John’s Well-Educated Guesses: Week 4 – The Recap

Every week I make predictions about how things will play out in the game.  I’m a man of integrity and I always answer for my predictions.  It’s time to pay the piper. 

Prediction: Christian McCaffrey will get more than 10 targets in the passing game:  As I mentioned, Olsen is out and Benjamin is hobbled with a knee.  I think that leaves Newton as a threat to scramble, and McCaffrey as a safety valve.  Our linebackers are not very fast (or good at football).  I think he will be the focal point of the Panther attack as he can easily get open if Cam can buy time.  Look for him to be heavily targeted.

Result: Only 6 targets in the passing game, but another couple of hand-offs put him in the spotlight a lot.  Cam didn’t look like the guy I remember, and stayed in the pocket all game…he got us pretty good on some of those designed runs, but he didn’t improvise when the play went to shit.  Running Quarterbacks age in dog years I guess.   Nonetheless, I was wrong about McCaffrey.  I did not think the other Panther weapons would be so effective…or that we would be giving up chunk play after chunk play in general.

Prediction:  Brady will have time in the pocket: I think the Patriots really make it an emphasis to limit the hits on their all-world quarterback.  The Offensive line should play better, and I think they commit to the run to shorten the game.  That will set up Brady to pick his spots and do what he does best.  This isn’t a game they have to throw it 50 times to win, and I think Brady will have time to distribute the rock.

Result:  I’m gonna go with no on this one.  The vertical passing game makes it so Tom has to wait longer, hence the pressure.  It just bums me out this guy has to throw it 45 times (I guess I was right about that).  It shouldn’t be this hard on him and he still looks like an MVP.

Prediction:  The entire team will stand together with locked arms during the National Anthem:  Devin Mccourty said they were going to do something together as a team.  The only other option I can think of is that they will do exactly what the Dallas Cowboys did last weekend.  All kneel together in a moment of silence and then all stand for the Anthem.

Result: I missed this part…who cares?  Can we stop talking about this now?

Prediction: 41-28 – I think the Pats hang 40 and Killa Cam racks up some garbage time stats.  This is a game the Pats should win.

Result:  33-30 Pats lose.  I still maintain that this was a game the Pats should have won.  I’m not a complainer, but I don’t see how a Panther’s fan can’t say…”Wow the refs really hooked us up….just like last time.”