NFL 2014 NFL - Week 16

[Demonic Ascent]

Raiders now have NFL’s longest underdog streak
Posted by Mike Wilkening on December 18, 2014, 11:07 PM EST

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With the Jaguars closing as favorites vs. the Titans on Thursday night, 31-of-32 teams have been favored by oddsmakers this season.

The lone exception is the Raiders, who have been underdogs in 22 consecutive regular-season games. They were one-point favorites vs. Philadelphia on November 3, 2013, a game they lost 49-20. The Raiders’ underdog streak is poised to extend to 23 games; the Bills are 6.5-point favorites at Oakland on Sunday.

Moreover, it’s likely the Raiders will go the entire 2014 season without being favored. They finish out the campaign at Denver (11-3) on December 28.

While the Raiders have been consistent underdogs, they haven’t been pushovers against the point spread. They are 7-7 against the number, per “The Linemakers” of Sporting News. That’s the same point spread record as Denver, which has been favored in 12-of-14 games entering Week 16.

Raiders have been very good against the spread and especially since sacking their coach after the London game. I haven't hesitated to put them in my multis on quite a few occasions most notably the KC Thursday night game.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Raiders have been very good against the spread and especially since sacking their coach after the London game. I haven't hesitated to put them in my multis on quite a few occasions most notably the KC Thursday night game.

We've won our last two home games as well Watch out people tipping Buffalo

 

[Dirty Bird]

Jags lost their first 3 to winless teams, lost 6 to teams with just 5 wins and you picked the Raiders?
well done

Moral of the story - You were wrong.
I just thought of the worst team in football to prove it with.
Couldn't be arsed checking every single team.

 

[Woodson]

We've won our last two home games as well Watch out people tipping Buffalo

You need to know the 'stat of the week' after blowing a chunk after being content with the Raiders going 7-7 on spread...

The Bills have not won in Oakland since 1966!! Forget LA... Oakland.. that's right GG... the black hole is indeed a sticky place for the Bills.

 

[Dirty Bird]

The Bills have not won in Oakland since 1966!!

When I see stats like this when 1 team is NFC and the other is AFC I just shake my head.
Happens once every 8 years.
You didn't do it, but I have seen it in the past. Just a stupid stat to pull out your arse in that situation.

 

[Woodson]

When I see stats like this when 1 team is NFC and the other is AFC I just shake my head.
Happens once every 8 years.
You didn't do it, but I have seen it in
the past. Just a stupid stat to pull out
your arse in that situation.

But you do realize that both Bills & Raiders are AFC teams...

 

[royals1922]

But you do realize that both Bills & Raiders are AFC teams...

I did look at the numbers since 1966. In Oakland since 66, the record is 7-0 in favour of Oakland but Buffalo did win a game against the Raiders when they were in LA in the 1990s.

 

[Blacky]

I want to see Bortles play behind an NFL standard offensive line before I completely write him off.

Clowney really depends on how his body holds up.

Sledge; it's not like Bortles has been throwing at crabs

His decision making has been well below average

 

[royals1922]

Sledge; it's not like Bortles has been throwing at crabs

His decision making has been well below average

Yet people are writing off Manziel allready too. These blokes are learning to play one of the toughest positions in gridiron against blokes who want to rip their head off.

Give them both time.

 

[The Big Sauce]

Sledge; it's not like Bortles has been throwing at crabs

His decision making has been well below average

It's not who he is throwing to that's the issue for mine, it is that he has to constantly worry about where his next sack is coming from. When you're stuck behind an O-Line that is as horrible as theirs it plays on you, especially given he is a rookie that has been put in a little before his time.The kid has been sacked 50 times this year, which is the highest in the NFL. His reaction time has contributed to that, but when the team has given up 66 sacks in total, it is almost impossible to succeed in the QB position, especially if you're in your first year in the NFL. Someone like Flacco who is merely a solid QB looked abysmal last year when our O-Line was substandard. He's now performing to his expected level now that they have gotten that fixed. So there is hope for Bortles as well.

I liked Bortles skill set coming into the NFL and yes his first year has left me worried for him. But I think that his protection is exacerbating his flaws. Which is why I'm not putting a line through him yet.

Yet people are writing off Manziel allready too. These blokes are learning to play one of the toughest positions in gridiron against blokes who want to rip their head off.

Give them both time.

Funnily enough I've always been down on Manziel's NFL prospects. But he clearly is another who has been played way before his time. Hopefully last week was the wake up call and now he can work towards being NFL standard by next preseason.

 

[royals1922]

It's not who he is throwing to that's the issue for mine, it is that he has to constantly worry about where his next sack is coming from. When you're stuck behind an O-Line that is as horrible as theirs it plays on you, especially given he is a rookie that has been put in a little before his time.The kid has been sacked 50 times this year, which is the highest in the NFL. His reaction time has contributed to that, but when the team has given up 66 sacks in total, it is almost impossible to succeed in the QB position, especially if you're in your first year in the NFL. Someone like Flacco who is merely a solid QB looked abysmal last year when our O-Line was substandard. He's now performing to his expected level now that they have gotten that fixed. So there is hope for Bortles as well.

I liked Bortles skill set coming into the NFL and yes his first year has left me worried for him. But I think that his protection is exacerbating his flaws. Which is why I'm not putting a line through him yet.



Funnily enough I've always been down on Manziel's NFL prospects. But he clearly is another who has been played way before his time. Hopefully last week was the wake up call and now he can work towards being NFL standard by next preseason.

There's a lot in this. I looked up the numbers for the most sacked quarterbacks in a season and while 50 sacks wasn't that high the figures were for entire seasons not part of seasons.

But highest was David Carr as a 23 year old in 2002 for Houston - 76 sacks.

Randall Cunningham was next as a 23 year old in 1986 for Philadelphia with 72 sacks.

Carr was third as a 26 year old in 2005 with 68 sacks.

Then Kitna , Beuerlein and Ken O'Brien all about 62.

Of more recent vintage was Tannehill as a 25 year old on 2013 with 58 and Tim Couch as a 22 year old for Cleveland with 56, Jake Plummer as a 23 year old with 52.

Bortles is allready equal 39th with 50 sacks from 13 games which would put him with about 62 for a 16 game season which would put him 5th worst in history.

Bottom line is that it is not conducive to development of a quarterback.

 

[Blacky]

I'm not writing him off.

However

His decision making has been putrid for most of the year. Even at times when the protection has been there

He has held on to the ball too long.

He has the physical attributes, but that was never his problem. Decision making and accuracy were.

Ps. Please don't ever compare him to Carr. That was on a level far exceeding anything else

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

Bengals haven't lost a game when winning T.O.P. this season, they also haven't won one when they have lost it...

 

[Blacky]

We are a power running team now anyway

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

they won't run on our D either

 

[The Big Sauce]

There's a lot in this. I looked up the numbers for the most sacked quarterbacks in a season and while 50 sacks wasn't that high the figures were for entire seasons not part of seasons.

But highest was David Carr as a 23 year old in 2002 for Houston - 76 sacks.

Randall Cunningham was next as a 23 year old in 1986 for Philadelphia with 72 sacks.

Carr was third as a 26 year old in 2005 with 68 sacks.

Then Kitna , Beuerlein and Ken O'Brien all about 62.

Of more recent vintage was Tannehill as a 25 year old on 2013 with 58 and Tim Couch as a 22 year old for Cleveland with 56, Jake Plummer as a 23 year old with 52.

Bortles is allready equal 39th with 50 sacks from 13 games which would put him with about 62 for a 16 game season which would put him 5th worst in history.

Bottom line is that it is not conducive to development of a quarterback.

Henne was sacked 16 times before Bortles took over as well, so Jacksonville is sitting at 66 QB sacks for the entire year. Which helps add context for how bad their offensive line has been.

 

[Dirty Bird]

But you do realize that both Bills & Raiders are AFC teams...

What part of "you didn't do it" don't you understand?

 

[Woodson]

What part of "you didn't do it" don't you understand?

The part of 'you didn't need to say it'..

 

[kaiserchief13]

Fletcher and Williams. Are there 2 shitter corners in the NFL, let alone both in the same team?

 

[Burningleviathan]

Sanchez Turnover to start the game. Only three points for the Skins though.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Sanchez Turnover to start the game. Only three points for the Skins though.

Love how everyone says Sanchez turnover like it's his fault. Lane Johnson's fault and only his.

 

[JeffDunne]

Fletcher and Williams. Are there 2 shitter corners in the NFL, let alone both in the same team?

Probably not.

Can't cover & can't tackle.

 

[Indie_]

Still laughing at people who thought the Eagles wouldn't miss a beat with Sanchez and stroll into the playoffs.

Eagles fans are the dumbest .

 

[kaiserchief13]

Washington dirty ******* cheats. Already on their 4th 'injury' on defense

 

[nobbyiscool]

Fletcher and Williams. Are there 2 shitter corners in the NFL, let alone both in the same team?

They play 1 on 1 nearly every play - they rarely ever get safety help.

Are they the right corners for the job? Probably not. But they don't deserve the criticism they get.