Welcome to Cadence Call where I give my bootleg breakdown
for each game in the AFC North. The
weather is getting cold, the leaves are changing, seasonal beers are back on
the shelves and NFL football is everywhere, including London, England. My advice is try to avoid any interaction with
your family on Sunday and completely ignore your spouse because the NFL season
is in full swing and Week 4 is when we start to see some separation between
which teams are the real deal and which are more fake than my overly annoying
mother in-law.
Pair these games up with an Alec Bradley Nica Puro Gordo and a few pints of Harpoon Oktoberfest and, if you are like me, keep reminding your obtuse mother in-law that Cheerios are not donut seeds.
Cadence Call regular season record (7-10). Now, on to the game previews.
Pittsburgh Steelers (0-3) @ Minnesota Vikings (0-3) (Sunday Sept 29, 1:00PM ET, Wembley Stadium, London, England)
*Line: Pick’em
Weather: 69°F Chance of showers
Well one thing is certain; one of these teams will get their first win of the season in London, England. I really despise these games in London. The NFL games in London are as useful as a glass of white wine. I realize Vegas have a few different spreads for this match up but I think it is a pick’em.
No one can predict how the team will handle the longer travel, different accommodations, different food, people and overall ambiance of a different country. Some players might lose themselves in the excitement of sightseeing and forget they are actually here for a football game. Because of these unknowns, this game is a tossup.
The Steelers did not help their cause this week when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger publicly questioned rookie running back Le’Veon Bell’s work ethic (he is set to play his first game of the season) and RB Isaac Redman got into a pissing contest with the team over if he had a concussion or not.
Vikings quarterback, Christian Ponder, is out with a rib injury and back up Matt Cassel is in. I am not sure at this point if it makes a difference.
To be honest, the only reason to watch this game is to see how Bell handles himself through all of this adversity. It will be the rookie’s first NFL game that has meaning and this one certainly does. Neither team wants to fall to 0-4. Bell has this opportunity to prove to the Steelers that they did not waste a high draft pick and when he gets the call in London, he will be ready. With Heath Miller improving and getting stronger every week and Bell on a mission, I think the Steelers get their first win of the season beating the Vikings, 21-17.
Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns (Sunday Sept 29, 1:00 PM ET)
*Line: Cincinnati -5
Weather: 73°F 40% chance of showers
The Cleveland Browns are going to need more than a trick play to beat their AFC North (and State) rival on Sunday. The Cincinnati Bengals are riding the wave of beating the Green Bay Packers last week and they want to keep their surfboard in the pipeline.
The Bengals travel up Interstate 71 for the “Battle of Ohio." Now they face a Browns quarterback in Brian Hoyer who is trying not just to fill in for injured QB Brandon Weeden, but also to take his job. Hoyer will be intensely fighting to keep the Browns competitive and the Bengals defense will have to be up for the challenge.
The Bengals were sloppy in their win last week, not only allowing the Packers to come back and erase a 16-point deficit but the Cincy Cats held on to the football like a bunch of kittens fumbling five times. They will need to clean up their litter box if they want to be crowned “kings of Ohio.”
It will be interesting to watch Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green go up against Browns cornerback Joe Haden as they are both tops at their positions. In addition, Browns tight end, Jordon Cameron, had a tremendous game last week catching three touchdowns, including the game winner and it will be fun to watch if he can sustain such a high level of production.
The Browns, Hoyer and Cameron are good stories for the television pylon pundits and armchair coaches with beer stained hoodies to talk about, but the real life NFL has no room for fairy tales and pixie dust. Look for the Browns and their band of merry men to come back to reality and crash back down into the dawg pound. The Bengals will tighten up their play and the Bengals defense should be immune to Hoyer’s new winning magic.
Take the Cats minus the points and watch them bag the Browns, 31-17.
Baltimore Ravens
(2-1) @ Buffalo Bills (1-2) (Sunday Sept 29, 1:00 PM ET)
*Line: Baltimore -3.5
Weather: 74°F Mostly sunny
The Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Joe Flacco are still waiting for their long-range air assault to make an appearance. The Ravens are ranked a very poor 27th in passing yards per attempt with 6.3. With a Bills secondary depleted by injuries, this game is the perfect springboard for Flacco and the Ravens to get their vertical passing attack back on track. Somehow if down the field is taken away, tight end Dallas Clark is playing well and running backs Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce are excellent check down options.
One could argue last week that the Bills were given a win on a Gang Green platter and they failed to take it. The Jets literally imploded on defense against the Bills and the Bills failed to capitalize on their mistakes. Buffalo will not have that opportunity this Sunday. If the Bills want a win here, they are going to have to win this game with no help from the Ravens.
The Ravens are morphing into a solid team on both sides of the ball and Flacco and his birds will get the passing game going in a big way so take the Ravens minus the points and watch them pass their way to victory in Orchard Park, NY, 31-21.
You can follow me on:
Twitter @TheSoftParade69
Or send your comments to:
cadencecall69@gmail.com
Talk football talk cigars talk anything, I know a little about a lot.
Follow @TheNFLInjuryRpt
Pair these games up with an Alec Bradley Nica Puro Gordo and a few pints of Harpoon Oktoberfest and, if you are like me, keep reminding your obtuse mother in-law that Cheerios are not donut seeds.
Cadence Call regular season record (7-10). Now, on to the game previews.
Pittsburgh Steelers (0-3) @ Minnesota Vikings (0-3) (Sunday Sept 29, 1:00PM ET, Wembley Stadium, London, England)
*Line: Pick’em
Weather: 69°F Chance of showers
Well one thing is certain; one of these teams will get their first win of the season in London, England. I really despise these games in London. The NFL games in London are as useful as a glass of white wine. I realize Vegas have a few different spreads for this match up but I think it is a pick’em.
No one can predict how the team will handle the longer travel, different accommodations, different food, people and overall ambiance of a different country. Some players might lose themselves in the excitement of sightseeing and forget they are actually here for a football game. Because of these unknowns, this game is a tossup.
The Steelers did not help their cause this week when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger publicly questioned rookie running back Le’Veon Bell’s work ethic (he is set to play his first game of the season) and RB Isaac Redman got into a pissing contest with the team over if he had a concussion or not.
Vikings quarterback, Christian Ponder, is out with a rib injury and back up Matt Cassel is in. I am not sure at this point if it makes a difference.
To be honest, the only reason to watch this game is to see how Bell handles himself through all of this adversity. It will be the rookie’s first NFL game that has meaning and this one certainly does. Neither team wants to fall to 0-4. Bell has this opportunity to prove to the Steelers that they did not waste a high draft pick and when he gets the call in London, he will be ready. With Heath Miller improving and getting stronger every week and Bell on a mission, I think the Steelers get their first win of the season beating the Vikings, 21-17.
Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns (Sunday Sept 29, 1:00 PM ET)
*Line: Cincinnati -5
Weather: 73°F 40% chance of showers
The Cleveland Browns are going to need more than a trick play to beat their AFC North (and State) rival on Sunday. The Cincinnati Bengals are riding the wave of beating the Green Bay Packers last week and they want to keep their surfboard in the pipeline.
The Bengals travel up Interstate 71 for the “Battle of Ohio." Now they face a Browns quarterback in Brian Hoyer who is trying not just to fill in for injured QB Brandon Weeden, but also to take his job. Hoyer will be intensely fighting to keep the Browns competitive and the Bengals defense will have to be up for the challenge.
The Bengals were sloppy in their win last week, not only allowing the Packers to come back and erase a 16-point deficit but the Cincy Cats held on to the football like a bunch of kittens fumbling five times. They will need to clean up their litter box if they want to be crowned “kings of Ohio.”
It will be interesting to watch Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green go up against Browns cornerback Joe Haden as they are both tops at their positions. In addition, Browns tight end, Jordon Cameron, had a tremendous game last week catching three touchdowns, including the game winner and it will be fun to watch if he can sustain such a high level of production.
The Browns, Hoyer and Cameron are good stories for the television pylon pundits and armchair coaches with beer stained hoodies to talk about, but the real life NFL has no room for fairy tales and pixie dust. Look for the Browns and their band of merry men to come back to reality and crash back down into the dawg pound. The Bengals will tighten up their play and the Bengals defense should be immune to Hoyer’s new winning magic.
Take the Cats minus the points and watch them bag the Browns, 31-17.
*Line: Baltimore -3.5
Weather: 74°F Mostly sunny
The Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Joe Flacco are still waiting for their long-range air assault to make an appearance. The Ravens are ranked a very poor 27th in passing yards per attempt with 6.3. With a Bills secondary depleted by injuries, this game is the perfect springboard for Flacco and the Ravens to get their vertical passing attack back on track. Somehow if down the field is taken away, tight end Dallas Clark is playing well and running backs Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce are excellent check down options.
One could argue last week that the Bills were given a win on a Gang Green platter and they failed to take it. The Jets literally imploded on defense against the Bills and the Bills failed to capitalize on their mistakes. Buffalo will not have that opportunity this Sunday. If the Bills want a win here, they are going to have to win this game with no help from the Ravens.
The Ravens are morphing into a solid team on both sides of the ball and Flacco and his birds will get the passing game going in a big way so take the Ravens minus the points and watch them pass their way to victory in Orchard Park, NY, 31-21.
*Football lines provided by Bovada at the time of this
writing are subject to change.
Twitter @TheSoftParade69
Or send your comments to:
cadencecall69@gmail.com
Talk football talk cigars talk anything, I know a little about a lot.
Follow @TheNFLInjuryRpt
Looking for fantasy football advice?
