First Games of The Year - NFL week 17

Damn man, week 17 ah. That was a quick season. Lets start 2012 right with some winners.

The Dalton Fire Crotches +2 (Big play big writeup)

The Bengals have been a team that I've made it a point to fade some of the past few weeks ever since they lost top CB Leon Hall.  The first game they played without him actually was the first game vs the Ravens.

There were a few aspects of that game that made me make a huge bet on Baltimore. First was that I had happened to read a quote a few weeks before from the DC of Cincy saying about how Leon Hall takes away a full half of the field for the defense and he can call certain plays bc he knew that.  Having Leon Hall out, the first week was going to be a huge change for the defense especially considering that taking his place was Pacman Jones playing his first game since being out for surgery.  The Bengals at that time had become the sneaky team to bet and fading them happened to be going against the norm.  

Couple other factors to that game were that Cincy had just got into the real tough part of their schedule having 3 division games in a row.  They were coming into the Ravens game off a real tough 7 pt loss to the Steelers after winning 5 games in a row and playing a tough game vs Tenn the week before that. Now they were playing B2B games vs the 2 most physical teams in the NFL both division rivals and playing their first game without their top defensive player. If you remember they also happened to play that game without their stud WR AJ Green which was another reason I faded them.  On top of all those variables, Andy Dalton happened to throw three interceptions setting up two of the Ravens touchdowns.

Hmm, so they lost that first game to the Ravens by a lot right? Wrong. The Bengals ended up losing that game only by 7 points and actually were 17 yards away from tying that game and sending it to overtime.  If you remember the Bengals had actually scored to tie it but the TD was overturned. 

Now the Bengals are playing with divisional revenge against Baltimore after playing two cupcake defenses in Arizona and St Louis and are coming in with 2 wins and some nice momentum to surge for a chance to clinch a playoff spot after it seemed they had blown the opportunity. This time around will be playing with their best offensive skill player in AJ Green and will be at home as opposed to in Balty where the Ravens have won their last 15 of 16.  This is the Bengals SB and I expect them to step up big time and the fans to actually come out in hoards for a division game vs a huge rival and the last game of the season to potentially clinch a playoff spot. The Ravens will be without WR Anquan Boldin on Sunday and 

Here's some bits of info from previews and team websites:

The Bengals 23-16 win over Arizona secured only their third winning record in the last 21 years. With a victory on Sunday over Baltimore, they would clinch the final AFC wild-card berth for a chance to win their first playoff game since the 1990 season.

Dalton went 24 for 45 for 373 yards (the most from any QB that's faced Baltimore this season) and a touchdown but also 3 pics. Cincinnati was without standout rookie wide receiver https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1673207/aj-greenA.J. Green, who hurt his right knee a week earlier in a loss to Pittsburgh.

The Bengals gave Baltimore all it could handle.  One week earlier, the Bengals came up short in rallying from a 14-0 deficit against Pittsburgh.

Baltimore took a 24-14 lead on a 2-yard run by Rice late in the third quarter. The score came after Ravens rookie cornerback https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1114290/jimmy-smithJimmy Smith picked off a pass and returned it 16 yards to the 2 yard line.

The Bengals' following possession ended with another interception and on the next play, Torrey Smith split the Bengals' two-deep zone and caught a 38-yard touchdown pass to make it 31-14. Score went from 17-14 to 31-14 real quick.

The Ravens didn't get past midfield until early in the second quarter

WR Torrey Smith torched Cincinnati for 165 yards on six receptions in the first meeting. Significant attention has been paid to Baltimore's rookie receiver this week. "We definitely as a defensive staff are talking more about him and keeping an eye on him,"

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco got 144 of his 270 yards on four passes.

"That is why we didn't win. We gave up too many explosive plays. It's one of those things where they got us on it, but going into this matchup there's absolutely no way. We're so focused and aware of what deep plays they are going to do. “We’re going to try and make them check it down. "

QB Andy Dalton's only three-interception game came in Week 11 at Baltimore. He's thrown only one in five games since. Dalton says those mistakes served as a teaching point. "It's just being smarter with the football," Dalton said. "There were a couple of throws in there that I threw that I shouldn't have, whereas now I know not to make those throws."

"I think that this team in general has adopted the 'Nobody knows us' personality and just said that the only way we're going to be known, the only way that we're going to be important is to win and go out and prove who we are. I don't think we're so much carrying a chip on our shoulder as we're just comfortable with that."

The Bengals have won five of their past six home games against Baltimore. The Ravens have won in Cincinnati just once in the last six seasons.

The Ravens are 3-4 on the road, with some of their worst performances (Jacksonville? San Diego?) there.

That crowd could be factor this week, which is something not many visiting teams have faced this year in Cincinnati.  The Bengals offered a two-for-one ticket deal to season ticket holders for this week’s game, and ended up selling out for just the second time this season.

S Chris Crocker, who in nine years made it to the playoffs one time (2009), admitted this week isn't just another week and nobody is treating it as such. "This game has the biggest implications of my career," he said. "I can't say we can treat it like any other week. This is the chance of a lifetime. What better reason to play the last week of season? Let it all hang loose."

"A chance to play in our division at home for a chance to go to the playoffs," Marvin Lewis said. "You can't ask for anything more."

Not that it will make a difference also but the Bengals will be seeing themselves all over sportscenter this week watching jerome simpson land his td flip. Think about what this guy said about it:

"It was off instinct and just helped my team. I just want to do everything possible to help this team win games."

Some more injury news:

Cornerback Cary Williams has not been cleared to play yet after suffering a concussion last week.

Doubtful for Sunday: RG Marshal Yanda (rib contusion, thigh), WRAnquan Boldin (knee), LB Dannell Elerbe (concussion).

WR Torrey Smith had a record day in Baltimore's first outing with Cincinnati. However, he had WR Anquan Boldin deflecting attention. WR Lee Evans needs to step up to help Smith from being keyed on in Boldin's absence.

The Bengals are third in the NFL in sacks, particularly from interior defensive lineman Geno Atkins (8) and Jonathan Fanene (6). With either an ailing RG Marshal Yanda (chest) or his backup on the inside, the Bengals could disrupt QB Joe Flacco and force turnovers, much like they did in grabbing four interceptions the last time he played in Cincinnati.

Keep in mind also that Boldin out not only takes away a huge receiving and redzone threat, but he also is a very physical receiver that is the ravens top blocking WR and instead Lee Evans and Torrey Smith 2 much smaller receivers will be lining up every run play to block for ray rice

I obviously cant say for sure the Bengals will win this game vs baltimore but i sure as hell can tell you they will be going all out for the W.  

Indy will want to end the season on a positive note with 3 straight wins to have some momentum for next season.  D Brown and Addai should be able to carve up that d with all those injuries and with those shitty corners Dan Orlovsky should be able to easily find R Wayne in possibly his last game as a colt along with Pierre and Collie - D Clark may even play

As we've all seen, Gabbert is terrible with pressure and has horrible Wrs. Freeney and Mathis should be all over him if the Colts can contain MJD at all.  indy d was terrible all season but recently has stepped up and they know they just need to sit on mjd and let gabbert throw

Jags may have called it a season already after being real motivated early to beat colts and now with all the injuries having just one last game to get through before the offseason when they'll be getting not only a new coach but a new owner and potentially an eventual new city.

indy also are coming in having extra rest playing thursday (that rest gave them an entirely free weekend to celebrate christmas with their fam). 

i personally think the colts take this one personal to get out some frustration in their last game of the season knowing that for once instead of resting for the playoffs after week 17 they will have to go home to watch the playoffs on their couches.  Throw on that this is division home revenge vs the jags who are always a tough match for them and their disappointing season and I easily could see the straight up win. If i had it available on my site I would take some crazy odds on a indy favored line if possible, could see this one maybe even hitting DD

If indy held up vs the tough texans d then the jags defense should be a cake walk. I also don't expect jags fans to really come out in force to see dan orlovsky  

Not that this would have an effect but the game is also on new years day and jags will be at home instead of traveling so while indy was at the hotel with the coaches all night tonight, jags players were home maybe getting some drank in the system for a game that doesn't mean shit against indy who they already got revenge on earlier in the season in a 17-3 road win