Catching Up on NFL and NBA

NFL:

The New York Giants are celebrating their Super Bowl win with their ticker tape parade today.  I have to say congrats to them for a hard fought win against a good New England Patriots team.  I will say this though, I am not on board with this Eli Manning to the Hall of Fame and how he's become a top QB in the league.  I think a lot of that should be tempered as this great year that Eli had was the outlier.  His previous body of work has been somewhat middling (he's averaged 16+ INTs a year vs. 23+ TDs a year).  He's a good guy and has definitely grown as a leader, but let's all just hold off of this Eli is THE MAN for now.  (Take a look at the other QBs that we're talking about being the best in the game).

QB	Avg TDs (since 2004)	Avg INTs (since 2004)
Eli Manning	23	16
Drew Brees	31	14
Tom Brady*	28	9
Aaron Rodgers**	16	4
Ben Roethlisberger	20	12
Philip Rivers	20	9

*Includes a year of 0 TDs and 0 INTs due to injury

**Includes spot duty behind Favre; started in 2008

NBA:

LA Clippers - Count Chauncey Billups as the first person to encounter the Clippers Curse.  Billups has torn his left Achilles and will miss the remainder of the year (my opinion, but you'll see later today).  Mo Williams, now it's your turn to step in and see if you can help this team as a starter.  The big question is whether the Clippers can reach out and get JR Smith.  If so, let's just hope that he leaves his sister and girlfriend at home. 

LA Lakers - Kobe passes the Big Speed Bump (Shaq) on the Lakers all-time scoring list.  Shaq was effusive in his praise for the young Kobe, and maybe there is hope that the two of them can kiss and make up after a few years.  More importantly is Kobe is wishing for some kind of move that will get him Championship #6.  Can the Lakers pull a Howard trade, or maybe steal Deron Williams from the Nets?  If the Lakers get one or both of these deals done, look out for the Black Mamba in the playoffs. 

New York Knicks - Run out and get your Jeremy Lin jerseys now.  The Ivy League grad is actually balling for the Knicks and just helped them beat a Jazz team (above .500) without Amare and Melo (for most of the game, UPDATE - Melo will be out for 1-2 weeks with hammy injury).  I can easily say that Lin is the best POINT guard on the team.  Baron Davis is a shell of a shell of himself and no one knows if and when his back will work correctly.  Douglas and Shumpert, both ACC guys, are more scorers than true point guards.  I think going forward the Knicks gotta start Lin and bring Shump off the bench for scoring and defense. 

Dallas Mavericks - Jason Kidd is still shelved and although no one is rushing him back, one thing we can see is that this compacted schedule is no joke for these older players.  Dirk has been chided for being out of shape and we've seen from an overall level that the NBA off-season, really means what it says it means.

Denver Nuggets - Just as the creamy Nuggets were finding their legs in this compacted season they've been dealt a blow with the injury to Danilo Gallinari.  Gallinari chipped a bone in his foot and we're not sure how long he'll be out.  Gallo was ballin up until this point and although the Nuggets say they don't have that go to player, I think Gallo was that guy.  He's averaging a little over 17 pts per game and with his height and mobility he can provide several mismatches for opposing teams.  Get well soon Gallo, the Nuggets need you. 

NFL 2010 Week 17 Picks

This is it, my last chance for a perfect week.  This week is probably the hardest because no one knows how long the starters play in these games because in most cases, the only thing that's in question in the seeding.  Let's see if we can make this perfect thing happen. 

Carolina @ Atlanta - The Falcons need a win to get their mindset ready for the playoffs, but they can't risk too many people getting hurt.  Starters play a half in this one and the Panthers just aren't good enough to make this close.  Winner - Falcons.

Pittsburgh @ Cleveland - The Browns want to win and the Steelers just gotta get out of this healthy.  Polamalu is trying to play on his injured achilles, we'll see how long he plays if at all.  Winner - Browns. 

Minnesota @ Detroit - Hmmmm,...Joe Webb gets another chance to start and hopefully play well.  Favre did finally pass his concussion tests, but I doubt he'll play unless it's the last play of the game.  For some reason, the Lions are the team that keeps coming to mind.  Winner - Lions.

Oakland @ Kansas City - The Chiefs need this win and it's against the Raiders (rivalry).  Why not beat them on your way to the playoffs?  Winner - Chiefs. 

Miami @ New England - The Patriots have nothing to prove and I doubt the starters play more than a series or two in the second half.  I expect about 24 ont he board before then.  Winner - Patriots. 

Tampa Bay @ New Orleans - What are the Saints playing for?  This is going to be a good game.  The Bucs need this one,......Winner - Bucs. 

Buffalo @ New York Jets - Gotta be the Jets, or this whole season has been a waste.  They have to find their rhythm on both offense and defense.  Winner - Jets. 

Cincinatti @ Baltimore - The Ravens gotta find their identity on offense and nothing like the Bengals, who actually played pretty well without their divas last week.  Winner - Ravens. 

Jacksonville @ Houston - Both teams are essentially out of the playoffs, so show really cares?  No MJD and no Garrard for the Jaguars.  Winner - Texans. 

New York Giants @ Washington - The Shanahan Plan.  Winner - Giants. 

Dallas @ Philadelphia - Can the Cowboys make Vick look human and possibly get a few more hits on him?  Or will Kolb look terrible?  Winner - Eagles. 

Arizona @ San Francisco - The 49ers could win this game and galvanize a team that could say they just weren't led the right way all year long.  Will they do it?  Winner - 49ers. 

Chicago @ Green Bay - I'm still not sold on the Bears.  They have nothing to gain in this game except to keep their rival Packers out of the playoffs.  I just don't think that can be their only motivation.  Lovie won't play his starters long.  Winner - Packers. 

Tennessee @ Indianapolis - Peyton Manning is back.  Winner - Colts. 

San Diego @ Denver - Nothing for either team to play for, so which team is the best?  Winner - Chargers. 

St. Louis @ Seattle - Should be a good game and the surprising Rams should make the playoffs.  I know I'll be watching.  Winner - Rams. 

Who you got?!?!?

NFL 2010 Week 14 Picks

Quick week again.  Let's get to the picks.

Cleveland @ Buffalo - The Browns are just playing too well.  The Bills are looking to have the worst record to possibly get a QB next year, via the draft.  Delhomme will get another start, so hopefully the old QB can get one more win out of him.  Winner - Browns. 

Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh - Tough division game.  The Bengals have been playing better the last two weeks, but the Steelers need to play well but minimize the hits to Big Ben.  I'll look for a lot of Mendenhall on the ground and then the Steelers defense to finish this one off.  Winner - Steelers. 

Green Bay @ Detroit - I like what the Lions have done in the past weeks, but they are going up against a team that has to win to try and keep pace with the Bears in the division.  It's indoor and the Packers HAVE to find a way to run the ball.  They are similar to the Colts, if they can get some semblance of a running game going, the Packers should have a cakewalk.  Winner - Packers. 

Tampa Bay @ Washington - This one is a tough one.  I will say that the Bucs are the better team but something about the Redskins sending Haynesworth home will galvanize this Redskins team.  I'm not even sure why that makes sense because he really hasn't played much the entire year.  I'm supposed to pick the Redskins, but I can't in good faith.  Winner - Bucs. 

Atlanta @ Carolina - Shouldn't be a contest.  The Panthers are that bad and the Falcons want this win to hopefully end up with the best record in the NFL.  Winner - Falcons. 

Oakland @ Jacksonville - This game is going to be close.  The Jaguars are showing everyone that they truly belong.  They have to win these games because the Colts looked energized and back on their good foot, with a mathematical chance to sneak up on the Jaguars and win the division.  Look for a lot of MJD and minimizing the mistakes on offense.  Winner - Jaguars.

Seattle @ San Francisco - Two very bad teams.  With news that the 49ers are going to start Alex Smith, they are making this pick easy for me.  What does Troy Smith have to do to start the remainder of the season?  Seattle in (hopefully) a blowout.  Winner - Seahawks. 

St. Louis @ New Orleans - This is a tough one.  The Rams have played well, but are they good enough to beat the Saints at home?  The Saints haven't blown anyone out in a while and this Rams team can run the ball well enough to keep them in the game.  Hmmmm,.......tough one,.....Winner - Saints. 

Miami @ New York Jets - What do you do after an a$$ whuppin?  Well, I guess we'll see when the Jets take the field on Sunday.  Miami needs help at the QB spot, because Henne probably isn't the answer.  Jason Taylor is looking to play more in this game since he'll be playing against his former team (Dolphins) and I expect him to wreak havoc.  Winner - Jets. 

Denver @ Arizona - Kyle Orton, it's time to get back on the horse.  Orton had a nice few games of throwing for over 300 yards a game and last week was pitiful.  Arizona is just that bad so I expect a big game from Lloyd and Orton.  Winner - Broncos. 

Kansas City @ San Diego - Hi Brodie Croyle, welcome to the pressure cooker.  The Chargers are looking to make their normal push into the playoffs with the loss last week being a slight blow, but beating the Chiefs would be a pretty big deal if they can pull it off.  Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, I hope that you've rested those legs.  Winner - Chiefs. 

New England @ Chicago - There's snow on the ground and more coming.  All in all I don't think that will be an issue for either team.  The question is how do you beat a Tampa 2 defense?  You dink and dunk the ball up and down the field.  Does that tell you who I'm picking?  Winner - Patriots. 

Philadelphia @ Dallas - The Cowboys are playing inspired ball and this will definitely be a test for their defense with the Eagles coming to town.  Remember that the Bears 'stopped' Vick and he still threw for 300 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, and ran for another TD.  The Eagles just need this game too bad to lose this one.  No Dez Bryant for the Cowboys and the Eagles get Samuel back.  Winner - Eagles. 

New York Giants @ Minnesota - If this game is played, yes I say that because more snow expected in the midwest and the dome can't be cleaned off with the high winds that are presently blowing through the Land of 10,000 lakes.  It will get played at some point, but I doubt Monday.  Anyway, this gives Favres shoulder a chance to heal (maybe God is a Favre fan) which may or may not be a good thing.  The Vikings need this win, but I think for some reason the Giants find a way to win this game.  Winner - Giants. 

Baltimore @ Houston - My main man Ray Lewis takes his Ravens team to Houston.  Houston is a dangerous team because of their balance on the ground and in the air.  I've been waiting for Flacco to have a breakout game, more importantly having that big game with Anquan Boldin.  Will this be the night?  Closer game than most think, but again, in Ray I trust.  Winner - Ravens.

Who you got?!?!

NFL 2010 Week 13 Picks

Ok, we started the week off with the Eagles and a win, so let's see if we can keep it up.

New Orleans @ Cincinnati - It's time for the movers and shakers to move and shake.  The better teams (the Saints) are trying to shore up their playoff position in the NFC, while the terrible teams (the Bengals) are quietly doing quarterback and head coach searches.  The Saints are starting to get their backfield in order and healthy and I imagine that the Bengals won't put up much of a fight.  Carson Palmer, this is your audition for your next team.  Winner - Saints.

Chicago @ Detroit - The Bears, as a collective unit should play the lottery because they have been THE luckiest team this season.  They get to go against another 3rd string quarterback in Drew Stanton.  The Bears are positioning themselves to win their division and this is a division game.  The Lions have played well, but I don't think they have enough bullets in their guns to pull off this upset.  Cutler will make this interesting though.  Winner - Bears. 

San Francisco @ Green Bay - The Packers are trying to keep pace with the Bears and they get a softie this week with 49ers coming to town.  The 49ers are without Frank Gore for the year, but they do have Troy Smith who has played well.  I expect that Smith will see lots of blitzes and the Packers have the corners to cover the 49ers receivers.  Both teams are essentially pass oriented at this point and without a decent ground game on either side, always go with the best defense.  This should be a blow out by the Packers, but I think I'll just take a nice win.  Winner - Packers. 

Jacksonville @ Tennessee - The Titans have to do better than last week.  Chris Johnson has to get more than 10 yards.  Jacksonville took an 'L' last week, but this is their bounce back week.  A win here could almost guarantee that the Jaguars will be going to the playoffs.  The pressure is on.  Winner - Jaguars. 

Denver @ Kansas City - Which team will show up?  The Broncos have been playing well, led by Kyle Orton of all people.  The Chiefs have been playing well due to the play of Dwayne Bowe (and to a lesser extent, Matt Cassel).  The game is in Denver and the Broncos normally play well there.  I told the fellas that I would pick the Chiefs, or at least I was leaning that way, but for some reason my hands want to type,......Broncos.  Bad hands.  Winner - Chiefs.

Cleveland @ Miami - Tough game to pick.  Cleveland is the team that Miami should be, a grind it out running team.  Miami will have problems (as do most teams) with Peyton Hillis and a healthy Jake Delhomme.  Somebody from Cleveland has to beat a Miami team this year,....at least once.  Winner - Browns.

Buffalo @ Minnesota - Why do I still like the Vikings?  Favre is declining, AP is coming off  a sprained ankle, and Buffalo has played pretty decently as of late.  The Bills re one dropped pass from beating the Steelers last week.  Maybe the Vikings' defense steps up at home and makes this game tough for the Bills?  Winner - Vikings.

Washington @ New York Giants - This should be an easy game for the Giants.  The Redskins offense is unimaginative and mostly ineffective, but with a wily QB (McNabb) and an opportunistic defense (sometimes), the Redskins COULD win this game, but I think that the Giants are just too good to let that happen, especially at home.  Winner - Giants.   

Oakland @ San Diego - Well the Raiders were hot for a second, but now they aren't even lukewarm.  Somehow this team fell off (maybe the constant switching of quarterbacks can do this you) and I don't see them getting it all back together any time soon.  The Chargers are starting their regular late season push as they are concentrated on making the playoffs after their terrible start.  Antonio Gates will probably play again in this game but he won't be 100%, and even that didn't hurt them last week.  If the Raiders do wake up, this would be the game to do it.  Winner - Raiders. 

Carolina @ Seattle - Two bad teams.  The Panthers have to travel across the country and the Seahawks need a win.  This one should be easy.  Winner - Seahawks. 

Atlanta @ Tampa Bay - This one ought to be interesting.  Both teams are playoff bound and this is a division game.  The Bucs have played well most of the season and they will sneak up on you if don't watch them.  The Falcons are one of the most complete teams in the NFL and they will need that balance to beat this Bucs team at home.  Winner - Falcons. 

St. Louis @ Arizona - Derek Anderson ought to try and hit a few more receivers instead of blowing up on the media.  That will be harder with the Rams defense coming at him.  The Rams offense will have some problems with a motivated Cardinals defense.  I have no confidence in anyone the Cardinals put under center, sorry.  Winner - Rams. 

Dallas @ Indianapolis - No Marion Barber for the Cowboys, which may not be a big issue, but the Colts are missing a lot of players too.  The Colts offensive line doesn't allow Manning to get touch most of the time, so it will be up to the Cowboys defensive front to get to Manning.  The Cowboys offense will have to find Dez Bryant again, because he's too good to go catchless in a game.  Winner - Colts. 

Pittsburgh @ Baltimore - If you like football, you should like this game.  Two teams who don't like each other and love show that dislike on the field.  This game is a divisional game and a rematch which the Ravens won earlier in the year.  Normally I go with a split between these teams, but if Big Ben can't move, he'll definitely be a sitting duck.  Winner - Ravens. 

New York Jets @ New England - The game of the week and it's fitting that it's on Monday Night.  The Jets get a chance to get a crack at the suddenly hot Patriots.  The Jets seem to have lost some of their mojo as of late or they actually have stopped all of the talking.  The Patriots are slowly killing teams with Brady making lots of short passes and then every now and then going deep.  The Jets are looking good because they are leaning on the veteran legs of LT, their defense and their QB who isn't turning the ball over a lot.  Tough game to pick, but I gotta go with,.......Winner - Patriots.  

Who you got?

NFL 2010 Week 12 Picks

Yes, we're running late this week, but all of that sleep from the turkey is the only reason.  Let's see what we have on tap for the rest of this week.

Green Bay @ Atlanta - A very interesting game.  One team that's all pass and defense, the Packers, against a well rounded team at home, the Falcons.  I keep saying that the Packers can't keep this up, but for some reason they continue to win.  Winner - Falcons.


Pittsburgh @ Buffalo - Unless the Steelers bus has an accident en route to the stadium, this one is easy.  Winner - Steelers.


Carolina @ Cleveland - Talk about another easy one.  The Browns should be able to run the score up on this bad Panthers team and it's in Cleveland,.......Winner - Browns. 


Jacksonville @ New York Giants - Ok, this is it.  The Jaguars can not win this game.  They have been playing some good football as of late and have gotten some pretty lucky bounces, but there's no way they go to the New Meadowlands and win this game.  Bradshaw lost his starting spot and this Giants team has to be steamed with the way they played last week.  Winner - Giants. 


Minnesota @ Washington - Is this the old QB Bowl?  McNabb isn't quite 40 yet, although his body might beg to differ, but this is a bad game and hopefully not too many people have to watch.  The Vikings have been my pick all year, but they have let me down at every turn.  Again, I don't know why I pick them, but maybe they answer the bell for Leslie better than they do Childress.  Winner - Vikings. 


Tennessee @ Houston - No VY, and we're getting a third stringer starting.  This is just the type of game that the Titans would man up and win.  The Texans need this win badly and I could imagine Jeff Fisher taking a head coaching position in Houston next year with all of the craziness that's going on in the Titans locker room.  Note to Vince Young, if you are man enough to cuss someone out, be man enough to apologize in the same manner, to his face.  Winner - Texans.


Kansas City @ Seattle - This is the statement game of the year for the Chiefs, are they for real?  I think so.  Seattle has played well about half the season and you never know which team will show up, but this Chiefs team has the playoffs in their grasp and this is one of those gotta win games.  Winner - Chiefs.


Miami @ Oakland - More Gradkowski for the Raiders and I think I'm going to try out for the Dolphins starting QB spot.  Miami has the long road trip this week and if they game plan like they did against the Bears (not one Wildcat formation) then this game is already over.  Going with the Silver and Black.  Winner - Raiders. 


St. Louis @ Denver - Cheaters never win!!!  Well sometimes they do (ask the Patriots) and sometimes the fruit from those teams fall very close to the tree (ask Denver).  The Rams are just too young and I imagine that the Mile High air is going to hurt the Rams especially this late in the season.  Winner - Broncos. 


Philadelphia @ Chicago - I can guarantee one thing, Cutler won't throw a pick to Asante Samuels because he'll be out of this game with a knee injury.  I imagine that Cutler will still try to find him on the sidelines though.  This is the game for the Bears to show whether they are real or if this is all a facade and smoke and mirrors.  They have the defensive front to keep Vick in check, but everyone if going to have to play well.  Briggs is the man that will shine if the Bears win.  Winner - Eagles. 


Tampa Bay @ Baltimore - This game screams defense but I'm not sure if the Bucs can hold up their end of the bargain.  It's late in the year and the Ravens don't usually play badly because this is moving time (moving up the ranks).  LeGarrette Blount, meet the Ravens defense, we'll have the Epsom salt ready for you after the game.  Winner - Ravens. 


San Diego @ Indianapolis - Can Rivers do it two weeks in a row?  He had a spectacular game last week, but this Colts team is hungry and both teams need a win to keep up with the Patriots.  Manning just isn't the same guy without his full complement of receivers, but he's still going to stick it to the Chargers defense.  The Colts defense can get to Rivers and Gates is out yet again.  Rivers' options appear to be similar to Manning.  Which QB is better?  Winner - Chargers. 


San Francisco @ Arizona - Is anyone going to be watching this game?  I mean most people in Arizona and California won't so I expect to have a Monday Night Football black out.  Of course it will be on, but I'm not tuning in to watch Derek Anderson and whomever the 49ers trot out there to play this game.  Hopefully Troy Smith has a great game on Monday Night so that Chucky and Jaws don't have to go on and on with filler for this game.  Winner - 49ers. 


Who you got?

NFL 2010 Week 10 Picks

Starting off 0 - 1 this week with the Ravens/Falcons game.  Let's see what happens the rest of the week.

Detroit @ Buffalo – This is definitely going to be an ugly game.  The Bills may mess around and get their first win.  Shaun Hill should get the start for the Lions with Stafford hurt and that defense has been playing pretty well as of late.  This is really a coin flip, but I have to lean towards the Lions on this one.  Don’t know why.  Winner – Lions. 

Minnesota @ Chicago – Whew!!!!  This is a Job game for both head coaches.  If the Bears lose, that’ll mean that Lovie is one step closer to being out the door.  If the Vikings lose, that may end their playoff hopes and send Chilly on out the door on Monday morning.  The Vikings are thin at WR as Harvin continues to battle migraines and they slowly bring Rice along.  That means more time for former Bears castoff Bernard Berrian to do work.  I don’t know if he’s up for it.  I imagine that the Vikings will allow Favre to call the game from under center in hopes of catching the Bears asleep at the wheel.  Winner – Vikings.        

New York Jets @ Cleveland – I picked against this bad Browns team two weeks in a row and they ended up winning.  Dare I pick them again?  The Jets need to win this game badly and make Rex Ryan’s brother rue the day he was born (hahahahaha).  The Browns have been up to the challenge as of late but it’s too late in the season for the better teams to lose to the bad ones.  Winner – Jets. 

Carolina @ Tampa Bay – This is how bad it’s become for the Panthers.  I can’t even waste time talking about them because I just know that they are going to lose this game.  In Tampa?  Against a decent defense and no running game.  Watch them run all over the Bucs and make me cry in my cereal.  Winner – Bucs.

Houston @ Jacksonville – I can’t believe that Garrard can play better than he did against the Cowboys again.  They are at home, but Houston has got to get back on track or they are going to be bridesmaids in their division yet again.  It’s time for that Texans defense to get down right Walker Texas Ranger on somebody.  Arian Foster will also need a big game.  Winner – Texans. 

Cincinnati @ Indianapolis – One bad team (Bengals) against a decent team (Colts) at home.  Collie is still out, and Manning doesn’t look that comfortable with his version of the Replacements.  He’s so used to being on the same page with his receivers, but with all their injuries, it just makes it hard and you can see he’s not comfortable.  The Bengals are on a fast ship going nowhere as it seems that Carson Palmer only has love for T.O.  Chad Ochocinco has been relegated to a highly paid cheerleader who doesn’t like what he’s seeing.  He’s gotta have a big game sometime soon.  Maybe this weekend?  Winner – Bengals. 

Tennessee @ Miami – Hello Randy Moss, again!!!!!  The Titans come to Miami to show off their new offense and I expect the fireworks to pop.  I had the same expectations for Moss in Minny, but Fisher is a much better coach and they have a much better play caller.  Miami will play them tough, but with the revolving door at QB on a constant spin, no one can really pick the Dolphins.  Winner – Titans. 

Kansas City @ Denver – AFC Rivalry in the Mile High City.  We know a few things: 1) Kyle Orton will throw for 300+ yards 2) Charles will have 20-25 carries for 100+ yards 3) Bowe will drop 2 passes 4) Cassel will make us question his $60M contract 5) Brandon Lloyd will make every Bears fan cringe has he catches passes from Orton for TDs (about 2 this game).  In the end, this one is coming down to a kicker.  Who you got?  Winner – Chiefs.

Dallas @ New York Giants – How bad can it be?  I guess we’ll see.  If the Cowboys lose this game, they might have to fire all of the popcorn vendors in the new stadium, obviously they are a problem too.  (Jerry Jones, look in the mirror!!!!)  The Cowboys travel to the new Meadowlands and they are running into a buzz saw.  Not that I think the Giants are that good, because Manning can give it away, but they have a decent all around team and I expect them to dominate a Dallas defense that hasn’t been able to stop too many people this season.  I can’t pick the Cowboys.  The keyboard won’t even let me type it.  Winner – Giants. 

Seattle @ Arizona – The Battle of Two Bad teams.  Hasselbeck will probably start coming off of his concussion, but he should do a lot of handing off to Lynch if they want to win this game.  I’m not even sure who’s starting for the Cardinals at QB, but it seems over the last few weeks that they are more comfortable with Derek Anderson back there.  Here’s to hoping he can play some decent ball this weekend.  Winner – Cardinals.

St. Louis @ San Francisco – This starts the 49ers path towards winning the NFC West.  No one has really stepped up to take away the division, so here’s to making Mike Singletary and the rest of the 49ers front office look like geniuses.  Winner – 49ers. 

New England @ Pittsburgh – The winner of this game will be my pick to represent the AFC in the Superbowl, unless the Patriots win.  I’m not sold on the Patriots and it’s hard as he77 to win in Pittsburgh.  Belicheat can only scheme so much.  Winner – Steelers.

Philadelphia @ Washington – The Battle for the Rightful QB of the Eagles.  Vick brings his Eagles squad to Washington to face the old face of the Eagles, Donovan McNabb.  Vick owes McNabb a lot since he took him under his wing when the Eagles rescued him from purgatory (coming out of jail).  Too bad he won’t give McNabb what he needs the most and that’s a subpar performance.  The Redskins don’t have enough and they’re limited on offense to win this game.  The best thing that could happen is that Vick twists his ankle (not serious) and Kolb comes in and blows this game for the Eagles.  That would be too much like right.  Winner – Eagles.   

Who you got??

NFL 2010 Week 6 Wrap Up

Always remember, it's gotta get better.  Last week was pure carnage, let's see what this week brings.   

Seattle @ Chicago – Hassel beck looked like the Hasselbeck of old.  He controlled this game and made the Bears defense look, average.  The Bears offense looked like their offense of late, pretty much nothing.  Cutler didn’t look like all of the cobwebs were gone for him from that concussion and the running game is just about as bad as it gets.  Cutler took some more hits this game and it came from bad offensive line play (again).  This was a game that even though the Bears played terribly, they (gulp) should have won this one.  I don’t know what else to say.  I do know this, I’m starting a Hanie fan club and I’m going to write a letter to Lovie, ‘PLAY YOUR BEST QB’.  Hello Marshawn Lynch and welcome back to being a viable option on a decent team.  Inquisitive Mind 0 – 1 for the week.  

Miami @ Green Bay – The Packers have gone from the darlings of the league to a sad example of what injuries can do to your Superbowl aspirations.  With no running game to speak of, defenses are able to just come after Rodgers and he may have come back a little early from his concussion too.  He had some big plays, but in the end the Packers are just too beat up.  The Packers were able to take this into overtime with a gutsy QB sneak, but the Dolphins ground game was the difference.  Both Williams and Brown had over 60 yards and that’s what did it.  Inquisitive Mind 1 – 1 for the week.  

San Diego @ St. Louis –  This is what I said on Friday - ‘The Chargers are killing themselves. They have to get off to a hot start or they don’t seem to be able to win. The Rams aren’t the best team out there but they really have a chance to win this game’. Rams win.  Chargers need to clean house and that starts with Norv Turner.  Only Wade Phillips is doing a worse job coaching.  Inquisitive Mind 1 – 2 for the week.  

Baltimore @ New England – This game came down to heart, determination, and veteran guile to get the win.  Normally you associate that with the Ravens, but on this day, the Patriots were the ones that were celebrating.  Welcome back Deion Branch, where have you been?  Branch’s return to the Patriots this week and his 99 yards receiving was the catalyst for the Patriots.  The Ravens had this game won, but couldn’t stop the Patriots when they needed to.  All I’m saying, is Round 2 of this matchup will be a great game to watch.  Inquisitive Mind 1 – 3 for the week.  

New Orleans @ Tampa Bay – To answer my own question about the Bucs defense, Carson Palmer (Cincinnati) was just that bad against them.  This game was never in question and seemed more like a Division 1 team playing against a Division 3 team.  Drew Brees played catch and toss all day, while Chris Ivory put up 158 yards on the ground.  Where did this guy come from?  Inquisitive Mind 2 – 3 for the week.  

Detroit @ New York Giants – Whatever’s happening in Detroit, I want some.  The Lions didn’t win this game, but they were right there.  They lost Shaun Hill (9 of 15 for 91 yards and 1 TD) to a broken arm early and put in Drew Stanton, and he goes out and throws for 222 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT.  A few plays here and there and the Lions win this game.  Yes, that’s putting a lot of ‘if’s’ together, but they are close.  The Giants got a strong running game from Bradshaw (133 yards) and Jacobs (2 TDs) and that seems to help (any QB) Eli Manning a lot.  Inquisitive Mind 3 – 3 for the week.  

Atlanta @ Philadelphia – It’s hard to win in Philly and maybe that’s why the Falcons didn’t even show up.  I mean they had a bus that brought 53 players to the Linc, but I think they were Clone rejects or something.  The Falcons stunk this up and that’s pretty much all you can say.  Kevin Kolb actually looked good, real good (326 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT). Great game by Jeremy Maclin too.  To Dunta Robinson and DeSean Jackson, get well.  Inquisitive Mind 3 – 4 for the week.  

Cleveland @ Pittsburgh – Big Ben looked rusty, but when you have that defense and the weapons he has, I could probably manage a win as the starting QB for the Steelers.  With that said, a big game by Mike Wallace (3 catches for 90 yards, 1 TD) (thank God for that) and a good game by Mendenhall (27 carries for 84 yards, 1 TD).  The Browns didn’t play as bad as I thought they would.  McCoy looked decent.  The Steelers are going to be (if they already aren’t) DANGEROUS.  Get well Josh Cribbs.  Inquisitive Mind 4 – 4 for the week.  

Kansas City @ Houston – (Still scratching my head)  The Chiefs had a great game from Cassel (20 of 29 for 201 yards, 3 TDs), both running backs (Jones – 100 yards, 1 TD Charles – 93 yards), a great game out of Dwayne Bowe (108 yards, 2 TDs), and they LOST?!?!?  The Texans scored 21 points in the 4^th quarter to get a comeback win against the Chiefs.  My only issue with this game is as follows:  When Matt Schaub drops back to pass, what’s the percentage of the time that you would think that he goes to Andre Johnson?  80%, 85%, 90%,….something close.  Why not double cover Andre Johnson and roll the dice with Jacoby Jones beating you?  Especially when the games on the line?!?!?  (Mark and Tracy, I went Chiefs and they let me down.)  Inquisitive Mind 4 – 5 for the week.  

Oakland @ San Francisco – Great job Jason Campbell, you made Alex Smith look like he was a real good 1^st round pick.  The 49ers finally cracked the win column and although they played down to their competition, they looked pretty good.  I am still wondering why Alex Smith isn’t holding a clipboard, but hey, I’m not a head coach.  Inquisitive Mind 5 – 5 for the week.  

New York Jets @ Denver – The Orton to Lloyd combination was slowed and the Jets escaped with a win in this one.  The Broncos played well, got 3 turnovers, but couldn’t put points on the boards.  LT ended the game with 55 yards on 16 carries (and 2 TDs) and had to be happy to see the scoreboard when they flashed the Chargers score.  Welcome to the league Tim Tebow as he scored his first TD of his professional career.  Inquisitive Mind 6 – 5 for the week.  

Dallas @ Minnesota – I don’t think that either team was able to get answers to the big questions, like are we good enough to win it all?  But, the Vikings were able to hold off the Cowboys and get a win at home for Randy Moss’ first game back (at home) as a Viking.  All I can say is that AP got 24 carries (73 yards, 1 TD) and after being blanked in the first half, Moss at least got 5 touches in this game.  Tony Romo was second on the team in rushing (with 31 yards) which spells doom in most cases.  I’m all for firing both of the coaches in yesterdays’ game.  Childress for mismanaging talent and the offensive play calling and Wade Phillips for just general malaise.  Inquisitive Mind 7 – 5 for the week.  

Indianapolis @ Washington – The Colts found a running game, Joseph Addai (138 yards, 1 TD) where have you been?!?!?  The Redskins kept this close by having their own 100 yard back, Ryan Torain (100 yards, 2 TDs).  This came down to a few defensive stops and the Colts were able to get them, and that was the difference.  Inquisitive Mind 8 -5 for the week.  

Tennessee @ Jacksonville – What did I say before this game?  ‘Jacksonville has been playing so well lately. It hurts my hurt that they are going on national TV and they are going to lay an egg’.  Both starting QBs got injured and we ended up watching bad football for the majority of the night.  I understand wanting to keep Chris Johnson in the game to get his 100+ yards, but you were already up 20 and there was no way that Trent Edwards (no matter how much John Gruden was trying to give him credit) was going to bring them back.  Inquisitive Mind 9 – 5 for the week. 

Ok, at least this week was better.  It seems as though each week gets tougher because teams are either playing down to their competition or the NFL is getting a little closer to parity.  Not sure what the answer is.  Nevertheless, that puts me at 51-39 for the season and I'm right on the heels of the ESPN guys.  

NFL 2010 Week 5 Wrap Up

Whew,…Week 5 was a tough one.  More close games than I thought.  Let’s see how we did.

Jacksonville @ Buffalo – This is what happens when you bring in Trent Edwards as your backup.  No QB worth his salt would ever want to lose his spot to Edwards.  I will say this again, Garrard is playing as well as I’ve ever seen him play.  Maybe he’s found a way to turn back time.  MJD had a decent game before leaving with an injury, so let’s hope it’s not too serious.  The Bills seemed to perform well with Fitzpatrick at the helm.  Can you imagine that a QB from Harvard is actually playing in the NFL?  Inquisitive Mind 1 – 0 for the week. 

Tampa Bay @ Cincinnati – Ok, I’m done.  I don’t know if I can continue to pick these guys and get games like this.  It’s almost as if the Bengals feel like they should have won this game by scoring the first TD and then they let up.  Benson had a big game with 144 yards (on 23 carries), but the rest of this team stunk it up (well, excluding TO – 7 catches for 102 yards and a TD).  Palmer had 3 picks against that defense?  I’m done.  Count me as one of those who say it’s over for Marvin Lewis and that they should just go ahead and blow it all up.  Inquisitive Mind 1 – 1 for the week. 

Atlanta @ Cleveland – It took a while for this one to happen, but the Falcons finally pulled this out.  The Browns played them a lot tougher than I think many thought.  I did like the fact that the Falcons got Turner involved for his 140 yards (on 19 carries), but Matt Ryan’s struggles (the last two weeks) have got me nervous.  The Falcons can say that they are 4-1 though, which is about all you can expect.  We need to watch this team, but they have got to be more consistent.  Inquisitive Mind 2 – 1 for the week. 

St. Louis @ Detroit – Shaun Hill where have you been all of my life?  That’s got to be what the Lions have been thinking since Matthew Stafford got hurt.  This was a blowout of epic proportions.  I’m not even sure that this team could score 44 points on their practice field against the practice players.  Hill was an efficient 21 of 32 (I thought he was better than that) for 227 yards and 3 TDs.  The Lions weren’t able to run the ball but their defense stepped up including an INT (first of his career) by Ndamukong Suh (a defensive tackle for those who don’t know). Inquisitive Mind 3 – 1 for the week. 

Kansas City @ Indianapolis – Oh so close!!!!  The Chiefs came out and played a pretty good game against the Colts, but lost down the stretch.  They made Peyton Manning look pedestrian but their own QB, Matt Cassel looked worst.  I think we can honestly say that this Matt Cassel experiment is the worst thing ever for the Chiefs.  I think Joe Montana and his Sketchers would be a good pick up right now.  Inquisitive Mind 3 – 2 for the week. 

Green Bay @ Washington – It’s hard to feel sorry for people in Green Bay, but I think it’s time we take up a goodwill offering for them.  This team had Superbowl aspirations, but it looks like they won’t have enough players by the end of the season to even dress 22.  Yes, the Redskins are beat up too, but even if they were healthy, many never expected this (except me, ha!!!!).  Redskins escape with a win and the Packers take another loss that’s going to hurt them more than they think as the Bears seem to be running away with the division. Inquisitive Mind 4 – 2 for the week. 

Chicago @ Carolina – Again, I must be on a roll.  The Bears pulled Collins and put in Hanie and let the Hanie Experiment go, except this time, no Charles Barkley.  This was about what you expected out of the game.  The Panthers suck and they showed it on Sunday.  I almost started to feel sorry for Jimmy Clausen, although he did go to Notre Dame.  With the game over, I will say this:  The Panthers need a good #1 receiver (get healthy Steve Smith) and a decent #2 and they will be able to play.  Their defense kept an inept Bears offense in check, but at least they hustled and made some plays.  It didn’t turn into that 44-6 debacle in Detroit.  So, Malik, there is hope for your Panthers, but it just looks very dim right now.  Inquisitive Mind 5 – 2 for the week. 

Denver @ Baltimore – We knew that the Ravens struggled in the passing game, both their own and defending one, but that defense got stops when they needed to.  Kyle Orton threw for 300+ yards again (take that in for a second).  To make matters worse he has thrown for 300+ in 4 out of the 5 games Denver has played this year and he missed the other one by 5 yards (he threw for 295 against the Jaguars).  Joe Flacco, please take notes or something because the Ravens need you in the 240+ yards per game passing area for them to win.  This game the Ravens got 233 yards on the ground, with the majority coming from Rice (133 yards) and McGahee (67 yards).  Where did this version of Brandon Lloyd come from?  Inquisitive Mind 6 – 2 for the week. 

New York Giants @ Houston – Matt Schaub made it out of Houston alive.  The Giants didn’t have the number of sacks that they had against the Bears, but they got to Schaub and just made everyone’s life with a Texans jersey horrible.  Arian Foster looked like an undrafted free agent with 25 yards, and Eli Manning was his brother for Halloween, or at least for this game, with a 27 of 42 for 297 yards, 3 TDs, and 2 INT performance. Inquisitive Mind 7 – 2 for the week. 

New Orleans @ Arizona – Maybe all Fitzgerald needed to do was to not get first downs and keep the Cardinals defense on the field.  The Cardinals defense held the Saints to 20 points and intercepted Drew Brees 3 times to get this win at home.  The Saints are done.  Can you say that?  Done!!  Inquisitive Mind 7 – 3 for the week. 

San Diego @ Oakland – Yes this was a showdown and this underscores the need for the Chargers to get a new head coach.  Yes, in these division rivals, you pretty much can’t bet on a win, but with this game, the Chargers had won the last 13 in a row.  How do you lose to this Raiders team?  I can say that I was happy to see Jason Campbell back on the field looking good.  It helps when you have a running game (Michael Bush – 104 yards on 26 carries and 1 TD).  Inquisitive Mind 7 – 4 for the week. 

Tennessee @ Dallas – This was a dismantling of the Cowboys.  The Titans beat them every which way possible and even when the Cowboys scored to tie the game (celebration penalty), they still had something bad happen to them (Mariani’s big return that setup the last TD for the Titans).  I think you can pretty much cancel the Cowboys playing in the Superbowl in Dallas until the next time they host it.  At least I did predict a big game for Miles Austin.  Dayum Cowboys!!!  Inquisitive Mind 7 – 5 for the week. 

Philadelphia @ San Francisco – Ok, there are only 2 things I can say about this game: 1) Kolb didn’t look that bad (but it was one week, let’s see about next week) and 2) Alex Smith is a starter for an NFL team?  That’s really a question and a statement.  Carr should have been benched.  I think I was excited as the entire Bay Area when I saw Chris Carr start warming up, but Singletary stuck with Smith.  Hey, this might end up being a feel good story if Smith performs well the rest of the season, but in my opinion, we should only be able to see that if Carr gets injured.  In other words, bench that trick!!!!  Inquisitive Mind 7 – 6 for the week. 

Minnesota @ New York Jets – Well, I guess we had it all last night.  The rain, the Vikings forgetting how to block a simple blitz, the Vikings defense playing lights out, the Jets defense playing pretty well themselves, Santonio Holmes reminding people how much of a threat he’s going to be over the rest of the season, Randy Moss playing in his old 84, and another Brett Favre crying episode (before the game).  That pretty much explains it all.  Favre had a terrible time last night doing the easy stuff, like holding on to the ball.  He ended up not only eclipsing the 70,000 yard mark (think about that for a second or two) and the most fumbles (he is now on 161 for his career).  Cromartie played Moss pretty well while Revis looked a little pedestrian and may have re-injured himself.  The Jets snuck this one out and that’s all it’s about.  Inquisitive Mind 7 – 7 for the week. 

Another .500 week?  This is getting pathetic.  I may have to solely pay attention to the day job after a performance like this.  This puts me squarely behind (at 42-34 for the season) half of the crew at ESPN, but we got a long way to go baby!!!!!

NFL 2010 Week 5 Picks

Bad week last week, but you have to be like a corner, you have to have a bad memory.   Let's get it going this week.  Good games are on tap. 

Jacksonville @ Buffalo – On the surface, this looks like an easy win for the Jaguars.  They are going up against a terrible Bills team that is already in rebuilding mode for the next two years.  After beating the Colts last week, this could be a let down game, but I hope not.  Winner – Jaguars. 

Tampa Bay @ Cincinnati – I don’t know what to say about this game.  The Bengals have to start getting some W’s or they are done for the playoffs (already?).  They have to get back to the ground game with Benson and with the Bucs defense not necessarily a good run stopping D, I expect a big game from Benson.  Although I know he’s all Mr. Reality Show now, Ochocinco has got to do something on the football field.  Tampa Bay could sneak this one if the Bengals come out lackadaisical.  Winner – Bengals.   

Atlanta @ Cleveland – The Browns are coming off of their win in the battle of Ohio last week and I’m not even sure who’s starting at QB.  I said last week it shouldn’t matter (I was wrong because they beat the Bengals) and I’ll say it again this week, it shouldn’t’ matter.  The Falcons are slowly trying to turn the corner and get them in the drivers’ seat in the NFC.  With teams like the Packers (injuries) and the Vikings (injuries) holding out hope of a M.A.S.H. unit this is the time to get ahead in the standings.  Winner – Falcons.

St. Louis @ Detroit – This should actually be a good game.  I don’t think that either team is good, but it seems as though both of them are really competing.  The Rams are looking good with a banged up Stephen Jackson and Calvin Johnson could probably catch passes from me and that makes the Lions dangerous.  The Lions are the home team and that’s where I have to go with my pick.  Winner – Lions. 

Kansas City @ Indianapolis – The only undefeated team left in the league and they get the Colts after the Colts got embarrassed last week by Jacksonville.  The Colts defense is struggling with their injuries, while the Chiefs defense has had two weeks to prepare and play the way that they have been playing.  If the Chiefs win this game, they have to be the feel good team of the year.  I know better than picking the Chiefs, but you know what,…I’m riding.  Winner – Chiefs.

Green Bay @ Washington – Will the Packers be able to dress enough starters?  It seems as though everyone is dinged up on this team and over the past two weeks they have had problems closing people out and finishing games.  This is not the game they want to play against a Redskins team that always seems to be one big play away on offense and they are playing decent ball on defense.  If the Packers can run the ball, they will win.  That’s a big IF.  Winner – Redskins. 

Chicago @ Carolina – Let me get this right, Peppers felt that he was mistreated by the Panthers over his contract requests, the Panthers are starting a rookie QB, the Panthers have no running game, the Bears have no passing game with Todd Collins back there (please get Hanie in the game), the Bears have no running game, and people are expected to watch this?  I could actually see this game ending in a 5-0 score.  An opportunity to get the Bears back winning over that debacle from last week and maybe get Cutler healthy.  Winner – Bears. 

 

Denver @ Baltimore – Well, we know the formula to beat the Ravens, and that’s run the ball against them.  Most of the time it works, even though the Steelers lost to the Ravens by executing that same game plan.  The problem is that Peyton Hillis is hurt and we’re not sure who the Broncos are going to trot out there on Sunday to run the ball.  The game is in B-more and the Ravens offense HAS to get clicking.  That means you TJ.  Winner – Ravens.    

New York Giants @ Houston – If I’m Matt Schaub, I really consider wearing a flack jacket from Friday until Monday.  If last week was any indication, the Giants are hungry and they are all about hitting the QB.  The Texans offensive line is better than the Bears that gave up 10 sacks last week, but the Giants have the pieces to at least put up 4 or 5.  Eli Manning may consider a similar type jacket because half of his offensive line is presently being shifted around to fill in the holes.  That doesn’t bode well for him either.  This may be the time for more Brandon Jacobs for the Giants since Bradshaw is a little beat up.  No Andre Johnson for the Texans, gotta go with the….Winner – Giants. 

New Orleans @ Arizona – Lance Moore has already scored a TD.  It’s time for Brees and company to rebound.  After a good game against the Vikings opening weekend, they have almost played down to their competition.  I feel sorry for Fitzgerald having to play with this crew.  The defense is decent, but the offense is horriawful.  Save Fitz!!!!  Winner – Saints.

San Diego @ Oakland – A good ole AFC West Showdown.  The Chargers go into Oakland with a red hot Antonio Gates and hopefully a two headed monster at RB with Tolbert and Matthews (coming back from a bad ankle sprain).  The Raiders are just the Raiders right now.  They don’t instill any fear and Bruce Gradkowski is starting for the Raiders.  Run DMC (McFadden) is out for this game so happy returns to Michael Bush in the Raiders backfield.  The Raiders just don’t have enough offense for this one.  Winner – Chargers. 

Tennessee @ Dallas – The Titans have not been able to run the ball that well and Chris Johnson is looking more and more like he’s barely going to break 1600 or 1700 yards this year (no where near the 2000+ that many predicted).  Dallas has had a week to breathe and make some minor changes to their offense, but more importantly they should be healthy coming in to this game.  I’m still not sold on Roy Williams, but it’s time for Miles Austin to have a breakout game.  Dez Bryant is probably hurting from the $50K+ dinner bill he paid, but he should be playing.  Winner – Cowboys. 

Philadelphia @ San Francisco – Ok, this is it.  The 49ers first win of the season.  I’m not going to say much more but this is their game.  LeSean McCoy is dinged up and will actually be wearing a flak jacket for his ribs.  Kolb is not that good, and I think that we’ll see that this week.  Can anyone get Andy Reid a cab outta town?  Kolb is his guy, right?  Winner – 49ers. 

Minnesota @ New York Jets – Gotta save the best for last.  The Jets have been talking all year long and now with a trade to the Vikings, Randy Moss gets an opportunity to play against the Jets again this year.  Moss will have an opportunity to go after Revis (maybe) and Cromartie who have both talked trash this week about Moss and their ability to frustrate him into ‘taking his foot off the pedal’.  All I have to say is if Revis plays, I expect him to be going long with Moss because Favre is going to test that hamstring.  This is a big game for the Vikings because they need this win, but I will say this again (take a picture):  If the Vikings can play .500 ball until they get Rice back, Shiancoe healthy, Harvin healthy, and then add Moss and AP they will be my pick for the NFC Champions.  Winner – Vikings. 

Who you got?!?!?

NFL 2010 Week 1 Wrap Up

I’m not sure what happened, but this week started well and then just went into the tank. I guess the underlying theme of Week 1 is wait until Week 2 before we start playing. Oh and another thing, let’s make sure that it’s not close to have a referee decide a game. Let’s get the tale of the tape.

Minnesota @ New Orleans – After an aggressive first drive for the Saints, this turned out to be a yawner. Not much excitement on either side of the ball, and each team seemed a little rusty to say the least (maybe there is an argument for an 18 game season). The Saints won, but I imagine that both teams will be better over the remainder of the season. Just one questions popped out during this game, I know Peterson had 19 carries, but this is game one of the season, why not give him 25? He didn’t put the ball on the ground. Sounds like Chilly is over coaching already. Inquisitive Mind 1 – 0 for the week.

Carolina @ New York Giants – We all knew that the Panthers had no chance in this one, but it just took the Giants a little while to wake up. Eli had 3 INTs to go along with 3 TDs, but we all know that the ground game will be the key for the Giants this year. And, I said it, Clausen will be the starter by week 3. After that hit that Moore took, we’re one step closer. Inquisitive Mind 2- 0 for the week.

Atlanta @ Pittsburgh – Talk about crying in your beer. This was a slugfest. The Steelers stopped the Falcons ground game and the Falcons stopped the Steelers air attack (yes, limited with Dixon back there). This came down to 3 things: 1) Polamalu’s pick in the 4th. The announcers were saying a great call by Dick LeBeau, no way. Polamalu jumped that route after he saw White catching it all day long. Beautiful play to get his toes in. 2) Jeff Reed’s two missed field goals (and one with the win on the line?) and lastly 3) Atlanta, is this all you got on offense? I mean Ryan can’t throw that deep out every 7th play and hope that it works and no running game to speak of. Falcons, you let me down. Also, I love it when I’m right about Ward. Inquisitive Mind 2 – 1 for the week.

Cleveland @ Tampa Bay – Maybe the Panther fans were right to laugh when I mentioned the best QB in this game being Delhomme. He proved that he’s a decent QB, but oh my goodness he is mistake prone. Freeman looked decent and the defense showed glimpses of years past. The Bucs snuck one out. Inquisitive Mind 2 – 2 for the week.

Denver @ Jacksonville – I’m going to go out on a limb and say this is the best game that Garrard has played in 2 maybe 3 years. The Jaguars had a balanced attack and the defense was teeing of on Orton like he was a piñata. Denver might be in trouble. Orton can’t keep taking hits like that. Inquisitive Mind 2 – 3 for the week.

Indianapolis @ Houston – The Texans beat the Colts. I think everyone in Houston is still partying. Yes, it’s the first game of the year, but 231 yards rushing by Arian Foster and a good/great defensive unit spells good things for the Texans. Even with Manning throwing for 433 yards (a career high) and having a 109 QB rating, this game wasn’t as close as the final makes it seem. If the Texans can play like this all year, that AFC South is going to be interesting. Inquisitive Mind 3 – 3 for the week.

Miami @ Buffalo – Somebody had to win this game and the Dolphins just eeked it out. Not much else to say. If you watched this game, I apologize for the 2 ½ hours of your life you won’t get back. Inquisitive Mind 4 – 3 for the week.

Detroit @ Chicago – WHEW!!!! What in the halibut is going on here? I’m sorry, this was a loss for the Bears. Johnson caught that pass and was getting up when he lost the ball. I’m waiting on the NFL to review this one. Bears fans have a lot to be happy about: 1) a win is a win 2) Urlacher played pretty well and didn’t get hurt 3) and they may have found their #1 receiver in Matt Forte (well, this is really a joke). Forte rushed for 50 yards and had another 151 yards in the air. How can Lovie be so arrogant? Doesn’t he know that he has exactly 15 more games to be the head coach of the Bears? Inquisitive Mind 5 – 3 for the week.

Oakland @ Tennessee – Can I take get a do over on this one? Yes, I used big IFs earlier but the Raiders looked horriawful, with the exception of Darren McFadden. He did prove that he can carry the full load (even if only for one game). The Titans will end up a lot better than some guessed if they can play like this the rest of the year. VY had a decent game and only had 17 attempts, while Chris Johnson did his work. Inquisitive Mind 5 – 4 for the week.

Cincinnati @ New England – If this game were another 2 quarters long,……the Bengals didn’t start playing football until after halftime. You can’t do that and expect to win at Gillette Stadium. Wes Welker looked good in his return to the big stage and I’m still trying to find how Ochocinco had 12 receptions for 159 yards. Did I turn the channel or something? Maybe the Bengals will wake up and start playing now. Inquisitive Mind 5 – 5 for the week.

Arizona @ St. Louis – How quickly the mighty have fallen. It’s going to be a long year for the Cardinals if they are going to play like this. Both teams looked horriawful, but one of them was a few inches from a Superbowl two years ago and the other team was starting a rookie QB and if you watched the game, you couldn’t have picked which team was which. Bradford might actually be the real deal. Inquisitive Mind 6 – 5 for the week.

San Francisco @ Seattle – I bet you a dollar to a donut that no one on that 49ers team slept well last night. They probably won’t sleep at all this week. They looked worse than horriawful. 2 field goals is all they could get? From a 49ers standpoint, I point to one stat line: 26 of 45 for 225 yards and 2 INTs. Alex Smith, please pack your bags. Happy to see Hasselbeck play well since he’s been beaten up so much the last few years. I wonder if the NCAA would take some of Pete Carroll’s money he made as coach of USC because he knew guys were cheating (old bone to pick)? Are the Seahawks for real is the question? I guess we will know if about 3 more weeks. Inquisitive Mind 6 – 6 for the week.

Green Bay @ Philadelphia – I never root for anyone to get hurt, but I have to say that Kolb playing the way he did and leaving the way he did is ‘KARMA’. You don’t get rid of McNabb just because. Kolb sustained a concussion right before halftime (hopefully he’ll be ok) and then we got Mike Vick. The pack played well, but may have lost Ryan Grant for a significant time after the injury to his ankle. Brandon Jackson more than filled his shoes while Aaron Rodgers was throwing to just about everyone all day long. I guess we’ll have to see if Andy Reid was right by saying that ‘Kolb is his QB when he’s healthy again’. Inquisitive Mind 6 – 7 for the week.

Dallas @ Washington – You’ve got to be kidding me?!?!??!? This came down to a final play with the Cowboys throwing a TD and they lose. Somewhere, Daniel Snyder is smiling so hard his face is cracking. If the Cowboys don’t get an O-line and soon, all of this home team for the Superbowl stuff isn’t going to happen. Which Cowboy coach made that play call before the half? He should be cleaning the all the bathrooms in the new Cowboys Stadium. The Redskins snuck this game away from the Cowboys, but a win is a win. Inquisitive Mind 6 – 8 for the week.

Baltimore @ New York Jets – This was a smash mouth game that should have been a joy to watch for those that appreciate defense (and some bad offense).  The Jets brought all of the bravado but no offense to speak of.  I doubt they completed a pass for more than 10 yards at any one time.  The Ravens defense, led by Ray Lewis smothered and hit the Jets all night.  Shonn Greene may not touch the ball for a week or two after letting it hit the ground so much last night.  In the end, the better offense won.  Flacco to Boldin looks like a good pairing.  Is it me or does Flacco always seem to throw off of his back foot?  The scary thing is that both teams will get better.  Bad omen for the Jets is that they may have lost Kris Jenkins for an extended period of time.  Inquisitive Mind 7 - 8 for the week.


San Diego @ Kansas City – This is reason #4080 that Norv is NOT the coach that the Chargers need.  This was a loss to the Chefs (still the funniest commercial ever).  The Chargers looked lackadaisical and not ready for football.  The Chiefs didn't really have that much on offense and they still won.  If anything I was surprised that the Chiefs defense is actually starting to look like a unit.  Great kick return by rookie Dexter McCluster.  Great upset by the Chiefs.  Inquisitive Mind 7 - 9 for the week. 

Well, that's Week 1 down and I think that I'm happy it's over.  A 7-9 record is not how you want to start the season, but hey, we have a long way to go.  I'm not too far off of the professionals.