Can Connor Cover? Enjoying A Much-Needed Victory Lap
December 7, 2022 at 11:30 p.m.
Can Connor Cover? Enjoying A Much-Needed Victory Lap
By Connor McCann-
It has finally happened. I am writing this week’s introduction with an extra pep in my step. After 12 weeks of pain, heartbreak and praying to the heavens that eventually something will go my way, something finally did. I don’t know if it was the new format, my trusty coin or just the law of averages finally starting to balance out, but Connor has finally Covered.
After the best start to a week in the column’s history, I went into the late afternoon slate with a record of 7-2, unheard of based on my previous performances. Just one win out of four of the late games would give me eight wins out of a possible 15 and clinch the first winning record of the year. It did not come easy, as the Seahawks, Chargers and Dolphins all underperformed. Thank goodness for the Cincinnati Bengals, who won outright against the Chiefs in a game not many were expecting them to cover.
The game came down to the wire, and when Tee Higgins made a great catch on a late third down play to get a first down and end the game, I fell to my knees and threw my hands triumphantly up into the air. The victories don’t taste as sweet if not for the sourness that precedes them. The Cowboys picked up another win for me on Sunday night and despite the Saints falling apart in the final few minutes on Sunday night, they still covered the spread. When the dust had settled, I was finally able to conquer the board with a 10-5 record.
The celebration was long and well worth the wait, but a realization hit me not long after. The bar has now been set. Now that I’ve felt the glory of being a “sharp,” I can’t go back to my old ways of being a loser. There aren’t many weeks left in the NFL regular season, but I’m going to make it a goal of mine to keep this feeling going for as many of them as I can.
For those of you who have read this column every week and have been on this journey with me, this victory goes out to you as well. We’ve still got a lot of work to do, but we’re going to stop and smell the roses after this one.
Also, I may have promised a parade or party a few weeks back when I finally achieved a winning week. I hope I’m not breaking too many hearts, but I do not have the funding nor the space to make that happen. If there is someone out there that’s actually really bummed about that, please feel free to reach out. We’ll see what we can do.
I watched two movies this weekend that I very much enjoyed for two completely different reasons.
The first was Netflix’s new adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front, based on the 1928 novel of the same name. An absolutely horrific and depressing story of some young German soldiers during World War I, this was one of the best war movies I’ve ever seen. For those who have read the book, some major plot points are changed rather drastically, but I still believe the final product is one that all should watch to get an idea of how terrifying The Great War must have been for the soldiers serving on the front lines.
The second movie was a much more cheerful experience. Violent Night, the new Christmas movie that sees David Harbour portraying Santa as the ultimate warrior, was much better than I expected it to be. It was a delightful time that served as a rather unorthodox way of gaining some Christmas cheer as we creep closer towards the holiday season. Be warned though, this isn’t the Santa Claus movie to show to your young kids! More red comes from blood than frosting and wrapping paper, not to mention the potty mouth on Saint Nick.
We stick with the same format that showed us some success last week, and though the coin wasn’t overly impressive in its debut, it’s right by my side and ready for some more action. On the initial look over of this week’s line, it might be here to stay. Let’s do this!
THURSDAY NIGHT
Las Vegas Raiders (-6) at Los Angeles Rams
Don’t look now, but the Raiders have strung together some good games recently and aren’t totally out of playoff contention just yet. The Rams have turned into a dumpster fire and have so many star players hurt that salvaging this season seems impossible. With Aaron Donald potentially out and the team maybe having to turn to their third string quarterback, I have to go with the Raiders to stay hot.
The Pick: Raiders -6
1 O’CLOCK SUNDAY
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions (-2.5)
This is one of the craziest spreads I’ve seen this year, and we’ve got a wild one later too. The 10-2 Vikings are road underdogs to the 5-7 Lions. I’m glad Detroit has stepped it up, as I mentioned in my first column of the year I was expecting a solid year from them. But to be favorites in this game? That’s tricky. The coin gets its first opportunity of Week 14.
The Pick: Vikings +2.5
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals (-6.5)
The Browns won convincingly against the Texans last weekend, but didn’t score an offensive touchdown. Deshaun Watson didn’t look good (insert Nelson Muntz ha-ha), but the defense took advantage of a freefalling Houston side. The Bengals are beginning to feel it once again, going on a late-season run similar to last year’s stretch that saw them represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. However, Joe Burrow has never beaten the Browns. With the division up for grabs, this is certainly the time to do so. I think this game stays close though.
The Pick: Browns +6.5
Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers (-2.5)
For the second straight year, a Lamar Jackson injury could sabotage the Ravens chances at playing some meaningful games in January and February. While Lamar hasn’t officially been ruled out as I write this, he does have a sprained PCL and that injury usually sidelines players for one to three weeks. I think the Steelers are going to take advantage. The run game has gotten much better and rookie QB Kenny Pickett seems to be improving by the week. I like Pittsburgh to jump on their rivals in this one.
The Pick: Steelers -2.5
New York Jets at Buffalo Bills (-9.5)
You can make quite the argument that the Jets should have beaten Minnesota last weekend, but New York just couldn’t figure it out in the red zone. Mike White is the starter going forward and nobody on the team seems too upset with it. The Bills finally put together a complete performance on Thursday and beat the Patriots by two scores. I like the Jets defense to keep this one to a one-score game.
The Pick: Jets +9.5
Philadelphia Eagles (-6.5) at New York Giants
Philadelphia beat Tennessee so badly last Sunday that the Titans fired their general manager just days later. It didn’t help his cause that former Tennessee star A.J. Brown torched his former team for two receiving touchdowns. The Giants meanwhile gave up a late touchdown to Washington and had to settle for a tie in overtime. The Giants remain one of the biggest surprises of the year and fans should feel proud of what this team has accomplished. That being said, I don’t think they have the firepower to keep up with Philly.
The Pick: Eagles -6.5
Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans (-3.5)
Both teams were on the wrong end of bad losses last weekend and are coming into this one looking to regroup. The Titans could probably lose every game they have left and still win the division. Everything is leaning towards Tennessee winning this game in dominant fashion, which is making me nervous. What’s even more concerning is that the coin LOVES the Jaguars. I might have to overrule.
The Pick: Titans -3.5
Houston Texans at Dallas Cowboys (-16.5)
I laughed out loud when I saw this line. I mean, it makes sense. Houston is by far the worst team in the league and Dallas is playing at an incredibly high level right now. But to see almost 17 points on paper was a real treat. The Cowboys showed that they’re able to put up 33 points in a quarter, while the Texans have scored 39 points in their last three games combined. I can’t believe I’m going there, but give me the Boys and all of those points. This has serious trap game potential, but the Texans have looked lifeless for weeks now.
The Pick: Cowboys -16.5
LATE AFTERNOON SLATE
Kansas City Chiefs (-9.5) at Denver Broncos
The Chiefs are going to be angry after losing their third game in 2022 to the Bengals last weekend. The Broncos have the worst offense this Bears fan has ever seen. However, the Denver defense is one of, if not the best in the league. Patrick Mahomes is a wild 14-0 on the road in divisional games, and Denver can’t score enough to keep up.
The Pick: Chiefs -9.5
Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks (-3.5)
Carolina had a week off to marinate in their big win over Denver two weeks ago, while the Seahawks had to come from behind to knock off the Rams last Sunday. Kenneth Walker hasn’t been ruled out with his ankle injury, but the rookie running back will at the very least be banged up in this one. Carolina has had the pieces all season long, but just hasn’t been able to get anything going. Geno Smith is playing like an MVP Candidate and I think he keeps it rolling in this one.
The Pick: Seahawks -3.5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at San Francisco 49ers (-3.5)
Tampa Bay scored 14 points in the final five or so minutes of their game Monday night to come back and beat the Saints. The Niners lost Jimmy Garoppolo for at least the rest of the regular season with a broken foot. It will be Brock Purdy, the last pick of the 2022 draft, in the meantime. Coming in against the Dolphins last week, Purdy didn’t miss a beat. The Niners defense remains one of, if not the best units in the game. But Touchdown Tom needs a win.
The Pick: Buccaneers +3.5
WAITIN’ ALL DAY FOR A SUNDAY NIGHT
Miami Dolphins (-3) at Los Angeles Chargers
The Dolphins came back down to Earth in their loss to the Niners last weekend, and Tua Tagovailoa had easily his worst game of the season, turning the ball over three times. On the other side, the Chargers dropped another game they probably should have won, and are now sitting at 6-6. This has been another disastrous year for LA where nothing seems to go right. At least Justin Herbert is still a fantastic quarterback. I’m going to defer to the coin on this one, but we have similar thoughts.
The Pick: Chargers +3
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
New England Patriots (-1.5) at Arizona Cardinals
New England comes into this one not playing since last Thursday while Arizona is coming off of a bye. Both teams should be well rested. Mac Jones was visibly upset on the sidelines regarding the Patriot offense last week, so I’m expecting some changes to be made to help the young QB out. Arizona is just going through the motions for the rest of the season, I can’t imagine a situation where they don’t blow it up around Kyler Murray next season. Give me the team I can trust more.
The Pick: Patriots -1.5
I’ll be honest with you good people. I’ve never been more nervous to submit this column before. Coming off of that winning week has changed me. As I said earlier, I refuse to go back to being a loser. I guess we’ll find out if last week was the beginning of a new trend or just a blip on an otherwise very sad radar. Only time will tell.
It has finally happened. I am writing this week’s introduction with an extra pep in my step. After 12 weeks of pain, heartbreak and praying to the heavens that eventually something will go my way, something finally did. I don’t know if it was the new format, my trusty coin or just the law of averages finally starting to balance out, but Connor has finally Covered.
After the best start to a week in the column’s history, I went into the late afternoon slate with a record of 7-2, unheard of based on my previous performances. Just one win out of four of the late games would give me eight wins out of a possible 15 and clinch the first winning record of the year. It did not come easy, as the Seahawks, Chargers and Dolphins all underperformed. Thank goodness for the Cincinnati Bengals, who won outright against the Chiefs in a game not many were expecting them to cover.
The game came down to the wire, and when Tee Higgins made a great catch on a late third down play to get a first down and end the game, I fell to my knees and threw my hands triumphantly up into the air. The victories don’t taste as sweet if not for the sourness that precedes them. The Cowboys picked up another win for me on Sunday night and despite the Saints falling apart in the final few minutes on Sunday night, they still covered the spread. When the dust had settled, I was finally able to conquer the board with a 10-5 record.
The celebration was long and well worth the wait, but a realization hit me not long after. The bar has now been set. Now that I’ve felt the glory of being a “sharp,” I can’t go back to my old ways of being a loser. There aren’t many weeks left in the NFL regular season, but I’m going to make it a goal of mine to keep this feeling going for as many of them as I can.
For those of you who have read this column every week and have been on this journey with me, this victory goes out to you as well. We’ve still got a lot of work to do, but we’re going to stop and smell the roses after this one.
Also, I may have promised a parade or party a few weeks back when I finally achieved a winning week. I hope I’m not breaking too many hearts, but I do not have the funding nor the space to make that happen. If there is someone out there that’s actually really bummed about that, please feel free to reach out. We’ll see what we can do.
I watched two movies this weekend that I very much enjoyed for two completely different reasons.
The first was Netflix’s new adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front, based on the 1928 novel of the same name. An absolutely horrific and depressing story of some young German soldiers during World War I, this was one of the best war movies I’ve ever seen. For those who have read the book, some major plot points are changed rather drastically, but I still believe the final product is one that all should watch to get an idea of how terrifying The Great War must have been for the soldiers serving on the front lines.
The second movie was a much more cheerful experience. Violent Night, the new Christmas movie that sees David Harbour portraying Santa as the ultimate warrior, was much better than I expected it to be. It was a delightful time that served as a rather unorthodox way of gaining some Christmas cheer as we creep closer towards the holiday season. Be warned though, this isn’t the Santa Claus movie to show to your young kids! More red comes from blood than frosting and wrapping paper, not to mention the potty mouth on Saint Nick.
We stick with the same format that showed us some success last week, and though the coin wasn’t overly impressive in its debut, it’s right by my side and ready for some more action. On the initial look over of this week’s line, it might be here to stay. Let’s do this!
THURSDAY NIGHT
Las Vegas Raiders (-6) at Los Angeles Rams
Don’t look now, but the Raiders have strung together some good games recently and aren’t totally out of playoff contention just yet. The Rams have turned into a dumpster fire and have so many star players hurt that salvaging this season seems impossible. With Aaron Donald potentially out and the team maybe having to turn to their third string quarterback, I have to go with the Raiders to stay hot.
The Pick: Raiders -6
1 O’CLOCK SUNDAY
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions (-2.5)
This is one of the craziest spreads I’ve seen this year, and we’ve got a wild one later too. The 10-2 Vikings are road underdogs to the 5-7 Lions. I’m glad Detroit has stepped it up, as I mentioned in my first column of the year I was expecting a solid year from them. But to be favorites in this game? That’s tricky. The coin gets its first opportunity of Week 14.
The Pick: Vikings +2.5
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals (-6.5)
The Browns won convincingly against the Texans last weekend, but didn’t score an offensive touchdown. Deshaun Watson didn’t look good (insert Nelson Muntz ha-ha), but the defense took advantage of a freefalling Houston side. The Bengals are beginning to feel it once again, going on a late-season run similar to last year’s stretch that saw them represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. However, Joe Burrow has never beaten the Browns. With the division up for grabs, this is certainly the time to do so. I think this game stays close though.
The Pick: Browns +6.5
Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers (-2.5)
For the second straight year, a Lamar Jackson injury could sabotage the Ravens chances at playing some meaningful games in January and February. While Lamar hasn’t officially been ruled out as I write this, he does have a sprained PCL and that injury usually sidelines players for one to three weeks. I think the Steelers are going to take advantage. The run game has gotten much better and rookie QB Kenny Pickett seems to be improving by the week. I like Pittsburgh to jump on their rivals in this one.
The Pick: Steelers -2.5
New York Jets at Buffalo Bills (-9.5)
You can make quite the argument that the Jets should have beaten Minnesota last weekend, but New York just couldn’t figure it out in the red zone. Mike White is the starter going forward and nobody on the team seems too upset with it. The Bills finally put together a complete performance on Thursday and beat the Patriots by two scores. I like the Jets defense to keep this one to a one-score game.
The Pick: Jets +9.5
Philadelphia Eagles (-6.5) at New York Giants
Philadelphia beat Tennessee so badly last Sunday that the Titans fired their general manager just days later. It didn’t help his cause that former Tennessee star A.J. Brown torched his former team for two receiving touchdowns. The Giants meanwhile gave up a late touchdown to Washington and had to settle for a tie in overtime. The Giants remain one of the biggest surprises of the year and fans should feel proud of what this team has accomplished. That being said, I don’t think they have the firepower to keep up with Philly.
The Pick: Eagles -6.5
Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans (-3.5)
Both teams were on the wrong end of bad losses last weekend and are coming into this one looking to regroup. The Titans could probably lose every game they have left and still win the division. Everything is leaning towards Tennessee winning this game in dominant fashion, which is making me nervous. What’s even more concerning is that the coin LOVES the Jaguars. I might have to overrule.
The Pick: Titans -3.5
Houston Texans at Dallas Cowboys (-16.5)
I laughed out loud when I saw this line. I mean, it makes sense. Houston is by far the worst team in the league and Dallas is playing at an incredibly high level right now. But to see almost 17 points on paper was a real treat. The Cowboys showed that they’re able to put up 33 points in a quarter, while the Texans have scored 39 points in their last three games combined. I can’t believe I’m going there, but give me the Boys and all of those points. This has serious trap game potential, but the Texans have looked lifeless for weeks now.
The Pick: Cowboys -16.5
LATE AFTERNOON SLATE
Kansas City Chiefs (-9.5) at Denver Broncos
The Chiefs are going to be angry after losing their third game in 2022 to the Bengals last weekend. The Broncos have the worst offense this Bears fan has ever seen. However, the Denver defense is one of, if not the best in the league. Patrick Mahomes is a wild 14-0 on the road in divisional games, and Denver can’t score enough to keep up.
The Pick: Chiefs -9.5
Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks (-3.5)
Carolina had a week off to marinate in their big win over Denver two weeks ago, while the Seahawks had to come from behind to knock off the Rams last Sunday. Kenneth Walker hasn’t been ruled out with his ankle injury, but the rookie running back will at the very least be banged up in this one. Carolina has had the pieces all season long, but just hasn’t been able to get anything going. Geno Smith is playing like an MVP Candidate and I think he keeps it rolling in this one.
The Pick: Seahawks -3.5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at San Francisco 49ers (-3.5)
Tampa Bay scored 14 points in the final five or so minutes of their game Monday night to come back and beat the Saints. The Niners lost Jimmy Garoppolo for at least the rest of the regular season with a broken foot. It will be Brock Purdy, the last pick of the 2022 draft, in the meantime. Coming in against the Dolphins last week, Purdy didn’t miss a beat. The Niners defense remains one of, if not the best units in the game. But Touchdown Tom needs a win.
The Pick: Buccaneers +3.5
WAITIN’ ALL DAY FOR A SUNDAY NIGHT
Miami Dolphins (-3) at Los Angeles Chargers
The Dolphins came back down to Earth in their loss to the Niners last weekend, and Tua Tagovailoa had easily his worst game of the season, turning the ball over three times. On the other side, the Chargers dropped another game they probably should have won, and are now sitting at 6-6. This has been another disastrous year for LA where nothing seems to go right. At least Justin Herbert is still a fantastic quarterback. I’m going to defer to the coin on this one, but we have similar thoughts.
The Pick: Chargers +3
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
New England Patriots (-1.5) at Arizona Cardinals
New England comes into this one not playing since last Thursday while Arizona is coming off of a bye. Both teams should be well rested. Mac Jones was visibly upset on the sidelines regarding the Patriot offense last week, so I’m expecting some changes to be made to help the young QB out. Arizona is just going through the motions for the rest of the season, I can’t imagine a situation where they don’t blow it up around Kyler Murray next season. Give me the team I can trust more.
The Pick: Patriots -1.5
I’ll be honest with you good people. I’ve never been more nervous to submit this column before. Coming off of that winning week has changed me. As I said earlier, I refuse to go back to being a loser. I guess we’ll find out if last week was the beginning of a new trend or just a blip on an otherwise very sad radar. Only time will tell.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092