Not that it’s a negative, but San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh has a huge ego. He’s out to win games, not friends, and does not care if he annoys people with his arrogance and combative attitude.
Matt Youmans
It’s easy to envision the Green Bay Packers without Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, if only because we witnessed it five days ago. It was not pretty, and it’s almost impossible to picture them as a playoff team unless he returns before December.
Some point-spread decisions lack drama. A bet on Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints was easy money, and there’s nothing better than cashing in without breaking a sweat. But it’s rarely that easy.
Money is obviously a great motivator, even for NFL quarterbacks who already have a ton of it. So with his job security being questioned in a contract year, Jay Cutler is playing hero and returning earlier than expected to rescue the Chicago Bears.
Without seeing Andrew Wiggins play, most media pundits are assuming the Kansas freshman will be the No. 1 pick in next summer’s NBA Draft. That might turn out to be true, but remember to always wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle and jumping to conclusions.
A coin was flipped into the air, and when it landed, Robert Griffin III was smiling. A short time later, bettors on the Washington Redskins were lining up at the windows to cash.
It had become a sitcom in San Diego, with two stooges tripping over each other and falling on their faces at the most inopportune times. Philip Rivers, once considered an elite quarterback, turned into a reflection of his clumsy coach.
One of these days, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer will take a beating. It will get ugly, and don’t feel sorry for him.
Almost every time the Dallas Cowboys snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, the scapegoat is quarterback Tony Romo, whether he deserves to be or not.
In an era when so many NFL coaches seem drained of personality, it’s cool to see how Pete Carroll handles the Seattle Seahawks. He has a college-type enthusiasm and an ability to think outside the box.
It’s not quite the halfway point of the NFL season, and what happens from here will be as unpredictable as a drunken night on Bourbon Street. Still, it’s safe to say quarterback Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints are wholly relevant again.
Every once in a while, a football game lives up to extreme hype and maybe even exceeds it. Lately, most of those games involve Peyton Manning.
While all eyes are focused on his big brother this weekend, Eli Manning is staring down a big game of his own. The New York Giants are winless, and no team wants to wear that black eye into late October.
What’s most important to bettors is how to cash tickets this week and, in the big picture, how to handicap explosive offensive teams such as Oregon. The Ducks scare the heck out of bookmakers, who are not setting lines high enough, and sharp bettors, who usually prefer to buy underdogs when the price appears inflated.
A game up for grabs came down to an unlikely play. A perfectly thrown ball into the back of the end zone, a great catch and a comeback win. Drew Brees had pulled a rabbit out of his helmet and beat the New England Patriots again.