Monday, Oct. 12
Quick name the hottest quarterback in pro football. It's journeyman Josh McCown. (Has there ever been a McCown at quarterback who wasn't a journeyman?).
McCown has topped 340 yards while throwing two touchdown passes in each of the last three games. The Browns are averaging 32 points a game during this span. Mike Pettine has turned into Don Coryell,.
No previous Cleveland Browns quarterback ever had thrown for 300 yards in three straight games. Somewhere Otto Graham is turning over in his grave.
It cost him another game, but Texans coach Bill O'Brien finally figured out that Brian Hoyer gives his team a chance to win, something Ryan Mallet doesn't do.
I wonder if my friend Steve Fezzik still has Seattle ranked No. 3 in his power rankings behind only New England and Green Bay?
The Seahawks are 0-3 on the road. Russell Wilson, probably the most mobile quarterback in the league, already has been sacked 22 times.
Tampa Bay ended an 11-game home losing streak beating Jacksonville. Blake Bortles threw for 303 yards and four touchdowns. But he was sacked six times. Up until this game, Bortles had been receiving decent pass protection. It's not a coincidence this was the Jaguars' first game without injured guard Brandon Linder, their best offensive lineman.
Baltimore and San Francisco meet this Sunday for the first time since their epic Super Bowl matchup of three seasons ago. The mighty have fallen. Each team is 1-4. The Ravens are lucky not to be 0-5, the beneficiaries of now deposed Josh Scobee's multiple missed field goals.
The Bills snuck past the Titans, but they aren't going to win many games if they are forced to employ the Bobbie and Boom running show with Bobbie Dixon and Boom Herron filling in for injured LeSean McCoy and Karlos Williams. Right now Tyrod Taylor is Buffalo's best running back.
Speaking of the Titans, I'm getting to the point where I can't stand Ken Whisenhunt and his conservative handling of Marcus Mariota.
Look Ken, your team still is bad. At least lose in style by daring to win instead of being ultra-conservative. Give Mariota a chance to make plays rather than punt all the time on fourth and short from inside midfield.
The Lions' Jim Caldwell is another worthless coach. Caldwell lost his team when he didn't speak out against getting ripped off in the loss to Seattle.
Stoicism may have worked for Chuck Noll when he had multiple Hall of Famers playing for him, but it doesn't work in today's NFL when many young players are forced to play due to free agency.
On the handicapping front, I have a Triple Star play on tonight's game between the Steelers and Chargers. I also have a baseball play. Both are together in a 2-for-1 special package and can be found here: /pregamepros/pro-bettor/bettor.aspx?id=7746#capper.
As always, let's have no bad luck!