NFL Week 10

[INTPness]

OK, my 2nd pick of the season. I'm 0-1 on the year.

This opening line seems ridiculous to me.

Minnesota @ Chicago (+1)

In Chicago, Da Bears should be favored by 4 to 6 points against a mediocre (at best) Minnesota team with a 68-year-old quarterback. Just because the Vikings squeaked out a very close game (at home) against a very average team, does not mean they are back on track to the Super Bowl. Vikings, I hope you end up at 3-13.

 

[EffEmDoubleyou]

I think you are overlooking one key aspect of this matchup. The Bears stink on ice. If I were making a line for this game, I'd probably make it Bears -2 simply because Minnesota isn't the same team outside the dome. But if it was 4-6 points, I'd lay money on the Vikings for sure.

 

[IZthe411]

Real talk I think the Vikes will be victorious. They are weak, but the bears are weaker. Green Bay's the only thing cooking in that division.

The Eagles could win the East.

This season is the weirdest by far. Pats losing (badly) to the Browns?!?!

With losses yesterday, this might be the end of the KC/Tampa high ride. KC might get a playoff berth, but Tampa will be third in their division behind Saints and Falcons.

Wade in the water............he's gone!

 

[INTPness]

The Bears stink on ice.

This year's Bears team does? Or are you going back several years, in which case, I wouldn't see how that would have anything to do with *this year's Bears*.

 

[INTPness]

This season is the weirdest by far. Pats losing (badly) to the Browns?!?!

It's true, this season is strange, but there's always a few upsets during the season like this one. Anyone can lose, on any given day, in the NFL. Even the Cleveland Browns - you can't take any NFL team lightly, especially when you go into their backyard.

 

[IZthe411]

It's true, this season is strange, but there's always a few upsets during the season like this one. Anyone can lose, on any given day, in the NFL. Even the Cleveland Browns - you can't take any NFL team lightly, especially when you go into their backyard.

The law of any given Sunday.....so true.
But they cost me my FF matchup, so a brotha is kind of bitter.

If Heinz Ward can grab a few TDs tonight, I should be alright. We'll see. Cincy is a joke, but it's now painfully obvious OchoCinco is a waste of talent.

 

[EffEmDoubleyou]

This year's Bears team does? Or are you going back several years, in which case, I wouldn't see how that would have anything to do with *this year's Bears*.

This year's Bears team stinks. They're 5-3, but their five wins have come against teams with a cumulative record of 10-30. Take the Packers out, and it drops to 4-27. Football Outsiders' DVOA ratings rank the Bears 26th out of the 32 teams (not inclusive of yesterday's games). While the Vikings are only 3-5, their five losses have come against teams with a cumulative record of 29-14. They're also ranked 18th in DVOA.

Boom line, the Vikings are mediocre and the Bears stink.

 

[Such Irony]

This year's Bears team stinks. They're 5-3, but their five wins have come against teams with a cumulative record of 10-30. Take the Packers out, and it drops to 4-27. Football Outsiders' DVOA ratings rank the Bears 26th out of the 32 teams (not inclusive of yesterday's games). While the Vikings are only 3-5, their five losses have come against teams with a cumulative record of 29-14. They're also ranked 18th in DVOA.

Boom line, the Vikings are mediocre and the Bears stink.

Well the Vikings 3 victories have all come from teams under 0.500, the Lions (2-6), the Cowboys (1-7), the Cardinals (3-5).

They were all home games. The Vikings are 0-4 on the road.

They were all close games. None of the three wins were easy wins.

 

[INTPness]

Well EffEm is right in regards to overall strength of schedule. Through yesterday, the Vikings' opponents are a combined 34-32, while the Bears' opponents are 24-41. The Vikings have not beaten a quality team yet (.500 or above) and the Bears' only "quality win" would be against Green Bay. But, at least they have one! I just think that if you're able to go 5-3 in the NFL (there really are no "bye weeks" in this league - every single week you have to bring it), and another team is 3-5, maybe if you adjust for strength of schedule you might be able to say the 2 teams are even.

I'm not even saying the Bears are all that good, I just think they are "as good or a little better" than the Vikings. The thing that makes this line stand out to me is that the Bears are at HOME! Historically, that's going to account for about 3 points in favor of the home team. So, according to this line (Bears +1), the Vikings are 4 points better than the Bears on a neutral field. 4 points is no small number in the NFL. 4 points means you are DEFINITELY the better team. I've seen absolutely NOTHING from the Vikings this year that shows me they are even somewhat good. Even the Detroit Lions could have beaten Arizona at home in overtime. This last Vikings win was nothing special. The fact that everyone's favorite QB pulled another rabbit out of his hat has everyone talking and excited, but make no mistake about it, it's not that impressive to beat this year's Cardinals in OT in your own stadium. That's a game that every home team should win.

All that said, the Vikes will probably win 52-3 on Sunday and everyone will go, "See! The Vikes aren't that bad!" This is why the NFL is so fun. We'll see what happens.

 

[INTPness]

By the way, EffEm, when you said the Bears "stink on ice", I thought you were either saying (a) they stink coming off a bye week (which was 2 weeks ago), or (b) they stink in cold weather. That's why I made the comment about "going back several years" to get your info. I wasn't really sure which one you meant, but I guess I realize now that you were just simply stating that they suck.