Something I don't really ever expect to see is for the Panthers to be favored by the Vegas bookies, even a week out. I bet this is a tough one for these experts to call but I can only imagine what they are basing this very slight, but still very real, supposed advantage on. Currently the Panthers are favorites by 1.5 points to win the game against the Eagles coming up next weekend.
I am taking this bet, with the Eagles
While it always kind of hurts my heart a bit betting against my own favorite team in the Panthers, it really pains me to bet FOR the Eagles, or any Philadelphia team. I have loathed the Eagles for as long as I can remember being involved in sports and this is never going to change. The Eagles could be playing against the Taliban and I would be on the fence about who to charge for, such is my hatred for this team.
However, my feelings for the various teams that are playing is not going to be allowed to affect my strategy of betting against the Panthers in every single contest they are in this year.
I do this because I find that betting against my favorite team kind of softens the blow when they almost always screw the game up wildly and instead of just being angry again like I have been in years past, at least I know that I made a bit of money when the Carolina side decided to forget how to play football again.
After Carolina's shocking victory over the Detroit Lions nearly 2 weeks ago, the media can't seem to stop singing Bryce Young's praises and to be fair, he did play quite well. The real hero in that game wasn't Bryce though, it wasn't even the Panthers' offensive line. Nay, the real hero was the apparently awful Lions' defense that gave Young an hour and a half to decide what he wanted to do with the ball on nearly every play.
This wont be as likely with the Eagles. I put the picture above because it once again showcases just how small Bryce is compared to other people on the field. How it is that he hasn't been horribly injured yet is a real mystery. I know that if he was standing next to me that I wouldn't talk trash but it is rare for me to be able to say that I am actually bigger than an NFL star. QB's tend to be the smaller guy on the pitch other than the kickers, but he is remarkably smaller than the others. Someone is going to get ahold of him and just absolutely crush him one day.
The team water guy is bigger than he is !
Size isn't everything, so they say. But in the NFL it kind of is. Being 5 foot 10 and under 200 lbs in a sport where everyone is around a full human bigger than you are is a very dangerous position to find one is. His little girl arms are going to get cracked in half on one of these plays one day. He is very lucky that quarterbacks are so protected by the rules. I am sure there is a 260 lb linebacker out there that would just love to tackle him into next week.
I don't know what is inspiring the bookies to favor Carolina in this contest. I can only guess that they know something I don't know. Maybe the Carolina defense actually is shaping up. They fucking well should be considering that the Panthers have spent enough money to fund a revolution in the Caribbean while attempting mostly in vain, to build a top-of-the-line defense over the years.
I am currently 2-2 on the year as far as betting against my own team is concerned. I think that Philly is going to run away with this one because they are not used to being called 2nd rate. A loss to Carolina would be extremely embarrassing for them and I think they are going to bring it all this time.
I don't WANT Philly to ever win, but I think that they are going to win this one and send the Panthers back down to Earth.
