What I’m Watching on Sunday

This weekend has some really nice matchups.  It also has some really nice gambling opportunities.  Here we go:

Bengals @ Giants:  Bengals are floundering and some say they might have already given up on the season.  If they lose this one consider betting against them the rest of the year.  But I like them this week, getting almost two touchdowns.  Eli is due for a game where he throws 3 interceptions, and the Bengals offense is going to break out in the beautiful weather New York will have on Sunday.  Bet on the stripes.

Rams @ Seahawks:  Things are going to get ugly in St Louis.  The Seattle defense is still pretty good, and the Rams are going to struggle to get in the endzone.  Give the 10 points and take the Seahawks.

Dallas @ Green Bay:  Something most people don’t know:  Al Harris isn’t very good any more.  Look for the Boys to try and get him lined up opposite TO.  The Packers also have a glaring coverage issue wherever Atari Bigby is supposed to be.  Jason Whitten is going to dominate him.  I hate to say it, but I really have trouble believing the Cowboys can lose this one unless Aaron Rodgers plays out of his mind and the Packers passing game can’t be stopped.

Well, that was something

Will Demps Omar GaitherYou can’t really ask for a better start to the season.  Destroying a conference opponent in every conceivable way, having a rookie break out big time, and no injuries.

Are we sure that was the Eagles?

Anyway, everything great about that game has already been said in the papers and on the outstanding Eagles blogs out there.

So let’s take a look at what the folks in St. Louis and Dallas are saying:

“That’s about as bad as you can get beat in the NFL,” Bulger said. “We realize it. And we don’t have any excuses.”

….

“To put it in simple terms, we got our butt whipped today,” tight end Randy McMichael said Sunday. “There’s no way you can sugarcoat it.”

And in Dallas:

This was just one test, and next week’s will be bigger. The Philadelphia Eagles piled up more than 500 yards of offense in their 38-3 win over St. Louis.

….

Now, let’s pray MB3 is healthy and bring on the Eagles, who by the way crushed the Rams today.

I am fired up.

Rams Dodge a Bullet

And the Eagles miss a potential opportunity to get some value for Lito.

St Louis doesn’t have a quality defensive backfield.  Things nearly got a whole lot worse when the team got word that one of their starting corners, Fakhir Brown, tested positive for a banned substance.  He was already in the abuse program, and it could have resulted in a one-year suspension.

But Brown’s attorneys managed to convince the league office not to issue a one-year suspension based on what was determined to be a urine sample that was too diluted to be tested — which the league calls a positive.

What does this mean for the Eagles?  Not much, other than the Rams would have been in pretty desperate shape if they had lost Brown for the entire year.  Perhaps desperate enough to make a move for you know who.

Anyway, keep an eye on the situation — Brown may still get suspended for some lesser length of time.

Rams Interested in Sheppard

Lito SheppardFrom ESPN Insider (subscription only):

The Rams have inquired about Sheppard, according to multiple reports. The Cardinals are also believed to be interested in trading for the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback.

Sheppard, who turns 27 in April, is under contract with the Eagles through 2011 and is scheduled to make $2.75 million this season. The 5-foot-10, 194-pounder is considered one of the better man-to-man coverage cornerbacks in football.

Obviously, the speculation would immediately turn to whether the Eagles be interested in Torry Holt. He’s a good deal older (31) than any of the other big-name wideouts they are rumored to be chasing.

Would the Rams even consider trading him? I doubt it, considering that would leave them with a WR corps of Dane Looker and Donte Hall. But who knows.

Update: Apologies, I forgot about Drew Bennett. However, I don’t think Coach Linehan would be on board for any move of Holt –

“There’s no interest, no discussions about trading Torry Holt,” Linehan said. “He’s on our team, we want him on our team, and I hope he feels the same way.”

…..

“If that were the case, we might have to line you up at wide receiver.”

Besides, it simply makes no sense to move Holt. The release of Isaac Bruce leaves Holt, Drew Bennett and Dante Hall as the Rams’ top three wide receivers. The team needs to add another quality body at receiver, not subtract one.

So yeah, this one seems unlikely. Holt signed a $40+ million, seven year extension in 2003, if you’re interested.