Tuesday's List of 13: Den; NFL knowledge with camp only a week away…….

Tuesday's List of 13: Den; NFL knowledge with camp only a week away…….

13) Kansas City was +9 in turnovers, +27 in sacks LY, as QB Mahomes exploded onto the scene; KC was 12-4 LY, with three losses by 3 or fewer points. Last three years, Chiefs are 8-3 ATS as an underdog. In his last 10 years as a HC, Andy Reid is 2-7 in playoff games, after going 10-7 in playoff games before that.

12) Minnesota was #31 in NFL LY in $$$ spent on their offensive line; last summer, their OL coach died suddenly before training camp started, and team went 8-8 after going 13-3 the year before, when Keenum was their QB. Cousins is 34-37-2 as an NFL starter, 0-1 in playoff games; he makes $28M a year. It is unclear if he is better than Keenum.

11) Colts have had only two losing seasons since 2001, but last year was first time in four years they made the playoffs. Indy was 4-1 LY in games decided by 3 or fewer points in Reich’s first season as a head coach; under is 21-10 in their home games the last four years.

10) Madden video game ranked Eli Manning as the worst starting QB in the NFL- he’ll be 39 in January. Last six years, Giants are 38-59 SU; last two years, they’re 1-4-1 vs spread as a favorite. Giants went for it on 4th down only eight times LY, and Saquon Barkley carried the ball on only one of the eight plays. Will they play first round draft pick QB Jones at all this season?

9) Miami hasn’t made the playoffs since 2008; their last playoff win was in 2000, six coaches ago. Dolphins were last in NFL LY in $$ spent on offense, then they went and hired a defensive assistant from New England as their new HC. Josh Rosen is the new QB; he started 13 games as a rookie for a bad Arizona team LY.

8) Last year in Oakland for the Raiders, who haven’t won a playoff game since 2002- they’ve made playoffs once since then, going 10-22 last two years after a 12-4 season in 2016. Oakland was #31 in $$$ spent on defense LY; they had three first round picks in April, using two on defenders, which should help. Raiders had only 13 sacks LY, while giving up 52.

7) Le’Veon Bell, Antonio Brown are both gone now; Steelers were last in NFL LY in $$$ spent at both RB and WR- they were -11 in turnovers, after going +8 the previous three years. Big Ben is 37; he threw 675 passes LY. Last three years, under is 18-5 in their road games. Last six years, Steelers are 7-3-1 vs spread coming off a loss.

6) Jaguars were #4 in $$$ spent on defense LY, #28 on offense, but now Nick Foles is their QB; can he survive a 16-game schedule? Foles has never started more than 11 games in a season, and started 9+ games in a season only twice. Last four years, Jaguars TO margin is minus-30, and that was with a +10 season in 2017.

5) Jets haven’t made the playoffs since 2010; they went 14-34 the last three years. Adam Gase went 23-25 as coach in Miami, got fired, but division rival Jets hired him to tutor QB Darnold who started 13 games (4-9) LY. Gang Green was minus-10 in turnovers LY, are minus-34 the last three years. Over is 19-11-1 in their home games the last four years.

4) New England has won six Super Bowls since 2001; Brady will be 42 in a few weeks, but he is 12-2 in playoff games the last five years. Over last decade, NE is 46-27-3 as a home favorite; they have to replaced retired TE Gronkowski. In red zone LY, White was targeted 22 times, Edelman 19 times, Gronkowski only seven.

3) Last two years, while playing with very little home field advantage in Carson, Chargers went 11-3 vs spread in true road games. LA’s new dome opens next year; Chargers need lot of wins this year to sell tickets for their ’20 home games. Philip Rivers will be 38 in December; he’s started every game since ’06, but Bolts did a smart thing and added Tyrod Taylor as a backup.

2) Carson Wentz started 13-11 games the last two years; he is 23-17 as an NFL starter, and Nick Foles is in Jacksonville now, so Wentz better stay healthy. In Weeks 4 and 7 LY, Eagles led by 14+ points in 3rd quarter, but lost both games. 12 of their 16 games were decided by 8 or fewer points, which makes the -6 turnover ratio more damaging.

1) New Orleans had 29 more sacks than they allowed LY; they were 5-2 in games decided by 8 or fewer points. Last eight times Saints made postseason, they won their first playoff game seven times. Drew Brees will be 41 in January. Red zone targets LY; Thomas 31, Kamara 29, Tre’Quan Smith 11. Last five years, over is 26-14 in the Superdome.