NFL bets for this week

So for the last couple of weeks i have been betting on the NFL games. I have been betting on all the games and just the straight spread. So far for the season, i am about 70%. Here are mine this week:

Broncos +3 at ravens

bears -13 v. browns

texans -3.5 at bills

vikes +3 at packers

49ers +13 at colts

dolphins +3 at jets

seahawks +10 at cowboys

radiers +17 at chargers

jags +3 at titans

panthers +11 at cardinals

giants -1 at eagles

falcons +10.5 at saints

heres hoping for a big week.

Bears Week 8 Preview

Bears v. Browns

Summary

What bears team will show up? They have looked good in 3 games this year and terrible in the other 3 games this year, especially in the disaster that was last week. Last week has prompted changes on the O-line and at MLB. The Browns are 1-6 and a terrible football team. They have little to no offense and im not sure their defense is any better. The line on this game has the Bears giving 14 pts so most everyone this this will be a blowout.

Key Factors

Matt Forte. Hello, Matt welcome to your 2nd NFL season, now would you like to participate in helping your team win a game? Forte has been a huge disappointment this season and no matter whether he is banged up or his O-line sucks, he has to get more involved for the bears to be a good team. This week would be a good week to get something rolling as the bears will face much tougher run D's than the browns in the upcoming weeks.

The Bears run D. The browns won a game this year in which their QB completed only 2 passes, a modern record. I and im sure the bears would love it if the Browns had to throw 45 times in this game but to do that the bears must shut down Jamal Lewis, James Harrison, and a decent young run blocking o-line. Hold the browns under 100 yds rushing and it will spell victory. *Money to anyone who can name the Browns 2 starting WRs.

Key Matchups

Alex Mack v. Marcus Harrison/Tommie Harris. The browns have a decent young developing line but it is anchored by Mack who is a rookie center. The Bears DTs should eat him up and be able to confuse him pre-snap and clog up the middle. Both Harrision and Harris have underperformed this year. They need to have impressive games on sunday against a young inexperienced center.

Greg Olson v. Browns LBs. The Browns play a 3-4 so Olson will probably be helping a lot on blocking the rushing OLBs. I can envision him chipping a lot to help the OTs and sometimes being locked up on a OLB and having to block them on his own, not Olsen's strong suit. Olsen also needs to figure out how to contribute more on offense. I know teams have been game planning to stop him but good/great players get open despite being the focus of the opposing D.

Prediction

Look, I think the bears are angry and embarrassed after last week's pasting. I think they will win this one huge and this time going into the locker room, the bears will be the team with the sizable lead.

Bears 31 - Browns 6

Critical Performer

Zack Bowman. I know he has had a pretty down season so far but he is young and i think, as the bears do, this kid can be a really good CB. I think the D-line will come out with a vengeance and harass Anderson all day long and Bowman can make a few plays and come up with a pick at least this week.

Bears - Browns Preview: Panda Express Edition

The Bears face the Cleveland Browns at home Sunday, a week after being embarrassed by Carson Palmer, Cedric Benson, Chad Ochocinco, Dusty Baker, Skyline Chili and everything else Cincinnati. It was a terrible effort from the coaches, offense, defense and special teams. Despite the blowout, and two losses in a row, the Bears should defeat the Browns rather easily given their putrid offense, dip-shit head coach Eric Mangini and 1-6 record.

(Note: This week's preview was inspired by and is dedicated to Lili, the enchanting woman that served me at Panda Express on Thursday.)

Orange Chicken: Jay Cutler
Easily the best dish at Panda, the Orange Chicken is tender, tangy and everyones favorite. Cutler (the best and everyones favorite already, don't try to deny it) is coming off a two interception game in which he looked pedestrian. Give him a slight break for the poor performance as the team was blown out from the get-go. John Elway wouldn't have brought the Bears back from the Bengals debacle. He should have his way with the Browns defense and have an great game throwing the ball to Hester, Knox, Bennett and Olsen.

Beef and Broccoli: Lance Briggs
The most consistent dish at Panda time in and time out. You get a little meat, some good vegetables and a lot of fun. Sound like Lance Briggs to anyone? This guy has been "the man" on the Bears defense, consistent all year long, and has taken over Urlacher's leadership role. Look for him to take control again and limit Jamal Lewis, Derek Anderson and the rest of the Browns offense.

Egg Roll: Johnny Knox
The wild-card on the Panda menu. Nearly everyone passes up the egg roll, but some guy ordered four yesterday while I was in line. When it rains, it pours. Johnny Knox had scored a touchdown in four straight games before the Bengals game. Like any good wild card, this guy can go off at any moment. I think he gets back in the action and spikes the ball this week in celebration.

Sweet Fire Chicken: Hunter Hillenmeyer and Josh Beekman
Brand new on the menu, an interesting combination of sweet pineapple along with some heat. Hillenmeyer's new position of middle linebacker this week rotates Roach over to the strong side. Hunter is a smart and disciplined football player that makes up for his lack of athleticism. Beekman, now the new left guard, will be a welcome addition to the struggling offensive line. Beekman is a solid pro that should look like Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz compared to the confused and demoted Frank Omiyale.

Chicken and Mushroom: Lovie Smith
Is there a more divisive food than mushrooms? Some love 'em, some hate 'em, others are so-so with 'em. Lovie generated a ton of buzz after the crippling loss to Cincinnati. Some want him fired now, some want him fired at the end of the year and some defend and respect the overall consistent winning he has brought to the Bears during his tenure. Lovie is feeling the heat and maybe needs an easy win more than any other Bear.


Prediction: Bears 24 - Browns 10

Take a seat, Frank

At long last Lovie has seen the light. Come sunday, Josh Beekman will be your starting left guard. Why did it take so long for this to happen? I have no idea because i think any human being watching the bears games could have seen that Omiyale was about as worthwhile as a cardboard cutout on the field. But at long last, Ole Omilyale will have a great view from the bench on sunday.

Also, the bears announced that Hunter Hillenmeyer will be back in the middle of the defense on sunday. The Bears citing poor positioning and problems calling the defense, Nick Roach will be moved back to strong side LB. I think Roach has a chance to be a decent LB but when twice in one game you get killed by a bubble screen b/c the defense only has 2 defenders to that side to cover 3 wrs, something has to give. Gladly once again there will be an odd looking white guy patrolling the middle of the field for the bears on sunday.

These two position chances point to a scary trend I have seen with Lovie as a head coach. There is no question that Ole Omiyale and Roach are the better athletes at their positions but Hillenmeyer and Beekman have been solid, if not spectacular, starters in the past. It scares me that the Bears are choosing who is starting based athletic ability instead of productivity. Teams need to know that they can count on their teammates to do their jobs. I think finally Lovie is getting that message.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-29-bears-tommie-harris-oct29,0,3761196.story

Side Note: Tommie (i am collecting 10 mill for 0 sacks and 1 knee) Harris is back practicing and Vasher has been getting some time at safety (ill just close my eyes and pray they dont throw at him).

Bulls Season

Nice article Pete. I agree with it being a big year for Ty Thomas. He'll be inspired to play his best so he can get paid. I also concur with your overall prediction. I'm going to go with a record of 42-40 record and a 7th seed in the East. Here's what I don't agree with:

"Thank God" Ben Gordon is gone? Beg your pardon? You started off by praising the Bulls for a hard fought and exciting playoff series against the Celtics and then say that you are happy Ben Gordon is gone. Hate to break it to you but Ben Gordon was the reason the Celtics series was exciting. The Celtics series would have gone 5 games without Gordon. He averaged 24 pts a game that series and hit some incredible big shots. Not sure how Ben Gordon got to become a scape goat for the Bulls, but it's not really fair. You don't need everyone on your team to be a defense wizard, look at how Toni Kukoc worked for the Bulls with his shitty defense. I mean, we can trade back for Thabo Sefolosha if you want, he plays good defense. Gordon was their best player the past few years in my opinion and they will definitely miss him. Come crunch time we'll see who has the guts to take the shot.

Bulls Season Preview

Bulls Season Preview

This season has the optimistic feel of 2007 for the Bulls. Now that this team has been together for a whole offseason and after their epic playoff battle with the Celtics, people are looking at the Bulls to once again make the playoffs and finish anywhere from 4-6 in the playoff hunt. I have high hopes for these bulls as well but am not quite sure they will be a top team in the East. There are a couple of questions that loom large for the bulls and that must be answered this year.

Can Tyrus take the next step?

TT has all the athletic talent in the world but it really has yet to translate onto the court. He is maddeningly inconsistent and has been throughout his entire career. One minute he will make a block that you didnt realize was possible and then the next moment he will try and dribble through his legs and lose the ball out of bounds. With that said, TT might be the biggest key to Bulls success this season. He will start at the 4 and has to bring energy, rebounding, blocks, highlight dunks, and the occasional 15 ft jumper. With his ability, he should dominate the boards and be able to intimidate everyone at and above the rim. If tyrus can average 15 pts, 9 boards, 1.5 blocks per game, it will be a successful season and the bulls can think about locking him up long term.

With that said however, i dont think it will be the case. I think its very likely that by midseason, you will see taj gibson starting at the 4 and tyrus coming off the bench. This might be a better role for tyrus because he can bring that spark that the 2nd unit needs and he can be a little more reckless with his fouls. Throughout the preseason, gibson has shown everything that tyrus doesnt do. Gibson is fundamentally sound, rotates well on D, talks well on D, and surprisingly can hit the 15 ft with consistency. I dont think Gibson is the answer at the 4 nor do i necessarily think he is a better player than tyrus but i think he can be more consistent and a better fit starting along side noah.

The bulls have chosen not to extend tyrus' contract and he will be a restrict FA at the end of the year. I think the bulls have taken this approach because tyrus has yet to really produce and they have liked what they have seen from taj gibson. In the end, i think this will be tyrus' last year with the bulls or he will be dealt at the trade deadline. I just dont see him becoming a consistent player yet and the bulls will not want to pay for the potential. I really hope i am wrong because i believe tyrus could be a game changer for the bulls and make them a team to reckoned with.

Where does Rose go next?

The answer is anywhere he wants. Rose has shown Bulls and nba fans that he can pretty much do anything on the court he wants. Last year, the knock on him was that he couldnt hit the jumper. But, he proved everyone wrong. While I dont think Rose will ever have a pretty jump shot, he is able to hit the open jumper and occasional 3 pointer to keep the defense honest. I dont think anyone knows what Rose's ceiling is. This year i think the biggest improvement that we will see will be in on-the-court leadership and presence. By the end of the season, he will be talked about just behind CP3 & Deron Williams as the best PG in the game. I see 20.5 pts, 3 rbs, 8.5 asts, & 1.2 stls a game average.

Scoring? Shooters? A Jump hook?

As everyone knows, Ben Gordon is gone to the hell hole that is Detriot basketball and may i just say thank god. I was never a Ben fan (although i enjoyed his big game winning shots) and am glad the bulls will no longer have the blackhole that he was on offense and might finally be able to have 5 players on defense now that he is gone. But everyone wants to know where his scoring will be made up from. Look i dont think putting the ball in the hoop will be a problem for the bulls. Loul's back, Rose, Salmons, Kirk, Noah and Pargo all should between them make up ben's 20 pts/game.

What i am worried about is how the bulls put the ball in the hole. While Salmons, Hinrich, and Pargo all can shoot from distance, im not sure i would call any of them a good 3 pt shooter. I mean in the playoffs, the bulls best 3 pt shooter was Brad Miller. With their starting 5, salmons is really the only legit 3 pt threat. Defenses might be able to pack the lane more and limit Rose's driving lanes as a result. 3 pt shooting will definitely be a concern and i wouldnt mind seeing the bulls pick up a 3 pt specialist at the trade deadline.

The bulls still dont have any post scoring. Noah, Thomas and others will get you pts in the paint but you really cant run a play for them in the post. In the preseason, they isolated Deng & Noah and they attempted to back down their guys but who are we kidding, those 2 in the post scare anyone. Aaron Gray is about the only guy w/post moves on the bulls and he wont be seeing any court time. I think for the bulls to take the next step they need someone, whether it be a big guy or guard who can post up their guy.

Overall, i think the Bulls will be a frustrating good team. They will be better will be better than last year. They have to be better on defense with gordon gone and a bigger, deeper team but they dont have that shut down defender either who can stop the opposing team's best player. Overall, the Bulls have depth and no injury should hurt them that much. I would say you shouldn't expect much out of top pick Johnson but as i said above i can imagine gibson having a significant role on this team. The Bulls had no problem scoring last year but only with improved defense will they become a real threat in the east. There will still be significant growing pains with this team and that will lead me to end up screaming at the TV and them losing some games they shouldn't. They dont have the firepower to play with the big 3 in the east (Cavs, Celtics, Magic) but they are definitely in that 2nd tier of teams and who knows last year the magic through the improvement of Nelson, Courtney Lee, Turkoglu, and Dwight Howard made that jump from 2nd tier to top tier. But, i think sadly for us bulls fans we will be doomed to another 1st rd playoff exit and then see what the great summer of '10 holds for the bulls.

Bulls 43-39

Finish 6th in the east

1st round playoff loss

Cubs All-Decade Team

I was going to do my own all-decade team but elliott's is so well done, i feel no reason to repeat most of what he has said. However, i would differ on a few selections.

Second Base

I would have to put EY above Derosa. Now both players have very different games. DeRosa had a great season in 2008 but the intangibles that EY brought to the game make him my nod. The guy hit almost .300, scored 98 runs and had an OBP of .367. Plus i feel as though his range in the field gives him an upper hand on DeRosa.

Shortstop

It hurts to say this because Theriot is my favorite current cubs player and because one of the worst moments of my life was when this guy booted the ball, i would go with Alex Gonzalez at shortstop. While Alex Gonzalez may not have had the average at the plate, he more than made up for it in the field. His arm, his range, and sure handedness (yes, this is extremely ironic) plus decent production at the dish in 2003 make him the selection. Perhaps the most ironic event of the decade is him booting the ball in 2003 after being the best statistically defensive shortstop in all of baseball that year.

*I feel as though Nomar should at least get a shout out here. In 2004 and 43 games with the cubs, Nomar hit .297, scored 28 runs, had 49 hits, more BBs than Ks, a OBP of .364 and 20 rbis. Pretty impressive. A shame he couldnt do it for a full season.

I dont really differ anywhere else with Elliott's picks besides maybe 2005 Dempster as closer. But i would like to everyone to take a close look at Sosa's 2001 stats. They are staggering. Literally i was in shock when i read them again. Those are numbers that im not sure will ever be replicated in a Cubs jersey and one of the best offensive seasons ever.