Here's your Week 9 winners
BEST BET: Cowboys at Eagles
The Saints survived last week, but a lot of their fans probably did not.
(AP)
PHOTO GALLERY
NFL Week 9 matchups
Those who had their heroes minus the 10 points against the Falcons on Monday Night Football last week were left with a bittersweet feeling: Happy to be 7-0, but probably ready to ship running back Mike Bell to NFL Siberia.
It was Bell’s inexcusable fumble in the final two minutes that played the biggest role in dropping the Saints from the ranks of the unbeaten against the spread. After a heroic effort by Pierre Thomas to give the Saints a 35-24 lead with 3:03 to play, Bell’s fumble led to a Falcons field goal that cost the Saints a seventh-consecutive cover. Final score: Saints 35, Falcons 27.
The final four minutes of that game showed why Monday Night Football has been so popular over the last 40 years. While the game was kind of in doubt in the fourth quarter, the spread was hanging in the balance on every play.
A Matt Ryan fumble was overturned on replay and Darren Sharper dropped an interception. That’s Darren Sharper, he of the 60 career interceptions and 11 TDs, including three this year.
The Saints regained possession and needed only a first down or to just hang on to the ball in the final 1:42. But Bell fumbled on a third-down run, the Falcons recovered and Jason Elam kicked a 40-yard field goal to get Atlanta within eight points.
The Eagles, meanwhile, were the play of the week — in a pick ’em game against the Giants, they led 30-7 at halftime and won 40-17. With Donovan McNabb and DeSean Jackson still clicking, they should keep rolling at home against the Cowboys.
Time: 7:20 p.m., NBC. Line: Eagles by 3. Total: 48.
Records (overall/ATS): Cowboys 5-2/4-3; Eagles 5-2/5-2.
Potash' Best Bet: Eagles 30, Cowboys 17.