Based on each team’s performance to date, the Bengals should be bigger favorites than the current line (-1.5) when they meet the Patriots Sunday night in Foxboro. Cincinnati leads the NFL in DVOA at 41.7%, putting them 9.0% ahead of Seattle for the top spot, while New England ranks just 23rd at -5.8%. However, the…
The Cincinnati Bengals entered their bye week with a flawless 3-0 record, following wins over the Ravens, Falcons and Titans. In 2013, current Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer led a Bengal defense that finished third in the league in yards allowed per game, bested only by Seattle and Carolina. Newly promoted defensive coordinator Paul…
For the first time since 2006, the Bengals have won their first three games of the year. Sitting at 3-0 before last Sunday’s bye, Cincinnati racked up victories against Baltimore, Atlanta, and Tennessee ‒ teams that collectively won five of their other six games through Week 3. The team’s hot start has inevitably drawn comparisons…
Only four games into the 2014 campaign and there’s already been a lot of talk about what has happened to left tackle Nate Solder. The Patriots’ offensive line has not looked strong in general and Solder appears to be a big part of the problem. Was Dante Scarnecchia such an excellent coach that he managed…
The New England Patriots’ running game failed to establish itself against the Chiefs on Monday night. On a night where only three wide-receivers were in uniform, the coaching staff continued to rely on the pass. New England managed 75 yards rushing on 16 carries, a respectable 4.7-yard average. However, a number of these plays were…
When Toto grabs the curtain in his teeth and draws it back, revealing The Wizard of Oz as a perpetrator of deception, the looks on the faces of the film’s four central characters convey their shock and surprise. Reading the faces of the New England defense, obscured by bulky helmets and faceguards, proved more challenging…
On Monday Night Football, the New England Patriots dropped to 2-2 following a sound drubbing at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs 41-14. Against our better judgment, we take a look at the passing attack to find out what went wrong and pray that it might be something correctable. Introduction After completing the review…
Bill Belichick, obsessed football nerd, is the son of a football scout and teacher. Never is this more apparent than when he is asked about football history. Belichick’s latest Master’s class came before the Patriots-Raiders game when he delivered a 10-minute lecture on the various uses of blockers in the running game and how his…
Andy Reid, now in his second year at the Chiefs’ helm, has served more consecutive seasons as an NFL head coach (16) than any of his active league peers, and with good reason. Although he’s never finished climbing the mountain to an NFL championship, Reid has reached the playoffs 10 times while coaching his teams…
Through the first two weeks of the 2014 season the Kansas City ground game struggled. Chiefs running backs combined for just 3.3 yards per carry, a far cry from the 4.7 average they produced in 2013. Their odds of improving looked bleak heading into Week 3 against a stout Miami defense that stifled the Patriots’…
The Chiefs were one of the worst teams in football in 2012, finishing at the bottom of the NFL with both a 2-14 record and a -214 point differential. The offense in particular struggled, finishing dead last in scoring and next-to-last in Football Outsiders’ DVOA. Predictably, this led to a full house-cleaning. General manager Scott…
New England travels to Kansas City for their first nationally-televised game of the season. Following losses against Tennessee and Denver, the Chiefs rebounded with a 34-15 win last Sunday in Miami. Defensive coordinator Bob Sutton leads a fast, attacking unit with tremendous talent in the front seven. Kansas City uses a 3-4 as their base…
“Confidence” took a little vacation last weekend, but we still got some work done. The comments section of the prior Thursday Night Football Preview included these six plays: New Orleans -4 and Denver +12 Risking .5 units to win .455. Philadelphia PK and Baltimore +4.5 Risked .5 units to win .455. Chicago +9 and Philadelphia…
Three quarterbacks were selected in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft and all three saw action on Sunday. While Johnny Manziel was catching a pass on a gadget play, Teddy Bridgewater and Blake Bortles both saw significant time under center. Bridgewater entered the Vikings game in the second quarter after a season-ending injury…
Following his second straight game without a reception, questions abound regarding Danny Amendola’s usage by the Patriots and Tom Brady. We evaluated every passing play against Oakland when Amendola was on the field to determine if he was getting open and, if so, whether Brady was looking to get him the ball. Now, we know…
Everyone knows it’s good to play at home. It seems obvious, and the results in every major sport, including the NFL, confirm its importance. Home teams score more points, allow fewer, and win more often. It’s a little less clear why, although there’s no shortage of speculation: sleeping in your own bed; travel fatigue; crowd…