Ebs’ Hot Takes: Jets, Panthers, Daily Fantasy Football

GILLETTE STADIUM TAILGATE PARTY – Boy, NFL Week 11 was a wacky one wasn’t it? From start to finish, the slate of Sunday’s games included some of the most exciting 60 minutes of football of the season.

Fitz
USA TODAY Sports

How about that finish in the Sunday night game? I thought the Cincinnati Bengals were a goner. Sure they lost, but still. Who wouldn’t want to see those two teams meet again in the Super Bowl. Carson Palmer has been reborn in Arizona – he’s Kurt Warner II.

Anyways, here’s this week’s set of Ebs’ Hot Takes:

About those Jets… I know I picked on you guys last week but come on! What has happened to Gang Green?

Is the Ryan Fitzpatrick honeymoon over yet, J-E-T-S fans? And can we all agree that Darrelle Revis is no longer Darrelle Revis. Yes he’s still a good cornerback but this is the second straight week he’s been out-manned by his opponent. And the concussion situation won’t help his season.

Credit goes to head coach Todd Bowles for his aggressive play-calling; going for it on fourth down the last two weeks shows moxie… except when you have a Ryan Fitzpatrick as your quarterback! There’s a reason Fitzy has fizzled on four different teams in four seasons. I love the guy, but he’s nothing more than a backup.

If the Jets don’t kick it into high gear they’ll get left out of this Wild Card race.

The Carolina Panthers are really good. I love Cam Newton.

The Associated Press
The Associated Press

Not only is the man leading me to a Fantasy Football championship, he has the Panthers on the path to a Super Bowl.

It is incredible what Newton has been able to do with season with the cast of characters that surround him. Aside from Greg Olsen and Jonathan Stewart, the Panthers don’t have another skill player that would start elsewhere in the NFL.

Sorry Tom Brady, but Newton deserves MVP much more than you.

Daily fantasy sports are not illegal gambling. As a resident of New York, I was not able to play daily fantasy sports games for the first NFL weekend in over a year. I’m going to be honest… It was pretty sad.

Earlier this week I wrote a column for The Saratogian about how daily fantasy isn’t illegal gambling and I just wanted to voice my opinion here as well and expect that Tall Matt and Big Al Sternberg will have something to say about that.

Daily fantasy is a game of skill. It’s not like picking the spread of the Monday’s game and hoping the Buffalo Bills or New England Patriots pull it out.

In daily fantasy football you have to use your knowledge to outplay your opponents.

Sure, you could run out a Tom Brady-Rob Gronkowski stack every week, but so will just about everyone else. You have to do you research and know that you should have played a cheap Kirk Cousins against a bad New Orleans Saints defense last week, which was a less popular play. It’s one of the reasons I had success last week. And while there is a factor of luck, you’re playing against other people – and not totally relying on outside factors.

For that reason, daily fantasy sports are not illegal gambling… and should not be banned.

Feel free to comment below and come back tomorrow for the aforementioned Big Al Sternberg (aka Fake Sandy Alderson).

P.s… You can follow me on Twitter with @DJEberle66 as the handle.

 

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About DJ Eberle 223 Articles
DJ Eberle: The youngest of our team, DJ is also the largest. Offensive Tackle Large. In fact, this Albany native used OT for Western New England University - until he graduated in May of 2014. Like Junoir Blaber, he's a regular on Rugby Wrap Up - his dad played rugby with The Matts. His cross to bear, however, is his love for the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres. As for baseball and basketball, it's the Yanks and Atlanta Hawks. Follow him on Twitter: @ByDJEberle.