New England/Cincinnati Line

[yukoncornelius]

This is a hard game to call because of the past opponents... as of right now it seems there is alot of parity in the NFL this season. Teams are quite different than last year....

With that said, the instinct is to slam the money down on New England... especially when most people (myself included) see Brady connecting with Moss time after time in what seems to be an absolutely lethal combination. On the flipside, every team usually turns it around, the Bengals are better than they've played and I think there is a good chance they finally show up at home MNF.

edit: By the way, I would not be surprised if this moves to NE -9 by tomorrow night. Seems like the majority of people play MNF on monday, after their Sunday games have either done well, or failed lol.

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

Yeah....Sif and others have certainly talked me out of hitting NE harder than my original 4 unit play....although I still think it hits easily, I'll stay away from adding on...

:nuts:

[Stifler's Mom]

Also, while Dallas and Indy took care of business....but both were at home, against bad (really bad in the case of St Louis) teams. Yes, Denver is a pretty bad team IMO after what I've seen out of them so far this year. Maybe they should have kept Jake Plummer, lol, but in any case, beating Oakland by 3 and Buffalo by 1, both games they should have lost, isn't too much to get excited about. The 2 better teams they played squashed em with ease.

I'm not making my play based on past opponents. I'd never do that. I was just stating that NE's first 3 opponents suck, so the fact that they blew em all out really shouldn't come as much of a surprise, considering they've already been given the Lombardi Trophy. ****, I don't even know why the hell we're even finishing the season if you'd listen to the media, since apparently no one can touch NE :beerbang:

[Horfin]

I don't think anyone gets it. The defense of Cincy is bad....it is not god awful (. The real problem with cincinnati is Special Teams. I have said this time and again. If not for special teams they beat Seattle. If not for special teams they beat Baltimore by more than 14. If not for special teams they probably beat Cleveland. They can out punch any offense. Their defense is built to give the offense a chance to outplay someone, in other words, bend and break, but not break every drive, it works most of the time, but against cleveland....cleveland broke them. The Key is it is the opposite of Baltimore and Tampa Bay when they won their super bowls (and Chicago now). Instead of the defense keeping them in it until the end, the offense keeps them in it and the defense does just enough to keep it close. If you have a bad defense and your offense scores everytime you touch the ball OF COURSE you are going to allow 52 points to a team...you below average players who are tired. It will happen. Lewis learned from that game to slow it down a little to give his defense a chance. The special teams is what has made them 1-2. Cincy could easily be 3-0 and then everyone is potentially pounding Cincy as a 7 point home dog. The teams records don't matter. Cincy is clearly better than SD St L and 18 other teams. Cincinnati is a Bubble team could be in the playoffs could not... but they won't end 2-14 or anything like that.

[JohnnyMapleLeaf]

Cincinnati is a Bubble team could be in the playoffs could not... but they won't end 2-14 or anything like that.

I would agree with that statement.

[homedawg]

I don't think anyone gets it. The defense of Cincy is bad....it is not god awful (. The real problem with cincinnati is Special Teams. I have said this time and again. If not for special teams they beat Seattle. If not for special teams they beat Baltimore by more than 14. If not for special teams they probably beat Cleveland. They can out punch any offense. Their defense is built to give the offense a chance to outplay someone, in other words, bend and break, but not break every drive, it works most of the time, but against cleveland....cleveland broke them. The Key is it is the opposite of Baltimore and Tampa Bay when they won their super bowls (and Chicago now). Instead of the defense keeping them in it until the end, the offense keeps them in it and the defense does just enough to keep it close. If you have a bad defense and your offense scores everytime you touch the ball OF COURSE you are going to allow 52 points to a team...you below average players who are tired. It will happen. Lewis learned from that game to slow it down a little to give his defense a chance. The special teams is what has made them 1-2. Cincy could easily be 3-0 and then everyone is potentially pounding Cincy as a 7 point home dog. The teams records don't matter. Cincy is clearly better than SD St L and 18 other teams. Cincinnati is a Bubble team could be in the playoffs could not... but they won't end 2-14 or anything like that.

have you been drinking????

[BoilerBacker]

Do you guys really honestly think there was any inkling of a chance of the Bengals opening around a 2 TD HOME DOG on MNF?

Of course not.

With that being said, I do however, believe that the public as a whole is having a HUGE HUGE overreaction to NE beating NYJ (a very weak team this season judging from what I've seen), SD (didn't they also lose to GB....who I'm still not sold on....plus the SD game was at home, in prime time, and NE had something to "prove", and SD has done nada this year) and pretty much the Bills backups (all the starters are hurt).

I think the problem is that "the public" is going on the quality of last year's teams, and not taking into account that NYJ was 10-6 last year, but they seem to suck this year, BUF was average last year, but is worse this year because of rebuilding the entire defense and a google plex of injuries already to guys they were counting on to fill holes left by the departure of many solid veterans, and SD clearly is not the team that dominated last year.

In short, NE has beaten up on 3 teams that have done NOTHING this season.

The Bengals are clearly better than the 3 teams I mentioned above if early season results are any indication....but it seems everyone is pretty much stuck on the fact that they gave up 51 points to the Browns, which sucks, but, they did OK at Seattle and vs Baltimore (on defense).

Now I am not saying the Bengals are better than NE, because they're not. I am saying they are clearly going to be the best team NE has faced this season. Now toss in the HUGE situational advantage they have in this one, trying to knock off the "unbeatable" Patriots at home on MNF. Then add in that for the Bengals, this is pretty much as close to a "must win" as a team can have this early in the year.

My guess is the Bengals show up this week....big time....and give the Brady Bunch all they can handle, and then some.

I definitely wouldn't be shocked if the Bengals win this outright. Not one bit.

Man, Stif....you said it exactly like I would.

Look closely at the two games Cincy played decent defense and throw out the weird Browns game. I think a MNF TD home dog is the only play here....

:glass:

[Horfin]

have you been drinking????

I'm telling you special teams will be afocus for Marvin Lewis this week. If they limit problems on S.T. Bengals win by 7 or more.

[homedawg]

I'm telling you special teams will be afocus for Marvin Lewis this week. If they limit problems on S.T. Bengals win by 7 or more.

I could probably blow a 5.0 right now, but I just didnt understand where you were going. :drunk:

[SammyJ]

i'm also thinking bengals plus the points is the right play but i would hate to bet against Brady and Belicheck during primetime. i've done that in past, got burnt and told myself never again. its gonna be a tough call :bang:

[Reznor]

I have a question. Why is this gamed being played in Cincinnati two years in a row? With that being said I lost some jack last year in this same spot. Pats came in and put it on the Bengals to the tune of 38-13. NE got much better in the off season while Cin maintained. Not to mention Rudi Johnson is out of this game. Cin won't be able to run the ball and the Pats will t-off on the rush and pass defense. The Bengals may score 24 but they wont be able to hold the Pats to less than 35. I know we can't base a game on last years outcome but the Pats don't make their schedule so they beat up on who they played. Sure Cin is better than the other Patriot victims but that only means they lose by 14 instead of 24. My only problem is my local guy opens up shop about 1 1/2 hours before kickoff so I don't get to play the game early in the week and am going to be stuck with a higher number come Monday night.

[homedawg]

bengals bettors, just get the best line possible... :beerbang:

[rjp]

Just loaded up on Cincinnati +3 -110 for the 2nd Quarter. Best bet on the board. :thumbs:

[Reznor]

bengals bettors, just get the best line possible... :beerbang:

to make yourself feel better

[GamblinMan03]

Just locked in the Bungles +8.5