Friday, October 30, 2015

Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers, Week 8


Steelers confirm Roethlisberger set to start against Bengals

The Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin confirmed that Roethlisberger is preparing to play against the Bengals after missing four games with a sprained knee and bruised leg. The AFC North clash got a little more exciting with the expected return of Ben Roethlisberger to the Steelers lineup. The game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers is scheduled to start on Sunday, November 1, 2015, at 1 p.m. ET at Heinz Field. The game will be broadcasted on CBS.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should get a boost with their starting quarterback under center and could mount a challenge to the undefeated Bengals.  The Steelers are 4-3 overall and 2.5 games behind the Bengals for the top spot in the AFC North. The Steelers have one of the league’s best offenses, but history hasn’t been kind to Big Ben in his return to the field. In 11 seasons, Roethlisberger has come back from injury on six occasions, and the Steelers are 2-4 in those games.  Roethlisberger should not be expected to immediately perform to his top quarterback performance level prior to his injury. There may be a rust factor involved, but the Steelers are just happy to see their franchise quarterback return for this key division game. The Steelers defense has improved under coordinator Keith Butler, creating more turnovers and applying more pressure on quarterbacks. The Steelers rank seventh in the league in points per game allowed at 18.7. There have been some coverage issues involving tight ends.
The Cincinnati Bengals has a chance to do what no other team in franchise history has done, and that’s start a season 7-0. The team is coming off a bye week as one of the healthiest in the league. In their last game, they beat the Buffalo Bills 34-21 on Oct. 18 in New York. The Bengals are 3-0 against AFC opponents on the road this year. The Bengals offense are third in the NFL but also have the best balance in the conference, where they rank fourth in rushing and fourth in passing. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton is having a fantastic season through six games. His completion percentage, yards, yards per attempt and passer rating are at their highest points through this many games. His two interceptions are the fewest he’s thrown across a similar span. Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert might be Andy Dalton’s favorite target right now. He will be bursting through the middle of the Pittsburgh defense, daring the Steelers to cover him.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

NCAAF: Georgia at No. 11 Florida in Pivotal SEC East Clash

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NCAAF: Who Will Kick for the Gators Versus Georgia?

The No. 11 Florida Gators (6-1) have nearly clinched the SEC East Division for the first time since 2009. A win this Saturday against the rival Georgia Bulldogs (5-2) would put Florida two games up with two games left in the season.The Gators are a 3 point favorite at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. The game is scheduled to start at 3:30 PM ET and will be broadcast on CBS.
Florida has made quick progress in its first year under head coach Jim McElwain. The Gators had their undefeated season spoiled two weeks ago by the LSU Tigers, who prevailed 35-28 at home. McElwain used the bye week to prepare for Saturday, as did Mark Richt and the Bulldogs after scraping past the Missouri Tigers 9-6. The Gators need a new kicker after Jorge Powell suffered a season-ending knee injury in their Week 7 loss to the LSU Tigers. Redshirt junior PK Austin Hardin hasn’t been healthy or consistent enough and time is running out for Florida. If Saturday’s game turns into a similar kicking duel, the Gators could be in trouble. They held open tryouts after PK Jorge Powell was forced out of the LSU game with a season-ending knee injury. Redshirt junior PK Austin Hardin has been injured and ineffective, leaving the identity of Saturday’s kicker unresolved.
The Georgia Bulldogs is reeling from the loss of running back Nick Chubb and didn’t score a touchdown in its first game without him, beating Missouri 9-6 in a boring game. Florida may be the favorite in the game, but because we’ve seen it many times before in this series, anything can and will happen.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Tennis: Federer Seeks Seventh Title in Basel

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Tennis: Federer Favored at Home in Basel 

Top seed Roger Federer began his quest for a seventh title at the Swiss Indoors Basel on Tuesday by beating Mikhail Kukushkin 6-1, 6-2 in 55 minutes. He returns to his birthplace of Basel as the favorite to win his seventh Swiss Indoors title.  World’s No. 3 Roger Federer has won the Swiss Indoors title six times, and has been to the finals every year since 2006. He went into this week’s event as the top seed and the favorite. He’s well on his way to defending his title.
Federer is at age 34 now and the Basel native remains one of the best hard-court players in men’s singles. Grass remains his specialty, but he’s 27-4 this year on hard courts, winning tournaments in Cincinnati, Dubai and Brisbane.  Federer did lose to Albert Ramos-Vinolas last week in the Round of 32 at the Shanghai Masters.
Federer will play Kohlschreiber in round two. Federer is looking to extend his 10-match winning streak against the 32nd ranked German, who beat qualifier Jerzy Janowicz 6-4 3-6 6-3. The upcoming match marks the third time this season that Federer and Kohlschreiber clash on tour. Their most recent meeting took place in a hardcourt surface in the third round of the 2015 US Open. Federer had only dropped one set against Kohlschreiber, which happened during their third round match at the 2009 Wimbledon Championships.
There are seven other players from the ATP Top 16 participating in Basel. Federer’s toughest competition should come from fellow Swiss and World’s No. 4 Stan Wawrinka, and No. 6 Rafael Nadal. Wawrinka and Nadal are in the bottom half of the bracket, so they’d have to play one another before getting a shot at Federer in the finals. No. 12 Kevin Anderson is the second highest-ranked player in Federer’s half of the draw.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

NCAAF: No. 3 Utah Utes at USC Trojans

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NCAAF: USC in Disarray, but Favored Over Utah

The USC Trojans have already been upset at home by Stanford and Washington, while Utah crushed Oregon 62-20 as a 10.5-point road underdog in Week 4. The USC Trojans are sitting at 3-3  and have fired their head coach. However the USC Trojans are 3-point home favorites for Saturday’s Pac-12 matchup with the No. 3 Utah Utes, who are undefeated at 6-0. The matchup at the Coliseum in scheduled for 7:30 PM ET and will be broadcasted on FOX.
Utah comes into this game with one of the top defenses in the FBS. The Utes defense is creating turnovers and is one of four teams leading the nation with 13 interceptions. Last year’s matchup saw the Utes beat the Trojans 24-21 as 1-point home dogs. Despite Utah’s success, turnovers are fickle, and not everyone is sold on quarterback Travis Wilson, who ranks No. 50 in the FBS in passer rating at 140.45. Utah is physical, efficient and fundamentally sound in all phases of the game. The Utes are exactly the kind of opponent USC struggles with.
USC has played a tougher schedule thus far, but the Trojans have already lost twice as home favorites, to Stanford and Washington.USC quarterback Cody Kessler has been picked off twice in consecutive games for the first time in his career. Kessler was third in the county in completion percentage through four games, but that has changed in back-to-back losses. Kessler completed just 61.3 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and four interceptions against Washington and Notre Dame. USC could be without receivers Darreus Rogers and Steven Mitchell Jr., who missed practice this week with injuries. The Trojans already lost starting center Max Tuerk and could also be without tackle Chad Wheeler, who was experiencing concussion-like symptoms, putting even more strain on the USC passing attack.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Tennis: Ivanovic Favored at Luxembourg Open

Luxembourg-Open-Ana-Ivanovic

Tennis: Ivanovic Favored to Turn Back Time in Luxembourg

Former World’s No. 1 Ana Ivanovic continues her long climb back to the top in Luxembourg, where she won her fifth career title in 2007. Eight years ago, Ana Ivanovic was one of the rising young stars on the WTA Tour. She then went on to win the 2008 French Open and claim the No. 1 spot in the rankings. Ivanovic hasn’t reached that level since, but she’s enjoying something of a comeback at age 27, and she’s the favorite to win her second title in Luxembourg.
Ana Ivanovic, the Worlds No. 12 seed, still leads Venus Williams, Carla Suarez Navarro and Karolina Pliskova in the world rankings, but the season finale only features the top eight players for the season and not necessarily the top eight ranked players overall. It was a quick fall from grace and a slow climb back up the mountain for Ivanovic. But after a number of coaching changes, the Belgrade native started putting things together again in 2013. Ivanovic has had some mixed results this year, but she’s well on her way in Luxembourg after beating Heather Watson in the first round on Tuesday.
Ivanovic is followed on the odds list by Timea Bacsinszky  and Jelena Jankovic.  Bacsinszky is the top seed at Luxembourg, ranked two spots above Ivanovic at No. 10  in the world rankings. Jankovic, like Ivanovic, is trying to recapture the magic that made her World’s No. 1 in 2008. Ivanovic’s toughest competition should come from Timea Bacsinszky and Jelena Jankovic.  Jankovic is a recognized name, but like Ivanovic, she hasn’t been World’s No. 1 since 2008. Jankovic is currently No. 24 in the world rankings and the fifth seed at Luxembourg.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Seahawks vs. 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Week 7

Dec 23, 2012, Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) scrambles out of the pocket  against the San Francisco 49ers during the third quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers in Week 7 on Thursday Night Football

The San Francisco 49ers got their second win of the season on Sunday, beating the Baltimore Ravens 25-20. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick is looking better again and finished with 340 yards passing and two touchdowns without an interception. The Seattle Seahawks entered Week 6 sitting at 2-3. They jumped out to a 20-7 lead on the Carolina Panthers, and seemed ready to cruise to victory. The Panthers came back and put together a huge latter third quarter and fourth quarter and defeated the Seahawks 27-23, dropping Seattle to 2-4. The game between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers is scheduled for Thursday, October 22, 2015, at 8:25 p.m. ET at Levi’s Stadium. The game will be broadcasted on CBS and the NFL Network.
The Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson hasn’t been quite his great self this year, and he continued to be average in Week 6. He had 241 yards and a touchdown, and had eight rushes for 53 yards. The run game has been inconsistent with Marshawn Lynch hobbled. The offensive line is spotty and clearly misses Max Unger, who was traded to New Orleans in the Jimmy Graham deal. Graham did have his best game as a Seahawk on Sunday with eight catches for 140 yards. The Seahawks have their second straight loss heading into Thursday’s road game against the improving 49ers and are facing a climb beyond just correcting their continued problems in closing out games.
The San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick  played well in Week 6. He threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns, adding 10 more yards on the ground. It was Kaepernick’s best performance of the year, except for his Week 2 effort in Pittsburgh. The rush yards weren’t quite there, but the increased passing game production made up for it. Running back Carlos Hyde’s left foot injury which flared up on his first carry after halftime Sunday, is not expected to sideline him for the 49ers’ next game Thursday night against the Seattle Seahawks. Hyde missed two snaps after aggravating his injury against the Baltimore Ravens. He gained only 9 yards on eight carries and finished with 21 carries for 55 yards in Sunday’s 25-20 win.

Friday, October 16, 2015

Arizona Cardinals at Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6

Steelers-Cardinals

Cardinals’ High Performance Will Challenge Steelers

The Arizona Cardinals dominated the Detroit Lions on Sunday with a 42-17 win. After that game they got onto a plane for West Virginia where they met with and signed outside linebacker Dwight Freeney on Tuesday and set up practices. The Cardinals will spend the week at a resort in West Virginia, where they will both stay and practice leading up to Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh. The game between the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers is scheduled for Sunday, October 18, 2015, at 1 p.m. ET at Heinz Field. The game will be broadcast regionally on FOX.
The Arizona Cardinals has proved to be a high powered offensive team this season. They have scored 42 points or more in three of the past four games and are averaging 38 points per game overall. Quarterback Carson Palmer completed 96 of 148 passes for 1,316 yards and 13 touchdowns with only three interceptions and seven sacks through week five. The Cardinal’s offensive line and a strong running game has given Palmer the time to be consistent in his play.  Running back, Chris Johnson has rushed 79 times for 405 yards and two touchdowns.  Running back, Andre Ellington returned on Sunday after suffering a knee sprain in week one and rushed for 132 yards and two touchdowns.. Both Johnson and Ellington have the ability to break long runs, with Ellington breaking away for a 63 yard touchdown run against Detroit. Wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald has 35 receptions for 490 yards and six touchdowns. Also, wide receiver John Brown has 23 receptions for 301 yards and two touchdowns. Palmer has plenty of targets which has led the a balanced offense. The Cardinals have 13 passing touchdowns so far this season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers is nowhere near the same offensive club without Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers have struggled toprotect Michael Vick in the pocket. They will need to focus on containing the Arizona’s defensive line.  Michael Vick can make the occasional big play but he doesn’t have the ability to throw the ball downfield consistently. The Steelers are one dimensional offensively and almost totally dependent on running back Le’Veon Bell. Arizona’s success in this game will come down to how the defense contains him. The Cards are a nightmare to defend and the Steelers will have more trouble stopping them than they did San Diego. Pittsburgh is tough at home and will pose a formidable challenge to the Cards. Arizona has many weapons on offense, a potent running game and Carson Palmer at quarterback. The Cards will be hard to defend and the Steelers will have more trouble stopping them than they did San Diego. Pittsburgh is tough at home and will pose a formidable challenge to the Cards.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

NCAAF: No. 8 Florida Gators at No. 6 LSU Tigers

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Florida Gators – LSU Tigers in Possible SEC Championship Preview

The SEC is a bit more wide open than usual with the Alabama Crimson Tide already suffering their first loss of the season. The No. 6 LSU Tigers (5-0 SU, 2-3 ATS) and the No. 8 Florida Gators (6-0 SU, 5-1 ATS), who will meet this Saturday in Baton Rouge. The match up will start at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN.
The LSU Tigers will be the favorites for this match up. LSU needed more production from quarterback Brandon Harris and last week against South Carolina the Tigers got it. He set a career high with 18 completions and 228 yards while throwing for two touchdowns in a 45-24 rout of the Gamecocks. The Tigers also have Fournette, the best back in football. If LSU keeps feeding him the football, chances are he’ll break a big one or two. While McElwain’s Gators should have the advantage on offense, Les Miles and the Tigers have one of the premier defenses in the FBS. The Tigers and their high powered defense could be even tougher this week with the expected return of All-SEC safety Jalen Mills from offseason ankle surgery.
The Florida Gators have been very impressive in their first season under head coach Jim McElwain, a former offensive co-ordinator at Alabama. Quarterback Treon Harris will step in for the suspended Grier for the rest of the season, though Florida is appealing the suspension.  Coach Jim McElwain  insisted that he had two quarterbacks capable of winning in the SEC so we shall see.  Even without Grier, Florida will hang with LSU.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Tennis: Djokovic Rolls into Shanghai as Top Seed

Novak Djokovic

Tennis: Djokovic Making Waves in Shanghai

Novak Djokovic has made a living out of being a heavy favorite in matches like these against some of the top men’s tennis players in the world. Djokovic is coming off his sixth China Open title last week, where he only lost 18 games in the entire tournament. World’s No. 1 Novak Djokovic once again finds himself atop the futures market for the 2015 Shanghai Masters. Djokovic is the outright favorite.  Djokovic is aiming for his ninth title of the year and his third at the Shanghai Masters.
Former champion Andy Murray is the second, followed by Stan Wawrinka  and Rafael Nadal. Djokovic won the Shanghai Masters in 2012 and 2013, beating Murray in the finals to win his second title. Murray was the champion in 2010 and 2011. They should meet in the semifinals this year if they advance that far.
One of the top seeds and last year’s champion, Roger Federer, was eliminated in the second round.  Albert Ramos-Vinolas, the No. 70-ranked men’s singles player on the ATP Tour was the victor over Federer, who had the bye into the second round.  This was Federer’s first match since the US Open final, where he lost to Djokovic in four sets.
All the remaining top seeds were still alive. Djokovic, who won this outdoor hard-court event in 2012 and 2013, is the No. 1 seed, and will meet No. 3 Murray in the semifinals if they make it that far. Murray fell to Djokovic in the 2012 finals. The bottom half of the table is wide open without Federer, with No. 4 Wawrinka and No. 6 Kei Nishikori pointed at the other semifinal match in Shanghai.

Friday, October 9, 2015

Struggling Dallas Cowboys face New England Patriots

FOXBORO, MA - OCTOBER 16:   Jason Witten #82 of the Dallas Cowboys scores a touchdown against the defense of  Dane Fletcher #52 and  Devin McCourty #32 of the New England Patriots in the first half at Gillette Stadium on October 16, 2011 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Cowboys Stumble Into Week 5 With High Powered New England Patriots

The game between the New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys is scheduled for Sunday, October 11, 2015, at 4:25 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium. The game  will be broadcasted on CBS.
The 2-2 Dallas Cowboys has to take on what could be the best team in NFL off its buy week, the New England Patriots. Dallas is 0-2 without injured stars Tony Romo and Dez Bryant and must move on without the versatility of running back Lance Dunbar because of a knee injury. The Cowboys have allowed 26 and 39 points in their last two games since quarterback Weeden has taken over for Romo. So the Cowboys have to try to find ways to win until Romo returns from his broken left collarbone which could be at least five more games.
The New England Patriots are on a roll and quarterback Tom Brady seems to be able to do what he wants. Tom Brady still ranks fifth in the NFL in passing yards, with 1,112 yards through the air, third in touchdown passes with nine, and hasn’t thrown an interception yet. Brady is playing better than he ever has. Watch out if the Patriots gets in the red zone. Tight end Rob Gronkowski is the big receiver for the Patriots and the Dallas linebackers are going to have trouble defending against him. Gronkowski has 16 receptions for an impressive 308 yards, as well as a team-leading four touchdowns. Gronkowski is still one of the best tight ends in the NFL and stands tall above almost anyone on this offense. If their is any sign of trouble for the Dallas offense, it could be another runaway for New England. It’s hard to go against New England considering how well the team has been playing heading into its bye week.

Thursday, October 8, 2015

NCAAF: Defense on Display in Northwestern-Michigan Matchup

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NCAAF: Northwestern at Michigan headlines Big Ten action for Week 6

The Michigan Wolverines (4-1 SU, 3-2 ATS) are already enjoying success under new head coach Jim Harbaugh. The No. 13 Northwestern Wildcats (5-0 SU, 4-1 ATS) are expected to be sizeable underdogs when they visit the Wolverines this Saturday. Both teams have tremendous defenses and points should be hard to come by when they meet this Saturday afternoon 3:30 PM ET, in Ann Arbor.
These are two of the very best defensive teams in the FBS. Each team has recorded two shutouts this year. Northwestern travels to Ann Arbor this weekend averaging a nation best seven points against per game. Michigan has back to back shutouts and right behind Northwestern with an average of 7.6 points allowed per game. Neither allowed any scoring last week. Michigan has given up a grand total of two touchdowns since losing to the Utah Utes in the season opener. Michigan hasn’t had a very strong schedule so far this year.
Northwestern recorded upset wins over Stanford and Duke. The Wolverines has been rated as having the more difficult schedule thus far. The Wolverines have won each of the last four games since resuming this Big Ten series in 2011, but Northwestern covered twice, including last year’s 10-9 loss as a 2-point home dog. Another low-scoring game is likely this Saturday. This may come down to which quarterback can make the most plays; Michigan Wolverines senior Jake Rudock or Northwestern Wildcats freshman Clayton Thorson.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Tennis: Djokovic Heavily Favored in Beijing

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Tennis: Djokovic Favored Heavily Over Competition in Beijing

World’s No. 1 Novak Djokovic will be gunning for his sixth China Open title in seven years when he takes to the hard courts of Beijing this week.  Djokovic has won five of the last six China Open titles in Beijing and he is expected to take down another championship this week. Djokovic is is the runaway favorite on the closing line and way ahead of Rafael Nadal and Tomas Berdych .
Djokovic has seven ATP titles this year, claiming all three majors except the French Open, where he lost to Stan Wawrinka in the final. He is 63-5 in singles action this year, including 40-4 on the hard court. Djokovic is 6-1 in his last seven matches against Nadal.
Berdych is seed at No.2 and Nadal is No. 3. in Beijing. Nadal’s body may be breaking down from too much punishment at age 29. Nadal is a former clay court specialist. He is 14-7 on the hard court this year, falling to No. 8 in the world rankings. No. 5 Berdych is 32-10 on the hard court after last week’s tournament victory in Shenzhen, but Djokovic has won 19 of their 21 matches overall.
Nadal and Berdych are in the bottom half of the draw, and Djokovic is on top. Nadal may be overvalued in this situation. Nadal is 20-4 lifetime against Berdych, although they’ve split their two matches in 2015, with Berdych winning their quarterfinal match at the Australian Open.

Friday, October 2, 2015

Green Bay Packers vs San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium

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San Francisco 49ers in tough spot against Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are heading into Week 4 with a 3-0 record after beating the Kansas City Chiefs 38-28.  The San Francisco 49ers are coming off of an embarrassing 47-7 blowout loss against the Arizona Cardinals. Both of these teams are ready to play each other this week, with the 49ers looking to show they can play better than last week. The game between the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers is scheduled for Sunday, October 4, 2015, at 4:25 p.m. ET at Levi’s Stadium. The game will be broadcast on FOX.
The Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is one of the best in the NFL. Last week against the Chiefs, Rodgers completed  24 of 35 passes for 333 yards and 5 touchdown passes. Wide receiver James Jones is killing it for the Green Bay Packers and has turned into a great second receiver. Wide receiver Randall Cobb is a great red zone threat also. Running back Eddie Lacy didn’t look too healthy against the Chiefs and may be in better shape for the game against the 49ers.
The San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick had his all time worst game last week against Arizona. Arizona’s passing defense had more yards on interceptions than San Francisco’s receivers had in receiving yards. Carlos Hyde is one of the consistent players that the 49er offense has right now. Coach Jim Tomsula is going to continue to run the football no matter what the score is, and that could at least keep the clock running to shorten this game. Kaepernick will have to make plays with his legs to be able to open up the passing game. The 49ers could look completely different offensively from the team which played last week against Arizona.

New York Giants at Buffalo Bills in Week 4 on Sunday

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Bills prepared to have hands full as Victor Cruz is expected to return for the Giants

The New York Giants avoided a fourth quarter meltdown and may have gotten in the win column last Thursday night against the Washington Redskins, but their task is much tougher this Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. The Bills routed division rival Miami last week and it looked like an easy win for them. The match between the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills will be at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 4, 2015, at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The game will be broadcasted on FOX.
The New York Giants looked better offensively in its win over the Washington Redskins. Wide receiver Reuben Randle had seven catches and led all receivers with 116 yards and a touchdown in the 32-21 win over Washington. Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. pulled down seven balls for 79 yards and a touchdown.  If New York gets wide receiver Victor Cruz back in the lineup as soon as Sunday, it will give Eli Manning another reliable target. This was the best game for Manning so far this season. Manning  threw for 279 yards completing 71.9 percent of his passes.
The Buffalo Bills offense seem to go as starting quarterback Tyron Taylor goes, which has been a good thing in their wins. Taylor is in his first year as a starter in the league and the Giants may put pressure on the young quarterback to cause him to make mistakes. Taylor did well last week and threw three touchdown passes with no turnovers in their 41-14 win over the Miami Dolphins. However, the Bills haven’t been very impressive defensively in the passing game so far. Two weeks ago Tom Brady riddled the Bills for 466 yards and three scores while the Pats put up 40 points.

Thursday, October 1, 2015

NCAAF: Bulldogs Favored Over Alabama

Georgia+Bulldogs+Alabama+Crimson+Tide

NCAAF: Underdog Tide Roll into Athens

What has happened to the Alabama Crimson Tide? They’ve already suffered their first loss of the 2015 season, courtesy of the Ole Miss Rebels. For the first time since 2009, the No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tide are underdogs. The Tide were favored in their last 72 games stretching back to 2009.  After 72 straight games as the favorite, the No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tide will be 1.5-point underdogs when they visit the No. 9 Georgia Bulldogs. This Saturday’s game against Georgia is in Athens and Kick-off is at 3:30 PM ET on CBS.
Although Alabama has fallen to No. 13 in the polls, the advanced stats still think Nick Saban’s program is the best in the FBS. The Tide committed five turnovers and three picks and two lost fumbles  against Ole Miss in Week 3 to lose 43-37. That’s not likely to happen again in Athens. Despite the slow start, Alabama’s performance level has been very high this season except in the turnover department, where the Tide have already coughed up the ball eight times. Georgia has just three turnovers after four games.
No. 8 Georgia Bulldogs are expected to have WR/KR Isaiah McKenzie in action Saturday after a woman who had accused McKenzie of threatening to kill her decided not to pursue charges. No. 8 Georgia is a strong, balanced offense and a 200 club member averaging 257 rushing and 221 passing yards per game. Bulldogs running back Nick Chubb has rushed for at least 100 yards in a FBS leading 12-straight games and has hit 600 rushing yards at over 8.3 yards per rush through four games. Sony Michel is another explosive back who will aid in the ground game success against an Alabama run defense facing its strongest challenge of the season. Georgia is 4-0 SU and 2-2 ATS to start the season, while Alabama’s title hopes are already on life support at 3-1 SU and 1-3 ATS.