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***SWAMPY SUNDAY - MUCK 5 - WEEK 9***


***DALLAS COWBOYS @ CLEVELAND BROWNS***

With the wound still fresh of losing what was an amazing World Series Game 7, I think the city of Cleveland could use a little pick me up! What better than the Browns getting their first win of the season and breaking the losing streak against the mighty Dallas Cowboys?! This is clearly a task much easier said than done and pretty a far fetched dream for the Brownies as the Cowboys are currently on a six game winning streak with a 6-1 record. Or is it? This is a classic "trap game" spot for the Boys as this road game is sandwiched in between their tough OT divisional battle against the Eagles last week on SNF & the Steelers on deck. America's Team has been surging behind the Rookie duo of QB Dak Prescott and RB Ezekial Elliot. These two have taken the NFL by storm in their first season behind the best offensive line in football, all without top WR Dez Bryant for the most part whom they just got back last week. The new Cowboy Triplets are lethal but this is a spot where Cleveland Head Coach Hue Jackson could dial up just the right scheme to give the Boys more than they are expecting. The Browns will have WR do-it-all Terrelle Pryor back as well as Rookie WR Corey Coleman who before breaking his hand in practice earlier this year, looked like he was about to quickly make a name for himself in this league as a real deep threat. Hue has also declared Rookie QB Cody Kessler as the starter for today with veteran Josh McCown as the backup ready for damage control if needed. Kessler has taken advantage of the opportunity that has fallen into his lap due to injuries and played fairly well in the couple of games before suffering a concussion sidelining him as well. The stage is set for this young QB and WRs to take advantage of a depleted Cowboys secondary and shock the NFL with a potential upset. To everyone's surprise, the Browns also pulled off the only blockbuster trade before the deadline acquiring LB Jamie Collins from the Patriots for a draft pick. Collins will be playing his first game as a Brown today and although it is on short notice, I think it will help provide a spark to this defense and help slow the Dallas running game. Collins has to be pissed off going from first to worst in terms of organizations and I got to believe he will have extra motivation for a big game to show the Pats they made a mistake. Veteran CB Joe Haden who was said to be on the trading block stayed put, and I think that kind of thing also helps get the guys jacked up for today's challenge as he will surely be shadowing Dez Bryant. Dak has been awesome this season, but I have noticed his game has been slipping a bit, or maybe it is the inevitable fact that NFL defenses are starting to put together a better blueprint of how to play against him with more game film to use to make his life more difficult. Now with all the Tony Romo getting healthy again talk, I think the added pressure of giving back the starting QB job to the veteran will mess with Dak's play a bit. All it will most likely take is a loss or two in these next few weeks and we will most likely see Romo back behind center. It is a very difficult situation and decision for this organization to make and as they are loyal to the veteran but long as Dak keeps winning they will have to stay with him. I think that day is near, and in my eyes, Dallas was lucky to squeak out a win against Philly last weekend. I believe it will be hard for them to match the energy and motivation level of a winless Browns team today. The Browns are starving for a win and have come oh so close at times this season. They are rightttt there and just can't seem to get over the hump to get it done. Last week they took off against the Jets with an early lead and were unable to hold on to it. They get another shot today at home for what would be a great feel good team win upsetting a top NFL team that I believe they can match up with. I expect Hue Jackson to hold nothing back today and go for the jugular as far as trick plays with Pryor and doing whatever it takes to get an edge against a clear better opponent. That all being said, let's gobble up those generous points here as the Brownies should give it all they got today and keep it close with potential for an outright upset. BROWNS+7.5

***NEW YORK JETS @ MIAMI DOLPHINS***

The Dolphins will be paying their fourth straight home game today when they host their AFC East rival the New York Jets. Before their bye week, the Phins put together two impressive wins against a Steelers team where QB Ben Rothlisberger went down with an injury and then beat up on another rival in the Bills a week later. In both these games, Miami RB Jay Ajayi went off with back to back 200 yard rushing games. This is no doubt a straight cause and effect symptom of Miami finally having a healthy offensive line lead by Center Mike Pouncey and Rookie Tackle Laremy Tunsil. The cat is now out of the bag however regarding the Dolphins newly found running game and the Jets come into town with one of the better run-stopping defenses in the league, which is about all they can do on defense so far. The NY secondary has been atrocious so far this season with veteran CB Darelle Revis' play clearly declining with age. Revis has been called out by Jets Nation for lack of motivation and effort. I know Revis has had to of heard all of the criticism about him lately and will be motivated moving forward. Now up against a team he historically plays well against, I feel as though he will have a good game today against an inconsistent Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill. The Jets defensive gameplan will surely be to shutdown the Miami rushing attack and force Tannehill to be the one to beat them. He definitely has the weapons at WR to do so, but will he get it done is the question. I believe the Miami bye week came at a bad time for this team and will break their momentum as we have seen it do to some other hot teams in the league this season. The Jets have their backs against the wall after a terrible start to the year and playing a difficult schedule, but their season is surprisingly not lost yet. With 5 losses already on the year, the Jets know that in a division clearly dominated by the Patriots, there is now no longer any room for error if they want to keep their meek playoff hopes alive. With their schedule now lightening up, they have a chance to string together some wins before their bye week with the Dolphins today and the Rams on deck. After taking advantage of an injured Ravens team and a uncharacteristic comeback against the lowly Browns last week, they can potentially rattle off 4 in a row and head into their bye week at .500 with a 5-5 record. I believe they will use the momentum from that second half comeback last week even though it was against the Browns and get the job done in Miami today. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick plays better when in the underdog roll and expectations are not high for him. The Dolphins have just lost their star safety Reshad Jones for the season and the potential for the passing game is their for Fitzy and a young WR core that is starting to take shape. Led by veteran WR Brandon Marshall, the young WRs Quincy Enunwa, Robby Anderson, and Jalin Marshall have really started to step up and I think will have themselves a game today. Besides a quick flash in Buffalo week 2, we have yet to see this Jets offense really click. I just have a feeling they will show up today. Look for RBs Matt Forte and Bilal Powell to have big games catching dump off passes out of the backfield as well. Back to my original point, I believe the Jets will dare Tannehill to beat them here, and he won't. JETS+4

***PHILADELPHIA EAGLES @ NEW YORK GIANTS***

The Giants will host the Eagles today in a new chapter of classic NFC East battles between the two. Philly Rookie QB Carson Wentz will get his first taste of the Meadowlands when he leads his team into MetLife Stadium looking for their first divisional win. They have already dropped a game in Washington and blew a lead in Dallas last week on SNF. Will they get swept in the first round of divisional match ups? Only time will tell but I believe the Eagles at this very moment are a better and more complete team than the Gmen and will taste their first NFC East victory of the year today. They managed to sweep the Giants in both match ups last season and historically play well on the road against Big Blue. The Giants will be coming off of their bye week and are still searching for their identity with struggles on the offensive line preventing them from putting together an effective run game which has proven to have somewhat of a domino effect on the offense in general. With a explosive WR core like the Giants have, one would think that scoring points would be the least of their problems this season. The combination of QB Eli Manning and his WRs Odell Beckham Jr., Victor Cruz, and Rookie Sterling Shepard, has struggled to really take flight this season and Eli has not looked comfortable in the pocket. He looks to have happy feet and is getting rid of the ball as quickly as possible, even when he doesn't need to. This shows me that Eli doesn't trust his offensive line and it has now effected his game mentally. He is anticipating the big hit and not letting the routes of his WR to develop. Up against a solid Philadelphia defense led by new Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz, things most likely won't get any easier for Eli today and this offense today. I expect Manning to be under pressure early and often, causing him to make some costly mistakes that he can be prone to making at times throwing against ball hawks like Malcolm Jenkins in the Eagles secondary. On the other side of things Rookie Carson Wentz has looked great in my eyes. This kid has all the tools to be the real deal QB in the NFL. His WRs are holding him back, dropping accurate passes and coming up short in big spots. They will also have their work cut out for them against a new look Giants defense that has kept them in games this year. If it wasn't for the outstanding effort by Safety Landon Collins with two interceptions and miraculously returning one for a touchdown against the Rams in London two weeks ago, they don't win that game. I foresee a hard fought low scoring affair in this one, with Wentz rising to the occasion and having himself a big game making all the right decisions to get his first divisonal win on the road. I think his WRs will step up, and the X-factor of RB Darren Sproles being too slippery for these Giants LBs to tackle. EAGLES+3

***DETROIT LIONS @ MINNESOTA VIKINGS***

The Vikings have now dropped two straight games since starting the season 5-0. Today they return home where their new stadium provides a true home field advantage. After getting pummeled by the lowly Bears on MNF last week, I feel this team has to be eager to get things back on track. Up against a poor defense like the Lions have, it could be just what the doctor ordered. To everyone's surprise Minnesota Offensive Coordinator Norv Turner resigned after the beatdown the Vikings suffered by the Bears on Monday night. It is unclear as to why he did so other than it being said that "it just wasn't working." While many think this could be a big negative for the Vikes offense, I think that Pat Shurmur taking over the play calling could actually benefit QB Sam Bradford due to their history together. The offensive line has been atrocious since losing Offensive Tackle Matt Kalil, as they have been unable to effectively overcome the changes up front. However, now with a couple games under their belt without the stud Tackle and some more game film to analyze their mistakes, I think they will eventually start to effectively scheme well enough to makeup for his absence. The Lions have been winning games this season solely due to QB Matt Stafford and the passing game. It has been their offense keeping this team afloat and they go as Stafford and his production goes. Up against one of the best defenses if not the best defense in the league at home in Minnesota, coupled with the home crowd hungry for a win and wanting blood, I don't think the Lions will be able to get things going today. They struggled on the road against Houston last week and the Texans defense is tough, but nowhere near as good as the people in purple. The Vikings will come to play in this Black & Blue Divisional contest, and I think beat down the Lions in this one. VIKINGS-6

***JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS @ KANSAS CITY CHIEFS***

The lowly Jags head into an extremely tough environment in Kansas City today to take on the Chiefs. After watching and shamefully backing this Jaguars team one too many times this season, it is clear that this team is lost. Last week on TNF they were straight up abused and embarrassed by their divisional rival the Tennessee Titans in a rout. The Jaguars could do nothing right whether it was poor tackling and coverage by the defense, inefficient play from the QB, or dumb penalties, you name it as they seemed to have almost given up on the season already. It is going to take a perfect spot for this team to come alive again and this isn't it. KC is a team that is starting to click and will be starting backup QB Nick Foles today who in my mind can throw a much better deep ball than the starting QB Alex Smith. With Foles this offense changes for the better as it opens up with more options in the playbook. I am not saying Foles should be the starter, I am not sure what happened to this guy when he was traded to St. Louis after some early success in his career in Philly, but he was terrible as a Ram. That being said, we have now seen him play both very well and very bad. Last week when he came in for relief for Smith after he was injured against the Colts, he looked to be comfortable and more like the solid QB he was in Philly. Maybe it is his familiarity with Head Coach Andy Reid that allows him to play more of his game but if not, I believe he will at least play well enough today in this one game at home versus a lesser foe. This is more of a fade of Jaguar QB Blake Bortles since he has proven to me that something isn't right with him and his throwing mechanics are all kinds of screwed up. Somewhere along the line his throwing motion changed and I believe it has now become a mental block for the kid. I also have heard that he has gotten comfortable in Jacksonville and possibly let himself slip a bit in the nightlife there which could definitely be the source of where the problems stem from. His chemistry with his WRs is way off, and they are clearly frustrated about it as we saw WR Allen Robinson spike his helmet in anger on the sideline last week. RB Chris Ivory is finally back but has a case of fumbleitus and Head Coach Gus Bradley is truly on the verge of losing this team if not lost already. I assumed that he was a player's coach and that they would have his back with his job on the line and they straight up quit as soon as they were punched in the mouth last week and it was ugly. So maybe not, maybe they don't care and are fed up and changes do need to be made. We will see, but I like the KC defense to smell blood in the water and get after it today, kind of like they did to Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets at home in week 3. CHIEFS-7


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