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**StarDust Bum** · 08-04-2017, 02:40 AM

Sunday, August 7, 2016
Time (ET) Away Home
8:00 PM Green Bay Packers Indianapolis Colts

WEEK 1
Thursday, August 11, 2016
Time (ET) Away Home
7:00 PM Washington Redskins Atlanta Falcons
7:00 PM Tampa Bay Buccaneers Philadelphia Eagles
7:30 PM Carolina Panthers Baltimore Ravens
7:30 PM New Orleans Saints New England Patriots
7:30 PM Jacksonville Jaguars New York Jets
8:00 PM Denver Broncos Chicago Bears

Friday, August 12, 2016
Time (ET) Away Home
7:00 PM Miami Dolphins New York Giants
7:00 PM Detroit Lions Pittsburgh Steelers
7:30 PM Minnesota Vikings Cincinnati Bengals
8:00 PM Cleveland Browns Green Bay Packers
10:00 PM Oakland Raiders Arizona Cardinals

Saturday, August 13, 2016
Time (ET) Away Home
4:30 PM Seattle Seahawks Kansas City Chiefs
7:00 PM Indianapolis Colts Buffalo Bills
8:00 PM Dallas Cowboys Los Angeles Rams
8:00 PM Los Angeles Chargers Tennessee Titans

Sunday, August 14, 2016
Time (ET) Away Home
7:00 PM Houston Texans San Francisco 49ers

**StarDust Bum** · 08-05-2017, 12:44 AM

Saturday’s six-pack

— Ohio State transfer Jaquan Lyle signs up with New Mexico.

— Doc Rivers lost his front office role with the Clippers Friday; he has $20M, two years left on his contract, and will just coach from now on.

— Nationals 4, Cubs 2— Daniel Murphy homered twice for Washington.

— Jaime Garcia started on the mound for his third big league team in 15 days last night.

— San Jose State finally got around to hiring a new hoop coach; Colorado assistant Jean Prioleau will get the job on Monday

— Steelers’ coach Mike Tomlin had his contract extended thru 2020; Pittsburgh has had three head coaches……..since 1969!!!!

Saturday’s List of 13: Random thoughts on a summer night…..

13) So I’m having dinner at a Ruby Tuesday’s last night; there are 5-6 people sitting to my left. Next thing I know, the two guys in the group are in the parking lot, trading punches. Cops were called, I think both of them got arrested and that was that. Just another Friday night in Canton.

12) Spent several hours at the Football Hall of Fame Friday; if you like the NFL, this is an excellent place to visit. So much history to re-visit, the room with the Hall of Fame busts is very impressive, but bring your walking shoes to get there.

11) Parking at the Hall of Fame isn’t great; the area is probably too small to host a venue that is so popular, and with all the construction going on, its a pretty good hike from where you park to the actual Hall of Fame.

When all the construction is done in 2020, there will be a Hall of Fame Village, with shops and places to eat. Look forward to seeing that.

10) Pretty cool to see the Lombardi Trophy, which has its own display area upstairs in the Hall of Fame. They also have all the Super Bowl rings displayed in a case; they’re pretty big now.

10) I was in here once before, in 2001, when Jackie Slater/Jack Youngblood were inducted; it is so much different now, so many more sponsors’ exhibits- the memorabilia tent is like a small building now. Back then, it was just a regular-sized tent.

It is normally $25 to get into the Hall of Fame; it is $30 this weekend. Cheapest ticket for the induction ceremony Saturday night is $40. Worth it, but listening to people this week talking about how much autographs/memorabilia cost now— this is definitely big business.

9) Rams played Miami in the Hall of Fame Game in 2001; the induction ceremony wasn’t in the stadium, it was outside the Hall of Fame, with portable bleachers. Now the ceremony is in the actual stadium. Hope it doesn’t rain…..or my butt is going to get very wet. LOL

8) It is ironic that the head of the Hall of Fame now is a guy named David Baker; when Kurt Warner played for the Iowa Barnstormers in the Arena League, Baker was commissioner of the AFL— he ruined the league by moving teams in Iowa/Albany (where I live) to NFL cities, with hopes of making the AFL a AAA-league for the NFL.

The Arena League was awesome; we regularly drew crowds of 11-12,000 people in downtown Albany, where Touchdown Eddie Brown (Antonio Brown’s father) was the best player.

Baker’s son Sam was a tackle at USC and later for the Atlanta Falcons.

7) In either 1996 or 1997, the Firebirds lost a home game 77-76 to Iowa; highly entertaining game. Little did I know that night that in 1999, the Barnstormers’ QB that night would lead the Rams to their first Super Bowl title. If it was a movie, it wouldn’t be very believable.

6) What an honor to be selected as a presenter for the Hall of Fame; imagine it can be a touchy thing, especially for someone who may have changed teams, like Warner— he chose his wife, as did Jerry Jones. I wonder if Mike Martz will be here tomorrow; he and Dick Vermeil deserve so much credit for Warner’s initial success in the NFL.

5) Jerry Jones’ Hall of Fame party here in Canton tonite is at a country club that he rented……for $5M. For one night.

4) Dolphins are talking to Jay Cutler; looks like Ryan Tannehill is out a minimum of six weeks, with a strong possibility that he misses the whole season.

3) Fantasy football is also a big business; ton of sites sites are advertising for leagues to sign up. Our baseball league is run by CBSSports.com, which does a great job.

2) Former baseball commissioner Fay Vincent was talking Friday about how legalized gambling is going to help pro sports; this is the same guy who put Pete Rose in baseball prison for his involvement in gambling. Life can be very ironic sometimes.

1) Can you imagine what is like, at the Gold Jacket Dinner for Hall of Famers, walking thru that gauntlet of Hall of Famers? The icons of the sport, all there to see you get inducted into the Hall of Fame. What a feeling that must be.

**StarDust Bum** · 08-09-2017, 12:38 PM

Wednesday’s six-pack

— Georgetown dropped out of the PK80 tournament in November, which tells me they think they’ll be lousy this year. DePaul replaces them in the Phil Knight-themed tournament, which is a one-time-only deal, to honor Knight on his 80th birthday.

— There are rumors that Bryce Harper will bolt to the Cubs after the 2018 season; he and Kris Bryant grew up in Las Vegas and are friends.

— Braves’ SS Johan Camargo got carried off the field after he got hurt while jogging on the field for the start of the game. Seriously. He tripped, fell and hurt his right leg.

— ESPNU is airing a corn hole tournament during the day; WTF? Corn hole is trying to throw bean bags thru holes in a wooden board 20-25 feet away. Compelling TV.

— I’m not fond of Little League games being on national TV. Lot of pressure for 13-year olds.

— RIP Glen Campbell 81, a great singer who once sponsored the LA Open on the PGA Tour at Riviera CC.

*************************

Wednesday’s List of 13: Random notes on AFC teams…..

Baltimore: With Flacco hurting, who will the QB be? Backup Mallett is shaky, at best. Ravens ran ball for only 91.4 yards/game LY (28th). Ravens lost their last six road games- they allowed 28.5 pts/game during 1-3 stumble at end of year, after they started season 7-5.

Buffalo: Another new head coach, and now they have 4th offensive coordinator in last four years; Bills finished 3-7 LY after a 4-2 start, were 2-6 in games decided by 7 or less points. Haven’t been in playoffs since 1999, longest drought in league, longer than even the Browns.

Cincinnati: Dropped from 7th in scoring in 2015 to 24th LY, then two offensive linemen left in free agency last winter. Missed playoffs LY for first time in six years, but Marvin Lewis is 0-7 in playoff games. Bengal fans have forgotten how bad the Bengals were before Lewis got there.

Cleveland: Who is the QB? Browns are 2-10-1 vs spread as a home underdog last two years- five of their 15 losses were by 6 or less points. Cleveland hasn’t won much; since 2010, Browns are 10-17-2 vs spread in game following a win. Cleveland last made the playoffs in 2002.

Denver: Have new coach, young QB’s, after going 9-7 in first season since Peyton Manning retired, missing playoffs for first time in six years. Broncos won last five season openers, all at home; they open at home against the Chargers on a Monday night this season.

Houston: Finished 9-7 in all three of O’Brien’s seasons; he is 16-5-1 vs spread as a favorite with the Texans, 12-4-1 at home— he is 9-15-1 as an underdog. Houston is 12-7-1 vs spread in game following their last 20 losses. How long before rookie QB Watson plays?

Indianapolis: How is Luck’s shoulder? Without him, Colts are screwed. Indy made playoffs in 12 of last 16 years, but missed the last two years (8-8/8-8). Colts finished 10th in yardage LY. Indy lost four of last five season openers- they visit the Rams in Week 1 this year.

Jacksonville: Tom Coughlin runs franchise now; they’re 22-74 the last six years, are -26 in turnovers in their last 32 games. Jags will try to run ball more to take pressure off QB Bortles, who is struggling in training camp this summer. Since 2012, Jax is 13-26-2 vs spread at home.

Kansas City: Chiefs are 43-21 in regular season under Reid, 1-3 in playoff games- they’re 11-2 vs spread as road favorites under Reid, 13-17 as home favorites. New OC Matt Nagy played in the Arena League for six years; Chiefs are +30 in turnovers in their last 32 regular season games.

LA Chargers: Year of transition; Bolts will play in 30,000-seat soccer stadium the next three years. Philip Rivers will be 36 in December; new coach Anthony Lynn has two very experienced coordinators, smart of him to do. Chargers were 8-16 vs spread at home the last three years.

Miami: Jay Cutler (68-71 career record) gets $10M to try and salvage the Dolphins’ season, with Ryan Tannehill (knee) out for at least half the year. In 11 years, Cutler is 1-1 in playoff games. Miami was 9-1 LY when they scored more than 17 points, 1-6 if they scored 17 or less points.

New England: Have had same OC/DC since 2012; they’re +40 in turnovers the last four years, are 17-8-3 vs spread as home favorites since ’13, covering last seven tries as a double digit fave. Offensive line was healthy LY, after using 39 different line combinations in 2015.

NJ Jets: Their long snapper is having a rough camp; they’re looking at new guys for that job. 38-year old McCown was signed for year to play QB; their two young backup QB’s are suspects. Since ’07, Jets are 5-13-1 vs spread as a home favorite in divisional games, but 8-3 as home dogs.

Oakland: Made playoffs LY for first time since 2002; they were +16 in turnovers LY, after being -23 in turnovers previous three years combined. Oakland is 12-3 vs spread on road under Del Rio, 8-2 as road dogs. Raiders made change at OC this year, promoting QB coach Downing.

Pittsburgh: Steelers were 4-5 at one point LY, then won nine games in row before losing AFC title game in Foxboro. Pitt is 18-12 vs spread as a favorite last two years, 9-3 as non-division home favorite the last three years; they’re 12-5 in last 17 games as a favorite of 3 or less points.

Tennessee: Had first winning season since 2011 LY; still haven’t made playoffs since 2008- their last playoff win was in ’03. Jumped from 30th to 11th in yards gained LY; six of their nine wins were by 6 or less points. Titans were even in turnovers LY; they were -24 from 2013-15.

**StarDust Bum** · 08-09-2017, 12:40 PM

Panthers QB Newton out for preseason opener vs. Texans
August 8, 2017

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) Quarterback Cam Newton will sit out the Panthers' preseason opener against the Houston Texans on Wednesday night while he continues to battle soreness in his right throwing shoulder.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera made the announcement Tuesday at training camp.

Other that some light warmup tosses, Newton hasn't thrown at training camp since July 30.

Newton had surgery in March to repair a partially torn rotator cuff. He was cleared to participate in training camp practices this summer after missing all of OTAs and minicamp. However, the league's 2015 MVP developed soreness in his shoulder after five practices.

The Panthers plan to have Newton ready for the Sept. 10 regular season opener against the San Francisco 49ers.

Derek Anderson will start against the Texans

**StarDust Bum** · 08-09-2017, 12:47 PM

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 9

» Texans at Panthers (7:30 p.m., NFL Network)

Obviously this game is about watching how presumptive Texans starter Tom Savage handles the moment. Head coach Bill O'Brien would love nothing more than a smooth handful of completions and a quick, injury-free exit. Starting Savage for the opener seems to signal the team's continued determination to bring rookie backup Deshaun Watson along at his own pace. To that end, the Texans will be hoping Watson remains in the pocket and looks confident throwing some of the more difficult routes in Houston's tree against the second-stringers.

THURSDAY, Aug. 10

» Falcons at Dolphins, 7 p.m.

This will not be the Jay Cutler debut everyone was hoping for, but it does give backup Matt Moore one final chance to make this decision difficult for Adam Gase. Gase all but handed the job to Cutler, saying that the former first-round pick would not have come out of retirement just to stand on the sidelines. That being said, Moore played extraordinarily well as a fill-in for Ryan Tannehill last year and is immensely popular in the locker room. Barring any monumental shift in thought, there's not much Moore can do to reverse the plan already in motion. But wouldn't it be fun if he did?

» Vikings at Bills, 7 p.m.

The Vikings have one of the more intriguing running back battles, especially considering that Latavius Murray and Dalvin Cook are both capable of the every-down role formerly held by Adrian Peterson. The best-case scenario, of course, is accentuating both of their strong points and utilizing multiple backs. Judging running plays in the preseason is a fool's errand and a risky proposition for any team hoping to have their stars healthy for the regular season. But, it will be nice to get at least one or two carries for Cook to get his feet wet.

» Redskins at Ravens, 7:30 p.m.

With Joe Flacco still on the sidelines and a wave of reports mounting about Ryan Mallett's uneven practice performances, the spotlight on QB2 has never been brighter in Baltimore. The Ravens researched the idea of signing Colin Kaepernick, but as NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported during the team's brief flirtation with Kaepernick, it would not go down unless there was a marked drop off in Baltimore's feelings about Mallett as a quality backup. Thursday is Mallett's chance to ease some fears inside the facility.

» Jaguars at Patriots, 7:30 p.m.

Cam Robinson debuts as the team's left tackle. As Jaguars beat writer Ryan O'Halloran mentioned on Twitter on Monday, the team would have likely preferred to start Branden Albert at left tackle and ease the second-round pick in as a guard. That won't happen, with Albert now officially being placed on the reserve/retired list on Tuesday. The Jaguars go into an all-important season with heightened expectations and a rookie at left tackle. After a week of joint practices, will Bill Belichick find a way to make Robinson work a little harder to earn it?

» Eagles at Packers 8 p.m.

The NFL is a strange place, which is why we're talking about a resurgent Nelson Agholor making a play for Jordan Matthews' job. At least that was the takeaway from Delaware Online, citing offensive coordinator Frank Reich. Perhaps this is just a motivational ploy for Agholor, who has struggled mightily over his first two seasons. But it's worth watching how the pair are deployed on Thursday night and who makes the most of their limited opportunities.

» Saints at Browns: 8 p.m.

We're all out of Brock and Roll puns, which means it's time to actually see Brock Osweiler take a crack at the Browns' starting job. Hue Jackson has it made clear that other quarterbacks are getting a shot this preseason, but it would be wildly irresponsible for a coach to start a different quarterback in every single one of his preseason games. In an ideal world, the Browns would go Osweiler/Cody Kessler in game one and game two, allowing for the better player to start game three and the season opener. Then, Jackson should start DeShone Kizer in game four. That's in a perfect world, dependent on Osweiler actually playing well against New Orleans this weekend.

»Broncos at Bears: 8 p.m., NFL Network

The Broncos took the drama out of their next two games by announcing that Trevor Siemian would start game one and Paxton Lynch would start game two. Obviously, the better player should get game three, but as we noted on Monday, there's a good chance Siemian takes this competition outright with a decent performance against Chicago. NFL Network's James Palmer, on location in Denver all summer, noted that Siemian started separating from the pack early last week. Does that continue Thursday?

FRIDAY, Aug. 11:

» Steelers at Giants: 7 p.m., NFL Network

During Ben McAdoo's first season as Giants offensive coordinator, the team played in the Hall of Fame game and ran a pared-down version of his muddle-huddle scheme which seemed to foreshadow fairly well what they ran in the regular season. If I'm a Giants fan, I'm keeping an eye on the deployment of rookie first-round pick Evan Engram, who could either add a brand-new dimension to this offense or prevent its fluidity. The Giants don't like taking offensive players off the field, and Engram needs to be more than just a receiving threat to make this work.

» Buccaneers at Bengals: 7:30 p.m.

ESPN.com noted yet another eye-opening performance from Bengals second-round running back Joe Mixon in practice this week. Mixon makes his professional debut against a very good run defense on Friday and, given Cincinatti's depth at the running back position, we may see Marvin Lewis give Mixon some room to work. Jeremy Hill tops the depth chart for now, but for how long?

» 49ers at Chiefs: 9 p.m., NFL Network

It's fascinating to watch first-time head coaches approach the preseason opener. Kyle Shanahan's debut is highly anticipated for several reasons. He's showing off a stellar rookie class on defense and potentially giving a glimpse of what his offense will look like in San Francisco. If nothing else, it will probably provide an extended look at rookie third-round pick C. J. Beathard. Beathard would ideally beat out Matt Barkley for the backup gig this offseason and allow the 49ers to keep just two quarterbacks on the roster.

SATURDAY, Aug. 12:

» Titans at Jets, 7:30 p.m.

Live bullets for Christian Hackenberg! The Jets offense suffered another devastating blow with the season-ending injury of wideout Quincy Enunwa on Monday but the show must go on. Already staring down the grim prospect of a rebuilding year, head coach Todd Bowles needs to see if Hackenberg could potentially move the ball in a game situation before the start of the regular season. In theory, Hackenberg should get a majority of the snaps against Tennessee while the Jets decide what to do with third-stringer Bryce Petty.

» Cowboys at Rams, 9 p.m., NFL Network

It was fun tracking Taco Charlton during the Hall of Fame game last week, and I'll likely be doing the same on Saturday. The Cowboys' pass rushing problem is real, and while Charlton did not blow up Arizona's backfield, he did display some good run stopping skills. Part of his issue against the pass? A little over eager, which is understandable for a rookie in his first live NFL action. Dallas needs him to grow up quickly.

» Raiders at Cardinals, 10 p.m.

Can Robert Nkemdiche play well two weeks in a row? The 2016 first-round pick was singled out by Bruce Arians for a strong performance against the Cowboys. Nkemdiche was blowing up the right side of Dallas' interior and seemed, for the most part, like a more motivated man. Arians wants to see consistency, though, and will almost certainly be playing Nkemdiche for another half against the Raiders.

SUNDAY, Aug. 13

» Lions at Colts, 1:30 p.m., NFL Network

With Andrew Luck still not throwing passes, all eyes turn to Scott Tolzien. It's interesting to see teams like the Ravens explore options at backup quarterback when their No. 2 is Ryan Mallett, and Joe Flacco is likely to return by the season opener. And yet, a team like Indianapolis remains quiet. Maybe they see something in Tolzien that the rest of us have not, and maybe that will be on display on Sunday against the Lions.

» Seahawks at Chargers, 8 p.m., NFL Network

Tough break for the Chargers, who cannot debut first-round pick Mike Williams (back) this weekend or perhaps at all this season. Their second-round pick Forrest Lamp (knee) is also out for the year. The Seahawks will not be able to see anything from their top pick, Malik McDowell, either after his horrifying ATV crash. So what do we watch for? Eddie Lacy. The running back has been quiet in Seahawks camp and faces stiff competition from incumbent Thomas Rawls.

**StarDust Bum** · 08-09-2017, 12:50 PM

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

HOU at CAR 07:30 PM

HOU +1.0

U 38.5

**StarDust Bum** · 08-09-2017, 01:15 PM

QB Savage to get start for Texans
August 8, 2017

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.VA. -- Tom Savage will get the start Wednesday night for the Houston Texans as they open the preseason against the Carolina Panthers as the former backup tries to establish himself as the defending AFC South champions' new QB1.

Rookie backup Deshaun Watson will play extensively, followed by third quarterback Brandon Weeden.

"Tom's going to start the game," Texans head coach Bill O'Brien said. "Deshaun and Brandon will play."

As for how much time the quarterbacks will play, O'Brien was noncommittal.

"You have no idea how the game's going to play out," he said. "How long is this drive? How long is that drive? You have to play it by ear relative to how the game goes."

Savage has taken every snap with the first-team offense during training camp. He needs all the repetitions he can get because he's started only two games in his first three seasons. O'Brien expects a sharp night.

"Good operation of the offense," O'Brien said about what he wants to see from the offense. "Take care of the football. Getting in and out of the huddle quickly. From all three of them, just a clean game, a clean operation. Everybody on the same page, and see if we can score some points."

O'Brien said having Savage and Weeden has been good for Watson's development.

"Absolutely," he said. "When Deshaun has a question, (they) can help him, not just the coach. That's what these guys do. Tom and Brandon have done a really good job with Deshaun of kind of giving him their own insight into the offense, which is good to see."

--Even though the trip to Carolina is for only a preseason game, Savage expects a lot from himself.

"I think just consistency," he said. "Ultimately, we've got to score points. That's what I want to accomplish on Wednesday and then protect the ball."

Like his teammates and coaches, Savage is eager to begin the preseason schedule.

"Yeah, I know our offense and defense are kind of getting on each other's nerves right now," he said. "It'll be good to take it out on someone else."

Savage enjoys working with the other quarterbacks, Watson and Weeden.

"It's awesome," he said. "We're always communicating with each other. That's what we want to see. That's the name of this game. We want to win games and by that, you've got to have good leadership in that room, and we've got to be a tight-knit room."

**StarDust Bum** · 08-10-2017, 02:10 AM

Rookie QB Watson shines in Texans' 27-17 loss to Panthers
August 9, 2017

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Deshaun Watson reminded everyone why Panthers coach Ron Rivera - and many others - felt he should have won the Heisman Trophy last season.

Watson shined in his NFL preseason debut, completing 15 of 25 passes for 179 yards and running for a score in the Houston Texans' 27-17 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday night.

Watson, who led Clemson to the ACC championship on this field last December en route to winning the national championship, received a rousing ovation from Tigers fans dressed in orange when he entered the game in the second quarter.

The cheers grew louder when Watson outran two defenders for a 15-yard touchdown - although Panthers fans tried to cover the celebration with boos.

''It was good just to get my feet wet,'' said Watson, who was pleased with his overall effort.

Houston's first-round draft pick looked comfortable in the pocket, stepping up to avoid pressure and getting rid of the football in a timely manner. He didn't let penalties on his team affect him and didn't turn the ball over in nearly three quarters of play.

''He's a smart player, an instinctive player,'' Texans coach Bill O'Brien said.

''For the first game out there I thought he did some good things. That's a big jump from college to the NFL and I thought he handled it pretty well.''

Tom Savage went three-and-out on his first two possessions against Carolina's first-team defense. Savage had better luck with Carolina's starters out of the game, completing 8 of 8 passes for 67 yards on his final drive capped by a 16-yard TD run by Alfred Blue.

But it was a strong showing for Carolina's defensive starters.

''We put ourselves in good third down situations and we were able to execute and get off the field,'' Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis said. ''Overall, the first half, the ones definitely had a good showing.''

Panthers veteran backup Derek Anderson looked sharp starting in place of Cam Newton, who's still resting a sore right shoulder.

Anderson completed 4 of 5 passes for 76 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown pass to Kelvin Benjamin to finish with a perfect 158.3 QB rating.

The 6-foot-5 Benjamin, who reported to training camp in good shape after being overweight in the spring, made a leaping grab in the corner of the end zone to give Carolina the early 7-0 lead.

''I am feeling good again,'' Benjamin said. ''I am ready to get Cam (Newton) back out there so we can rebuild that chemistry.''

WATT, KUECHLY RETURN: Two former NFL Defensive Players of the Year returned to action after missing significant time last season with injuries.

J.J. Watt played one series for the Texans in his return from back surgery. Kuechly played six plays after returning from his second career concussion. Neither registered a tackle.

SITTING OUT: Along with Newton, veteran defensive ends Julius Peppers and Charles Johnson, center Ryan Kalil and rookie wide receiver Curtis Samuel did not suit up for Carolina.

ROOKIE WATCH

Texans: Rookie linebacker Dylan Cole appeared to return a fumble for a touchdown to tie the game in the fourth quarter, but the play was overturned.

Panthers: Christian McCaffrey had 33 yards on seven carries in his rookie debut and showed impressive quickness and the ability to make defenders miss.

POSITION BATTLES

Texans: RB Alfred Blue outperformed projected starter Lamar Miller. Blue ran for 33 yards on seven carries including a 16-yard touchdown, while Miller carried two times for no yards.

Panthers: Wide receiver Damiere Byrd, considered a fringe roster player, did nothing to hurt his chances by hauling touchdown passes of 50 and 8 yards from Joe Webb.

WHAT BROWN DOES FOR YOU: The Texans clearly missed left tackle Duane Brown, whose contract situation remains unresolved. Savage was under heavy pressure on the first two series. Chris Clark started at left tackle.

INJURY UPDATE:

Texans: Reported no injuries.

Panthers: Vernon Butler, last year's first-round draft pick, left the game with a left knee injury and did not return.

QUOTABLE:

Texans: ''I'm so happy to be back with my guys,'' Watt said of his return. ''It's so much fun in my D-line room and being back out there with my teammates. That's where I belong.''

Panthers: ''It means a lot,'' Byrd said after the first of his two TD catches. ''It's a dream of everybody's to be able to play for an organization as great as this in the NFL.''

**StarDust Bum** · 08-10-2017, 02:13 AM

Thursday’s six-pack

— Over/under for the winning score at the PGA this weekend: 12.5 under par.

— Since 2000, the average winning score at the PGA? 11-under par.

— NFL will hire 21-24 of its officials as full-time employees.

— Cubs lost catcher Wilson Contreras (hamstring) in Wednesday’s game.

— Mets traded Jay Bruce to Cleveland, as the Indians look for more punch from the left-hand side of the plate.

— RIP former umpire Ken Kaiser 72, who supplemented his income as a young man by also working as a professional wrestler.

**********************

Thursday’s List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud…….

13) Umpire Joe West was suspended for three games recently because he identified Adrian Beltre of the Rangers as the biggest complainer in the major leagues. Umpires are better off seen and not heard.

12) Apparently Jameis Winston will be a big part of Hard Knocks this summer; last year, Jared Goff was hardly on the show— it was almost like the Rams signed 3 or 4 scrubs that HBO could focus on in Hard Knocks, so the more prominent players could be left alone.

Bucs’ defensive coordinator Mike Smith went thru the Hard Knocks thing a couple years ago when he was coaching the Falcons— he wound up getting fired.

11) “Stay away from the QB….Stay away from the QB…..Stay away from the QB.”

Bucs’ coach Dirk Koetter, after a pass rusher bumped into Winston’s blind side during a passing drill. Quarterbacks wear a different color jersey during practice, so they don’t get touched.

10) One thing about NFL Films/Hard Knocks- they like showing players bowling on their days off. Happens every year.

9) Bucs’ coach Dirk Koetter has a pretty cool gadget in his office; a touchscreen like the one John King used on CNN during the elections. He can move guys on his depth chart just by touching, dragging the name to a different column. Easier that writing/erasing names on a board.

8) Cleveland Indians are in stretch of 41 games in 41 days, with one doubleheader, so at least there is one day off in there. Tribe had several rainouts, which created the logjam in games.

7) Last time the National League won the season series with the American League was 2003, but this year is closer than usual. AL won by 26+ games the last three years, but this year it is only 112-102 AL, going into Tuesday’s games.

6) Jaguars’ tackle Branden Albert retired, then when he was informed he had to return some of the money the Jags paid him, apparently wanted to unretire.

From ESPN.com: “Jaguars put him on the reserve/retired list, which means the team retains its rights to Albert because he’s under contract to the Jaguars for two more seasons. If Albert were to un-retire, the Jags would have the first option of his services. If they no longer want him, Albert would go through the waiver process and if no team claimed him he would become a free agent.”

5) The Electoral College system in our Presidential elections make no sense to me; they were saying that Republicans completely ignore California/New York because they know they can’t win those states. How do you ignore the two biggest states?

Our system needs updating; whoever gets the most votes should win. I’d rather Idaho and West Virginia get ignored than California and New York. No offense to Idaho and West Virginia.

4) Huge red flag for the Astros: In three starts since coming off the DL, Dallas Keuchel has allowed 14 runs in 12 IP. Lance McCullers is on the DL; Houston has huge pitching issues, which won’t matter until October.

3) Quote of the Day, part 2, from Charles Barkley:

“You want to be on a good team. You want to play with other great players. This notion where you want to be the man, I just think is so stupid. If I got a chance to play with another great player, I want to do that. The objective is to win.”

He is talking about Kyrie Irving wanting out of Cleveland.

2) If you want to buy 33.3% of an NFL team and have $660M to throw around, you can be a part-owner of the Tennessee Titans. One of Bud Adams’ daughters put her share of the team up for sale this week.

1) Apparently I’m out of touch with pop culture; these two “celebrities” are getting divorced, Twitter is blowing up over it, and I’ve never heard of either person. Very disappointed in myself.

**StarDust Bum** · 08-10-2017, 02:19 AM

Thursday's Preseason Tips
August 9, 2017

Falcons (-1, 36) at Dolphins - 7:00 PM EST

Atlanta
Head Coach: Dan Quinn (5-3 SU, 4-4 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Matt Ryan, Matt Schaub, Sean Renfree, Matt Simms, Alek Torgersen (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: D. Orlando Ledbetter

The defending NFC champions take the field for the first time since blowing a 25-point lead in February’s shocking Super Bowl loss to the Patriots. Star wide receiver Julio Jones will watch the preseason opener from the sidelines as the Falcons won three of four exhibition games last season. The lone loss came to the Dolphins in Orlando, but the Falcons cashed the UNDER three times, while limiting opponents to 17 points or less in all four contests.

Miami
Head Coach: Adam Gase (2-2 SU, 2-2 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Matt Moore, Brandon Doughty, David Fales
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Armando Salguero

Miami made plenty of headlines this past week with quarterback Ryan Tannehill reinjuring his left knee in practice and missing significant time. Jay Cutler was talked out of his short retirement to return to the field as the former Bears’ signal-caller inked a one-year deal with the Dolphins. Cutler won’t play in Thursday’s preseason opener as Miami enters this season off a 10-6 record and a Wild Card berth in 2016. The Dolphins played only one true home game in the preseason last season, losing to the Titans, while owning a 3-7 ATS record in its past 10 exhibition games.

Vikings (-1 ½ 36) at Bills - 7:00 PM EST

Minnesota
Head Coach: Mike Zimmer (12-1 SU, 11-2 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Sam Bradford, Case Keenum, Taylor Heinicke
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Chris Tomasson

The Vikings entered last preseason with questions at the quarterback position after Teddy Bridgewater suffering a devastating leg injury. Bridgewater remains out and Sam Bradford is the incumbent starter under center, but that’s not the headline for Minnesota. The Vikings continue to be a solid preseason play after posting a perfect 4-0 SU/ATS record in 2016, while Minnesota has won and covered five of six road exhibition contests under Zimmer since 2014.

Buffalo
Head Coach: Sean McDermott (No preseason record)
Quarterback Rotation: Tyrod Taylor, T.J. Yates, Nathan Peterman (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Joe Buscaglia

The Bills begin a new era with the emergence of McDermott after a steady run as the Panthers’ defensive coordinator. Buffalo began last season with a respectable 4-2 record, but won only three of its final 10 contests to finish shy of the playoffs and cost Rex Ryan his job last December. The Bills dropped three of four preseason games in 2016, while losing three consecutive exhibition openers since 2014. Buffalo faces Minnesota in the preseason for the first time since 2013 when the Bills held off the Vikings, 20-16.

Redskins at Ravens (-1, 37 ½) - 7:30 PM EST

Washington
Head Coach: Jay Gruden (9-3 SU, 8-4 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Kirk Cousins, Colt McCoy, Nate Sudfeld
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Mike Jones

The Redskins have succeeded in the preseason in Gruden’s two seasons at the helm by winning nine of 12 games. Washington limited three of four opponents last exhibition season to 18 points or less, while winning its final three contests after dropping the opener at Atlanta. The Redskins visit Baltimore for the first time since 2015 as Washington pulled away for a 31-13 rout.

Baltimore
Head Coach: John Harbaugh (24-12 SU, 23-13 in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Ryan Mallett, Dustin Vaughan, Josh Woodrum (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Jamison Hensley

Joe Flacco will sit out for the Ravens with a back injury, as Mallett gets his chance as the preseason starter. Baltimore erased a 1-3 preseason record in 2015 by posting a perfect 4-0 mark last August. The Ravens were terrific defensively by holding each opponent to 19 points or less, while Harbaugh has won five straight preseason openers with the last Week 1 loss coming in 2011.

Jaguars at Patriots (-3 ½, 40 ½) - 7:30 PM EST

Jacksonville
Head Coach: Doug Marrone (3-6 SU, 3-6 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Blake Bortles, Chad Henne, Brandon Allen
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Ryan O'Halloran

Jacksonville has not won more than five games in a season since 2010 as the Jags dropped 10 of their final 11 contests in 2016. A new coach is in (Marrone) and there are high expectations with top pick Leonard Fournette to give a boost to a Jacksonville running game that ranked 22nd in the league in yards last season. The Jaguars lost three of four preseason games last season, while failing to pick up victories in road setbacks to the Jets and Falcons by a combined six points.

New England
Head Coach: Bill Belichick (49-40 SU, 44-38-7 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacoby Brissett
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Ben Volin

The Patriots should just take it easy in the preseason, but they don’t. The defending champions have won six of their last eight exhibition games at Gillette Stadium, including a pair of victories over New Orleans and Chicago in 2016. The vibe was different last August as Brady was set to serve a four-game suspension and Garoppolo needed the reps. Brady is back for the start this season, but he will likely see a series or two as the Patriots last faced the Jags in the preseason in 2011 in a 47-12 rout.

Broncos (-1 ½, 35 ½) at Bears - 8:00 PM EST

Denver
Head Coach: Vance Joseph (No preseason record)
Quarterback Rotation: Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch, Chad Kelly (Rookie), Kyle Sloter (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Nicki Jhabvala

The Broncos open up a new era under Joseph following a 9-7 season after winning the Super Bowl in 2015. Denver began the 2016 preseason with a 22-0 shutout of Chicago at Soldier Field as Siemian threw for 88 yards, while the Broncos limited the Bears to less than 200 yards of offense. Regardless of the coach or quarterback, Denver has won and covered five consecutive preseason openers since 2012.

Chicago
Head Coach: John Fox (32-28 SU, 29-30-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Mike Glennon, Mitchell Trubisky (Rookie), Mark Sanchez, Connor Shaw
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Zach Zaidman

The Bears are dealing with questions at the quarterback position after signing Glennon as a free agent and trading up to draft Trubisky out of North Carolina. Chicago finished last season by losing seven of its final eight games with the lone victory coming over a 2-14 San Francisco squad. The Bears’ offense didn’t show much in the 2016 preseason by scoring seven points or less in two losses, while putting up 14 points against New England prior to a touchdown and two-point conversion with no time left on the clock.

Eagles at Packers (-1, 38 ½) - 8:00 PM EST

Philadelphia
Head Coach: Doug Pederson (4-0 SU, 4-0 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Carson Wentz, Nick Foles, Matt McGloin, Dane Evans (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Jeff McLane

Philadelphia put together an impressive 4-0 preseason in Pederson’s first year before a 3-0 start to the regular season. Although the Eagles sputtered to a 7-9 finish, Philadelphia has plenty to look forward to this season following the offseason acquisitions of running back LaGarrette Blount and wide receivers Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith. The Eagles didn’t lose an exhibition game in 2016, but scored 17 points or less in three of those victories, resulting in a 3-1 mark to the UNDER.

Green Bay
Head Coach: Mike McCarthy (23-21 SU, 23-21 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Brett Hundley, Joe Callahan, Taysom Hill (Rookie)
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Rob Demovsky

Rodgers won’t likely suit up for Green Bay, just like last preseason’s opener when Callahan saw plenty of time and threw for 124 yards and a touchdown in a 17-11 victory over Cleveland. The Packers finished UNDER the total in all four preseason affairs, while holding all four teams to 17 points or less and three squads to fewer than 12 points. Green Bay has put together solid efforts at home the last few preseasons by going 5-1 SU/ATS at Lambeau Field.

Saints at Browns (-3, 38) - 8:00 PM EST

New Orleans
Head Coach: Sean Payton (19-22 SU, 21-20 in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Drew Brees, Chase Daniel, Garrett Grayson, Ryan Nassib
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Larry Holder

New Orleans has failed to make the playoffs in the last three seasons, while owning identical 7-9 marks each time. Starting 0-4 in the preseason certainly didn’t help matters in 2016 prior to an 0-3 beginning to the regular season. In fact, the Saints are winless in the last two preseasons, while allowing 30 and 34 points in the past two exhibition openers. New Orleans is facing Cleveland for the first time in the preseason since the Browns re-joined the league in 1999.

Cleveland
Head Coach: Hue Jackson (0-8 SU, 0-8 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Brock Osweiler, Cody Kessler, DeShone Kizer (Rookie), Kevin Hogan
Beat Writer Twitter Follow: Mary Kay Cabot

The Browns can only go up following a 1-15 campaign and the only victory coming in Week 16 over the Chargers in 2016. Cleveland has an open quarterback competition after acquiring Osweiler from Houston following a subpar season with the Texans. Similar to New Orleans, Cleveland failed to register a preseason victory (or cover) in 2016 as the offense didn’t bust the 13-point mark. The Browns have stumbled to a 1-5 ATS record in the last six favorite opportunities in the preseason since 2014, while dropping three straight exhibition openers.

**StarDust Bum** · 08-10-2017, 01:20 PM

Steelers GM: 'We have to be prepared' for life after Big Ben
August 10, 2017

Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert knows the clock is ticking with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger openly talking about retirement.

Roethlisberger, who is a five-time Pro Bowl selection, admitted during an interview in July that retirement at the end of the 2017 season is a serious consideration.

"I hope he stays here more than one year, but we have to be prepared," Colbert told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"... Will I see more games, maybe, more quarterbacks? Maybe. Not because of what he said, but where he is. At 35, you may put a replacement in place sooner than later, and we did that, again adding a young player like a Josh Dobbs into the mix at this point. All of a sudden Landry (Jones is) a free agent last year and that kind of snuck up on us as well, so you want to put another young quarterback in the mix. Fortunately we signed Landry, and we have him for a longer period than we did at this point last year."

Roethlisberger will tie Terry Bradshaw for the longest tenure as a Steelers quarterback as he heads into his 14th NFL season.

Days after Pittsburgh lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game in January, Roethlisberger hinted he might have played his last game.

Roethlisberger, as expected, officially put to rest any speculation about his future with an announcement in April of his return. He has been the team's starter since being drafted in the first round in 2004.

The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Roethlisberger threw for 3,819 yards and 29 touchdowns with 13 interceptions over 14 games in 2016. He is the Steelers' all-time leader in passing yards (46,814) and touchdowns (301) in 185 career games.

**StarDust Bum** · 08-10-2017, 01:23 PM

THURSDAY, AUGUST 10

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

ATL at MIA 07:00 PM

ATL -1.5

O 36.0

MIN at BUF 07:00 PM

MIN -3.0

O 36.5

JAC at NE 07:30 PM

JAC +3.0

O 39.5

WAS at BAL 07:30 PM

WAS -1.5

O 36.0

PHI at GB 08:00 PM

GB +1.0

O 38.5

NO at CLE 08:00 PM

NO +3.0

O 38.0

DEN at CHI 08:00 PM

CHI +1.5

O 36.0

**StarDust Bum** · 08-11-2017, 02:53 AM

NFL preseason roundup: Jaguars top Patriots
August 11, 2017

With quarterback Tom Brady and the bulk of the New England Patriots' projected starters watching from the sideline, the defending Super Bowl champions opened the preseason Thursday night with a 31-24 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Foxborough, Mass.

New England's defense struggled, allowing three touchdowns of 42 or more yards on the night, including a 97-yard touchdown pass from Chad Henne to Keelan Cole, who blew by Patriots second-year cornerback Cyrus Jones.

Jacksonville's Leonard Fournette carried nine times for 31 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

New England's Jimmy Garoppolo started under center and played well in more than a half of action. After a slow start, the fourth-year player completed 22 of 28 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns.

Broncos 24, Bears 17

De'Angelo Henderson broke a touchdown run 41 yards on a draw play on third-and-22 with 1:49 left as Denver topped host Chicago.

The Broncos' Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch, competing for the starting quarterback job, combined for less than 100 passing yards. Chris Harris Jr. returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown on the third play from scrimmage for Denver.

Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky came on just before halftime and directed three scoring drives, leading Chicago back from a 10-0 deficit. He finished 18 of 25 passing for 166 yards and a touchdown.

Packers 24, Eagles 9

Trevor Davis returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown and Jeff Janis caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brett Hundley as Green Bay defeated Philadelphia at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.

Janis, known locally as Mr. August for his preseason exploits, caught a 20-yard touchdown with 8:31 left in the second quarter to give the Packers a 14-6 lead. The Eagles' Carson Wentz played one series, going 4-for-4 for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Green Bay wide receiver Malachi Dupre, a seventh-round rookie from LSU, was leveled by Tre Sullivan in the fourth quarter and left on a stretcher. Dupre was taken to a local hospital, where it was reported he had movement and feeling in his extremities.

Ravens 23, Redskins 3

Undrafted rookie Tim White made a 33-yard touchdown reception, and the Ravens shut down Washington in Baltimore.

Ravens quarterback Ryan Mallett didn't instill much confidence, completing 9 of 18 passes for 58 yards. He is taking the majority of snaps with Joe Flacco sidelined because of a back injury. There doesn't appear to be a timetable for Flacco's return.

Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins played two series, completing 1 of 2 passes for 5 yards. He was also sacked for an 8-yard loss by Anthony Levine on third-and-8 during the opening drive.

Dolphins 23, Falcons 20

David Fales threw two touchdown passes, including a 99-yard hookup with Damore'ea Stringfellow in the fourth quarter, to rally Miami past Atlanta at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Fla.

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, the reigning NFL MVP, led the Falcons on a five-play scoring drive on their opening possession. He completed all three of his passes on the drive, including a 15-yard touchdown to running back Devonta Freeman.

Matt Moore started for the Dolphins and completed his only pass attempt. Rookie Brandon Doughty threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Leonte Carroo that put Miami ahead 10-7 early in the second quarter.

Browns 20, Saints 14

Rookie DeShone Kizer threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Payton on fourth-and-2 with 1:52 to play to lead the Browns past New Orleans at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.

Browns quarterback Brock Osweiler started and played four series without putting any points on the board. He completed 6 of 14 passes for 42 yards. Cody Kessler followed him in the second quarter and hit 5 of 10 passes for 47 yards.

Kizer completed 11 of 18 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown. Garrett Grayson relieved Chase Daniel at quarterback for the Saints and completed 11 of 16 passes for 126 yards.

Vikings 17, Bills 10

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Quarterbacks Case Keenum and Taylor Heinicke led third-quarter touchdown drives to lift Minnesota over the Bills at New Era Field in Buffalo, N.Y.

Keenum completed 11 of 16 passes for 121 yards and engineered a 69-yard touchdown drive. Heinicke hit rookie Rodney Adams on a rollout for a 2-yard touchdown that capped a 71-yard drive and gave the Vikings a two-touchdown lead.

Tyrod Taylor was 5 of 8 passing for 46 yards, connecting with Sammy Watkins on Buffalo's first three plays. Minnesota's Sam Bradford completed 5 of 7 passes for 35 yards and was sacked twice.

**StarDust Bum** · 08-11-2017, 02:55 AM

Friday’s six-pack

American League Wild Card standings:

1) New York 60-53

2) Seattle 59-56

3) Tampa Bay 0.5 games behind

4) Kansas City 1 GB

5) Minnesota 1.5 GB

6) LA Angels 2 GB

7) Baltimore 2.5 GB

8) Texas 4 GB

9) Toronto 4.5 GB

**********************

Friday’s List of 13: Random stuff with the weekend here…….

13) Damned if you do, damned if you don’t: I know people who stopped watching the NFL last year because of the Colin Kaepernick/kneeling thing. Granted, these people aren’t avid fans, but they did stop watching games.

Now there is a petition with 130,000 names on it claiming THEY will boycott games if some NFL team doesn’t sign Kaepernick. The fact that he may have turned down Seattle’s offer to be a backup doesn’t seem to matter to these humans— maybe they want him to take Tom Brady’s place.

I don’t know, but if I never hear the word “politics” again, it’ll be too damn soon.

12) Mets saved $4M by trading Jay Bruce to the Indians. Its always good when the Wilpons can bank an extra $4M, seeing as how they’re friends with Bernie Madoff and all— a little extra change never hurt anyone.

Bronx Bombers offered $1M and two prospects for Bruce; the two prospects mustn’t be very good, or else the Mets just preferred cash.

11) 44-year old pitcher Bartolo Colon was in the big leagues before 17 of the current 30 major league stadiums were opened.

10) Houston Texans have five Clemson guys on their squad, a good college team to pick from. Never hurts to have players who are used to winning.

9) Scary story about Oakland University hoop coach Greg Kampe, who almost died this summer when six kidney stones that were lodged in his kidney became infected. He wound up in intensive care for five days— he is OK now, but in his early 60’s, sepsis is a very dangerous thing to have in your system. He was smart to go to the ER to get treatment.

Kampe is 583-424 in his head coaching career, all of which has been spent at Oakland.

8) If you care about such things, ESPN will have 28 consecutive hours of fantasy football coverage on its airwaves, starting Monday night at 7pm.

7) Mike Krzyzewski is having knee replacement surgery this week, so Duke’s basketball team has cancelled its summer trip to the Dominican Republic. Teams can only take one of those trips every four years; they’ll probably go next year now.

6) Odd Fact of the Day: A 91-year old woman in Thailand earned a college degree after spending more than 10 years studying for it— she got her diploma from the country’s king. Good for her.

5) With Padres leading 3-2 at Cincinnati Thursday with one out and tying run on second with one out in the bottom of the 7th inning, manager Andy Green changed pitchers, replacing righty Kirby Yates with lefty Brad Hand with a 2-2 count on Joey Votto.

Not sure how many times I’ve seen this before, but it is very few. Hand is San Diego’s closer, but to close this win, he had to get eight outs!!! Unusual strategy.

Votto walked, Adam Duvall struck out, then Scooter Gennett hit a grand slam, making Green’s strategy a complete disaster. Have no idea what he was thinking; the San Diego TV guys said this: “…..some interesting decisions by Andy Green”

4) UAB has brought back its football team this year, after it was gone for a couple years; the mayor of Birmingham says the team’s return will have a $50M positive impact on the city’s economy.

Maybe he thinks the Crimson Tide are moving from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham.

3) Mets had a deal to send Neal Walker to the Bronx at the trade deadline, but when Bronx acquired Sonny Gray, they scuttled the Walker deal, using Walker’s medical records as the excuse why. Mets’ brass wasn’t amused, which may be why Jay Bruce is in Cleveland now.

That and the thing about Bronx not wanting to absorb Bruce’s contract, which the Indians did.

2) Quarterbacks are valuable; there are reports that the Bengals turned down a 2nd-round pick for backup QB AJ McCarron. That is surprising.

1) Atlanta Falcons had six games LY where they had a +3 or better turnover ratio; thats going to be really difficult to replicate this season. Numbers people think Atlanta will regress some this season, and thats before factoring in the fact that they have two new coordinators this year.

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