Teach
01-02-2019, 05:46 PM
Playoff-time in the NFL. One of my favorite times. For the first time, if I wish, I can make a sports bet at a local casino (In years past, I occasionally travelled to Vegas). I live a little over an hour from Twin Rivers in Lincoln, Rhode Island. Rhode Island also has another casino in Tiverton, that one is closer to the MA “South Coast” and Cape Cod. Both accept sports bets.
I like one game, in particular. It’s the second game on Sunday: 4:40 p.m.
My Sunday game is the Eagles vs. the Bears in Chi-town. Soldier Field (I’m sure there will be over 60,000 screaming fans, mostly Bears rooters). Last I saw the odds-makers had made the Bears 6-point favorites (-6 if you’re betting them). I’ll take it. I think they can cover. All they need is that one-touchdown margin. I never call anything “a lock,” but gee, it looks good. The weather in Chicago for Sunday calls for temps in the low-to-mid 40s and light winds. In other words, a fast track.
The Bears have one of the most formidable, if not the most formidable defense in the NFL. If there’s a weakness, it might be in their secondary. Yet they can put enough pressure on the quarterback to take some of the burden off their pass defenders.
Let’s face it, the defending Super Bowl champs, the Philadelphia Eagles, ain’t what they used to be. They’re vulnerable. “Saint Nick” Foles, who’s again filling in for Carson Wentz, has taken a couple rib “shots” in recent weeks. He could be tender in that rib-cage area, and I might add, a bit anxious about being hit again. The pressure will come. The Bears may feel that the key to their success is to put as much pressure on Foles, as possible. Nate Sudfeld is the Eagles back-up QB. Let’s face it: The Bears defense can be both intimidating and relentless. The earlier in the game they get to Foles, should they get to him, the more rattled he’s capable of becoming. This will be “no walk in the park” for the Eagles’ signal-caller. In a sense, he’ll have a target on his back. The more pressure the Bears can bring, the less effective he’s likely to be.
I should mention that both teams are banged up. The Eagles’ defensive end, Michael Bennett, one of their keys, comes into the game with injuries. At 33-years old, he appears to be slowing down; yet, if healthy, he’s capable of being a “difference-maker” on defense.
Yes, this is Bears’ quarterback, Mitchell Trubisky’s, first playoff game. How will he handle the pressure? I suspect that the Bears will have Trubisky’s throwing “bunnies,” short-range passes, early. That is, to get him into the flow, so to speak. Further, the Bears running back Tarik Cohen – he’s as shifty a running back as they come -- must come up big. In fact, he could very well be the key to the Bears offense. I believe he’ll need a minimum of 100 yards rushing (the Bears average 121 yds. on the ground) if Chicago is to prevail. You can add to that that the Bears wide-receivers are banged up.
Yet, the home-field advantage is a big plus. Yes, it’s the defense that wins championships. And that’s the Bear’s “signature,” this year. If the offense can do a modicum of good things, the Bears should win, and, in my opinion, cover the spread.
I like one game, in particular. It’s the second game on Sunday: 4:40 p.m.
My Sunday game is the Eagles vs. the Bears in Chi-town. Soldier Field (I’m sure there will be over 60,000 screaming fans, mostly Bears rooters). Last I saw the odds-makers had made the Bears 6-point favorites (-6 if you’re betting them). I’ll take it. I think they can cover. All they need is that one-touchdown margin. I never call anything “a lock,” but gee, it looks good. The weather in Chicago for Sunday calls for temps in the low-to-mid 40s and light winds. In other words, a fast track.
The Bears have one of the most formidable, if not the most formidable defense in the NFL. If there’s a weakness, it might be in their secondary. Yet they can put enough pressure on the quarterback to take some of the burden off their pass defenders.
Let’s face it, the defending Super Bowl champs, the Philadelphia Eagles, ain’t what they used to be. They’re vulnerable. “Saint Nick” Foles, who’s again filling in for Carson Wentz, has taken a couple rib “shots” in recent weeks. He could be tender in that rib-cage area, and I might add, a bit anxious about being hit again. The pressure will come. The Bears may feel that the key to their success is to put as much pressure on Foles, as possible. Nate Sudfeld is the Eagles back-up QB. Let’s face it: The Bears defense can be both intimidating and relentless. The earlier in the game they get to Foles, should they get to him, the more rattled he’s capable of becoming. This will be “no walk in the park” for the Eagles’ signal-caller. In a sense, he’ll have a target on his back. The more pressure the Bears can bring, the less effective he’s likely to be.
I should mention that both teams are banged up. The Eagles’ defensive end, Michael Bennett, one of their keys, comes into the game with injuries. At 33-years old, he appears to be slowing down; yet, if healthy, he’s capable of being a “difference-maker” on defense.
Yes, this is Bears’ quarterback, Mitchell Trubisky’s, first playoff game. How will he handle the pressure? I suspect that the Bears will have Trubisky’s throwing “bunnies,” short-range passes, early. That is, to get him into the flow, so to speak. Further, the Bears running back Tarik Cohen – he’s as shifty a running back as they come -- must come up big. In fact, he could very well be the key to the Bears offense. I believe he’ll need a minimum of 100 yards rushing (the Bears average 121 yds. on the ground) if Chicago is to prevail. You can add to that that the Bears wide-receivers are banged up.
Yet, the home-field advantage is a big plus. Yes, it’s the defense that wins championships. And that’s the Bear’s “signature,” this year. If the offense can do a modicum of good things, the Bears should win, and, in my opinion, cover the spread.