NFL pre-season Wk. 4.

[TazaD]

Big week to wrap up the pre-season... ...firstly, a system; Road teams with 2 or more wins, v. home teams with just 1 win are 22-3 ats.. (2-0 last year, and 2-0 already this year with NYG -5 (although dubious with both teams technically at home)..and Houston +6) PLAY: Oakland -1**, Philly +6.5, SD +3** and Cinci -2 ** Might be tough to play Oakland, given that I assume (haven't read anything solid), that George will get game time, and not sure I want my $ in the hands of a 30+ yo who hasn't thrown a ball in anger for 3 years! Not sure. Seattle seem to be having O-line problems tho, and Greene looks likely to get the majority of snaps, so I think I might go with it. Seattle have lost their last 4 final games aswell, so they obviously don't care. ** SD on the other hand are just about impossible to take...even against the painful 49ers. Their top 3 left tackles are out, so Rivers won't be risked at all, which leaves Whitehurst and Brett Elliot!! I can only assume they will give hand off after hand off, get the game over with as quickly as possible without taking too many (any!) risks. SF/SD under 35 ...for that very reason. Can't see SF scoring too much. Looks a solid under to me. Baltimore PK The starters want a chance to wipe last week's egg of their faces, and plan to play for as long as it takes to get some decent drives together. Pre-season or not, Washington have been outscored 17-87...losses of 41, 13 and 16...and they just aren't grasping the new system installed either offensively or defensively. Cleveland -3 Crennel has said that playing hard is the best way to avoid injuries and they will be treating this game like it's the reg season. Anderson and Dorsey figure to get plenty of playing time, still locked in a battle for a spot, so I'm expecting them to go firing until the end. Chicago will play starters for a series or 2, but Grossman has looked terrible...in fact only Griese has looked any good and he figures to sit this one out. Their D is also banged up, and has struggled in 3 games so far. NO -2 KC are not interested in this game at all. Starters not likely to even suit up, which leaves Printers at QB! (and maybe some Huard). Enough said. NO will start Brees, and follow ith Martin and Bouman, who are competing for the no. 2 spot...and both have been ok so far. Bouman completing 75%, 8 y/a, rating 112!...Martin 66%, 8.3 y/a, 89.8. They shouldn't have too much trouble scoring against the KC reserves. 'Zona -3.5 Denver starters don't look like playing at all. Cutler will start, but behind a 2nd string O-line. They have said all week the focus will be on deciding the RB pecking order, so run, run, run, with no real intent on scoring. Green: "Denver is a winning team, and we are trying to establish what winning's all about". Sounds to me like they want to win this one. Warner will play the first quarter, Lienart 2nd and 3rd. NYG -3.5 NE starters will be a no show, and starters are already preparing for Wk. 1. Manning will play 10-12 snaps -> Lorenzen -> Hasselback. Giants won the final pre-season meeting last year 27-3, and there's no reason to think NE will approach this one any differently. Minni @ Dallas over 34 Minni plan to play their starters for the whole first half. The total is low because of Dallas' great D so far (allowed just 17 points in 3 games), but Seattle didn't care in wk. 1, and SF and NO will struggle to score all season. You'd think Minni will get on the board a couple of times with Johnson on the field. Jackson (3rd) has been somewhat of a revelation too, 7.8 y/a, rating of 112, and again, he should be able to get some points. Both Bledsoe and Romo have been in great touch so far for Dallas...both av. over 10 y/a with ratings over 110. 34 just seem slike a low number considering the offensive talent on show.

[davidmphill]

Re: NFL pre-season Wk. 4. Nice work Taza. Not too long before the big kick off and eventually another Super Bowl!!