Superbowl winner

and seahawks onside

Can't disagree with any of that really. I only have the 49ers & Seahawks onside at the moment. Colts price is  a bit long I think considering they are almost guaranteed to win their division - how can they be longer than the Patriots in the outright market - makes no sense IMO.

Of those teams at bigger prices, the only one I think is overpriced is the Detroit Lions 90.0 (66/1 high street). Their offence is such that they will always be there or thereabouts in games. They lost to the Packers by 15 but that was without Megatron while the other 2 games they lost were by 4pts & 3pts respectively. The 6th playoff spot in the NFC looks to be between them and the Bears and I fancy the Lions to get it and have to go to either Lambeau or Dallas in the wildcard round.

The bears can't stop any team...they won't make the playoffs...they are shipping more yards than just about any other team.....all this talk about how good defensively they are is rubbish...it is covered up by these turnovers they constantly produce.

No surprises there d13, pretty much all the teams at the head of the market. However it is hard to imagine any other team being good enough. Of those I think 49ers are the mostly likely winners.
Don't tend to play overall market so just my preseason picks of seahawks pats and panthers still running.

D13 how can you be concerned with the coaching...they were coached to perfection almost last night...I have never seen denver punt the ball so much..outstanding play by the defence....I think you have to give some credit to the chargers when they beat indy...the defence was excellent..far better defence than denver.

not watched last nights game yet harry

i basically mean they just have to take the chains off Luck, which it sounds like they did last night.

The Bears

btw, Bradshaw won't be returning, he is done for the season as is Wayne

really starting to think that the Packers will be the team to beat.

They could be formidable when they get Clay, Jones and Cobb back

They have done well to keep winning with the injuries but they are also a team that has only beaten trees and lost when playing decent opposition.

A supersoft schedule could mean they have a decent seeded and lambou in Jan is no fun for anyone.

I like the Bengals. I know the Andy Dalton problem but other than that they look solid and explosive. I liked the Colts until the two recent injuries.
Bengals will win their division this season

thats my thinking swardean

i only see them losing 1 maybe 2 more and the other NFC powerhouses have much harder schedules

Colts still too high

Packers and 49ers have both come in on the Saints loss.

SB book looking ok here atm.

Still not taking the chiefs seriously.

The Chiefs are the real deal alright. That was a huge win in Buffalo. They have huge games coming up against Denver and San Diego....will know a lot more soon

they struggled for 3 quarters against a 3rd string QB

Chiefs will get exposed soon enough. They can't live on defensive TD's forever, I watched the game and was on -4.5, very lucky to win that game. Tuel threw a pick six at the goal line that made it 14-14 instead of 21-7. Reid still has a pathological fear of running the ball.  Then another def TD won the game. Buffalo dominated the LOS and ran all over them with injured RB's.

They're on a nice run against moderate opposition, and I think Manning is going to tear them a new one in 2 weeks.

Last five qbs the Chiefs have faced.....Ryan Fitzpatrick,Terelle Pryor,Case Keenum,Jason Campbell and Jeff Tuel....all back up qbs in training camp.....

I know you can only beat what's in front of you but i'm not with them yet.

If they go 10-14 points down on a good team like Denver, how would they get back into the game and then keep up?

I don't see it.

No mention of The Patriots! No mention of The Cowboys....
Both Packers and Saints can win it..
Seahawks and Chiefs not up to it just yet IMO.....
Would be unbelievable to see Luck and Colts go all the way. Its the team that maybe can....
The cold has yet to come and freeze up Peyton...
Picks out of left field.... Detroit and Jets
Just a few thoughts....

A very rough week for the NFC 'elite', 49ers with a bye week but Seattle, Packers and Saints all struggling.  Perhaps AFC is better?

My Packers green not looking too good now

will keep an eye on the Rodgers news on twitter and it may be an opportunity to get a bigger price.

I think the 49ers are the ones to beat swardean.  they have had their road bump and now they have a hungry Aldon Smith coming back into the mix.

Can the Packers sign Matt Flynn

Byron Leftwich is an available free agent!

Seriously I know all about Sedative Wallace from his days at Seattle, he isn't too bad and I guess a bit rusty but with the division the way it is, there is not a lot of time for Packers to get back on the winning trail if Rodgers is indeed out.

Swardean 05 Nov 13 08:13 
A very rough week for the NFC 'elite', 49ers with a bye week but Seattle, Packers and Saints all struggling.  Perhaps AFC is better?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I got involved with this with Harry22 earlier in the season about "AFC is pathetic", even when AFC were winning the vast majority of inter-conference games (they led by 11! now its 4 or 5 I think, haven't checked). I defended the AFC, as far as I can see there is no real difference and when there is its short-lived, as just when you make a statement about one being stronger than the other - the next results throw that on its head. I'd be just as vehement in my defence of the NFC now. Its kind of arbitary anyway because the "strength" looked like it was in the West - AFC West/NFC West.

Harry's argument was there was more genuine potential SB winners in NFC, perhaps that was true but that can change. From my side I was disappointed with the seeming lack of emergence of new genuine threats in the NFC (unlike AFC where Chiefs and Bengals looked like putting themselves into the mix), but that can change too - and I think it has (the very exciting Panthers, and the Lions).

Some stray observations (for No.1 I thought this before this week, not after-timing, I promise):

1. Saints (who I don't really fancy as contenders) need to get home-field advantage or they are goosed. More flash than substance
2. 49ers (who I don't fancy to go all the way either) are classic bullies. 49ers fans must be alarmed at the way when the meet a more physical team "in the trenches" the buckle. Ravens in the SB 2nd half, Seahawks and Colts this year just beat them up.....as Mark Schlereth said.."they go off crying to the teacher"
3. The above two will of course benefit if Rodgers is gone for the season - for me it was between Packers and Seahawks (but closely watching Carolina)
4. I think NFC East will improve - although not great their record was skewed by playing a lot of games against AFC West
5. Believe it or not, I think the Baltimore Ravens would be contenders if they still had Anquan Boldin - but they don't - it's killing Flacco, who I think is an excellent QB (not the very top-level obviously)
6. I think AFC East is a very strong division - I feel for 3-6 Bills if Manuel wasn't injured they too could be contenders

no way on this planet the chiefs win the superbowl, but at the price you need to have them on your side. they could easily end up winning the division, getting top seed and being 5.0 if they do.

the 49ers argument i dont buy at all. both those losses were ages ago when they were struggling to get anything going. on current form the 49ers should batter seattle in the home game. barring injury or seattle continuing to be the luckiest team in the league.

if rodgers is out longterm, the packers are fecked. may as well be 500/1 for the superbowl. the same goes for most teams. lose your qb and its goodnight vienna. they can fluke a win against philly with a backup, maybe even the giants and vikings games too, but they arent fluking the 7 or 8 games to win the division without rodgers.

If you saw it on Monday night you know that the Packers probably fear the worst with Aaron Rodgers' injury. And the early reports aren't good.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Tuesday morning that Rodgers suffered a small fracture in his collarbone and the Packers believe their QB will miss about three weeks.

However, Schefter also reports the Packers "do not want to make any determination" until after Rodgers undergoes more tests on Tuesday.

Mike McCarthy -- and Rodgers himself -- had no interest in discussing the possible injury on Monday night.

"They don't have an exact diagnosis," McCarthy said. "No timeline. No exact diagnosis."

ESPN's Ed Werder added an ominous note to Schefter's report, asking a source if Rodgers could end up missing the rest of the regular season.

"Possibly, but they need to see more."

Of note, former Packers QB Matt Flynn was released Monday by the Bills.

Yes wallflower I remember seeing that debate with harry, I thought you both had points and for me a little too early to reach a conclusion.  For me this weeks confirm what everyone has been saying this year.  There are no great teams, there are some very good ones, but even they have flaws.   This should make it a super exciting remainder of the season, and with margins so tight, things like home field advantage perhaps will have more influence.

49ers and Panthers go h2h this week and that should be informative.  I backed the Panthers preseason (not aftertiming either) but even if they win this one their run in is possibly the most brutal of any team, if they do get to the playoffs, what shape will they be in.   Still just think winners of NFC West will win the big one though.

Thanks for update Hayden, collarbone is not good, cant strap it up like a finger, wrist or even arm, and even none throwing side, if there is a crack must surely be 6 weeks out.

Am I mad to like the Lions? I'm sorry but I do and I think they will win their division. And as I said previously I like the Bengals a lot - despite Dalton. Also the Panthers could win their division now. We will see how they get on in San Fran this weekend. It's going to tell us a lot about Carolina

i just can't have Carolina at all.

Their O line will get exposed by the 49ers this weekend.  I actually fear for Cam Newton.If you look at all their losses this year it is against teams that can get to the QB

I am all over the 49ers winning by a TD already.

Clay,

I also like the Lions as a team.  I just don't like their coach.  He is a grade A Moron that can lose any game from anywhere.

If I can get 7pts on the spread I would back Carolina, they can stuff the running attack of Gore and played the read option really well against Seattle and that could limit the Eel.

I think Panthers are better balanced on offence as the passing attack is underrated.  Really looking forward to this one and for once Sky has chosen my top game as the live one.   

Home advantage and rested 49ers to overcome but 7 points is a lot.

Sky have dumped the Panthers @ 49ers and are showing Broncos @ Chargers instead

w4nkers!! I spoke to soon.

Their bias against Seattle is incredible.  No live games so far from them (except and MNF, SNF, TNF events) and given they are one of the few teams in the Pacific time zone they should surely had had a game on by now.   Same as last season, no sky games until the playoffs..

that is what gamepass for.

and that is why Swardean, we can clean up

because we can watch the games no one else watches

Indeed d13, I setup multi-screen on a Sunday, with laptop, big TV and Nexus 7.  I tend to watch the live sky game (or redzone) + Seattle + Seattle's next opponent + Jags .... just my little system.

Anyone get fancy prices on the Giants for the big one. They were 500/1 on the high street for the Superbowl and 66/1 for the NFC East a few weeks ago. I was very tempted at the time but didn't bother in the end. If they win their next 2 games, both at home against Packers and Cowboys, then they will be at worst just 1 game off the top of the division, and possibly tied if the Redskins beat the Eagles next weekend in Philly.

I do like the Lions

db1974. I backed the giants after they beat the vikings. Must have been one of the worst games of the season but i looked at the tables and the nfc east wont take much winning. I got 500/1 with pp outright, 50/1 for the division. Still think they are bad but they could easily win their division. Great time to be playing the Packers. Tough games v lions and seahawks to come but if they win their divisional matches 8-8 may be good enough. I wouldnt put anyone off backing them for the division now at around 9/1.       
However, even if they do win their division, i cannot see them beating likely opponents the 49ers, panthers,saints or seahawks. Nearly all of my ante post bets involve the 49ers winning the nfc. Need to get crabtree back asap.

ive layed the lot off of my 49ers bets. they still have a chance, but the division has all but gone now. seattle have too many stupily easy games and are the luckiest team on the planet too. 14.5 looks a rubbish price now. if they make the play offs i'll back them back at probably around the same price. its vaguely possible they wont even get in now, no value in having them at 14.5. could be higher than that even if they make the play offs. hard to see them being much lower unless they win the division, which looks near impossible. theyve really knackered me up the 49ers. and mostly due to seattle fluking wins when playing crap. i still think theyre a better team than seattle, but seattle have somehow managed to win games they shouldnt have. they should both be around 6-3 with the 2nd matchup deciding the division, but it hasnt worked out like that.

i really dont like the giants, philly and dallas play each other the last game. both have better division records than the giants. unless the giants get ahead by then, they probably cant win the division. if both philly and dallas are 7-8 at worst going in to that last game, then 8-8 almost certainly wont be enough for the giants to win the division. their run-in is brutal too, cant see them winning 6 games to be honest.

detroit are looking better all the time. the defence is hopeless, but they can outscore most teams. the division looks all but in the bag unless they lose at home to the packers. its all down to the rodgers thing really. when hes back and how fit he really is when he is back.

Kaepernick has also regressed badly. That's a big issue for them. All the four kids from last year have taken a bit of a step back IMO, to be expected though.

Seattle isn't going to be a team that looks flashy in its wins every week, they're the antithesis of the old Pats or Denver in the first 6-7 games this year. But when push comes to shove in the last few weeks, defense really shows, as it does in the playoffs. Seattle will still be near impossible to beat in their house when the **** goes down.

You think SFG are better but they're really not, Carolina showed that. SFG went to Seattle and got smacked around badly. Carolina are a tough team too, I think the niners are  bit soft.

I am completely underwhelmed by the Lions.

how did carolina show that? seattle needed to fluke wins against st louis and tampa bay when both were at their lowest ebbs of the entire season. they also scraped a win against carolina in week 1 when the panthers werent playing well. the 49ers faced carolina just at the wrong time when theyre on a hot streak. obviously seattle will be hard to beat at home, thats why ive layed the 49ers off now they need a miracle to win the division.

If you'd been watching Carolina for the last few weeks you would not have been surprised. Seattle are a team that can totally dominate anyone on their day, but they're not flashy every week. Nothing should surprise you in the NFL, nothing, the gaps between these teams is very small, much smaller than people think.

Also sometimes the last game they played means nothing, see Indy last night. The NFL is about good spots and bad spots, Indy had the Rams who have a tough defense and had nothing left to lose in between two tough div games on the road - BAD SPOT.

Look what happened, the Colts locked up the division by winning, and coming from behind in the two games that REALLY MATTERED, they lost the less important game by 30.


Talking about Seattle, has anyone forgot how awful the Ravens looked for almost all of last season, fluking win after win and after win? (far luckier than the Seahawks have been) - come the playoffs, they would not be denied and played great all the way through.


The NFL is about parity, it's not the premiership.


It's getting to the time of the season where from now on the teams that can play defense should be followed.

Whilst that is true DD about the Ravens sneaking into the play offs after underwhelming performances last season, this was reflected in their price. Fair enough the Seahawks were shorter at the start of this season than the Ravens were last season but 7/2 looks a poor price given how they have been playing and that they still haven't been there and done it. Even with home field advantage etc they will still have to win away from all that noise to win the Superbowl

dirk diggler

If they go 10-14 points down on a good team like Denver, how would they get back into the game and then keep up?

I don't see it.

never a truer word spoken ,the word hopeless came to mind

we all talk about other teams, but in reality unless peyton manning gets injured then denver will win the superbowl.

straight up and down like that.

its never that simple and a lot of teams have been a lot shorter priced to win the SB at this stage and lost.

a lot of teams havent been the broncos though. besides, crappest nfl season ever. in the afc theres only new england who can seriously expect to give em a game. seattle are the best in the nfc and their offense is ****. the gulf between denver and the rest is frickin huge. ive never fancied a team to win the superbowl this much in 20 odd years of watching it. almost every serious team in the league is worse than they were last season. whereas denver are a lot better. i know things can go wrong, but they look a cracking price to me even now.

Broncos will lose their next 2

^^^^
I also think the Patriots will find a way to win on against Broncos this weekend

Pats are serious banged up on D. Manning and the Broncos could wrack up a cricket score

Pats are the only team in AFC that can stop Denver and remember Bellichik has Peyton`s number.

you are living in a fantasy world. U need a pass rush in order to beat Peyton and the Broncos. The colts had it. The Ravens had it last year. The Pats have zero of it. Cam Newton had all day long to throw the other night. Give Manning that sort of time and he will kill you. No way the Pats will beat Denver, no way

Listen to Tattoo

i wouldnt be that shocked if denver did lose their next 2. but theyll still get top seed even if they do. losing at kansas city and/or new england wont make much difference when they batter them at home in the play offs.

The Patriots did find a way to win.  Chiefs can't afford to lose next week (I dont think they will though) as New England get #1 Seed

you mean denver cant afford to lose shirley?

not nessacelery, patriots still have miami and baltimore away. they somehow managed to lose at the jets and bungles so no certs in those two. denver could still lose next week and get top bulb. denvers last 4 look pretty cosy. chargers and titans would be tricky away, but at home should be wins. oakland and houston are pretty cosy road games.

Anyone give the Packers a squeak at 50s.
If Flynn and the rush attack can sneak past Detroit on Thursday that gives them every chance
in the North. Rodgers could be ready to return and the last 4 games are eminently winnable ?

I don't give the Packers any chance even if Rodgers returns......defence has fell apart the last four weeks,after being stellar early in the season the rusd d is non existant and the secondary is playing pants.

Fair enough

I'll be happy to be proved wrong Bobbyjo

Had to have a dabble, doesnt cost much to find out.
Good luck Grayhawk (nice course....)

anybody could win that division. detroit should be pissing it, but throwing games down the gurgler. how they lost to tampa bay is a mystery. 3 or 4 apple turnovers in the redzone, should have won the game by 20 points. ridiculous play calls, they seemed to be more interested in putting on a show than actually winning the game. terrible throws by stafford. then after all that they still should have won the game, but johnson coughed up a reception that would have given detroit a first and goal at the 4 yard line with 50 seconds left. unbelievable. then go back to that ridiculous call last at pittsburgh when they were in complete control. its like they dont want to win the division.

Discipline and Schwartz have been a big problem for Detroit before this year and nothing has changed

[b][i]themightymac - Pats are the only team in AFC that can stop Denver and remember Bellichik has Peyton`s number.

clay davis - you are living in a fantasy world. U need a pass rush in order to beat Peyton and the Broncos. The colts had it. The Ravens had it last year. The Pats have zero of it. Cam Newton had all day long to throw the other night. Give Manning that sort of time and he will kill you. No way the Pats will beat Denver, no way [/b][/i]

How`s life on Fantasy island tattoo?

Gave them a 24pt start and still beat them

themightymac - fair play

claydavis - All about opinions mate and even if I disagree with you, I respect your opinion.

The Lions might have Megatron but the Panthers have the Terminator. Great quip from the commentator last week - "Newton just ran straight over a linebacker. Is that legal?"
Hope they go all the way to the finals as this guy is the business.

i just posted a a post and it didn't post.... i'm not writing it again. LOL

BENGALS

So the road to the superbowl goes through Seattle...   They surely are not going to lose 3 of their last 4 games.

If the saints hold on to number 2 seed, I cannot see the necessary improvement to win at Centurylink Field.

No it's difficult to see how Saints can win in Seattle in the Playoffs. The Panthers or 49ers (if healthy and playing well) could give them problems though but very difficult place to go and win

when was the last top seed bowl? cos i cant see anything other than seattle denver happening.

Saints vs Colts I think

i think peyton is due one. i thought that before the season even started, especially with the welker signing. if he ends up with one ring its a travesty. denver arent far off what the colts were when they won it. and the standard in the league this year is the worst i can ever remember it. apart from the patriots the afc is a bag of w@nk. best qb ive ever seen by a mile. all this aaron rodgers being the best talk is bloody mental. peyton is da man. even if hes an old codger. its time for the king to be crowned again!

Might be mental in your eyes Sideshow but i for one think Aaron Rodgers is currently the best player in the NFL.

Yep I think Rogers too

no way jose

If Peyton was the best ever he wouldn't have taken years to win a playoff game and he'd have more than 1 ring.

For me Joe "Cool The Comeback Kid" Montana is the best ever. Was advised to retire by doctors after a severe spinal disc injury in '86.
Only 3 time Super Bowl MVP of all-time. 4-0 in Superbowls, never threw an INT in those games.

Long road for Manning to go to even equal Joe Cool.

Aaron Rodgers for me too........ considering Green Bay without him only enhances my view of him. Obviously not disrespecting Manning or Brady (not as good technically, but jeez does he know how to win, and can do it with very few weapons - imagine him in Denver)

Game on the line. Two minute drill. Touchdown needed to win. I'd want Rodgers.

3mins 10secs to go, down by 3 in the Super Bowl, on your own 8 yard line, 92 yards to go. Who you gonna call?

Only one answer.

Ghostbusters!!!

LOL @ Dirk

peyton hasnt got one ring, hes got two. just come back in about 2 months to see the 2nd one.

anyway, its a fairly pointless stat. eli has 2. nobody with eyes could make a case for eli being a better qb than peyton, rodgers and brees. one man doesnt win the thing by himself.

hope he gets you to the show bob. Before falling to Colin Kap.

Disappointed to see my Panthers bet go up in smoke. They may still get a wild card but the protection for Newton against the Saints was seriously lacking and they would get thrashed by the Seahawks if they made it that far.

Got to get the packers on side, IF Rodgers comes back could see them winning the division.