NFL week 8 wrapup

Week 8 in the NFL...

• Another good afternoon for Matt Cassell, as he continues to develop. The numbers weren't gaudy, but the performance was solid, and the two interceptions came on a) a tipped ball and b) a route on which his receiver fell down.



• The defense got stout when necessary, too. But there are still too many balls going over the defensive backfield's heads.



• Mike Singletary is going to wake things up in San Francisco. Whether that intensity level is going to work as a head coach is another question entirely.



• Does anyone keep both teams in the game more than Brett Favre?



• Tennessee has not clinched the AFC South yet. But they're getting awfully close - they are now four full games (plus a head-to-head victory) ahead of the reigning champion Colts, and the Texans and Jaguars have shown nothing to indicate that either is a real threat.



• Evidence that you should be listening carefully to what I say:
  
  

  Kansas City at NY Jets - "Kansas City is bad. It is very easy to picture this game getting out of hand, and the Jets beating them by four touchdowns. That may happen, and it wouldn't surprise me. And the Jets will certainly win. But 13 is just too many points."
  
  NY Giants at Pittsburgh - "There are a couple of very good games this weekend. This is the one on Sunday. And, to be up-front about it, this guarantees that SOMETHING I like happens this weekend. I consider it a good thing when the Giants lose and a good thing when the Steelers lose. Both losing is better, but playing head-to-head guarantees that one of them loses. I think the Steelers lose in a close game."




• Evidence that you should be listening carefully to what I say (and betting the opposite):
  
  

  Indianapolis at Tennessee - "A classic offense vs. defense matchup, with each team considerably weaker on the other side of the ball. If the Titans win, they take a four-game lead in the AFC South, almost insurmountable at this point. I don't see that happening. The Colts started slow, and their defense is sub-par again, but I think that they can put up points on anyone, and the Titans haven't had to play from behind yet. Going with Colts in what, if I'm wrong, ends up being a "passing of the torch" game."
  
  Seattle at San Francisco - "Have I mentioned yet that going into a season with a lame-duck head coach is a bad idea?"
  
  Tampa Bay at Dallas - "Even with Tony Romo, the Cowboys looked like they might be falling apart, a Jerry Jones has continued to play George Steinbrenner, ca. 1984."




• For the week:
  Winners: 8-6
  ATS: 4-8-2



• For the season:
  Winners: 70-46
  ATS: 61-51-4