Author: viewfromthebenchweb

8 Reasons Why Stranger Things 2 Is The Greatest Show of All-Time

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WARNING: This isn’t a blog about why you should watch Stranger Things 2, it is a blog why it’s the greatest show of all-time. I’m assuming if you’re reading this, you’ve seen Stranger Things and Stranger Things 2. If you have not, go do that right now. Seriously, you won’t regret it. Spoilers WILL be included so read at your own risk. Maybe you haven’t seen it, but you want to live life on the edge and read this anyway, that’s cool too, but you’ve been warned. 
Seriously, SPOILERS AHEAD.

1. The Music
In my 23 years of life I can think of only a handful of instances where the score in a show/movie really had an impact on me. The most recent was Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the score of that movie was atrocious. So when that title sequence hit and I heard that intro music for Stranger Things 2, I got hyped. Besides the flawless intro music, the original music is always perfectly placed and adds to every scene. It can only be described as 80’s mystery, sci-fi, techno music. Other 80’s classic hits are used throughout the series which provide a rush of nostalgia, typically accompanied by a mini-karaoke session. If you see me wearing headphones the next few months, there’s a large chance I’m listening to a podcast or the Stranger Things soundtrack. 


2. Steve Harrington AKA: Dad Steve



The first installment of Stranger Things portrayed Steve Harrington as a jock with little interest outside of sports and his girlfriend Nancy Wheeler. This led to him feuding with Jonathan Beyers, but in Stranger Things 2, Steve disregards Jonathan after being thrust into the sci-fi horrors in Hawkins thanks to Dustin. The Dustin-Steve bromance quickly develops and these two steal the show down the stretch. After things heat up in the final couple episodes, Steve is left to look after Dustin, Mike, Max, and Lucas and boy does he ever. He instantly becomes a hero after attempting to fight off Billy (he tried his best), and thrusts himself into super hero territory after leading the charge into the tunnels in the finale. Where his relationship with Nancy goes remains to be seen, and quite frankly I don’t care, just give me more Dad Steve providing questionable guidance for Dustin.


3. Bob Newby: Superhero



Speaking of Steve being a hero, the ultimate hero in Stranger Things 2 is Bob Newby. When I first saw him on-screen my very first words out of my mouth were, “oh my god that’s Rudy.” As Joyce’s new love interest, Bob presented himself as a nerd and a try-hard. He even does his best to be a father figure and help a struggling Will, which backfires in a huge way. Bob more than makes up for it by deciphering Will’s drawings, and his actions in the lab during episode eight. There was so much foreshadowing that he wouldn’t make it, but I was still crushed when he became demo-dog food. By the end of his time in Stranger Things 2, I was in love with the goof and he truly deserved better. Barb? No. I don’t wanna here it. #TeamBob RIP Bob Newby: Superhero.



4. The Science Actually Made Sense



The science and reasoning in sci-fi shows doesn’t have to make sense, that’s why it’s sci-fi. But the science of Stranger Things 2 is reasonable throughout. Now is an alternate dimension with shadow monsters and demogorgans realistic? Maybe not, it depends who you ask, but the virus invading Will and the evolution of Dart certainly do. The writers even did their best to describe the Upside Down with a “flea and acrobat” metaphor in the first season. Instead of reality being unrealistically stretched, the writers take the screen time to make sense of the supernatural occurrences and eventually overcome them (for now) in fictional Hawkins, Indiana. 


5. There’s No Defined Genre
Is it mainly a science fiction story? Maybe, but there’s so much more to this series. Comedy, romance, horror, and action all play major roles in what makes this show so special. Dustin’s female woes, the Mike/El reunion, the Lucas/Max relationship, I could go on and on with storylines that unfold. Accompany those with frequent laughs and a shadow monster possessing a boy, and you get the general outline of Stranger Things 2. And it can eve be argued that those things only scratch the surface of what this show has to offer. This series truly has something for EVERYONE. 


6. The Cliffhangers
Each and every episode ended right in the middle of the action, like this:

A big realization among characters, or a major event closed every episode, which usually bothers me. That being said, I didn’t mind the cliffhangers this season. There was a really nice flow from episode-to-episode, making it seem more like a long movie than an episodic series. It also helped that all the episodes were released at once and I could binge every episode without having to wait a week like shows on TV. 

7. The Kids
The young cast make this show what it is, and they deserve every damn award nomination. 

This scene alone. My god. The anger, the love, everything about it is so real and deserving of awards. The young stars also provide the humor, equally deserving of its own awards. 


The Duffer brothers deserve all the recognition for putting together such a young, talented cast. 

8. The Epilogue

Stranger Things 2 was wrapped up so nicely. The Duffer brothers took a good amount of time to wrap up each characters story-arc in the current season, while leaving some questions unanswered for the next installment. That’s a lost art in TV nowadays. Many current TV series end seasons with a main character’s fate up-in-the-air, in an attempt to draw you in for the next season. The Duffer brothers took a much better approach, letting us know exactly where each character stands, with endless potential for them to develop. Take Steve for example; hated by some in season one, loved by most at the end of season two. The last thing we see in this season two is the shadow monster towering over the school in the upside-down, leaving fans begging for season three only days after the release of Stranger Things 2. 

This list is a minor look into what the show offers and what I enjoyed. It would be easy to write forever about how great the Stranger Things series is and what could be in store for Stranger Things 3. I’ll spare you the reading. Instead, go watch Stranger Things 2 (and Stranger Things if you haven’t yet) and enjoy the hell out of it. 

NFL Week 9 Picks and Preview

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Here we are again. After an 11-2 week I feel like I’m still on top of Mount Everest. 5-7-1 is still a terrible spread record so don’t put it money on my spread picks. You’ve been warned. 

Last Week:



Pick ‘Em: 11-2
Spread: 5-7-1

Season:



Pick ‘Em: 73-46
Spread: 12-14-2

Bonus Bets:



4-2 isn’t a bad start to bonus bets. Nobody’s perfect right? That being said, I’m still going to try to go undefeated the rest of the year on bonus bets.

-Oakland and Buffalo — Over 45.5 — W

-Miami and Baltimore — Under 37.5 — L


BUF@NYJ



The Buffalo Bills just did the most exciting thing since this:


They traded for Kelvin Benjamin, which isn’t that exciting, proving Buffalo’s ground and pound offense is unmemorable. That’s not to say it’s unsuccessful, and adding a tall receiving threat in Benjamin can only help Buffalo. 

Pick ‘Em: Buffalo Bills


Spread: Buffalo Bills (-3.5)


BAL@TEN



It remains to be seen if Joe Flacco can clear concussion protocol in time to play this game after taking this nasty hit from Kiko Alonso last Thursday night. 

If he can’t Ryan Mallett will get the start. If that is the case, Tennessee runs away with this one, literally. DeMarco Murray and Derrik Henry will run and run and run, you get the idea.  

Pick ‘Em: Tennessee Titans


Spread: Tennessee Titans (PK)


TB@NO



Injured Jameis Winston struggling to lead the offense was embarrassing last week. They mustered three points in a home loss to the Carolina Panthers. New Orleans defense has been red hot and another game at the Superdome favors the Saints immensely. 

Pick ‘Em: New Orleans Saints


Spread: New Orleans Saints (-7)


LAR@NYG



Both teams are rested after their respective bye weeks, so we should be in for prime Eli face on Sunday afternoon. Something seems fishy about the 

Giants coming off of the bye week. I see the Rams grinding out a close win on the road. 

Pick ‘Em: Los Angeles Rams


Spread: New York Giants (+3.5)


DEN@PHI


This hero is making his triumphant return as a starting quarterback, this time for his former team, the Denver Broncos. The only problem? They’re traveling to Philadelphia to play the hottest team in football. However, the Bronco defenses is still a tough group to score on, so it should be a pretty low-scoring affair. 

Pick ‘Em: Philadelphia Eagles


Spread: Denver Broncos (+7.5)


ATL@CAR



3 catches for Julio Jones against the Jets? Pathetic, even in borderline hurricane conditions. In fact, this tweet says it all. 

If Atlanta wants to get their offense back on track, they need to get their best player the ball. That would be Mr. Jones. Carolina traded away arguably their best receiver in Kelvin Benjamin, which opens up opportunities for Devin Funchess. Funchess’ breakout accompanied with Carolina’s stout defense is enough to lock up a home win.

Pick ‘Em: Carolina Panthers


Spread: Carolina Panthers (-2.5)


CIN@JAX



Jacksonville seems to be a new force in the AFC South, but I’m not sold on them quite yet. They’re still somewhat young and host to veteran Cincinnati Bengals team this week. I’m stepping out on a limb here, Bengals take control of this game running the ball and win in Jacksonville. 

Pick ‘Em: Cincinnati Bengals


Spread: Cincinnati Bengals (+4.5)


IND@HOU


If I’m the Indianapolis Colts, the tank begins now. Currently at 2-6, Indianapolis has nothing to play for with Houston, Jacksonville, and Tennessee in the division. They’re clearly the weakest team among the four. Speaking of Houston….

The rookie is lighting it up for the Texans. He’s in the heat of the Rookie of the Year debate and now his name is garnering MVP talk. Whether that’s realistic or not, Houston should come out with a win this weekend. 

Pick ‘Em: Houston Texans


Spread: Houston Texans (-12.5)


ARI@SF

Jimmy Garoppolo is a San Francisco 49’er, but will he start this weekend? Will he start this season? We don’t know. He’s entering his prime while Carson Palmer and Adrian Peterson are nearing the end of their’s for the Arizona Cardinals. With the spread so close in this one, it might actually take a win for San Francisco to cover in this game. Not likely. 

Pick ‘Em: Arizona Cardinals


Spread: Arizona Cardinals (-1.5)


WSH@SEA



Seattle’s defense got torched last week by DeShaun Watson. The entire group should come out with a chip on their shoulder and create problems for Kirk Cousins. Cousin’s team got squashed at home last week, things don’t get easier traveling to Seattle. Stephen A Smith put it best:

Pick ‘Em: Seattle Seahawks


Spread: Washington Redskins (+7.5)


KC@DAL


It’s over…..for now. Zeke can finally play the rest of the season distraction free (relatively). With Kansas City coming to town this week, the Cowboys will have all they can handle. I’m really looking forward to Kansas City running circles around the slow Dallas defense. It could be the most entertaining thing on Sunday afternoon. Somehow the Cowboys are favored, that won’t be the end result though. 

Pick ‘Em: Kansas City Chiefs 


Spread: Kansas City Chiefs (+1)


OAK@MIA



Miami’s offense is a disaster. No Jay Cutler (which could be a positive), their star running back Jay Ajayi traded away to make a statement, and an offensive line coach fired for not only doing drugs, but videotaping himself doing drugs and sending it to a stranger. NOT GOOD. Oakland hasn’t been much better, but they’ve been a step above the Miami disaster.

Pick ‘Em: Oakland Raiders


Spread: Oakland Raiders (-3)


DET@GB



The Week 9 finale features Detroit traveling to Lambeau Field and facing off against Brett Hundley and the Green Bay Packers. That still doesn’t feel right typing out. If the Pack want to have any success they have to let Brett Hundley take risks throwing the ball. Never bet against Mike McCarthy coming off the bye week, he always has his team ready following rest. 


Pick ‘Em: Green Bay Packers


Spread: Green Bay Packers (+2.5)


Bonus Bets:

-Tampa Bay’s offense was terrible last week, and I don’t see it improving against the Saints. I’ll go under in this game. (50)

-I mentioned DeShaun Watson heating up, but it’s only the start for this young talent. He should torch Indianapolis and I see this game hitting the over. (49)

Week 8 NFL Picks and Preview

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This is GIF representation on how I feel after my picks last week. 7-8 against the spread? Not great, but who needs the spread anyway? Am I still going to pick the spread every week? You’re damn right I am, because I’m on a war path to get back to .500 in that category. 
Last Week:

Pick ‘Em: 12-3 (T-Best of Season)

Spread: 7–7-1
Season: 

Pick ‘Em: 62-44

Spread: 12-16-1
BONUS BETS:

Clearly picking the spread isn’t my strong suit but Bonus Bets are hot in the streets. 3-1 so far this season. The Colts and the Jags hit the under, while the Cardinals got shut out, ruining a perfect season of Bonus Bets. Don’t fret, there will be more bonus bets and the quest for the 23-1 Bonus Bet record begins. 
MIA @ BAL

Welcome back Thursday Night Football. After a few weeks of fun and competitive football on Thursday nights, we’re thrust back into the TNF we all love. That being, two underwhelming teams battling for my attention as I debate if it’s worth changing the channel. Miami is better without Jay Cutler and Baltimore has minimal to offer on offense. This one could get ugly folks.
Pick ‘Em: Miami Dolphins

Spread: Miami Dolphins (+3)

MIN@CLE

If the Dolphins and Ravens battling on Thursday night wasn’t enough for you, the NFL generously provided the Vikings and Browns from London kicking off at 8:30 AM CT on Sunday morning. The Football Gods are truly smiling down on us this week. Hue Jackson’s weekly starting quarterback announcement each week and keeping Cleveland in the news is the only reason he still has his job. 
Pick ‘Em: Minnesota Vikings

Spread: Minnesota Vikings (-9.5)

OAK@BUF

I really can’t figure out the Raiders. When I think they’ll be hot, they lay an egg. When I think they’ll lay another egg and get booed out of Oakland, they shock the world and defeat Kansas City in prime-time. Will Oakland win this week? I sure don’t know, but I’m gonna say yes, even as the underdog on the road without Marshawn Lynch. 
Pick ‘Em: Oakland Raiders

Spread: Oakland Raiders (+2.5)
IND@CIN

These two teams both have head coaches on the hot seat, so jobs could be on the line in this game. Nothing says “my team sucks” quite like firing a head coach or coordinator mid-season. AJ Green should have a monster game, other than that I expect minimal highlights from this one. 
Pick ‘Em: Cincinnati Bengals

Spread: Cincinnati Bengals (-10)

LAC@NE

Has the fog cleared in New England yet? I brushed off Bill Belichick and the Patriots at home. Dare I make that same mistake again? No. I can’t bet against Tom Brady again, probably because he’ll cheat a to win. Phillip Rivers and the Chargers offense shouldn’t be written off though. They’re pretty good too. 
Pick ‘Em: New England Patriots 

Spread: Los Angeles Chargers (+7.5)

CHI@NO

Remember your first day of high school? You were intimidated, nervous, and tried way too hard to impress. That’s what Mitch Trubisky will look like Sunday. He will be facing off against a future Hall-of-Famer, so I can’t really blame him. The Saints high-powered, fast offense will run the Bears out of New Orleans.
Pick ‘Em: New Orleans Saints

Spread: New Orleans Saints (-9)

ATL@NYJ

If the Super Bowl hangover is a real thing, the Falcons are struggling to make it to brunch right now. Losers of three in-a-row, Atlanta’s offense is looking for answers. I mentioned last week how Julio Jones should wreck defenses regularly, and he showed flashes with a big-boy touchdown Sunday (seen below) but it hasn’t been enough. While the Jets have impressed, Atlanta wins here. 

Pick ‘Em: Atlanta Falcons

Spread: Atlanta Falcons (-5)

SF@PHI

The masters of covering the spread have run out of luck. After getting smashed against Dallas last week, the 49’ers now have to go to Philadelphia and play the best team in the league (record-wise). This looks like a beat down in the making, no other way to put it. Never count the ‘Niners out to cover the spread though.
Pick ‘Em: Philadelphia Eagles

Spread: San Francisco 49’ers (+12.5)

CAR@TB

Not-so-Super Cam managed to lead his offense to three whole points against the Chicago Bears. You read that right, feel free to read it again. Just when the Panthers looked good they lose to the Bears, and gave up not one, but two, defensive touchdowns after turning the ball over. Tampa Bay has lost four out of five with their only win over the Giants, does that really count? Probably not. Time to put up or shut up Cam. Oh wait, he already did that too by refusing to speak to media. 
Pick ‘Em: Carolina Panthers

Spread: Carolina Panthers (+2.5)

HOU@SEA

Seattle’s defense has been scary their last two games on the road, now the 12th man welcomes them home as they face a rookie quarterback, pretty good odds for the Seahawks despite a horrific offensive line. Both quarterbacks will probably have to run for their lives around the pocket, that’s why I give an experienced Russell Wilson the edge. 
Pick ‘Em: Seattle Seahawks

Spread: Seattle Seahawks (-5.5)

DAL@WSH

Dallas is coming off of a 30 point win and has a relatively healthy team. Washington has been much more underwhelming, but both teams have a record of 3-3 nonetheless. I hate Zeke Elliot and his stupid crop-top jersey and stupid six-pack abs, but he’s a really really good football player. 
Pick ‘Em: Dallas Cowboys

Spread: Washington Redskins (+2.5)

PIT@DET

Pittsburgh finally cracked the code (even though I cracked it first in last weeks blog). Give Le’Veon Bell the ball over, and over, and over, and over. AND IT WORKED! Giving their best player the ball 35 times wasn’t rocket science, but it worked wonders regardless. The Lions seemed to have hit peak December form, losing three out of their last four. 
Pick ‘Em: Pittsburgh Steelers

Spread: Pittsburgh Steelers (-3)

DEN@KC

Never will I ever put my faith in Trevor Siemian again. I never thought I’d go down that road, but I did it once. Never again. I can, however, put my faith in Alex Smith and one of the best offenses in the league. It’s always fun when these two teams meet. 


Pick ‘Em: Kansas City Chiefs
Spread: Denver Broncos (+7.5)
BONUS BETS:

-Miami has Matt Moore stepping in against a good defense, and Baltimore’s offense is bad as mentioned before. I’m gonna take the UNDER in this game (37.5). 

-Oakland’s offense is coming off of a breakout week. Buffalo is doing the same. I see both teams trading shots in this one, hitting the OVER (45.5)

Oh My Giannis 

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In case you were sucked into college football last night, you might have missed the most exciting Bucks game in recent memory. I literately cannot remember a Bucks game this thrilling in my lifetime probably. 

The MVP to-be Giannis Antetokounmpo absolutely went off. He stepped to the free throw line with 31 seconds left and the Bucks down one but missed both free throws. Here we go Bucks fans, we’ve been here before. The land of heartbreak. Just when we thought we were escaping it, we get sucked back in. But Giannis didn’t accept defeat and swiped the ball from CJ McCollum on the next possession which led to a dunk of his own, and nabbing the lead back from Portland with 11 seconds remaining. Giannis wasn’t done yet, denying Jusuf Nurkic at the rim, and sealing the victory for Milwaukee and a Mutumbo finger wag to go with it. Marques Johnson had the perfect call for it on Fox Sports Wisconsin, so much so that he tweeted back at me. 

Talk about an MVP moment for Giannis and myself. I know it’s very early in the season but the Greek Freak has scored 34 points or more in every game this season. That’s absurd and stat lines Bucks fans have seen since Kareem Abdul-Jabar was a Buck. If the 22 year-old maintains these numbers, he cannot be denied the MVP award. 
Tune in for more Giannis highlights when they play the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night in Milwaukee, and more blog posts. 

MVP Giannis and a Milwaukee Bucks Preview

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Here’s your luke-warm take of October: Giannis Antetokounmpo is an MVP candidate this year. As overstated as it might be, I think the prediction couldn’t be more truthful. Honestly, how do you plan on guarding a 6’11”, length-god whose jumper is developing quicker by the day. Giannis isn’t afraid to pull-up and knock down the occasional three-pointer and now NBA players have to respect his outside jumper. His real strengths shine in transition, on offense and defense. On the fast break nobody in the world is better at finishing at the rim or finding the open man outside. Defensively his biggest force is seen in transition, running down defenders and bullying them at the rim. And that freakish length I mentioned earlier? He uses that to shut down passing lanes, jump all over lazy, and throw down highlight dunks every single game. Giannis came out swinging in the season opener against the Celtics scoring 37 points, grabbing 13 rebounds, dishing 3 assists, swiping 3 steals, as well as posterizing Aron Baynes multiple times, and endless high-energy plays (highlight video posted below). Oh, I forgot to mention, HE’S 22 (23 in December). The Greek Freak hasn’t even hit his prime and is going to be an MVP finalist this season. Some of the NBA’s best are saying he could be the greatest to ever play, analysts are saying he’s a real MVP contender, EVERYONE is on the Giannis hype train. NBA beware.

The rest of the Bucks squad isn’t bad either. Malcom Brogdon, Tony Snell, Thon Maker, and Khris Middleton round out the Bucks starting five. Brogdon, coming off his Rookie of the Year season, is in his prime and is now a reliable scorer for the Bucks. He can hit 3’s, put LeBron on a poster, and has plenty of beautiful passes to set up easy buckets.

Tony Snell’s role wasn’t as clear last season as it is this one. He is yet another big guard with length (the Bucks favorite) that consistently hits his outside shots and finds the open man when necessary.

Thon Maker bloomed late last season when Jason Kidd gave him the starting opportunity (finally). Consider him a baby-Giannis: good finisher at the rim, needs work on his jumper (but has improved), and troublesome on defense. He took this last off-season to workout with Giannis and NBA legend Kevin Garnett. If Thon continues to develop he has All-Star potential.

Last but not least, Khris Middleton. Khris, like Giannis, can do it all. He’s tough on defense, a 3-point threat, and knows how to get points at the rim. While Antetokounmpo is the clear star of this young squad, Middleton still provides a lot for the Bucks on both ends of the floor.

The Bucks bench provides solid depth with Greg Monroe, John Henson (sort of), and Matthew Dellavedova. Not Mirza Teletovic, he’s trash. And his contract might be worse than he is. Regardless, the Bucks have great depth and can hold their own when Giannis needs to rest.

As far as how far the Bucks can go, the Eastern Conference Finals is probably the limit in a perfect world. Being top 5 in the East and winning a playoff series are two tasks on top of the Bucks priority list. Both of those goals are very achievable, especially if the Bucks former number two overall pick returns in January. That’s right, Jabari Parker. If the Bucks really want to commit, Jabari will have to earn it this season, as Milwaukee just declined to resign him and he will become a restricted free agent at the end of the year.

No matter how far the Bucks go in the playoffs, it’s gonna be a really fun ride watching a 22 year old take over the NBA. So sit back, and enjoy the ride.

 

NFL Week 7 Picks and Preview

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Heartbreak usually isn’t bestowed upon me during football season until roughly week 19, when the Packers find some stupid way to lose a playoff game. 2017 is a different beast however, drilling the metaphorical knife into my heart in week six, when MVP Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone ending his season. Now, with ten weeks remaining in the regular season, I’ll do my best to carry on and continue with weekly picks.

 

Last week:

Pick ‘Em: 5-9 (Worst week this season)

Spread: 5-9 (First, worst, and technically best of season)

Season:

Pick ‘Em: 50-41

Spread: 5-9

Bonus Bets:

If you took the time to read the whole column last week, you may have noticed two bonus bets I slid in the blurbs. One was taking the over on DET-NO and the second was taking the over on IND-TEN. Not to brag, but both were red hot picks and most importantly, both covered. So if you don’t believe in my picks at least believe in my bonus bets.

 

KC @ OAK

Last week I called out the Black Hole in Oakland saying, “The Black Hole won’t let Oakland lose four straight.” Spoiler alert: I was wrong. I also predicted Kansas City could remain undefeated and beat up Pittsburgh, also wrong. The Chief’s defense was bullied last week by Le’Veon Bell’s 179 yards while tallying only 28 rushing yards of their own. The script flips this week and Kareem Hunt runs over Beast Mode and the Oakland Raiders.

Pick ‘Em: Kansas City Chiefs

Spread: Kansas City Chiefs (-3)

 

NO @ GB

Before I pick this game I have a mini-rant: Brett Hundley is the starting quarterback and Joe Callahan is the back-up. No ifs, ands, or buts. I don’t want to hear how Colin Kaepernick could provide a spark for the Packers, or how Tony Romo can come out of retirement and lead a playoff push. The Packers committed to these two back-ups last year, and nothing is changing this year. Green Bay’s management dug this back-up quarterback grave, now we have to lay in it. End rant. The Saints shouldn’t have a problem with an injured defense and a back-up quarterback, I hope Brett Hundley proves me wrong.

Pick ‘Em: New Orleans Saints

Spread: New Orleans Saints (-5.5)

 

TEN @ CLE

Cleveland’s quarterback situation quite literally turned into a game of take-backsies. Kevin Hogan was named the starter under-center for week 6 and that’s exactly how long it lasted, one week. DeShone Kizer has once again been named the starter and nobody has batted an eyelash, mostly because he has amounted three touchdowns and nine interceptions in five starts. Tennessee looked adequate at home against the Colts and they should keep it rolling facing off with the winless Browns.

Pick ‘Em: Tennessee Titans

Spread: Tennessee Titans (-5.5)

 

TB @ BUF

This was the year some though Tampa Bay would breakout, but that hasn’t held true. With two wins on the season against the Chicago Bears and the New York Giants, the Buccaneers are undoubtedly struggling. Buffalo fans are still diving through plastic tables at tailgates, while their team is 3-2 with impressive wins over Denver and Atlanta. The Bills mafia is tough to overcome at home.

Pick ‘Em: Buffalo Bills

Sperad: Buffalo Bills (PK)

 

CAR @ CHI

Cam Newton was just heating up until the Eagles beat the Panthers in Carolina last week, while the Bears are coming off of an overtime win in Baltimore. Chicago’s star-child Mitchell Trubisky dazzled by completing a whopping 8 of 16 passes for an astounding 113 yards and one touchdown, truly amazing. There is plenty of time for him to develop, but stop hyping him in the meantime. Cam Newton will show Trubisky what it’s like to be a number one overall pick instead of being number two.

Pick ‘Em: Carolina Panthers

Spread: Carolina Panthers (-3)

 

JAX @ IND

It has to be really, really hard being a Colts fan. With or without Andrew Luck, this team is bad. For the first time in a long time, Jacksonville is decisively better than Indianapolis on the football field. Leonard Fournette and a tough defense is all the Jaguars really have, which is still more than the Colts have to offer. Also this game will feature one of my BONUS BETS, which you can read about at the end of the blog.

Pick ‘Em: Jacksonville Jaguars

Spread: Indianapolis Colts (+3.5)

 

ARI @ LAR

The Cardinals season has been an absolute roller-coaster ride so far. Losing David Johnson for a significant part of the season, overtime wins, blowout losses, and now Adrian Peterson leading an already ancient offense. We are six weeks into the season and I still have no clue how to grade this team. Grading the Rams is an easier task, as they have heavily over-performed thus far this season. Los Angeles’ defense should run laps around the Arizona offense, securing a win.

Pick ‘Em: Los Angeles Rams

Spread: Los Angeles Rams (-3.5)

 

NYJ @ MIA

If you were looking for this weeks’ toilet bowl, here you go! Nothing screams AFC East football quite like Josh McCown and Jay Cutler taking the field on a Sunday afternoon. The only thing that could potentially make this game watchable is a Jay Ajayi breakout game. When these two teams met in September, he had 11 carries for 16 yards. Things are truly looking up here.

Pick ‘Em: Miami Dolphins

Spread: Miami Dolphins (-3)

 

BAL @ MIN

The Baltimore Ravens are one of the many 3-3 teams in the NFL that I have no idea what to think about. Despite bad losses and good wins, this team is trending downward. Losing at home, to the Bears, starting a rookie quarterback? Bold strategy for John Harbaugh. Minnesota’s morale on defense is at an all-time high after breaking the NFL’s best quarterback’s collarbone and manhandling backup Brett Hundley.

Pick ‘Em: Minnesota Vikings

Spread: Baltimore Ravens (+5.5)

 

DAL @ SF

Another week, another extension to the appeal of Zeke Elliot’s six-game suspension. Elliot starting his suspension this week would have been the 49’ers only chance of winning probably. That won’t stop San Fran from attempting to cover the spread, which they’ve been masters of this year. Despite their 0-6 record, the 49’ers are 4-2 against the spread. Zeke doesn’t care, Zeke will run the ball….a lot.

Pick ‘Em: Dallas Cowboys

Spread: Dallas Cowboys (-6)

 

SEA @ NYG

The Giants did the unthinkable last week. The winless team went into Denver and beat an elite defense and a not-so-elite quarterback. Seattle had a chance to rest and prepare with a bye week so they have zero excuses to lose this game. Eli Manning going up against another star-powered defense this week should give the fans some prime Manning-face on the sideline.

Pick ‘Em: Seattle Seahawks

Spread: New York Giants (+5.5)

 

CIN @ PIT

It’s nice to see Todd Haley and the Pittsburgh Steeler offense figure it out. Instead of throwing 30 or more times (like they’ve done the first five games of the year), they let Le’Veon Bell takeover and it helped them knock off the NFL’s last undefeated team last week. This week, they will have Vontaze Burfict and the Cincinnati Bengals defense trying to concuss every single Pittsburgh player and start as many fights as possible. As long as Big Ben hands the ball off, the Steelers should be fine.

Pick ‘Em: Pittsburgh Steelers

Spread: Pittsburgh Steelers (-5.5)

 

DEN @ LAC

Hyping up Denver was a stupid mistake last week. I trusted Trevor Siemian, of all people, to beat the Giants and he couldn’t even do that. “But their defense is so elite, defense wins championships.” That’s fine and all but when you give up 23 points to Eli Manning with none of their starting wide receivers or running backs, that’s not a good look. The Chargers should have won the first matchup between these two earlier this season, and they shouldn’t let it happen again.

 

Pick ‘Em: Los Angeles Chargers

Spread: Los Angeles Chargers (-1.5)

 

ATL @ NE

If someone blows a lead in this game, the internet is going to lose its mind. The Super Bowl rematch between these two teams should be fun, especially for Julio Jones. He should easily exceed the four catches and 87 yards he had in the Super Bowl earlier this year. The 28 year-old is 6’3” with a  38.5” vertical jump. He should be able to jump up and get the ball every single play if he wanted to. For New England, they will need to revert to deflated balls and stealing signals if they hope to slow down Atlanta.

Pick ‘Em: Atlanta Falcons

Spread: Atlanta Falcons (+3.5)

 

WSH @ PHI

Two weeks after being heckled by a fan, Terrelle Pryor and the Washington Redskins have the pleasure of listening to Philadelphia fans on Monday night. Which NFL genius decided Philadelphia fans need an entire day to inebriate before going to face a divisional opponent on national TV? Beat writers for both teams could have red-hot twitter feeds throughout the game, so stay tuned.

Pick ‘Em: Philadelphia Eagles

Spread: Philadelphia Eagles (-5)

 

BONUS BETS:

-Jacksonville and Indianapolis were rumored to be spotted in this section. Leonard Fournette has an injured ankle and might not play and the Indianapolis offense hasn’t been promising. That’s why I’m taking the UNDER in this game (44).

-The Rams have shown week after week that they are a force on offense now. It took Arizona a few weeks, but they finally showed us what their offense can do, especially with Adrian Peterson starting in the back field. These teams will clear the OVER this week. (46.5)

 

 

NFL Week 6 Picks and Preview

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Before we jump into it I’ll give a quick rundown of how the NFL weekly picks and preview will work. Each game will get a small blurb, and two picks: pick ‘em (choosing the winner) and against the spread (choosing the spread, obviously). It should also be noted that I’ve kept track of my pick ‘em for the first 5 weeks and racked up a 45-32 record, but haven’t kept up with the spread, those picks start this week.

PHI @ CAR

Two 4-1 teams clash in primetime as the Panthers host the Eagles on Thursday night. Carson Wentz has shrugged off any chance of a sophomore slump while Cam Newton has recently returned to MVP form. The real matchup to watch here is how the stifling Carolina defense handles Carson Wentz and if they can maintain pressure on him. I see Luke Kuechly and company doing just that, earning the home victory.

Pick ‘Em: Carolina Panthers

Spread: Carolina Panthers (-3)

 

GB @ MIN

Aaron Rodgers versus Case Keenum doesn’t scream exciting, but that’s where we are headed Sunday. The Vikings are coming off a short week after narrowly escaping with a win against Chicago on Monday night, while the Packers are riding the emotional high after a last-second touchdown win in Dallas. Both teams have battled the injury-bug, but the Packers simply have more weapons on both sides of the ball.

Pick ‘Em: Green Bay Packers

Spread: Green Bay Packers (-3)

 

MIA @ ATL

The Jay Cutler project has been abysmal in Miami, and I’m not sure what else the Dolphins expected. A road match-up against the Falcons, coming off their bye week, does not help things either. Matt Ryan’s squad took the week to rest and heal their stars like Julio Jones and Vic Beasley, and are primed to take care of business at home.

Pick ‘Em: Atlanta Falcons

Spread: Atlanta Falcons (-11.5)

 

DET @ NO

If you were looking for an over to bet on this week, here it is. New Orleans is coming off their bye week, where they traded Adrian Peterson, which opens up more opportunities for rookie running back Alvin Kamara. The Lions have lost two out of their last three games, but are still 2-0 on the road this season. Look for them to continue their road warrior mind-set.

Pick ‘Em: Detroit Lions

Spread: Detroit Lions (+4.5)

 

NE @ NYJ

Somehow this matchup on Sunday afternoon is for first place in the AFC East, with Buffalo on the bye. New England’s defense has clearly been a liability this season, but the Jet’s offense does not pose as much of a threat as the Patriot’s previous opponents. Meanwhile for New York, this could finally be the week we see the beginning of their tank (see Week 5 Review).

Pick ‘Em: New England Patriots

Spread: New England Patriots (-9)

 

SF @ WSH

Do not be fooled by the 49’ers 0-5 record. Their last four games, three of which have been on the road, have been lost by a combined 11 points. The previous two losses have been in overtime. This is not a good team, but they are not the worst in the NFL. Washington does not boast the strongest team in the NFL, but they’ve had a week to prepare for San Francisco. If Kirk Cousins wants to earn his long-term, big money contract, he has to beat winless teams at home.

Pick ‘Em: Washington Redskins

Spread: San Francisco 49’ers (+10)

 

CHI @ BAL

Mitchell Trubisky’s NFL debut was not as dazzling as many hoped it would be, and now he takes the Bears on the road to Baltimore. The Raven’s 9th ranked pass defense should challenge Trubisky, but the Bear’s 8th ranked pass defense could pose a problem for veteran Joe Flacco. The Ravens need a win at home if they hope to keep pace with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North, and I believe they will get it.

Pick ‘Em: Baltimore Ravens

Spread: Chicago Bears (+6.5)

 

CLE @ HOU

Despite having the 5th overall defense in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns are 0-5. Why? The Browns are absolutely disgusting on offense. Rookie DeShone Kizer has been benched for Kevin Hogan, while fellow rookie Deshaun Watson has kept the Texans close in every game he has started this season. Houston’s defense has lost two key starters for the season with injuries, Whitney Mercilus and JJ Watt. It seems likely they will respond against a poor Cleveland offense.

Pick ‘Em: Houston Texans

Spread: Houston Texans (-9.5)

 

TB @ ARI

The Arizona Cardinals destroyed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when the two teams met in week two last season, with a final score of 40-7. Tampa Bay presents a stronger squad this time around on both sides of the ball. Arizona, on the other hand, has gotten weaker as a team. The Cardinals hope new addition Adrian Peterson can spark the struggling offense. Bruce Arian’s two wins this year were both in overtime, against weak teams (IND and SF). Do not expect that result to change this week.

Pick ‘Em: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Spread: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-1.5)

 

LAR @ JAX

Jacksonville’s 3rd ranked scoring defense will look to slow down the Rams’ 2nd ranked scoring offense. Blake Bortles continued struggles have been masked by rookie running back Leonard Fournette, who has 466 yards and five touchdowns through five games. Jared Goff has had a better-than-expected second year so far under new head coach Sean McVay, totaling seven touchdowns and only three interceptions thus far. Somehow the Rams are underdogs in this game, they will leave Jacksonville with a win this week.

Pick ‘Em: Los Angeles Rams

Spread: Los Angeles Rams (+2.5)

 

PIT @ KC

Pittsburgh’s poor run defense was exploited last week, and the challenge only increases with Kareem Hunt on the horizon for the Steelers this week. Hunt leads the NFL with 609 rushing yards this year along with 166 receiving yards. If Pittsburgh wants to find success this week, they will give the ball to their workhorse Le’Veon Bell, in hopes of taking the pressure off of Ben Roethlisberger who threw five interceptions last week. I don’t foresee Pittsburgh holding off Alex Smith and the red-hot Chief offense.

Pick ‘Em: Kansas City Chiefs

Spread: Kansas City Chiefs (-4)

LAC @ OAK

The Oakland Raiders are amidst a 0-3 skid, but their starting quarterback could be returning from injury this week. Derek Carr expects to suit up and play on Sunday, however that does not mean the Chargers should be overlooked. Three of Los Angeles’ losses had been by three points or fewer, until recording their first win last week. That being said, the Black Hole won’t let Oakland lose four straight.

Pick ‘Em: Oakland Raiders

Spread: Oakland Raiders (-1)

 

NYG @ DEN

Trevor Siemian has been stellar at home this season, throwing all seven of his touchdowns at Mile High and compiling a 3-0 record. Now, coming off a bye week, they face the dumpster fire that is the New York Giants. If the Giants offense was not bad enough, they lost wide-receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall for the season to lower-body injuries. Eli Manning is the only weapon (if you can call him that) on a depleted Giants roster. This is yet another chance for the Giants to stink in prime time.

Pick ‘Em: Denver Broncos

Spread: Denver Broncos (-11.5)

 

IND @ TEN

It is truly 50-50 whether Marcus Mariota is able to go for the Tennessee Titans this week. He sat last week due to an injured hamstring and the team sputtered. On the opposite side, the Indianapolis Colts have won two out of their last three and interim quarterback Jacoby Brissett has been satisfactory, but the team is still waiting on an Andrew Luck return. Be sure to bet the over on this game, as these two teams are dead last in the NFL in scoring defense.

Pick ‘Em: Tennessee Titans

Spread: Tennessee Titans (PK)

 

Season Pick ‘Em Record: 45-32

Spread Record: 0-0

NFL Week 5 Review

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Things we learned:

Aaron Rodgers is officially clutch:

Reporters and beat writers galore seemingly always had the narrative that Aaron Rodgers wasn’t clutch stuck in their heads until Sunday afternoon. Big throws and game-winning drives have not been uncommon for Rodgers, who has completed four hail-mary passes in the last 2 seasons. That being said, it took the Packers leader until Week 3 of his tenth season to get his first overtime win against Cincinnati only a couple weeks ago, an unfathomable statistic. Despite the poor overtime record, teams with a lead fear the Packer offense with anything more than one-minute and a timeout. Heck, he led a 95-yard touchdown drive with :55 seconds capped off by a hail-mary on the road, in a playoff game against Arizona in the 2016 playoffs . As long as there is time on the clock, Aaron Rodgers has a good chance to work his magic and pullout a victory.

The AFC South is a mess (again):

Another year, another hodgepodge in the AFC South. The Jacksonville Jaguars currently sit on top of the division with a 3-2 record, while every other team in the division right behind at 2-3. Those records aren’t indicative of the injury riddled rosters. Houston just lost their star defensive end and team leader, JJ Watt, for the season with a bone fracture in his left leg. The Titans starting quarterback Marcus Mariota sat this week with an injured left hamstring that hindered his throwing ability, and the Colts have not even had a single snap out of Andrew Luck this season thus far. The biggest surprise from the division is the stifling Jacksonville defense which forced five interceptions against Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. Time will tell how far the defense can carry the Jaguars this season.

The Raiders Aren’t Who We Thought They Were:

Now I understand losing your MVP-caliber quarterback is not ideal, but the Raiders were supposed to be much more than that. The 20th ranked scoring defense in 2016 was expected to make the next step and All-Pro linebacker Khalil Mack was supposed to be the leader. While small improvements have been made, including a climb to the 16th ranked scoring defense so far in 2017, it has not been enough as the team has lost three straight after starting 2-0. The offense though it had made significant improvements as well after pulling Marshawn Lynch out of retirement, that is not the case. Lynch has amounted 194 yards through 5 games so far this season, including two touchdowns. To top it all off, third-year wideout Amari Cooper is having the worst year of his short career thus far, hauling in 13 catches for 118 yards on 33 targets and one touchdown. The team hopes Derek Carr will return from his lower-back injury this week and right the ship against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Questions We Still Have:

Are the Jets Still Trying to Tank?

Nobody expected the Jets to have a winning record this season, especially five weeks into the campaign, but here they are at 3-2. A three game win-streak has the Jets above .500, which takes head coach Todd Bowles off the hot-seat for now, but at what point do the Jets commit to the tank? The offense is not getting any younger with Matt Forte and Bilal Powell in the backfield, and the team still does not have a franchise starting quarterback. New York shows a little more promise on defense with rookie Jamal Adams looking better each week and 2016 first-round pick Darron Lee stepping up as the team’s second leading tackler. A tougher schedule awaits the Jets, so it does not seem likely they stay near the top of the AFC East.

Can Alex Smith Maintain His MVP Caliber Play?

The Kansas City Chiefs are the last remaining undefeated team in the NFL, led by Alex Smith and the explosive Chiefs offense. Smith has the Chiefs leading the NFL with 32.8 points per game and leads the league with a 125.8 passer rating thus far. Rookie sensation Kareem Hunt has taken the load off of Alex Smith thanks to his league leading 609 yards rushing, and has proven to be valuable in the passing game, amounting 166 yards through the air. The threat of Hunt has opened up lanes for guys like Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill, making Smith appear like a methodical surgeon cutting of defenses week after week. With Pittsburgh and Oakland coming up, Alex Smith could continue to tear up the NFL and maintain the best year of his career so far.

Where Do The Giants Go From Here?

Playoff expectations were in-the-air when the 2017 season began, but fast-forward to October and the New York Giants are still looking for their first win of the season. To make things worse, arguably their best player, Odell Beckham Jr. has a fractured ankle and will miss the rest of 2017. Their wide-receiving core suffered an even worse fate Sunday, also losing Dwayne Harris for the year with a fractured ankle, and receivers Sterling Shepard and Brandon Marshall leaving the game with lower-body injuries. The woes are not strictly on the offensive side of the ball as the Giants defense has dropped from the second-best scoring defense in 2016 to 26th thus far in 2017. New York has made minimal changes to right the ship thus far, but perhaps a good start could be finding Eli Manning’s successor as it appears his Super Bowl winning days are behind him.

Stay tuned for Week 6 in the NFL and MLB Playoff updates this week.