This Week in the AFC North

[Zombo]

The crew at The Great Zomboni's Lair was three out of four straight up last week, 2-2 vs. the spread, 8 and 4 on the year .... Blah Blah Blah ...

All that matters is the Cleveland Browns WON and Yours Truly predicted it.

You're Welcome.

So it has been a Hot Tub party for the last week at The Lair

Well, for Zoey anyway. Cinnamon and Lisa prefer to lay out.

We're still drying out here, but this week's picks look pretty easy, so I'll just throw them up:

Cincinnati at Atlanta, Sunday 1:00 PM

Gotta ride the Falcons, even with all of their injuries, Dalton due for one of those inexplicable games were he shits the bed. FALCONS 33 BUNGLES 20

Cleveland at Oakland, Sunday 4:05 PM

Baker Mayfield's first start is not going to be a loss. He's Baker Mayfield. Four TD passes. Baker Baker the Streak Ender ended the Big Winless Streak last week, this week he ends the Road Losing Streak and the Sunday Losing Streak. BROWNS 34 RAIDERS 23

Baltimore at Pittsburgh, 8:20 PM Sunday Night Football

I am feeling a real beating coming on for Ratbirds from the Steelers. Just a hunch. STEELERS 35 RAVENS 13

 

 

 

[The Gipper]

My Temporary agency keeps coming up with some very competent dicktation takers.  This week they sent me an Irish Lap Lass:  Siobhan.

Now, as for the games.

Browns handle  Raiders. Not easily, but Raiders, I don't think, are very good, so the Browns defense will actually carry the day.  Baker will have his first TD pass, and it will be like Browns 35-  27.

Cincinnati at Atlanta.   I agree with Z.   This will be a game where the Bengals will be the Bengals.  Atlanta 33, Bengals  19.

Ravens at Steelers.   As usual, in this one, I root for the meatwagon.   But I must, I guess pick a winner from these....though I would rather pick Siobhan's  clothing up off the floor.      Let's put it this way:   The Steelers defense does suck.  Baltimore's is not that bad.    It will be a reasonably high scoring game as a result.  Ravens 33  Steelers 23,

[TexasAg1969]

I agree with Gip but lower scoring game for both teams Browns win by 7-10 points.

Atlanta continues to score with Ryan still on fire. Atlanta by 10.

Ravens are just the better team overall than the Squealers and win by 7 at a minimum.

[DieHardBrownsFan]

I picked the Browns in Survivor.  Win or gone.

[Ghoolie]

The Browns will win 27 - 10

Steelers own the Browns.....ah, er,,,,, Ravens

[The Gipper]

45 minutes ago, Ghoolie said:

The Browns will win 27 - 10

Steelers own the Browns.....ah, er,,,,, Ravens

Actually the Steelers and the ravens are 12 and 12 in their last 24 games spanning 12 years

[Ghoolie]

2 hours ago, The Gipper said:

Actually the Steelers and the ravens are 12 and 12 in their last 24 games spanning 12 years

Not when it counts.

 

[Dutch Oven]

Cleveland 23, Oakland 21

Pittsburgh 30, Baltimore 20

Atlanta 24, Cincinnati 17

[Zombo]

6 hours ago, Ghoolie said:

Not when it counts.

 

Counts as in last team to win the Super Bowl between the two (Ravens 21012) or last team to win a head-to-head postseason matchup (Ravens 2014)?

Go be stupid in your own thread, Bitchtits.

Zombo

[Zombo]

4 minutes ago, Dutch Oven said:

Cleveland 23, Oakland 21

Pittsburgh 30, Baltimore 20

Atlanta 24, Cincinnati 17

So Monday morning, Browns & Steelers are 2-1-1 and Bungles and Ratbirds are 2-2. I like it. Or if the Ravens beat the Steelers, we'd be playing them for first place next week ....

Gotta get past a talented Raiders team first, I hope Gregg William's has something extra special dialed up for them...

Z

[The Gipper]

50 minutes ago, Zombo said:

Counts as in last team to win the Super Bowl between the two (Ravens 21012) or last team to win a head-to-head postseason matchup (Ravens 2014)?

Go be stupid in your own thread, Bitchtits.

Zombo

The Browns have as many championships as those two teams combinedThe Browns have as many championships as those two teams combined

[Dutch Oven]

Interesting fact about the Raiders:

While 0-3, they've lead or have been tied for 158 of 180 total minutes this season. 

[MDDawg]

1 hour ago, Dutch Oven said:

Interesting fact about the Raiders:

While 0-3, they've lead or have been tied for 158 of 180 total minutes this season. 

That's because they lack a pass rush and I wonder why?

[Dutch Oven]

What I can't figure out is why any Raiders fans show up to their games? 

Could you imagine if Browns fans found out in 1993 that the Browns would leave for Baltimore after the end of the 1995 season? 

[Bob806]

Nothing's ever easy with the Browns but I think they eke it out 27-21.

Cincy upsets Atlanta in a shootout.

Steelers take down the Ratbirds. AB catches 12 passes with 3 TDs but is upset about not enough targets.

[mjp28]

2 hours ago, Dutch Oven said:

What I can't figure out is why any Raiders fans show up to their games? 

Could you imagine if Browns fans found out in 1993 that the Browns would leave for Baltimore after the end of the 1995 season? 

Plus kicked around with Al Davis' ego trips and stadium demands over the years which Oakland is still paying for today.....thank goodness for the GS Warriors for them.

[Dutch Oven]

12 minutes ago, mjp28 said:

Plus kicked around with Al Davis' ego trips and stadium demands over the years which Oakland is still paying for today.....thank goodness for the GS Warriors for them.

You mean the team that is moving across the bay to San Francisco? 🤣

[mjp28]

My three team AFCN lock......

CIN +5', CLEVELAND WINS and +2', BAL +3

Plus NE -7, JAX MY SURVIVOR -8 and throw in CLE +2' again.

[Tour2ma]

 

Cincinnati @ Atlanta (-5.0) Sun 09/30 12:00 PM

As I've said before CIN surprised me coming out of the gate beating an improved IND team and my 2018 class of the AFCN, the Ravens,in Weeks 1 and 2. But after a thumpin' by the Panthers in Week 3 in a game that was not as close as the score made it seem, now I feel like we've seen the best of CIN... at least until Mixon and Price return to the lineup. And they don't look to be back this week. Until they are the CIN ground game will remain AWOL.

Meanwhile ATL looks to be hitting stride... at least offensively. Week 2 they beat the Panthers rather handily. Week 3 they ran into a Drew Brees buzzsaw, but again their O was very productive even in the absence of their lead back, Freeman, who may see some action Sunday ("So you say there's a chance..."). Either way Coleman, one of the league's best #2 RBs should provide more than enough of a ground threat to set up Ryan's PAP attack.

Prediction: ATL 36 CIN 20
 

Baltimore @ Pittsburgh (-3.0) Sun 09/30 07:20 PM... a Daily Double...

One of these teams get their MLB back this week. It's the Ravens and his name is Mosely. He'll be back in the shoes no one else on their roster can fill. I think that limits Mr.Connors impact. So the question is,”is that enough?”

Ben to the Steeler WR Corps is still potent, but if the Raven D does not have to honor the run? Then there's only one other roadblock between BLT and a win... Heinz Field. A quick weather check says cool temp (68 deg) and lite wind (3 mph). So...

Prediction: BLT 27 PTG 23

 

Cleveland @ Oakland (-2.5) Sun 09/30 03:05 PM

And (not really) last and (certainly) not least...

Browns arrived in OAK on Friday in plenty of time to adjust to PAC time. The early travel actually alleviates one of my bigger concerns: too much prep time. Added time to prep is a good thing, but too much prep and you can leave your game on the driving range... Trust me on this as I've done it.

OAK did not have a long week. No matter as the added time wouldn't really have benefited da Raiderz prep for Baker all that much... there's not just enough tape on him. And what you can see from the half of play on him is not something you can prep for... the increased energy in the Browns... all the Browns.

What OAK does have going for it is an awakened Amare Cooper, who looked really good in their loss to the Fins. But their run game is still AWOL, so we have a green light for our pass rush.

I see two TDs for Hyde... two TD passes for Baker; one to Landry, one to Njoku... and a win for our Browns.

Prediction: CLE 34 OAK 24

 

[Mark O]

21 hours ago, Dutch Oven said:

What I can't figure out is why any Raiders fans show up to their games? 

Could you imagine if Browns fans found out in 1993 that the Browns would leave for Baltimore after the end of the 1995 season? 

Raiders fans don't care where they play.   Why else would they welcome them back to Oakland after they left them for LA?   Same reason why the Raiders draw higher ratings in LA than the Rams and Chargers (although the Rams are gaining popularity these days).

[Tour2ma]

Cincinnati @ Atlanta (-5.0) Sun 09/30 12:00 PM

Prediction: ATL 36 CIN 20

Final: CIN 37 ATL 36 - L/L.... I got "red rifled"...
 

Baltimore @ Pittsburgh (-3.0) Sun 09/30 07:20 PM... a Daily Double...

Prediction: BLT 27 PTG 23

Final: BLT 26 PTG 14 - WW/WW... did I underestimate the BLT D or Overestimate the Steelers' O??? :)

 

Cleveland @ Oakland (-2.5) Sun 09/30 03:05 PM

Prediction: CLE 34 OAK 24

Final: OAK 45 CLE 42- L/L.... Oy!

 

And another .500 week is in the book...

[Clevfan4life]

the North looks so ripe for the taking right now. Pgh looks ready for a generational implosion. Cincy lost Eifert, which is huge. Blt, I dunno...I didn't watch the game tonight so I havent' really seen them play yet...but it doesn't sound like they're really any good from what little I've seen. SOmeone throw a football at haley with the words "run the ball you twat" on it. 

[hoorta]

I've said forever when  get a strong feeling about a Browns game, usually the exact opposite happens. Was sure. No way we were going to lose to the Raiders. 

I don't usually post after the fact, but I had the Bengals losing to the Falcons.

When the power rankings came out last week I was seriously poed some jumped the sucky Steelers nine spots after the equally overrated Bucs and Fitzie gifted them a win. Crash and burn Pittsburgh.

[hoorta]

12 minutes ago, Clevfan4life said:

the North looks so ripe for the taking right now. Pgh looks ready for a generational implosion. Cincy lost Eifert, which is huge. Blt, I dunno...I didn't watch the game tonight so I havent' really seen them play yet...but it doesn't sound like they're really any good from what little I've seen. SOmeone throw a football at haley with the words "run the ball you twat" on it. 

With Chubb? 

[Tour2ma]

13 minutes ago, Clevfan4life said:

I didn't watch the game tonight so I havent' really seen them play yet...but it doesn't sound like they're really any good from what little I've seen.

BLT has scary good offensive potential... and with Mosely in the middle the D is great.

CIN is so used to being without Eifert they'll survive. Dalton is el fuego... Green looks great... now Boyd is emerging... and the D is good. When they get Mixon back they might hit another gear.

[The Gipper]

9 hours ago, Tour2ma said:

BLT has scary good offensive potential... and with Mosely in the middle the D is great.

CIN is so used to being without Eifert they'll survive. Dalton is el fuego... Green looks great... now Boyd is emerging... and the D is good. When they get Mixon back they might hit another gear.

Baltimore looks a lot stronger than I thought.    I had them about a .500 team.   

Speculation is that the drafting of Lamar Jackson by them  has lit a fire under Flacco,  who got complacent after he won the SB and got his big money contract.

[Clevfan4life]

12 hours ago, Tour2ma said:

BLT has scary good offensive potential... and with Mosely in the middle the D is great.

CIN is so used to being without Eifert they'll survive. Dalton is el fuego... Green looks great... now Boyd is emerging... and the D is good. When they get Mixon back they might hit another gear.

yeah dalton looked super ginger yesrerday

[Vagitron]

2 hours ago, The Gipper said:

Baltimore looks a lot stronger than I thought.    I had them about a .500 team.   

Speculation is that the drafting of Lamar Jackson by them  has lit a fire under Flacco,  who got complacent after he won the SB and got his big money contract.

Our defense is not good right now. It's a combination of losing a generational talent and Keith butler. The Ravens certainly aren't bad but as it stands especially with Mike Hilton injured and even when he wasn't we can't stop anyone from gashing us over the middle nor over the top deep. The Steelers are making teams look fantastic and Ben had a horrid second half in that game. If I'm being honest I'm ready for a trash season to get a top ten pick but we shall see what occurs. Bell eventually being gone opens a bunch of room too.

[The Gipper]

39 minutes ago, Vagitron said:

Our defense is not good right now. It's a combination of losing a generational talent and Keith butler. The Ravens certainly aren't bad but as it stands especially with Mike Hilton injured and even when he wasn't we can't stop anyone from gashing us over the middle nor over the top deep. The Steelers are making teams look fantastic and Ben had a horrid second half in that game. If I'm being honest I'm ready for a trash season to get a top ten pick but we shall see what occurs. Bell eventually being gone opens a bunch of room too.

Who is this so called generational talent?

[Vagitron]

On 10/1/2018 at 2:38 PM, The Gipper said:

Who is this so called generational talent?

Ryan shazier would have finished his career if healthy with ridiculous numbers. Fastest player on our team at linebacker, terrific in coverage. He was our new Polamalu until.....