Couldve been worse Tony.....after suffering with the Rams (fortunately wasnt there on Saturday - thank you Mrs Shark) i then had to endure my Redskins getting trashed 47-3 by the mighty Carolina Panthers...if that had been shown live, I think you would all be holding a moments silence in my memory now....jeez.....talk about picking great teams to follow.....urrrrrrgh.

Full post tomorrow....

Week 3 Preseason - Scores, Updates and Review
 

Some very eyebrow raising scores to digest from week 3 of the preseason...as well as a fair few significant injuries to report. To the results first :

San Fransisco 49ers 37 - 30 Chicago Bears
Philadelphia Eagles 27 - 17 New England Patriots
Atlanta Falcons 17 - 3 Tennessee Titans
Dallas Cowboys 23 - 22 Houston Texans
Denver Broncos 24 - 27 Green Bay Packers
Detroit Lions 26 - 6 Cleveland Browns
New York Jets 10 - 7 New York Giants
Miami Dolphins 24 - 0 Kansas City Chiefs
Carolina Panthers 47 - 3 Washington Redskins
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17 - 23 Jacksonville Jaguars
Cincinatti Bengals 0 - 13 New Orleans Saints
Minnesota Vikings 10 - 12 Pittsburgh Steelers
St Louis Rams 24 - 10 Baltimore Ravens
Oakland Raiders 0 - 24 Arizona Cardinals
Indianapolis Colts 7 - 20 Buffalo Bills
San Diego Chargers 18 - 17 Seattle Seahawks

Week 3 Scores Review

Some standout scores here - Carolina's demolition of Washington, another New England Patriots loss, another Indianapolis loss, a shutout Miami win all being "WTF" kinda scores.

The Patriots will not be ringing alarm bells at all just yet, but they will not like going 0 (wins) and 3 (losses) in their three games so far. Tom Brady, the NFL's #1 stud QB is still battling a nagging injury and hasnt played at all so far. Their first choice offence has played a few series but it just doesnt look right so far for the Pats....one preseason game left and they will wanna see signs of it starting to click.

Very much the same for the Colts - they are Peyton Manning-less and his injury seems a touch more serious than Brady's - though all reports out of Indy say he will be fine for their first regular season game. But the offence has looked very impotent so far and that cannot all be attributed to the lack of Manning under centre. The worry for the Colts here is they are in a very tough division - arguably the toughest in the NFL. If they dont hit the ground running, their recent dominance could well be under threat, especially by the Jacksonville Jaguars

No doubting that Miami will get the headlines - for a team who only won 1 out of 16 regular season games last season (one of the worst records ever in NFL history) they have won 2 out of 3 preseason games and Chad Pennington seems to be doing well as new QB at the Fins. A shutout is always a fine effort in any NFL game and whilst the Chiefs arent the strongest of opposition, they arent the weakest either.

Amazingly, only the Detroit Lions have won all their preseason games so far - the Patriots, Browns and Bears are yet to pick up a win of any note so far also.

It should be noted that as said, the preseason games are more for testing out squad depth and making final cuts/tweaks to teams rosters than being a sign of what is to come. Still not nice seeing a L against your team name though....

Couple of big injury blows - the New York Giants have lost one of their key defensive men for the season after an injury sustained in the loss to the Jets - Osi Umenyiora needs knee surgery and this is huge as he was the leading sack getter for the Big Blue in their SB winning season last year. Expect the Giants to trade to cover this huge loss to their D

As well as high profile QB injuries to Brady (Patriots) and Manning (Colts), the Vikings still have injury concerns over their starting QB, Tavaris Jackson, while Derek Anderson of the Browns has still not been cleared to resume training following his concussion. On the other side of the coin, the QB's of the Eagles (McNabb) and Chargers (Rivers) seem to have overcome their own injury worries gained last year and both look set and healthy to lead their teams into battle.

Cincinatti big name WR Chad Johnson needs shoulder surgery but is refusing to have it, as he knows that will pretty much spell the end of his season also. How this impacts on his selection/performance remains to be seen, but expecy opposing defences to target his shoulder and show him no mercy if he does line up against them.

One more week of preseason action to go, the final rosters are announced, then we are underway.........!!!!!!!!

The Shark's Divisional Review (5)
 

We move into the AFC, and start with the AFC East

AFC EAST DIVISION - Teams : New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets

Last Season :

1. New England Patriots 16-0 - Lost in Superbowl to N Y Giants
2. Buffalo Bills 7-9 - Didnt Qualify for Playoffs
3. New York Jets 4-12 - DNQ
4. Miami Dolphins 1-15 - DNQ

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

The Patriots were one game away from history last season, and many/most people still cannot believe they did not achieve NFL perfection and go through the whole season unbeaten and end up as World Champs. They broke countless records and will go down anyway as one of the most complete teams ever. But that was last season...what about this season? On offense, not much has changed - QB Tom Brady will still throw the ball about with alarming accuracy to his awesome WR corps which boasts the mercurial Randy Moss - they will run the ball to great effect when needed, mostly via Laurence Maroney, but ably assisted by a couple of good backup RB's, and will score points aplenty. But word is that Brady is struggling with a foot injury and the preseason has shown that nullify Brady, and you nullify alot of the Pats offense. Exactly how the Giants beat them. Also, there is no doubt they are not as string defensively, with age finally catching up with their excellent but aging Linebackers and Secondary. The Pats will still be the team to beat to win this years SB, but wont be as dominant this time around

Offensive Rating : 10/10 - as good as it gets IF Brady is fully fit
Defensive Rating : 8/10 - lower than last year

My Prediction :

Playoff football a certainty in New England again, but they have missed their chance to create NFL history.

BUFFALO BILLS

The Bills always seem to be so close to being a break out team, but cant get close to the Patriots and always have an achilles heel that ultimately restricts them from being a really good side. Traditionally a strong running team the current Bills are no exception, with stud RB Marshawn Lynch nailed on to be one of the leagues top rushers. The passing game remains weak though and while the Bills D will keep the opposition honest, they will end up somewhere around .500 again. Watch for this team relocating soon to Canada also...that will be massive news for the NFL and the Bills.

Offensive Rating : 6.5/10
Defensive Rating : 7/10

My Prediction : Not many teams will enjoy playing the Bills, but again their limitations will prevent them making the post season.

MIAMI DOLPHINS

As good as the Patriots were last season, the Dolphins were as bad. They truly were a shambles of an organisation - unlucky when they lost a hot Ronnie Brown (RB) to a season ending injury around week 6, and then serious problems in nigh on every other position possible. But every cloud has a silver one, and in the Dolphins case it was they had the number 1 draft pick which they wasted no time in using on the star collegiate QB Matt Ryan. He wont start for the Fins this year, that honour will go to newly acquired QB Chad Pennington, formerly of the Jets, but should become a franchise QB in time. The Fins also have back Ricky Williams, a one time superstar RB who was banned for drug abuse, but in no way can all the holes have been filled so quickly.

Offensive Rating : 4/10
Defensive Rating : 5/10

My Prediction : Better in Miami but many more losses to endure than wins to celebrate. Will be more competative though.

NEW YORK JETS

Every sentence about the Jets has the words "Brett Favre" in it - maybe rightly so. The Jets were a team plodding along - very limited with the occasional good performance. It is dubious that Favre can turn it around wholly by himself, but he does have some decent weapons at his disposal. Coles and Cotchery are two good WR's, whilst Thomas Jones has potential to be a good RB. Defensively they are adequate, but you just dont get the feeling about the Jets - plus Favre has one - two at most - seasons in him...what then?

Offensive Rating : 6/10
Defensive Rating : 5/10

My Prediction : Alot of attention to the New York Bretts, but not because of their winning record or playoff football. Fight with Miami to prop up the division only.

AFC EAST OVERALL

Nothing really to stop the Patriots here, unless Brady is out for a while and the Bills come good. Neither of those likely to happen big enough to prevent New England taking the division easily though, while the Bills will again chase them home but a fair few wins behind. The Jets and Dolphins will battle out the minor places but suffer more losses than wins.

1. Patriots
2. Bills
3. Dolphins
4. Jets

The Shark's Divisional Review (6)
 

We plough on relentlessly as we go into the murky world of the AFC South

AFC SOUTH DIVISION - Teams : Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans

Last Season :

1. Indianapolis Colts 13-3 - Lost to San Diego in Divisional Playoffs
2. Jacksonville Jaguars 11-5 - Lost to New England in Divisional Playoffs
3. Tennessee Titans 10-6 - Lost to San Diego in Wildcard Game
4. Houston Texans 8-8 - DNQ

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

The Colts can count themselves pretty unlucky they have had the New England Patriots to deal with, as well as being in the AFC, as in pretty much any other era they would have more than the one Superbowl to their name in recent years and would have been the dominant force. They are still very strong, but the first signs of cracks have appeared on both sides of the ball. Peyton Manning is struggling to be fit for the start of the season, and long time stud WR Marvin Harrison is now getting on abit and coming off an injury riddled season. Indy still boast Reggie Wayne (WR), Joseph Addai (RB) and Dallas Clark at TE though as big go to guys - but as with New England, it is all dependant on Manning. The defense isnt what it was, and the Colts are in a very rough, tough division. You wouldnt back against them at this point, but you wouldnt back them with much confidence either.

Offensive Rating : 9.5/10
Defensive Rating : 8/10

My Prediction : First four or five games will be crucial for the Colts. They normally get off to a hot start...i just wonder if they can do it again. Will make the postseason....as divisional champs though?

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Could they be ready to displace the Colts atop the AFC South? They were close last season, and have lost nothing this season it seems. David Garrard at QB is one of the most consistent, dependable and durable QB's around, they have about the best RB committee, with Fred Taylor working so well in tandem with Maurice Jones-Drew...the WR corps isnt the best - no real deep threat here though plenty of short yardage gains to be had...but the Jags defense are where they really hurt teams - very physical, in your face and can stuff the run as well as nullify the pass. Head Coach Jack Del Rio has been very bullish about his teams chances this season and alot is expected of them - especially in piling on the pressure on a possibly creaking Colts. Definitely a team to watch.

Offensive Rating : 8.5/10
Defensive Rating : 9/10

My Prediction : Hard to predict they will topple the Colts, but if they get their noses in front they will be hard to displace. Again, first 4/5 games crucial, and the 2 games against the Colts will be huge.

TENNESSEE TITANS

You will watch the Titans one week and think "how do they ever lose"...then watch them another week and think "how do they ever win". Head Coach Jeff Fisher has built very much a team rather than a squad of individuals, although QB Vince Young has the potential to become of the NFL's premier QB's. Main RB for the Titans LenDale White is solid rather than spectacular, and again they have a Defense that gets the job done rather than wins games - they are especially good against the run though. Hard to quantify exactly where the Titans are at in their division...not as potent as the Colts or as powerful as the Jags....but not that far away either.

Offensive Rating : 7/10
Defensive Rating : 8/10

My Prediction : I think the Titans will fall short in the playoff race this year but will not be far away at all.

HOUSTON TEXANS

This relatively new franchise has done remarkably well to compete in this mother of all divisions...QB Matt Schaub is a highly talented player who has one of the leagues best WR's to pass to in Andre Johnson - though again Johnson is coming off an injury riddled season and needs to be back to full fitness to give the teams the yards and points they will expect from him. If, and it is a big if, the Texans can win a decent percentage of their divisional games, they could spring a surprise here, with a decent looking schedule. But with 3 such tough divisional opponents to contend with, it will probably be another creditable failure of a season.

Offensive Rating : 7/10
Defensive Rating : 7/10

My Prediction : Competative as always, but just not good enough. Yet.

AFC SOUTH OVERALL

Along with the NFC East the hardest division to predict. I may go out on a limb here and tip the Jags to pip the Colts to the division, with both the Titans and the Texans running them close - but this really could be perm any 2 of 4 for the playoffs...and even possibly like last season any 3 of 4.

1. Jaguars
2. Colts
3. Titans
4. Texans

Great Post again Sharky........:eat: ..:clap:

No thanks needed Benny.....but thanks mateo:D

The Shark's Divisional Review (7)
 

Days are ticking by fast now...so we continue on to....the AFC West

AFC WEST DIVISION - Teams : San Diego Chargers, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders

Last Season :

1. San Diego Chargers 11-5 - Lost in Conference Championship game to NE.
2. Denver Broncos 7-9 - DNQ
3. Kansas City Chiefs 4-12 - DNQ
4. Oakland Raiders 4-12 - DNQ

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

The Bolts are the standout team of this division - that hasnt always been the case, but at the moment have the other three teams in their wake. This is primarily down to them have THE best RB in the NFL in LaDanian Tomlinson. The guy has been a TD machine and churns out the yards season in season out. For how much longer we dont know, but LT is still to be feared and at times is just unplayable. The passing game is okay but not great - QB Phillip Rivers can be inconsistent but has now got a decent passing corps to throw to - most notably Chris Chambers at WR and Antonio Gates at TE. A big part of the Bolts success though comes from their excellent defense...measly against the run and the secondary is explosive - CB Antonio Cromartie always a threay when the ball is thrown in his direction and he returned many a INT for a TD last season - he even returned a missed Field Goal for a 119 yard TD...a record that can only ever be matched...never broken. Expect another good showing from the Chargers this season...how far it will carry them is questionable, but if they all stay healthy, this is a dangerous team

Offensive Rating : 9.5/10
Defensive Rating : 9/10

My Prediction - Playoff football a certainty again for SD by winning their division.

DENVER BRONCOS

Denver threaten much but have found it hard to deliver in recent seasons, but remain a very awkward opponent at times. They are a solid if unspectacular unit, with a habit of finding excellent young RB's that are the basis of their offence. They had one this year in Ryan Torain, but have lost him already to injury - this means that the running game will centre around Selvin Young...good but not great. QB Jay Cutler blows very hot and cold, with only really Brandon Marshall as a go-to WR - and he is suspended for a few games. Denver's defence is average...you cant see much happening for experienced HC Mike Shanahan as it stands at the moment.

Offensive Rating : 6.5/10
Defensive Rating : 6/10

My Prediction : Nothing doing for the Broncos this year...in pretty much any way.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

The Chiefs lost stud RB Larry Johnson to injury last season and boy did it show. Problems at QB, no real depth at RB, only Dwayne Bowe showed any real zip at WR, though Tony Gonzalez remains a good option at TE. The good news for the Chiefs is that Johnson appears to be back and fit - but whether he can turn a 4-12 team into a playoff challenging team is highly unlikely. The Chiefs seem to be a team regressing and entering transition - a 24-0 loss to the Dolphins preseason speaks volumes. Many people will be looking for the Cheifs game on the weekend slips and backing whichever team opposes them...it could be a successful ploy.

Offensive Rating : 6/10 - About 3 of those points for LJ alone!
Defensive Rating : 5/10

My Prediction : The Chiefs will need more Indians before they make any impact in their division.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

For a few years now the Silver n Black have had it pretty rough....but the signs are that they could be coming out of transition and starting to get back to competative ways. Rookie QB JaMarcus Russell shows signs of excellence, and they have picked up stud rookie RB sensation Darren McFadden to bolster an already decent RB committee. They have acquired Javon Walker at WR, who if he gets his head sorted out is a very good player and he and Ronald Curry will need to stay active to give Russell any chance of turning the Raiders around. The Defense is not so bad...but needs the offense to stay on the field and put some points on the board to keep them honest. They wont be good enough to get close to the Chargers yet, but could get closer to .500, which will be a decent bit of progress for one of the leagues worst sides over recent years.

Offensive Rating : 5/10 - but could be a 7 or 8 if these rookies click and quick.
Defensive Rating : 5.5/10

My Prediction : Could slide past the Chiefs into 3rd place in the division and take a step forward from the horrors of previous seasons.

AFC WEST OVERALL

LT and the Chargers have this pretty weak division at their mercy and should stroll it by 3 or 4 games. Denver will have their moments, while the Raiders should improve, but the Chiefs could well be this seasons Miami if they are not careful.

1. Chargers
2. Broncos
3. Raiders
4. Chiefs

The Shark's Divisional Review (8)
 

Last, and certainly not least, the AFC North

AFC NORTH DIVISION - Teams : Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Cincinatti Bengals, Baltimore Ravens

Last Season :

1. Pittsburgh Steelers 10-6 - Lost to NE Patriots in Divisional Playoff game
2. Cleveland Browns 10-6 - DNQ
3. Cincinatti Bengals 7-9 - DNQ
4. Baltimore Ravens 5-11 - DNQ

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Alot of the pieces are in place for the Steelers....a top notch young versatile QB in "Big" Ben Roethlisberger, an excellent experienced RB in Willie Parker with a young rookie star of the future RB backing him up in Rashard Mendenhall - a talented WR corps that includes short gain/safe hands Hines Ward and genuine deep threat in Santonio Holmes, and a very good aggressive defence that stuffs the run and protects the pass. But there seems to be something missing, that no one can quite put their finger on with the Steelers, that stops them from becoming a consistent playoff losing team to a franchise team of its generation. HC Mike Tomlin will be hoping he can find the solution that corrects the fact that this historical giant of a team has made only 2 Superbowl apperances since the glory days of the Steel Curtain teams of the 70's. A rough looking schedule may hinder them this season.

Offensive Rating : 9/10
Defensive Rating : 9/10

My Prediction : Will win more than they lose, and should make the postseason, but i fear (again) they will find two or three better than them in the AFC

CLEVELAND BROWNS

Cleveland were a team going nowhere fast until a stunning 51-45 win over the Bengals ignited their season, and Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards suddenly became the NFL's hottest QB/WR duo - well, one of them anyway. The Browns missed out on the playoffs by the narrowest of margins but were widely lauded for their efforts and spectacular offensive play. The question is, was it a one-off or are they the real thing? Opinion seems to be divided, and its been recognised that the Browns starting line up is ultra competative...but is there the strength in depth. Derek Anderson seems to be recovering from a preseason concussion and RB Jamal Lewis is healthy also. They have focused on their flimsy defence in the close season and strengthened it....but they also have a very rough schedule ahead of them and will need a good start to make an impact like last season. Should still be fun watching the Browns...but expectations need to be kept in check for a while.

Offensive Rating : 9/10 (when all fit)
Defensive Rating : 7/10

My Prediction : Some big scores again for Browns games, but i cant see them making the postseason.

CINCINATTI BENGALS

Another team with a spectacular passing offense that can put points on the board very quickly almost at will, with Carson Palmer firing bullets to stud WR's Chad Johnson and TJ Houshmanzadeh - but Chad Johnson has injury concerns and TJ Housh hasnt made a pre season appearance as yet. The Tigers running game is stuttery at best, though potentially good with Rudi Johnson getting the carries - but behind a flimsy offensive line there aint much there. The defense is worse, allowing teams to run and pass on them at will, and it is here that really scuppers the Bengals chances. Like the Browns they will be involved in some cricket score games, but unless they can stop teams from getting into the endzone, they will be on the wrong end of most of them

Offensive Rating : 8.5/10
Defensive Rating : 5/10

My Prediction : Same as Cleveland.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

The Ravens won the Superbowl a few years ago on the back of a stifling defense that was almost impossible to break down. The legacy of that all time Defense lives on in Baltimore, though the current D is not at the same level. The problem with the current Ravens however is on the other side of the ball....and hugely stuttering offense that relies heavily on the talents of young RB Willis McGahee, but he is currently injured and even if he wasnt, its still very hard work otherwise. QB Kyle Boller struggles to find his receivers, and when he does, its often not for much yardage at all. Until the Ravens can find a way to put points on the board, they arent gonna win many games.

Offensive Rating : 5/10 (McGahee, when fit, apart)
Defensive Rating : 8/10

My Prediction : Another season of struggle for the Ravens.

AFC NORTH OVERALL :

The Steelers should prevail again here, though how easy/hard it is to win the division i feel rests in their own hands. The frailties of the Browns and Bengals are there for all to see, and in a season where they face off against the NFC East teams as well as their own division, a winning season could be beyond them. The Ravens looked to have seriously clipped wings at the moment..its Pittsburgh's for the taking.

1. Steelers
2. Bengals
3. Browns
4. Ravens

NFL live on Sky Sports
Bet £10 and get £40 free.

NY Giants: kick-off Sky's live coverage

Sky Sports and NFL UK today announced the first live televised matches for the 2008-2009 NFL season.

Each week, gridiron fans will be able to watch up to five Sunday night games and one 'Monday Night Football' game.

Coverage also includes every game live from the playoffs, Super Bowl XLIII and the second International Series match at Wembley Stadium between San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints in October.

The coverage for the 2008-2009 NFL season on Sky Sports comprises:

SUNDAY - Live Sunday evening 'triple-headers' throughout the regular season

MONDAY - Live HD 'Monday Night Football' each week

INTERACTIVE - Two extra live Sunday night regular season games via the red button

PLAY-OFFS - Every game exclusively live from the post-season

SUPER BOWL - Live HD coverage of the big game from Tampa on 1 February 2009

WEMBLEY GAME - Live HD coverage of the San Diego Chargers against New Orleans Saints

EXTRA MATCHES - Pro Bowl, Thanksgiving Day, Thursday and Saturday night matches live

SUPPORT - 'NFL Total Access' six nights a week; 'NFL Gameday' and 'NFL Top 10' each week, plus 'America's Game' Super Bowl series

Coverage will be presented by Kevin Cadle and Nick Halling, who will be joined by a host of studio guests throughout the season.

Karl Baumann, Sky Sports' producer for American Football, said: "There are some fantastic match-ups this year and with up to five live matches each Sunday, plus our great range of support programming, gridiron fans across the UK and Ireland will have unrivalled choice throughout the regular and post-season."

Sky Sports' regular season coverage begins with the annual NFL 'Kick-off' match between Super Bowl champions New York Giants and Washington Redskins on Thursday 4 September.

Throughout the regular season a 'triple-header' of live games will be screened from 6pm with an additional two games available (6pm and 9pm) on the interactive service activated by pressing the red button on the Sky digital remote.

These games are part of our enhanced coverage each Sunday, which will include rolling highlights and match stats plus live scores from around the league for those with Sky digital.

Monday Night Football, featuring the NFL's popular commentary duo of Al Michaels and John Madden, will feature each week commencing on Monday 8 September.

Sky Sports will also show live coverage of the three 'Thanksgiving Day' matches in November, additional games scheduled on Thursday and Saturday nights plus the all-star Pro Bowl match in Hawaii one week after the Super Bowl.

Viewers will also be able to enjoy every playoff match exclusively live together with live high definition coverage of Super Bowl XLIII, which this season will be played at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on 1 February 2009.

For those that wish to keep up to date on daily news, views and analysis, Sky will be screening an expanded extensive support programming including 'NFL Total Access' six nights a week, plus weekly shows including 'NFL Gameday' and 'NFL Top 10', as well as the 'America's Game' Super Bowl documentary series.

Sky Sports' NFL live fixtures

WEEK ONE

Thursday 4 Sept
Washington Redskins @ New York Giants
12.00am

Sunday 7 Sept
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints
6.00pm


Sunday 7 Sept
New York Jets @ Miami Dolphins
6.00pm i


Sunday 7 Sept
Dallas Cowboys @ Cleveland Browns
9.00pm

Sunday 7 Sept
Carolina Panthers @ San Diego Chargers
9.00pm i


Sunday 7 Sept
Chicago Bears @ Indianapolis Colts
1.00am

Monday 8 Sept
Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers
12.00am

Monday 8 Sept
Denver Broncos @ Oakland Raiders
3.00am

WEEK TWO

Sunday 14 Sept
Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions
6.00pm

Sunday 14 Sept
Indianapolis Colts @ Minnesota Vikings
6.00pm i

Sunday 14 Sept
New England Patriots @ New York Jets
9.00pm

Sunday 14 Sept
San Diego Chargers @ Denver Broncos
9.00pm i

Sunday 14 Sept
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns
1.00am

Sunday 14 Sept
Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys
1.30am

WEEK THREE

Sunday 21 Sept
Cincinnati Bengals @ New York Giants
6.00pm

Sunday 21 Sept
Houston Texans @ Tennessee Titans
6.00pm i

Sunday 21 Sept
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts
9.00pm

Sunday 21 Sept
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Philadelphia Eagles
9.00pm i

Sunday 21 Sept
Dallas Cowboys @ Green Bay Packers
1.00am

Sunday 21 Sept
New York Jets @ San Diego Chargers
1.30am

WEEK FOUR

Sunday 28 Sept
Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals
6.00pm

Sunday 28 Sept
San Francisco 49ers @ New Orleans Saints
6.00pm i

Sunday 28 Sept
Washington Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys
9.00pm

Sunday 28 Sept
Buffalo Bills @ St Louis Rams
9.00pm i

Sunday 28 Sept
Philadelphia Eagles @ Chicago Bears
1.00am

Sunday 28 Sept
Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers
1.30am

The Shark's AntePost Superbowl Market Prediction
 

OK, Now I have reviewed all 8 divisions and predicted pretty much who I believe will qualify for the end of season playoffs, its now time to seek out the value in the antepost market for the Superbowl and Conference Championships.

Here is the updated market prices (Laddies)

New England Patriots 5/2
Indianapolis Colts 7/1
Dallas Cowboys 15/2
San Diego Chargers 8/1
Jacksonville Jaguars 14/1
New Orleans Saints 20/1
Philadelphia Eagles 20/1
New York Giants 22/1
Minnesota Vikings 25/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 25/1
Seattle Seahawks 25/1
Cleveland Browns 33/1
Green Bay Packers 33/1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 33/1
Carolina Panthers 40/1
Denver Broncos 40/1
Tennessee Titans 40/1
Washington Redskins 40/1
Arizona Cardinals 50/1
Chicago Bears 50/1
Cincinnati Bengals 50/1
Detroit Lions 66/1
Houston Texans 66/1
New York Jets 66/1
Baltimore Ravens 80/1
St Louis Rams 80/1
Buffalo Bills 100/1
Kansas City Chiefs 100/1
Oakland Raiders 100/1
San Francisco 49ers 100/1
Atlanta Falcons 200/1
Miami Dolphins 200/1

It is interesting to note that Dallas have shortened a few points since the last show and they are the only NFC team in the top 5 of the betting market, although the NFC is well represented thereafter.

Value here is still Minnesota Vikings e/w at 25/1. E/W bet in the Superbowl market is 1/2 the odds first two, so basically you are getting 12.5/1 on the Vikings just getting to the SB - or essentially being the NFC representative in the SB. Ladbrokes do run a market to win the Conference, and in this market the Vikings are 10/1 behind the Cowboys (10/3), Saints/Giants/Eagles (all 9/1). If you win the Conference you are in the SB, in which case our bet would stand up at a minimum of 12.5/1, and as I have reviewed, the Vikings are looking mighty good this season behind an excellent Defense and offensive running game.

There is no doubt that the Patriots remain the best all round team in the NFL, but they do have injury problems for the start of the season, have lost all 4 preseason games, and are no value at 5/2. Indianapolis are better value at 7/1, but again I would like to see their offense back to full fitness before tipping them with confidence - they also would need home field advantage in the playoffs as they play indoors, whereas all of their main rivals are outdoor field teams - and in January this can often mean wet/cold/snowy conditions which do not suit the Colts and have hamstrung their SB chances before. I would like the 14/1 on the Jaguars alot if they were not in such a rough division, so I will tip up the 8/1 San Diego Chargers for winning the big dance. Only New England stood between the Bolts and a SB appearance last season, which included a win over the Colts in the round before for the Chargers. They have a great Defense, an all pro RB in LaDainian Tomlinson, a much improved WR corps and, when fit, a stud TE. If Phillip Rivers can guide the passing game accurately to take advantage of teams intent on stopping the run of LT, the Chargers will have it all.

For a couple of outside bets, I would look at New Orleans Saints (20/1), Pittsburgh Steelers (25/1) and Arizona Cardinals at 50/1. All these teams are very potent on offense and, certainly in the case of the Steelers, no mugs on defense.

Laddies, amongst many other markets, are also offering antepost odds on teams just to make the playoffs. There is a treble here that has really caught my eye, which to me looks terrific value :

Vikings EVS
Jaguars EVS
Steelers 8/11

By my reckoning that pays about 6/7 to 1 on the accumulator, just for the teams to make the playoffs alone. With the Steelers and Vikings highly likely to win their respective divisions, it means the Jaguars will either need to finish above Indianapolis or, in all likelihood, have the next or second best record after the records of the Patriots, Colts, Steelers and Chargers, which should be very attainable.

So overall, my tips are :

San Diego Chargers 4 pts win SB @ 8/1
Minnesota Vikings 2 pts E/W win SB @ 25/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 1 pt E/W win SB @ 25/1

5 pts accumulator on Minnesota, Jacksonville and Pittsburgh to make the playoffs at (ish) 7/1

Dont forget the weekly individual game lines and handicaps, and we'll look at Week 1 games of the Regular season next week.

HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!!!!!

great post sharky ..glk uso:D

Superb stuff Sharky....
 

Think you're wise to select NFC teams Tony - its definitely more open than the AFC and i think both of your selections will give you a fine run for your money....no kind of Redskins fan could ever bring himself to acknowledge the Cowpats but it is a decent bet. The Saints could be anything this year.....its just a shame the city is being vacated for the hurricane about to hit it, this could mean the Saints will need to relocate their games for a while and of course their home games wont have as many Saints fans there if they have to. Could have a bearing on their season...lets hope it doesnt.

Week 1 Regular Season
 

The season proper kicks off Thursday night, when the Washington Redskins travel to the New York Giants for the first game of the NFL regular season.

Most of the games then take place on Sunday night, with one Monday night game held over. There are also two games on Tuesday for Week 1

Here are week 1's fixtures, along with match odds for the win - please note for the NFL the HOME team is listed SECOND (eg it is Washington at the New York Giants).

Friday 4th September - Midnight
Washington Redskins 13/8 New York Giants 1/2

Sunday 7th of September, 2008

18:00 Cincinnati Bengals 4/5 Baltimore Ravens 21/20
18:00 New York Jets 8/13 Miami Dolphins 11/8
18:00 Kansas City Chiefs 10/1 New England Patriots 1/20
18:00 Houston Texans 9/4 Pittsburgh Steelers 4/11
18:00 Jacksonville Jaguars 8/13 Tennessee Titans 11/8
18:00 Detroit Lions 4/7 Atlanta Falcons 6/4
18:00 Seattle Seahawks 10/11 Buffalo Bills 10/11
18:00 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6/4 New Orleans Saints 4/7
18:00 St. Louis Rams 11/4 Philadelphia Eagles 2/7
21:15 Dallas Cowboys 2/5 Cleveland Browns 2/1
21:15 Carolina Panthers 4/1 San Diego Chargers 2/11
21:15 Arizona Cardinals 4/6 San Francisco 49ers 5/4

Monday 8th of September, 2008
01:15 Chicago Bears 4/1 Indianapolis Colts 2/11

Tuesday 9th of September, 2008

00:01 Minnesota Vikings 23/20 Green Bay Packers 8/11
03:15 Denver Broncos 8/13 Oakland Raiders 11/8

Odds listed are non - handicap and includes Overtime if needed.

On the face of it there is no massive value to be had - if you compare these prices to Premiership then there is usually much more variance in the NFL Games - with games just being a Win/Loss it is also much more black and white.

Looking down these games you would think you could run up an accumulator of 7/8 odds on wins without much fuss....well, its not that easy. Especially in the early weeks, these games are fraught with peril and we wont get a clear picture of whos who and whats what until weeks 4 or 5.

The Saints, due to Hurricane Gustav, will be playing in Indianapolis for at least this week - this is the only reason i would leave them alone against the Bucs. A game to keep an eye on is the Vikings at the Packers - leave it alone from a betting perspective, but this game will give us a hige clue if the Vikings are for real and if they should win their division.

I will be placing a low ish stake on the following - a little vested interest but nothing massive until we get this dangerous week 1 out of the way and save up for the real value as the weeks progress.

2pts all to win :

Steelers
Cowboys
Colts
Eagles

Thanks Sharky...
 

Jag's Collier Shot !!
 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Richard Collier was shot while waiting for some women outside an apartment early Tuesday and sustained life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

Collier, 26, and former Jaguars defensive end Kenneth Pettway were waiting in a car when a gunman fired into the vehicle, said Jacksonville Sheriff's Office spokesman Ken Jefferson. Collier was shot several times, but it wasn't clear where he was hit.

Collier was in critical condition at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center, a hospital official said. The motive behind the attack was unclear, and the sheriff's office was investigating. Pettway, who was released in final cuts Saturday, was not injured in the attack.

The shooting happened around 2:45 a.m. in a middle- to upper middle-class neighborhood just west of downtown Jacksonville and blocks from the St. Johns River.

Collier is the third NFL player to be shot in the past 18 months. Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor was fatally shot during what police said was a botched burglary attempt at his Miami-area home in November. Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was killed when his rented limousine was sprayed with bullets minutes after leaving a New Year's party at a downtown Denver club in 2007.

Entering his third year after making the team as an undrafted rookie free agent, Collier competed for the starting job at left tackle but was beaten out by Khalif Barnes in the preseason.

Still, the Jaguars believe Collier could be a future starter. They even signed him to a contract extension earlier this year — despite his arrest last season.

The 6-foot-7, 345-pound linemen was arrested Nov. 3 after officers found him asleep behind the wheel of his sports utility vehicle at a McDonald's drive-thru window. Collier failed field sobriety tests and had a blood-alcohol level of .096, according to police. In Florida, it is illegal to drive with a blood-alcohol level of .08 or higher.

Collier was suspended two games and fined by coach Jack Del Rio.

Collier's attorney disputed the police report and recommended that his client go to trial, but Collier didn't want the team to have to deal with the negative attention that it would generate. So he pleaded no contest and accepted six months of probation.

He publicly vowed to stay out of trouble, not wanting to blow his chance of becoming an every-down starter in the NFL — something he felt like he nearly did in high school.

Coming out of high school in Shreveport, La., Collier didn't have the grades or test scores to attend most colleges, so he stayed home with his mother and got a job in the produce department at Wal-Mart. Instead of blocking defenders and creating running and passing lanes, he was arranging heads of lettuce, stacking ears of corn and washing fruit.

He worked there for two years before deciding to give football another chance. He enrolled at Tyler Junior College in Texas, about 90 miles west of Shreveport, and showed up weighing 390 pounds and having not lifted a weight since high school.

Collier quickly got his grades — and body — in order and worked his way into the starting lineup. He transferred to Valdosta State in 2004 and helped the Blazers win the Division II national championship that season. He earned All-America honors as a senior in 2005.

But he failed to impress many NFL scouts.

The Jaguars were the only team to bring Collier in for a workout before the draft, so signing with Jacksonville as an undrafted rookie was an easy decision. His only other choice, he thought, was to go back to the produce section.

"It took me to lose everything to recognize how much I had," Collier said during his rookie season. "It was a blessing, really. I found out how it would be if I didn't work hard and apply myself."

updated BTD:cool:

Midnight NFL.....
 

Oh yeahhhhhh...here we go....ive got a live game of poker lined up that should keep me busy and occupied till about 11....then for an hour I will be waiting with nervous anticipation for the start of the NFL season to get underway AND watching my beloved boys beat up those pesky defending World Champs...ahem....

Cant see tonight being a big score fest....both teams have efficient rather than explosive offenses, with the Giants just having the edge on offense, but the Redskins just having the edge on defense - i predict a pretty close low-ish scoring game.....have to let my heart rule my head, but not enough to put money on it.

Redskins 17 - 14 Giants

HAIL TO THE REDSKINS
HAIL VICTORY
BRAVES ON THE WARPATH
FIGHT FOR OLD DC!!!!!!!!!

Thats what i will be singing when we score a touchdown!!!

For the Skins, look out for our running back, Clinton Portis, and our Tight End, Chris Cooley...for the Giants, they have QB Eli Manning going to WR Plaxico Burress as their main danger...though their running back, Brandon Jacobs, has a habit of having very good games against the Redskins....tosser that he is.

No bitterness there then shark breath

No bitterness at all...i dont like him as much as any other Giant/Cowpat/Eagle....he'll get his tonight when LaRon Landry nails him...you just watch.

Worked out nicely, as i can stay up and watch the game tonight without the need to be on the road for 6.30am as usual...i have corporate golf day tomorrow, so can get a lie in as i dont tee off until 1.20pm....though with the weather as it is I may well be in the clubhouse all afternoon......8-P

Know what you mean about the weather changed my tee time to 9.20 on sunday then checked the weather and supposed to be severe weather warning for sat and sun

Not long now.....
 

Great nights viewing....
 

Yes, great to have the NFL back and was superb action - was very surprised/disappointed with the Colts losing at home, quite comfortably in the end as well, to the Bears, i thought the four timer was looking very safe until their dismal showing.

I will do a full round up of week 1's results, actions, injury updates and a preview of week 2 tomorrow, once the two Monday night games have been played - there were a fair few shock results, and one injury that has rocked the NFL world......

Week 1 Results/Review
 

WEEK 1 RESULTS

Washington Redskins 7 - 16 New York Giants
Detroit Lions 21 - 34 Atlanta Falcons
Cincinatti Bengals 10 - 17 Baltimore Ravens
Seattle Seahawks 10 - 34 Buffalo Bills
New York Jets 20 -14 Miami Dolphins
Kansas City Chiefs 10 - 17 New England Patriots
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20 - 24 New Orleans Saints
St Louis Rams 3 - 38 Philadelphia Eagles
Houston Texans 17 - 38 Pittsburgh Steelers
Jacksonville Jaguars 10 - 17 Tennessee Titans
Dallas Cowboys 28 - 10 Cleveland Browns
San Diego Chargers 24 - 26 Carolina Panthers
San Francisco 49ers 13 - 23 Arizona Cardinals
Chicago Bears 29 - 13 Indianapolis Colts
Minnesota Vikings 19 - 24 Green Bay Packers
Denver Broncos 41 - 14 Oakland Raiders

TOP THREE PERFORMANCES OF WEEK

1. Chicago Bears
2. Carolina Panthers
3. Pittsburgh Steelers

WEEK 1 REVIEW

As usual in Week 1, a few eyebrow raising results and a couple of teams having a few question marks placed against them, even at this early stage, whilst a few other teams have question marks taken away from them and replaced with exclamation marks.

The biggest jaw drop of the day though came in New England, where for 10 minutes or so it seemed business as usual for the Patriots....Tom Brady making pass after pass and marching down the field towards the Pats first Touchdown against the helpless Chiefs.....and then disaster. Brady takes a massive hit from one of the Chiefs defensive men and goes down, having to be carried off the field. Brady's backup QB, Matt Cassel, comes in and just about leads the Pats to victory over the Chiefs but the news come through that Brady is now OUT for the season, needing reconstructive surgery on his knee.

The effect this has not just on the Patriots, but on the NFL Superbowl scene as a whole cannot be understated. I have been trying to liken the loss of Brady to a Premiership footballer to give you a parallel...quite simply i cannot do it on a one for one basis. The closest i can get is to like saying Man Utd lose Ronaldo, Rooney and Ferdinand for the whole season 10 mins into their first game. The Pats will still be a force, as would Man U, but severly weakened and impossible to replace him - they do have a relatively soft/easy schedule this season - but it will still be an achievement for them to make the playoffs now.

This really blows the AFC picture wide open, especially for Indianapolis, but they also had a shocker this weekend...losing at home to the very unfancied Bears bad enough, but the Colts also had injury concerns - top RB Joseph Addai being knocked out of the game, and they looked very lethargic and dull throughout the game.

Only the Steelers really showed their class in the AFC this weekend - a comprehensive victory over the Texans with the Texans scoring two late TD's with the Steelers on auto pilot and playing a few reserve players giving the scoreline some respectability. Narrow, though poor, losses for the two other main AFC protagonists, the Jaguars and the Chargers, will soon need to be eradicated, especially after the good showings of the Bills and Broncos. The Jets also had a good win, though the quality of opposition for the Jets and Broncos needs to be considered here.

In the NFC and the Cowboys looked scary good against the Browns. It looked like they could score at will, with Tony Romo having plenty of time to find his excellent receivers, as well as RB Marion Barber pummeling the Browns D on the ground. With the Eagles showing no mercy to the hapless Rams and the Saints prevailing in an epic encounter with a very good Buccs side, and not forgetting the Giants and the Packers wins here either, the Cowboys will need to maintain this level of performance to keep their noses in front in the NFC race. Honourable mentions must go also to the Panthers - they could be a dark horse, the Falcons - very encouraging start and also the Cardinals.

MY CURRENT TOP 5 RANKED TEAMS AFTER WEEK 1

1. Dallas Cowboys - looked impressive on both sides of ball

2. Pittsburgh Steelers - great win, could be the new #1 in the AFC

3. New England Patriots - a win, but at what cost? Time will tell.

4. San Diego Chargers - last second loss hard to take - should bounce back tho

5. Indianapolis Colts - lucky to be still #5 - another poor showing in Week 2 tho and they wont be with plenty of teams snapping at their heels

NFL Regular Season - Week 2
 

Here are this weeks fixtures and Laddies odds on the games without handicaps - remember Home team is listed second.

Sunday Games

18:00 Oakland Raiders 17/10 Kansas City Chiefs 1/2
18:00 Tennessee Titans 10/11 Cincinnati Bengals 10/11
18:00 Indianapolis Colts 5/6 Minnesota Vikings evens
18:00 New Orleans Saints 10/11 Washington Redskins 10/11
18:00 Green Bay Packers 20/33 Detroit Lions 29/20
18:00 Chicago Bears 13/8 Carolina Panthers 1/2
18:00 New York Giants 2/9 St. Louis Rams 7/2
18:00 Buffalo Bills 2/1 Jacksonville Jaguars 5/12
21:05 Atlanta Falcons 27/10 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 5/17
21:05 San Francisco 49ers 27/10 Seattle Seahawks 5/17
21:15 Miami Dolphins 23/10 Arizona Cardinals 5/14
21:15 New England Patriots evens New York Jets 5/6
21:15 Baltimore Ravens 9/5 Houston Texans 5/11
21:15 San Diego Chargers 20/23 Denver Broncos 20/21

Monday Night Games

01:15 Pittsburgh Steelers 5/14 Cleveland Browns 23/10
01:35 Philadelphia Eagles 5/2 Dallas Cowboys 1/3

What we should be looking for here are the hot teams with an attractive matchup, as well as the teams who we expect to be doing well at the business end of the season to come back strong from Week 1 losses or poor performances.

First one you would suggest would be Jacksonville at home to Buffalo, but the manner of the Bills win, coupled with the way the Jaguars struggled on offense screams to leave this one alone - the Jags are pretty banged up currently after getting pounded by the Titans and need to be watched only at the moment.

Next up though is the Chargers - San Diego suffered a last second loss to the Panthers in week 1 that 95% of the time they would have won, and more importantly QB Philip Rivers showed some consistency and range meaning they wont be reliant on LaDanian Tomlinson and their explosive defence. They are away in Denver, and whilst the Broncos had a great week 1 win, it was against the shockingly poor Raiders. San Diego will know if they lose this game they will already be 2 games behind the Broncos in their division, and whilst the Broncos will be their main competition and fired up for it, the Bolts will be too strong and equal up their record. At pretty much evens i dont think you can argue.

Indianapolis have a hard game away at Minnesota, who again will be anxious not to lose their first 2 games with so much expected from them. But the same can be said for the Colts - they will need their offense to click though and last week it simply didnt. The Vikings are strong defensively and this one is too close to call - leave it be.

My next selection is very difficult to say, because i have to say that I fancy the New Orleans Saints to beat my Washington Redskins, especially at 10/11. Although the Saints have lost their #1 WR this week to injury for 6 weeks, i fear they will still have far too many offensive weapons for the Skins, who themselves will struggle to put points on the board. Unless Washington can find their passing game and quickly, and be able to bully Drew Brees (the Saints QB) when on defense, it could get very messy. Only home field advantage for the Skins, outdoors on grass, and my unshaking adulation for Washington stops me from napping the Saints here....but i cant ignore them either.

I cant remember the last time the Patriots have been EVS for a game without a handicap start for their opposition....if the injury hadnt happened to Brady they would be about a 1/6 shot away at the NY Jets - but such is the impact of Brady's loss that the Jets are now favourites, albeit very slight, to win the game off level. The Jets won last week against the poorly Dolphins, but this is all about how New England will perform without Brady. Everything is still there but him....can Matt Cassel keep them going though? The truth is no one knows - one thing is for sure the Pats will run the ball more which will slow their offense down and keep the opposition in the game for longer. This will be very much a litmus paper test for the Pats and one to note for future reference against a team that they would normally beat out of sight even with Brett Favre. If the Pats win, even narrowly, we can tip them with confidence in future. A loss though, and we may find alot of value in their opposition in future weeks.

Cannot see anything but a win for the Giants and the Cowpats, though they wont have it as easy against the Eagles as they did against the Browns, and will be nice little fillips for the coupon, whilst Pittsburgh should do something similar to Cleveland as Dallas did.

MY WEEK 2 SELECTIONS

3pts accumulator on :

San Diego WIN @ 20/23
New Orleans WIN @ 10/11
Pittsburgh WIN @ 5/14
N Y Giants WIN @ 2/9
Dallas WIN @ 1/3

Good luck...and this week if one result lets me down...PLEASE let it be the New Orleans game............8-P

Well we were so close last weekend...
 

Looks like its gonna be one of them season....

San Diego lose AGAIN in the last second and last play of the game.

New Orleans beating Washington with 6/7 minutes left to go till Jason Campbell suddenly finds form from nowhere and leads the Skins on two TD drives, including a 70 yard bomb to Santana Moss that has one house in Burton on Trent rocking with delight....who cares about the betting slip after that!

Pittsburgh and NY Giants win as expected, Dallas play tonight.

The last weekend that both Derby County and Washington won......probably the mid 80's......definitely seems that long ago!!!!!!!:loveme::loveme:B (::cool:

Ha Ha Ha Tony...
 

If only that were true...its been pretty lean in Washington over recent seasons...last years playoffs were as much a surprise as Derby's promotion the season before...before that they were both about as bad as each other!

But Washington are competative and if Derby's performances continue as they were on Saturday, the future is looking nice and bright...well, brighter than pitch black anyway!!! o:D

Will do my usual roundup of week 2 tomorrow once the Cowpats/Eagles game has been played out. Definite hard luck story though from the bet of Week 2.

NFL Regular Season - Week 2 Review
 

Results from Week 2 :

CHI 17 @ CAR 20
TEN 24 @ CIN 7
GB 48 @ DET 25
BUF 20 @ JAC 16
OAK 23 @ KC 8
IND 18 @ MIN 15
NYG 41 @ STL 13
NO 24 @ WAS 29
SF 33 @ SEA 30
ATL 9 @ TB 24
MIA 10 @ ARI 31
SD 38 @ DEN 39
NE 19 @ NYJ 10
PIT 10 @ CLE 6
PHI 37 @ DAL 41

THREE PERFORMANCES OF THE WEEK

1. Buffalo Bills win at Jacksonville
2. San Francisco 49ers win at Seattle
3. Denver Broncos win over San Diego Chargers

REVIEW

Pretty wild week in the NFL....some big scores and offensive performances put up, some great come from behind wins, and some very close encounters and last gasp efforts.

None more so than in Denver, where the Broncos finally overcame the Chargers with the last play of the game to hand the Bolts their second last gasp loss in as many weeks. The winning play was especially galling...the Broncos making a rare 2 point conversion on a touchdown when the usual extra point kick would have meant overtime. The Broncos Head Coach, Mike Shanahan, must have balls the size of Utah to make this call....he would have been hung drawn and quartered if that conversion hadnt have worked...but it did and the wild horses take control of the division. The 0-2 record looks bad for the Chargers, but the truth is they were about a combined 30 seconds away from being 2-0, though defensively they dont look as dominant as last year.

The Tom Brady-less Patriots won ugly against the Jets, and show they will still be a team to be reckoned with despite losing the NFL's best QB. Matt Cassel did a good enough job, though it is obvious the offense wont be the same. But the defense kept Brett Favre at arms length and with a soft schedule the Pats should still have a decent playoff run. Just the charging Bills to worry about, who enhanced their own credentials with another impressive win over the toothless Jaguars, who are getting banged up too quickly too soon.

In the NFC, a wild game between the Cowboys and Eagles - a shootout between arguably the NFC's two best offenses ended with Marion Barber scoring the decisive TD for the Cowboys, but the Eagles will be heartened by their display and look a good unit. With wins for the Giants (easy over the Rams) and the Redskins (very good win over the Saints) as expected the NFC East will be the toughest division in the NFL and its hard to see 3 teams from here not making the playoffs, with it being very much a case of perm any 3 from 4. The Cowboys remain the top power team in the NFL at the moment, but they have some tough games coming up which will be a test.

Elsewhere, a shock win for the 49ers in Seattle, who are looking a team in desperate trouble, Carolina left it late again to overcome the Bears, whilst Minnesota will need to find a passing game and quick to back up the awesome talents of Peterson, who ran all over the Colts but still couldnt stop his team sliding to 0-2 for the year...the win for the Colts a big relief for them.

MY TOP 5 POWER RANKING TEAMS AFTER WEEK 2

1. Dallas Cowboys - Could turn into one of the best offensive units ever (:-C) and must be the team to beat...at the moment.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers - Good tough win in horrible conditions against the Browns, the division looks weak, they are a playoff lock despite a tough schedule.

3. New York Giants - A dominant win over a poor team yes, but the defending World Champs have done nothing wrong so far this season on either side of the ball.

4. New England Patriots - Big week for the Pats that, no let up with Buffalo snapping at their heels but until they lose they cant be ignored.

5. Denver Broncos - The seasons surprise package? Maybe...look potent on offense and a two game lead over the Bolts gives them a huge early advantage.

NOT FAR BEHIND

Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals

MIDDLE OF THE PACK - SO FAR SO GOOD

New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons

MIDDLE OF THE PACK - SO FAR SO HMMMMM

San Diego Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens

BASEMENT DWELLERS - ITS GONNA BE A LONG ONE

Cincinatti Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, St Louis Rams

NFL Week 3
 

Here are the Week 3 fixtures with the main Sky live games highlighted, along with Laddies win only odds - as always, home team is listed SECOND

18:00 Kansas City Chiefs 21/10 Atlanta Falcons 5/13
18:00 Oakland Raiders 4/1 Buffalo Bills 1/5
18:00 Houston Texans 15/8 Tennessee Titans 5/11
18:00 Cincinnati Bengals 13/2 New York Giants 1/10
18:00 Arizona Cardinals 3/2 Washington Redskins 4/7
18:00 Miami Dolphins 6/1 New England Patriots 1/9
18:00 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 11/8 Chicago Bears 8/13
18:00 Carolina Panthers 13/8 Minnesota Vikings 1/2
21:05 St. Louis Rams 4/1 Seattle Seahawks 1/5
21:05 Detroit Lions 15/8 San Francisco 49ers 10/21
21:05 New Orleans Saints 2/1 Denver Broncos 5/12
21:15 Pittsburgh Steelers 13/8 Philadelphia Eagles 1/2
21:15 Jacksonville Jaguars 19/10 Indianapolis Colts 10/23
21:15 Cleveland Browns 23/20 Baltimore Ravens 8/11
01:20 Dallas Cowboys 10/17 Green Bay Packers 29/20

Monday Night Game
01:35 New York Jets 7/2 San Diego Chargers 2/9

Hard to find much value here, as most games look fairly one sided affairs.

It is hard to fault Dallas at the moment (much to my chagrin) who score points for fun. Playing in Wisconsin at Green Bay isnt the easiest of games for them, as the Pack are also unbeaten so far and this game may well be a playoff fixture in January, but it is hard to look past the Cowpats who should prevail in what will be another points fest and shootout

Another intriguing matchup is in Philadelphia, where the rough n ready Steelers come to town to face up to the dirty Birds. Pittsburgh have a very rough looking schedule but so far have negotiated it well to remain unbeaten, whilst Philly have put up two impressive offensive showings and lost nothing in losing a thriller in Dallas. This matchup could be any score, and alot will depend on how "Big" Ben Roethlisberger performs as QB for the Steelers - if he plays at all. He currently has a separated shoulder, but intends to play...this will be a red rag target to the Eagles although their pass rush will need to improve to get to him. But play or not, I expect the Steelers to not have it all their own way, and if McNabb and Westbrook can keep their early season form going, along with WR rookie sensation DeSean Jackson, the Eagles could nick this. However at 1/2 I dont see any value...way too short that even being at home.

Two banged up sides meet in Sky's second live game, where the Jaguars play the Colts in an already crucial AFC South Divisional game. The Jaguars really cant afford to slip to 0-3, but have been decimated by injuries and look a team in some trouble. Still, the Colts have not been anything like impressive so far this season, and have alot of injury concerns themselves. Only a late rally forced them home against the Vikings after being 15-0 down and they will need to pick up soon with the Titans looking strong in this division. As much as I really like a full fit Jags, I have to tip the Colts here to almost put the Jags out of the Divisional race even at this early stage.

My selections this week.

2pts Win Accumulator on :

Tennessee (5/11)
Indianapolis (10/23)
Dallas (10/17)
San Diego (2/9)

I have this idea for something a little out-there: make football an Olympic sport.

Can you imagine how crazy of a spectacle it would be to watch the world compete in this event?

Peyton Manning is behind this idea so, it has a good chance of coming to life!

If anyone wants to voice their opinions, there is also a digital petition to be either for or against this idea on weplay.com (I'm writing on their behalf).

The link is youcastcorp.com/weplay/weplaywidget

What do you think?

I think....
 

That I have an idea thats not so far out there....ban forum trolls!!!!!!!

Week 3 Results & Review
 

Week 3 Results :

TB 27 @ CHI 24
MIA 38 @ NE 13
OAK 23 @ BUF 24
ARI 17 @ WAS 24
CIN 23 @ NYG 26
CAR 10 @ MIN 20
KC 14 @ ATL 38
HOU 12 @ TEN 31
DET 13 @ SF 31
NO 32 @ DEN 34
STL 13 @ SEA 37
PIT 6 @ PHI 15
CLE 10 @ BAL 28
JAC 23 @ IND 21
DAL 27 @ GB 16
NYJ 29 @ SD 48

As expected, most games went to form....with one HUGE exception. The Miami Dolphins (W1 L15 last season and 0-2 so far this season) went to the New England Patriots (W16 L0 last season and 2-0 so far this season) and totally blew them away. Again, to try and put this into perspective, its like Hull City going to Old Trafford and winning 5-0. How the Patriots will bounce back, if they can bounce back, remains to be seen...for the Dolphins, a massive boost.

The Giants and the Bills struggled to overcome lesser opposition but eventually did so...the Cowboys stamped their authority on the NFC with a comprehensive win over the Packers, whilst the Eagles beat up the Steelers. The Chargers gave a timely reminder of how good they can be, whilst there were fine wins for Washington, Tampa Bay, Atlanta and Minnesota...all keeping them very much in the hunt.

The Power 5 after week 3 look like this :

1. Dallas Cowboys - Seemingly unstoppable at the moment - the NFL's best team right now.

2. New York Giants - They won ugly, but they won, as all good teams do. Putting up a good show as defending world champs so far...harder tests to come though.

3. Tennessee Titans - The best in the AFC? Certainly defensively..but watch out for the week when they will implode. So far so impressive though.

4. Philadelphia Eagles - A dominating win over the Steelers after a very creditable loss against Dallas. How bad is the injury to Westbrook though?

5. Denver Broncos - Any team who scores 30+ points per game will win plenty and be a team to be reckoned with. At some point though their defense will need to step up.

My bet this week looked very good until another last gasp loss tore the slip up....the Colts only needing to prevent the Jags from getting a FG with 50 seconds left on the clock...typically though they didnt.....:eek!: As expected the other three won...sigh...

Latest Standings :


American Football Conference

AFC East - W L T
Buffalo Bills 3 0 0
New England Patriots 2 1 0
New York Jets 1 2 0
Miami Dolphins 1 2 0

AFC North W L T
Baltimore Ravens 2 0 0
Pittsburgh Steelers 2 1 0
Cincinnati Bengals 0 3 0
Cleveland Browns 0 3 0

AFC South W L T
Tennessee Titans 3 0 0
Jacksonville Jaguars 1 2 0
Indianapolis Colts 1 2 0
Houston Texans 0 2 0

AFC West W L T
Denver Broncos 3 0 0
Oakland Raiders 1 2 0
San Diego Chargers 1 2 0
Kansas City Chiefs 0 3 0

National Football Conference
NFC East W L T
Dallas Cowboys 3 0 0
New York Giants 3 0 0
Washington Redskins 2 1 0
Philadelphia Eagles 2 1 0

NFC North W L T
Green Bay Packers 2 1 0
Minnesota Vikings 1 2 0
Chicago Bears 1 2 0
Detroit Lions 0 3 0

NFC South W L T
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2 1 0
Carolina Panthers 2 1 0
Atlanta Falcons 2 1 0
New Orleans Saints 1 2 0

NFC West W L T
Arizona Cardinals 2 1 0
San Francisco 49ers 2 1 0
Seattle Seahawks 1 2 0
St. Louis Rams 0 3 0

[QUOTE=TheShark72;15489]Week 3 Results :




1. Dallas Cowboys - Seemingly unstoppable at the moment - the NFL's best team right now.


How long did it take you to write the above statement :eek!:

[QUOTE=Part-Timer;15490]It didnt take me long to write....but I cant stop the bleeding from where I have been biting my own tongue...and the knowledge of the above hurts more than the lacerations!!!!!

Oh...and just for good measure....coming up this Sunday...live on Sky (the 9.15 game)....the Washington Redskins vs the Dallas Cowpats. :eek!::eek!:

Week 4 Preview and Betting Tip
 

So we move into Week 4, and the league is starting to take shape, with teams already giving an indication of what is top be expected of them, what their obvious strengths and weaknesses are, and which teams are to be ignored at your peril.

Here are the fixtures for this weekend with game winning odds - Sky games highlighted :

Denver Broncos 2/9 Kansas City Chiefs 7/2
Cleveland Browns 17/10 Cincinnati Bengals 1/2
Houston Texans 14/5 Jacksonville Jaguars 5/18
Arizona Cardinals 21/20 New York Jets 4/5
San Francisco 49ers 15/8 New Orleans Saints 4/9
Atlanta Falcons 13/5 Carolina Panthers 5/16
Minnesota Vikings 7/5 Tennessee Titans 5/8
Green Bay Packers 20/21 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20/23
Buffalo Bills 5/18 St. Louis Rams 14/5
San Diego Chargers 2/7 Oakland Raiders 11/4
Washington Redskins 4/1 Dallas Cowboys 2/11
Philadelphia Eagles 4/7 Chicago Bears 3/2

Monday Night Game
Baltimore Ravens 2/1 Pittsburgh Steelers 2/5

Fairly slim pickings from a betting perspective, though after the narrow misses of weeks 1-3 i will be happy with a win by picking a single!!!

The San Diego/Denver double looks safe, though i would be more concerned about Denver slipping up than the Bolts - the Broncos have done nothing wrong so far but havent won easy yet, certainly the last two weeks, and this is probably the first game they are really expected to win and win easy. Kansas though look a team in desperate trouble and just shouldnt (i say shouldnt!) have the firepower to keep up with Denvers explosive offence.

I am very sorely tempted to tip Tennessee to beat the Vikings, especially if their Defense can continue to be as miserly as it has been - if they can close down Adrian Peterson of the Vikes then Minnesota dont have much left, and the Titans can put points on the board themselves...but at the back of my mind is the knowledge that at some point the Titans WILL mess up...they always do...could it be this week? 5/8 is mighty tempting to say No....hmmmm

I would expect the Jaguars to continue their form of last week at home to the Texans and am surprised to see the Browns as big as they are against the Bengals...surely a team cannot go so bad so soon, and although the Tigers put up a decent showing against the Giants last week, before that they were simply horrible. Cleveland +3.5 (10/11) points on the handicap shows that the gap aint that big....a shade under 2/1 off level looks value to me...

So..with trepidation and more than a "pretty please" look skywards...my Week 4 tips are :

2 points win accumulator :

Denver 2/9
San Diego 2/7
Cleveland 17/10
Tennessee 5/8

LATEST SUPERBOWL BETTING

Dallas Cowboys 3/1
Philadelphia Eagles 8/1
San Diego Chargers 8/1
Indianapolis Colts 12/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 12/1
Denver Broncos 14/1
New York Giants 14/1
Tennessee Titans 16/1
Buffalo Bills 16/1
Carolina Panthers 20/1
Green Bay Packers 20/1
Jacksonville Jaguars 20/1
New England Patriots 20/1
Minnesota Vikings 25/1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 25/1
Arizona Cardinals 40/1
New Orleans Saints 40/1
Washington Redskins 40/1
Baltimore Ravens 50/1
Seattle Seahawks 50/1
Chicago Bears 66/1
New York Jets 80/1
San Francisco 49ers 80/1
Atlanta Falcons 100/1
Cleveland Browns 100/1
Houston Texans 150/1
Miami Dolphins 150/1
Oakland Raiders 200/1
Cincinnati Bengals 250/1
Detroit Lions 250/1
Kansas City Chiefs 500/1
St Louis Rams 500/1

Gosh DAMMIT.....

One result let me down again (even got the Jags to win somehow despite missing them off my accie list)....and both my big results came through (Titans and Browns)...but the poxy Broncos, who were unbeaten got stuffed by the Chiefs, who hadnt won a game before yesterday....grrrrrrr...

Still, I had the supreme pleasure of watching my beloved Redskins absolutely batter the Cowboys in their own backyard...the final scoreline really didnt reflect Washington's total superiority over our arch-rivals, god did we look a fine team....couple this with the Eagles loss against the Bears and the Skins are in a great position right now.

With Derby winning away and Forest slipping to the bottom of the Champ, its been one happy sporting weekend!!!!!!!!!!!

Another near miss.....