PIGSKIN 2020: Week Seven

PIGSKIN

FOOTBALL SUNDAY
Week Seven

RESULTS

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Week Four

Week Five

Week Six

Scoreboard

Week Six Record:  6-7

Overall Record ATS:   43-33-2 (+8)

Schmear of the Week:  2-4 (-6)

Bagels in the Basket:  +2

1st and Ten

• COVID: Raiders send home entire offensive line after one player tests positive.
• COVID: Saints WR Emmanuel Sanders; under quarantine; out for Sunday. 
• Dolphins rookie QB Tua Tagovailo will make first NFL start.
• Le'Veon Bell's first game with Chiefs?
• UNDEFEATED: Steelers, Titans, Seahawks.

2nd and Short

• Second Chance: Bucs sign WR Antonio Brown; possible debut in Week 9.
• Double Whammy: Ravens sign Dez Bryant to practice squad and trade for (steal) pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue.
• Deuces Wild: Adam Gase in 22 games as head coach of the Jets has now lost twelve games by double-digits.
• Double Take: Did you see what the Bucs did to the Packers?

No Gain

• NYG: Giants trade LB Markus Golden to Cardinals for 2021 6th round pick.  This coming on the heels of LB Lorenzo Carter's season ending injury (Achillies) while LB Oshane Ximines remains out with a shoulder injury.
• Ryan FitzTragic upset his job was taken away.
• Vikings mailing it in.  Trade their top pass rusher; conditional 2021 3rd round pick and 2022 5th round pick from Baltimore.
• Danny Jones gets tackled by the invisible man on Thursday night. 

PUNT!

• Former Niner Dana Stubblefield is going to jail.  Wait till they do to him what he ...
• Odell Beckham banned from LSU football facilities for two years.
• The Jets are the lone NFL team without a win.
• Anonymous Cowboys player unleashing on Mike McCarthy and staff - "totally unprepared .. they just aren't good at their jobs."  Put a name to it, soldier!

From the desk of: DO IT FOR THE DUKE

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

GIANTS      21

EAGLES      22

FINAL

DANIEL JONES: RUMBLING, STUMBLING & FUMBLING

If nothing else, the Giants have been competitive.  They're not getting blown off the field.  A top third albeit unexpected defensive performance this season is seeing to that.  In fact, on several occasions this season the Giants put themselves in a position to win, as was the case in Thursday's game against the Eagles.  But that's where the positives stop, and the more negative aspects of Danny Jones' performance begin.

The Giants trail 22-21 with 0:28 seconds left in the game.  They have the ball 2nd and 12 from their own 23 yard line.  From the shotgun, Jones is sacked six yards behind the line and fumbles.  The Eagles recover.  Throw in an interception, and Daniel Jones has now turned the ball over 34 times in his first 20 games as a pro.

Otherwise, Jones for the fourth time this season fails to exceed 200 yards passing.  He is 20/30 for 187 yards, with two touchdowns, and one (deflected) interception.

Try this on for size: Arizona second year quarterback Kyler Murray and perennial 1,000 yard receiver DeAndre Hopkins have joined for 47 receptions (61 targets) for 601 yards.  Second year quarterback Daniel Jones and second year Darius Slayton have joined for 27 receptions (48 targets) for 429 yards.

Just saying ...

The Giants rush for 160 yards.  However, Jones accounts for 90 yards.  Devonta Freeman, Wayne Gallman and Dion Lewis join together on 16 rushes for 65 yards.  Now we're talking about a sub par effort.  Rookie LT Andrew Thomas has perhaps his worst game to date.  The running game clearly leaned right, and away from Thomas.  The offensive line yields three sacks and another eight QB hits. 

At 8:51 of the third quarter, Giants have the ball first and ten at their own twelve yard line.  Danny Jones takes the snap from center and rumbles right side through a gaping hole.  Upfield he goes with nary a defender in sight.  About 67-yards into his jaunt he begins to get a little wobbly and at the eighty yard mark stumbles flat on his face, as if tackled from behind by the invisible man.  The Giants nevertheless score a few plays later to take 14-10 lead.  But the folly of it simply can not go unspoken. 

• Saquon Barkley scheduled for surgery on Oct. 29, to repair a torn ACL.

WEEK SEVEN

Friday Line ~ NYP/MGM

Bills -12 JETS

Talking about the Jets is officially boring ... great week for Buffalo to recoup some confidence.

Loss  18-10 Bills

Browns -3 BENGALS

The Browns couldn't ask for a better way to follow up last week's ass whooping at the hands of the Steelers.  I have more confidence in Cleveland coaching than I do their players.  Browns are still learning how to win.  Let us see is the teacher gets through to the pupils.

PUSH  37-24

NO NAMES -1 Cowboys

My propensity to pick the NO NAMES (ATS) this season is somewhat unexplainable.  Their defense still intrigues me.  I can just smell Alex Smith.  I'm hoping when it rains it pours on the Cowboys.

WIN  25-2 D.C.

Lions +2 1/2 FALCONS

Stay socially distanced from this game ... it just screams of contamination.  I still don't know what to make of Atlanta's defense.  I think we know what we're getting with the Lions.  Matt Patricia's seat is gonna start heating up any week now.  Desperation is a hell of a motivator.

WIN  23-22 Lions

SAINTS -7 1/2 Panthers

Demise of the Saints has been greatly exaggerated.  They are coming off a bye and have more offensive balance and a better defense.  Panthers are one of the poster children of parity.

Loss  27-24 Saints

Packers -3 1/2 TEXANS

Can't think of an angrier team this week than the Packers ...

WIN  35-20 Packers

Steelers +1 1/2 TITANS

I don't know why I keep siding against the Titans.  They're building the very team I've been screaming for the Giants to build.  Smash mouth!  Titans balance and Pittsburgh's defense keeps this close.  Big Ben is the wild card.

WIN  27-24 Steelers

Niners +1 1/2 PATRIOTS

There is not a person alive who knows Jimmy G better than Bill Belichick.  He'll think of something, he always does.  But, do the Patriots still have the personnel?  That has come into question these last two weeks.  Great time for Jimmy G to stick it to the Patriots while they're down.

WIN  33-6 Niners

Chiefs -9 1/2 BRONCOS

A snow game?  The Chiefs are clearly saving a few tricks up their sleeves.  Another way of saying we haven't seen anything yet.

WIN  43-16

Jaguars +7 1/2 CHARGERS

Toilet Bowl VIII ... I think this spread is a bit too generous.  Chargers probably win by a closer margin. That half point means a lot.

Loss  39-29 Chargers

Bucs -3 1/2 RAIDERS

This game is just bad timing for the Raiders.  The very well rounded Bucs are flying high after defeating the Packers.

WIN  45-10 Bucs

Seahawks -3 CARDINALS

Kyler Murray engineered a wacky victory last week against the Cowboys.  The week before that he defeated the Jets.  Time for a wake-up call. 

Loss  37-34 Cardinals

Schmear of the Week: (2-4)

Browns -3

Push

Good luck and have a great Football Sunday everyone!

Post Game:

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