NFL Betting: What We Learned from Week 12 (2020)
Week 12 of the NFL is still a long way from over as we’ll have Monday Night Football as well as a Tuesday game with the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers. Most of the games are finished, though, so let’s take a look back and see what we learned from this past week’s action.
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It’s Time for Anthony Lynn To Go
The Los Angeles Chargers have consistently had a team that can contend for a playoff spot under Anthony Lynn. The flip side is they’ve done nothing with that and often disappointed, falling short in games and seasons when the team looks more than talented enough to compete. While this type of firing can go either way (see: Detroit Lions firing Jim Caldwell), it’s time for Lynn to go.
Lynn continues to make boneheaded in-game decisions. On Sunday, he was running the ball down two scores with no timeouts. The final play of a game where quarterback Justin Herbert went for a sneak but the five offensive linemen dropped back for a pass.
It’s time for the Chargers to get someone else who can make more out of this roster. They’ve gone as far as they can with Lynn.
Giants are Starting to Turn It Around
Very quietly, the Giants seem to be turning the tide. Although Daniel Jones was hurt on Sunday, he still finished the day 16-of-27 for 213 yards in limited action. The running game is starting to work as Wayne Gallman is being productive and the receiving corps is offering some support. As a result, this team has won three in a row for the first time since 2016.
The Giants’ defense is solid as they’ve now allowed 25 points or less in six straight games while giving up an average of 20.0 points per game in that span. This is a team that’s worth investing in as long as Jones is healthy and they’re an underdog or small favorite.
Cam Newton is Nearing the End
For a couple of games – early in the year – it looked like Cam Newton’s career had been revived. As we’re just about to flip the calendar to December, it’s safe to say that his illustrious career as a quality starting quarterback in the NFL is winding down.
On Sunday, Newton finished the day 9-of-18 for 84 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. Newton has had his moments – he has two games where he’s passed 762 in those contests – but he’s averaging just 113.8 passing yards per game in his other eight contests. He has just four touchdown passes and seven interceptions on the year. In the modern-day, passing-oriented NFL, that’s pathetic. Sure, the Pats don’t have great weapons but Newton is part of the problem, not the solution. They’re scheming around him for now but he just doesn’t have it anymore.
Darnold is Done in New York
Speaking of quarterbacks who have hit the end of the line, Sam Darnold has to be done in New York. Sunday was supposed to be his audition as he finally had a healthy cast of wideouts to work with. Even though Frank Gore finished the day with a reasonable 74 yards to offer balance to the offense, Darnold again looked completely lost. He had some positive throws, of course, and then had a couple of brutal interceptions. He finished the day with an 18.3 QBR.
In fairness, it’s possible that the Jets, Adam Gase, and the whole situation broke him. At any rate, he simply doesn’t look like a franchise starter right now. This team is 0-11 and with three of their final five games being on the road, it’s unclear where their win comes from.
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