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Is it actually hard to beat an NFL team three times in a season?

Relying on adages to bet NFL games is dangerous. Hopefully everyone knows by now that “defense wins championships” isn’t exactly a lock.

Another one you’ll hear often this week is that it’s hard to beat a team three times in a season. That’s just not true.

The New Orleans Saints cruised by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in both meetings this season. In Week 1, they took a 24-7 lead and won 34-23. The rematch on Nov. 8 was ugly. The Saints led 31-0 at halftime and won 38-3.

The spread at BetMGM for the third meeting in the playoffs, the first postseason matchup between Tom Brady and Drew Brees, is Saints -3.5. The Bucs have played well, but it seems like the line being barely above a field goal relies on that old notion that it’s tough to beat a team three times in a season.

The opposite is true. Since 1970 there have been 21 instances of a team sweeping another in the regular season and meeting a third time in the playoffs. In those 21 playoff games, the team that swept in the regular season is 14-7 in the postseason matchup. According to Football Perspective, if the sweeping team is at home, the record improves to 12-5. The home teams in that situation are 9-8 against the spread.

The Buccaneers are very good, with Antonio Brown coming alive the past few weeks. Brady is one of the greatest playoff performers ever. They could cover a 3.5-point spread and even win straight up. But it won’t be because of some old cliché.

When you hear that it’s hard to beat a team three times in a season, know that 67 percent of the time that hasn’t come to pass. If you like the Saints, who are finally at full strength on offense and much better on defense than they get credit for, don't be scared off just because this is the third meeting between them and the Bucs. There's a reason the first two games went the way they did.

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A lot of people placing bets on TB.  The line is close.   It’s a pick ‘em kind of game.  But despite Brees and his lack of arm strength I like Kamara and New Orleans.  I also like the over at 52.  

The Packers at 6.5 and Bills at 2.5 seems puzzling to me given how well both Green Bay and Buffalo have played this year.  The Ravens haven’t exactly played well against good teams on the road and the Rams and Goff shouldn’t scare anyone.   I do think I’d take the under in both games (45 in GB game and 50 in Buffalo game) but I expect both home teams to win by 10-14+ points.

The Kansas City and Cleveland matchup should favor the Chiefs big time but the 10pt spread is a lot and the Browns won’t be afraid of the weather and they have a really good run game which travels well in the playoffs.  I think KC wins but I think the Browns cover.  

@Maynard posted:

As I watch, the only team that really worries me is the Chefs.  I think that packers can beat them, but that would be the hardest game for sure.

I actually think the Pack matches up worst against the Ravens (not that that’s gonna happen). Baltimore’s strength on offense is rushing and the have a running QB. Pack would have no answer for Lamar. But that’s not gonna happen, so.....pfft,

@RochNyFan posted:

Lamar Jackson is the most overrated player in the NFL.

He's very good right now, but he's not likely to age well. He's a less talented version of Michael Vick. His ability to run sets up his ability to pass. Defenses have to honor him running so they devote guys to contain that and it opens up things in the passing game. Once guys like that get older and get dinged up, they become pretty average pretty quick.

Michael Vick had a cannon for an arm, but he was never coached well in Atlanta (Jim Mora). He took off 3 years for his dogfighting and when Reid got him in Philly he became a good pocket passer, but he was already in his 30s.

Jackson does not have Vick's passing ability.

Yeah, Ive thought that about him for a while now.  Same as last year.  I think BUF will give KC all they can handle. BAL had chances and just couldn't follow through.  Allen has a Marino like flick of the wrist delivery.  He'll keep that team in the hunt for years.

Huntley >> Hundley.

I think if it wasn't for that Packers team of destiny, Vick was lightning in a bottle that year and would've been in Dallas vs PIT.

Last edited by DH13

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