Lions in bounce-back spot
While most of the talk about the Philadelphia Eagles focuses on quarterback Michael Vick’s fumbling tendencies, he’s not the only one dropping the ball.
The Detroit Lions, 1-3 straight up and 0-4 against the spread, are turning into one of the NFL’s biggest disappointments and appear in danger of falling out of the NFC North race before November.
The connection between quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Calvin Johnson has broken down. Stafford has three touchdown passes, a season after he totaled 41. Johnson, who had 16 touchdown receptions last season, has one in the first four games.
The Lions have lost three consecutive games, but off a bye, they are in a bounce-back spot today at Philadelphia, according to DonBest.com handicapper and radio host Brian Blessing. The Eagles opened as 6-point favorites at some books, and the line has dropped to 3½.
“The bye week for the Lions gave Stafford and Johnson time to heal up bruises, and Stafford needed it because he had been gimpy for a few weeks,” Blessing said. “The underdog is certainly attractive, and the points may not even come into play.”
Blessing, host of “The Linemakers” on SportingNews.com, said Philadelphia is in a bad spot after its 16-14 loss at Pittsburgh last week.
“The main problem for the Eagles might be who they played last. Teams struggle massively the week following games against the Steelers, who physically beat up their opponents,” Blessing said. “That angle has been reaping rewards again this season, as Denver and Oakland got lit up the week after playing Pittsburgh.”
Philadelphia (3-2) has been in four games decided by either one- or two-point margins. Vick has fumbled eight times and lost five. He threw six interceptions in the first two games.
The Detroit defense has been strong against the pass, so running back LeSean McCoy could prove to be the key factor in deciding the Eagles’ fate.
Blessing breaks down the rest of today’s Week 6 schedule:
■ Cincinnati (-2½) at Cleveland: Last week, the 3-point line was telling us that Miami was a live road underdog against the Bengals. Here we go again. Cincinnati being a small favorite at Cleveland might be a bit of an overreaction to the Browns playing the New York Giants tough. Clearly, the Giants were looking forward to today’s showdown at San Francisco. It probably won’t be pretty, but the Bengals look like the play.
■ Indianapolis at New York Jets (-3½): The Jets are woeful offensively, but they showed fight Monday in a six-point loss to Houston. Indianapolis has a young team that plays hard, and rookie quarterback Andrew Luck is improving. We should be leery of a letdown for the Colts after their last-minute rally to upend Green Bay. If there’s any buyback on the underdog and the hook disappears, the Jets might be the bet.
■ Kansas City at Tampa Bay (-4): Where are the points going to come from in this game? The Chiefs generated only two field goals at home against Baltimore, and now backup Brady Quinn gets the call at quarterback. Look for Tampa Bay to put eight men in the box to contain running back Jamaal Charles and then sit back and enjoy a field-goal exhibition. I lean under the total of 40.
■ Oakland at Atlanta (-9): The Raiders come off a bye and could be better prepared for this road trip. Oakland is averaging 60.8 yards rushing per game, which ranks last in the league, so there could be some aerial fireworks between Carson Palmer and Matt Ryan. The Falcons have a trip to Philadelphia next week, and this game could be played in a loose fashion. Expect a high-scoring affair with the total sitting on 48½.
■ Dallas at Baltimore (-3½): The Cowboys are regrouping after a bye, and, for whatever reason, seem to play better on the road. Dallas has not been scoring much, averaging 16.2 points, and the Ravens are coming off a grizzly 9-6 win at Kansas City. The Cowboys’ run defense is stingy, so running back Ray Rice will be challenged. Another important factor for Dallas will be quarterback Tony Romo protecting the football. The Cowboys and under the total (44½) are my leans.
■ St. Louis at Miami (-4): Both the Rams (4-1 ATS) and Dolphins (3-1-1) have been rewarding their backers. Miami’s run defense has been stellar, so St. Louis quarterback Sam Bradford might have to air it out to get the job done. The total is relatively low at 37½, and this is more of a feel deal, but look for more scoring than expected.
■ New England (-3½) at Seattle: The Patriots make the long trip to Seattle, where Romo and the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers already have failed. Tom Brady shouldn’t fall victim to the Seahawks’ extreme pass rush, with wideout Wes Welker ready and willing to run after short catches in a ball-control offense. The Patriots are an “over” team on the road, and with Seattle 5-0 to the “under” this season, we’re being offered a total of 44½. The Seahawks will have their moments offensively, so over the total looks attractive.
■ Buffalo at Arizona (-4½): The Bills’ defense has been an abomination, allowing 449 yards per game, 31st in the league ahead of New Orleans. They have been called out by general manager Buddy Nix and had better respond with a respectable effort. The Cardinals are suspect offensively and depleted at running back. Until Buffalo wakes up and realizes it has a solid running game and stops having Ryan Fitzpatrick throw the ball into rush-hour traffic, the Bills will have problems. It’s tough to trust either team. Arizona is 4-1, but I’m not sold.
■ Minnesota at Washington (-1½): The uncertain status of Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III has made this game a tough one to figure. Even if Griffin starts, and it appears he will, Washington is on an eight-game home losing streak. The safer play might be under the total of 45, with Minnesota’s defense capable of applying severe heat on Griffin. Vikings star Adrian Peterson, who has 420 yards rushing, is looking healthier and has the offense rolling on the ground.
■ New York Giants at San Francisco (-6½): There is huge revenge on the side of the 49ers in this NFC title game rematch. The Giants are road warriors for coach Tom Coughlin, but all the money has been on San Francisco. Intensity won’t be in short supply on either side. On the grass field, I’ll look for these teams to get after it defensively and play under the total of 45½.
■ Green Bay at Houston (-3½): The Packers are looking up at Chicago and Minnesota in the NFC North standings and should have a distinct sense of urgency on display. The Texans earned an ugly win over the Jets on Monday, but they suffered a devastating loss with linebacker Brian Cushing going down for the year with a knee injury. As long as the hook remains in play, Green Bay looks like a take in this spot.
COMPILED BY MATT YOUMANS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
