The NFL season starts tonight and I would like this to thread to be about professional FOOTBALL. It is most definitely NOT about
:
* Kneeling
* Nike
* Colin Kaepernik
* Donald Trump
* Boycotts
* Anything political.
If the above categories get you going, well God bless.But there are plenty of threads in both Sports and OT-General covering those topics or you can start your own thread.Can you dig it?
.Glad you agree.
It is most definitely about :
* Predictions
* News
* Gambling
* Players,coaches ,teams & games
* Playoffs
Last year I did my prognostication thing on the Thursday Night games.I like the TNF because the teams are usually meeting on more or less the same terms.The NFL tries to have the visiting team not have to travel that far, thus avoiding time zone fatigue and a team doesn't play on Thursday if they are just coming off a bye. The fewer differing factors between teams makes betting easier, though it's still not easy.
.Last year, I did OK ,going 19-9-2 (I do both the win and the over/under), finishing 8-5-2 in the win column and 11-4 on the O/U. For the spreads, I use the vegasinsider.com consensus of six Las Vegas sports books such as Wynn, MGM Mirage and Circus Circus (jk on that last one
),it's updated frequently,so the number I see when I do my choices is when I make the post.
Who do I like in the Super Bowl? I don't like the Patriots.They'll win the AFC East by default, although both Miami and the Jets have improved.But the Brady-Bellichik era is coming to an end.They could get to the Big Game because the AFC isn't up to much but Padre Time always wins and TB 12 is no different.Bellichik's arrogance may have worn out its welcome in Foxboro,especially after the Malcolm Butler fiasco.Players tolerated Bill because they knew they had a real shot at a ring but after all that effort only to come up short because the coach wanted to send a "message" (I guess when Butler retires, we'll finally get the truth) will not go over well.They lost Matt Patricia and several key role players.Not seeing them winning.
I think it will be the Steelers and the Falcons in the SB with Atlanta winning.The Falcons have had a year to recover from the trauma of blowing the Super Bowl 2 years ago and there's a lot of talent on that team.
As for tonight's game, the champion Philadelphia Eagles will hoist the flag, then play the Falcons at Philly. The spread as I write this is pick'em (opened at Eagles by 4) with an O/U of 44 1/2.I will take the Falcons and the over.The Eagles did a remarkable job of getting a journeyman like Nick Foles through the playoffs but eventually Cinderella's coach turns into a pumpkin and midnight is drawing nigh.I prefer the over most times but often the early season is a feeling out process that favors defense.Going to be a little contrarian with that thinking.I think we see a close game in the 27-23 range.
Let the games begin!
