PIGSKIN 2020: Week Eight

PIGSKIN

FOOTBALL "HALLOWEEN" SUNDAY

Week Eight

RESULTS

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Week Four

Week Five

Week Six

Week Seven

SCOREBOARD

Week Seven Record:  7-4-1

Overall Record (ATS):  50-37-3 (+10)

Schmear of the Week: 2-4-1 (-6)

Bagels in the Basket:  +4

1st and Ten

• COVID comes to Giants; Will Hernandez tests positive; offensive line sent home Thursday.
• COVID comes to Vikings: LB Todd Davis.
• COVID comes to Broncos: OL Graham Glasgow.
• COVID keeps hammering Chargers: OL Ryan Groy.
• COVID Broncos do not practice Friday.
• COVID COLLEGE: Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence (hinting he's gonna stay in school rather than risk getting drafted by the Jets).
• One undefeated team: Steelers
• NFC WEST: All team above .500, average point diff +46

2nd and Short

• Second place and long: Dolphins, Raiders, WTF, Cowboys, 
• Last second deals: Tuesday is the trade deadline.  What's Jerry Jones gonna do?
• Second-string QB Andy Dalton is in concussion protocol.

No Gain

• QB Teddy Bridgewater hurt on Dirty Night Football; ATL Charles Harris ejected (no suspension).
• The Jets are now 0-7 .. good heaven.
• Patriots in sell mode?
• BYE WEEK: Cardinals, WTF, Jaguars, Texans.
• Hey Giants ... did you catch the investment the Ravens made in their offensive line?

PUNT!

• Odell Beckham out for the season; torn ACL.
• NFC LEAST: All teams under .500, average point diff -46 (no teams with three wins)
• Study: Steelers are 2020 most hated team.  Just win baby!
• Today's defense sucks!  Bo Jackson said he'd rush for 350-400 yards per game in today's NFL.

WEEK EIGHT

Friday Line ~ NYP/MGM

CHIEFS -19 1/2 Jets

Jets give you absolutely nothing to work with.  So, let's have fun with numbers.  Chiefs are home (+3).  Jets average 12-ppg and allow 29-ppg.  Chiefs allow 20-ppg, so I'm giving them another +8.  KC scores 31-ppg now with Le'Veon Bell at the ready ... Chiefs cover.

WIN  35-9 Chiefs

Colts -2 1/2 LIONS

Remember what the Lions did to the Falcons last week?  The Colts defense is still that good.

WIN  41-21 Colts

PACKERS -7 Vikings

This spread is peculiarly low.

Loss  28-22 Vikings

Patriots +4 BILLS

I know Patriots have averaged just nine points over their last three games.  I can't get myself to turn my back on them yet.  Cam Newton gets another week to get this together.  Otherwise, I can see the Patriots being big sellers at the deadline - not that they have much to offer.  If Josh Allen isn't running, he ain't winning.  Belichick can still game plan that with pedestrian talent.

WIN  24-21 Bills

Titans -5 1/2 BENGALS

What a great game last week against the Steelers.  Bengals aren't hanging with this.  They're lucky if they possess the ball for 22:00 minutes.  

Loss  31-20 Bengals

Raiders +3 BROWNS

Baker Mayfield loses Odell Beckham, and the Browns become more run reliant, and thus more predictable.  It's the Raiders week to get healthy again.  Parity is a mouse maze, just gotta know when to go left, right, or straight ahead.

WIN  16-6 Raiders

Rams -3 1/2 DOLPHINS

No, not with Tua ... not the Rams.

Loss  28-17 Dolphins

Steelers +4 RAVENS

No rocket science; this is simply gonna be a really close game.  Steelers will dare Lamar Jackson to throw.  They will not let him run around; big-time defensive struggle.

WIN  28-24 Steelers

BRONCOS + 3 Chargers

Bolts are 5-1 against the spread.  Shit like that inspires me to go the other way.  However, the Broncos did not practice Friday, QB Drew Lock is out, back-up Jeff Driskel is in .. and they signed Blake Bortles just in case (LOL).

WIN  31-30 Broncos

Niners +3 SEAHAWKS

Niners can play some defense, that can rush the ball, and Jimmy G can throw TD passes too.  The Seahawks defense is the obvious x-factor.  San Fran to Seattle is not a road trip.

Loss  37-27 Seahawks

BEARS +4 Saints

You don't get ahead picking favorites.  Sometimes there's beauty in simplicity.  Bears are ugly, they're just outmuscling people and getting lucky.  Points are coming on defense.  This is an ideal match-up for the Bears, Saints down two receivers, Brees can't throw deep effectively, Bears take away run and limit YACs on short passes.  I see sacks, fumbles, and interceptions, oh my!

WIN  26-23 Saints

EAGLES -9 Cowboys

TOILET BOWL VIII, the respective records speak for themselves.  Eagles will actually do Jerry Jones a favor, insofar as the trade deadline, when they obliterate the Cowboys.

WIN  23-9 Eagles

Schmear of the Week:

Packers -7

LOSS!

MONDAY NIGHT MASSACRE

Bucs -10 1/2 GIANTS

Bucs are one of the best-balanced teams in football.  Period.  Without left guard Will Hernandez, the Giants will be relying on three novices at LT, LG, and center (although Nick Gates isn't the problem I thought he'd be).  After Blake Martinez, the Giants are naked at linebacker.  This could get ugly.  Three turnovers by Daniel Jones is not out of the question.

Loss  25-23 Bucs

Good luck and have a great Football Sunday, everyone!

POST GAME

Week Eight Record:  8-5

Overall Record (ATS):  58-42-3 (+13)

Schmear of the Week:  2-5-1 (-12)

Bagels in the Basket:  +1