Upon further review in the NFL

The New Orleans Saints have cemented who is the best team in the NFC and possibly in the NFL is the middle of October. The Saints look a lot different than when started 5-1 in 2006, coach Sean Payton’s first year. That team was coming off 3-13 season and caught the league by surprise with their new quarterback Drew Brees. The former San Diego signal caller had a HUGE chip his shoulder after being no longer wanted in San Diego.

Payton was like a new teacher out of college, full of ideas and idealism and wanted to let the world know he was an offensive guru. New Orleans went to the NFC championship before losing to Chicago. The following two seasons are what most people would have expected from the Saints at 7-9 and 8-8.

Starting back in August, this New Orleans team had a different look. They destroyed teams in the preseason and it continued right in the regular season. After blowing away the Giants 49-27, this club has a killer look. Yes, the Giants were playing subs in the secondary, but they turned off New York’s pass rush and went after their greatest weakness.

The Saints are 5-0 SU and ATS not just because of Brees, but because they have the No.9 defense and are fourth in rushing yardage. Brees and Payton have both grown up and so has New Orleans.

Baltimore made a spectacular comeback against Minnesota and should have won the game, but at least they covered the three for those on that side. While that was great news for Baltimore backers, a number of disturbing elements came out of that contest for the Ravens. After losing two consecutive games, Baltimore was flatter than a smashed crab cake and Minnesota jumped all over them 14-0. The Ravens secondary is well below average even with Ed Reed. While a NFL kicker should be expected to make a 44-yard field goal, once again, another team decides to go into a shell once there in range, instead of trying to get closer for an even shorter field goal attempt.

Could Philadelphia have looked any worse in losing to Oakland? For all the supposed genius of Andy Reid, how do you run 14 times against a Raiders defense that had allowed 182 yards rushing per game in previous four contests, especially in a close contest? DT Richard Seymour absolutely destroyed the Eagles offensive line by himself.

Remember all those big smiles and grins coach Rex Ryan had after 3-0 start. Those have been replaced by frowns with the Jets 3-3. His rookie Mark Sanchez took a step backwards in overtime loss to Buffalo, throwing five picks. Ryan’s mistake was placing too much faith in Sanchez. Every young quarterback is going to have ups and downs, which is why Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan were successful as first year quarterbacks; they were kept on short leach.

Green Bay won 26-0 over Detroit and made a few defensive adjustments like having Aaron Kampman rush the passer more and blitzing LB Clay Mathews, as both have a knack for creating pressure. What is still disturbing is Rodgers being sacked four times.

There is no other way to describe it, Tennessee quit on coach Jeff Fisher in 59-0 shellacking in snow-laden New England. Though Fisher prior to this season has gotten more out of available talent than any NFL coach, it seems his message after 14 years is ringing hallow. This might be a great opportunity for him to step away, do some broadcasting work and get batteries recharged for another opportunity.

Heard on the radio something that made sense about Josh McDaniels unlikely 6-0 SU and ATS start in Denver. He was quoted as saying what he learned most under Bill Belichick was there was a way to beat every single team. It was the head coach’s responsibility to figure it out, sell it to the assistant coaches and in turn have them put it together for the players in understandable manner. If you believe what McDaniels says, Denver took away Dallas running game, exploited New England secondary and found special teams’ weaknesses in San Diego, which all led to victories.

Study the numbers

The NFL that everyone loves returned this week, with decided underdogs Buffalo and Oakland winning outright, with favorites a mere 5-9 ATS. This change has helped the sportsbooks who have been being beaten on parlays and teasers with so many big favorites winning. Talked to a sportsbook manager on the Vegas Strip who conveyed they took a lot of action on Steelers-Packers parlay and came away a good-sized winner on that product. Underdogs are 17-11 the last two weeks, after sporting 9-21 ATS record the two weeks prior. NFL time travelers are still having issues, with Philadelphia the latest three time zone team to fall, making them 2-8 ATS this season.

NFL teams that have a turnover margin of three or more are 4-8 against the spread if they play the following week. Professional football squads that played after winning outright as a road underdog are 9-4 ATS. Teams that have scored or allowed 40 or more points are a combined 7-1 ATS if they play the next week.

Totals players who march like lemmings when bad weather is reported, received a severe shock on Tennessee and New England outcome, which was over before halftime for Under bettors.

Let the football betting commence

It’s only a meaningless NFL preseason contest, but who cares, the NFL is back on TV, which means the regular season is fast approaching. Buffalo and Tennessee will play in the annual Hall of Fame game from Canton, OH. On Saturday, a six-man class was enshrined, with wide receiver Bob Hayes, guard Randall McDaniel, defensive end Bruce Smith, linebacker Derrick Thomas, Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson, and defensive back Rod Woodson being honored.

Later on NBC starting at 8 Eastern, the Bills and Titans will commence to cracking shoulder pads and trading helmet paint.

Buffalo made a splashy move in signing flamboyant wide receiver Terrell Owens. The Bills want to break streak of three consecutive 7-9 seasons (26-21-1 ATS) and try to make leap to at least be wild card team. Owens should fit nicely with Lee Evans on the other side and make Buffalo difficult to stop in the red zone, with four receiver sets that include Josh Reed and Roscoe Parrish.

Quarterback Trent Edwards should see limited minutes at best, with backups Ryan Fitzpatrick and Gibran Hamdan seeing the bulk of the work.

Coach Dick Jauron is 5-7 and 7-5 ATS in the preseason in Buffalo and will coach squad that is 6-0 ATS in first exhibition game since 2003. With the Bills a three-point underdog at DiamondSportsbook.com, Jauron is 7-0 against the oddsmakers as underdog.

Tennessee’s tremendous 13-3 season came to disappointing end with first playoff game ouster by Baltimore, 13-10 at home as three-point favorites. Kerry Collins returns for 15th season as quarterback and is the clear number one man in Tennessee. Vince Young is the primary backup and has a lot of work to do this August to restore dwindling NFL career.

The Titans will again feature a strong rushing attack with Chris Johnson and LenDale White, but the receiving core is still a weakness. Maybe free agent acquisition Nate Washington from Pittsburgh and top draft choice Kenny Britt can add some life.

Defensively, a gaping hole was left when Albert Haynesworth left for Washington via free agency. For most teams, this would be devastating loss; however with Jeff Fisher as coach, he usually finds a way to mask deficiencies. Fisher is 29-26 SU and 28-25-2 ATS in the preseason and 18-8 ATS in games where the line is +3 to -3.

Except for 1966, there has been a Hall of Fame game every year since 1962 and neither Buffalo nor Tennessee has won here in two previous tries.

Tennessee Titans are Winning Approval

Raise your hand if you expected the Tennessee Titans to be 7-0 halfway through the 2008 NFL season.Any takers? No? I didn’t think so.

After a nationally televised handling of the almighty Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football, the Titans deservedly sit atop the power rankings on every prominent sports website.
Make no mistake; I knew this team would be a contender and most likely end the season with a Wild Card playoff berth. But that was with a much-improved Vince Young at the helm, scampering around making plays with his feet and being smart with his arm. If you told me journeyman Kerry Collins was going to take over this team in the second week of the season and resurrect it from the depths of mediocrity, I might have checked you into an insane asylum.

But this guy has proven to be a veteran signal caller who limits mistakes. And the way the Titans roll with the football and play defense that is all you need. Collins completes on average just over 16 passes an outing and has yet to throw for more than 200 yards in a game this season.

But again, if you’ve bought into Jeff Fisher’s ideology that is all the guy taking snaps has to do to be successful. Remember Steve McNair? Take care of the football and play smash-mouth defense. The Titans are holding opponents to a league-best 12.4 points per game and are +8 in turnover margin which also ranks tops in the NFL.

Speaking of Jeff Fisher, I am going to go ahead and slap the “mastermind” label on his forehead, right above those sunglasses he never seems to pull off. I would put him up against that grandma-headband wearing, hooded guru that stalks the sidelines of Foxboro.

Beginning his career when the Titans were the Houston Oilers back in 1994, Fisher is the longest tenured coach in the NFL with 14 consecutive seasons under his belt. He and his squad made a Super Bowl appearance in 1999 after the infamous Music City Miracle. And then who can forget receiver Kevin Dyson reaching out for the goal line just to be tackled inches short of the game-tying score against the Rams?

But this pigskin genius is only 50 years old. If you are speaking in Joe Paterno years Fisher could be coaching for 30 more seasons! And there is not an inkling of doubt in my mind that he will capture an elusive Super Bowl ring. How many is anyone’s guess.

Earlier this week Collins was quoted saying, “Players love to play for this guy.” And if they don’t or fail to buy into his philosophy then he kindly shows them the door…ahem…Adam Jones! (Side Note: How good would that defense be with Pacman locking down opposing receivers?)

But I compare Fisher to a baseball manager I have the utmost respect for - Tony LaRussa. These two leaders are able to create winners out of nobodies. They find a way to make their team successful without the bazillion dollar contracts and superstars on the field.

Think about it, the biggest name on the Titans team is Vince Young and he’s watching from the sidelines. Let me think who else we have…LenDale White…the guy who was lost in Reggie Bush’s starlight at Southern Cal. And he isn’t even the starting back with rookie speedster Chris Johnson. You are probably saying Chris…who? Albert Haynesworth may be the biggest name they have and he’s a defensive lineman!

I would like to point out a pair of cover corners that deserve to be mentioned while we’re talking Tennessee personnel - Cortland Finnegan and Nick Harper. These guys were just begging to be thrown at on Monday evening and when their number was challenged, they responded. Pass breakups, incompletions and dropped passes were the only numbers Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison saw on the stat sheet.

I’ve watched this team closely on defense and it seems like every single man knows his role and how to execute it. And defense wins championships. The offense is beginning to come around, but does it really need to? They’ve mustered 34 and 31 points in the last couple of games but don’t expect that scoring surge to continue. But it is apparent that if the Titans need to open up the passing game because teams are stacking against the run they can. Receiving space over the middle to a couple of great tight ends in Bo Scaife and Alge Crumpler is parting open like Moses through the Red Sea.

Now don’t go expecting a 16-0 regular season from this squad like we did with the Pats last year. They just don’t have the offensive firepower to do that. When they play teams that are like-minded, love to slow the game down and run the ball, Tennessee will find themselves in the losing column for the first time.

And the Titans haven't just been pleasing their fans this season either. A collection of followers scattered across the country have taken notice to not only their wins on Sunday but the team's winning margins.

Tennessee has not failed to cover a single spread this year, going 7-0 against the number. They are putting lots of cash in the pockets of those fortunate enough to bet on them week in and week out. But eventually the odds will stack high enough and the oddsmakers will adjust high enough to make the cash cow sour.

Regardless of who they are pleasing in Sin City, the Titans are in complete control of the AFC South with a four-game lead over the Colts, Jaguars and Texans who all sit at 3-4. Remember however, Fisher and the boys went 6-2 to jumpstart last season and then went on to lose four of their next five.

This was penned by Scott Cooley, a freelance writer.