There are times in the NFL when a backup quarterback is thrust into action due to the injury of the starter and produces a strong performance.
asserted
quarterback → be → performance
Then, the following week, you pick that team figuring, “They’re fine with this guy,” only to have him remind you why he’d been standing on the sidelines.
asserted
he → pick → sidelines
I have a suspicion we will see the complete opposite with Jameis Winston when the Giants host the Titans at MetLife Stadium.
asserted
Giants → have → Stadium
Jaxson Dart went down in a blaze of glory on a real-life “Malachi Crunch” between Byron Young and Josaiah Stewart.
asserted
Dart → go → Young
It looked bad at first, then some internet lip readers thought they saw a staff member tell John Harbaugh that Dart would miss four to six weeks, and a bit later Joe Schoen irresponsibly told ESPN that Dart was going to be “OK.”
asserted
Dart → look → ESPN
Well, Dart is OK compared to the alternative of being dead, I suppose, but we now know he will miss the rest of the regular season.
asserted
he → compare → season
Winston was terrible in his place Monday, going 11-for-27 for 111 yards and an interception, with the SoFi Stadium turf and receivers’ ankles seemingly his favorite targets.
asserted
turf → go → targets
But that doesn’t mean Winston won’t be able to give the Giants their $6.5 million worth over the next 15 games, if that’s the plan.
asserted
that → mean → games
Winston’s MO throughout his career has been to produce big-stat wins along with losses in which interceptions were the big stat.
asserted
interceptions → produce → which
He rarely gives you nothing, but possibly Monday was a no-win situation given that the injuries to Dart — and later Malik Nabers, Brian Burns and Andrew Thomas — joined forces with the locked-in focus of the Rams off an embarrassing loss to the 49ers.
uncertain
injuries → give → 49ers
This week, Harbaugh and the Giants will get a chance to recalibrate their entire operation against the Titans.
asserted
Harbaugh → get → Titans
Tennessee got boat-raced by the Jets in the opener before nearly upsetting the sleepwalking Eagles last week.
asserted
Tennessee → race → Eagles
If anything, that result combined with the Giants’ 28-6 loss and injury report cut the spread for this game from six points to 2.5.
asserted
result → combine → 2.5
That’s certainly a nice bargain to back whichever dialed-in and healthy players Harbaugh will send onto the field Sunday.
asserted
Harbaugh → ’ → field
The pick: Giants -2.5.
DETROIT LIONS (-6.5) over New York Jets
The Jets lead the NFL in yards per game allowed with 197, and the Lions are 31st with 457.5.
asserted
Lions → lead → 457.5
When you add it all up, the Jets have a 224 total yards per game edge on the Lions so far.
asserted
Jets → add → Lions
Each 100 yards is said to equate to seven points, so in theory the Jets are about 16 points to the good in the numbers.
asserted
Jets → say → numbers
How do you not take them getting 6.5 on top of that?
asserted
them → take → that
Those stats cover two games each.
asserted
stats → cover → games
The Jets played at the Titans and in the rain against the Packers, who lost a key offensive lineman and wide receiver early.
asserted
who → play → lineman
The Lions’ numbers include a game in Josh Allen’s new home.
asserted
numbers → include → home
Also, the Lions showed their nuclear offensive capability in Buffalo.
asserted
Lions → show → Buffalo
Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown already have it going.
asserted
it → have → ?
Yes, they have a depleted secondary, but still have Aidan Hutchinson and Jack Campbell out there.
asserted
they → have → Hutchinson
And if Frank Reich and Geno Smith are going to target Isaiah Williams six times to Garrett Wilson’s seven, the Jets offense is never going to be able to keep pace with the Lions, who have extra rest off a loss.
asserted
who → go → loss
Cincinnati Bengals (-3.5) over PITTSBURGH STEELERS
It feels as if the Steelers need a T.J. Watt pick-six to have a chance to win, given how decrepit Aaron Rodgers has appeared.
asserted
Rodgers → feel → chance
Meanwhile, Joe Burrow looks vintage, and Dexter Lawrence II has added size and snarl to the Bengals defensive front.
asserted
II → look → front
Kansas City Chiefs (-10.5) over MIAMI DOLPHINS
Sunday night was “the usual” — Chiefs win for themselves and fail to cover for me.
asserted
night → fail → me
Have to stick with them here, though, and hope Kenneth Walker III and Patrick Mahomes are interested long enough to cover the double digits on the road.
asserted
III → have → road
Carolina Panthers (-2.5) over CLEVELAND BROWNS
While both teams are coming off victories, it’s easier to believe the good times are sustainable for Bryce Young than they are for Deshaun Watson.
asserted
they → come → Watson
The Browns win at Tampa Bay made this road spread a little more palatable.
asserted
spread → make → Bay
New England Patriots (+3) over JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
The spread ticking up from 2.5 to a full field goal on Thursday was enough extra padding to lead me to a Patriots pick.
asserted
spread → tick → pick
Even with Drake Maye struggling and A.J. Brown out, I expect the Mike Vrabel defense to rise up against Trevor Lawrence.
asserted
defense → struggle → Lawrence
BUFFALO BILLS (-7.5) over Los Angeles Chargers
Not expecting things to get much better for the Chargers after they lost the first two at home to the Cardinals and Raiders.
asserted
they → expect → Cardinals
It’s what you get when your O-line is in shambles and strange birds Mike McDaniel and Adam Gase are coaching Justin Herbert.
asserted
McDaniel → ’ → Herbert
Plus, James Cook and the Bills have had extra rest after crushing the Lions.
asserted
Cook → have → Lions
Seattle Seahawks (-7.5) over WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
Washington is in a similar situation to the Giants, losing Jayden Daniels and replacing him with Marcus Mariota, who was the No. 2 pick in 2015 behind Jameis Winston.
asserted
who → lose → Winston
Houston Texans (-1.5) over INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
I know above I discounted two-week team stats, but it’s hard to ignore that the Colts are allowing 514 yards per game.
asserted
Colts → know → game
Looking for a big ground game from David Montgomery and for the Houston defense to get after Daniel Jones.
asserted
defense → look → Jones
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (+1.5) over Minnesota Vikings
Total desperation game for just-paid Baker Mayfield and the Bucs, and I like the idea of taking an 0-2 vs. a 2-0 when feasible.
asserted
I → pay → 2
…and 13 more, not listed.
The Aporia
