, which has helped the ‘under’ go 6-2 (75%) in those contests.

The Jets-Browns ‘over’ (44) is the most wagered one-sided total for Week 8 as of Friday.

Coast-to-Coast

I touched on this seasonal trend again in last week's Total Talk and it’s been profitable, so we’ll continue to make uses aware of it in Week 8 and check out not one but two more matchups that are in play this Sunday.

In 2015, West Coast teams playing in the Eastern Time Zone saw the ‘over’ go 11-5 (69%) in those games and that trend has continued this season. The angle went 2-0 last week and it's 8-0 to the ‘over’ on the season. Even though the Oakland-Jacksonville outcome was helped with a meaningless touchdown late, the Chargers and Falcons shattered their high total (53 ½) with a combined 63 points.

Arizona at Carolina: The Panthers blasted the Cardinals 49-15 in last year’s NFC Championship and that ‘over’ (47) connected easily. Including that result, Arizona is 7-1 to the ‘over’ in last eight NFC road games outside of the division. Carolina is off the bye and has watched the ‘under’ go 2-1 at home but one of those tickets came against the Vikings and Cam Newton was out for the other. The time change move to 1:00 p.m. ET could affect Arizona and it certainly did when the Cardinals visited Buffalo (33-18 loss) In Week 3.

Oakland at Tampa Bay: High total (49) for this matchup and the Raiders defense (430 YPG) is still statistically the worst in the league. What could concern ‘over’ bettors is that T-Bay is running the ball more with a combined 78 attempts the last two games and we all know the 'ground and pound' tempo bleeds the clock. Also, Tampa Bay is off a 34-point effort last Sunday, the third time they eclipsed 30 this season. Unfortunately, the Bucs followed those high-scoring outputs with seven points in each of the following games, both losses.

In case you’re interested, East Coast teams playing in the Western Time Zone have seen the ‘over’ go 4-3 with all three ‘under’ tickets taking place in Arizona.

Divisional Action

The Jaguars and Titans kicked off the divisional action in Week 8 with a high-scoring matchup and bettors should note that all five AFC South games this season have gone ‘over’ the number.

Four more matchups remaining this weekend and two of them are quick rematches.

New England at Buffalo: The Bills blanked the Patriots 16-0 in Week 4 and the ‘under’ (41) easily connected. As most know, QB Tom Brady wasn’t suited up for that loss. Since his return from suspension, the team has averaged 31.6 PPG and gone 3-0. New England has had a knack of scoring at Buffalo in recent seasons, averaging 38 PPG in their last four trips and that production helped the ‘over’ go 3-1. The Bills have seen the ‘over’ go 3-0 at home this season and they lit up the scoreboard with 31, 33 and 45 points. New England’s defense is underrated (15.3 PPG) and it appears the Buffalo won’t have RB LeSean McCoy available.

San Diego at Denver: In the 2014 and 2015 encounters, the two games played at Qualcomm Stadium between the pair went ‘under’ and the two tilts played at Mile High went ‘over’ the number. In the first matchup this season on Oct. 16, San Diego stifled Denver 21-13 at home and the ‘under’ (44 ½) easily connected. With all that being said, do we play the déjà vu angle on Sunday and lean to the high side? Denver has watched the ‘under’ cash in four straight and the offense won’t have RB C.J. Anderson available in this spot. The Chargers continue to be a great ‘over’ bet (5-2) and it will be interesting to see if their second-ranked scoring offense (29.4 PPG) will be able to score on a Denver defense that's great, but also plagued with injuries.

Philadelphia at Dallas: (See Below)

Minnesota at Chicago: (See Below)

Under the Lights

All three primetime games went ‘under’ last week and the results were very clear-cut. Including this past Thursday’s outcome between Jacksonville and Tennessee, the ‘under’ has gone 14-9-1 (61%) this season in the night contests.

Philadelphia at Dallas: These teams haven’t seen a total (43) this low since they met in the final game of the 2008 season. A lot of has changed since then as both clubs will be starting rookie QBs and most bettors are aware that the visitor has won six straight in this series and the ‘under’ has gone 4-2 in that span. The matchup between Philadelphia’s fifth-ranked defense (307 YPG) versus the third-ranked offense of Dallas (401.5 PPG) is going to be great to watch and very difficult to handicap. If you consider that a wash, then where will the points come from? Philadelphia is averaging 26 PPG but that number has been skewed, especially when you look at their total offensive yards (322.2, Ranked 28th). If you’re looking for an ‘over’ angle, then you can point to Dallas going 4-0 to the high side in its last four games when playing with rest.

Minnesota at Chicago: The ‘under’ is on a 4-1 run in this series and another low-scoring game is expected Monday with a low total (41) posted. The Bears are ranked last in scoring offense (15.9 PPG) and they’ll be facing the best scoring defense in the Vikings (14 PPG). Minnesota’s offense was held to a season-low 10 points last week at Philadelphia as they had four turnovers and QB Sam Bradford was sacked six times. Chicago QB Jay Cutler is expected to start and he’s easily one of the toughest signal callers to handicap. You just never know what to expect!

Fearless Predictions

For the second consecutive week ($20), I’ve failed to notch a total winner but I connected on the team total and teaser wager fairly easily. We’re still in the black ($410) as we approach the midway point of the season and that’s never a bad thing. As always, Press, Pass or Fade but in the end – Good Luck!

Best Over: Detroit-Houston 45 ½

Best Under: N.Y. Jets-Cleveland 44

Best Team Total: Indianapolis Over 24 ½

Three-Team Total Teaser (9-Point, +100)
Under 58 Washington-Cincinnati
Over 41 Kansas City-Indianapolis
Under 53 N.Y. Jets-Cleveland

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Dogs to Watch - Week 8

Underdogs to Watch – Week 8

Back-to-back weeks of hitting at least one of these sizeable underdogs on the money line has definitely added some units to the bankroll as the Chargers were the ones that were able to come out on top SU and ATS in Week 7.

At +230 on the ML, San Diego was the only underdog that made this list last week to win outright, and after the list dwindled a bit a week ago, it's another short list of underdogs in Week 8. Thankfully, Cleveland's not on here for the first time since Week 1.

Week 8 Underdogs that Qualify

Buffalo Bills (+7); ML (+240)
San Diego Chargers (+5); ML (+190)
Philadelphia Eagles (+4.5); ML (+180)
Chicago Bears (+6.5); ML (+220)

Once again this week we've only got a big underdog of +4 points or more in primetime and it's the Chicago Bears on MNF. Chicago hopes to welcome QB Jay Cutler back to the field this week as they host a Minnesota team coming off their first loss of the year.

Typically, teams that suffer their first outright defeat after starting the year 4-0 SU or better are in a good “play against” spot the following week, but I'm not so sure that's going to be the case with Minnesota this week. The Vikings were flat out embarrassed by how they played on both sides of the ball against Philly last week and the extra day off to prepare for this one should help.

Secondly, it's tough to know what to expect from Chicago's offense these days and Cutler's projected return only adds more confusion. Chicago just doesn't have the numerous weapons on offense to seriously threaten the Vikings defense.

If some of those offensive guys play over their heads then there is a chance, but backing Chicago on the ML this week isn't the best option. That leaves us with the Bills (+240), Chargers (+190), and Eagles (+180) to see if there will be a big underdog win outright this week.

Buffalo and San Diego are in similar spots as they'll both face a divisional rival for the second time in a few weeks after beating them the first go around. These aren't your run of the mill division rivals either as they come in the form of New England and Denver and it's tough to see either organization get swept by the Bills or Chargers respectively.

Buffalo is the team more likely to be written off in this spot as the Tom Brady Revenge Tour keeps on rolling through the league. New England is an organization that will build this game up to being more than it actually is and while covering the point spread is a different question, Brady and the Pats should get the outright win in Buffalo this week.

San Diego goes to Denver just two weeks after they beat them 21-13 in San Diego on TNF. Playing the same rival twice in a three week span is tough and although that win over Denver started this two-game winning streak the Chargers are on, there's a strong chance it ends this week. The Chargers haven't won in Denver since before the Peyton Manning era there began and although it won't be Manning under center anymore, the result should stay the same.

That leaves the Philadelphia Eagles as the defacto choice left and even then it's not particularly a good one this week. Philadelphia heads to Dallas to take on a rested, 5-1 SU Cowboys team that looks to be one of the better teams in the entire NFL. Having a rookie QB and rookie RB read their press clippings during a week off can be troublesome for Dallas, but neither Prescott or Elliott have that kind of makeup about them and should be able to perform well against the Eagles in Week 8.

Philly has come away with two of the more surprising underdog victories this year against Pittsburgh and Minnesota, but both of those were played in Philadelphia and it's been a different story on the road. Simply put, the Eagles aren't in a good spot to get it done either this week.

So on the surface it's tough to back any of these sizeable underdogs on the ML this week as all are in tough spots and could very well go 0-4 SU.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Vegas Money Moves - Week 8
By Micah Roberts

You might not see a better example of parity in the NFL than looking at the spreads for Week 8 action that features seven games hovering around the most key number of 3.

"The biggest number this week is the Patriots -6 at Buffalo," CG Technology VP of risk management Jason Simbal said on Friday afternoon. "I had some extra time yesterday and added up all the point-spreads and came up with 39.5, which is the lowest number I can ever remember."

Six teams have byes this week, which helps lower the number, but you get the idea. The numbers are all tight, except for the one thorn in the side of all bookmakers so far this season -- the Patriots. The books have to elevate their true spread on the game to accommodate all the expected public action.

"We opened the Patriots -4 while the Bills were winning at Miami last week, but then they blew the lead late so we went with -5 and on Monday went to -6. This is already our most one-sided game of the week," Simbal said.

He knows the public money is just going to keep coming in, but also knows sharp money is there waiting to take +7 with the home team, so he and his team are reluctant to move too fast. The public loves the Patriots because they cash almost every week going 6-1 against the spread and 3-0 ATS behind quarterback Tom Brady. New England's only loss came in Week 4 at home to the Bills, 16-0, in the final game of Brady's four-game suspension.

Simbal says the big parlay he's going to have to beat down this week features the Patriots tied to the Seahawks, Jets and Vikings on Monday night. Minnesota has gone 5-1 ATS and are -4.5 at Chicago with Jay Cutler set to return. The Seahawks are -2.5 at New Orleans and have covered three of their last four. And then there's the Jets coming off a big win against the Ravens who are -2.5 at Cleveland, a play that is more about the public hating the Browns than liking the Jets.

But so far, CG Tech books have found some Browns takers and it's put Simbal in a bit of a dilemma.

"We'd like to remain at -3 for this game just because of all the public action, but we took a couple large bets on the Browns at +3.5 and +3 that forced us down," he said.

While he'd be happy to bank the sharp money on the 0-7 Browns if they fail to cover again, the bigger picture is the Jets covering along with the Patriots which will have a lingering risk effect with parlays.

"That Monday night game with Minnesota is already ugly with 10 times more action on them than the Bears. If the Patriots and Jets cover, it's going to look much uglier."

The Broncos lost at San Diego, 21-13, as three-point favorites in Week 6 action and they'll meet again this week where Denver opened as 6.5-point home favorites.

"So far, the biggest bet we've taken this week has been on the Chargers at +6.5, and then they also took +5," said Simbal noting that the action all came before Broncos RB C.J. Anderson was ruled out on Wednesday. The Broncos are now -4.5. San Diego has now covered three straight and three of four road games, including their first road win last week at Atlanta.

One of the better matchups of the week features Green Bay at Atlanta.

"We've been Falcons -3 all week and we've had great two-way action," said Simbal. "We're separated by only $2 between the two sides, really, that's it."

The silver ling for Simbal maneuvering around all those bookmaking traps with games hovering around 3 is that he's not worrying so much about teasers this week. The short numbers this week mean less attractive teasers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SNF - Eagles at Cowboys
By Micah Roberts

Two rookie quarterbacks take center stage on Sunday night as Carson Wentz and the Eagles (4-2 straight up, 4-2 against the spread) travel to Dallas to face Dak Prescott and the surging Cowboys (5-1 SU, 5-0-1 ATS). Both have shattered the mold of a typical rookie QB as we've all known, which is to struggle, take their lumps, mature and get prepped for next season. But next season is already here for both teams that have legitimate Super Bowl ambitions.

After losing 20-19 in the season opener at home to the Giants, the Cowboys have reeled off five straight wins while also covering the spread each time. Their balanced offense attack ranks third in the NFL with 401 yards per game, but its beefy offensive line and rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott have helped produce the league's top rushing offense (161 YPG). Prescott has been conservative, but it's producing results and he's tossed seven touchdown passes to just one interception. He's also effectively used his running skills to rush for three TDs.

The Eagles jumped out of the gate with three straight wins and covers, capped off by an impressive 34-3 home win against the Steelers. Wentz was cool and collected managing the offensive like a 10-year veteran. But then they lost two straight on the road, dropping their accelerated rating, until coming back at home last week and giving the Vikings their first loss of the season. Wentz has thrown eight TD passes and three picks -- two of them coming in last weeks win.

Whenever the Eagles and Cowboys square off, it's always a big deal, but you can't help feeling this meeting is the start of something big for both teams starting a new era because of the QBs and quality of play on both sides of the ball throughout the first seven weeks. If thinking they might be Super Bowl worthy, the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook will give you only 8/1 odds to win it all while the Eagles are 40/1.

LINE MOVEMENT

The Westgate opened the Cowboys -4.5 on Sunday night and have been bet up to -5. The total has dropped from 43.5 down to 43.

CG Technology VP of risk Jason Simbal says he's had good two-way action (-4.5) at his bet shops so far and the only large bet taken has been on the Under from 43.5 down to 43.

William Hill sports books have seen the same type of action with 51 percent of its cash taken on the spread on Dallas and also 62 percent of the tickets written on them.

VALUE OF ROMO?

Tony Romo took his first practice snaps in pads and a helmet this week, so the big question is how soon will he be game ready, and when that time comes, will the Cowboys make the move? Las Vegas oddsmaker Kenny White says Romo is 2-points better to the ratings than Prescott which would make the Cowboys just below the Patriots and Seahawks as one of the top rated teams in the league. The thinking behind Romo offering more value is because his deep passing game could make the Cowboys rush attack even more dangerous.

RECENT HISTORY

The Eagles have covered four of their last five games at Dallas, including December's 33-27 win as three-point favorites. The Cowboys won 20-10 at Philadelphia last September as seven-point underdogs. Overall, the underdogs have covered six of the past seven meetings with the road team winning the last six and covering the last four. Dallas last won at home against the Eagles in December of 2012, but didn't cover the 11-point spread.

TRENDS

-- Philadelphia has gone 'over' the total in its last seven road games.
-- Philadelphia has gone 9-1 to the 'over' in its last 10 against NFC teams.

-- Dallas is 1-5-1 ATS in its last seven against winning teams.
-- Dallas is 4-11-1 ATS in its last 16 home games.
-- Dallas has gone 'over' the total in its last four games coming off a bye.

SUNDAY NIGHT PROPS (WESTGATE)

-- Total completions by Carson Wentz: 20.5
-- Total TD passes + interceptions by Carson Wentz: 2 OV -120
-- Total receiving yards by Jordan Matthews: 62.5
-- Gross passing yards by Dak Prescott: 24.2
-- Total RD passes by Dak Prescott: 1.5 UN -150
-- Total rushing yards by Ezekiel Elliott: 92.5
-- Total sacks by both teams: 4.5 UN -130

NEXT WEEKS NUMBERS

The Westgate posted Week 9 spreads on Tuesday and the Eagles are +3 (-120) at the Giants, which is basically saying these two teams are equal? Are they? Dallas is laying -6.5 at Cleveland when the Tony Romo talk will heat up again.

NFC EAST ODDS (WESTGATE)
Cowboys 5/7
Eagles 15/4
Giants 9/2
Redskins 6/1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Redskins (4-3) at Bengals (3-4)

Date: October 30, 2016 9:30 AM EDT

Washington Redskins coach Jay Gruden spent three years helping to develop Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton

Now he needs to beat him in a game critical for both teams' playoff chances when the Bengals 'host' the Redskins at Wembley Stadium in London at 9:30 a.m. Sunday.

Gruden, who served the Bengals' offensive coordinator for three seasons (2011-13) under head coach Marvin Lewis before coming to Washington, is facing his former team for the first time.

"We did a lot of great things over there, we thought, but come game time it's going to be another game that we have to win," Gruden said after Wednesday's practice. "They're very well-coached, they have a good football team. ... It will be a great test for us."

The Redskins (4-3) had won four straight before losing to Detroit in the final seconds Sunday and trail the Cowboys (5-1) and Eagles (4-2) in the NFC East. After this Sunday, they'll enjoy a bye before a brutal stretch of games in which they host Minnesota and Green Bay before road games at Dallas, Arizona and Philadelphia.

"You always have an understanding of the competition and where you are," Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins said. "But at the same time, there's a lot of football left to be played and it's a boring cliche, but it's always going to be one game at a time. That's the best way to approach it and see where we are at the end."

The Bengals (3-4), off a win over the Cleveland Browns, are tied for second in the AFC North, only one game behind the Pittsburgh Steelers. They still have four games remaining in the division as they look for a sixth straight playoff berth.

Washington's biggest concern is their health as arguably their three best players -- tight end Jordan Reed (concussion), left tackle Trent Williams (knee), and cornerback Josh Norman (concussion, wrist) -- are on the injury report.

All three were limited in practice Wednesday but could play Sunday. In addition, running back Matt Jones (knee) did not practice and Gruden said Robert Kelley will start if Jones can't play.

The Redskins gained 417 yards against the Lions but scored just 17 points. That was due in part to losing two fumbles, one by Jones that Detroit recovered in their own end zone.

The Redskins are averaging 4.8 yards per rushing attempt. They have rushed for more than 125 yards in each of their last two games and will face the league's 24th-ranked rushing defense.

Cousins completed 30 of 38 passes against Detroit for 301 yards.

"They give you a full dose of everything, both run and pass," Lewis said. "A lot of different formations, lot of different route combinations and so forth."

The Bengals and Redskins rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in yards per game but 23rd and 15th in points per game as they rank near the bottom in red zone offense, both scoring touchdowns on just 42.9 percent of their trips inside the 20.

Cincinnati gained 559 yards against Cleveland. Dalton, the NFL's seventh-rated passer (100.8), has six touchdowns and no picks in his last four games, finishing with a passer rating above 100 in each.

"I think things have changed," Dalton said when asked about the Redskins having the advantage of Gruden knowing the Bengals' offense. "We've got some new players -- obviously there's still some guys that are still here from when he was here -- but I feel like we've added a few guys. I think things have changed enough that I'm not too worried about that."

Dalton is on a pace (4,720 yards) to shatter his team record (4,293) for passing yards in a season.

"I see a lot of similarities between Kirk and Andy," Lewis said. "I think they both do an incredible job at the line of scrimmage surveying the defense and getting in and out of the right plays. You see the Redskins doing a lot of play changes at the line of scrimmage, which is what Andy has been so good at for us here."

The Redskins, perhaps minus Norman, will have to find a way to stop A.J. Green, who leads the NFL with 50 catches and has 775 yards and three touchdowns.

"We're going to have to change up the coverages, figure out ways to beat him up a little bit at the line of scrimmage, and play a safety over the top from time to time, play a third, play somebody underneath him, and then play some man-to-man," Gruden said.

Jeremy Hill, coming off a nine-carry, 168-yard effort against the Browns, should find holes against the Redskins' 26th-ranked run defense.

The Bengals lead the series 5-4. They won the last meeting 38-31 in 2012 and haven't lost to the Redskins since 1991, winning three straight.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lions (4-3) at Texans (4-3)

Date: October 30, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

HOUSTON -- Perceptions are fickle, so much so that they can allow for a quarterback to be compared to a maligned underachiever one week only for opinions to drastically change if that quarterback spearheads a string of victories.

Following the Lions' 1-3 start, Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford was in some circles being aligned with Bears signal caller Jay Cutler, whose abundant talent has for years failed to deliver on notable team success. Stafford has the statistical profile of an elite quarterback, but the Lions have sputtered along for years, and their sluggish start to this season provided room for those critical of Stafford to sound off.

Three wins in three games later and Stafford is earning raves. He ranks third in the NFL in passer rating (105.7), fourth in touchdown passes (15) and eighth in passing yards (1,914). Despite the Lions' pass-heavy offense, Stafford has thrown just four interceptions.

The accumulation of those numbers has yielded MVP discussion as the Lions visit the Houston Texans Sunday at NRG Stadium.

"I really don't pay too much attention to it," Stafford said. "I just care about how I perform for the guys in this locker room and this coaching staff and the owners and the people affected by the Lions. That's what I care about. Preparing as hard as I possibly can to play well for those people."

Though Stafford is deflecting praise, he has been instrumental in the Lions' winning streak. Detroit has defeated the Eagles, Rams and Redskins by a total of seven points, with Stafford leading fourth-quarter surges to victory in each contest.

Last Sunday against the Redskins, Stafford completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to Anquan Boldin with 16 seconds to play to cap a six-play, 75-yard drive. His late-game mastery of the offense is as responsible for the MVP talk as his aggregate numbers, and the more Stafford shines down the stretch, the more praise he earns.

"Well one thing, I think his preparation is such that he really prepares himself for those kinds of moments," Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. "Number two, obviously he has some unique talents and focus where he doesn't back down from real tough situations. Number three I think his leadership just in terms of getting guys to rally around him particularly in those crucial moments. He kind of has a knack for that."

Somewhat lost amid the furor of Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler delivering an embarrassing effort in his Denver homecoming on Monday night was another subpar performance by the Texans run defense. The Broncos, who'd amassed 309 rushing yards in their previous four games combined, gouged Houston for 190 yards and two rushing touchdowns in a 27-9 win that snapped their two-game losing skid.

"Well, I think any time an offense is able to run the football, it makes it very difficult on a defense," Texans coach Bill O'Brien said. "It does. It does affect your game plan and we have to people use the phrase, 'Go back to the drawing board'. I don't know if that's what it is. I think every team is different."

"The way that Detroit runs the ball is a lot different than the way that Denver runs the ball. We're going to have to really study hard here on Detroit and figure out what we need to do to stop the run because it has to get a lot better."

The Texans are ranked 29th in the NFL in rushing defense, allowing 135.4 yards per game. That's a far departure from last season when they finished 10th in the league allowing 99.8 rushing yards per game. Houston has dealt with its share of injuries on defense at all three levels, with of course the most notable absence being All-Pro defensive end J.J. Watt, whose renown is linked to his pass rushing abilities.

Even without Watt the Texans shouldn't be this porous. And while their offensive woes are legitimate with Osweiler at the controls, their inability to muster a solid front against opposing rushing attacks is as problematic as the issue at quarterback.

"There's no excuses," O'Brien said. "They don't cancel the games when there's injuries, so we have to all do a better job. Again, it probably gets boring listening to me. Coaches and players, we all just need to do a better job of playing and coaching better on Sundays."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Seahawks (4-1) at Saints (2-4)

Date: October 30, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

NEW ORLEANS -- If it takes a master to recognize a masterpiece, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who at 37 is having perhaps the most explosive season of his 16-year NFL career, sees nothing but beauty and the beast when he analyzes the Seattle Seahawks' defense he will try to decipher Sunday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome (1 p.m. ET, FOX).

"They really invented that scheme that a lot of people are trying to replicate, but it's hard to do when you don't have the personnel," Brees said of the Seattle defense, responsible for an epic 6-6 tie last Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, the first NFL game to end in a tie since 2014. "They're so good in so many areas, from the front four to the linebacking corps to the secondary.

"There is really not a weak link in the defense. You just have to be your absolute best when it comes to execution and put yourself in favorable positions as an offense, making sure you're in third-and-manageable situations and you're understanding the pressure and just making sure you get positive plays."

Despite the Saints' 2-4 start, Brees is defying NFL actuarial tables, completing 68.5 percent of his passes for 17 touchdowns against five interceptions. He is averaging a career-best 350 passing yards a game, and in a 27-21 loss at Kansas City last week, he recorded his league-record 100th 300-yard game.

"They are getting a lot of explosive plays," said Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman, who fought off severe fatigue and cramping to help the 4-1-1 Seahawks escape with the overtime tie against Arizona. "They are getting the ball down the field and scoring points. They're doing a great job."

Seattle coach Pete Carroll said of the New Orleans offense, "They're really tough, like they've been in the past, so effective throwing the football and attacking people. Between Sean (Payton) and Drew putting it together, it makes it very difficult. They have good weapons, and they use them really well."

Since Payton took over as the Saints' coach in 2006, New Orleans is 2-1 in the regular season against Seattle but 0-2 in the playoffs. The Seahawks have won the past three meetings, however, holding New Orleans to just 22 total points in the two most recent victories.

"When you watch the tape, there are two things (that stand out)," Payton said. "They're very talented, and I would say they have outstanding technique. They're playing a little man-to-man, but you see a lot of zone coverage. It forces you to come underneath with throws. That combination of coverage and then what they're able to do with their rush plans make it extremely challenging."

This will be the first time former Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, traded before the 2015 season to Seattle, will play in the Superdome against his old team. Graham is still feeling his way back from a knee injury, but he is second on the team in receptions (27 catches for 408 yards) with one touchdown.

"It's going to be weird, obviously," Brees said about facing his former teammate. "We had a lot of good years here with Jimmy. We hated to see him go. We were close, and he was close with a lot of guys. We all loved Jimmy, and we understand things like that happen in this league. I'm sure he's going to be pretty amped up to be back, but I know our fan base loved him and loved what he did for New Orleans and did for our team. There is a lot of love there."

Carroll said Graham struggled last season before he sustained the knee injury, but he likes the growing relationship between Graham and quarterback Russell Wilson.

"Russell and Jimmy have really connected, and it took some time to develop that chemistry," Carroll said. "Jimmy's been great since he's gotten back and has his legs underneath him after coming back from the amazing rehab that he had to go through. They hit their stride, and he's been really effective, and he's off to a great year."

The Seahawks are struggling to rush the ball, averaging just 3.1 yards a carry. They are scoring just 18.5 points per game, but that has been good enough with a defense that is allowing only 14 points a game.

Both teams enter the game with questions at left tackle. Saints tackle Terron Armstead returned to practice Wednesday but has been in an out of the lineup. Seattle tackle Bradley Sowell sprained his knee last week and probably will not play. Starting New Orleans cornerback Delvin Breaux (broken leg) probably is at least another week away from returning.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jets (2-5) at Browns (0-7)

Date: October 30, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

The Cleveland Browns can't win football games and can't keep quarterbacks healthy.

The New York Jets aren't in position to feel any sympathy.

New York will have Ryan Fitzpatrick back as its starting quarterback when it visits the Browns on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS).

Cleveland (0-7) will have journeyman Josh McCown back to shore up its quarterback situation as it attempts to record its first win under first-year coach Hue Jackson. If McCown has a setback prior to kickoff, rookie Kevin Hogan would become the fourth starting quarterback for the Browns this season.

Jets coach Todd Bowles isn't the least bit concerned about Cleveland's plight, not with his club sitting with a 2-5 mark.

"No, we worry about our own record," Bowles said. "Ours isn't too glowing right now."

Fitzpatrick's season wasn't looking so bright when he lost the starting gig to Geno Smith, but Smith tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee last Sunday during the Jets' 24-16 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

Smith's misfortune elevated Fitzpatrick right back to the starting position. The situation became a bit awkward when Fitzpatrick said the organization -- including Bowles -- doesn't have faith in him.

Bowles fired back about Fitzpatrick's high number of turnovers -- the veteran leads the NFL with 11 interceptions -- and the two men had a long sit-down to get back on the same page.

"I was disappointed I got benched, but I was disappointed in the way that I had played, too," Fitzpatrick said. "So there's a lot of things that I'm continuing to work on, but I continue to keep the faith in myself. ... We've just got to continue to move this thing in the right direction."

Cleveland is just looking to get a victory. The Browns have dropped four games by double digits, including a 31-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday.

Dating back to last season, Cleveland has lost 10 consecutive games and 17 of its past 18.

"We're going to continue to work at getting better," Jackson said. "I get disappointed for our players, for the franchise, for all involved -- our fans and everybody because I want everybody to experience winning because that's what we came here to do, and that's what we want to get accomplished. Obviously, we haven't done that yet."

McCown returned to practice Wednesday after being sidelined since breaking his collarbone against the Ravens on Sept. 18.

Rookie Cody Kessler was serving as the starter, but he sustained a concussion against the Bengals and won't play against the Jets. Hogan replaced the injured Kessler against the Bengals and passed for 100 yards and rushed for 104.

Veteran left tackle Joe Thomas was rooting hard that it would be McCown behind center.

"I think it will be a huge boost," Thomas said. "He obviously has played well for us when he has been in these past couple years. To be able to have him back would be awesome since the quarterbacks that are healthy right now do not have nearly as much experience that Josh does."

All the upheaval is making it hard for Cleveland to find an offensive flow, and the Browns rank 27th in scoring at 18.6 points per game. Yet the Jets are even worse -- ranking 30th at 17.0.

Part of the problem is that New York ranks last in the NFL in turnover margin at minus-11. And that means Fitzpatrick has to play better and smarter in his latest opportunity to start.

"There's no middle ground," Bowles said. "You're a competitor. You come in and the quarterback is going to throw interceptions. You've got to have a short-term memory. Ryan has great belief in himself, and we have belief in him, and we go into the game as normal."

The Jets averaged nine points per game during a four-game skid before the win over Baltimore. They now face a leaky Cleveland defense that ranks 31st in total defense (425.6 yards per game) and 30th in scoring defense (29.6 points per game).

New York ranks 23rd in scoring defense (25.7), but second-year defensive end Leonard Williams is emerging as a force with six sacks.

The Jets won the teams' past three meetings, including a 31-10 victory last season. McCown started the game for the Browns but was knocked out in the first quarter with a concussion.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Raiders (5-2) at Buccaneers (3-3)

Date: October 30, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

TAMPA, Fla -- The Oakland Raiders have been the NFL's best road team this season, already with four road wins on the way to a 5-2 record, and they are spending a full week on the road with consecutive games in Florida.

Jack Del Rio's team gave him a win Sunday in Jacksonville against his old team, and the Raiders are training at IMG Academy in Bradenton this week to prepare Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"We've got a process and they've adhered to the process," Del Rio said of his team's success away from home. "They've embraced it and really focused on just playing good football regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the weather, regardless of the time of day - just to get excited to get out and play good football whenever they put the ball down for us and we tee it up and kick off."

IMG's facility is so impressive that Jim Harbaugh brought Michigan down for a week of practice this spring and Del Rio's goal has been to make a week spent on the opposite side of the country feel like a typical game week for his players.

"We're just focusing on trying to keep it as normal as possible for the guys, for the coaches, for the players," he said. "We have a tremendous support staff that is providing everything we need, so that we can go about just a typical game week of preparation. So, all of our focus is there. Our workouts, our meetings, the structure, what we eat, everything is basically kind of staying within the normal flow of a game week."

The week also allows Del Rio to spend Saturday afternoon back in Jacksonville, where he can watch his son Luke play as the University of Florida's starting quarterback against Georgia in their annual rivalry game.

Sunday will be a reunion of sorts, as Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter and defensive coordinator Mike Smith were coordinators together on Del Rio's Jaguars staff in 2007, part of a team that won 11 games and a playoff game as well.

"I learned a ton from Jack," Koetter said Wednesday. "Both Jack and Mike Smith came out of the Brian Billick tree when they won the Super Bowl up in Baltimore and just organization. I was a pretty organized guy when I was a college coach, but NFL-style, I learned a lot about that from Jack. I was fortunate to come out of college and get with a guy like that."

There are other reunions to watch as well -- Raiders receiver Amari Cooper played once against Bucs rookie cornerback Vernon Hargreaves in college, and had 10 catches for 201 yards and three touchdowns in an easy 42-21 victory for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Hargreaves has played well in his first six games, with no touchdowns allowed and no accepted penalties against him. He and Pro Bowl veteran Brent Grimes will be tasked not only with stopping Cooper but also Michael Crabtree, whose six touchdowns tie him for the NFL lead, with the Bucs' Mike Evans.

The Bucs, in turn, will try to exploit a Raiders defense that ranks last in the NFL in total defense and passing defense, and has given up a league-high nine pass plays of 40 yards or more. Evans is on pace to break the Tampa Bay's single-season records for catches, receiving yards and touchdown receptions.

While the Raiders are seeking their fifth road win, the Bucs are still seeking their first home win, having spent four of their first six on the road, with home losses to the Broncos and Rams. Koetter has lobbied for fans to limit the number of Raiders jerseys in the lower bowl, trying to get back a home-field advantage in a stadium where the Bucs have lost 15 of their last 18 games.

"We've got to learn how to win some games at home," Koetter said. "We need to. Let's keep those Raiders jerseys out of the lower bowl. Let's get some Bucs jerseys in there. Let's rock that place next week. I think we've got three in a row at home. We've got to do our part. We've got to learn how to win at home."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Patriots (6-1) at Bills (4-3)

Date: October 30, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

The Buffalo Bills have a chance to do something this week that they haven't done yet this century.

No, not make the playoffs. Sweep the New England Patriots.

The Patriots (6-1) travel to face the Bills (4-3) on Sunday at New Era Field four weeks after suffering their only loss of the season. Buffalo's 16-0 victory on Oct. 2 was also New England's first shutout loss at Gillette Stadium and their first scoreless home game since 1993.

"They should be very confident from the way they came in her and played us on the road," Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty said. "Now, going there, at home, it's not going to be any easier, and we lost last time."

New England has not lost both regular-season games against an AFC East opponent with Tom Brady at quarterback, a 15-year stretch that ranks as the longest since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970. During that span, the Patriots have lost the first game against a division opponent six times. They won each rematch by an average of 28 points.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick, however, doesn't believe the historical data will help his team when they face the Bills.

"It really doesn't matter what happened last week, last month, last year," Belichick said. "What matters is what happens this week and that's what we can control. We can't control anything that's happened in the past, so we're going to try and focus on what we can do this week and prepare as well as we can to perform as well we can."

Bills coach Rex Ryan won two straight against the Patriots when he was the coach of the New York Jets in 2010, but one of those games came in the playoffs.

"We also got beat 45-3 by them in the same season," Ryan recalled this week.

The Patriots are better prepared for this rematch, if only because they have Brady this time. Third-stringer Jacoby Brissett started the first game against the Bills, with Brady serving the final game of his Deflategate suspension.

With Brady back under center, the Patriots have averaged 31.7 points and won three in a row. Brady has completed 75 percent of his passes for 1,004 yards with eight touchdowns and no interceptions.

"I don't know if I've ever seen him better," Ryan said.

Ryan admitted that the Bills were fortunate to play the Patriots during Brady's suspension.

"It was a great time to play them," Ryan said. "You know, I'll admit it. It was probably an easier game to play them without (Brady)."

That was the second in a four-game winning streak for the Bills, their first since 2008, which ended last week with a 28-25 loss in Miami.

After giving up 256 rushing yards to the Dolphins, the Bills are eager to get Pro Bowl defensive tackle Marcell Dareus back. Dareus was suspended for the first four games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, and has missed the last three with a hamstring injury.

"I'm playing Sunday, man. I can't wait," Dareus said. "I'm ready to enjoy myself. Just happy to be out there with the guys. Running around, feeling good. We're ready to go pull it off, man. We're going to make it happen."

The Patriots rank sixth in the NFL in rushing at 122.7 yards per game. Since Brady's return, the Patriots have become more pass-oriented but have still averaged 105.6 rushing yards in those victories.

The Bills' rushing attack, which led the NFL and is now ranked second (153.3 yards per game), could be without top tailback LeSean McCoy this week. McCoy pulled a hamstring during practice last week and aggravated the injury during the game against the Dolphins.

Buffalo is also depleted in the passing game, with top wideout Sammy Watkins (foot) on injured reserve, Marquise Goodwin (concussion) likely out Sunday and Robert Woods (ankle) questionable to play.

"We know we have to be more efficient in the running game," Ryan said. "Especially with some of the injuries that we've had outside. You know, if we can't run the ball, we're going to be in trouble."

The Patriots added depth at linebacker this week by acquiring Kyle Van Noy in a trade with the Detroit Lions. Van Noy started the first seven games for the Lions.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Chargers (3-4) at Broncos (5-2)

Date: October 30, 2016 4:05 PM EDT

DENVER -- The Denver Broncos pulled out of a two-game tailspin just in time to face a team that helped touch off the problems.

For the second time in three weeks, the Broncos (5-2) will be facing AFC West rival San Diego (3-4), which has strung together consecutive wins over Atlanta and the Broncos since its 1-4 start.

"When you win, it boosts so much confidence around the team," Chargers nose tackle Brandon Mebane said. "Coming in on Mondays, Wednesday and Tuesdays, the vibe and the atmosphere are so much better. Just winning period is a good feeling. We are starting to believe."

San Diego handed Denver a 21-13 loss a week after Atlanta dealt Denver its first loss of the season.

"They have some interesting stats," said Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who was sidelined by illness for the earlier meeting between the teams. "I think they've held the lead more than anybody in this league right now. They've just lost some games late, but played really well.

"They obviously got after us and went to Atlanta and beat a really good football team on the road. They're playing well. (San Diego quarterback) Philip 1/8Rivers 3/8 is playing well. Defensively, they're very active. (Defensive end Joey) Bosa is playing a big part right now so we'll have to play a lot better than we did a couple of weeks ago, I know that."

Showcasing a resurgent running game and efficient play from quarterback Trevor Siemian, the Broncos got back on track last week with a 27-9 win over Houston.

And the rematch with San Diego comes in Denver this time. For their part, the Chargers have not won on the road against a division foe since beating the Raiders in Oakland 31-28 on Oct. 12, 2014. The Chargers have not swept a season series against the Broncos since 2010.

Be that as it may, with Rivers as productive as ever and Bosa blossoming as a rookie pass rusher the Chargers are in a pretty good place heading into Sunday's contest.

"I think our attitude has been good," Bosa said. "Nobody really ever got down even after those few losses in a row. We just tried to keep our head up in the locker room, feed off of each other and keep a positive attitude moving forward. After getting that win on Thursday night (against the Broncos), I think it really boosted the positivity and the belief in the locker room and now we're just feeding off that, especially with another win on Sunday."

San Diego coach Mike McCoy said the Chargers know better than to automatically assume a repeat of their first encounter with Denver.

"That one's behind us now," he said. "You can't worry about that one and the last couple of weeks. You got to go on to the next one and play better this week."

Denver's defense re-asserted itself in the win over Houston, limiting the Texans to three field goals and the unit is anxious to show its mettle the second time around against the Chargers.

"That's definitely the case," Broncos safety Darien Stewart said. "I'm happy to be playing them again this early. We're looking forward to it. We still had a bad taste in our mouths even last week and last game. We're ready for them."

Both teams have their share of injuries that they are dealing with heading into the game.

Denver running back C.J. Anderson, who had his first 100-yard rushing game last week, will miss the contest after undergoing knee surgery to repair meniscus damage. Anderson was placed on injured reserve on Friday.

Rookie Devontae Booker, whose 4.8 yard average per carry leads the Broncos, will start in Anderson's place and fellow running back Kapri Bibbs could see more playing time.

Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall also has missed practice time this week with a hamstring injury.

Meantime, Denver pass rushing linebacker DeMarcus Ware is nearing a return from a fractured forearm, though it is still uncertain whether he will play against the Chargers. Ware, who suffered the injury Sept. 18 against Indianapolis, returned to practice this week.

San Diego placed defensive tackle Caraun Reid on injured reserve after he suffered a knee injury during the overtime win at Atlanta.

Cornerback Brandon Flowers returned to practice this week after missing the past month because of a concussion.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cardinals (3-3) at Panthers (1-5)

Date: October 30, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A year ago, the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers met with a spot in the Super Bowl at stake.

On Sunday, they're simply trying to gain traction as they've encountered unexpected struggles across the first half of the season.

"I feel good about us coming into this stretch," Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. "We have a lot of really good guys in that locker room who have a lot of confidence. They work really hard. We have an opportunity now because we have some really good football players, but again we have to go and execute."

The Panthers (1-5), who are coming off an open date on their schedule, haven't won since the second week of the season. Arizona (3-3-1) is trying to regroup after Sunday night's bizarre 6-6 tie with the Seattle Seahawks.

"It's the ultimate team game for a reason," Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said. "It takes all three phases to win a game."

So now it's a rematch of last season's NFC championship game, though this matchup has a largely different vibe. Carolina won in a 49-15 romp last January in a game that Rivera acknowledged went well from the start and throughout for the Panthers.

That hasn't been the case during the opening weeks of this season.

"Now is the time that we've got to respond," Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short said.

Rivera has insisted that it's not too late for the Panthers to make something of the season. He pointed out that with two of the NFC South teams losing games last weekend that there's ample chance for the Panthers to factor into the divisional title.

"You just have to keep believing that you have an opportunity," Rivera said. "It bodes well for us as we go into this stretch of the season."

The Cardinals are in second place in the NFC West.

"Our football team is very, very resilient," Arians said. "It's a long journey to the end."

Arizona has the second-best defensive rating in the NFL by holding opponents to 289.6 yards per game. The Cardinals haven't surrendered a touchdown in their last two games. Carolina's offense has cranked out 371.5 yards per game for the fourth-best mark in the league.

Despite those numbers, the teams don't have records that correspond to those statistics.

The Cardinals had 90 snaps against Seattle and it still wasn't enough.

"We didn't get the result we want and now we have to go play the Panthers," tight end Ifeanyi Momah said.

Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer threw 49 passes without an interception against the Seahawks. In the playoff game last season against Carolina, he was picked off four times.

The Cardinals lost receiver Jaron Brown to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the Seattle game. On the plus side, it's possible that receiver John Brown could be back after missing a game with a leg ailment.

"It will be interesting to see who plays against us and what's their attitude about how they want to attack," Rivera said.

Panthers left tackle Michael Oher stayed in concussion protocol at the beginning of the week, so his status remains unclear although Rivera reported that significant progress has been made. Oher already has missed three games.

Otherwise, the Panthers report a healthy roster, aided by the week off. Rivera said he liked the attitude since the team returned from the weekend away from football.

"The energy level was very high," he said. "A lot of good things happen for us."

For the coaching staff, Rivera said the week without a game was a chance to self-scout and determine what will best suit the team for the final 10 games of the regular season.

"We need to put them in situations to be successful," he said.

After last week's Arizona result, both coaches have a tie on their career records. The Panthers tied the Cincinnati Bengals in 2014, though the 37-37 outcome was vastly different from the game the Cardinals just experienced.

This will be the 10th meeting in 10 seasons between the teams, who have met three times in the postseason during that span. The Panthers hold a 10-5 series edge overall.

The game was originally set for a late-afternoon time slot, but it was changed under the NFL's flex scheduling to the early afternoon.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Packers (4-2) at Falcons (4-3)

Date: October 30, 2016 4:25 PM EDT

Dan Quinn hopes he's got his Atlanta Falcons ready for just this moment.

The Falcons started October with back-to-back wins over last year's Super Bowl teams, Carolina and Denver. Then came a pair of mentally challenging defeats. First, it was a two-point loss at Seattle. Then, it was an overtime loss at home to San Diego last week caused, in part, by Quinn's failed decision to go for it on fourth down on his side of midfield in the extra period.

"That's kind of where a lot of your character is tested, when it's under duress," Quinn said. "We've really spent a lot of time developing this mental toughness that we have. We spent a good bit of our offseason demonstrating our language for it. Knowing this game, there's going to be difficult moments, difficult times, and how do you reset?"

It's not just coach-speak. Quinn brought in a group of Special Forces soldiers during training camp. He hopes their message will pay off when the Falcons (4-3) host the Green Bay Packers (4-2) in a big NFC showdown on Sunday afternoon.

"We really developed our own standard of the player accountability to one another," Quinn said. "Knowing at times, bad things happen, and you're going to be in a dark spot. How do you get through? It takes a lot of mental toughness. One of the things that I love about our team right now is how hard they want to play for one another. Knowing that the guy next to you can be counted on, and the guy next to you you're counting on, those are really important topics. Although they're difficult processes to go through, we don't like it but we are ready to take on the challenge and onto the next."

The next challenge is a Green Bay offense that found life in a Thursday night victory over Chicago. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who had struggled through most of the first five games, turned to a quick-hitting passing game to complete a team-record 39 passes, with receivers Davante Adams and Randall Cobb and receiver-turned-running back Ty Montgomery all catching at least 10.

Rodgers said the momentum from that game can't be carried over into this game, but the offense is feeling much better about things after piling up 406 yards and controlling the ball for almost 40 minutes against Chicago.

"On the road and in an environment like that, you've got to start fast and take the crowd out of it," Rodgers said. "We've been in there multiple times and know how loud it can be when it's rocking. They've lost a couple in a row, so I'm sure they're looking for a bounce-back game, and we're going down there with some confidence. We've won in that building before and we've won big games on the road before. We've just got to put it all together."

Green Bay's offense will need a repeat performance because Atlanta's offense has been nothing short of dominant. The Falcons are No. 1 in scoring (32.7 per game), No. 1 in total offense (433.6 yards per game) and No. 2 in passing offense (319.0 yards per game). Matt Ryan has thrown for at least 200 yards in a league-record 46 consecutive games and has a glitzy passer rating of 113.6, and receiver Julio Jones is on pace for 1,900 yards and topped 250 against the Packers in 2014 at Lambeau Field.

"He's been exceptional," Ryan said. "He's one of the best players in the NFL and he's played that way week in and week out for us. There's so many things both in the run game and the pass game. He's played great so far this year."

On paper, this game projects to a shootout dominated by the quarterbacks.

With injuries sidelining running backs Eddie Lacy and James Starks, the Packers' top player in the backfield is Montgomery, who the Packers list as a receiver on the depth chart. Meanwhile, Atlanta's defense ranks 27th in scoring, 26th in yards allowed and 31st in passing yards allowed.

On the flip side, Ryan is off to the best start of his career and will be attacking a Packers secondary that might be without its three top cornerbacks.

"We trust our defense to do their job, but we know we've got to be efficient and score points, especially in the red zone," Rodgers said. "We've been doing a great job on third down, ranking at the top of the league there, but the red zone's been slipping a little bit. We've been not scoring (touchdowns) as often as we need to do. In a game where you've got Matt playing so well and Julio obviously having a big season, you've got to expect them to make some plays, so we're going to have to score some points."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Chiefs (4-2) at Colts (3-4)

Date: October 30, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

The Kansas City Chiefs have never cared much for road trips to Indianapolis like the one they'll take Sunday to face the Colts.

As a visitor, Kansas City stands 1-6 in regular and postseason games played in Indy. The Chiefs lost games there in the 2006 and 2013 playoffs.

It's that last loss in January 2014 that left a very deep bruise on the Chiefs' psyche. Kansas City led by 28 points with 28 minutes to play, but Colts quarterback Andrew Luck led one of the biggest comebacks in NFL postseason history and Indy grabbed a 45-44 victory.

That was the last time these teams met each other and typical of the not-for-long NFL, only a handful of players who appeared in that game with a chance to play Sunday: 17 in all, led by the team's starting quarterbacks Luck and Kansas City's Alex Smith.

"I obviously remember the outcome and being pretty disappointed," said Smith, who threw for 378 yards and four touchdowns in that game. "It was a long time ago, though. When you start thinking about it, one year is a long time in the NFL, let alone a couple of years. A lot has changed since then, so it's hard to even look at that tape."

Turns out it's not even a subject that has been broached by coach Chuck Pagano to his 2016 Colts.

"Every year is different, every team is different," Pagano said. "There's a lot of turnover in this league. They're great for memories, but they don't really have any significance on anything other than again playing it one play at a time."

The 4-2 Chiefs come into the meeting on a two-game winning streak after beating Oakland and New Orleans. The offense and defense have been inconsistent for coach Andy Reid, but when they've been on their game, they can compete with any team in the league.

"The focus for me is on the Chiefs' defense this year and it's really good group that leads the way in takeaways," Luck said. "(Marcus) Peters is a premier corner in this league; he's leading the league in interceptions and it's a very opportunistic defense and we have to be on our p's and q's."

The Chiefs are looking for consistency across the board in the journey to their goals. They found that last year when they finished the regular season with 10 straight victories.

"You have to be disciplined about how you go about your business and the details," Smith said, "especially when you get to the meat of the season. You need to have the sense of urgency to stay short-sighted and not look too far down the line. Sometimes it's tedious, but it's making sure you get all of those things done."

The Colts are 3-4 and coming off a victory last Sunday over Tennessee. Luck has thrown the ball well, despite being sacked a league-high 25 times. Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton ranks among the NFL's best catchers with 45 recepetions for 689 yards and four touchdowns. Veteran running back Frank Gore remains productive at 33 years old and is tied for ninth in the league with 495 rushing yards on 117 carries.

"He's a warrior, that one," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said of Gore. "He's a tough guy, a physical runner and to last as long as he has is a tribute, probably, to his offseason work program and how he goes about the game. He's a kid that loves to play and he's kept himself in good shape."

Indianapolis hopes to have wide receiver Donte Moncrief back to face the Chiefs. He has missed the last five games with a shoulder injury. Moncrief returned to practice this week.

But it is Luck that makes the Colts go.

"He's playing well ... making great decisions," Pagano said. "He's taking what the defense is giving him. He's spreading the ball around, hitting the check-downs, extending plays when he has to extend plays and finding guys down the field. He is preparing extremely well like he always has. He is playing at a high level right now."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Eagles (4-2) at Cowboys (5-1)

Date: October 30, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

The key storyline of the always-heated NFC East showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and the host Dallas Cowboys is centered around the solid play of the two rookie starters at quarterback.

Carson Wentz, the second overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft, has the Eagles positioned in second place in the NFC East at 4-2. Dak Prescott, the fourth-round selection out of Mississippi State, has the Cowboys riding a five-game winning streak (currently the longest in the NFL) and sitting atop the division.

The Sunday night prime-time matchup at AT&T Stadium in Dallas is bound to have playoff implications later in the season, so both teams will be looking to put their best foot forward.

Much has been made of the return of quarterback Tony Romo and if the former Pro Bowl signal-caller will get the starting nod once he returns from his back injury.

A subject that needs more attention is the handling of players this season by Dallas head coach Jason Garrett. The once-maligned coach has his team playing at an elite level, all without Romo (six games missed), running back Darren McFadden (six), wide receiver Dez Bryant (three), guard La'el Collins (one), linebacker Rolando McClain (six) and cornerback Orlando Scandrick (four).

Those six starters have missed a combined 26 games in 2016. Only Bryant and Scandrick are in line to play against the Eagles.

Prescott, an early candidate for NFL MVP, stepped in for Romo and thrived. So much so that a quarterback controversy erupted in Dallas, though none of the players want to hear that talk.

"We're not really worried about that, honestly," said rookie and the NFL's leading rusher Ezekiel Elliott. "We just focus on now. We focus on going out there and winning every week and getting better as a team. To this team, it really doesn't matter who is at quarterback. We have faith in our guys. So, I mean, whatever happens, happens, and we're going to keep getting better as a team."

Elliott himself stepped in and replaced the NFL's fourth leading rusher in 2015 in McFadden. This "Wally Pipp" storyline doesn't get the headlines like Prescott versus Romo but is an integral part of the Cowboys success in 2016 as well.

Garrett has every player on the team believing they are just as important as the next, and this is a major reason the Cowboys are the top team in the NFC.

Coming off their bye week, since 2003, the Cowboys are 8-6.

The Eagles gave the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings their first loss of the year this past Sunday. Head coach Doug Pederson, like Garrett a former NFL quarterback, also has his team believing it can win any game it enters.

Wentz will play in Dallas for the first time as the Eagles starter and enters the game with eight touchdown passes on the year against three interceptions. The rookie from North Dakota State has the Philadelphia faithful believing the team again found a franchise quarterback.

As good as Wentz has been, the true savior for the Eagles in 2016 is the Jim Schwartz-led defense. The former Detroit Lions head coach mixed in man blitzes with zone blitzes to lead his troops to 20 sacks on the season.

The Eagles are only allowing an average of 14.7 points per game, which trails the Vikings and the Seattle Seahawks, both at 14, for best in the league. Philadelphia's defense created 12 turnovers for a plus-6 turnover differential.

Dallas is doing a good job of replacing injured/suspended players and not missing a beat. The Eagles will need that same success in their secondary heading into Dallas.

Cornerback Ron Brooks is lost for the year with a ruptured right quadriceps tendon, so Schwartz and Co. will scramble just to find bodies to line up against the Cowboys. Safety Malcolm Jenkins dropped down and played slot cornerback in nickel packages after Brooks got hurt, forcing Jaylen Watkins to replace Jenkins at safety.

"I thought Jaylen came in and played good, played well," Pederson said. "He was in on a few plays around the quarterback a few times and a couple of blitzes, and he's a guy that obviously now is going to have to increase his workload. But I think he stepped up and did a nice job.

The Dallas defense has been a pleasant surprise as well. In six games, the unit led by defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has not allowed a 100-yard rusher or receiver. The group also forced nine total turnovers.