Sunday 11/1/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Week 8 Tip Sheet

Bengals at Steelers (PK, 48 ½) – 1:00 PM EST

Cincinnati is one of the five undefeated teams remaining in the NFL heading into Week 8, as the Bengals are fresh off the bye week with a trip to Heinz Field. The Bengals (6-0 SU, 5-0-1 ATS) are the only squad in the league not to suffer an ATS loss yet, coming off a 34-21 victory at Buffalo two weeks ago as three-point favorites. Marvin Lewis’ team continues to cash for ‘over’ bettors, going 5-1 to the ‘over,’ including 3-0 away from Paul Brown Stadium. However, Cincinnati will be playing with double-revenge after getting swept by Pittsburgh last season, including a 27-17 setback in Week 17 at Heinz Field.

The Steelers (4-3 SU, 5-1-1 ATS) have done their best to keep their heads above water without Ben Roethlisberger in the lineup the last four games. Big Ben is expected back under on Sunday for the first time since hurting his knee in a Week 3 victory at St. Louis. The Steelers saw their modest two-game winning streak come to an end at Kansas City last Sunday in a 23-13 loss, as Pittsburgh turned the ball over three times. Pittsburgh has turned up its defense recently, cashing the ‘under’ in five straight games, while holding four opponents in this stretch to 20 points or less in regulation.

Vikings (-1, 42 ½) at Bears – 1:00 PM EST

Green Bay is running away with the NFC North at 6-0, but Minnesota is hanging in with hopes of Wild Card spot at 4-2. The Vikings (4-2 SU, 5-1 ATS) head to Soldier Field trying to improve on a 1-2 road record, coming off their first away victory last Sunday by beating Detroit, 28-19. Minnesota overcame a 17-6 deficit thanks to a pair of touchdown passes by Teddy Bridgewater, who threw for a season-high 316 yards. Mike Zimmer’s club finally cashed an ‘over’ following five straight ‘unders’ to start the season last week, while six of the last seven meetings with the Bears have finished ‘under’ the total.

The Bears (2-4 SU, 3-3 ATS) return from the bye after seeing their two-game winning streak snapped in an overtime setback at Detroit in Week 6. Chicago’s two victories this season have come by a combined three points against Oakland and Kansas City, while covering three consecutive games since an 0-3 ATS start. The Bears haven’t lost to the Vikings at home since 2007, which includes erasing a 10-0 deficit in a 21-13 triumph last November behind three touchdown passes by Jay Cutler.

Buccaneers at Falcons (-7 ½, 48 ½) – 1:00 PM EST

Tampa Bay (2-4 SU, 3-3 ATS) finally was turning the corner after jumping out to a 24-0 advantage at Washington last Sunday, seeking to reach the .500 mark. However, a monumental meltdown by the Buccaneers dropped them two games below .500 in a 31-30 shocking loss to the Redskins, even though they managed a cover as three-point underdogs. Jameis Winston put together his best game as a pro by throwing for 297 yards and two touchdowns, but Tampa Bay’s defense has allowed at least 31 points in the past three games, resulting in three ‘overs.’

Following a terrific 4-0 ATS start to the season, the Falcons (6-1 SU, 4-3 ATS) have failed to cover their last three contests. Atlanta got past Tennessee last Sunday, 10-7 as five-point road favorites, scoring its lone touchdown in the third quarter on a Matt Ryan hook-up with Julio Jones. The Falcons rebounded from their first loss of the season at New Orleans by relying on the legs of Devonta Freeman, who broke the 100-yard mark for the third straight game. Atlanta has won six of the past seven meetings with Tampa Bay at the Georgia Dome, including a 56-14 thrashing last season.

49ers at Rams (-8 ½, 39 ½) – 1:00 PM EST

The NFC West race halfway through the season is in Arizona’s hands, although St. Louis owns a perfect 2-0 record in the division with wins over the Cardinals and Seahawks. The Rams (3-3 SU, 3-3 ATS) search for back-to-back victories for the first time this season, coming off an impressive 24-6 home triumph over the Browns as 6 ½-point favorites. Todd Gurley continues his stellar rookie campaign, rushing for 128 yards against Cleveland, the third straight game the former Georgia star has busted the 100-yard plateau. The Rams have struggled with the 49ers at the Edward Jones Dome by losing three of the last four home meetings, topped off by a 31-17 setback last season.

San Francisco (2-5 SU, 3-4 ATS) has yet to win away from Levi’s Stadium this season, going 0-3 SU and 1-2 ATS on the highway. The 49ers put up a stinker last Thursday night in a 20-3 home loss as 6 ½-point underdogs, while accumulating a season-low 142 yards and being held without a touchdown for the second time this season. San Francisco has been outgained in the yardage department in six consecutive games, while the defense has allowed 120 points in three road losses. How bad of an ATS run are the Niners on? Since last November, San Francisco owns a dreadful 3-9-1 ATS record the past 13 games, as four of its past five road losses are by double-digits.

Titans at Texans (-4 ½, 43 ½) – 1:00 PM EST

Two struggling teams inside the AFC South look for some way to get on track in Houston. The Titans (1-5 SU, 3-3 ATS) dominated the Buccaneers on opening day, but that’s the last time Tennessee sniffed the win column. Tennessee lost its fifth straight game last Sunday, including the fourth in a row at home in a 10-7 setback to Atlanta. In spite of covering as a home underdog, the Titans were limited to 14 points or fewer for the fourth time in five games. Marcus Mariota will sit out the second straight game with a knee injury suffered against the Dolphins, as Zach Mettenberger is set to start once again at quarterback. The former LSU standout is winless in six NFL starts, as Tennessee goes for its first road divisional victory since Week 16 of the 2013 season at Jacksonville.

Somehow, the Texans (2-5 SU, 2-5 ATS) sit one game behind the Colts for first place in the dreadful AFC South. Houston didn’t help its case for the top spot in the division after getting blown away at Miami last week, falling behind 41-0 at halftime in a 44-26 defeat as 4 ½-point underdogs. Brian Hoyer will make his third straight start at quarterback for the Texans, who have cashed the ‘over’ in four consecutive games. The Texans routed the Titans in a season sweep in 2014, including a 30-16 triumph at home.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

QB Mettenberger to start for Titans


NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Quarterback Marcus Mariota is close to a return from his knee injury, just not this week for the Tennessee Titans.

The Titans announced Friday that they will hold Mariota out for a second straight game Sunday. Zach Mettenberger will start at Houston.

''He made a lot of progress this week,'' coach Ken Whisenhunt said. ''I think he's close, but we're not going to play him this week. I think that's the best decision for him, and that's what we're going to go with.

''I think physically he's probably right on the line of being ready to go. But it's a tough enough position to play without getting the bulk of the reps, and that was part of it''

Mariota, who sprained the MCL in his left knee Oct. 17 against the Miami Dolphins, was limited to individual work in practice this week. Mariota may be on track to return to action on Nov. 8 when the Titans travel to face the New Orleans Saints.

''You've got to be careful about saying those things, because you never know when something could change, but where we are today, like I said about it, it's more of a function of not having gone enough in practice to feel comfortable with it,'' Whisenhunt said.

The Titans will turn to Mettenberger, who completed 22 of 35 passes in a 10-7 loss to Atlanta last week. Mettenberger threw for 187 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. The loss was Tennessee's fifth in a row and dropped Mettenberger to 0-7 as a starting quarterback in the NFL.

''You play the game to win,'' Mettenberger said. ''Losing is not fun. It's definitely not what I work for, and I'm just going to keep grinding until I can turn it around and get a win.''

The Titans also ruled out receiver Harry Douglas (rib cartilage) and cornerback Perrish Cox (hamstring) for the second straight game. Neither practiced at all this week for the Titans.

Safety Michael Griffin (knee) is probable and cornerback Jason McCourty (hamstring) questionable after practicing Friday, and Whisenhunt anticipated they would play against the Texans on Sunday.

Center Andy Gallik (concussion) returned to practice Friday. He is questionable and expected to receive final clearance from the NFL's concussion protocol later Friday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Manning, Rodgers headline rare meeting of 6-0 teams


DENVER (AP) At some point in every great athlete's career, he or she must deal with the reality that the best days are in the past.

Peyton Manning has reached that point.

Aaron Rodgers isn't there yet.

While some view Sunday's game as a rare chance to compare and contrast two great quarterbacks at different points on their career arcs, the quarterbacks themselves prefer to focus on the task at hand: Green Bay vs. Denver, each looking to improve to 7-0.

Neither is blind to the fact, however, that they have always been judged as thoroughly and harshly as anyone when they take the field - with everything from age, to arm strength, to decision-making among the factors being evaluated.

''You've got to continue to play at a high level,'' said Rodgers, now in his 11th season and, like Manning, still in search of his second Super Bowl ring. ''If you're an ascending player, you've got to stay on the rise. If you're near the end, you've got to avoid being a descending player.''

Manning, now 39 and in his 18th season, has struggled mightily to avoid looking like a player in decline. For all his difficulties - when asked about his stat line of seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions, he quipped, ''That's not breaking news'' - his team is still 6-0. With one more victory, Manning will match Brett Favre with the most regular-season wins for a starting quarterback at 186.

That Manning could do it against the team Favre won most of his games with is a mere coincidence - one the quarterback hasn't had much time to dwell on.

''I don't really get into what-ifs and hypotheticals,'' Manning said.

This is hardly the time to do it.

Manning's adjustment to new coach Gary Kubiak's offense has been ugly, filled with off-target throws, a few pick-6s and more than a few questions. The offense is ranked 29th.

It's Denver's top-ranked defense that's winning games for the Broncos, but while the unit led by Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware hums along, many expect the Denver offense to look a bit different coming out of a bye week. If the Broncos can't run the ball, logic says they should revert to a passing game that more resembles what Manning is comfortable in: shotgun looks, quick reads and quick slants, no more bootlegs or throwing on the run.

It would help if the line would block better, both for the 30th-ranked running game and to protect an immobile and fragile quarterback.

''We continue to, I don't want to use the word `search,' but some of the things we had going on personnel wise, we've become a little bit different football team - a three-wide and four-wide football team,'' Kubiak said. ''We're battling through that.''

Green Bay, meanwhile, is 6-0 largely because the team's star, Rodgers, is clicking along nicely.

He started the season with 11 touchdown passes and no interceptions to join Don Meredith and Manning as only the third QB to do that. Rodgers ranks either first or second in pretty much every important passing stat this season.

And yet, his offense has been at less than full strength because of injuries to receivers Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams. Last season, the Packers cracked the 35-point mark six times. This year, they've scored that many points just once. The Packers were heavily favored but didn't shine in home wins against St. Louis or San Diego, which caused some muttering in Wisconsin. Naturally, the quarterback took some of the heat.

''We're often in the crosshairs every Monday,'' Rodgers said. ''Whether it was a good game or a bad game. Pundits and experts have their opinions. It comes with the territory. We're both 6-0. It's tough to do. I know everyone's excited about that, especially NBC.''

Cris Collinsworth, who will call the game for the network Sunday night, is among the many being asked to break down the struggles Manning is enduring in what is increasingly looking like his last season.

''Does he have Aaron's arm? Not even close,'' Collinsworth said. ''But can he win a football game and win a championship with the way this team can play defense? Yeah, I think he can.''

While used to living under the microscope, Manning is also accustomed to being on one end of these marquee-quarterback meetings. While ''Manning-Rodgers 2'' opens the month of November - their only other meeting was a 34-14 Packers win over the Colts in 2008 - ''Manning-Brady 17'' will close it on Nov. 29.

After Denver's end-of-month meeting against Tom Brady and New England, football fans will have a better idea if this is the end for Manning, or merely a production dip caused by a rocky experiment with a new coach. Rodgers, in his prime now but closer to the end of his career than the beginning, calls Manning, quite simply, ''a legend.''

To him, this week's game has no bearing on that.

''He's done it for such a long time at a high level,'' Rodgers said. ''He's been the standard for quarterbacks, and pretty soon he's going to have just about all the records in our league, and that's pretty impressive.''

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers already in Broncos' heads

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) Aaron Rodgers is already in the Denver Broncos' heads.

By burning defenders early in the season, drawing linemen offside and then completing deep passes, Green Bay's star quarterback has members of the league's best defense focused on not falling prey to the best hard counter and free-play artist in the league.

''It's a little bit harder on the road because our crowd is going to be loud, so they're going to have to go silent count,'' Denver defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said. ''We've got a guy here who was great at that. John Elway was one of the best I've ever seen and this guy is comparable. He draws people offside, and when he does, he throws it deep and makes a big play.

''They've had six plays for over 200 yards drawing people offside. We're well aware of it. Our guys know it. I told our guys we're rushing the passer pretty well without jumping offside or without trying to jump the count. If we just do what we've been doing, we'll be all right.''

The Broncos, whose 26 sacks lead the league, surrendered a 47-yard completion on a Bonus Play in the fourth quarter at Cleveland in their last game when Malik Jackson jumped offside, allowing the Browns to hang around until overtime.

Rodgers has drawn defenders offside eight times this season and then thrown deep without repercussion.

Six times he made them pay with big completions downfield that totaled 210 yards, including TD throws of 29 and 27 yards. One of his deep passes fell incomplete and the Packers accepted the 5-yard penalty. The other time, Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman was whistled for a 52-yard pass interference infraction.

All of those plays occurred at Lambeau Field except for a 34-yard pass to James Jones in the Packers' opener at Chicago.

A lot like Peyton Manning, his counterpart in Sunday night's showdown between undefeated teams, Rodgers is also adept at catching defenses off-guard when they make substitutions. He'll call for a quick snap before a defender has retreated to the sideline, drawing a 12-men flag. He's caught four opponents so far, although one was wiped out by an offsetting penalty.

Only one of Rodgers' big Bonus Plays has come in the last month, showing that opponents have adjusted.

There's still a residual effect that's benefiting Green Bay, however.

When opponents are so cognizant of not jumping offside, ''it's going to slow down the rush a little bit,'' Rodgers said. ''Against a team like this that has great outside rushers and guys that really push the pocket inside, if they're worried about the snap count, that's definitely going to help us a little bit.''

Antonio Smith, one of a dozen Denver defenders with a sack so far, said ''the crowd's going to be our biggest ally this week. It's going to be I think just as important as any part of the game plan that we're going to put in is the amount of noise that we can generate out there on the field, to get him out of the hard counts and the snap counts and things like that.''

If defenders do get deked and jump offside, Smith said the key is to make sure they don't try to jump back because it's that pull-up that creates the space and time necessary for Rodgers to find his receivers deep, even against a star-studded secondary like Denver's.

''I'll say try not to jump as best as you can but whenever you do jump, don't stop,'' Smith said. ''And if the referee doesn't blow that whistle, tag him and he won't get no Bonus Play.''

Notes: Von Miller returned to practice Friday after missing a day to attend his grandfather's funeral in Dallas. ... LT Ty Sambrailo (shoulder) is doubtful for Sunday and WR Jordan Norwood questionable after he injured a hamstring Friday. ... The Broncos are honoring members of the `97 team that beat the Packers in the Super Bowl in festivities this weekend.

 

[multiple_scorgasms]

M & M handicapping 8-5 in NFL
4* chi +1
4* pit -1
4* stl +8
3* den +3
I was unavailable yesterday but u saw this morning they had temple, ncst, and WSU. 2-1 and 9-5 on the year

Correction that is sf +8

 

[tlknet]

My 10* NFL Week 8 Goin' Over Total is on the NYj/Oak Over at 4:05 ET.

Is this Ness?

 

[Crown]

Yes that is why it says Larry Ness above the post!

Is this Ness?

 

[vegasjoey]

Rainman please... maybe he will bounce back today.

 

[Patterson825]

CPAW those Billy Walters picks are those actually his picks?

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CPAW those Billy Walters picks are those actually his picks?

no way to say one way or the other unless we get one of his runners to confirm it.

 

[moneymike0835]

Moneyboyz... Is that otm sports on winnerline?? I buy kevin kennedy a lot but just fade him. Is fletch any good? Thanks

 

[MileenaWins]

Rainman please... maybe he will bounce back today.

He has a *10 play for today as well. His *10 plays are 7-1.

 

[MileenaWins]

Rainman:
10 star Jets
5 star GB

Thank you!

 

[vegasjoey]

He has a *10 play for today as well. His *10 plays are 7-1.

I know his record, I visit his site often. Just saying he lost his 10 yesterday I Hope he bounces back today.

 

[moneyboyz]

Fletch is very good no hassle just plays on a recording no one trying to sell u bullshit he wins 65-70% of his games he is a part of the winner line --- super 6 ten star on Oakland

 

[HotRocks]

I know his record, I visit his site often. Just saying he lost his 10 yesterday I Hope he bounces back today.

He lost it last week also, no way he's 7-1

 

[HotRocks]

Can't trust their websites, gotta find a place that actually keeps track of them

 

[MileenaWins]

He lost it last week also, no way he's 7-1

The last *10 play I have for him was Pitt in college football and it was a winner - but that was a few weeks ago.

 

[MileenaWins]

Wait, I think Toledo was also a 10* play and that was last weekend - also a winner.

 

[vegasjoey]

Originally Posted by Hot Rocks
He lost it last week also, no way he's 7-1



The last *10 play I have for him was Pitt in college football and it was a winner - but that was a few weeks ago.



Last Week he won with Toledo, when they came back in the 2nd half.