Written by Jeff Allen of Jeff Allen Sports
Oh Denver, if only you’d won the Super Bowl last year, this great start wouldn’t feel so hollow. Is it hard being on national TV all the time, being fed hype like a baby in a bib? We know you’ll spit up when push comes to shove.
Spout all you want about what a scoring machine Peyton and his receivers are. You have a fantasy team? That’s great. If you want the Broncos to win the Super Bowl, it’s a dubious proposition indeed. Why? The Broncos aren’t tough enough. 43-8.
The Patriots, on the other hand, they got the mental moxie to hang with the real contenders. How this conclusion to made is due to the fact the Patriots aren’t front runners. But they know how to finish. Starting the season in rough and dire fashion, New England has reeled off four in a row. They too have fantasy football darlings to boot.
The Broncos do have wins already over the Colts, Chiefs and Chargers, as well as a perfect conference record of 5-0. If the Broncos managed a win in Foxborough, they would have the AFC in the palm of their hands. Not that it matters much come Lombardi time. What did I say?
The Patriots, with a win, would also vault to the top of the conference standings. A victory would also mean the Patriots are 3-1 versus the Broncos since Manning’s arrival in Denver in 2012. A win would also improve the Patriots’ record to 12-5 straight-up (.706) and 14-3 against the spread (.824) as home underdogs in Bill Belichick’s tenure as head coach. And, four of those victories and covers… have come against Manning-led teams.
The Line: Broncos -3 (-120), Total: 55
The Broncos are 10-3 against the spread on the road road as favorites.
The Patriots are 13-5 straight-up and 11-7 ATS in November. The OVER for New England is 12-5-1 in that time frame.
Fantasy Football – Week 9
Who to Side With
Gronkowski!: Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski was sidelined because of an ACL tear last time the Patriots and Broncos went toe to toe. But the Gronk is back, appearing better than ever. Last week against the Bears, Gronkowski went off like a South Central riot (he’s white, I know). He finished with nine catches and 149 yards and three touchdowns.
Nick Foles, QB, Eagles at Texans. Foles has been getting his swag back over the last few weeks, despite his ever present propensity to throw picks. Houston’s D is quite the D against the run, but against the pass? Not so much. Foles might throw a pick or two in this one, but he should throw a at least two or three touchdowns as well.
Ronnie Hillman, RB, Broncos at Patriots.
Yeah, yeah, predicting a Broncos’ running back to do well is like expecting the Palins to read a book. This game might be a passing expedition between Brady and Manning, but the Patriots have a week run defense and Hillman could be a good go-to-guy in the redzone.
Denard Robinson, RB, Jaguars at Bengals. Yes, a Jaguar player can play well from time to time and Denard Robinson has been one of the few bright spot for Jacksonville. He has posted 100-plus yards in two weeks in a row and will look to exploit a Bengals run defense that has given up a whopping 278 yards and three TDs on the ground over the last two games.
Terrance Williams, WR, Cowboys vs. Cardinals. Dallas should have no trouble moving the ball through the air against Arizona’s soft secondary. The Cardinals are dead last in the league in passing yards allowed. However, Arizona is a bend but don’t break defense, so expecting Williams to get multiple touchdowns is a great expectation.
Might not do so hot
Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens at Steelers. How the might fall. Just a few weeks ago, Flacco was among the best for fantasy owners to have in their lineup. The past two weeks have not treated Mr. Flacco well, as Flacco has thrown 4 picks and two touchdowns. Can he be trusted in what is a traditionally low scoring affair? Probably not. But maybe.
Wes Welker, WR, Broncos at Patriots. Little Wes likely wants to have a big game against his former team. Not likely to happen. Why? Welker is too beat up and there are better receivers on the roster. Maybe Manning throws him a bone and targets him more on Sunday since it’s Welker’s return to his ol’ stomping grounds.