Well, sometimes you cap gms & have all the advantages your way, & one team completely sabotages your play. CHI played w/a decimated secondary which played rt into ATL's high powered aerial "O" & indeed receivers were getting very open, but decided they didn't feel like catching a lot of balls. Rest of slate did well except for lowly MIA where the coaching staff felt like giving 1 of the best QBs in the league extra time to gash their "D".
POW 4-2, Teasers 2-4, Overall 15-13-1
CLE (-5 1/2) are off a highly emotional win against their 1-sided rival PIT. Focus could be an issue as they enter their cupcake portion of their schedule (JAX, OAK, then TB). I believe that CLE is playing w/such confidence, esp on "O", that they will overcome any lapse in concentration @ JAX. The Jags have been good in spurts w/their switch to Bortles @ QB, but that is where the positives end. They seem to catch a lot of the teams they face off guard early, then fade away as the gm progresses. This is mostly due to a poor "D" (2nd to last in both scoring & passing) & awful run gm. Gerhart is out for this tilt, but it doesn't really matter. Storm Johnson rushed for only 21 yds against TEN (9th worse run "D") & JAX is dead last in run "O". CLE's "D" is bad vs the run, but limited stud Leveon Bell last wk to 82 yds & no TDs. CLE's "D" is dealing w/injuries but do get back key pieces in S Tashaun Gipson & LB Mingo. Terrance West has been given the green light by HC Pettine after a good wk's practice so I expect him to run w/purpose whenever he touches the ball. All-pro C Mack is out for the yr, but veteran G John Greco replaced him last wk admirably. Hoyer believes the zone blocking run scheme will not skip a beat. Tate & Crowell should both see the endzone here, w/Cameron & Hawkins providing 3rd down receptions to keep the chains moving. CLE is very good @ grinding out the clock, but ramping up the pass "O" when they fall behind, which are both bad signs for JAX who are bad @ both keeping opposing "O"s off the field & defending a lead. This is actually a revenge gm for CLE too, as they lost to JAX @ hm last yr 32-28 in a shootout between Henne & Weeden. Personnel @ key positions are different here, but CLE's "O" & "D" were upgraded since that gm, whereas IMO JAX has remained the same. This is a major trap gm for CLE, but I think they have enough fire power & confidence to comeback from any initial JAX push early, as has been the script for JAX.
CLE 27
JAX 17
5 Units
BOL to all, and as always comments are most welcome.
POW 4-2, Teasers 2-4, Overall 15-13-1
CLE (-5 1/2) are off a highly emotional win against their 1-sided rival PIT. Focus could be an issue as they enter their cupcake portion of their schedule (JAX, OAK, then TB). I believe that CLE is playing w/such confidence, esp on "O", that they will overcome any lapse in concentration @ JAX. The Jags have been good in spurts w/their switch to Bortles @ QB, but that is where the positives end. They seem to catch a lot of the teams they face off guard early, then fade away as the gm progresses. This is mostly due to a poor "D" (2nd to last in both scoring & passing) & awful run gm. Gerhart is out for this tilt, but it doesn't really matter. Storm Johnson rushed for only 21 yds against TEN (9th worse run "D") & JAX is dead last in run "O". CLE's "D" is bad vs the run, but limited stud Leveon Bell last wk to 82 yds & no TDs. CLE's "D" is dealing w/injuries but do get back key pieces in S Tashaun Gipson & LB Mingo. Terrance West has been given the green light by HC Pettine after a good wk's practice so I expect him to run w/purpose whenever he touches the ball. All-pro C Mack is out for the yr, but veteran G John Greco replaced him last wk admirably. Hoyer believes the zone blocking run scheme will not skip a beat. Tate & Crowell should both see the endzone here, w/Cameron & Hawkins providing 3rd down receptions to keep the chains moving. CLE is very good @ grinding out the clock, but ramping up the pass "O" when they fall behind, which are both bad signs for JAX who are bad @ both keeping opposing "O"s off the field & defending a lead. This is actually a revenge gm for CLE too, as they lost to JAX @ hm last yr 32-28 in a shootout between Henne & Weeden. Personnel @ key positions are different here, but CLE's "O" & "D" were upgraded since that gm, whereas IMO JAX has remained the same. This is a major trap gm for CLE, but I think they have enough fire power & confidence to comeback from any initial JAX push early, as has been the script for JAX.
CLE 27
JAX 17
5 Units
BOL to all, and as always comments are most welcome.
