Aaron Rodgers

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NFL 2014: Our Five Best Bets for Week #11

Posted by fantasyfurnace on November 14, 2014
Posted in: NFL. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 8 Comments

As a side-note for those of you in Fantasy Leagues, remember that this is the last week for making trades in most leagues. Good luck to all… Here now are this week’s Five Best Bets.

*Home team in CAPS

BROWNS -3 over the Texans- For Cleveland and their fans, this week is one of historic proportions as it is the first time a Browns team has been in first place in the AFC North this late in the season in 20 years! With quarterback Ryan Mallett making his first NFL start for the Texans, we’re surprised the spread is as small as it is especially with a banged up Arian Foster and Jadeveon Clowney.

Falcons (pick) over the PANTHERS- Normally the Falcons aren’t  a good bet when on the road but besides beating the Buccaneers by 10 last Sunday, Atlanta is just a better team than Carolina who is coming off of a 24 point loss to the Eagles on Monday night. Although the Panthers do not play in a dome the trip will be a short one for the Falcons, the weather should not be a factor and the Panthers have a short week. 

SAINTS -7 over the Bengals- What in the world has happened to Andy Dalton? If you saw his inept performance last Thursday night you saw him not only missing his receivers but missing them badly. Saints lost a tough one to the 49ers last week and should return to their typical winning ways at home this week against a Bengals team that appears to be on life-support right now.

#14 Andy Dalton just hasn't been the same this season & the Furnace says it won't get any better for him or the Bengals in Week 11. Photo: USA Today Sports Images

#14 Andy Dalton just hasn’t been the same this season & the Furnace says it won’t get any better for him or the Bengals in New Orleans in Week 11. Photo: USA Today Sports Images

PACKERS -6 over the Eagles- This game has all the makings of a good old fashion shootout in Green Bay with both clubs having high potent offenses. Aaron Rodgers is 26-1 in his last 27 at home as a starter when he plays more than a half. Throw out Philadelphia’s 27-13 win at Lambeau last year as Rodgers was injured. The “Sanchise” will face a team quite different from the lame Panthers that he saw in Week 10.

Raiders +10 over the CHARGERS- We’re picking the Raiders here for two reasons; they kept it close and covered the spread when they played the Patriots and the Seahawks and this is a 5-4 Chargers team that got crushed by the Dolphins 37-0 in their last game in Week 9.  

Last week: 3-2

 

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NFL 2014: Week #4 The Furnace’s Five Best Bets

Posted by fantasyfurnace on September 27, 2014
Posted in: General. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments

Should be a very interesting week as our selections include two home underdogs. We’re off to a 6-4 record after the first two weeks of the season, with issues beyond our control keeping us from posting our selections for week 3.  We’re making the Packers our Best Bet overall week…

*Home team in CAPS

RAIDERS +4 over Dolphins- Miami gets to travel cross country and will face a strong Oakland secondary that helped keep them close in their games vs the Patriots and the Jets. This week there will be no Knowshon Moreno and a struggling Ryan Tannehill.  After their stunning win over New England in week #1, the Fish who ‘tanked’ the next two weeks, won’t have an easy time across the pond in London.

Packers -1 1/2 over BEARS- Aaron Rodgers has won the last 10 games following a loss, and after only putting up 7 points last week, look for Rodgers and Co. to put on a better show at Soldiers Field this Sunday. Bears are coming off a short week and will put a beat up secondary on the field. One other note; Rodgers has a career 10-2 record vs Chicago and has won his last seven.

STEELERS -7 1/2 over Buccaneers- We just can’t see the Bucs go from being pummeled 56-14 in Atlanta last week to winning IN Pittsburgh a week later. It’s just not happening… Expect Big Ben to enjoy a Big day playing catch with Antonio Brown.

Falcons -3 over VIKINGS- Teddy football will make his first start after relieving last week and he’ll do so without the services of Adrian Peterson, leaving him with Cordarelle Patterson as the core of the Vike’s offense. We’re expecting nothing short of another blowout by Atlanta.

CHIEFS +3 1/2 over Patriots- New England’s offense has struggled mightily this season due to the issues surrounding their offensive line. The Chiefs get Jamaal Charles back with Kniles Davis (132 yds., 1 TD last week) providing a 1-2 punch that should keep the ball away from a regressing Tom Brady.

 

 

 

 

 

Five reasons why Geno Smith should remain the Jets starting QB

Posted by fantasyfurnace on January 3, 2014
Posted in: NFL. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . 15 Comments

Now that the NFL regular season has come to an end, the almost annual debate about who the Jets starting quarterback should be begins anew. However this time around, we think there really isn’t any need for the Jets organization to do anything except to insure that Geno Smith is under center when the 2014-15 season begins.

#7 Geno Smith should be the starting quarterbackPhoto: Charles Wenzelberg

#7 Geno Smith should be the starting quarterback in 2014. Photo: Charles Wenzelberg

1. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. In the most inconsistent of seasons in memory, the Jets, if you will recall, would win a game, lose the next, win a  game, lose, win, lose, and so it went… However there was one positive. It began with Geno Smith’s benching during the blowout to the Miami Dolphins on December 1st.

What followed in the team’s remaining four games, was a transformation of the rookie quarterback. He passed for just under 800 yards, threw 4 touchdowns ( 2 INTs), and posted a respectable 83.6 passer rating while guiding the team to a 3-1 record. A nice way to end a season; an even better way to begin a new one.

2. There are no other quality starting QBs out there. Who could the Jets bring in either to start or compete with Smith for the starting role? The only one available, now that Jay Cutler has been resigned, is Matt Schaub and he will be signed as a starter by another team leaving just Mark Sanchez to provide any pre-season competition for Smith. Frankly, we can’t see the fans clamoring for the return of outcast Mark Sanchez in 2014.

3. The past track record of rookie QBs who are now elite. Just culling through the past performances of some of the best modern day quarterbacks, one can see why it is usually best to give top draft picks some time to iron out the kinks while their professional maturation takes hold.

Some examples include Peyton Manning 3-13 in his rookie season. Aaron Rodgers went 6-10. Eli Manning 1-6. Drew Brees 8-8 in his first season followed by a 1-6 record in year two. And Cam Newton, 12-4 this season, went 6-10 and 7-9 in his first two campaigns with the Panthers. That’s not to say that Geno will turn out to be another Peyton or Drew, but after an 8-8 start, why not wait and see?

4. Durability. After multiple games with countless hurries, hits, and sacks, Geno Smith managed to start every one of the team’s 16 games in his rookie season. Not a feat worthy of a Pro Bowl appearance, but a noteworthy one just the same.

5. Lack of a talented supporting cast. Seriously, are there any wide receivers or tight ends on the Jets that had opposing teams’ cornerbacks shaking in their cleats? Nelson and Kerley didn’t. And, in case you’re wondering, an injury riddled Santonio Holmes finished the season with just 23 catches for 456 yards and only one touchdown.

#10 Santonio Holmes drops a pass vs the Miami Dolphins. He hasn't lived up to all Photo: Charles Wenzelberg hype in N.Y. Photo:

#10 Santonio Holmes drops a pass vs the Miami Dolphins. He hasn’t lived up to all the hype since coming to N.Y. Photo: Charles Wenzelberg

To their advantage,  before next season, the Jets will be $40 million under the salary cap and own around 10 draft picks which should make them more than able to bolster their anemic offense and thus help Geno Smith improve greatly in his sophomore season. Providing him with talent, in addition to having one full season under his belt, there is no reason why Smith should not garner the starting role next year.

“The team believes in Geno and the way he has played over the last four weeks speaks for itself.” -WR David Nelson