Minnesota Vikings visit NFC North rival Chicago Bears
The Minnesota Vikings will take on the Chicago Bears this weekend. These two teams are both in need of a victory this Sunday. The Vikings are currently the one point favorites in football betting odds. The total for the game is at 40.
The Vikings are coming off of a dramatic victory last week that kept their playoff hopes alive. The Vikings can draw nearer to .500 with a win this week and could find their team in position to make a run as the season closes. Last week the offense finally showed forth some of the potential to make big plays that it has. Favre threw for well over 400 yards as he set a new career high for yards in a game.
One concern for the Vikings will be Childress, the head coach. He seems to have a problem with everyone on the squad and is getting into verbal and even physical scuffles with the players.
In the last 6 matchups between these two teams the Vikings have won 4 games. However, in games in Chicago the Bears take the edge. The Bears have won 8 of the last 9 games played in Chicago between these two squads.
The Bears are 5-3 on the season and are in position to make a run to the playoffs. There are still definite holes on the offensive end that need to be addressed. The running game is averaging around 90 yards per game. This lack of running game is allowing teams to key in on Cutler. Cutler has really taken a beating this year.
NFL – Jets look to rebound at Lions – Preview
This weekend, the New York Jets will take on the Detroit Lions in Detroit. While the Lions will be coming into this game with a bit of momentum after a big win against Washington last weekend, the Jets have the better record. Currently, in this one, the Jets are the 4 point favorites. At 41.5 sits the total for the game.
Stafford back is with the Lions and it appears that he is at the top of his game. For the Lions turning close games, his return could be key into wins as the season goes on. The Lions appear to be improving, although they have won just 3 of their last 20 games overall. they have actually outscored their opponents this season and they have already won 2 games through the first 7 games of the season.
The Jets will not be intimidated by heading to Detroit and they are a solid road team. On the road, they have won 8 of their last 9 games and they look to continue with that sort of success. While they have actually struggled against Detroit recently, they have been solid on the road. Against the Lions, the Jets have lost 4 of their last 6 games.
It is no secret that the Lions will try to challenge the Jets and their secondary through the air and they like to throw the ball. While the Jets have some of the best cover-corners in the NFL, the Lions have a solid passing game. When these forces collide, this should be a solid matchup.
Running game as usual will be the key for the Jets. A running attack is possessed by the Jets that carry their team. Things should open up for Sanchez in the air, if they can get the running game going early.
NFL Preview: Miami Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals
The Miami Dolphins will head to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals this weekend. These two teams will square off with the Bengals being the 2.5 point favorites in the football betting lines. The over/under for the game currently sits at 43.5.
The Bengals had an offensive explosion last week as Carson Palmer assaulted his opponents through the air. The Bengals had 2 receivers with more than 100 yards and Terrell Owens was close to 100 yards as well. The Bengals have shown the potential to light up the scoreboard, but it seems that Palmer has not been consistent enough to keep this team going.
The problem last week was that while the offense was solid, the defense could not stop the Falcons. They are now 2-4 on the season.
While they’ve struggled to this point in the season, the Bengals have a solid home tradition. They have won 6 of their last 8 home games. The problem is, the Bengals have struggled against Miami at home recently, winning just 1 of their last 6 home competitions against Miami.
The Dolphins suffered a close lose to the hands of the Steelers last weekend. The loss dropped the Dolphins to 3-3 on the season. The Dolphins should go into Cincinnati with confidence this weekend. They have won 8 of their last 10 against Cincinnati overall and they have won 4 of their last 5 road games against all opponents.
This game will feature two teams trying to get back on track after tough losses last weekend.
NFL Preview: Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens
The Buffalo Bills will head to Baltimore to take on the Ravens this Sunday. This matchup certainly looks lopsided as the Ravens have looked like one of the best team in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Bills have looked like one of the worst teams in the NFL. The Ravens will be the 14 point favorites in a game with a total of 38.
The Ravens suffered a tough overtime loss last week against the Patriots. They will still be considered one of the top teams in the league, but they will certainly be looking to prove something. They have been unbeatable at home recently, winning their last 5 and they will have a certain advantage over Buffalo in that aspect.
While they have been great at home they have struggled against the Bills recently. The Bills have been far from a powerhouse over recent years, yet they have still managed to take 4 of the last 6 games against the Ravens.
The Bills need some spark in their offense. They have only managed to score 15 points a game. They will be taking on one of the best defenses in the league this week and they will need something to change if they hope to find success. The offensive end is not the only struggle for the Bills though.
The defense has been terrible for Buffalo. They have surrendered a whopping 32 points per game to this point in the season. The Ravens haven’t been an offensive juggernaut to this point, but they do have weapons that could take advantage of Buffalo.
NFL Preview: Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears
The Seattle Seahawks, NFL betting favorite, will head to Chicago to take on the Bears in a week 6 matchup. These two teams have both exceeded the expectations that surrounded them entering into the season. The Bears have managed a 4-1 record on the young season. Meanwhile, the Seahawks have managed to scoop out 2 victories in their 4 contests. The Bears will be the 6.5 point favorites in this game. The Total for the game sits at 37.
The Bears have really turned it on as of late, winning 6 of their last 7 matchups. They have been great at home, only dropping one of their last 5 in Chicago and they will be confident entering this matchup. The Bears have relied on a tough defense to carry them this season. The defense has allowed less than 15 points per game and seems to keep them in every game.
The key for the Bears will be the rushing attack. The running game has been up and down this season. When the running game is working well they are a very difficult team to beat. Look for them to try to establish the rushing attack early in this game.
The Seahawks seem to win games by pure pluck. They do not have the most talented team, but they really have been fighting hard. They have had a solid defense, allowing around 19 points per game, but there are weaknesses in the defense.
One of the weaknesses for the Seattle defense is the passing defense. They have allowed more than 300 yards per game through the air. They will be really be tested this Sunday against Jay Cutler, who has been solid this season.
NFL Week 5 Preview: NY Giants at Houston Texans
The New York Giants will be taking on the Houston Texans in a game that will feature two of the better quarterbacks in the NFL. The Texans will be the 3 point favorites in this game.
The Giants have simply not been the team that everyone has hope for them to be. They have only managed two victories in their last 6 games and they have been struggling to find consistency. Despite going 2-2 on the season they have allowed more points than they have scored by an average of 4 points per game. The Giants need more offensive and defensive consistency if they hope to take this one.
One thing that the Giants do have going for them is that they have been an excellent road team before recently. They have had a remarkable record of 17-8 over their last 25 games. This includes the weak 1-5 showing that they have had on the road in their last 6 games. While this number is disconcerting, the 17 wins do show that the team has demonstrated an ability to win games on the road in the past.
The Texans are 7-1 in their last 8 games and have looked unstoppable at times. Last week there were a few red flags raised when their defense struggled to contain the Lions at times. Time will tell whether or not that was a fluke.
The Texans have been a great home team, winning in 15 of their last 22 opportunities. Look for them to enter this game with confidence.
NFL: Denver Broncos at Tennessee Titans
The Denver Broncos will take on the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. These two teams have seen ups and downs to this point in the season. The Titans have started out the season with a 2-1 record. The Broncos on the other hand have started off with a 1-2 record. The Titans will be the 7 point favorites in the NFL lines, entering the game. The total for this game sits at 42.
The Titans look like they’ve settled back in with Vince Young. The week before last the team tried to bring in a backup to spark the offense, raising a lot of controversy. Vince Young looked poised last week and led the team to victory. That victory brought the team to a 10-3 record over the last 13 games.
The question is if the Titans can improve upon their play against the Broncos in recent history. The team has managed to win just one of their last 5 games against Denver. This game will be their chance to take a win against Denver as Denver has won just one of their last 7 games.
The Broncos have won just one game, but they have had a bright spot on the team. Kyle Orton has looked great to this point in the season. This should open things up for the running game as the season progresses.
As soon as the running game picks up the team should have a shot at winning games. The team has averaged just 67 yards rushing per game. If the team doesn’t do a better job protecting the clock they will struggle to win games.
NFL – Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots – Week 3 Preview
In an AFC East division matchup Sunday, the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots will face off.
After poor performances in week, these two teams enter this game. The Patriots dropped their game and they were thwarted against the Jets. Meanwhile, this season the Bills have still not game close to competing. By 14.5 points, the Patriots will be the favorites. For the game, the over/under is at 42.5.
Things have simply not panned out, although the Bills hoped to see some help from CJ Spiller on offense. To get any yards on the ground, the team struggled in the last week. On the season, the team has only average 8.5 points per game. To this season, this sputtering offense is not unique. For a while, the offense has struggled and the total for their games has gone under in 6 of their last 7 games.
Most people expect the Patriots to bounce back against the Bills, although they lost last week. The Bills do not have the speed and talent to challenge the Patriots in the same way, although the Patriots were challenged by the defense of the Jets.
The Patriots look to continue their dominance against the Bills and they have won their last 5 against Buffalo. The team should be fine as they try to start pushing towards the playoffs, if Tom Brady can bounce back from last week’s loss.
To take this one from the Patriots, the Bills will need a miracle.
NFL: Peyton wins ‘Manning Bowl’
After their somewhat surprising loss last week to the Houston Texans, the Indianapolis Colts came into the game against the New York Giants looking to avenge that loss and let every team in the NFL know that the Colts are not in a decline. They did just that on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
Peyton Manning, NFL beting favorite, threw for 3 TDs for the 61st time in his career, which puts him one behind Dan Marino for the most 3 TD games in NFL history. Peyton Manning now has 6 TD’s and 0 INT on the season after his 38-14 victory in the “Bro Bowl”.
The Colts defense helped out as well, as Dwight Freeney had multiple tackles in the game, including a clutch forced fumble when he sacked Eli Manning with the Colts leading 24-7 in the 3rd quarter. Peyton and the Colts now have a 2-0 record when playing Eli Manning and the Giants. At the end of the half, the Colts already had an astounding 24-0 lead and didn’t stop there.
Mario Manningham lead the Giants with 4 rec, 75 yard receiving and a TD. Reggie Wayne led the Colts with 7 rec, 96 yards and a TD. Next week the Giants take on the Titans, who are division rivals of the Colts, and the Colts visit the Rocky Mountains and take on the Denver Broncos.
Both the Giants and Colts are now 1-1 on the season and look to add more W’s to their record.
Chicago Bears @ Dallas Cowboys Sunday, 1:00 PM on FOX
On Sunday, September 19, the Dallas Cowboys will host the Chicago Bears at Cowboys Stadium. Dallas is coming off of a heart breaking opener in which a controversial call caused a fumble which led to a Washington Redskins touchdown.
Aside from that, the Dallas Cowboys are struggling in the red zone again. In the game against the Redskins they got into the red zone three times but only came away with one touchdown.
The Bears, on the other hand, will have to learn how to get past the Dallas defense. Chicago is 2-5 against 3-4 defenses and will be looking for some big plays from Jay Cutler over the course of the game. He played well last week and produced 23 of 35 completions and had a total of 372 yards. He seems to be a different player this year and has a lot more confidence.
The last time these two teams met was in 2007 where the Cowboys rolled over the Bears in 34-10 victory on the road. The favor seems to once again be on the side of the Dallas Cowboys but they will have to avoid penalties in order to secure a win.
The same goes for the Chicago Bears who had 9 penalties for over 100 yards in their game last week. Cutler also struggled in the red zone, converting 0 of 4 chances. Their defense is healthy though, and will need to stop Tony Romo.
The Dallas Cowboys are a 9 point favorite over the bears, and the over/under total is currently at 41.