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NFL Preseason Betting Notes - Week 1
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Author: Big Al McMordie - Tuesday, August 17, 2010
It's here (and it's about time)! The pro football season officially got
moving over the weekend with a full slate of preseason action. Even
though the games don't count in the standings, there is plenty happening
on the field and on the sidelines that have relevance for the regular
season - and for next week.
For instance, the Seahawks failed to cover against Tennessee, but they
did get a win for new Coach Pete Carroll while rolling up 322 yards.
Carroll had hinted all week that he wanted to win in preseason and QB
Charlie Whitehurst threw for 214 yards. Carroll bolted from the edge of
the field to the bench in the second quarter to congratulate the defense
following a three-and-out stop in the second quarter. He had a hug for
Whitehurst for his first TD throw. Who says preseason is meaningless?
Not the emotional Carroll.
Of note is that Seattle's pass defense was shaky, a problem last season,
and pass pressure is still the biggest question mark on Seattle's
defense. With Saturday's victory, Seattle now has won its past six
exhibition games. Seattle was undefeated in exhibition games last
season, which didn't do much to prevent the Seahawks' 5-11 belly flop in
the regular season.
The Patriots got a win over the Saints after building up a 24-7 lead.
The offense has new looks ? not just with personnel, but with a slight
change of strategy. Last season the Patriots relied heavily on wide
receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker to carry the offense. QB Tom Brady
went to the shotgun a lot, too.
What they showed in the preseason opener is that there appears to be a
slight change in philosophy. Brady was far more under center than usual
and they used 2 and even 3 tight ends at times. Part of that was that
they drafted two potentially talented tight ends in Rob Grankowski and
Aaron Hernandez, while adding veteran TE Alge Crumpler.
The Patriots were a weak red zone team last season and it's clear they
want to spread the football around more, possibly run more and use the
tight ends in an attempt to bolster their red zone efficiency. In the
preseason opener, they were 6 of 13 on third down and very strong in the
red zone.
What team looked the worst? Let's call it a tie with the Lions, Rams and
Bills, three bottom feeders from last season. The Lions lost 23-7 at
Pittsburgh, though there was room for optimism. Detroit outgained the
Steelers and held Pittsburgh to 3.3 yards per rush. With the starting
defensive line on the field, the Steelers offense gained 12 yards.
The Rams got flattened at home by the Vikings and the big story was not
Sam Bradford but the St. Louis offensive line, which looks as bad as
ever. Bradford's NFL debut consisted of six completions in 13 attempts
for 57 yards and a passer rating of 58.8. But the real story came in all
the hits Bradford absorbed by the Minnesota pass rush. Bradford was
sacked four times and hit at least three other times. "We had some
issues up front," Steve Spagnuolo said. So, what else is new?
The Buffalo Bills' backfield took a major hit as running backs Fred
Jackson and Marshawn Lynch were hurt early in the 42-17
preseason-opening loss to the Washington Redskins. Jackson is believed
to have a broken left hand, while Lynch hobbled off with an injured
ankle. Jackson's injury is the most serious as head coach Chan Gailey
said Jackson will miss the rest of the preseason. Gailey has been
demanding a tough, physical game, and it's taking a toll as they are
loaded with injured players.
The final word of the weekend goes to the Kansas City Chiefs coaching
staff, who punished receivers by sending them to the toilet. Kansas City
coaches hauled a mobile outhouse onto the practice field and told pass
catchers to go in, have a seat and close the door. The port-a-potty was
used for a unique kind of pass-catching drill that players, suppressing
a laugh, hailed as effective in developing some quick hand-eye coordination.
The Chiefs, you see, led the NFL in dropped passes a year ago. Assistant
head coach Maurice Carthon, who introduced the Chiefs to the
port-a-potty drill, stood about 10 feet away and shouted to another
coach when to fling open the door. The second the door opened, Carthon
fired the pass and it was on the player to hang on."It teaches you
hand-eye coordination," rookie wide receiver Dexter McCluster said. So
if they bounce the football to them would it be a one-hopper in the
hopper? Just asking. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.
Related Articles:
- NFL Betting - The Good Bad and Ugly Teams
- MLB Handicapping Key To The Stretch Run - Pitching
- Betting MLB Totals - The Impact of Parks And Lineup Changes
- 2010 MLB Action - Great Races Everywhere
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