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Saints go into shell, we go into the cookie jar to pay the man
Courtesy of: I.M. Bettor
BOSTON HERALD
I.M. BETTOR
BY THE NUMBERS
WEEK 8 WRAP
Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2003
Discounting the Monday Night game played on a neutral field, home dogs finally made some noise in Week Eight. In Cincinnati, the Bengals won outright, a feat later mimicked by the likewise underdog Cardinals. The Jaguars, the day’s other home ‘dog, were soundly thrashed in Jacksonville by the Titans.
Checking the line moves, the Browns dropped to 4.5 over Local 22 and the Seahawks, thanks to Corey Dillon’s car accident on the way to the stadium, moved to 3 and in some spots 3.5 over the aforementioned Bengals. The Giants, as they do most Sundays, attracted late money moving to as low as +4.5 at Minnesota while the red-hot Cowboys settled in at +5.5 after opening at +7 at Tampa Bay.
Looking at the play on the Saints that was sent to the disciples from this outpost, my instincts found plenty of company because by kickoff the home standing Saints had moved to -2.5 over the visisting Panthers. Up a comfortable 17-10 at the half, the Saints decided the best way to win is to not to try to lose. Gathering into a protective shell, a 17-10 advantage turned into a 20-17 deficit, a fact that caused the heretofore stagnant Saints offense to drive the field for a game-tying field goal at the end of regulation.
In overtime, thanks to a long kickoff return, the Saints were in Carolina territory. Facing fourth and inches, the brain trust passed on a 55-yard field goal attempt, instead handing the ball to Deuce McAllister in an attempt to pick up the scant ground necessary to continue the drive. Somehow the Saints forgot to block Julius Peppers, only the best defensive lineman on the field, who submarined the play resulting in a fumble recovered by the Panthers. A few Stephan Davis runs put the ball in easy field goal range and put this space into two-week losing streak.
While favorites went 9-5 in Week Eight, we somehow missed the boat with a short-priced one. Losing $440 on New Orleans whittled the bankroll to a paltry $70 gained from a mark of 6-4 by the numbers. Entering the midpoint of the season, talk of grilled grouper and swaying palms will be just that- talk- unless this space can squirrel some productive plays from numbers that grow progressively tougher to beat as the season progresses.
Saints go into shell, we go into the cookie jar to pay the man
Courtesy of: I.M. Bettor
BOSTON HERALD
I.M. BETTOR
BY THE NUMBERS
WEEK 8 WRAP
Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2003
Discounting the Monday Night game played on a neutral field, home dogs finally made some noise in Week Eight. In Cincinnati, the Bengals won outright, a feat later mimicked by the likewise underdog Cardinals. The Jaguars, the day’s other home ‘dog, were soundly thrashed in Jacksonville by the Titans.
Checking the line moves, the Browns dropped to 4.5 over Local 22 and the Seahawks, thanks to Corey Dillon’s car accident on the way to the stadium, moved to 3 and in some spots 3.5 over the aforementioned Bengals. The Giants, as they do most Sundays, attracted late money moving to as low as +4.5 at Minnesota while the red-hot Cowboys settled in at +5.5 after opening at +7 at Tampa Bay.
Looking at the play on the Saints that was sent to the disciples from this outpost, my instincts found plenty of company because by kickoff the home standing Saints had moved to -2.5 over the visisting Panthers. Up a comfortable 17-10 at the half, the Saints decided the best way to win is to not to try to lose. Gathering into a protective shell, a 17-10 advantage turned into a 20-17 deficit, a fact that caused the heretofore stagnant Saints offense to drive the field for a game-tying field goal at the end of regulation.
In overtime, thanks to a long kickoff return, the Saints were in Carolina territory. Facing fourth and inches, the brain trust passed on a 55-yard field goal attempt, instead handing the ball to Deuce McAllister in an attempt to pick up the scant ground necessary to continue the drive. Somehow the Saints forgot to block Julius Peppers, only the best defensive lineman on the field, who submarined the play resulting in a fumble recovered by the Panthers. A few Stephan Davis runs put the ball in easy field goal range and put this space into two-week losing streak.
While favorites went 9-5 in Week Eight, we somehow missed the boat with a short-priced one. Losing $440 on New Orleans whittled the bankroll to a paltry $70 gained from a mark of 6-4 by the numbers. Entering the midpoint of the season, talk of grilled grouper and swaying palms will be just that- talk- unless this space can squirrel some productive plays from numbers that grow progressively tougher to beat as the season progresses.