Some guys seek out the girlfriend experience. Others want the true general manager experience.

For those of us who dream of being Jerry Reese, rather than being with Sasha Grey, we have dynasty leagues. The players we draft can be with us forever, we can sell prospects at the deadline to go for a title and we can build a perennial contender. It’s the truest form of fantasy.

The NFL draft provides a unique opportunity for dynasty owners. There are certain players that might not make a huge impact right away, but project to be major assets down the line:

Manly Christine
Why did the Seahawks use a second-round pick on Texas A&M’s Christine Michael when they already have Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin? Three reasons. First, Lynch has a balky back and is a candidate to be a cap casualty as soon as 2015. Second, Lynch is facing DUI charges and a possible suspension. And third, they really like Michael as a potential feature back down the line. It makes him an ideal dynasty stash as the Seahawks project to be a dominant, run-heavy team for years to come.

Backfield in motion
Denard Robinson is 5-foot-10, 199 lbs., ran a 4.43 at the combine and has the jukes to make defenders look silly. That sounds a lot like Chris Johnson. Robinson was a running quarterback at Michigan, where he piled up an absurd 4,495 yards and 42 touchdowns. The Jags drafted him to play running back, where they have Maurice Jones-Drew in a contract year. Robinson has the makings of a steal.

Cut the Cord
Cordarrelle Patterson played one year of Division I football. In that year, he caught 46 passes for 778 yards and five touchdowns. The Vikings made him a first-round pick because of what he can be down the line, not what he is now. The most naturally gifted athlete in his class, Patterson will start off behind Jerome Simpson, catching mostly screens and running reverses. Within a couple years, he’ll be the Vikings’ No. 1 wideout.

NFL news
The biggest injury of the offseason is Robert Griffin III’s knee. Next up is Rob Gronkowski’s forearm. We’ll find out within the next couple weeks if he’ll need a fifth procedure on his infected left forearm. If he does, Gronk’s Week 1 status will be in doubt. The infection, however, is not expect to prevent him from smashing beer cans against his face and fist-pumping shirtless.
MLB pickups
Junichi Tazawa, RP, Red Sox: Joel Hanrahan and Andrew Bailey are both on the DL. For now, Tazawa is the closer.
Andrew Cashner, SP, Padres: We’re always trying to add pitchers who call Petco home. This ex-reliever is now locked into the rotation.
Jedd Gyorko, 2B/3B, Padres: A highly-touted prospect, Gyorko is hitting .360 with three homers over his last seven games. The light is on.

The post Adam Levitan, Living the Fantasy: Dynasty owners are drooling appeared first on Metro.us.

Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie is married again.

After finalizing a divorce settlement with longtime wife, Christina Weiss Lurie, this past August, Lurie is once again off the market. The billionaire tied the knot with Philadelphia resident Tina Lai in a private ceremony this past weekend.

Christina Weiss Lurie is still part owner of the Eagles and remains very active in the organization, mostly in charity and community service initiatives. Lai will reportedly have no official role with the Eagles.

“I am happy and excited as Tina and I begin our lives together,” Lurie said in a statement.

The post Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie weds in private ceremony appeared first on Metro.us.

The first running back in last week’s draft didn’t come off the board until the second round. The highest profile college back saw 60 names come off the board before he was called. And a player many draftniks had as their No. 2 runner (Johnathan Franklin) lasted until the fifth round.

However, the loss of real-life value hasn’t affected the fantasy value of rookie running backs. This year has a chance to be a special class:

1. Le’Veon Bell, RB, Steelers
The Steelers gave up on Rashard Mendenhall, have identified Isaac Redman as a complementary piece and are trying to trade Jonathan Dwyer. Add it all up and we have a potentially monstrous workload for Bell. The Michigan State product isn’t the most talented rookie, but he projects to play on all three downs and averaged 4.99 YPC in the rugged Big Ten.

2. Eddie Lacy, RB, Packers
Lacy fell to No. 61 overall due to medical concerns. He had toe surgery in 2012 and showed up out of shape to his Pro Day thanks to a hamstring pull. Still, Lacy is entering a high-upside situation. At the very least, the powerful 231-pounder will be the clear-cut goal-line in arguably the league’s best offense. At the very best, he’ll get the 14.2 carries per game Cedric Benson was getting last year and be far more productive.

3. Montee Ball, RB, Broncos
As of now, both Willis McGahee and Knowshon Moreno are on the Broncos’ roster. Thanks to a combination of injuries and salary, they are both candidates to be released at some point before the season. So John Elway grabbed Ball with the No. 58 overall pick and clearly expects him to be able to protect Peyton Manning out of the gate. Ronnie Hillman is nothing more than a change-of-pace option.

4. Giovani Bernard, RB, Bengals
The man with the most wiggle turned out to be the first running back selected. Bernard is explosive with a 4.53 forty at 202 pounds, but he’ll start off as the speed complement behind BenJarvus Green-Ellis. There’s a ton more Dynasty appeal in Bernard than re-draft value.

5. Tavon Austin, WR, Rams
No player generated more buzz than Austin ahead of the draft. By the time Thursday night came around, you would have thought a fair trade would have been Austin for the No. 1 pick and Joe Montana. The Rams certainly bought into the hype, as they traded up to No. 8 overall to select a 5-foot-8 slot receiver. It’s a wise move, however, as Austin is a Percy Harvin/Randall Cobb kind of talent. He’ll make plays right away in the Rams’ revamped offense.

6. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Texans
Andre Johnson has never played across from a legit No. 2 receiver. At long last, the Texans got him some help. Hopkins is a Roddy White clone, one that isn’t the fastest guy but knows how to get open. He’ll step right in as the starting “Z” and benefit from single coverage all day long.

Thumbs down: Veteran losers on draft day

 
1. Kenny Britt: The Titans used a second-round pick on Justin Hunter after using a first-round pick on Kendall Wright last year.
2. Kevin Kolb: The Bills shockingly used a first-round pick on E.J. Manuel. You can bet they hope the massive rookie starts Week 1.
3. Brian Quick: Once thought of as an intriguing small-school gem, Quick is getting lost in the shuffle. Tavon Austin and newly-acquired Jared Cook will get more targets.

Sleeper alert: Jordan Cameron

 
The Browns run a tight-end centric scheme and they didn’t use any picks on a tight end. Jordan Cameron, a natural pass-catcher, is the man. Coach Rob Chudzinski has squeezed career seasons out of Kellen Winslow, Antonio Gates and Greg Olsen at previous stops.

The Bengals traded up and grabbed Tavon Austin with the No. 8 pick.

The post Adam Levitan: Analyzing NFL draft from fantasy perspective appeared first on Metro.us.

They say football is a religion.

Well, if that is really true, then there is a certain church in Las Vegas taking it to a whole another level. Pastor Randall can be heard at Remnant Ministries most Sundays, spreading the gospel and sharing life lessons to his wide-eyed congregation. The church is open to believers of all ages, races, denominations – and yes, even to Philadelphia Eagles fans.

In fact, some in Pastor Randall’s flock show up wearing midnight green, as they hinge on every word of Randall Cunningham’s sermon.

“People come from New Jersey, Delaware, and they say, ‘You’re really a pastor.’ They see the tears coming down my face and understand my faith,” Cunningham told Metro. “They tell me, ‘If I lived out here, I would definitely come to your church, and I say, ‘Come on out, we got tons of housing [in Nevada].’”

The former Eagles quarterback was told he would be a pastor as a child, something Cunningham calls a “prophetic message.” The road wasn’t always easy for him as he struggled with temptation early in his career. After some soul searching – and prodding from former teammate Reggie White – Cunningham accepted the Prayer of Salvation in 1987.

“Reggie [White] held me accountable for my sins and told me to be strong about my faith,” Cunningham said. “He would get in my face and challenged me when I was doing something that wasn’t right to get it right.”

Cunningham’s new book, “Lay It Down,” recently hit bookshelves. In it, he details how his faith carried him through some very tough times, including the accidental drowning death of his son, Christian, in 2010. Instead of turning his back on God at that moment, Cunningham jumped in his car and screamed, “Hallelujah,” at the top of his lungs.

“I chose to say, ‘God, thank you!’ How could I be mad at God?,” Cunningham said. “We didn’t call it a funeral, we called it a Going Home Celebration.”

Cunningham never doubted God, even when he was benched by the Vikings after just five games in 1998. He called it a “test.” He was tested often during his 11 seasons here, but he credits Philadelphia for turning him into the man he is today.

“I’m so thankful to God for sending me to Philadelphia,” he said. “I wanted to stay on the West Coast, stay in the sun and play golf but I matured so much as a person there because people are expecting greatness out of you. There is such a drive for success in that town, it pushes you to higher levels. It’s a great place to play because once you do reach the highest level, you earn the respect [of the fans]. They protect you, like, ‘Be quiet about him because this is one of ours.’”

Proud papa
Cunnigham’s pride beams through the phone when he discusses his son, Randall II.

The national media has already dubbed him, RC2. Standing at 6-foot-6, 180 lbs, the comparisons to dad were bound to happen. The high school junior is a dual-sport star at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), where he plays quarterback and runs track. He’s been timed at 4.6 in the 40-yard dash, and has cleared 7-feet, 2 inches in the high jump. He’s already received scholarship offers from Baylor, Syracuse and LSU.

“It’s very exciting,” Randall Sr. said. “I look back to 1995 when I had Randall. I had to miss a few days of practice and Rodney Peete stepped in. That was 17 years ago. Now I see my son … the No. 2 recruit in the country.”

Cunningham’s daughters are also decorated athletes. His daughter, Vashti, 13, is being recruited for volleyball and track and field. Gracie, 9, is ranked No. 6 in the country for high jump. Dad coaches Vashti and Randall II on their club track team, the Nevada Gazelles. Gracie is still too young, but he will coach her one day soon.

“I’m so proud of all my children,” Cunningham said.

 
The Ultimate Weapon
On Sept. 11, 1990, Sports Illustrated unveiled what would become — at least to Eagles fans — one of the magazine’s most iconic covers. It featured a digitally enhanced portrait of Randall Cunningham — on the run, in white Nike sneakers, with his cannon for an arm locked and loaded — with the headline, “The Ultimate Weapon.”

Cunningham played 11 seasons in Philadelphia and was named NFL MVP in 1990. His highlight reel can play on loop at the nearby NFL Films studio. His records are considered hallowed at the NovaCare Complex. However, he never delivered the ultimate prize, that elusive Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Still, some 18 years after throwing his last pass in Eagles green, Cunningham has no regrets (in his football life, at least) and remains proud of his legacy.

“Looking back at my whole NFL career, I’m OK with it now,” Cunningham said. “When I was playing, I wanted to be the greatest ever, but I also wanted to learn and grow as a man, and I did that, especially during my time in Philadelphia. My life in Philadelphia is what helped me impact people today.”

Cunningham laughs when asked what the current batch of young, athletic quarterbacks think of him. Remember, he was the first one to really integrate the speed and agility of a running back with the pocket savvy of a passer. Now, there are Cunningham clones everywhere you look. Colin Kaepernick in San Francisco, Russell Wilson in Seattle, Robert Griffin III (RG3) in Washington, etc. But ask Cunningham and he doesn’t see that way. He doesn’t consider himself an innovator.

“I started to play football with love in my heart. I went out there and had fun,” he said. “I hear a lot about how I started this new era for quarterbacks, the Randall era … I won’t take credit for it, but I will say it’s an honor to have an influence on these young players.”

Cunningham said he’s a huge fan of Kaepernick, and he recently sent RG3 a text message. When the topic of current Eagles quarterback Mike Vick came up, though, Cunningham’s tone changed and his voice trailed off.

“There’s nothing there [no relationship],” he said.

When asked to clarify, Cunningham politely said, “We talked a few years ago, but nothing since.”

Not playing the race card
Say the phrase, “mobile quarterback,” and the issue of race instantly takes center stage. Black quarterbacks have traditionally been viewed as more athletic, more fun to watch, more prone to make SportsCenter.

But the fact remains that only one black starting quarterback has ever won the Super Bowl, the Redskins’ Doug Williams in 1988.

Cunningham, playing in a blue collar town like Philadelphia, with a mostly white fan base filling up the stadium every Sunday he played here, surely was the victim of some form of racism in his career here. Well, if he was, he certainly isn’t saying. Cunningham always takes the high road.

“You know, I wouldn’t know because I’m Italian,” Cunningham joked. “I was in South Philadelphia, I remember going to the cheesesteak places, there were Italian guys everywhere … so I said I was Italian, too. I didn’t have to put up with that [racism] too much.”

Maybe someday, after Cunningham is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, one of those cheesesteak places will name a sandwich after him. He certainly earned it.

The post Exclusive: Randall Cunningham chats about new book appeared first on Metro.us.

In honor of Manning’s multi-dimensionality, here are 14 pictures of Eli Manning’s Eli Manning Face from the past two weeks. Feel free to make whatever use of them you wish.

The post 14 pictures of Eli Manning’s face during Super Bowl Media Week appeared first on Metro.us.

If you’re drooling over your dominant regular-season record and not prepping for the playoffs, you’re making a big mistake. Now is the time to add defenses, protect yourself with handcuffs and examine matchups.

Here are teams with the worst schedules for fantasy production in Weeks 15 and 16.

Sorry, St. Louis
The Rams host the Bengals in Week 15 and then travel to Pittsburgh in Week 16. Yikes. Owners riding Steven Jackson need to explore other options and Brandon Lloyd deserves a downgrade as well.
          
Frankly, trouble
Frank Gore’s role in the passing game has been reduced to nil. His burst is also gone. And in the fantasy playoffs, he’ll face the dominant run defenses of the Steelers and Seahawks. Also, Vernon Davis will be asked to block more than catch in these spots.       

Lynch mob
Marshawn Lynch’s surprising run of exceptional play is about to end. He has no chance in Chicago come Week 15 and he’ll get swallowed up by the Niners in Week 16.

Top NFL picks

Donald Brown
]RB, Colts
Right now, Brown is simply a better player than Joseph Addai. He’ll lead Indy in
carries going forward.   

Riley Cooper
WR,?Eagles
Jeremy Maclin remains
sidelined. Vince Young has targeted Cooper 16 times in the last two games.

Maurice Morris
RB, Lions
With Kevin Smith (ankle)?in doubt, Morris will get plenty of checkdowns once again this week.

The post Scheduling from hell appeared first on Metro.us.

So after a week that saw a fistful of quarterbacks go down with injuries, there’s reason for concern. After all, a wideout is worthless if his quarterback can’t get him the ball. Should we be selling?

Bad for Bowe
With Matt Cassel done for the year, the Chiefs are turning to Tyler Palko. Yikes. Palko is a former undrafted free agent, possesses a weak arm and has poor size. These are all major red flags for an offense that was already skewed toward the run. Sell Dwayne Bowe while you can as his talent can’t overcome this.
          
Trojan horse
Before we write off Matt Leinart, let’s remember his credentials coming out of college. He’s got a big arm and he’s willing to use it. Considering Andre Johnson is perhaps the best all-around receiver in the league, he’ll sustain high-end WR2 value.       

Vinsanity
If Vince Young ends up starting in place of Michael Vick, look for lots of rollouts and short passes underneath. Give Brent Celek a boost, but don’t expect DeSean Jackson to finally break out. Young figures to play it conservative.

Top NFL pickups

Denarius Moore
WR, Raiders
Freakish talent, a full-time starting role and a quarterback not afraid to chuck it deep. Moore is for real.   

Lance Ball
RB,?Broncos
Knowshon Moreno (knee) is done for the year and the Broncos run the ball 800 times per game.

Vince Young
QB, Eagles
Michael Vick is shaky for this week and won’t push it once the Eagles are mathematically eliminated. Young runs.

The post Fantasy football: Quarterback carnage appeared first on Metro.us.

Everyone knows that Fred Jackson is fantasy’s MVP, Chris Johnson is the biggest bust and Cam Newton is the rookie of the year. But what about these categories:

Injury of the year
It’s unlikely that owners were able to overcome Jamaal Charles’s season-ending Week 2 ACL tear. He had no clear handcuff and getting running back help during the season is brutal. While Kenny Britt’s knee injury was painful, there are enough wideouts out there to overcome it.       
          
Best performance
In Week 4 against the Broncos, Aaron Rodgers piled up more fantasy points than Vernon Davis or Mario Manningham have all season. He threw for 408 yards, ran for 36 more and scored six total touchdowns.      

Top waiver add
Victor Cruz wasn’t drafted coming out of UMass. He also wasn’t drafted in any fantasy leagues. But he has bucked the odds, establishing himself as a highly-productive No. 3 receiver and outscoring guys like Larry Fitzgerald and Brandon Marshall along the way.

Top NFL pickups

Roy Helu
RB, Redskins
Locked in as the every-down back in an offense that loves to check down to its backs. Major PPR?upside.   

Laurent Robinson
WR,?Cowboys
With Miles Austin out 2-4 weeks, Robinson is going to be a target hog. In this offense, he’ll have WR2 value.

Jacoby Ford
WR, Raiders
Ford has replaced Darrius Heyward-Bey as a starter. Has elite speed to catch up to bombs from?Carson Palmer.

The post Midseason award tour appeared first on Metro.us.

With that in mind, it’s important to take a step back and rethink player values at the midway point. If we could draft again, just for Weeks 9-16, who would we take? Glad you asked:  

Running backs rule

There aren’t too many healthy running backs left that are playing at an elite level and being used on three downs. The ones that are should be the first few picks.

Arian Foster is the focal point of an offense with the best run-blocking line in the league. He’s the No. 1 pick. Then comes Adrian Peterson, whose stock is on the rise thanks to Christian Ponder. LeSean McCoy and Ray Rice are next as the best pass-catching backs in the league. All four are also the goal-line backs for their respective teams.            
          
Unstoppable

Conventional wisdom suggests Calvin Johnson will regress to the mean in the second half. However, that wisdom doesn’t take into account that Johnson is a “once in a generation” kind of player. He’s the No. 5 pick.

Quarterbacks don’t yield much
value compared to other positions, but Aaron Rodgers is a freak. There’s no risk in him at No. 6. After that, we take an injury risk in the form of Darren McFadden. If he can get healthy, he’s a threat to lead the league in scoring in any given week.

Perhaps the two biggest surprises of the season have been Fred Jackson and Matt Forte. They won’t fall on their face, but aren’t elite enough to sustain the current pace. Picks eight and nine for them make sense.       

Vick is not a trick

Forget about Michael Vick’s substandard first half. It’s a fluke he hasn’t run for a touchdown, and his offensive line is finally giving him some time. The upside here is still limitless with the No. 10 pick.

Top NFL Picks

Brent Celek
TE, Eagles
The?Birds have realized that their outside speed leaves the middle of the field wide open. With the offensive line shaping up, Celek is no longer needed as a blocker.    

Jonathan Baldwin
WR,?Chiefs
The impressive rookie is playing in all three-wide sets and at least half of the two-wide sets. Matt Cassel is willing to throw him jump balls deep down the field.

Javon Ringer
RB, Titans
Yes, it’s gotten this bad for Chris Johnson. The Titans are planning on going with a “hot hand” at running back. And right now,?Ringer is more likely to get hot.

The post Let’s start this over appeared first on Metro.us.

In a surprising turn of events, Carson Palmer, Brandon Lloyd and Mike Sims-Walker will all be pulling on new uniforms come Sunday. Let the adjustments begin.

Which Carson?
Between 2004 and 2006, Palmer was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Since then, he’s been a shell of himself thanks to elbow and knee injuries. While the Raiders are betting that Palmer will return to form, fantasy owners shouldn’t be. Look for the Raiders to ride Darren McFadden and Michael Bush, leaving Palmer as a weak QB2.            
          
Reunited and excited
Wide receivers are dependant on quarterback and scheme. Brandon Lloyd was in a horrible spot for both as a Bronco. Now that he’s in St. Louis, he’s reunited with pass-happy offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Lloyd gets a major upgrade, and so does Eric Decker. He’ll be Tim Tebow’s No. 1 option.

MSW, Part II
Mike Sims-Walker averaged 3.07 catches for 40.1 yards with the Jags last year. Expecting anything more than that with Blaine Gabbert at the helm is silly.

Keep it up

Will the top players at their respective positions sustain production?

1. Fred Jackson, RB, BUF — F-Jax won’t finish the year as the No. 1 RB, but he’ll be in the top-5. As the weather deteriorates, the Bills will lean on him even more. 

2. Calvin Johnson, WR, DET — Megatron is on pace for 24 touchdowns. He will end up with around 18.

3. Jimmy Graham, TE, NO — The scary part is that the ex-hoopster is still learning football. An every-week mismatch, he’ll only get better.

Top NFL picks

DeMarco?Murray
RB, Cowboys
With Felix Jones (ankle) out 2-4 weeks, Murray is the
primary early-down back in an explosive offense.    

Maurice Morris
RB,?Lions
Morris, not Ronnie Brown, will be the lead back when Jahvid Best misses time due to another concussion.

Fred Davis
TE,?Redskins
Davis was featured last week even before Chris Cooley went down. Now he’ll push for 10 targets/game.

The post Carson Palmer, Brandon Lloyd moving appeared first on Metro.us.

Once the Broncos come out of their bye in Week 7, Tebow is going to be a poor real-life quarterback. He is wildly inaccurate, has awful mechanics and can barely even get the ball from center. He’ll also be a top-10 fantasy quarterback weekly. Here’s why:  

Goal-line back

If I told you a running back was going to get all his team’s carries inside the 5-yard line and average about 50 yards per game, would you be excited? Now add in about 25 pass attempts per game.

Much like Cam Newton in Carolina, Tebow is going to score rushing touchdowns weekly. Newton is currently fantasy’s No. 2 quarterback.            
          
History repeated

This isn’t Tebow’s first shot in the NFL. He started three games last season, averaging 217.0 yards passing, 66.3 yards rushing and he scored seven all-purpose touchdowns during that stint. That made Tebow fantasy’s No. 1 quarterback in that span. So, without further ado, it’s Tebow time. before his mere presence.

Top NFL pickups

Jackie Battle
RB, Chiefs
Battle is far from a special talent, but he’s a candidate for 10-15 carries behind an elite run-blocking line.    

Greg Little
WR,?Browns
Little is now the starting “X” receiver in Cleveland, meaning he’ll play every down. Explosive with the ball.

James Jones
WR,?Packers
Jones’s snap count is on the rise while Donald Driver’s is falling off. Jones has the raw ability to be No. 1 WR.

NFL stock watch

Need to turn your season around? Buy low on these guys:

1. Dez Bryant, WR, DAL — Bryant hasn’t been healthy in a game yet this season. Thanks to last week’s bye, that’s about to change. Megatron-like talent.   

2.   Chris Johnson, RB, TEN — The Titans’ say their No. 1 priority during their bye week is to fix the running game.

3. Vincent Jackson, WR, SD — Jackson     has only flashed his dominant potential so far. Philip Rivers is an annual slow starter.

The post Tim Tebow time: Get excited appeared first on Metro.us.

Titans at Steelers

Line: Steelers -3.5 (O/U 39.5)
Key Injuries: QB Ben Roethlisberger (foot) probable. RB Rashard Mendenhall (hamstring) questionable. James Harrison (face) out. WR Kenny Britt (knee) out.
The Scoop: This is basically a pick ’em game with the defending AFC champion Steelers getting the automatic three points for that “Terrible Towel” atmosphere and home-field advantage. But Pittsburgh is just too banged up to rely on at this point. Even if Big Ben plays, he won’t be 100 percent, and   Tennessee has one of the stingiest defenses in the NFL. Plus, the stats back the Titans, anyway, with the underdog going 7-1 ATS in the last eight head-to-head meetings in this series.
Pick: Titans

Chiefs (1-3) at Colts (0-4)

Line: Colts -2.5 (O/U 39)
The Scoop: The Colts are favored, but they’re just 2-4 ATS their last six times out. That spells trouble.
Pick: Chiefs

Cardinals (1-3) at Bills (3-1)

Line: Vikings -3 (O/U 45.5)
The Scoop: Here’s another instance where a road underdog is a good bet. Minny rarely covers at home.
Pick: Cardinals

Raiders (2-2) at Texans (3-1)

Line: Texans -6 (O/U 51)
The Scoop: Pardon us for not being too impressed with the Raiders last week. They’re in trouble.
Pick: Texans

Saints (3-1) at Panthers (1-3)

Line: Saints -6.5 (O/U 51)
The Scoop: Cam Newton won’t tear it up this week.
Pick: Saints

Bengals (2-2) at Jaguars (1-3)

Line: Jaguars-2(O/U 36.5)
The Scoop: Jags aren’t great, but they’ve won last seven home games in this series and are 5-1-1 ATS.
Pick: Jaguars

Sunday, 4:05 p.m.

Seahawks (1-3) at Giants (3-1)

Line: Giants -10(O/U 43.5)
The Scoop: Forget the trends, the ’Hawks are really bad. Bet the over and expect a old-school beat down.
Pick: Giants

Sunday, 4:15 p.m.

Jets (2-2) at Patriots (3-1)

Line: Patriots -9 (O/U 48.5)
The Scoop: Road team is 18-7-1 ATS in last 26 meetings. Jets have won four of last six meetings overall.
Pick: Jets

Chargers (3-1) at Broncos (1-3)

Line: Chargers -4 (O/U 45.5)
The Scoop: SD is 0-5-1 ATS in last six road games as 3.5- to 10-point faves.
Pick: Broncos

Sunday, 8:20 p.m.

Packers (4-0) at Falcons (2-2)

Line: Packers -6 (O/U 53)
The Scoop: Fifty-three points is a ton to score, even for the high-octane Packers. Take Aaron Rodgers and Co., with confidence to cover the six-point spread, but make sure to bet the under for the total. Green Bay went 1-1 at the Georgia Dome last season. They’ll do just fine this time around.
Pick: Packers

Monday, 8:30 p.m.

Bears (2-2) at Lions (4-0)

Line: Lions -5 (O/U 47.5)
The Scoop: We like the (suddenly
amazing) Lions to win straight up, but not ATS. Aside from Week 2 against Kansas City, the Cardiac
Cats haven’t won by more than seven — and have needed comebacks in all three. Keep in mind, Chicago is 5-1 ATS in last six Monday nighters.
Pick: Bears

College Football

Friday, 9 p.m.

Boise St (4-0) at Fresno St (2-3)

Line: Boise -21 (O/U 58)
The Scoop: Boise has had three big spreads this year. They’ve only covered once.
Pick: Fresno

Saturday, Noon

Oklahoma (4-0) at Texas (4-0)

Line: OU -10.5
The Scoop: We have very little doubt  the Sooners will win SU. ATS??It’s a rivalry game … it’ll be close.
Pick: Texas

Louisville (2-2) at UNC (4-1)

Line: UNC -14
The Scoop: The Tar Heels have alternated W’s and L’s ATS all year. They’re due for an L.
Pick: Louisville

Saturday, 3 p.m.

BC (1-4) at Clemson (5-0)

Line: Clemson -21
The Scoop: We covered this one already. The Eagles will cover.
Pick: Boston College

Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

Florida (4-1) at LSU (5-0)

Line: LSU -14
LSU is 1-4-1 ATS in their last six games against Florida. This game will be close.
Pick: Florida

Kansas (2-2) at Oklahoma St (4-0)

Line: OSU -32
Kansas can score points; they just have no defense. But 32 is way too high.
Pick: Kansas

Saturday, 7 p.m.

Michigan (5-0) at Northwestern (2-2)

Line: Michigan -7.5
Denard Robinson will run all over Northwestern. The Wildcats are 1-5 ATS in their last six at home.
Pick: Michigan

Auburn (4-1) at Arkansas (4-1)

Line: Arkansas -10
Auburn doesn’t get enough credit now that Cam Newton is gone. They might lose, but it’ll be close.
Pick: Auburn

Saturday, 8 p.m.

Ohio St. (3-2) at Nebraska (4-1)

Line: Nebraska -11.5
The spread would be much bigger if it weren’t for OSU’s name.
Pick: Nebraska

Click on image to view in full size

The post Weekend football betting guide appeared first on Metro.us.

The mother of all stats

Passer rating differential is the “mother stat” of football analysis, because 60 percent of all NFL
champions since 1940finished No. 1 or No. 2 in the indicator. The 2009 Saints and 2010 Packers were each tops:
   
It merely takes a team’s passer rating and subtracts its defensive passer rating (the total performance of other QBs against its
defense).
   
The top five in the NFL through Week 4:
1. Green Bay +32.2
2. Tennessee +31.5
3. N.Y. Giants +28.8
4. Detroit +26.5
5. Houston +24.2
   
The bottom five:
28. Indianapolis -20.2
29. Philadelphia -21.1
30. Miami -28.6
31. Denver  29.8
32. Jacksonville -33.5

Ffchamps.com’s ‘Start and Sit’
   
Start him
Atlanta Falcons WR Roddy White is on pace for another 100-reception, 1,000-yard season, and he’ll improve his stats even more in Week 5 when the Falcons play the Packers on Sunday night. Surprisingly, Green Bay has given up the fifth-most points to
opposing WRs this season.
   
Sit him
Tennessee WR Nate Washington struggled as the Titans’ No. 1 receiver last weekend, with just two catches for 62 yards at Cleveland. Fantasy owners shouldn’t be willing to gamble that he will fare better this weekend against a stingy Pittsburgh defensive unit.

The post The cold, hard football facts appeared first on Metro.us.

Thanks to the advent of DVR, you can pause the game, run out and pick up a pizza and not miss a thing. You just have to stay off social media for a minute.

But did anyone else notice that as the weekend wore on, the jerseys got more and more ridiculous? The new fad in college football is wearing flashy uniforms with brazen color schemes because the high school kids who you’re recruiting think they’re cool.

Oregon has found some success doing this in recent years, and now teams like Georgia, Boise State and Maryland are all trying to duplicate the Ducks’ magic. Quick: Can you come up with the names of three Maryland players or 10 funny comments you heard about the Maryland uniforms?

Grab that attention in a nationally televised game while you can, Terps!

Look! A blonde wife!

What’s with the trend of college football players getting married … while still in college? You may recall that former Texas star Colt McCoy got hitched while still a student a couple years back.

While they were engaged, TV cameras often found McCoy’s blonde girlfriend in the crowd. She became an online sensation.

Kellen Moore, Boise State’s quarterback, did the same thing. Moore married his girlfriend (they’ve been dating since middle school) over the summer. And cameras caught his wife, Julie, in the stands Saturday night, and it’s safe to assume you’ll be seeing lots of her this year.

Wacky NFL?predictions

With the NFL season starting tomorrow night, can I interest you in some wacky predictions for the upcoming season?

Aaron Rodgers has dated a grapefruit heiress, a singer and a couple actresses. He’ll start dating a female athlete (Hope Solo is single, right?) and when Green Bay loses in the playoffs, someone will mention that Tom Brady hasn’t won a title since he starting dating Gisele. … Jay Cutler and the Bears will be terrible, but Cutler’s ex-fiancee will finish in the Top 3 on Dancing with the Stars. … Reggie Bush will be a fixture on the South Beach scene and the Miami Dolphins will have the worst record in the league. … The Saints beat the Chargers in a high-scoring Super Bowl.

– Jason Raj McIntyre covers athletes off the field and runs the popular blog, The Big Lead.
Metro does not endorse the opinions of the author, or any opinions expressed on its pages. Opposing viewpoints are welcome. Send 300-word submissions to letters@metro.us.

The post Yes, football is back! … Ahh! My eyes! appeared first on Metro.us.

Due to the new CBA, teams aren’t allowed to have recently signed players participate until Aug. 4. That means the Giants’ current starting units have been a mishmash of players who will likely not be starting.

Head coach Tom Coughlin said there’s no crying, because the other 31 teams are having the same problems.  

“I wouldn’t be surprised if it takes the better part of a week [to get some sort of jelling] because just think that six contracts are going to join us on Aug. 4 and we still are not at 90 players,” Coughlin said.  “We have some positions where the numbers are not where they need to be for us to even have a quality practice, so we need to solve some of those issues going forward. But we fully expected and anticipated this, that it would be a scramble.”

Until Thursday arrives, the Giants’ starting offensive unit looks like this: QB Eli Manning, RB D.J. Ware, FB Henry Hynoski, TE Travis Beckum, WRs Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham, RT Kareem McKenzie, RG Mitch Petrus, C Chris Snee, LG David Diehl, LT Will Beatty.    

David Baas, who was brought over from the San Francisco 49ers, is one of the Aug. 4 casualties. The burly 6-foot-4, 330-pound Baas [pronounced BOSS], said he can’t wait to get out there and take over Shaun O’Hara’s old spot and begin building chemistry.   

“It’s a short period [to adjust] and there were some changes and you respect the guys who were here, like Shaun and Rich [Seubert] but I’m excited to be here,” Baas said, adding he thinks his style fits in perfectly here. “I’m excited to get to know the guys and work with them. I think I’m hard-nosed and can pick up the playbook pretty fast. I’m a good fit here, yeah … and just ready to go out there, play football and win a championship.”  

Defensive end Justin Tuck is also itching to get back to work and said he’s paid little attention to what’s going on in Philadelphia. He added the time off did veterans well and allowed each man to miss the game and really get that itch.    

“In the football sense getting away from football was refreshing. Not just for your body but also your mind. It allowed me to do a lot of other things,” Tuck said. “There were a lot of things I got to do this offseason that I wouldn’t have been able to do if football was in session. That being said, I’m glad it’s back. I’m definitely glad that we now have the opportunity to go back to doing what we like doing.”   

Blue Notes 

Some of the better notes and quotes from the first weekend of camp:  

» DE Osi Umenyiora, who reportedly said he’s not going to talk to general manager Jerry Reese ever again, also hasn’t been talking to the media but he can be seen smiling on the sidelines while sitting out practices. But know Big Blue isn’t out of the woods from his drama yet. Said a source, “He wants to give this thing a chance to play out before he erupts…but it’s not over.”  

» DE Justin Tuck said dramatics are nothing new for teams playing in the New York area: “I don’t think so [that Umenyiora’s situation is a distraction]. We’ve all seen worse, worse than this situation between Osi and the New York Giants. A couple years ago Michael Strahan was in a similar situation [but] he might’ve had a little bit more leverage being a future Hall-of-Famer … It’s a business and I think a lot of people get caught up in the loyalty to the game and things of that nature. We’re definitely loyal to the team but, in Osi’s situation, he feels as though he needs to do this. Who am I to say he’s wrong for doing it?”

» There’s an underlying feeling of contempt — well, more than usual — towards the Philadelphia Eagles. The way they’re stockpiling talent, led by the Nnamdi Asomugha signing, made backup QB Vince Young dub themselves the “Dream Team.” Well, many Giants are privately bristling at such boldness but would rather let their games do the talking.   

WR Mario Manningham is certainly not going to fan the flames but did say the receiving core will bow down to no secondary. “I feel like we can match up with anybody. I am not about to say they have a three-headed monster or give them all the props in the world and they haven’t even played a game yet. They are good, they are athletes and they are in the NFL. We go out and do what we have to do and we will see when we play them.”  

» Jerry Reese got quite testy with the media whenever he was asked about the dearth of notable names at linebacker: “I am tired of people saying the Giants don’t have the linebackers. The linebacker group should take that as a challenge. They should take that as a challenge from me that we have linebackers.”

Follow Tony Williams on Twitter for live updates from Giants training camp @TBone8.

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