By Marc Lawrence — As he does each week in the “Playbook Article Library” section on the Betting Tools page at Playbook.com, resident Expert Joe Nelson shares an overview of NFL games that were close shaves the previous week. Because as Joe likes to say, glancing at the scoreboard won’t tell you the whole story in most games. For instance, in San Francisco’s 36-9 win over the Giants, the game was closer than the final score as nearly 2-to-1 production edges indicate. It was 6-6 until 67 seconds to go before the half as the 49ers would score 10 points before the break, making the most of an interception. The Giants scored out of the break to cut the score to 16-9 after a field goal on a lengthy drive and the ‘under’ pace seemed secure. Meanwhile, after an unfathomable collapse in Week 2 the Falcons didn’t come out flat, they quickly jumped out to a 16-3 lead though the Bears were able to score before halftime to stay in the game. However, just like in Week One, the Falcons died in the 4Q before reaching midfield late in the game before Matt Ryan was intercepted as the Falcons managed to out-do themselves again with another 4th quarter meltdown. To read more on last week’s close calls click here.
Trending Today
The knock on the NFL door is a visit from the COVID-19 world. The Tennessee Titans’ coronavirus outbreak is not the end of the NFL’s 2020 season. It is the beginning of the most important part of it. In fact ESPN insists that as smoothly as training camp and the first few weeks of the season went, this is no time to relax, and that time isn’t coming soon. The NFL and the NFLPA need to find out how the virus got into the Titans’ building. They have to make sure everyone else in the league knows what they find out. And if you think the league isn’t taking this stuff serious, then think again. The Raiders are under league investigation for letting an unauthorized individual into their locker room after a game. Coach Jon Gruden was fined $100K and the team $250K for Gruden’s insufficient use of the league-mandated face covering on the sideline during a game. The point is the NFL has been trying to drive home – and get its coaches to drive home – for the past couple of months. This whole thing is a powder keg. Let’s hope they keep a lid on it.
Grinding Out The Profits
From this week’s PLAYBOOK FOOTBALL NEWSLETTER: If you think Clemson is comfortable with Alabama replacing them in the No. 1 sport in last week’s polls you are wrong. Dead wrong. Hell hath no nor fury like a like a Swinney scorned is what they like to say around the Clemson campus. Don’t worry about a Miami look ahead for the Tigers. They are 5-0-1 ATS in games before facing the Hurricanes. To which we remind the visiting Virgina Cavaliers this Saturday – Like Bill Bixby uttered in The Incredible Hulk TV series, “Don’t make me angry. You won’t like me if I’m angry.”
