Cnotes NFL Preseason Previews of Teams - News - Notes - Selections and Whatever !

[CNOTES]

AFC West Preview

May 30, 2014

The NFL draft gets all the attention in the spring but the recent release of the 2014 schedule can be a more telling factor in how a team will fare next season. Take a look at the four teams in the AFC West in this schedule preview. Three teams from the West made the playoffs last season with the Broncos winning the AFC Championship. The schedules for this division are among the toughest in the NFL in 2014 however so a decline is very possible across the board.

Denver Broncos: From 1999 to 2007, there was a clear trend of the Super Bowl loser struggling the next season with seven of those nine runner-ups falling to a losing record the next season. The last two seasons, the Super Bowl loser wound up back in the conference championship game, but in the last 20 years, no Super Bowl loser has returned to the big game the next season, a troubling trend for the Broncos. Denver made some aggressive off-season moves notably bringing in DeMarcus Ware as the Broncos know that with Peyton Manning, the window for a championship is narrow at this stage in his career. Denver will face a much tougher schedule in 2014 after coasting to brilliant numbers in the regular season last year through one of the weakest schedules in the league. Denver has to play nine 2013 playoff teams this season as the AFC West plays the very tough NFC West teams and the Broncos will draw Indianapolis and Cincinnati as well as the entire AFC East.

Outside of the division, the Broncos have several very challenging road games, playing at Seattle, at New England, and at Cincinnati and in eight road games Denver faces teams that were a combined 75-53 last season. Denver has a stretch of three consecutive road games in November and the challenge of that run is increased by starting across the country in a huge game at New England. The primetime schedule could also wear on the Broncos with five night games ahead including having to play three division games following up primetime night games either Sunday or Monday. Denver is an older team and an early Week 4 bye might not be ideal. The first three games of the season are very tough with the Colts, Chiefs, and Seahawks in the first three weeks before the bye week. Denver also closes the season with three of the last five games on the road including potential cold weather games in Kansas City and Cincinnati. Early in the season, the Broncos will play the Chiefs, Seahawks, Cardinals, Jets, 49ers, and Chargers in succession as the offense will likely see a huge step back in production simply based on the quality of defenses faced compared with last season. Denver is still the team to beat in the AFC, but it will be a much tougher path in 2014.

Denver Broncos 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .570 (2/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 9 (four home, five away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 10,131
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2 including a back-to-back-to-back
Primetime Games: 5 (1 Thursday, 3 Sunday night, 1 Monday night)

Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs went from 2-14 to 11-5 in one season with Andy Reid. The schedule played a role but Kansas City had a lot of talent on the roster following the disastrous and tragic 2012 season. The Chiefs will be a prime candidate to slip in 2014 with a much tougher slate and the league better prepared for how the offense will look as the Chiefs were one of the early surprise teams last season. Kansas City had an epic meltdown in the playoffs last season which could be difficult to overcome, but if there is any consolation, the Chiefs have the easiest schedule in the division in terms of 2013 win percentage. Kansas City only plays three 2013 playoff teams outside of the division, though it is a very tough group featuring New England, San Francisco, and Seattle. The Chiefs get the Patriots and Seahawks at home as they will avoid two of the toughest venues in the league unlike some of the division counterparts. The schedule before a Week 6 bye is brutally tough with road games in Denver and San Francisco plus a Monday night game with the Patriots, but the slate is reasonable in the back half.

The final four road games of the season are all against teams that missed the playoffs in 2013 and the only set of back-to-back road games comes early in the year. The road games with San Diego and Denver come in relatively favorable situations for the Chiefs as they will catch the Broncos coming off a huge opening game with the Colts and they have a bye week before heading to San Diego. In a division race that could be very tight, it could make a huge difference if the Chiefs are able to steal a big road win in the division. The Chiefs will take on substantial travel miles this season despite being about as close to the middle of the country as can be as Kansas City plays every road game outside of its own central time zone. The Chiefs have a very difficult schedule and falling from 11 wins would not be a surprise, but this is not a team that should endure a significant collapse and Kansas City might actually have the best path in the division.

Kansas City Chiefs 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .559 (7/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 7 (four home, three away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 10,593
Back-to-Back road game sets: 1
Primetime Games: 3 (1 Thursday, 1 Sunday night, 1 Monday night)

Oakland Raiders: While the Raiders have been a dysfunctional franchise most of the last two decades with short term plans and a constant state of transition, there is a lot to like about what the Raiders did in the off-season. Oakland did some positive things last year in a 4-12 first season under Dennis Allen as they ran the ball with some success and were capable defensively especially against the run. The offense showed some promise even battling through three different starting quarterbacks and fighting injuries. Oakland picked up several quality veterans in free agency led by Matt Schaub to take over at quarterback as well as several pieces on defense. Oakland also had a draft class that was well reviewed led by Khalil Mack and several other defensive players to add depth. Unfortunately for the Raiders, success may have to wait another season as the AFC West looks like the most difficult division in the conference and Oakland has drawn one of the league’s absolute toughest schedules.

The Raiders will play nine games against 2013 playoff teams as a result of every game in the division fitting that role and the fourth place draw of Cleveland and Houston looks fairly daunting relative to most seasons as those teams could be greatly improved even in transition seasons. Oakland has road games at New England and at Seattle, nearly impossible places to win and the final month looks brutal with a home date with the 49ers and the road meetings with the Chiefs and Broncos. The first half of the schedule is more reasonable for the Raiders as they only play one winning team from 2013 in the first four weeks before the bye week in Week 5. That bye comes after a trip to London as the Raiders are surrendering a home game this season to make things even more challenging. Including the trip across the pond, the Raiders will travel over 20,000 miles for nine away games, by far the most travel miles in the league. If the Raiders do manage a respectable start to the season, they will face a gauntlet starting in November facing seven teams that were a combined 76-36 last season. The only primetime game of the season for the Raiders is a short week Thursday night game that follows up a huge division road game at San Diego as well. Expect the Raiders to be a competent team in 2014 but it might not show up in the standings.

Oakland Raiders 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .578 (1/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 9 (four home, five away)
Miles Traveled for 9 road/neutral games: 20,251 (includes London)
Back-to-Back road game sets: 1
Primetime Games: 1 (1 Thursday)

San Diego Chargers: With wins in the final four games of the regular season last year, the Chargers snuck into the playoffs and San Diego upset Cincinnati in the Wild Card round before falling narrowly against the Broncos. That late run and the resurgent season from Philip Rivers made it a very successful first season for head coach Mike McCoy. Expectations will be elevated moving forward and the Chargers will have a tough 2014 schedule along with the rest of the division. San Diego is a team that could create an early buzz in 2014 as they have a favorable early season schedule. They only play one 2013 playoff team in the first six weeks and while they do have to play the Seahawks, that game is at home and they catch Seattle off what will be a hyped opener with the Packers knowing that the Seahawks have a Super Bowl rematch in Week 3 as well. The Chargers also catch Denver in what could be a favorable Thursday night spot in Week 8, with the Broncos coming off a primetime game with a physical 49ers team the previous week and with the Broncos staring at the Patriots in the following game. As usual, this could be a Chargers team capable of beating some of the elite teams in the NFL, but also capable of losing to anyone. Houston, Oakland, and Washington combined to win nine games last season but three of those wins came against the Chargers.

San Diego has a late bye week in Week 10, but they will pay the price for the favorable early schedule with a brutally tough final five weeks. The Chargers play at Baltimore to close November before a December schedule that features teams that went 48-16 last season. The final two games of the season for San Diego are at San Francisco and then at Kansas City, with home games with New England and Denver before that. A 4-0 close to the season seems pretty unlikely for the Chargers in 2014, so San Diego will need a strong start to stay in contention late. San Diego has three East Coast games and significant overall travel as well and they have a few awkward primetime games with a Monday night game to open the season plus a late season Saturday game. Look for the Chargers to start the season looking like a serious contender, but this is a team that could limp into the postseason if they find a way to get there.

San Diego Chargers 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .563 (4/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 7 (four home, three away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 12,189
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 4 (1 Thursday, 1 Saturday, 1 Sunday night, 1 Monday night)

 

[CNOTES]

AFC South Preview

May 24, 2014

The NFL draft gets all the attention in the spring but the recent release of the 2014 schedule can be a more telling factor in how a team will fare next season. Take a look at the four teams in the AFC South in this schedule preview. The Colts ran away with the division last season as the only winning team in the group but improvement is likely ahead for Tennessee, Jacksonville, and Houston even through some big changes. Whether there is enough to bridge the gap with the favorite in one season remains to be seen.

Houston Texans: Just about everything that could have gone wrong for the Texans went wrong last season as a team that had been expected to be a top AFC contender fell to just 2-14. While the poor results led to a coaching change, it also led to great position in the NFL Draft and a favorable schedule ahead in 2014 as the Texans will be a team expected to bounce back into contention. The quarterback position remains a key question mark for Bill O’Brien as he returns to the NFL as T.J. Yates and Case Keenum are back with limited starting experience and veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick has been added to the mix as Houston opted not to draft a quarterback early, but did pick Tom Savage in the later rounds. Houston will only play four games against 2013 playoff teams as a result of the fourth place schedule and the lone road game vs. a 2013 playoff team will come in the division at Indianapolis.

Houston will play just one 2013 playoff team in the first eight weeks of the schedule which could help in the transition season for the Texans. Houston does have significant travel on the schedule, including a West coast to East coast back-to-back set early in the season and a few other long flights. The Texans will also have to play on the road after a road Monday night appearance and there are three sets of back-to-back road games ahead. Houston is definitely a team that could see a turnaround with turnovers after having great misfortune early in the season to lose several close games, but the quarterback position is typically the key to improving in the turnover department and that is still an unsettled area for the team. Facing the AFC North and NFC East teams completes a relatively favorable schedule for this entire division and it is almost a certainty that the Texans will improve in the win column in 2014.

Houston Texans 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .441 (30/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 4 (three home, one away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 9,292
Back-to-Back road game sets: 3
Primetime Games: 2 (1 Thursday, 1 Monday Night)

Indianapolis Colts: The Colts made several moves to upgrade on offense in the offseason, but the defense certainly has some areas of concern, especially with the recent suspension looming for Robert Mathis. For back-to-back seasons, the Colts have won 11 games despite questionable point differentials and favorable bounces with turnovers and close game results, but this is a team that will be feared in the AFC picture again in 2014. Indianapolis went 6-0 in the division last season and the Colts will be favored to hit that mark again in 2014 with the rest of the division featuring two new coaching staffs and unproven quarterbacks. The Colts will face the weakest schedule in the NFL in terms of 2013 win percentage, thanks to the three division foes in the South combining to go 13-35 last season. The Colts will be the only team in the division to face New England and Denver, but three of the four games against 2013 playoff teams will come in Indianapolis where the Colts are 13-4 the last two seasons counting the comeback playoff win last year.

The only road game against a winning team from 2013 will be in the opener against the Broncos, a team Indianapolis beat last season. In the NFC East draw, the Colts will get the 2013 champion Eagles at home and in the AFC North draw the Colts will get the Ravens and Bengals at home for likely the preferable track in those games. The Colts have a Week 10 bye, which should come at a good time in the later part of the season and it comes before a huge game with the Patriots, the team that bounced the Colts from the playoffs last season. Indianapolis does have to play three of the final four games of the season on the road, but the final six games of the season will come against teams that combined to go 28-68 last season. Indianapolis also has very minimal travel requirements in terms of mileage with only two trips to the East coast and no games west of Denver. While the scoring and turnover numbers for the Colts cry for regression, Indianapolis has another great schedule to continue to pace this division.

Indianapolis Colts 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .430 (32/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 4 (three home, one away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 5,605
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 5 (1 Thursday, 2 Sunday Night, 2 Monday Night)

Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jaguars have the lowest win total projection in the NFL for 2014 and despite Jacksonville winning four games last season, the Jaguars had the worst point differential in the NFL at -202. Three wins for Jacksonville came within this division and with the Titans and Texans starting over with new coaching staffs, there may be an opportunity for the Jaguars to move up. Jacksonville rolled the dice with Blake Bortles as its top draft pick to inherit the quarterback position, but it is not yet clear if Jacksonville will proceed with the rookie in 2014 or if they will give him some time to develop. Jacksonville obviously had many other problem areas last season, but quarterback has been a glaring area of mistakes and limited production in recent seasons. Jacksonville will actually have a somewhat challenging schedule relative to its division foes as they play four road games against 2013 playoff teams and the Jaguars will surrender a home game to play in London. The Jaguars open the season with road games in three of the first four weeks with three of the first four games are also coming against 2013 playoff teams so a strong start to the season seems unlikely.

With the tough early schedule, it might be easy for Jacksonville to slip into a another year of rebuilding and go with Bortles to gain experience for 2015 as contending for the postseason seems like a long shot this season. Jacksonville also has tough road games at Cincinnati and at Baltimore late in the season and they play Tennessee and Houston three times in the final four weeks of the season, negating to chance to catch those division foes early in their transition seasons. Finishing in third place in the division last season also means playing San Diego and Miami, two quality teams that appear far ahead of the Jaguars and far ahead of the fourth place draw that Houston will get in 2014. All in all, the Jaguars were dealt arguably the toughest schedule in the AFC South and it could be another challenging season.

Jacksonville Jaguars 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .453 (29/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 5 (one home, four away)
Miles Traveled for 9 road/neutral games: 12,125 (includes London)
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 1 (1 Thursday)

Tennessee Titans: The Titans competed very well at times and were barely negative in point differential in a 7-9 season in 2013. After three lackluster seasons, Tennessee made a coaching change and they pulled in former Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt, who was a prominent candidate for several vacancies. The Titans will feature a brutally tough early season schedule in the transition with three of the first four games on the road and playing teams that combined to go 41-23 last season in the first four weeks. The schedule softens substantially in October for the Titans, but Tennessee has a very challenging road schedule overall this season with four 2013 playoff teams, plus a Ravens team only a season removed from a Super Bowl title. Tennessee has to take on the Chiefs and Jets in the second place draw and they will face NFC East champion Philadelphia on the road as well. Tennessee has another set of tough road games following its Week 9 bye and while the Titans will travel the third fewest miles in the league, it is a daunting road schedule overall.

Tennessee also drafted offensive players in the early rounds including offensive lineman Taylor Lewan in the first round, an area that seemingly already was a strong point for the team. The Titans impressed on defense early last season, but by the end of the year, it was a team that struggled down the stretch and the 7-9 record was a bit misleading as Tennessee won the final two games against Jacksonville and Houston, teams that had clearly mailed in the season and did not want to surrender draft position. The Titans also must replace Chris Johnson at running back and Tennessee has lacked playmakers in the receiving corps in recent seasons. Tennessee seems less likely than Houston to jump to immediate success with the coaching change in this division with the schedule playing a big role. The tough first month could lead to big questions and potential changes at key positions and Jake Locker is yet to prove he can stay healthy.

Tennessee Titans 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .438 (31/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 5 (one home, four away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 4,765
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 2 (1 Thursday, 1 Monday Night)

 

[CNOTES]

AFC North Preview

May 19, 2014

The NFL draft gets all the attention in the spring, but the recent release of the 2014 schedule can be a more telling factor in how a team will fare next season. Take a look at the four teams in the AFC North in this schedule preview. The Bengals, Ravens, and Steelers each have three division titles in the last nine years, but for a change the Browns have grabbed some of the spotlight this spring. The North should be a competitive division in 2014 with all four teams expecting to be in the playoff mix.

Baltimore Ravens: After the surprise Super Bowl run two seasons ago, the Ravens fell to 8-8 last season and missed the playoffs after blowout losses in the final two games of the season. The Ravens lost five of seven games in the middle of the season last season with each loss by six or fewer points, as this was a competitive team that was not far from being more of a factor in the AFC. After allowing 49 points in the opening game, the Ravens were formidable on defense most of the season until the final two weeks, but the offense was very disappointing, particularly in the running game. Highly-paid quarterback Joe Flacco also failed to reach 300 yards passing in any of the final 10 games of the season. Baltimore catches a break with a third-place schedule after losing the tiebreaker with Pittsburgh in the 2013 standings. It is certainly debatable whether playing San Diego and Miami is preferable to playing Kansas City and New York in that draw, however.

The entire North will play the AFC South this season, which should provide an opportunity for the North teams to move up in the AFC, but the NFC South draw could be challenging. Baltimore has one of the tougher draws among the division in those matchups having to play on the road against Indianapolis, Houston, and New Orleans. The Ravens open the season with three consecutive division games, so Baltimore will know where it stands early and getting the road trip to Cleveland in early should be an advantage given the transition for the Browns. The Ravens will actually have five of the six division games complete by Week 9 and the back half of the schedule looks more favorable than the front, as Baltimore plays teams that combined to go 18-46 last season in the final four weeks.

Baltimore Ravens 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .461 (28/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 6 (three home, three away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 6,425
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 3 (1 Thursday, 1 Sunday Night, 1 Monday)

Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals have improved in the win column four straight seasons, making the playoffs each of the last three years, despite going 0-3 in the postseason. The Bengals have the most stability in the division which is a surprise given the tumultuous run for this franchise in the previous two decades. The 2014 schedules does not look overly difficult with only five games against 2013 playoff teams and one of the weaker win percentages for opponents based on last season’s record. That said, the Bengals are the only team in the division that has to play Denver or New England, getting both of them in primetime games this season. In a very tough first half of the schedule, the Bengals will play both games with Baltimore, plus games with three 2013 playoffs teams in the first eight weeks.

Cincinnati will also have to play three consecutive road games in November, going from New Orleans to Houston, and then to Tampa Bay. The final four weeks could be very tough with home games against the Steelers and Broncos and road division games in cold weather against the Browns and Steelers. Cincinnati has to play five of the final seven games of the season on the road as Cincinnati has what looks like the toughest schedule in the division, also having to play at Indianapolis and at New Orleans. Denver and Seattle were the only two teams in the NFL to have a stronger point differential than the Bengals last season, so this has to be considered an elite team, but it would not be a surprise to see a slight decline for the Bengals in 2014.

Cincinnati Bengals 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .469 (23/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 5 (two home, three away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 4,857
Back-to-Back road game sets: 1 back-to-back-to-back
Primetime Games: 3 (1 Thursday, 1 Sunday Night, 1 Monday)

Cleveland Browns: The Browns have been in the news a lot this spring, some of it with excitement with Johnny Manziel drafted, but Cleveland also was dealt very tough news with Josh Gordon potentially suspended for the season after his breakout 2013 season. Cleveland had to go through three quarterbacks last season and finding stability at that position has been a constant challenge for the organization. Adding Manziel to look over Brian Hoyer’s shoulder may not be the ideal approach, but Hoyer was not able to stay healthy last season. The schedule for the Browns in 2014 looks promising with only two 2013 playoff teams on the schedule in the first 13 weeks. That lighter slate early could ease the coaching transition with Mike Pettine taking over this season. The Browns lost the final seven games of last season and another tough finish could be ahead with four of the final six games on the road and a closing slate of Indianapolis, Cincinnati, at Carolina, at Baltimore.

Each of the last three seasons, Cleveland has gone 1-7 on the road, but there are winnable road games on the schedule this season, playing at Tennessee, at Jacksonville, at Atlanta, and at Buffalo outside of the division. Cleveland will have the second-lightest travel schedule in the NFL in terms of distance, going fewer than 4,000 miles for eight road games with no game further west than Nashville. While the excitement is growing in Cleveland and the Browns will get more national play in the media this season, breaking out of the basement in the division still seems like a long shot.

Cleveland Browns 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .465 (26/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 5 (three home, two away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 3,634
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 1 (1 Thursday)

Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers wound up 8-8 last season despite starting 0-4 and eventually sitting at 2-6 at the midpoint of the season. Pittsburgh’s late season surge still left them short of the playoffs and it was an atypical Steelers squad that really struggled defensively. The Steelers were also a very poor rushing team on offense and Pittsburgh draws a second-place schedule in 2014. Pittsburgh has the fewest travel miles in 2014 of any team in the NFL as they will not travel further west than Nashville, but the Steelers will have some tough travel situations with four separate sets of back-to-back road games. Despite missing the playoffs the last two seasons, Pittsburgh will play five primetime games including playing three national TV night games in a five-week span in the middle of the season. Pittsburgh had a painful start to the 2013 season, but on paper, a more promising first half seems likely even with four of the first six games on the road.

Four of the first six opponents this season won four or fewer games last season, so the Steelers could rise to the top of the division early. Both games with the Bengals are in the final five weeks of the season as are tricky home games with New Orleans and Kansas City as well as a road date with the Falcons as the closing month will be challenging. The Steelers are one of two teams to have a late Week 12 bye, the latest in the league, and it will remain to be seen if a team that was injury plagued the past two seasons can hold up without a break for much of the season.

Pittsburgh Steelers 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .469 (23/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 6 (four home, two away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 3,537
Back-to-Back road game sets: 4
Primetime Games: 5 (1 Thursday, 2 Sunday Night, 2 Monday)

 

[CNOTES]

Flacco eager to get started anew under Kubiak

May 29, 2014


OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) - Fifteen months after winning the Super Bowl, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is attempting to rebound from the most disappointing season of his NFL career.

After guiding the Ravens to the championship in February 2013, Flacco threw 22 interceptions last season - 10 more than in any of his previous five seasons - and his 73.1 quarterback rating was the lowest of his career.

Even worse, the Ravens went 8-8 and missed the playoffs for the first time since his arrival in Baltimore.

''It was not a good year all around,'' Flacco said Thursday after a team offseason practice session. ''We didn't win enough football games, and the biggest thing is just taking care of the football. That's my No. 1 job.''

The Ravens worked hard this offseason to help Flacco bounce back. They hired Gary Kubiak as offensive coordinator and signed several new receivers, including veteran free agents Steve Smith and tight end Owen Daniels. Baltimore also re-signed wide receiver Joe Jacoby and tight end Dennis Pitta, two key players in the Super Bowl win over San Francisco.

''There's no doubt about it, we've got some weapons out there,'' Flacco said. ''These guys can all run, they can all go get the ball, they can catch. They're strong, they're physical. Every single one of them. I feel good about where we are out there.''

Kubiak takes over for Jim Caldwell, who left to become head coach of the Lions. Kubiak has been working diligently to install a new West Coast offense, and Flacco has been toiling even harder to get a grasp on the system.

If nothing else, it's been a different kind of offseason for the quarterback.

''Probably more similar to my rookie year I guess, because you're learning a new offense and have a couple new players and things like that,'' Flacco said. ''But I'm excited about it. It brings new challenges, and that makes it fun.''

Head coach John Harbaugh and Flacco came to the Ravens at the same time in 2008. Harbaugh was hired to replace Brian Billick and Flacco was a first-round draft choice out of Delaware. Together, they took Baltimore to the postseason for five straight years. Last season, the string ended

Eager to get another playoff streak going, Flacco has been poring over the playbook and trying his best to take his newfound knowledge to the line of scrimmage. The process hasn't always been smooth, but it's a long time until training camp starts.

''I think he's very businesslike about it,'' Harbaugh said. ''He's got a lot to learn. There's a lot of offense on his plate right now, there's a lot of communication. It's all different.''

On a soggy field during the last week of May, Flacco showed the arm strength that enabled him to earn a $120.6 million, six-year contract in the weeks following his Super Bowl triumph.

''Far hash, 20-yard comeback, the ball is pretty close to numbers-high. That's always a tell-tale sign of a good quarterback,'' Smith said. "We're both learning the system and learning each other.''

Unfortunately for Harbaugh, his offseason focus hasn't been entirely on Xs and Os. Four players have been arrested, most notably Ray Rice on assault charges for allegedly striking his fiancee in Atlantic City in February.

Offensive lineman Jah Reid was charged with battery for an incident outside a Florida strip club; receiver Deonte Thompson was arrested and charged with suspicion of possessing marijuana and drug paraphernalia; and last weekend rookie running back Lorenzo Taliaferro was arrested for breaking the window of a taxi cab.

This did not sit well with Harbaugh, who addressed the team Wednesday.

''There have been a lot more phone calls this year than other years to find out what the heck some guys are thinking at times,'' he said. ''I'm disappointed with some of the silliness that's going on. Character really matters to us. You don't do the right thing just because you call a cab. How about we start out with the idea that we're not going to go out and drink?''

 

[CNOTES]

Win Totals - LVH vs. CG

May 21, 2014

The Las Vegas Hotel & Casino (LVH) released their 2014 NFL Win Totals for all 32 teams on Sunday May 18.

Two months earlier, CG Technologies (CGTGlobal), formerly known as Cantor Gaming, opened their 2014 regular season numbers this March.

Based on their opening win totals, the two major sportsbooks in Las Vegas have different opinions on nine different teams.

Looking at the below table, the LVH has a higher rating on the three teams:

N.Y. Giants
N.Y. Jets
Washington Redskins

The six teams that Cantor opened higher than the LVH are listed below:

Carolina Panthers
Houston Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
Minnesota Vikings
San Francisco 49ers
Tennessee Titans

Listed below are all of the opening win totals from the LVH and Cantor, plus last year’s record for each club.

2014 NFL WIN TOTALS

TEAM LVH OVER/UNDER CG OVER/UNDER 2013 RECORD

ARIZONA 7 ½ OV -125 7 ½ OV -125 10-6

ATLANTA 8 OV -130 8 OV -130 4-12

BALTIMORE 8 ½ OV -120 8 ½ 8-8

BUFFALO 6 ½ OV -130 6 ½ 6-10

CAROLINA 8 OV -130 8 ½ OV -130 12-4

CHICAGO 8 OV -140 8 ½ UN -115 8-8

CINCINNATI 9 OV -135 9 OV -115 11-5

CLEVELAND 6 ½ OV -150 6 ½ 4-12

DALLAS 8 8 OV -115 8-8

DENVER 11 OV -140 11 UN -125 13-3

DETROIT 8 OV -150 8 OV -125 7-9

GREEN BAY 10 OV -145 10 OV -120 8-7-1

HOUSTON 7 ½ OV -145 8 UN -115 2-14

INDIANAPOLIS 9 ½ UN -150 9 ½ 11-5

JACKSONVILLE 4 ½ OV -150 4 ½ OV -135 4-12

KANSAS CITY 8 OV -120 8 ½ OV -140 11-5

MIAMI 8 UN -130 7 ½ OV -135 8-8

MINNESOTA 6 UN -120 7 5-10-1

NEW ENGLAND 10 ½ OV -130 10 ½ OV -130 12-4

NEW ORLEANS 9 ½ OV -150 9 ½ OV -125 11-5

N.Y. GIANTS 7 ½ OV -135 7 OV -140 7-9

N.Y. JETS 7 OV -125 6 ½ OV -155 8-8

OAKLAND 5 UN -150 5 UN -115 4-12

PHILADELPHIA 9 UN -135 9 OV -115 10-6

PITTSBURGH 8 ½ OV -120 8 ½ OV -120 8-8

ST. LOUIS 7 ½ 7 OV -145 7-9

SAN DIEGO 8 OV -120 8 OV -125 9-7

SAN FRANCISCO 10 ½ OV -120 11 UN -135 12-4

SEATTLE 11 OV -120 11 OV -115 13-3

TAMPA BAY 7 OV -120 7 4-12

TENNESSEE 7 OV -130 6 ½ OV -115 7-9

WASHINGTON 7 ½ UN -145 7 3-13

 

[CNOTES]

Odds posted for Week 1-16

May 21, 2014

CG Technologies (CGTGlobal) in Las Vegas, formerly known as Cantor Gaming, has released point-spreads for the first 16 weeks of the 2014 NFL regular season.

Week 1 starts on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2014.

Week 8-16

Week 1

Away Home

Green Bay Packers Seattle Seahawks (-5, 44.5) THURSDAY

New Orleans Saints Atlanta Falcons (-1, 51.5)

Minnesota Vikings St. Louis Rams (-4.5, 45.5)

Cleveland Browns Pittsburgh Steelers (-5, 40.5)

Jacksonville Jaguars Philadelphia Eagles (-11, 52)

Oakland Raiders New York Jets (-4.5, 40)

Cincinnati Bengals Baltimore Ravens (-2.5, 43)

Buffalo Bills Chicago Bears (-6.5, 48.5)

Washington Redskins Houston Texans (-2.5, 46)

Tennessee Titans Kansas City Chiefs (-5, 44)

New England Patriots (-3.5, 47.5) Miami Dolphins

Carolina Panthers (-2, 40.5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

San Francisco 49ers (-3.5, 48) Dallas Cowboys

Indianapolis Colts Denver Broncos (-7, 55.5)

New York Giants Detroit Lions (-4, 46)

San Diego Chargers Arizona Cardinals (-3 -115, 44.5)



Week 2

Away Home

Pittsburgh Steelers Baltimore Ravens (-2 -120) THURSDAY

Atlanta Falcons Cincinnati Bengals (-3)

New Orleans Saints (-2.5) Cleveland Browns

New England Patriots (-3 -115) Minnesota Vikings

Detroit Lions Carolina Panthers (-3.5)

Miami Dolphins Buffalo Bills (-1)

Arizona Cardinals New York Giants (-3)

Jacksonville Jaguars Washington Redskins (-9)

Dallas Cowboys (-2.5) Tennessee Titans

Seattle Seahawks (-2.5) San Diego Chargers

St. Louis Rams Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-2.5)

New York Jets Green Bay Packers (-8.5)

Kansas City Chiefs Denver Broncos (-7)

Houston Texans (-2.5) Oakland Raiders

Chicago Bears San Francisco 49ers (-7)

Philadelphia Eagles Indianapolis Colts (-2.5)



Week 3

Away Home

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Atlanta Falcons (-5.5) THURSDAY

Baltimore Ravens Cleveland Browns (PK)

Green Bay Packers (-1) Detroit Lions

Tennessee Titans Cincinnati Bengals (-7)

San Diego Chargers Buffalo Bills (-1)

Indianapolis Colts (-6) Jacksonville Jaguars

Oakland Raiders New England Patriots (-13)

Minnesota Vikings New Orleans Saints (-10)

Houston Texans New York Giants (-4)

Washington Redskins Philadelphia Eagles (-4.5)

Dallas Cowboys St. Louis Rams (PK)

San Francisco 49ers (-2.5) Arizona Cardinals

Kansas City Chiefs Miami Dolphins (PK)

Denver Broncos Seattle Seahawks (-3.5)

Pittsburgh Steelers Carolina Panthers (-3.5)

Chicago Bears New York Jets (PK) MONDAY



Week 4

Away Home

New York Giants Washington Redskins (-1.5) THURSDAY

Tennessee Titans Indianapolis Colts (-7.5)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pittsburgh Steelers (-3.5)

Green Bay Packers Chicago Bears (-1.5)

Carolina Panthers Baltimore Ravens (-1)

Buffalo Bills Houston Texans (-5)

Detroit Lions (-1) New York Jets

** Miami Dolphins (-5) Oakland Raiders

Jacksonville Jaguars San Diego Chargers (-10)

Atlanta Falcons (-1) Minnesota Vikings

Philadelphia Eagles San Francisco 49ers (-6)

New Orleans Saints Dallas Cowboys (PK)

New England Patriots Kansas City Chiefs (-1) MONDAY

**Game play at Wembley Stadium, London, England



Week 5

Away Home

Minnesota Vikings Green Bay Packers (-10) THURSDAY

Buffalo Bills Detroit Lions (-7.5)

Houston Texans Dallas Cowboys (-4.5)

Chicago Bears Carolina Panthers (-3.5)

Pittsburgh Steelers (-6.5) Jacksonville Jaguars

Baltimore Ravens Indianapolis Colts (-3)

Cleveland Browns Tennessee Titans (-2.5)

St. Louis Rams Philadelphia Eagles (-6)

Atlanta Falcons New York Giants (-2.5)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers New Orleans Saints (-7.5)

Arizona Cardinals Denver Broncos (-9)

Kansas City Chiefs San Francisco (-7)

New York Jets San Diego Chargers (-4)

Cincinnati Bengals New England Patriots (-4)

Seattle Seahawks (-4.5) Washington Redskins MONDAY



Week 6

Away Home

Indianapolis Colts Houston Texans (-1) THURSDAY

Detroit Lions (-1) Minnesota Vikings

Green Bay Packers (-2.5) Miami Dolphins

Pittsburgh Steelers Cleveland Browns (PK)

Carolina Panthers Cincinnati Bengals (-2)

New England Patriots (-3.5) Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears Atlanta Falcons (-3)

Denver Broncos (-6) New York Jets

Jacksonville Jaguars Tennessee Titans (-7)

Baltimore Ravens Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-1)

San Diego Chargers (-2.5) Oakland Raiders

Dallas Cowboys Seattle Seahawks (-7.5)

Washington Redskins Arizona Cardinals (-4)

New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles (-4.5)

San Francisco 49ers (-4.5) St. Louis Rams MONDAY


Week 7

Away Home

New York Jets New England Patriots (-7.5)

New Orleans Saints Detroit Lions (-1.5)

Miami Dolphins Chicago Bears (-6)

Minnesota Vikings Buffalo Bills (-2.5)

Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens (-3)

Carolina Panthers Green Bay Packers (-4)

Tennessee Titans Washington Redskins (-3.5)

Seattle Seahawks (-6) St. Louis Rams

Cleveland Browns (-2.5) Jacksonville Jaguars

Cincinnati Bengals Indianapolis Colts (-2.5)

Kansas City Chiefs San Diego Chargers (-2)

Arizona Cardinals (-3.5) Oakland Raiders

New York Giants Dallas Cowboys (-3.5)

San Francisco 49ers Denver Broncos (-3)

Houston Texans Pittsburgh Steelers (-3.5)

 

[CNOTES]

NFL Odds - Week 8-16

May 21, 2014

Week 8

Away Home

San Diego Chargers Denver Broncos (-8.5) THURSDAY

** Detroit Lions (-1) Atlanta Falcons

Houston Texas Tennessee Titans (PK)

Seattle Seahawks (-1.5) Carolina Panthers

Baltimore Ravens Cincinnati Bengals (-3)

Miami Dolphins (-4) Jacksonville Jaguars

St. Louis Rams Kansas City Chiefs (-6.5)

Chicago Bears New England Patriots (-4.5)

Buffalo Bills New York Jets (-2.5)

Minnesota Vikings Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3)

Philadelphia Eagles Arizona Cardinals (-2)

Oakland Raiders Cleveland Browns (-4.5)

Indianapolis Colts Pittsburgh Steelers (-2)

Green Bay Packers New Orleans Saints (-2.5)

Washington Redskins Dallas Cowboys (-4.5) MONDAY

**Game play at Wembley Stadium, London, England



Week 9

Away Home

New Orleans Saints Carolina Panthers (-2.5) THURSDAY

Tampa Buccaneers Cleveland Browns (-2.5)

Jacksonville Jaguars Cincinnati Bengals, (-11)

Arizona Cardinals Dallas Cowboys (-3.5)

Philadelphia Eagles Houston Texans (PK)

New York Jets Kansas City Chiefs (-6)

San Diego Chargers Miami Dolphins (-2.5)

Washington Redskins Minnesota Vikings (-1.5)

St. Louis Rams San Francisco 49ers (-11)

Denver Broncos New England Patriots (-1)
Oakland Raiders Seattle Seahawks (-14.5)

Baltimore Ravens Pittsburgh Steelers (-2.5)

Indianapolis Colts New York Giants (-1) MONDAY



Week 10

Away Home

Cleveland Browns Cincinnati Bengals (-6.5) THURSDAY

Tennessee Titans Baltimore Ravens (-6)

Kansas City Chiefs (-2) Buffalo Bills

Miami Dolphins Detroit Lions (-5)

** Dallas Cowboys (-10) Jacksonville Jaguars

San Francisco 49ers New Orleans Saints (-1.5)

Pittsburgh Steelers (-2) New York Jets

Atlanta Falcons Tampa Bay Buccaneers (PK)

Denver Broncos (-10) Oakland Raiders

St. Louis Rams Arizona Cardinals (-4)

New York Giants Seattle Seahawks (-10)

Chicago Bears Green Bay Packers (-6)

Carolina Panthers Philadelphia Eagles (-1) MONDAY

**Game play at Wembley Stadium, London, England



Week 11

Away Home

Buffalo Bills Miami Dolphins (-3.5) THURSDAY

Minnesota Vikings Chicago Bears (-7)

Atlanta Falcons Carolina Panthers (-4)

Houston Texans Cleveland Browns (-1.5)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Washington Redskins (-2.5)

Denver Broncos (-4.5) St. Louis Rams

San Francisco 49ers (-3 (-120)) New York Giants

Cincinnati Bengals New Orleans Saints (-4)

Seattle Seahawks (-2.5) Kansas City Chiefs

Philadelphia Eagles Green Bay Packers (-4.5)

Oakland Raiders San Diego Chargers (-8)

Detroit Lions Arizona Cardinals (-2.5)

New England Patriots Indianapolis Colts (-1)

Pittsburgh Steelers (-2) Tennessee Titans MONDAY



Week 12

Away Home

Kansas City Chiefs (-4) Oakland Raiders THURSDAY

Jacksonville Jaguars Indianapolis Colts (-12)

Cincinnati Bengals Houston Texans (PK)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Chicago Bears (-6)

New York Jets Buffalo Bills (-2.5)

Cleveland Browns Atlanta Falcons (-7 even)

Green Bay Packers (-4.5) Minnesota Vikings

Tennessee Titans Philadelphia Eagles (-7)

Detroit Lions New England Patriots (-6)

St. Louis Rams San Diego Chargers (-4)

Arizona Cardinals Seattle Seahawks (-10.5)

Washington Redskins San Francisco 49ers (-8.5)

Miami Dolphins Denver Broncos (-10)

Dallas Cowboys New York Giants (-2.5)

Baltimore Ravens New Orleans Saints (-6.5) MONDAY



Week 13

Away Home

Chicago Bears Detroit Lions (-3) THURSDAY

Philadelphia Eagles Dallas Cowboys (-1.5) THURSDAY

Seattle Seahawks San Francisco 49ers (-2.5) THURSDAY

Oakland Raiders St. Louis Rams (-5.5)

Cincinnati Bengals Tampa Bay Buccaneers (PK)

San Diego Chargers Baltimore Ravens (-3)

Cleveland Browns Buffalo Bills (-2.5)

Tennessee Titans Houston Texans (-5)

Washington Redskins Indianapolis Colts (-6)

New York Giants (-5.5) Jacksonville Jaguars

Carolina Panthers (-3) Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints Pittsburgh Steelers (-2.5)

Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons (-4)

New England Patriots Green Bay Packers (-3.5)

Denver Broncos (-3) Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins New York Jets (-1) MONDAY



Week 14

Away Home

Dallas Cowboys Chicago Bears (-4.5) THURSDAY

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Detroit Lions (-6)

Houston Texans (-4) Jacksonville Jaguars

Indianapolis Colts (-1) Cleveland Browns

Pittsburgh Steelers Cincinnati Bengals (-3)

Baltimore Ravens Miami Dolphins (PK)

St. Louis Rams Washington Redskins (-2.5)

New York Jets Minnesota Vikings (-2)

Carolina Panthers New Orleans Saints (-3.5)

New York Giants (-1) Tennessee Titans

Kansas City Chiefs Arizona Cardinals (-2)

Buffalo Bills Denver Broncos (-11.5)

San Francisco 49ers (-7) Oakland Raiders

Seattle Seahawks (-1) Philadelphia Eagles

New England Patriots (-1) San Diego Chargers

Atlanta Falcons Green Bay Packers (-6.5) MONDAY



Week 15

Away Home

Arizona Cardinals St. Louis (-1) THURSDAY

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Carolina Panthers (-6.5)

Green Bay Packers (-4.5) Buffalo Bills

Jacksonville Jaguars Baltimore Ravens (-10.5)

Pittsburgh Steelers Atlanta Falcons (-3.5)

Cincinnati Bengals (-1.5) Cleveland Browns

Washington Redskins New York Giants (-3.5)

Minnesota Vikings Detroit Lions (-7)

Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts (-4.5)

Oakland Raiders Kansas City Chiefs (-8.5)

Miami Dolphins New England Patriots (-6.5)

Denver Broncos (-3.5) San Diego Chargers

New York Jets Tennessee Titans (-1.5)

San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks (-3.5)

Dallas Cowboys Philadelphia Eagles (-3)

New Orleans Saints Chicago Bears (-3) MONDAY



Week 16

Away Home

Tennessee Titans (-3) Jacksonville Jaguars THURSDAY

Philadelphia Eagles (-1.5) Washington Redskins SATURDAY

San Diego Chargers San Francisco 49ers (-7) SATURDAY

Cleveland Browns Carolina Panthers (-7.5)

Detroit Lions Chicago Bears (-4)

Baltimore Ravens Houston Texans (-1)

Minnesota Vikings Miami Dolphins (-4)

Atlanta Falcons New Orleans Saints (-6.5)

New England Patriots (-3) New York Jets

Kansas City Chiefs Pittsburgh Steelers (-1.5)

Green Bay Packers (-3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

New York Giants St. Louis Rams (-3)

Indianapolis Colts Dallas Cowboys (-2.5)

Buffalo Bills (-1) Oakland Raiders

Seattle Seahawks (-3.5) Arizona Cardinals

Denver Broncos (-1.5) Cincinnati Bengals

 

[CNOTES]

AFC East Preview

May 14, 2014

The NFL draft gets all the attention in the spring, but the recent release of the 2014 schedule can be a more telling factor in how a team will fare next season. Take a look at the four teams in the AFC East in this schedule preview. This certainly looks like New England’s division to lose with the East title in 10 of the last 11 seasons for the Patriots, but this could be a competitive division from top-to-bottom with another year under the belt for three young starting quarterbacks for the Bills, Dolphins, and Jets.

Buffalo Bills: The Bills have not won a division title since 1995 and the odds will be steep on Buffalo ending the streak this season. Buffalo has not had a winning season since 2004 and the Bills have not made the playoffs since 1999. In a transition season with first year head coach Doug Marrone last season, Buffalo wound up 6-10 but there were some impressive performances with the Bills scoring 20 or more points in the first seven games of last season including getting wins over Carolina and Baltimore. Buffalo won three division games last season and E.J. Manuel did enough to lead to some optimism for the future, especially with the draft pick of Sammy Watkins coming in this season to boost the offense. Buffalo will play a reasonable schedule in 2014 with only two road games against 2013 playoff teams and only one trip to the West coast. Buffalo has a central Week 9 bye week and they don’t have to give up a home game to play in Toronto for a change this season.

Buffalo will draw winnable home games outside of the division with Minnesota and Cleveland visiting and they will catch teams in coaching transitions early in the season facing the Texans, Lions, and Vikings in the first half of the season. The Bills do have a daunting December schedule with road games in three of the final four weeks, including trips to Denver and New England with the home game coming against Green Bay. That means the start of the season will be even more critical for Buffalo. Making the playoffs seems like a reach with the Bills and the rest of the AFC East facing an AFC West division that produced three 2013 playoff teams, but the NFC North was a weak division last season and that is the inter-conference draw for this division. Finishing in fourth place last season allows the Bills to play the Browns, but drawing Houston might not feel like a fourth-place game if the Texans bounce back after a bizarre 2013 season.

Buffalo Bills 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .500 (14/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 6 (four home, two away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 8,822
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 1 (one Thursday)

Miami Dolphins: Despite great distractions last season, Miami wound up 8-8 and by virtue of losing the tiebreaker with the Jets, the Dolphins will score a third-place schedule this season. Miami had a negative point differential despite the even record, but the Dolphins should have stability as Joe Philbin remains at head coach through the Richie Incognito scandal and Ryan Tannehill will lead the Dolphins for a third straight season, a rarity in recent years for this franchise. The Dolphins were a worse team statistically than the record indicated and 2013 was a year of streaks for the team, starting 3-0 before losing four straight games and also winning four of five late in the season. Miami was 8-6 heading into division games in the final two weeks of the season against the Bills and the Jets before getting outscored 39-7 in the two final games to blow a chance at the playoffs. Five of the eight wins came by four or fewer points last season, so this is a team that could head backwards without some of the same fortune but the Dolphins also four games by four or fewer points in 2013.

Miami opens the season with the Patriots and Chiefs in the first two home games of the season and the Dolphins will only play seven true road games as they take on the Raiders in London. That trip comes early in the season in Week 4 as the Dolphins have an early Week 5 bye. November may be the key month for Miami with games at home against San Diego and Buffalo and road games against Detroit, Denver, and the Jets. To have a shot at the playoffs, Miami likely needs to be able to come through that stretch at .500 heading into the final four weeks where they host three of the final four games. The Dolphins have four of six games against 2013 playoff teams at home and because they play in London, the Dolphins do not travel further west than Denver this season as five road games come in the Eastern time zone.

Miami Dolphins 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .508 (12/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 6 (four home, two away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 13,835 (includes London)
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 5 (one Thursday, three Sunday night, one Monday)

New England Patriots: The Patriots have won the AFC East 10 of the last 11 years, only falling short in an 11-5 campaign in the season that Tom Brady was injured. This has been one of the most consistently successful franchises in professional sports for the last decade and there is little reason to expect much of a decline in 2014, coming off a 12-4 season where New England eventually lost in the AFC Championship. New England will open the season with three of the first four games of the season on the road for a challenging start to the season, but it is not a daunting stretch of games with only two of the first eight games of the season coming against teams that had a winning record last season. New England does have four road games against 2014 playoff teams and they have some challenging back-to-back sets ahead, playing Kansas City and Cincinnati, Chicago and Denver, and Green Bay and San Diego in back-to-back weeks throughout the season.

New England will play five primetime games, including three Sunday night games if the schedule holds, so there will be some late night travel and taxing scheduling ahead for the Patriots. The first-place schedule brings the Colts and Bengals on the schedule and New England was only 4-2 in division games last season with several of those wins coming in very tight games despite this being a relatively weak division last season. The Patriots had shaky defensive statistics last season despite a strong scoring margin and New England was just 4-4 in road games last season, as this team has over-performed its talent in recent years. The track record for New England on personnel decisions and in coaching is impressive and with three young quarterbacks and three coaches with questionable track records in the division, it seems likely that a sixth consecutive division title is very possible even with a fairly difficult 2014 slate.

New England Patriots 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .516 (10/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 6 (two home, four away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 10,181
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 5 (one Thursday, three Sunday night, one Monday)

New York Jets: The Jets were expected to be at the bottom of the league last season after a summer full of problems. New York surprised many with an 8-8 season, though the Jets were -97 in point differential. New York has made a lot of moves to upgrade the offense, but improving on the mistakes that Geno Smith made last season will be of critical importance for the Jets to stay competitive. New York had wins over both New England and New Orleans last season and at times the defense was very impressive, but the Jets also allowed 30 or more points four times last season. The 2014 schedule features a second-place slate, but that may not be such a bad thing as Pittsburgh and Tennessee are the two teams drawn, hardly overly threatening second-place teams. The Jets do have four road games against 2013 playoff teams and the early season schedule is challenging with three consecutive games against the NFC facing the Packers, Bears, and Lions in consecutive weeks before a tough October lines up with games against the Chargers, Broncos, and Patriots in succession. That start could lead to disaster and major personnel moves unless the Jets pick up an upset or two.

The tough first half schedule should make the opener against Oakland of paramount importance. If New York can survive without digging too big of a hole in the first half, the second half schedule is favorable. The final four road games are not overly daunting playing at Buffalo, at Minnesota, and at Tennessee before the season finale at Miami. The Jets do face a Thursday game and two Monday night games so there will be some short week games ahead which can take a toll. The Jets have a late Week 11 bye week and overall fairly reasonable travel outside of the cross country trek to San Diego in Week 5.

New York Jets 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2012: .520 (9/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 6 (two home, four away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 9,043
Back-to-Back road game sets: 1
Primetime Games: 3 (one Thursday, two Monday)

 

[CNOTES]

Former Trojans battle for Eagles' No. 2 job

June 3, 2014


PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Matt Barkley followed Mark Sanchez at USC and set school records in nearly every statistical passing category.

The former Trojans are teammates now, and they're battling for the same job.

Sanchez, a 2009 first-round pick who led the New York Jets to consecutive AFC championship games in his first two NFL seasons, signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles in March. Nick Foles is the starter after a sensational breakout year, so Sanchez will compete with Barkley for the backup spot.

''If my role is going to be to help Nick get ready for the season, help Nick get ready for Week 1 or preseason games, I'm going to be ready for whatever they need me to do,'' Sanchez said during his first organized team activities with his new team. ''It's nice to be with somebody like Nick who really works hard, who wants to compete, who wants to throw a couple extra after practice.''

Sanchez spent last season on injured reserve after tearing the labrum in his right shoulder in a preseason game. Geno Smith took over as the starter for the Jets, and they signed Michael Vick from the Eagles early in free agency, making Sanchez expendable.

He quickly landed in Philadelphia, where he gets a chance to play in Chip Kelly's up-tempo offense. Sanchez saw it in college from the opposite sideline when Kelly coached at Oregon.

''I think what they did last year was just the tip of the iceberg for these guys,'' Sanchez said. ''If we continue to work, if we continue to improve, that was the real enticing thing.''

Barkley was pressed into action as a rookie when Foles and Vick were injured last year. He threw four interceptions and lost a fumble in four quarters over two games.

He's far more comfortable this time around.

''It feels like my offense now,'' he said. ''Last year, it felt like it was Oregon's offense. It feels like the offense that I've been running for a while now. All of the calls, all the checks, it just comes to you quickly without having to think about it now.''

Barkley could've been a top-five pick if he left school after his junior year, but he returned as a Heisman Trophy front-runner with a chance to lead USC to a national championship. Neither happened, and Barkley finished his career watching his teammates play in a bowl game from the sideline with his arm in a sling after a shoulder injury.

There were questions about his arm strength last year, but Barkley said he's pain-free and feels fine now.

''I feel like I have more torque, more velocity on the ball,'' he said. ''I feel confident in being able to put it anywhere I need to.''

Barkley rewrote the conference record book during a USC-record 47 starts over four seasons, becoming the Pac-12's leader in touchdown passes, yards passing, completions and total offense. He impressed Kelly in four games against Oregon and was selected in the fourth round.

Foles, a third-round pick by Andy Reid just a year earlier, began the year as Vick's backup before taking over in October. Foles led the Eagles to the NFC East title and threw 29 touchdowns and only two interceptions in 11 starts, including a playoff loss to New Orleans. He also had the third-highest passer rating (119.2) in league history.

But with injuries always a risk, Kelly wanted depth behind Foles.

''With the quarterback specifically, I've said it all along you better have two,'' Kelly said. ''You look at Aaron Rodgers. Peyton Manning missed a year. Tom Brady missed a year.''

 

[CNOTES]

NFC East Preview

June 5, 2014

The NFL draft gets all the attention in the spring but the recent release of the 2014 schedule can be a more telling factor in how a team will fare next season. Take a look at the four teams in the NFC East in this schedule preview. The East is one of the highest profile divisions in the league but it has not been a strong division top to bottom for several years. Each of the four teams has a division title in the last five seasons but no team has repeated as division champion since 2004.

Dallas Cowboys: Despite consistent mediocrity in recent seasons, expectations and interest are always sky-high for the Cowboys. This off-season, the team did not appear to make major upgrades, in fact losing one of its biggest stars as DeMarcus Ware signed with Denver. The Cowboys also avoided the high profile drafting of Johnny Manziel, but there have been some positive additions in free agency led by Henry Melton. If Dallas is to breakthrough to the playoffs in 2014, they will need a strong start as the schedule opens with great difficulty. Dallas opens the season at home against San Francisco before heading on back-to-back road games to Nashville and St. Louis, facing two teams that could provide tough tests this season as improved squads. The next two home games come against New Orleans and Houston before the Cowboys head to Seattle. Getting through that run at 3-3 would be a positive step for Dallas before the middle of the season that features several division games. Overexposed is a word that often comes to mind with Dallas and the Cowboys will play six national TV games including four consecutive TV games in the late season schedule.

Dallas faces six 2013 playoff teams, but four of those games will be at home for a somewhat favorable draw. The East faces an AFC South division that could be the weakest in the AFC, but Dallas and the rest of the East will play the stacked NFC West, featuring both of last season’s NFC Championship representatives. The second place draw for the Cowboys brings in challenging games with the Saints and Bears as well to make up a difficult overall slate. Dallas plays Jacksonville in London in November as the Cowboys will only play seven true road games for an advantage, but the lengthy travel late in the season could be taxing. Getting the bye week before big division games with the Giants and Eagles could be beneficial. The first six weeks could make or break the Dallas season and as usual the Cowboys should be interesting and competitive enough to stay relevant, though contending for a championship seems like a stretch.

Dallas Cowboys 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .488 (18/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 6 (four home, two away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games (includes London): 13,642
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 6 (1 Thursday night, 1 Thanksgiving, 3 Sunday night, 1 Monday night)

New York Giants: After going just 9-7 with a point differential of +88 in 2012, the Giants looked like a team poised to deliver a stronger season in 2013. New York wound up 7-9 last season with disastrous numbers on defense and big issues with turnovers on offense. New York started the season 0-6 and rallied to win seven of the final 10 games of the season including putting together a competitive season within the division. The Giants draw a third place schedule in 2014, which means drawing the Lions and Falcons, potentially a dangerous grouping with both of those teams also being big disappointments in 2013 and potentially poised to rebound. One thing to note on the schedule that plays in favor of the Giants is that New York will play a team with a new coaching staff in three of the first four weeks of the season, seemingly a big advantage compared with the rest of the division given the relative stability of the Giants organization in recent years. New York only plays one 2013 playoff team in the first eight weeks of the season, so New York is almost certain to get off to a much better start this year.

The season for New York will face its biggest challenge in November playing the Colts, Seahawks, and 49ers in consecutive games, although that daunting stretch is preceded by a bye week and two of the three games as well as a game with the Cowboys in Week 12 will be at home. New York will only play two games on the road against teams that had a winning record in 2013 and only the finale at home against the Eagles among the final six games comes against a winning team from last season. All in all, New York has what looks like the best schedule in the NFC East, facing the 7th weakest schedule in the league in terms of 2013 win percentage and facing the fewest travel miles in the division. It is worth noting that New York seemingly had a favorable schedule entering the 2013 season as well with a favorable second place draw, but that obviously played out poorly.

New York Giants 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .465 (26/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 5 (three home, two away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 8,193
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 5 (1 Thursday, 2 Sunday night, 2 Monday night)

Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles wound up winning the NFC East last season in a great bounce back season, led by Chip Kelly making a successful jump to the NFL. Philadelphia found a quarterback with efficient play from Nick Foles and the unique wrinkles in the offense proved difficult for many opponents. Philadelphia benefitted from facing three awful defensive teams in the division last season though two losses came in the division. The Eagles were the second highest scoring team in the NFC last season behind only Chicago, but the Eagles were only +60 in point differential as the defense had several problematic games in an inconsistent season. In 2014, the Eagles draw a first place schedule which means pulling Carolina and a facing a trip to Green Bay with those games coming in consecutive weeks in November. The Eagles have a very tough road schedule overall with only one road game outside of the division coming against a losing team from 2013 and that game is at Houston, a team many expect to be very competitive moving forward.

The Eagles do get to avoid traveling to Seattle this season, but they play at San Francisco and also have likely the tougher of the road game possibilities in the AFC South draw playing at Indianapolis and at Houston. After a an early Week 7 bye, the Eagles play three of the next four games on the road in what could be the most important stretch of the season outside of the division games. Philadelphia has four of its six division games in the final five weeks of the season as the success or failure of the season will likely be decided in December. It will be interesting to see if opponents are better prepared for the Eagles in 2014 with a season of film on the offense, but despite some challenges in the schedule, the Eagles only play five games against 2013 playoff teams and this looks like a division that will not require an amazing record to win.

Philadelphia Eagles 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .479 (20/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 5 (two home, three away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 10,247
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 6 (1 Thursday, 1 Saturday, 2 Sunday night, 2 Monday night)

Washington Redskins: After the great breakthrough season in 2012 led by then-rookie Robert Griffin III, the Redskins crashed last season falling to just 3-13 for the worst record in the NFC. The #2 draft pick slot for Washington went to the Rams, so there was no reward for the awful season in which the team was outscored by 144 points. Washington went 0-6 in the division and 1-11 vs. the NFC last season and while the opportunity to improve will be there, a worst-to-first scenario similar to what has played out in this division the last two seasons seems unlikely. Washington made a coaching change with Jay Gruden taking over and the early season schedule should be manageable for a team in transition. Washington opens at Houston, the only team with a worse record in 2013 and another team in transition and then Washington will host Jacksonville in Week 2, so a promising start is possible. Washington will only play two 2013 playoff teams in the first 11 weeks of the schedule, so it would not be a shock if Washington topped last season’s win total by that point before a challenging closing slate.

Washington’s final three road games include trips to San Francisco and Indianapolis in back-to-back weeks and the final two home games will be big division tests against Philadelphia and Dallas. The fourth place draw provides games with Tampa Bay and Minnesota, two teams that are also going through a coaching transition and those games will surround a Week 10 bye. With a fairly average schedule, Washington seems likely to improve on the ugly numbers from 2013 and the first few weeks should be very telling on whether or not Washington can return to being a playoff contender or whether the transition could take some time. Given the tough games later in the season, starting 2-0 might be critical for the Redskins and they have the opening draw to make it happen, facing teams with questionable quarterback situations in the first two weeks.

Washington Redskins 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .490 (17/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 5 (two home, three away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 9,956
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 3 (1 Thursday, 1 Saturday, 2 Monday night)

 

[CNOTES]

NFC North Preview

June 5, 2014

The NFL draft gets all the attention in the spring but the recent release of the 2014 schedule can be a more telling factor in how a team will fare next season. Take a look at the four teams in the NFC North in this schedule preview. The North was a disappointing division in 2013 with the Packers taking the title despite just an 8-7-1 record and only the 7-9 Lions featuring a positive point differential. This was after the division produced three 10-win teams in 2012. Green Bay is the favorite to win a fourth consecutive division title in 2014 but all four teams can make a case for improvement.

Chicago Bears: The plan to bring in an offensive-minded coach with former CFL coach Marc Trestman certainly worked as Chicago was the highest scoring team in the NFC last season. A team with a reputation for playing great defense struggled to an 8-8 mark while allowing nearly 30 points per game. While the Bears fell from 10-6 in 2012 to 8-8, they were in control of their playoff fate in the final week, losing to the Packers on a late touchdown. Along with the rest of the NFC North, Chicago faces the four AFC East teams and the four NFC South teams and Chicago will have to play Dallas and San Francisco in the second place schedule draw. Chicago has a tough road schedule in 2014 with games at San Francisco, at Carolina, and at New England and before a Week 9 bye, the Bears will play five road games.

Chicago could find a stronger finish in 2014 as the Bears are at home in five of the final seven games of the season with only one of those final seven games coming against a 2013 playoff team. Both games with the Packers will complete by Week 10 for Chicago and the Bears catch Green Bay in potentially favorable situations as the Packers play in Chicago as the second of two back-to-back division games on the road and the bye week will precede Chicago’s trip to Lambeau Field. The Bears will be in the spotlight with six national TV games this season including two primetime games in the first three weeks of the season as well as three consecutive national TV games late in the year. The Bears have made some moves to address the league’s worst run defense from 2013 and there could be more stability on the team if the key injuries from 2013 are avoided, though the case can be made that the Bears were a worse team last season with Jay Cutler at quarterback. After a hot 3-0 start last season faded, the Bears might have a slower start in 2014, but a favorable late season slate could push the Bears into the postseason mix in what should be a tight division race yet again.

Chicago Bears 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .496 (15/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 6 (two home, four away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 6,306
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 6 (1 Thursday night, 1 Thanksgiving, 2 Sunday night, 2 Monday night)

Detroit Lions: The Lions had all signs pointing to a big turnaround in 2013 and while Detroit did improve by three wins from a 4-12 season in 2012, this was a team that sat at 6-3 with the division lead before collapsing with losses in six of the final seven games. The slide cost Jim Schwartz his job and after being passed over by some of the higher profile coaching candidates, the Lions hired Jim Caldwell, the former Colts head coach and more recently the offensive coordinator of the 2012 Super Bowl champion Ravens. The Lions have a great deal of talent on both sides of the ball, but another transition season is ahead and Caldwell is the eighth Lions head coach since the team last won a division title in 1993. Detroit draws a third place schedule in 2014, which means games with the Giants and Cardinals, not exactly weak opponents and Detroit draws a daunting road schedule despite only having to play seven true road games with a London date in Week 8 vs. Atlanta.

The four non-division road games for the Lions come against teams that were 42-22 last season. Detroit also has two challenging back-to-back road game sets in the second half of the season having to play at Arizona and then at New England the next week for taxing travel and then closing the season on the road in Chicago and then Green Bay in potentially treacherous weather for an indoor team. The first half schedule looks slightly more favorable for the Lions, but for a team in a coaching transition, getting off to a hot start may be difficult. As usual, the Lions will likely have a handful of games where they look like a legitimate contender, but getting consistent performances with this schedule in a transition season could be a great challenge. Another late season slide seems likely for the Lions with a tough path in November and December.

Detroit Lions 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .492 (16/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 5 (two home, three away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games (includes London): 9,286
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 2 (1 Thanksgiving, 1 Monday night)

Green Bay Packers: The Packers barely snuck into the playoffs despite facing one of the weaker schedules in the league last season. Aaron Rodgers did miss several games as the Packers bounced through three different back-up quarterbacks, but ultimately Green Bay finished with a negative point differential despite the division title. Injuries were costly for Green Bay on both sides of the ball last season and better results could be on the way with improved health, but there were glaring issues on the team defensively last season. Despite what ultimately was a pretty mediocre campaign in 2013, the Packers draw a first place schedule which means they are the only team to play Seattle, where they open the season. They also host Philadelphia in between division games in November. Green Bay gets to play 2013 division winners New England and Carolina at home which could be a big advantage and overall the Packers have a fairly favorable schedule with only two road games against 2013 playoff teams. Four of the first six games of the season will be on the road and Green Bay has long trips to Seattle, Miami, New Orleans, Buffalo, and Tampa Bay this season.

The Packers will play all three teams in the division in the first five weeks including the big road tests at Detroit and Chicago and even if the Packers don’t win in Seattle, they should be able to get off to a fairly strong start to the season in the first half slate. Green Bay plays teams that finished a combined 21-43 last season in the final four weeks of the season, so swooping in to steal the division title again is certainly a possibility for the Packers as the Lions and Bears both face tough closing slates. In a division with two new head coaches and a second-year head coach, the Packers have by far the most stability of the group and while the schedule rates slightly more difficult than the rest of the division, overall the timing of games should play out favorably for Green Bay.

Green Bay Packers 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .504 (13/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 5 (three home, two away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 7,783
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 5 (2 Thursday, 2 Sunday night, 1 Monday night)

Minnesota Vikings: The rise to 10-6 in 2012 certainly felt like a fluke for the Vikings and not surprisingly, Minnesota fell backwards last season, finishing 4-12 while allowing 480 points, the most in the league. The Vikings started 1-7 last season before competing relatively well down the stretch, going 2-0-1 in the final three division games and beating NFC East champion Philadelphia and playing close games with Dallas and Baltimore. Minnesota appears set to go with veteran Matt Cassel at quarterback, although the Vikings traded up to get Teddy Bridgewater late in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. Minnesota’s rough 2013 season led to a coaching change and defensive-minded Mike Zimmer takes over after great success in transforming the Cincinnati defense in recent years. The Vikings still have a great running game and a solid run defense returning from last season, but in a division with three high-profile quarterbacks, it has been tough for Minnesota to keep up. The Vikings had a very difficult schedule last season and there are challenges ahead in 2014, mainly getting used to playing outside as the Vikings will play at TCF Bank Stadium for two seasons on the campus of the University of Minnesota while a new stadium is built in downtown Minneapolis. Four of the final six games of the season will be at home for Minnesota and there certainly could be some challenging cold weather games and the fan support could be diminished moving from the loud Metrodome into a smaller college stadium.

The fourth place draw of St. Louis and Washington does not feature a typical pair of last place squads, but the Vikings do at least avoid the NFC West powers and Minnesota only plays one road game outside of the division against a 2013 playoff team, though it is a challenging game at New Orleans. The Vikings play the Patriots, Saints, and Packers in the first five weeks, a very tough early draw for a team in transition with quarterback questions. If Minnesota can avoid a disastrous start like they had last season, the rest of the schedule is relatively favorable. Minnesota plays teams that were a combined 28-52 from Week 6 to 11 with a bye week mixed in as Minnesota would have a chance to stay in contention if they can steal a game or two in the tough first month. The final two road games are at Detroit and at Miami, not exactly overly threatening venues and the Vikings do not have to play any west coast games. The Vikings are probably a year away from seriously contending for the postseason, but this is likely to be an improved team compared with 2013 based on the schedule alone.

Minnesota Vikings 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .477 (21/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 5 (three home, two away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 7,684
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 1 (1 Thursday)

 

[CNOTES]

NFC South Preview

June 10, 2014

The NFL draft gets all the attention in the spring but the recent release of the 2014 schedule can be a more telling factor in how a team will fare next season. Take a look at the four teams in the NFC South in this schedule preview. The South featured two playoff teams in 2014 with a big rise for the Panthers and a big fall for Atlanta. This should be a competitive division again as in the 12-year history of the division there has never been a repeat champion with all four teams taking three titles each.

Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons went 13-3 in the 2012, falling just short of the Super Bowl in a tough NFC championship loss to the 49ers. With a much tougher schedule and some key injuries, the Falcons took a big fall in the standings last year, going just 4-12 in 2013 and winding up as one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL. Atlanta was the worst rushing offense in the NFL last season and one of the worst defensive teams, particularly against the run. Seven losses for the Falcons came by seven or fewer points last season, including each of the first four losses of the season, so Atlanta was not far from being a much more competitive team in 2013. The Falcons did not win a game by more than eight points, however, getting an overtime win and a one-point win among the season’s four victories.

Heading into 2014, Atlanta has been limited in free agency with several highly paid veterans on the roster and Atlanta draws a third place schedule as they ‘won’ the tiebreaker with Tampa Bay, who also finished 4-12 last season. With the entire South playing the NFC North, the difference is playing the Giants and Cardinals instead of the Redskins and Rams. The NFC South plays the solid AFC North teams meaning four fairly tough games and the Falcons have the Bengals and Ravens on the road, likely the more difficult of the draws. Atlanta will also play at Green Bay late in the season and the Falcons only have seven home games in 2014, surrendering a home date to play the Lions in London. In addition to the long travel overseas, Atlanta will play three sets of back-to-back away games on the year with substantial travel overall this season. Getting off to a good start will be critical for the Falcons, but with the Saints and Bengals in the first two weeks, that could be a challenge and the Falcons also have a daunting closing schedule playing Arizona, Green Bay, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, and Carolina in the final five weeks. It will be tough for Atlanta to be as bad as it was in 2013, but a huge improvement also seems unlikely with this slate.

Atlanta Falcons 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .512 (11/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 6 (two home, four away)
Miles Traveled for 9 road/neutral games (includes London): 9,452
Back-to-Back road game sets: 3
Primetime Games: 2 (1 Thursday Night, 1 Monday Night)

Carolina Panthers: 2013 was the breakthrough season for the Carolina Panthers with head coach Ron Rivera and quarterback Cam Newton delivering a division title after some serious struggles the previous two seasons. The Panthers were 7-1 at home last season and 5-1 in the division, but they lost at home in the playoffs against San Francisco. The first place schedule does mean that the Panthers have to play the Seahawks, but that game will be in Charlotte this season. That matchup will come in a grueling mid-season run of tough games as Carolina has a very challenging early season schedule. The Panthers will play nine consecutive games against teams that won at last seven games last season starting in Week 2, and the toughest stretch features back-to-back road games at Cincinnati and at Green Bay, followed by home games with Seattle and New Orleans and then a Monday night game in Philadelphia. It would not be a surprise if the Panthers had as many losses as all of last season by mid-season as most of the big games come in the early part of the schedule. That does mean that five of the final six games of the season will come against teams that had a losing record last season.

Carolina has the latest possible bye week coming in Week 12, which could add to the toll of the early season schedule and the Panthers were a team that won five games by four or fewer points last season, something that will be difficult to replicate. That included narrow wins over the 49ers, Patriots, and Saints late in the season and Carolina will need more big wins against marquee opposition to contend for the playoffs again in 2014. Four of Carolina’s six games against 2013 playoff teams will be on the road but Carolina does not have long travel miles ahead with no west coast games on the schedule. The Panthers should be a competitive team but a few bounces may fall the other way this season and the tough early slate might send the Panthers back to being closer to a .500 team.

Carolina Panthers 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .473 (22/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 6 (two home, four away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 5,159
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 3 (1 Thursday Night, 1 Sunday Night, 1 Monday Night)

New Orleans Saints: In what felt like a transition season with the Saints getting head coach Sean Payton back on the sidelines and with Rob Ryan taking over the defense, the Saints managed to go 11-5 and earn a Wild Card spot. Despite a challenging travel situation, New Orleans won in Philadelphia on the road in the playoffs before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champions in Seattle. New Orleans was the only team in the NFC to go 8-0 at home last season and getting back to the top of the division and earning home field advantage will be a priority if the Saints have another Super Bowl run left in the Drew Brees era. In terms of 2013 win percentage, New Orleans will face the weakest schedule of the four teams in the NFC South and the Saints will only play one road game against a 2013 playoff team, playing division rival Carolina in Charlotte in a mid-season Thursday night game. That game comes in a tough situation following up a Sunday night tilt with the Packers, but the home date in the series with Panthers will be a favorable situation for the Saints as it will be the second of back-to-back road games for Carolina.

New Orleans will not play a team that had a winning record in 2013 until Week 8 as the Saints should be in position to get off to a great start and emerge as one of the teams to beat in 2014. New Orleans does open with three of the first four games on the road, but they get to catch Cleveland and Minnesota in the first three weeks, teams with coaching transitions that could feature some growing pains early in the season. Four of the first six games of the season for the Saints will come against a new coaching staff, a huge advantage over the rest of the division that will play most of those teams later in the schedule. The Saints have an early Week 6 bye, which may not be ideal for an older team, but New Orleans also only plays one 2013 playoff team in the final six weeks of the season. The meat of the schedule starts in late October with consecutive games against Green Bay, Carolina, San Francisco, Cincinnati, and Baltimore, although only the division game against the Panthers in that run will be on the road. With its toughest games at home and one of the best home field edges in the league, this slate lines up well for the Saints to return to prominence in the NFC. New Orleans also only plays back-to-back road games once and that run comes in the first two weeks of the season when the team might be in a better position to handle it. Overall, the Saints have one of the better looking schedules among all of the expected NFC contenders.

New Orleans Saints 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .469 (23/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 5 (four home, one away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 6,571
Back-to-Back road game sets: 1
Primetime Games: 5 (1 Thursday Night, 2 Sunday Night, 2 Monday Night)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Given that Lovie Smith is a veteran coach that featured a strong track record despite his firing two seasons ago, many expect Tampa Bay to be the team with a new coaching staff that could deliver success right away. The Buccaneers have a talented receiving corps and made some big moves in free agency, but there are still questions on what was a terrible defensive team against the pass last year and with the quarterback situation led by Mike Glennon and the least productive passing offense in the NFL from 2013. There were many distractions last season in a 0-8 start to the season for the Buccaneers, but several of the losses came in tight defeats against high quality teams. The Buccaneers only won once on the road last season, but most of the toughest games out of the division in 2014 will come at home.

Tampa Bay will have to play three straight road games from Week 3 to Week 5 for a daunting travel run in early in the season and the closing slate is tough as well with the Panthers, Packers, and Saints in the final three weeks. Tampa Bay also plays four road games in five weeks late in the season including some potential cold weather games in November. The Buccaneers will know where they stand early with a division game against each team in the first five weeks with two of those games coming on the road. If Tampa Bay can survive a fairly tough six-game run to start the season before a Week 7 bye, they could emerge as a serious playoff contender. After the bye week, the Buccaneers play four straight games against teams that combined to go 16-47-1 last season before a fairly daunting closing schedule. Tampa Bay will be considered a sleeper for the playoffs with this schedule and at the very least improvement by multiple wins over last season seems very possible in 2014.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .484 (19/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 6 (four home, two away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 7,110
Back-to-Back road game sets: 3 (including a back-to-back-to-back)
Primetime Games: 1 (1 Thursday Night)

 

[CNOTES]

NFC West Preview

June 12, 2014

The NFL draft gets all the attention in the spring but the recent release of the 2014 schedule can be a more telling factor in how a team will fare next season. Take a look at the four teams in the NFC West in this schedule preview. The West was the toughest division in the NFL last season with the four teams going 42-22 combined and the division producing both NFC finalists. The schedules will be challenging across the board in 2014 for the West and it seems inevitable that at least one of the teams in this division will fall from last season’s pace.

Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals went from 5-11 to 10-6 and just missing the playoffs last season led by Bruce Arians in his first season in Glendale and the acquisition of veteran quarterback Carson Palmer. Arizona was +55 in point differential last season with five wins by seven or fewer points but the defense was fierce, led by one of the best run stopping units in the NFL. The Cardinals went just 2-4 in division games and improving that mark will be the key for the Cardinals moving up in this stacked division. Arizona will be the rare 10-win team getting a third place schedule, which means drawing Atlanta and Detroit as the West will play all four NFC East teams. The division also draws a very tough AFC West with three of those four opponents being 2013 playoff teams as overall the division will feature challenging schedules. Arizona has to play eight games against 2013 playoff teams and like every team in this division, the Cardinals will face over 10,000 travel miles while facing a top eight schedule in terms of 2013 win percentage. By a small margin, Arizona has the weakest schedule in the NFC West in terms of 2013 win percentage and Arizona will get five of the eight games against 2013 playoff teams at home.

Arizona will need to carry over its late season momentum from last year into the start of the season as the schedule is a bit front-loaded and back-loaded for the Cardinals with what appear to be the best opportunities in the middle of the season. Home games with San Diego and San Francisco early in the season will be critical and the Cardinals will only face one winning team from 2013 in the first four road games, though that game is against the AFC champion Broncos. Arizona also has home games with Washington, St. Louis, and Detroit in the middle of the season before a tough final month slate. The Cardinals play division foes in each of the final three weeks with two of those three games on the road. Arizona plays both games with Seattle in the final six weeks of the season while also playing four of the final six overall on the road with some substantial travel. With an early Week 4 bye, the late season tough schedule and taxing travel could take a toll on the Cardinals. Arizona is not likely to fall off the map in 2014, but a small step back seems possible unless they can turn things around in the division games.

Arizona Cardinals 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .547 (8/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 8 (five home, three away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 10,852
Back-to-Back road game sets: 1
Primetime Games: 3 (1 Thursday Night, 1 Sunday Night, 1 Monday Night

San Francisco 49ers: With three consecutive NFC championship appearances, the 49ers have certainly established themselves as one of the top teams in the NFL and a team that is a Super Bowl threat every season. San Francisco struggled to run the ball effectively last season, but despite an ugly 1-2 start to the season, the 49ers rallied to win 11 of the last 13 games of the regular season and took Seattle down to the wire in the NFC championship after beating Green Bay and Carolina in the playoffs. Last season, San Francisco had to face a first place schedule and this season, the 49ers get a second place draw, which means avoiding Green Bay but having to play New Orleans. San Francisco has tough road games at Dallas, at Denver, and at New Orleans outside of the already tough division road games, but the 49ers will play the fewest 2013 playoff teams in the division with just seven of those games, including only three on the road. The 49ers face substantial travel this season and will play three separate sets of back-to-back road games while also getting three short week games with the primetime schedule. San Francisco will play Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday night games on the season.

Unlike the rest of the division, the 49ers draw a more favorable Week 8 bye that should provide a more centrally placed break. The biggest current rivalry in the league will be saved for late in the season as the games with Seattle are in Weeks 13 and 15 and the game in Seattle comes in a second straight road game, though the previous road game is just in Oakland. San Francisco will have an adjustment this season with the new stadium in Santa Clara and the early season home games are challenging with Chicago, Philadelphia, and Kansas City coming into town in the first five weeks. San Francisco looks like an elite team again, but this is a very tough schedule and there is little margin for error in this division with four legitimate playoff contenders.

San Francisco 49ers 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .563 (4/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 7 (four home, three away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 11,969
Back-to-Back road game sets: 3
Primetime Games: 5 (1 Thursday Night, 1 Saturday Night, 2 Sunday Night, 1 Monday Night)

Seattle Seahawks: The Super Bowl champions were mostly dominant last season finishing with a 13-3 record and a point differential of +186. Seattle has featured one of the best defenses in the NFL and the offense was very impressive at times last season, though not with the same consistency as the defense. Seattle benefitted from a weaker schedule last season with a second place draw and the Seahawks were able to coast late in the season after an 11-1 start, eventually dropping two games late in the season but still earning the top seed in the NFC. Seattle won twice in overtime last season and had three other wins by seven or fewer points and trading the AFC South for the AFC West will upgrade the challenge in 2014. Seattle also draws Carolina and Green Bay in the first place draw and Seattle will play eight games in 2014 against 2013 playoff teams. Seattle has incredibly long travel this season going over 16,000 miles for eight road games, more miles than most of the teams heading to London this season will face. Three east coast games are ahead for the Seahawks, plus two Central Time games and Seattle has two sets of back-to-back road games with the second of the two games out east in both cases.

The Seahawks will need to avoid a Super Bowl hangover in September with a brutal opening trio of games with Green Bay, San Diego, and Denver in the first three weeks before an early Week 4 bye. The schedule softens a bit in October and early November but starting in mid-November, the Seahawks will play six straight games against teams that won at least 10 games in 2013 including both games with San Francisco and road games in Kansas City, Philadelphia, and Arizona. Seattle will close with division games in the final three weeks and this season the division race may still be up in the air in December with all four teams looking viable. Seattle did not actually have the best record in the division last season, going 4-2 while the 49ers went 5-1, so there is no margin for error and with the taxing travel schedule it would not be a surprise if the Seahawks slipped a game or two from last season despite still looking like a serious threat to repeat. Seattle has won six of the last 10 NFC West titles and if they win the division again in 2014, it will not likely be in convincing fashion.

Seattle Seahawks 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .561 (6/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 8 (five home, three away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 16,028
Back-to-Back road game sets: 2
Primetime Games: 4 (2 Thursday Night, 1 Sunday Night, 1 Monday Night)

St. Louis Rams: This is a talented Rams team that has been building nicely in two seasons under Jeff Fisher and if St. Louis played in any other division, they might be considered one of the favorites. As it stands, St. Louis will have to try to move up in a division where they went 1-5 last season, while going 6-4 against the rest of the league. St. Louis was also just 2-6 on the road last season and the Rams were only -16 in point differential in a 7-9 campaign where they played with a back-up quarterback much of the way. While St. Louis was very competitive last season, they did not lose a lot of close games with only one defeat by fewer than seven points as this was an inconsistent team. The Rams also did not win close games with only one win decided by fewer than 10 points and an average margin of victory of more than 16 points in the seven wins. St. Louis should be a candidate to start the season strong with two games against teams that had losing records and with new coaching staffs this season in the first two weeks. A 2-0 start is paramount for the Rams this season if they hope to contend for a playoff spot. The Rams then host Dallas in Week 3 before an early Week 4 bye.

St. Louis will then embark on an absolutely brutal stretch of games in October and early November playing seven of eight games against 2013 playoff teams with the lone exception in that run being a game at Arizona who went 10-6 last season. That game comes in a third straight road game for the Rams as well. While the final game of the season for St. Louis is at Seattle, there are winnable games in Weeks 13-16 with three of those four games coming at home, but surviving the mid-season gauntlet will be a great challenge. St. Louis is talented enough to steal some of those games with upsets, but for a team that was incredibly inconsistent last season, it is not clear if the Rams are ready to take a step forward this season and the schedule is not doing the team any favors. Five of the eight road games for St. Louis are against 2013 playoff teams and despite being one of the most centrally located franchises in the league, the Rams have over 10,000 travel miles ahead. A lot of folks are buyers on the Rams this season for good reason but they will need to start strong and find a way to stay positive and fresh through a very tough slate to have a chance at the playoffs or a first division title since 2003.

St. Louis Rams 2014 Schedule Numbers:
2014 Opponents Win Percentage in 2013: .564 (3/32)
Games vs. 2013 Playoff Teams: 8 (three home, five away)
Miles Traveled for 8 road/neutral games: 10,575
Back-to-Back road game sets: 1 back-to-back-to-back
Primetime Games: 2 (1 Thursday Night, 1 Monday Night)

 

[CNOTES]

NFL Rookie Odds and Props

May 18, 2014


The 2014 NFL Draft is in the books and the three names you heard the most were Jadeveon Clowney, Johnny Manziel and Michael Sam.

The defensive end Clowney was the taken first overall by the Houston Texans. Manziel was a first-round selection as well, with Cleveland selecting the quarterback with its 22nd selection.

Sam was selected in the seventh round by the St. Louis Rams. The 249th selection by the Rams also became the league’s first openly gay player.

Even though the NFL regular season doesn’t begin until September, bettors at Sportsbook.ag has offered up proposition wagers on the aforementioned trio.

Sportsbook.ag also posted Rookie of the Year odds as well.

2014 NFL Rookie Props

Johnny Manziel - Total Games Started in the 2014 Regular Season

OVER 8.5 (-125)
UNDER 8.5 (-115)

Jadeveon Clowney - Total Sacks in the 2014 Regular Season

OVER 8.5 (+105)
UNDER 8.5 (-145)

Will Michael Sam be on the Rams 53 man roster for Game 1 of the 2014 Regular Season?

Yes +160
No -220

Odds to win 2014 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year

Sammy Watkins 4/1
Mike Evans 6/1
Odell Beckham Jr 8/1
Johnny Manziel 8/1
Jordan Matthews 10/1
Eric Ebron 10/1
Brandin Cooks 12/1
Kelvin Benjamin 15/1
Cody Latimer 15/1
Blake Bortles 18/1
Jace Amaro 20/1
Teddy Bridgewater 20/1
Derek Carr 20/1
Marqise Lee 20/1
Austin Seferian Jenkins 20/1
Greg Robinson 25/1
Paul Richardson 25/1
Jeremy Hill 30/1
Jake Matthews 40/1
Zack Martin 50/1
Taylor Lewan 50/1
Jawuan James 75/1

Odds to win 2014 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year

Jadeveon Clowney 2/1
Khalil Mack 4/1
Aaron Donald 8/1
Ryan Shazier 8/1
Anthony Barr 10/1
Justin Gilbert 15/1
Kyle Fuller 15/1
Dee Ford 15/1
CJ Mosley 15/1
Darqueze Dennard 20/1
Ha Ha Clinton Dix 25/1
Bradley Roby 25/1
Calvin Pryor 25/1
Marcus Smith 30/1
Timmy Jernigan 30/1
Jason Verrett 30/1
Rashade Hageman 30/1
Kyle Van Noy 30/1
Stephon Tuitt 30/1
Demarcus Lawrence 40/1
Deone Bucannon 40/1
Dominique Easley 40/1
Jimmie Ward 40/1

 

[CNOTES]

Falcons to be featured on Hard Knocks

June 12, 2014


FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) - The Atlanta Falcons have announced they will be featured on HBO Sports' documentary series Hard Knocks this summer.

The five-part weekly series debuts Aug. 5 and concludes Sept. 2.

The annual show gives fans an all-access, behind-the-scenes look at the daily lives and routines of players and coaches as they prepare for the upcoming NFL season.

Falcons owner Arthur M. Blank says the team is ''excited about the opportunity to give our fans a behind the scenes look at what it takes to prepare an NFL team for the rigors of a 16-game regular season and beyond.''

Hard Knocks is now its ninth season.

Other teams previously featured on the award-winning reality series include the Ravens, Chiefs, Jets and Dolphins. The Cowboys and Bengals have each been featured twice.

 

[CNOTES]

Concussions push Scheffler to retire

June 11, 2014


Tony Scheffler is retiring from the NFL.

Scheffler told The Associated Press on Wednesday he made the choice because he had three concussions over the past four years.

He had 258 receptions for 3,207 yards and 22 touchdowns in his eight-year career. The Detroit Lions released Scheffler in October. He later had workouts with Chicago and Kansas City and says there was ''moderate'' interest in him as a free agent this offseason.

Denver drafted him in the second round in 2006 out of Western Michigan and traded him four years later to Detroit.

Scheffler says his plans include becoming a real estate agent and assistant football coach at the high school in his hometown of Chelsea, Michigan.

 

[FairWarning]

Concussions push Scheffler to retire

June 11, 2014


Tony Scheffler is retiring from the NFL.

Scheffler told The Associated Press on Wednesday he made the choice because he had three concussions over the past four years.

He had 258 receptions for 3,207 yards and 22 touchdowns in his eight-year career. The Detroit Lions released Scheffler in October. He later had workouts with Chicago and Kansas City and says there was ''moderate'' interest in him as a free agent this offseason.

Denver drafted him in the second round in 2006 out of Western Michigan and traded him four years later to Detroit.

Scheffler says his plans include becoming a real estate agent and assistant football coach at the high school in his hometown of Chelsea, Michigan.

I missed this. He had a nice career. I knew he went to my alma mater, didn't realize he was from Chelsea.

 

[CNOTES]

Ex-Pat Hernandez taken for hospital visit

June 22, 2014


DARTMOUTH, Mass. (AP) - Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was briefly taken from a jail to a hospital this weekend for an undisclosed problem, a Massachusetts sheriff said.

Hernandez was brought to St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford Saturday and was back at the Bristol County jail in Dartmouth about an hour later, Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson said Sunday.

Hodgson said he can't disclose what happened because of medical privacy laws.

Hernandez, a Bristol, Connecticut, native, has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in connection with the killings of two men in Boston in 2012 and the killing of another man found near Hernandez's home in North Attleborough, Massachusetts.

The hospital visit, first reported by WBZ-TV in Boston, came a day after his attorneys said in a transfer request that Hernandez should be moved to a jail closer to Boston because communication with his attorneys and his personal safety are being compromised.

Boston-based attorneys Michael Fee and James Sultan complained their client has dealt with ''bizarre and unprecedented'' restrictions in his communications with his lawyers. Hernandez cannot always speak privately over the phone and in-person visits are limited to a specially-designated visitation room at the prison, they said.

The lawyers also suggested Hernandez's safety is at risk now that he faces criminal charges for allegedly threatening to kill a prison guard and his family, and in an alleged jail altercation with another inmate. Hernandez has pleaded not guilty.

Hernandez is set to appear in court in Boston this week in the 2012 drive-by shooting that killed Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado.

Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to all three killings.

 

[CNOTES]

Retirement not on Peyton's radar

June 20, 2014



ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) - Peyton Manning flew to New York this spring to pay his respects to Derek Jeter and David Letterman, two much-admired superstars in the middle of their long goodbyes.

''I'm sad to see some of these guys retiring,'' the Broncos quarterback said at the time. ''I'm not far behind.''

Yet retirement really isn't on Manning's radar as he prepares for his 17th NFL season, his third in Denver. Coming off the best two-year stretch of his career, Manning is keeping tacklers, tedium and time itself at bay.

At 38, Manning said he'll keep playing as long as he's still productive and loves the game.

That passion and productivity were on full display last season when he won his fifth MVP award and set single-season records by passing for 55 touchdowns and more than 5,500 yards.

There are no signs of his affection or efficiency ebbing anytime soon, either.

''You see it in how he prepares every day,'' center Manny Ramirez said. ''We're here in the offseason and he's still putting the same amount of focus as he does in-season, preparing, trying to get better every day, trying to pick apart the defenses.''

''I still enjoy the work and preparation,'' said Manning, who lost wide receiver Eric Decker to the Jets but gained coveted free agent Emmanuel Sanders and prized rookie Cody Latimer.

That turnover actually helps keep Manning young at heart, coach John Fox suggested.

''There's so much change in the NFL nowadays that I think that keeps the juices flowing, whether that's getting Emmanuel Sanders up to speed or last year, Wes Welker. Anytime you put a new cog in there, that's an adjustment,'' Fox said. ''I think he takes pride in that and he attacks that. He seems to me to be having a great time.''

Manning would like to play out his contract, which runs through 2016. Yet, while he's not pondering retirement, he said in an interview with The Associated Press that he has certainly contemplated what it will be like.

''Sometimes I sort of kick back and I pause and I think what sorts of things would I miss the most if I wasn't playing,'' Manning said.

The answer hits him like one of those teeth-rattling sacks by Robert Mathis.

''Being in the huddle,'' Manning said. ''That's what I missed most when I was injured, I'll say that. I mean, there's no other type of unity or bond that I think any other job can provide. I know there are meetings, there are video conferences. But that huddle, because of where it takes place: it's often on the road, in the middle of the field, in front of 80,000 people, it's unique.''

It's what excites him even at an age when many quarterbacks have retired to the broadcast booth or are hitting the links instead of the weights.

''When you don't play football anymore, you can broadcast, you can coach, you can be in management, whatever, but you are not allowed to go into the huddle anymore,'' Manning said. ''That huddle is just for players. You can go into the locker room after the game and you can speak to the team, but I think any retired player would probably tell you they miss the huddle.''

The way Manning has guided the Broncos to a 28-8 record over the last two years belies how far he had fallen when he was forced to sit out the 2011 season in Indianapolis and even had to look in a mirror to relearn his release point after a series of neck surgeries weakened his throwing arm to the point he could hardly grip, much less throw, a football.

Manning's reboot has turned into a blessing.

''Yeah, although I have to say, some guys might need a year off to whatever, relight to fire, whatever it may be. I didn't need a year off to remind me of how much I love football,'' Manning said. ''But when you have it, it sure does reinforce what you kind of always thought, that I do love it.''

Working with play-caller Adam Gase and new teammates has revitalized Manning.

''Sometimes it, the monotonous routine, the boredom, that pushes guys out, not the physical part of it,'' Manning said. ''And I have been stimulated the past two years working with Adam and working with different teammates, so it does sort of keep the bounce in you, I think.''

Manning doesn't view himself so much as a 17-year NFL veteran but as Denver's third-year quarterback.

''I really feel because it's a new team, post-injury, it's kind of a new me. That's how I have to look at it,'' Manning said. ''I'm a different player from before I was injured. I'm not saying better, worse, whatever, just a different player. And so what I can compare myself most accurately to is my first season here in Denver and kind of how I am physically and how I am with my teammates and with Adam and so it's helped to have now two years to build off that baseline.''

He no longer feels like a visitor in his own locker room.

''And I like going into that huddle,'' Manning said. ''I like the guys that I get to work with. I like lifting weights, working with Wes Welker, doing a set of bench press with Jacob Tamme, I like working with the guys that I play with and I still like learning. I like being challenged by Adam every day to be a better football player. There are a lot of things that I still enjoy about it.

''And I look forward to driving over here every day. I think as soon as you go, `Golly, I do not want to go over there today,' that's when you've got to get out.''

 

[CNOTES]

Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: NFL knowledge for a summer day....

13) Since 2010, Dallas Cowboys are 6-19 as home favorites; underdogs are 24-8 vs spread in their last 32 home games.

12) Ravens are 8-2 vs spread under John Harbaugh if they lost their previous game by double digit margin.

11) Seattle Seahawks are 25-11 vs spread with Russell Wilson at QB.

10) Chicago Bears covered once in their last nine games as an underdog.

9) Steelers are 36-19-2 vs spread in division games with Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback

8) Atlanta Falcons are 16-9 vs spread in their last 25 games as a favorite.

7) Patriots are 30-14-3 vs. spread with Tom Brady at QB if they lost their previous game.

6) Buffalo Bills covered nine of their last 11 road games if they were also on road the week before.

5) Arizona Cardinals were 4-1 vs. spread LY in game following a loss.

4) Miami Dolphins are 6-1 as a home underdog with Ryan Taneyhill at QB.

3) Carolina Panthers are just 7-15 vs. spread in their last 22 games as a dog.

2) Philip Rivers’ Chargers are 23-14-2 vs spread as an underdog.

1) Cincinnati Bengals covered the last nine times they were a home underdog against an NFC team.