Patriots vs Chargers Expert picks

[SVN]

fwiw

NFL Picks and Predictions for Week 7 - National Football League - ESPN

kinda split in the middle but the accuscore predicts chargers

peter king seems to pick the pats which is always trouble
NFL Week 7 picks, including Eagles-Titans and Vikings-Packers - Peter King - SI.com

EDIT
NFLN: Baldinger picks chargers, the other two pick the pats

http://www.nfl.com/videos/new-england-patriots/09000d5d81b835fb/Playbook-Patriots-vs-Chargers

 

[PatsChamp88]

Yahoo! Sports - NFL - Expert Picks Week 7

NFL Football Picks - Sporting News

NFL Picks and Predictions for Week 7 - National Football League - ESPN

Sports Betting and Gambling Odds Online

 

[jmt57]

Bruschi's Breakdown: Tedy Bruschi and Mike Reiss break down Sunday's game between the New England Patriots and San Diego Chargers - ESPN Boston

Mike Reiss: Let's wrap it up with predictions, Tedy. Before the season, this was a game that I had pegged as a loss for the Patriots. But based on the shifts we've seen in recent weeks -- the Patriots playing well and developing confidence, and the Chargers dealing with some injuries and showing some noticeable signs of weakness -- I'm going to switch it. I can't pick a Chargers team from which I don't know what I'm getting. They can be explosive -- both to the opposition and to themselves. So I'll go with the Patriots, 27-21.

Tedy Bruschi: Let me state this clearly, this is a trap game. What coach Bill Parcells used to do for some of these games is hang mouse traps in the locker room to remind players to stay focused. The Patriots are coming off a huge win over the Baltimore Ravens. Everyone is excited that this team has finally arrived. The Patriots themselves are feeling very confident, as they should. Now, you're going up a against a struggling 2-4 team that has injuries to key players. Will the Pats let their guard down? I think not. This is a week where coaches earn their money not so much for game plans, but for keeping their teams humble and focused. Belichick is the best in the business at doing that. Pats win, but get pushed to the limit, 30-27.

 

[jmt57]

NFL Picks, Grades - CBSSports.com Football

At CBS Sports Pete Prisco, Clark Judge, Will Brinson and Josh Katzowitz all pick the Chargers to rebound with a win Sunday; only Dave Richard goes with the Pats.

Choosing against the spread (San Diego -3.5) Judge and Katzowitz join Richard in going with the Pats to cover.


NFL Picks, Grades - CBSSports.com Football

Prisco's prediction: Chargers 21, Pats 17.

"The Chargers are in a must-win situation. They can't afford to go to 2-5. This is a long trip for the Patriots, who played well in their first Randy Moss-less game last week. The Chargers desperation will show here. They find a way with Philip Rivers having a big day."

 

[jmt57]

PFT's Week Seven picks | ProFootballTalk.com

Patriots at Chargers

Mike Florio's take: The Chargers are sputtering and the Pats are soaring. Though the Chargers may indeed pull off a sellout, the fans won't be too pleased with what they see from an injury-riddled home team that shoots itself in the foot even when the squad is healthy.

Florio's pick: Patriots 28, Chargers 13.

Gregg Rosenthal's take: The Chargers are first in the NFL in yards on offense and defense, yet they are 2-4. They've mostly failed because of special teams and turnovers, but their pass protection fell apart in St. Louis and their receivers are banged up. The Patriots are a decent matchup for them. New England doesn't have the playmakers on defense to hurry Philip Rivers or the secondary to cover who suits up.

Rosenthal's pick: Chargers 30, Patriots 27.

 

[Rob0729]

I am totally and utterly shocked that Brian Baldinger picked against the Pats. BTW, I never realized that Baldinger has a Tory Holt finger.

 

[jmt57]

NFL Picks and Predictions for Week 7 - National Football League - ESPN
6-4 Pats: Eric Allen, Mike Golic, Merril Hoge, Chris Mortensen, and Mark Schlereth go with the Pats; Ron Jaworski, Adam Schefter, Adam Wickersham, and Accuscore take the Chargers. Accuscore has San Diego winning 57% of the time, by an average score of 24.4 to 22.0: NFL Projections and Simulations - National Football League - ESPN

Sunday Countdown: Your weekly NFL guide - ESPN
The Sunday Countdown crew - Mike Ditka, Keyshawn Johnson, Cris Carter and Tom Jackson - are all believing the Pats will win.

Video Games - EA Sports Simulations - ESPN
Their Madden video game simulation has the Pats winning 30-27.

NFL Football Scouting - National Football League - ESPN
Ken Moll of Scouts, Inc. has the Chargers winning 24-23.

Video: Countdown Daily prediction - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston
Mark Schlereth and Mike Golic both take the Pats to win.

ESPN BOSTON Video: Watch Sports Videos and Highlights Online - ESPN Boston
Marcellus Wiley predicts the Pats will win 24-17.

Bill Simmons: October mailbag - ESPN
Bill Simmons takes the Pats (+3): Couldn't San Diego just trade Norv Turner to Dallas for Wade Phillips and three vacant stares to be named later?

ESPN Video: Hank Goldberg
Hank Goldberg thinks the Pats couldn't have caught San Diego at a better time, and picks New England.

 

[CheeseMonkeys]

I am totally and utterly shocked that Brian Baldinger picked against the Pats. BTW, I never realized that Baldinger has a Tory Holt finger.

He said it himself. The Chargers have the number 1 offense and defense and they only won 2 games. He must think they are bound for a win this week. I don't think so.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

89% of bettors have picked New England +3. That's a gigantic, almost unfathomable number. Usually 65% would mark uneven betting and would cause Vegas to adjust their lines. Is Phil Dunphy's prophecy coming true? Brady injured?

 

[SVN]

watching baldinger tonite..he was breaking down the bills-ravens game and showed how good the ravens D is and said brady(mr hollywood as he called him) really struggled against the ravens and showed 3 plays on film . What about the rest of the game ?
Does baldinger have something against the pats ??

 

[jmt57]

89% of bettors have picked New England +3. That's a gigantic, almost unfathomable number. Usually 65% would mark uneven betting and would cause Vegas to adjust their lines.

If I'm not mistaken the line started at New England +3.5 and has moved to as much as Pats +2 at some places now. I think the heavy betting on one side was due to the initial SD injury reports, plus the most recent memory of games each team played: Pats with a solid win against a very good team; Chargers with a bad loss against a sub-par team.

 

[Rob0729]

watching baldinger tonite..he was breaking down the bills-ravens game and showed how good the ravens D is and said brady(mr hollywood as he called him) really struggled against the ravens and showed 3 plays on film . What about the rest of the game ?
Does baldinger have something against the pats ??

Baldinger was raised in NJ and NY and is a big Jets fan. You can draw your own conclusions.

 

[patsfan13]

watching baldinger tonite..he was breaking down the bills-ravens game and showed how good the ravens D is and said brady(mr hollywood as he called him) really struggled against the ravens and showed 3 plays on film . What about the rest of the game ?
Does baldinger have something against the pats ??

I thought Brady wasn't as sharp as usual, he threw a lot of low off target passes.

 

[AQPE]

I don't see this as a trap game. I trust that the Pats are not overlooking San Diego and remember the vicious beating they took out there a couple of years ago.

San Diego is a schizo team this year but so far they've been great at home, and going coast to coast is always a challenge, especially in this spot for the Pats with so many young players that have either never done it before or have little experience with it yet.

The Pats have good momentum right now, but in my opinion (1) Rivers is the best QB they've faced so far this year, (2) I don't think from a scheme and talent standpoint (even with the Chargers' injury issues) the Pats defense matches up well against the Chargers offense, and (3) I have to believe that San Diego will be desperate to avoid a fifth loss this early in the season.

Overall I'm not so optimistic about a Pats win this weekend but it wont shock me if it happens. Coaching is always the most significant "x" factor and (in spite of what I just said about scheme being an important factor) you have to like Belichick against Norv (I can't think of Norv without thinking about that "Bang" cartoon "Norv Away" a year or two ago, if you haven't seen that then check it out, it's very funny).

 

[Rob0729]

I don't see this as a trap game. I trust that the Pats are not overlooking San Diego and remember the vicious beating they took out there a couple of years ago.

San Diego is a schizo team this year but so far they've been great at home, and going coast to coast is always a challenge, especially in this spot for the Pats with so many young players that have either never done it before or have little experience with it yet.

The Pats have good momentum right now, but in my opinion (1) Rivers is the best QB they've faced so far this year, (2) I don't think from a scheme and talent standpoint (even with the Chargers' injury issues) the Pats defense matches up well against the Chargers offense, and (3) I have to believe that San Diego will be desperate to avoid a fifth loss this early in the season.

Overall I'm not so optimistic about a Pats win this weekend but it wont shock me if it happens. Coaching is always the most significant "x" factor and (in spite of what I just said about scheme being an important factor) you have to like Belichick against Norv (I can't think of Norv without thinking about that "Bang" cartoon "Norv Away" a year or two ago, if you haven't seen that then check it out, it's very funny).

I don't know if I buy the desperation argument. The Chargers were pretty desperate last week when they lost to a mediocre Rams team when they were 2-3. They were moderately desperate when they lost to a bad Oakland team the week before. By my estimation this is their third desperation game in a row and they are currently 0-2 in desperation games against inferior teams.

 

[jmt57]

Even against the spread, Tom Curran decides to 'go with the home team here' and is taking the Chargers (-3) over the Pats. Perhaps that choice is a good sign; Curran was 0-2-2 last week and is just 8-13-2 with his picks so far this season. On a side note 89% of the CSNNE audience went with the Pats and the points.

Quick Slants: Curran's Quick Picks



NFL picks: Week 7 - CSNNE - Rich Levine

The Game: New England at San Diego (-3)

Let me just get this out of the way — I'm a sucker.

If the visiting team in this game were any 4-1 team other than the Patriots, I'd probably bet my paycheck on the Chargers. After what they've been through so far this season — with back-to-back losses against the Raiders and Rams (which hasn't been cool since 2001), not to mention all sorts of injuries and chemistry issues — it's crazy to think that they’re favored.

Just crazy enough to make complete sense.

Especially with the cross country trip, the Ravens-win hangover, and all the hype of Randy's return looming on the other side.

It’s your classic trap game.

But I'm going with my gut on this one. And my gut says that, for the first time since the 2007 season, the Patriots have an identity. Stylistically, it couldn't be more different from that 2007 squad, but it's an identity nonetheless. And my gut says this identity, and how excited the team seems to be to embrace it, will overcome any potential trap game. At least at this juncture.

(P.S. Don’t forget: Sucker)

The Pick: Patriots (+3)

 

[SVN]

i would be pleasantly shocked if the chargers go 2-5. i dont see it happening @ home for SD unless they really meltdown or the pats play out of their skin. this is the usual thing with all experts...lots of people picked the ravens to win last week and this wekk thye are taking the pats just on the form of the last game.
Thats why the balt game was huge win because this game will be very hard for this young team to pull out on the road.

 

[TBradyOwnsYou]

I don't like how many people are picking the Pats; it makes it harder for Bill to keep the younger player's egos in check which causes mistakes and losses.

 

[jmt57]

The Fox Sports panel of writers are 4-2 in favor of the Pats. Jay Glazer, Alex Marvez, Adam Schein and Adam Caplan went with the Pats while John Czarnecki and Peter Schrager picked the Chargers.

Weekly expert NFL picks - NFL News - FOX Sports on MSN



What If Sports has the Chargers winning 75.8% of the time on their computer simulator - the 5th highest winning percentage this week. A couple other teams that I surprised they had winning as often as they do are the Steelers (78.2%) at Miami, the Rams (64.5%) at Tampa Bay, the Bears (68.7%) vs Washington and Seattle (71.1%) vs Arizona. For comparison's sake they only have Baltimore winning 70.9% of the time at home against Buffalo; I don't consider that game to be remotely as close to the Pats-Chargers or those four other games. Their average score is San Diego 29, Pats 18.

2010 NFL Week 7 Picks and Predictions from Whatifsports.com From WhatIfSports.com

2010 NFL Week 7 - New England Patriots vs San Diego Chargers From WhatIfSports.com

 

[jczxohn1]

I am totally and utterly shocked that Brian Baldinger picked against the Pats. BTW, I never realized that Baldinger has a Tory Holt finger.

Baldy has some of the biggest hands I've ever seen. He could unscrew your head, one -handed.