Sunday Line: Sunday Line Chatter, Week 12: Games We Want to Watch

Sunday Line Chatter, Week 12: Games We Want to Watch

Panthers (+1 1/2) at Falcons

bielerd: just when I was sold on the Falcons, they lose at home to the unimpressive Broncos last week
Matt Bonesteel: Carolina doesn't really look like an 8-2 team. They have more of a 6-4 feel to them.
larimerd2000: What do the Falcons feel like?
Matt Bonesteel: I know what they sound like! CAW!
larimerd2000: The Panthers have had to pug-fugly wins in a row, but they can run and they have a nice defense. What's not to like?
bielerd: the Panthers haven't been all that impressive on the road, either, Their week 1 win over San Diego doesn't seem so stunning now, and the only other good teams they have played away from home were Minny and Tampa, whom the Panthers lost to by a combined score of 50-17
bielerd: their other road game was at Oakland, and they didn't exactly dominate that game.
larimerd2000: Des is true, and Jake has been partiuclarly awfule in road games: 2 TDs and 7 INTs
bielerd: Des is true, isn't he?
Matt Bonesteel: Aagh, someone asked Cerrato if they're gonna run the --wildcat--. I can't wait to see that.
larimerd2000: Still, I'm wondering if the Falcons--like the dolphins (another unlikely 6-4 team playing a big divisional game)--are just happy to be here
bielerd: well, I definitely just talked myself into taking the Falcons
Matt Bonesteel: Yeah, that game last week was winnable, yet they struggled to put up points on a weak (but improving) Broncos defense.
Matt Bonesteel: Falcons ran 15 more plays than the Broncos, and had the ball for seven more minutes.
bielerd: well, those sound like good statistics for Atlanta
larimerd2000: And Atlanta couldn't run on Denver, which is lame.
Matt Bonesteel: And if they can't run on the Broncos, I'm struggling to see how they'll run on the panthers, who have the No. 5 rush defense. Carolina is the pick, yo.
larimerd2000: I think the Panthers get right on the road here, and I think's it's time for the Falcons to fade. Carolina
bielerd: really? so your previous "CAW!" meant nothing?
larimerd2000: it was a careless whisper
Matt Bonesteel: Agh, carolina has the No. 17 run defense. I was looking at pass defense. I'll still Carolina to stifle the CAW!

Game Preview

Patriots (+1) at Dolphins

bielerd: Dave, you were saying something about the Dolphins?
larimerd2000: That worked nicely, didn't it?
bielerd: total foreshadowing
larimerd2000: This Bill Belichick-is-a-dark-lord-genius stuff is so completely overused, but still, in such a big game, after what Miami did to the Pats last time, and with a long week to prepare, I gotta think New England is gonna be ready
bielerd: I know the QB situations have changed drastically for both teams, but I just cannot believe that a year after going 1-15 while the Pats went 16-0, the Fins are going to sweep NE
Matt Bonesteel: They Pats are like 16-1 after a loss recently, so there's that.
larimerd2000: They haven't been swept since 2001. They've lost back-to-back once since 2003
bielerd: and you have to figure the Wildcat absolutely will not come as a surprise to Belichick this time
larimerd2000: Acutally, they haven't been swept since 2000
Matt Bonesteel: Which is why they'll run nothing but the Wing-T
bielerd: see, I was thinking Miami would come out 5-wide and go to the run 'n shoot
larimerd2000: I see the Patriots unveiling the ka-CHUNK offense.
Matt Bonesteel: What's that offense the Univ. of Nevada runs? It's like called Star Wars or Missle Command or Space Invaders or something like that.
bielerd: it's not Dig Dug, I guess
larimerd2000: The ka-CHUNK offense involves me sitting on my couch and making locking noises while the team I picked puts away an opponent that's not quite ready. ka-CHUNK. That's a Patriots lock
Matt Bonesteel: I could see them running the Burger Time offense (it involves lots of pepper shakers) and beating a team that struggled with the Raiders. I concur with your Patriots pick.
bielerd: well, phooey, I wanted to lock the Pats, but I sensed from Dave's comment during our discussion of Jets-Titans that he was also leaning in that direction. so I graciously decided to wait for him to unveil his lock. last time someone took my lock, Matt had the Giants against Dallas. That worked out OK for him
larimerd2000: Ah, thanks Des. I wish you well in your lock.
Matt Bonesteel: Ah, nevada's offense is called the Pistol. So awesome.
bielerd: lord knows, I could use a successful lock, whatever it turns out to be
larimerd2000: I'll settle for a pick from you in this one
bielerd: I would have thought that saying the Pats were going to be my lock made it clear that they were my pick. But to make it official: I take the Pats
bielerd: I take the Pats
bielerd: I take the Pats
Matt Bonesteel: Could you dumb it down a shade?
bielerd: Pats, me

Game Preview

Giants (-3) at Cardinals

bielerd: I take the Giants
Matt Bonesteel: Your anti-Cardinals views are well known, and quickly expressed.
bielerd: I predict this is the game in which Kurt Warner fumbles, like, 4 times
larimerd2000: so quickly? i was expecting you to say that this is the week warner fumbles four times. just like when he was with the Giants
bielerd: ha! totally beat ya to it
larimerd2000: sweet
larimerd2000: I think the Cards are legit so long as they're at home, which they are. But the Giants, man....
Matt Bonesteel: Brandon Jacobs, if he plays, is a monster from the pits of hell. A hell-beast.
Matt Bonesteel: And I think he's gonna play.
bielerd: the Giants are thinking the same about Warner. defensive tackle Barry Cofield said that "Warner's got a reputation for putting it on the ground, so we're definitely going to go for it"
Matt Bonesteel: Back to Warner, I didn't really notice this, but he's on pace to lose eight fumbles, which would be a career high.
larimerd2000: this could be a fun game. No. 1 scoring team (Giants) vs. No. 2 (Cards). No. 2 pass offense vs. No. 2 pass defense.
Matt Bonesteel: And maybe the Giants would want to exploit his butterfingers the way Flozell Adams exploits actual Butterfingers.
bielerd: he's not throwing many interceptions, so if you want him to turn it over, you have to get close enough to him to slap it away
Matt Bonesteel: The Giants are good at getting close to youuuuuuuu.
Matt Bonesteel: Have fun with that song stuck in your head the rest of the day.
bielerd: so what is the deal with Jacobs? not that the Giants can't run very effectively with just Wind and Fire
larimerd2000: Jacobs will be fine. he practiced yesterday
Matt Bonesteel: Yep, a pain-free practice. If he has another one today, he's good to go.
larimerd2000: This seems like a bigger game for the Cards, who are playing for legitimacy in a way, and are 11-2 at home under Whisenhunt. But the Giants, man....
larimerd2000: I can't pick against the best team in the league. Giants, man.
Matt Bonesteel: They're just....really, really good. Giants, too.
bielerd: you know what? I'm hearing some sweet music here. I feel it! I like it! Lock it! Lock it!
Matt Bonesteel: Close to youuuuuuuuu. Was that it?
bielerd: should I make things clearer?
bielerd: I take the Giants
bielerd: btw, is that the Carpenters you're warbling, matt?
Matt Bonesteel: Hells yeah.

Game Preview

Eagles (+1) at Ravens

bielerd: ok, Eagles-Ravens. neither team can be very happy with how things turned out last week
larimerd2000: Not that anyone thought Philly fans would be happy in the afterglow of the World Series for long, but the Eagles made sure of that last week
larimerd2000: I actually watched a good amount of that game. It was one of the sorriest things I've seen in the NFL in a while
bielerd: hey, know why Donovan McNabb only wears open-neck shirts?
larimerd2000: why?
bielerd: He doesn't know anything about ties!!!
larimerd2000: BAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
bielerd: yeah, that was perhaps my finest hour in these chats
Matt Bonesteel: If you had any questions about Westbrook's health, I point you to the fact that the Eagles passed the ball 58 times and ran it, um, 18.
larimerd2000: That's also because Andy Reid has gone completely and totally pass-wacky
Matt Bonesteel: And it's not like they have Boldin and Fitzgerald out there.
bielerd: normally, Westbrook does pretty well in the passing game, tho. but he is apparently rather banged-up
larimerd2000: Stat of that game: The Eagles had 18 third downs, and passed on ALL OF THEM. I don't care if your RB is hurt, that's just crazy. Or crazily stubborn.
Matt Bonesteel: And westbrook averaged five yards a carry! That's good!
Matt Bonesteel: almost five, anyway.
larimerd2000: The Eagles couldn't convert on third down (they finished 3 of 18), it was cold and windy, the game was close so they could've run, mcnabb had four turnovers, and despite all this, they just kept passing
Matt Bonesteel: Westbrook hasn't practiced all week. and it's gonna be cold again in Balto.
bielerd: my stat of the game: Eagles WR Hank Baskett just got engaged to one of the girls next door. give you one guess which one would fall for a Philly ballplayer
larimerd2000: The not-so-bright one!
bielerd: yeah, the blonde
Matt Bonesteel: the one with the big...heart.
bielerd: it is the one with the unbelievably irritating laugh
larimerd2000: The Ravens don't have the best pass rush, but if you're telegraphing passes on every third down, you're gonna get your QB killed.
larimerd2000: I'm not predicting McNabb gets killed--god forbid--but I think the Eagles might. Ravens.
bielerd: anyway, I'm sensing we all like the Ravens in this game. no one concerned about the Ravens' ability to pas the ball?
larimerd2000: I'm not concerned about their ability to run
Matt Bonesteel: Agreed. I'm taking the Ravens, who will be salty after getting embarassed by the hell-beast and his swift minions.
bielerd: OK, we all take the Ravens

Game Preview

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Sunday Line Chatter, Week 12: Games We Want to Watch

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