NFL Sportsbook Action - Picking
3 NFL Week 3 Matchups
NFL Football
Previews
Today’s forecast.
Featured game:
For a team that has endured its share of hard
times already this season, the Buffalo Bills
don figure to get any breaks again in Week
3, when the dispirited club will travel to
Gillette Stadium for Sundays matchup with the
powerful New England Patriots.
Buffalo began its 2007 campaign on a most
calamitous note, as a last-second field goal
by Denvers Jason Elam sent Dick Jaurons team
to stinging 15-14 home defeat. That painful
outcome was overshadowed, however, by a life-
threatening neck injury suffered by Bills tight
end Kevin Everett on the opening kickoff of
the second half.
The Bills also lost two key members of the
secondary, free safety Ko Simpson and cornerback
Jason Webster, to season-ending injuries in
the opener. The depleted and shell-shocked
squad then proceeded to get run over by the
Pittsburgh Steelers, who cruised to a 26-3
win over their overmatched opponent last Sunday
at Heinz Field.
Buffalos problems don pertain solely to its
shorthanded defense. The offense has mustered
just one touchdown and an average of 203.5
total yards through the first two weeks, while
fourth-year quarterback J.P. Losman has shown
signs of regression after making significant
progress in 2006.
Now the Bills have to face a New England team
thats looked every bit like the Super Bowl
contender it was envisioned to be by most preseason
prognosticators. The Patriots have throttled
a pair of 2006 playoff teams, the New York
Jets and San Diego Chargers, by identical 38-14
scores to begin the season, and already own
a two-game advantage over the rest of the pack
in the AFC East.
Last weeks rather easy disposal of a San Diego
contingent that won a league- best 14 regular-season
games a year ago helped the controversy surrounding
Bill Belichicks in-game tactics subside a bit.
The Patriots mastermind head coach was slapped
with a hefty $500,000 fine by commissioner
Roger Goodell after a team employee was caught
illegally videotaping Jets defensive coaches
as they were relaying hand signals during New
Englands Week 1 win. The Patriots will also
lose at least one 2008 draft pick as punishment
for the incident.
The heavy media scrutiny surrounding the videotaping
episode clearly didn present a distraction
to New England, which roared out to a 24-0
halftime lead over the Chargers and outgained
San Diego by a decided 407-201 margin in total
yards.
Historical Perspective
The Patriots hold a 52-40-1 edge over the
Bills in a series that dates back to 1960,
and have claimed 12 of the last 13 overall,
including home-and-home sweeps in 2004, 2005,
and 2006. New England was a 19-17 home winner
over Buffalo in Week 1 of last season, and
took a 28-6 decision at Ralph Wilson Stadium
in Week 7. The Bills are 0-7 against New England
since their 31-0 home victory to open 2003,
and are 0-6 in Foxborough since claiming a
a 16-13 overtime win there in 2000.
Belichick holds a 12-3 record against the
Bills in his career, including a 11-2 mark
while with New England. Jauron is 1-3 against
both the Patriots and Belichick as a head coach,
including 0-2 since taking over the Bills.
Buffalo Analysis
Buffalos production on offense has been woeful
through the first two games, as the Bills rank
last in the NFL in passing yards (96.5 ypg)
and first downs (23), next to last in total
yards (203.5 ypg) and 30th out of 32 teams
in points (17). Losman has thrown for a mere
251 yards and no touchdowns over the two defeats,
but the confident young quarterback has also
often found himself running for his life due
to the offensive lines protection struggles.
Wide receiver Lee Evans, who compiled 82 catches
for 1,292 yards during a breakout 2006, has
just four receptions for 22 yards thus far.
Losmans top target has been No. 3 wideout Roscoe
Parrish (8 receptions), who matched a career
best with six grabs in last weeks loss.
One bright spot on the Buffalo offense has
been the showing of rookie running back Marshawn
Lynch, who has totaled 154 rushing yards and
is averaging a solid 4.2 yards per attempt
through his first two NFL games. The 2007 first-
round draft choice had an impressive 23-yard
touchdown run during the Bills Week 1 defeat
to the Broncos.
Its hard to anticipate an offensive breakout
for Buffalo against a New England stop unit
that has been smothering in the early going.
The Patriots have yielded an average of 56
rushing yards and 214 total yards per game,
both tops in the NFL at the moment, despite
being without two valued starters in defensive
end Richard Seymour (knee) and strong safety
Rodney Harrison (suspension). New England limited
reigning league MVP LaDainian Tomlinson to
only 43 yards on 18 rush attempts in last Sundays
triumph.
A veteran linebacking corps has been at the
forefront of the Patriots superb defensive
play. Mike Vrabel (12 tackles) currently leads
the league with 3 1/2 sacks, Roosevelt Colvin
(5 tackles) had two sacks and an interception
in the San Diego game and newcomer Adalius
Thomas (8 tackles) returned a pick 65 yards
for a touchdown in last weeks win.
New England Analysis
New Englands offseason additions of wide receivers
Randy Moss and Wes Welker have greatly aided
superstar quarterback Tom Brady (576 passing
yards, 1 INT), whos put up MVP-caliber numbers
in the teams back-to-back victories. The unflappable
Brady has completed nearly 80 percent of his
passes and thrown for five scores so far. The
resurrection of Moss after two forgettable
years in Oakland has made the biggest impact,
as the moody wideout has racked up 288 yards
and three touchdowns on 17 grabs. Ex-Dolphin
Welker (14 receptions, 1 TD) had eight catches
in the big win over the Chargers, while underrated
tight end Ben Watson (7 receptions, 2 TD) is
one of Bradys most trusted red-zone targets.
The Patriots have kept their familiar two-back
system despite the offseason retirement of
Corey Dillon, with former Bill Sammy Morris
(105 rushing yards, 1 TD) now forming one-half
of an effective duo with starter Laurence Maroney
(149 rushing yards). The pair has helped New
England average a strong 140 yards on the ground
through two weeks of play.
Both running backs should find continued success
against a Buffalo defense that has allowed
both Denvers Travis Henry (139 rushing yards)
and Pittsburghs Willie Parker (126 yards) to
have productive afternoons. Rookie middle linebacker
Paul Posluszny and Jim Leonhard, who has taken
Simpsons place at free safety, have been the
most active members of a group thats yielded
a subpar average of 445 total yards per game.
Posluszny leads the team with 22 tackles, while
Leonard has 20 stops along with both of Buffalos
interceptions. Regular weakside linebacker
Keith Ellison is slated to miss a third straight
game with a high ankle sprain, with special
teams ace John DiGiorgio (6 tackles) the likely
fill-in.
Buffalos already banged-up secondary has further
health concerns heading into this weeks contest,
as starting cornerbacks Terrence McGee (9 tackles,
3 PD) and Ashton Youboty (8 tackles) each left
the Pittsburgh game with rib and ankle injuries,
respectively. Both players are expected to
be in Sundays lineup, however.
Summary
With New England being the healthier and significantly
superior of the two teams, only a colossal
letdown by the Patriots would give the reeling
Bills a chance to pull off such an upset on
the road. Unfortunately for the rest of the
NFL, the videotaping scandal has now given
New England plenty of reason to be motivated
from here on out. Belichick won have to resort
to any form of chicanery for the Patriots to
remain undefeated.
Favorite / Spread / Underdog / My Picks
Indianapolis / 6 / HOUSTON / Indianapolis
NEW ENGLAND / 16.5 / Buffalo / NEW ENGLAND
NEW YORK (NYJ) / 3 / Miami / NEW YORK (NYJ)
PHILADELPHIA / 6 / Detroit / Detroit
PITTSBURGH / 9 / San Francisco / PITTSBURGH
TAMPA BAY / 3.5 / St. Louis / St. Louis
San Diego / 5 / GREEN BAY / San Diego
BALTIMORE / 8 / Arizona / Arizona
KANSAS CITY / 3 / Minnesota / Minnesota
OAKLAND / 3/ Cleveland / Cleveland
SEATTLE / 3.5 / Cincinnati / DENVER
DENVER / 3 / Jacksonville / DENVER
Carolina / 3.5 / ATLANTA / ATLANTA
WASHINGTON / 3.5 / Giants / WASHINGTON
CHICAGO / 3 / Dallas / Dallas
NEW ORLEANS / 4 / Tennessee / Tennessee
Good luck with your action tonight!
by Johnson
USE
THESE NFL PREVIEWS TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR NFL
BETTING AT OUR BEST FOOTBALL SPORTSBOOKS ONLINE
FOR THIS SEASON
|
