Penalties drive N.F.L. coaches and followers loopy.
Some infractions, like offside and the false begin, are pretty clear-cut to identify and have some correlation to a crew’s ability and talent. They are typically the mark of a younger roster — or one with inexperienced starters being requested to switch injured starters. The Broncos, Saints, Seahawks and Dolphins are the league’s most penalized groups, whereas Seattle and Miami be a part of the Jets, Commanders and Ravens as groups at deficits with regards to web penalty yards in opposition to opponents, in response to nflpenalties.com.
The extra subjective flags — the place referees are requested to train impartial judgment in deciding penalties like cross interference, roughing the passer, and unsportsmanlike conduct — are the ones that ship fan bases and bettors into chaos.
Take Atlanta’s win over Carolina final week for instance. P.J. Walker’s 62-yard landing cross to D.J. Moore with 12 seconds left in the fourth quarter tied the recreation, 34-34. The Panthers wanted solely to transform the extra-point try. But recreation officers determined that Moore’s elimination of his helmet after the play amounted to unsportsmanlike conduct and tacked 15 yards onto the kick, which Eddy Piñeiro missed. The Falcons gained, 37-34, on an time beyond regulation subject objective.
All to say that, like Piñeiro, we had a down Week 8, and we’re trying to train our proper as American soccer followers in charge the refs. It’s the midway level, and our file sits at precisely .500.
Last week’s file: 7-8
Overall: 61-61-1
All occasions Eastern.
(*9*)Thursday Night’s Game
Philadelphia Eagles (7-0) at Houston Texans (1-5-1), 8:15 p.m., Amazon Prime
Line: Texans +14 | Total: 45
Last week, Philadelphia simply coated 11 factors in opposition to the Steelers in a 35-13 rout. Bookmakers have moved the objective posts again on Philadelphia a bit and set the line at 14 in opposition to a Texans crew that couldn’t cease the Titans from operating the ball on each play in Week 8.
The Eagles aren’t practically so unbalanced: The crew ranks sixth in dashing yards per recreation (149.6), however is able to leaning arduous on the air recreation, as in final week’s win through which A.J. Brown caught three landing passes from Jalen Hurts. Philadelphia continues to construct leads in the first half and nurse them in the second, and if that development continues it’ll assist Houston discover a method to cowl in rubbish time. Pick: Texans +14
Sunday’s Best Games
Los Angeles Chargers (4-3) at Atlanta Falcons (4-4), 1 p.m., Fox
Line: Falcons +3.5 | 49.5
The Falcons now sit atop the N.F.C. South with a .500 file, having outperformed preseason expectations, however their win over the Panthers final week was Atlanta’s first recreation as the favourite, and its first failure to cowl the unfold. This week, the Falcons are market underdogs once more, getting a subject objective at dwelling in opposition to the Chargers, a crew that’s prone to put Justin Herbert’s arm to make use of in opposition to a struggling secondary.
But the Chargers’ protection, which permits opponents a mean of 5.7 yards per rush, might want to cope with the Falcons’ punishing floor assault, which ought to have greater than sufficient juice to dominate. Pick: Falcons +3.5
Miami Dolphins (5-3) at Chicago Bears (3-5), 1 p.m., CBS
Line: Bears +5 | Total: 45
Tua Tagovailoa continues to place up large numbers throwing to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Before Tuesday’s commerce deadline, Miami added the Pro Bowl linebacker Bradley Chubb to a cross protection that ranks twenty ninth in the league and has given up no less than 300 passing yards in 4 video games.
The assistance will come in useful, however it is probably not sufficient in opposition to Chicago, which is taking part in its finest soccer of the season and added receiver Chase Claypool in a commerce with Pittsburgh. His new quarterback, Justin Fields, is just not but identified for his arm, however he went 17 of 23 with two touchdowns and earned a career-best passer ranking in a loss to Dallas final week. Pick: Bears +5
Buffalo Bills (6-1) at Jets (5-3), 1 p.m., CBS
Line: Jets +13 | Total: 47
The air leaked out of the Jets’ sails final week, when the Patriots snapped the crew’s four-game successful streak and Zach Wilson threw three interceptions, dropping his quarterback ranking to the second-worst in the league. James Robinson, acquired from Jacksonville to switch the injured operating again Breece Hall, carried the ball for under 17 whole yards. The market didn’t like what it noticed, and is giving the Jets two touchdowns in opposition to a Bills crew that appears Super Bowl-bound.
The Bills had no drawback overlaying the 14-point unfold in opposition to the Steelers in Week 5 at dwelling, however final week in opposition to the Packers they didn’t cowl the 10.5-point unfold by a half level. Double-digit spreads are dangerous enterprise in the N.F.L., particularly with the favourite on the street. Pick: Jets +13
Minnesota Vikings (6-1) at Washington Commanders (4-4), 1 p.m., Fox
Line: Commanders +3.5 | Total: 43.5
The Vikings are first in the N.F.C. North at 6-1, however they’ve gained every of their previous 5 video games by one possession. Last season, Minnesota went 6-8 in shut video games, so its file indicators that the crew has discovered tips on how to claw victory from the jaws of defeat. The Vikings might be able to create extra cushion after buying and selling for the former Pro Bowl tight finish T.J. Hockenson this week.
They’ll tackle the better of the last-place groups, with Taylor Heinicke taking part in fairly nicely rather than Carson Wentz, who’s sidelined with a finger damage. Pick: Commanders +3.5
Seattle Seahawks (5-3) at Arizona Cardinals (3-5), 4:05 p.m., Fox
Line: Cardinals -2 | Total: 50
These division rivals met in Week 6, when Seattle gained, 19-9, as 3-point underdogs at dwelling. This time, they’ll be taking part in in Arizona, and the line nonetheless opened with the Cardinals at -3. The market should not have appreciated that as a result of early cash moved the line to 2 and cash continues to return in on Seattle, which has gained its final three video games. Geno Smith is now No. 1 in completion proportion in the N.F.L., regardless of being one among the most pressured quarterbacks. The odds of him successful the Most Valuable Player Award have gone from 300-1 at the begin of the season to 28-1. Smith is efficacious, and so are these two factors. Pick: Seahawks +2
Los Angeles Rams (3-4) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5), 4:25 p.m., CBS
Line: Buccaneers -3 | Total: 42.5
Both of those current Super Bowl contenders have struggled this season, and the market appears to be reacting to their slides. Tampa Bay has been favored in every of its video games this season, however it is just 2-6 in opposition to the unfold. The oddsmakers haven’t but given up on the Buccaneers, who had been a 1-point favourite in opposition to the Rams earlier than dropping to Baltimore final week: The line had Tampa Bay -3 as of Wednesday.
That could replicate bookmakers’ insecurity in the Rams’ trajectory greater than the Buccaneers’ capabilities. Los Angeles benched operating again Cam Akers for 2 video games as the crew explored, however didn’t discover, trades. He is questionable to return this week, as is the backup operating again Kyren Williams, who has been sidelined by a excessive ankle sprain. With the run recreation in flux, the Rams would like to depend on receiver Cooper Kupp to play however he was listed as questionable (ankle). Pick: Buccaneers -3
Tennessee Titans (5-2) at Kansas City (5-2), 8:20 p.m., NBC
Line: Kansas City -12.5 | Total: 46.5
Derrick Henry has averaged 130 yards per recreation throughout the Titans’ five-game win streak, and he made issues straightforward for the rookie quarterback Malik Willis as he began his first recreation rather than the injured Ryan Tannehill final week: Of the Titans’ 26 performs in the second half, Willis handed the ball solely as soon as.
Tannehill was restricted in practices and was questionable for Sunday. If he’s unable to play, Tennessee will want a brand new recreation plan to beat a nicely rested Kansas City crew. Coach Andy Reid is 20-3 over his profession in video games following bye weeks. This line opened at 11 and jumped to 12.5 inside minutes. At that quantity, we’re pleased to take the factors and hope Henry can hold it shut in opposition to a middling run protection. Pick: Titans +12.5
Sunday’s Other Games
Carolina Panthers (2-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-4), 1 p.m., Fox
Line: Bengals -8 | Total: 43
The Bengals performed one among their worst video games of the season on Monday night time in opposition to the Browns, they usually had been utterly dismantled in a 32-13 loss on the street. The prime receiver Ja’Marr Chase, is out indefinitely with a torn labrum and a fractured hip, and cornerback Chidobe Awuzie is out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The Panthers are taking part in groups intently and eight factors may be one too many, even with the Bengals at dwelling. Pick: Panthers +8
Green Bay Packers (3-5) at Detroit Lions (1-6), 1 p.m., Fox
Line: Lions +3.5 | Total: 50
The Packers received a sneaky half-point backdoor cowl in opposition to the Bills final week due to a Jaire Alexander choose of Josh Allen in the fourth quarter. Green Bay might want to win outright as favorites on the street in opposition to Detroit, which has misplaced 5 video games in a row.
The Lions appeared nice whereas constructing a 27-17 first-half lead in opposition to the Dolphins final week, however they didn’t rating in the second half. This is an efficient spot for the Packers to attempt to snap their four-game dropping streak, however the Lions gained’t simply roll over for them at dwelling. They’ll look to repair their second-half woes. Pick: Lions +3.5
Indianapolis Colts (3-4-1) at New England Patriots (4-4), 1 p.m., Fox
Line: Patriots -5.5 | Total: 39.5
The Colts are tied for the most turnovers in the league with seven fumbles and 9 interceptions. In his debut as the starter final week in opposition to Washington, a 17-16 loss, Sam Ehlinger misplaced just one fumble and didn’t throw any interceptions. He additionally didn’t throw any touchdowns. That’s an enchancment, however it gained’t minimize it in opposition to a New England crew that simply goaded the Jets’ Zach Wilson into three picks final week. Pick: Patriots -5.5
Las Vegas Raiders (2-5) at Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6), 1 p.m., CBS
Line: Jaguars +1.5 | Total: 47.5
The Raiders haven’t gained on the street this season they usually didn’t come shut final week, getting shut out by New Orleans as street favorites. Davante Adams, who was rumored to be sick, caught only one cross for 37 yards and Las Vegas didn’t cross midfield on a drive till the recreation’s last minutes.
Jacksonville has been inconsistent this season, outscoring opponents in the first and third quarters and getting crushed in the second and fourth. The second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence has taken warmth for expensive interceptions, together with one on the first play of what may have been a game-winning drive in opposition to Denver final week. Returning dwelling could possibly be simply the enhance that’s wanted. Pick: Jaguars +1.5
Monday Night’s Game
Baltimore Ravens (5-3) at New Orleans Saints (3-5), 8:15 p.m., ESPN
Line: Saints +3 | Total: 48.5
The Saints’ protection shut the Raiders out final week, and Andy Dalton threw for 229 yards, two touchdowns and, most essential, zero interceptions. That’s a major improvement as the Saints face the league’s prime tackler, linebacker Roquan Smith, whom the Ravens traded for this week.
But Baltimore is coping with accidents to tight finish Mark Andrews (shoulder, ankle; questionable), Rashod Bateman (foot; out) and Gus Edwards (hamstring) and New Orleans is making an attempt to make up floor in a wide-open N.F.C. South. Pick: Saints +3
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