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BetUS Week 12 Game Recaps and Thoughts
by Matthew
Wow, now that was a wacky week! There were several games that turned around late in terms of the spread, including the Rams-Texans, Chargers-Redskins and Panthers-Bills. All in all, it was not an easy week to predict, so let’s take a gander at what we learned, and try to apply it in lucky Week 13.
Panthers 13 Bills 9
J.P. Losman had it. He had a chance to really cement himself as a starting QB in the NFL. The sophomore threw the game away at the end, leaving Buffalo fans wondering what will be next season. Meanwhile, it wasn’t pretty but the Panthers got the job done. DeShaun Foster looked good, giving us food for thought about Stephen Davis’ future.
Bears 13 Tampa Bay 10
Chicago doesn’t even need a decent offense to win games, as they went into Tampa Bay and couldn’t produce anything with their attack. Yet, they come away with a win. The Bucs couldn’t get anything going and an easy missed field goal by Matt Bryant cost them this one.
Bengals 42 Ravens 29
A torrid start by Cincinnati was the difference here, as Baltimore did all of their scoring in garbage time. Even though Jamal Lewis finally showed up, Kyle Boller didn’t. Conversely, Carson Palmer is making a strong case for MVP.
Jaguars 24 Cardinals 17
It seems Jacksonville plays only well enough to win. That’s fine, provided they win the game! The Jaguars were not impressive here, but they did lose Byron Leftwich early on. Jonathan Garrard’s stats were not great, but he was very poised and clearly looks like a player who could start in this league. As for the Cards? Same old story, all passing, no rushing. Hey Dennis Green: remember the whole notion of a balanced attack?
Chiefs 26 Patriots 16
Kansas City rattled Tom Brady all afternoon, shocking when you consider that their defense can’t even pressure a Division III offense. Bottom line is the Pats don’t have a lot to play for right now being in a terrible division and the Chiefs are fighting an uphill battle to make the playoffs.
Dolphins 33 Raiders 21
Unlike the Jags, Oakland does just enough to lose games. Miami pounded a great running game and made Kerry Collins look like, well, Kerry Collins! One week the Raider defense shows up and then the next two weeks it doesn’t. At any rate, while they both have the same record, the Dolphins are clearly headed in a more positive direction.
Vikings 24 Browns 12
BetUS’ our expert picked Minnesota two weeks ago to make the playoffs and he is looking a lot better right now. Minnesota got some good aerial numbers from Brad Johnson. Defensively, the Vikings made sure that Trent Dilfer played like Trent Dilfer.
Eagles 19 Packers 14
Samkon Gado had a great day, but somehow the Eagles actually ran the ball! I know, it seems unlikely, but Philly rushed their way to a win here. Brett Favre has gone from legendary to erratic. Time to pack it in for him.
Chargers 23 Redskins 17 (OT)
San Diego overcame a bad day by Drew Brees and rode LaDanian to a win. Washington was definitely overrated at 5-4. Their current 5-6 record suits them much more. Clinton Portis was not good enough, especially in a Joe Gibbs offense. Once again, the Skins blew a second half lead. At least they’re consistent.
Rams 33 Texans 27 (OT)
Who in the blue blazes is Ryan Fitzpatrick and where has St. Louis been hiding him. Over 300 yards passing and a miracle comeback? Are you kidding me? Wait, let’s not forget this was versus the worst team in the league. Houston must really want that number one pick, blowing a 17-point lead late in the fourth quarter.
Titans 33 49ers 22
This is what puzzles me about the NFL. How can Steve McNair be dormant for most of the season and then come out like it’s 1999 and light it up? Yes, San Francisco is not a good team. Yet, their defense had been playing well recently. As for San Francisco? They have to abandon the whole Kevan Barlow plan and go with Maurice Hicks already.
Seattle 24 Giants 21 (OT)
Ouch, the life of a kicker is rough. I don’t know how these guys aren’t on heavy medication. Jay Feely had been one of the top kickers all season for New York. He missed three kicks in this one, including one in overtime. All of his great work this year is forgotten. This was a well-played game, one where the Seahawks showed they can beat good teams.
Saints 21 Jets 19
Sloppy game management cost the Jets a chance to win this one with a field goal. Brooks Bollinger was good, but it wasn’t enough. If you look at the game stats, it’s hard to understand why the Jets lost. They didn’t turn the ball over, had more total yards and lead in time of possession. Oh well, a loss is a loss and now at least they can think about getting a top pick.
Colts 26 Steelers 7
A very predictable outcome, with this one over when the Colts recovered an onside kick to start the third quarter. Indy remains undefeated and Pittsburgh is now in a dog fight to make the postseason.
Comments and Questions can be sent to Matthew@BetUS.com.