The NFL season is one-quarter over, and is it off to the races or what?

The NFL season is one-quarter over, and is it off to the races or what?

2020 has seen the NFL break all kinds of offensive records. The most staggering stat so far is the points per game. The average scoring throughout the league is 51.3 points per game, the highest since the AFL and NFL merged in 1970. Last week the Browns and Cowboys put up 87 points, but the scoring did not stop there. The Buccaneers and Chargers put up 69, with 64 coming from the Saints and Lions. What is going on? Well, there was, in fact, no preseason; defenses were not able to get in the same kind of practice that offenses did. However, that is not the main reason; there are two more reasons why scoring is so rampant this year. No fans or small amounts of fans affect scoring, and the referees are also calling way fewer penalties. Thus far, through the first quarter, NFL games have had an average of 13.4 flags per game. This season has the lowest total for flag throwing since they started tracking the stat twenty years ago.  It is 28% less than this time last year. Fewer flags, no fans, is a dream for the bettor who likes to bet the over. Vegas does not like betting, so one-sided, the correction will come, so be mindful.

The first coach was fired, and I am shocked to say it was Bill O’Brien of the Texans. Did he deserve to be fired? Absolutely. He had a team that almost beat the Super Bowl-winning Chiefs in the playoffs last year. They are winless so far. No excuses. I’m more shocked that the Jets Adam Gase or the Falcons Dan Quinn have not been fired; combined, they are 0-8. I guess it’s more shocking that Dan Quinn hasn’t been fired; he has a talented team, playing well below expectations, where the Jets, with their talent, probably couldn’t beat Clemson or Alabama, the two best College teams in America. I think the most shocking thing so far is that through the first quarter, the Buffalo Bills hold a two-game advantage in the AFC East over the New England Patriots.

The Patriots dominated that division for the better part of the last 20 years. Maybe it was Brady all along?  Lots of Football left, and the Bills still must play the two teams the Pats fell to, the Seahawks and Chiefs are a combined 8-0.  What is not shocking is that the NFC East is the most laughable division again. The current leader is the Philadelphia Eagles, who have a losing record of 1-2-1.  That’s right, New York, you have hope to make the playoffs at 0-4, something that has only ever happened once, and that was 28 years ago. As far as my picks, bit of a rough week last week. Hoping to get back on track this week, but I must be insane to say once again, Dallas will win and cover and Atlanta as well. 

Players of the Week

Tom Brady, QB, Tampa Bay 
5 TD’S, 369 YDS, 1 INT          

Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati
3 TD’S, 181 YDS                                 

Robert Tonyan, TE, Green Bay
3 TD’S, 98 YDS

Why Are You Still In The NFL?

I so badly want to target Dan Quinn and the Atlanta Falcons. They are the runners up I guess. They lost to the undefeated 4-0 Green Bay Packers. So the winner goes to the Dallas Cowboys. But I can’t fault the Dallas Offense. Dak Prescott played close to lights out Football this past Sunday (4).  So is it Mike McCarthy, Headcoach, or is the Cowboys atrocious Defense, which gave up a laughable 49 points to a shorthanded Cleveland Browns team? It’s McCarthy, because in the end, he is responsible for the defense, and he should be fired for that botched trick play kick he attempted with just over 3:00 minutes to go, trailing by 3. Kick it deep and get a defensive stop. Don’t try and be pretty. You aren’t. Its football 101. 

Team of the Week

I can’t believe I am about to write this, but the Buffalo Bills, in my ranking system, beat out the Tampa Buccaneers for the team of the week. Tampa had a historic comeback against Los Angeles to win. The Bills went on the road to Vegas and won a much tougher game late.  The Buccaneers should never have had to come back for being down 24 – 7. Way to go, Buffalo!

Adam’s NFL week 5 picks  (4-8-1 last week, 27 – 28 – 2  season total)

Arizona Cardinals @ New York Jets
Arizona -7.0

Buffalo Bills @ Tennessee Titans
Tennessee +1.0

Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta -2.5

Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore -13.0

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans
Houston -6.0

Las Vegas Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs
Las Vegas +13.0

Los Angeles Rams @ Washington Football Team
Washington +7.5

Philadelphia Eagles @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh -7.0

Miami Dolphins @ San Francisco 49ers
Miami +8.0

Denver Broncos @ New England Patriots
New England -11.5

Indianapolis Colts @ Cleveland Browns
Cleveland +1.5

New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys
Dallas -9.5

Minnesota Vikings@ Seattle Seahawks
Minnesota +7

Los Angeles Chargers @ New Orleans Saints
San Diego +7.5

Adam Care/MS