NFL 2010 Wild Card Weekend Picks

Well, the season is over for most and now it's time for the real teams (well, the Seahawks did make the playoffs) to duke it out to see who will win the Superbowl.  Let's see what's on tap. 

New Orleans @ Seattle - The charade can now stop since we know that Hasselbeck would start this game.  The Seahawks boast a pretty good running attack with Lynch and Forsett.  While neither of them is great by themselves, the number of touches that each will have (and a consistent running game) could spell doom for the Saints.  Look for at least 30 carries between Lynch and Forsett.  Of course you start your more veteran QB and if he falters bring in Whitehurst.  Matt has looked more like Tim as of late and he seems to be very fragile, so the fewer drop backs the better.  Mike Williams has resurrected his career and he's the Seahawks #1 guy, but in this game I think you have to watch Obomanu.  The defense has given up over 368 total yards so they will definitely have to step it up if they are looking to play next weekend. 

The Saints come into this game looking for people off the streets that can run the ball.  They have lost both Ivory and Thomas for the year which leaves them with Reggie Bush and a host of other people.  Maybe Bush can do what he did last year in the playoffs and show up and play big for the Saints.  They'll probably need him to do something because you can't risk Brees dropping back and throwing 50 times in this game. The Saints defense is opportunistic and I think they'll be able to make either of the Seahawks QBs play badly.

In the end, this may be a closer game than some think and anything can happen in a one and done situation.  Winner - Saints.

New York Jets @ Indianapolis Colts - The Colts come into this game with a good feeling that they finally have their quarterback back.  Manning had hit a stretch of games where he was turning the ball over like he was flipping pancakes.  Now, he's gotten back into the swing of things and surprise surprise, the Colts have figured out how to R-U-N the ball.  Look for Addai to have another big game as the Colts will do their best to mix it up against the Jets.  Manning normally plays well against Rex Ryan led defenses, so I'll expect more of the same.  Reggie Wayne will have a tough time going against either corner, but he'll show up.

The Jets will have a healthy Mark Sanchez, which is something they haven't had for a few weeks.  Sanchez went through his own bad stretch of games where it looked like he had regressed a little.  The Jets have some pieces on offense, and I think we'll finally see a lot of LT (isn't this why they got him?) and Dustin Keller making some plays.  On the defensive side of the ball the Jets have been more talk than anything this year.  They have to step it up and play some defense which will mean getting hits on Manning and shutting down Wayne and or Tamme. 

Who wins this one?  Should be a good game and maybe the Jet's bravado actually shows in their play on Saturday.  Winner - Colts. 

Baltimore @ Kansas City - The Chiefs come into this game clicking.  Matt Cassel and Bowe have some chemistry going on and then you add to that the running of Charles and Jones and a sometimes stingy defense, and you have a pretty solid team.  The Chiefs even have a home game for the playoffs.  That may not be a good thing, because of the history of old Chiefs' teams that have played well and been at home for the playoffs have lost all of those games (I think 0-8). 

The Ravens come into this game still wondering why they are paying Anquan Boldin the money they are paying him and him not being able to put up any numbers this season.  I don't fault Boldin for some of this, but he's gotta show up in this Ravens offense for them to roll.  The Ravens have Flacco and Ray Rice, and they may have to run the ball a little more to keep that Ravens defense off the field.  I say that to say that the Ravens defense isn't as good as it was in the past, and they are propping people up to play corner (Dwayne Bowe should be licking his chops to go after this secondary), so they can't allow the Chiefs to have long drives for scores. 

In the end, I like the Chiefs in this game, but I can't pick against the Ravens.  I'm sorry.  Winner - Ravens. 

Green Bay @ Philadelphia - The Eagles took last week off while starting Kevin Kolb.  This will be the varsity game against the Packers.  The Eagles have to get it back together, specifically Vick because this is his contract game.   The better he does, the bigger his check is in the off season.  They haven't looked good on offense or defense as of late.  Vick is taking too many hits and to me the play calling has changed significantly over the past two weeks.  The Eagles have to get McCoy going and get Vick going at the same time.  Maybe the big downfield strike to Jackson within the first 10 plays needs to be taken out?  All in all I think the offense will be able to right it self, but the defense is the big question.  Is Samuel playing?  He's GOT to have a big game with Jennings (GB) running around out there catching passes from Rodgers.  

The Packers probably would have been hosting this game or maybe even have had this week off had it not been for an injury to Ryan Grant early in the season.  Rodgers has played very well all year long and even without a running game he's still performing (3922 yards passing this season).  The Packers defense has two good corners and they are fast enough to keep up or get to Vick at any moment.

This is going to be a great game.  Vick still has some magic left in him and the Packers have a pretty darn good QB themselves.  Why didn't the Packers get the Seahawks or someone?  Hard to pick because I want the Eagles to win, but I think that the Packers have a great chance to get the 'W'.  Winner - Eagles. 

Who you got?!?!

NFL Matchup Week 8

Back to the predicting. I'm 62-40 for the season so far. Not bad compared to some. It's week 8, my Fantasy team is 2-5 (I will have to post an updated Fantasy Football entry soon), and I need a drank. Let's see what's on tap for this week as we head into the half way mark.

Tampa Bay @ Dallas - Talk about starting with the game of the week. This is it. The Cowboys season on the brink. They get one of the better defenses in the league coming to town and they don't have their starting QB for at least another 2 weeks. I just don't see this turning out to well, unless someone calling the offensive plays for Dallas gives Marion Barber 30+ carries. The best way to help a young (or old in this case) QB is to give him a running game. So my advice for Dallas is to make sure Barber rests up today and tomorrow because he'll be carrying a big load on Sunday. This pick is tough. the Cowboys could win, but I just don't think that they will. Winners - Bucs.

Washington @ Detroit - The Redskins need this win badly to stay ahead of the pack since their division will be rather hard fought this year. Detroit shouldn't give them any problems, but as we have seen in the past few weeks, that's why they play the games. Winner - Redskins.

Buffalo @ Miami - This ought to be a good game. The Bills are getting hit with injuries in on their defense, but their offense seemed in sync last week with Trent Edwards back in the saddle after his concussion. Miami always has wrinkles in their game plan from an offensive standpoint and that may give the Bills some issues. I expect a big game from Marshawn Lynch and the Bills to come out on top. Winner - Bills.

St. Louis @ New England - After destroying the Broncos last week, the Patriots get the Rams in New England. Quietly the Patriots are 4-2 and are putting together a nice season without the injured Tom Brady. The Rams have shown fight, most recently by beating the Cowboys and I expect this game to be closer than some may think. I gotta go with the home team on this one though. There's just something about playing in Foxboro that doesn't bode well for the Rams. Winner - Patriots.

San Diego @ New Orleans - Both teams come in with lots of injuries. Is this finally the game that we see the real LT for the first time this season? Drew Brees had a terrible day against the Panthers last week and I look for him to rebound. The Chargers offensive line has got to step up and give Rivers, LT, Gates, and the rest of that team time to do what they do best, score. Look for this game to be a shootout. Winner - Chargers.

Kansas City @ New York Jets - With LJ out again this week and the Chiefs starting (who is their starting QB?) whomever at the QB spot, I don't imagine that this will be an entertaining game unless you're a Jets fan. The Jets have a lot of making up to do with their fans after that 'L' they took against the sorry Raiders. It's time for Brett Favre to escape all of this talk about him giving away secrets and play well this week. Winner - Jets.

Atlanta @ Philadelphia - The Falcons are quietly having a decent season with a rookie QB, but I expect this game to be a big test for Matt Ryan. The Eagles defense will cause a lot of problems for the Falcons and on the offensive side of the ball, Donovan McNabb and (hopefully) Westbrook will give the Falcons defense fits. This is at the 'Linc' and the Eagles should dominate. Winner - Eagles.

Oakland @ Baltimore - The Ravens are 3-3 and they get a gift of the Raiders at home. The Ravens defense has played well all year (minus that one game against the Colts) and Oakland isn't ready for prime time yet. The Raiders are playing hard for their new coach, Tom Cable, but the Ravens don't give up a lot of yards on the ground and they are a tough out. Terrell Suggs has been the centerpiece of the Ravens this week by discussing the 'bounty' that the Ravens had on some of the Steelers and the fact that he is behind Troy Smith being the starting QB on their team. Let's see if Suggs is mad enough over the heat he caught this week to do some damage. Winner - Ravens.

Arizona @ Carolina - The Panthers put on a clinic last week and hope to do a lot of the same this week when the Cardinals come to town. The Panthers offense is clicking with both running backs being effective and Jake Delhomme playing great after Tommy John surgery last year. the Cardinals come in with hopes of having Anquan Boldin back in the lineup after he recovered from a fractured sinus. The Cardinals have been able to put up points even without Boldin in the lineup, but I think the Panthers defense will put s stop to that. Winner - Panthers.

Cleveland @ Jacksonville - The only thing that has been going on in Cleveland is staph infection. It also seems that the NFL will be looking into this. Nevertheless, the Browns come in after a disappointing showing against the Redskins ( a game they should have won) and they look forward to taking it to the Jaguars. The Jaguars are a solid team but may be without Matt Jones if he doesn't appeal his suspension. Cleveland couldn't hold Clinton Portis last week and I think they have their hands filled with Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor. Winner - Jaguars.

Cincinnati @ Houston - With many Bengals season ticket holders putting their tickets out for sale, below face value, the Bengals may enjoy playing on the road a little more. Now they get the Texans who have quietly played well as of late. The Texans are sporting a 2-4 record but both Jacksonville and Indianapolis are 3-3, not bad. Andre Johnson is a beast at receiver and will continue against an average Bengals secondary. Ryan Fitzpatrick is going to start again in place of the injured (and out for the year, why don't they just go ahead and say that?) Carson Palmer. Things haven't looked good for the Bengals all year long and I don't expect them to get any better. Winner - Houston.

New York Giants @ Pittsburgh - The next 'Game of the Week' brings the might Giants of New York to Pittsburgh and the #1 defense in football. The Steelers are still banged up at the RB position and I don't think that Mewelde Moore has a good game against an equally impressive Giants defense. If Big Ben can get the ball in the air without getting hit too often, the Steelers have a chance. Santonio Holmes may have problems playing in this game since his mind is obviously elsewhere. Otherwise, look for Eli, Brandon Jacobs, and Plaxico to make all of the highlights. Winner - Giants.

Seattle @ San Francisco - The first game under the Mike Singletary regime and they get a gift of a wounded Seahawks team. This game should allow the 49ers to get a win if they can keep JT O'Sullivan locked in to this game. He has to be the key to this machine. Frank Gore should play well while the 49ers defense will, and I guarantee this, will knock someone out of this game. Winner - 49ers.

Indianapolis @ Tennessee - Peyton Manning gave us pause last week as he played a game without throwing for a TD. Next up, the Titans defense which has put the clamps on just about everyone. The Colts aren't ready for this game, at least in my mind and the Titans have be winning with defense and two running backs pounding the ball. The Colts defense up front is too small to stop LenDale White, so I imagine that this gets out of hand pretty quickly. Winner - Titans.

So those are my picks. I get to change them if I see something prior to game time, but I think I'll stick with these.

NFL Matchup Week 5

So much going on and so little time for me. If you've been reading, I have been a little lax on the postings this week. Trying to get ready for some vacation time with Mrs. Inquisitive Mind and a lot has been going on. So, after Friday (October 3rd) you'll probably see the same content out here until I return on Saturday (October 11th). Last week was a terrible 5 - 8 on my picks, so it can't get any worse. For the year, I'm 37 - 23. Not bad, but still broke in Vegas. So, enjoy this week's matchups.

Kansas City @ Carolina - Fresh off of an upset against the Denver Broncos, the Chiefs look to take their act on the road. Carolina demolished the Falcons and everyone in the league was reminded that if you don't prepare and come out and play, even a team that's as good as the Broncos can be beaten by a team as bad as the Chiefs. Winner - Panthers.

Chicago @ Detroit - The Bears defense finally held (well at least on that 4th and 1) and got a win against the Eagles. For the win they are given a gift of going to Detroit to play the Lions. The Lions have had and will continue to have lots of moving parts within their organization, but I think the players are going to motivated a little to do something. The Bears are favored by 4 points and Kyle Orton seems to be in a nice rhythm. I like the Bears and I agree that this one could go either way, a Bears blowout or a Bears close win. Winner - Bears.

Atlanta @ Green Bay - The biggest question of the game is whether Aaron Rodgers is able to make his 5th consecutive start or not. This game is in Green Bay and the Packers have a lot to prove after a tough loss in Tampa. Green Bay's running game is still hurting along with Rodgers' shoulder. Michael Turner gets to run against two stout defense two weeks in a row and I like Matt Ryan, but I don't think playing on the frozen tundra (no, not frozen yet, but it'll get there) in Green Bay is going to be fun for him. Winner - Packers.

San Diego @ Miami - The Dolphins shocked the world two weeks ago, then went on a bye week where their backup running back admitted to 'wanting to puff puff pass', they still don't have Jason Taylor back, and they get to welcome a nicely tuned Chargers team to South Beach. There is nothing, including Ronnie Brown running for 4 TDs, that will make me pick the Dolphins. Winner - Chargers.

Seattle @ New York Giants - The Seahawks get to travel all the way across the country just to get to wonderful Giants stadium so that they can be introduced to the Giants defense. Their last game was a scrimmage against the Rams, but now they face a real test. The Giants escaped from the Bengals in their last game and then they got a chance to watch the rest of their NFC East foes knock each other out last week. I expect big things from Plaxico for the rest of the year (although he'll sit this game) and I hope his off the field issues don't get him suspended by the league. Winner - Giants.

Washington @ Philadelphia - The Eagles have surprised many, including me with their wins and their 'shoulda won' against the Bears last week. Westbrook returned to practice, but it's not sure whether he will play this week. My best bet is that he'll play. The Redskins pulled of the 2nd biggest shocker of the year by beating the Cowboys in Dallas. I will say this again, Jason Campbell looked good in leading that Redskin team last week. If he can continue to play like this, the Redskins are going to be very dangerous, and could possibly win the NFC East. Winner - Redskins.

Tennessee @ Baltimore - The Titans come in on a 4 game winning streak and looking 'marvelous darling'. They have played Jeff Fisher ball, a good run game, timely passing, and great defense. They go to Baltimore to take on the Ravens who have to be spent after their overtime loss to the Steelers on Monday night. I love the heart of the Ravens, but I don't think they have enough bodies to pull off a W. Winner - Titans.

Indianapolis @ Houston - Will the good football team stand up? We know that's not Houston, but at 1-3, this is a must win for the Colts. They should have most of their starters back, although still without Bob Sanders. I'm not so much concerned about the Colts D though. Their offense is getting scores, either that or I'm just used to the Colts getting 28+ a game. Houston should serve as a sacrificial lamb for the Colts season, although Matt Schaub played pretty well last week. Is he finally getting his legs? Winner - Colts.

Tampa Bay @ Denver - Two weeks in a row? After riding high the Broncos were taken down several notches by the lowly Chiefs. This time, the Broncos are playing a much better defense, but their advantage is that they are playing in Denver. I think the team with the stronger running game wins this and that means,........Winner - Bucs.

Buffalo @ Arizona - With Anquan Boldin questionable with a fractured sinus (didn't know you could fracture your sinus), I'm not sure what to do on this one. I would have said that this is one of those games that should have lots of fireworks (scores), but with the dynamic duo of Boldin and Fitzgerald down to one and the health of Kurt Warner's hand, I think this could turn into a knock 'em down, drag 'em out kind of deal. The Bills will turn to Marshawn Lynch and Trent Edwards is due another big game. Winner - Bills.

New England @ San Francisco - When you think about greatest teams of all time, you'd like this matchup, maybe a little of the Joe Montana 49ers against the Brady led Pats, and this would be something that would have a lot of meat on it. With these two teams as they are now, this looks like cookout food the day after the cookout. The Pats have question marks at QB, and the 49ers have a decent little team. I originally went with the Pats on this one, but something is telling me that the 49ers are able to handle the wrinkles that the Pats come up with after their bye week. Winner - 49ers.

Cincinnati @ Dallas - If Palmer is healthy then this is a good game, not a great game, but a good one. With the chances of Fitzpatrick starting again this week and no leprechaun in sight, this has the makings of a drubbing. The Bengals come to the Big D after they lose to the Redskins. Marion Barber didn't get his touches, Jason Witten didn't get his touches, and TO only got 20 opportunities,.....I think the lights on the scoreboard get tested this week. Winner - Dallas.

Pittsburgh @ Jacksonville - Another tough game for the Steelers (who did they piss off to get this schedule?). Jacksonville will benefit from getting Garrard in a flow and their running game will be tested by the Steelers D. The Steelers on the other hand have a banged up QB, a dude off the street running the ball for them, and they get to travel on a short week after having played on Monday night. Both defenses will keep this tight and I think the Jags win a close one. Winner - Jags.

Minnesota @ New Orleans - Get your popcorn. The Vikings do great at stopping the run, but their pass defense is a sieve. If they can't get a pass rush, Drew Brees might hurt himself from throwing the ball 80 times. The Saints also have Duce McAllister back which will help Reggie Bush get some better matchups against that passing D of the Vikings. The Vikings have a new/old/new again starter in Tavaris Jackson. Did the demotion light a fire under this guy so that he'll be more aggressive? I guess we'll see. Winner - Saints.

Fantasy Football Wrap Up Week 3

FINALLY!!!! A win and it came down to the Monday night game with the Cowboys. I'll take you through this win.

My starters were (points):

Ben Roethlisberger (19.34)

Greg Jennings (10.30)

T. J. Houshmandzadeh (1.5)

Anquan Boldin (14.30)

Adrian Peterson (9.90)

LenDale White (8.70)

Anthony Fasano (0.0)

Kris Brown (5.0)

San Diego (15.0)

TJ did a lot of talking and then he caught a pass and fumbled the dayum thing. So his point production scared me. AP didn't have a monster day, so again, I was a little stressed. LenDale White finally did something, and Anthony Fasano is now on the trading block because he has done NOTHING all year long. I was able to pick up the Chargers defense which ended up playing some dividends.

The team I played against (points):

Eli Manning (15.34)

Larry Fitzgerald (7.60)

Calvin Johnson (5.80)

Louis Murphy (2.50)

Ahmad Bradshaw (10.40)

Pierre Thomas (24.60)

Jason Witten (7.70)

Nick Folk (5.0)

Pittsburgh (3.0)

Pierre Thomas almost beat me by himself as he had AP numbers. This game really came down to last night when the Cowboys had a few chances to kick field goals (Folk missed one). Witten had a great first half and I don't think he touched the ball the rest of the game. I was as happy as I could be when the Cowboys intercepted that Kurt Warner pass and ran it back for a TD. That meant the Cowboys offense would never see the field again.

In the end, I won the 84.04 - 81.94. It's the first one of a long season. Here's to many more.

@ Gela Trish - Congrats on your win too.

NFL Week 4 Wrap Up

Good games all weekend. Lots of ups and downs to go with them. We'll see how I did.

Cleveland @Cincinnati - Don't I get a do over on this one because of Carson Palmer not playing? This was truly an ugly game. This was more of a soccer game (a lot of running around for not a lot of points). Ryan Fitzpatrick made his first start since 2005 and the rust was evident with his 21 of 35 for 156 yards, 1 TD, and 3 INTs. Chad Johnson got his first TD of the year and that was the highlight for the Bengals. Derek Anderson was able to keep his job for at least another week. Inquisitive Mind 0 - 1 for the week.

Minnesota @ Tennessee - The Titans were again led by their defense and they are probably the most interesting 4-0 team in the league. They have lost their starting star QB for an uncertain amount of time, but somehow they get it done each week. Kerry Collins was average (18 of 35 for 199) but the rookie running back, Chris Johnson, had two TD runs. Adrian Peterson was able to get his 80 yards and 2 TDs, but Gus Frerotte was hurt (cut hand) and Tavaris Jackson is now the starter again. Frerotte, you got hit fair and square, don't cry about it. Inquisitive Mind 0 -2 for the week.

Denver @ Kansas City - I see a pattern here. Every time I say a game is going to be an utter blowout, it goes the other way. I don't know if it's me or just karma. The Chiefs invited the Broncos in to Arrowhead and ate them alive. Larry Johnson got his 20+ carries (28) and 198 yards to go along with 2 TDs. The Chiefs D got 4 turnovers and that helped Damon Huard manage the game. Denver is only 3-1 but this was a not what anyone expected, not even the Chiefs. Inquisitive Mind 0 -3 for the week.

San Francisco @ New Orleans - The Saints D dominated from the beginning and didn't let the 49ers get on a roll. JT O'Sullivan accounted for the 3 turnovers from the 49ers (2 INTs, and 1 fumble) which the Saints converted into scores. Drew Brees went for 23 of 35 for 363 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 INT. Duce McAllister returned and gave the Saints ground game some ooomph. Inquisitive Mind 0 -4 for the week.

Arizona @ New York Jets - Dayum! I'm already 0 -4 and then this happens. Brett Favre decides that he wants to show exactly how well connected he is with his receivers. Favre goes for 24 of 34 for 289 yards, 6 TDs and 1 INT. Favre connected with 8 different receivers and Laveraneus Coles 8 times for 105 yards and 3 of those TDs. Arizona never got out of the corner as the Jets pummeled them from the beginning, 34 - 0 at halftime. Other than the loss, the Cardinals got a scare when Anquan Boldin as carted off the field after getting hit in the head. Reports on him are coming in. Inquisitive Mind 0 - 5 for the week.

Green Bay @ Tampa Bay - Finally a W for me. The Bucs D started this game strong and confused Aaron Rodgers and the rest of the Packers for the entirety. Both Brian Griese and Aaron Rodgers threw 3 INTs but the biggest difference in the game is Tampa's D stopping the anemic running game of the Packers. What made this loss even worse for the Packers is that Rodgers may have a separated shoulder. Who's his backup? Prayers go out to Matt Bryant and his family for their loss of their 3 month old son Matthew Tryson Bryant (I'm not sure how he even played today with his heavy heart). Inquisitive Mind 1 - 5 for the week.

Atlanta @ Carolina - This was a pretty dominate performance by the Panthers. They really put a clamp on the Falcons running game and then did the same to Matt Ryan. The Panthers didn't get a lot of production out of either of their running backs, but they totaled 109 yards on 30 carries, enough to eat the clock and go home with the win. Steve Smith scored his first TD of the year, while referee Ed Hoculli may have found himself in the midst of another bad call controversy. Peppers had a clean hit on Ryan. Inquisitive Mind 2 - 5 for the week.

Houston @ Jacksonville - When your kicker is probably your MVP 4 weeks into the season, it tells you how much your team is struggling. The Jaguars continue to get these wins when they should be losses. Matt Schaub played lights out for the Texans with his 29 of 40 for 307 yards and 3 TDs, but when it counted, David Garrard led his team down the field and put Josh Scobee in the position to win yet another game for the Jaguars. Inquisitive Mind 3 - 5 for the week.

San Diego @ Oakland - As I watched this game I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought maybe whatever the Chiefs were drinking, that the Raiders got some too. The Raiders jumped out to an early 15 - 0 lead at halftime led by a defense that came to play and pretty good play by Jamarcus Russell (who quietly out played Phillip Rivers). In the 4th quarter the Chargers scored 25 points. 25 points in the 4th when they looked inadequate the entire game. This definitely has to hurt the Raiders more than any other loss this year. This was probably the last game that Lane Kiffin coaches as the Raiders head coach. He actually had Janikowski try a 76 yard field goal. SEVENTY SIX YARD FIELD GOAL. You don't even try that on Madden. Inquisitive Mind 4 - 5 for the week.

Buffalo @ St. Louis - This should have been a relatively easy blow out, but the Rams made this a game early in the first half. They led going into halftime, 14 to 6. Scott Linehan was excited about his chance of keeping his job and then after that it went awry. The Bills started to dominate on D (interception by Jabari Greer for a TD) and on offense (TDs by Fred Jackson, and Lee Evans). Scott Linehan may be without job soon. Inquisitive Mind 5 - 5 for the week.

Washington @ Dallas - All I can say is the Redskins D held Marion Barber to 26 yards and no TDs. That in itself should tell you the outcome of the game. The Redskins really shut down the Dallas O and kept both Barber and TO limited. Jason Campbell looked great. Clinton Portis provided the ground game (121 yards on 21 carries), but again, Jason Campbell played like the seasoned veteran QB instead of Romo. He moved the Redskins around the field and often found Santana Moss (8 catches for 145 yards). The Redskins went into Dallas and won there, something that many felt was impossible this year. Maybe the Redskins are the toast of the NFC East? Inquisitive Mind 5 - 6 for the week.

Philadelphia @ Chicago - This was supposed to be a homecoming for Donovan McNabb. Let's just say it was a little bittersweet. Although Mama McNabb rolled out the food for her son and his teammates, the game went south late in the 4th. The Eagles should have won this game, but the Bears found a way not to lose this one. The highlights are really all about the Bears. The D held the Eagles out of the end zone late in the 4th on a 4th an 1, Matt Forte ran well (how did this guy slip in the draft?), and Kyle Orton stretched the field enough to keep the Eagles D honest. Inquisitive Mind 5 - 7 for the week.

Well it was a rough week and I'm not feeling any better about Monday's game and my pick of the Ravens. We all can have a bad week though, right? We'll see what happens.

Shootout in Big D - NFL Monday Night Football Wrap Up Week 2

If you watched the game last night you saw an amazing display of fireworks coming from each team. I for one had picked the Eagles because they normally play the Cowboys tight and something about Tony Romo with the ball in hands (or lack there of) at the end of a big game. This was a heavyweight slugfest with the Cowboys coming out on top. Things I noticed:

Donovan McNabb - Man, I'm sorry. I had you pegged as delirious with your proclamation that you guys were going to win big this year, along with SI forecasting that the Eagles will be in the Superbowl this year. I talked about you not having anyone to throw the ball too, except Westbrook and LJ Smith (whom you ignored last night and cost me my Fantasy Football game), but you are proving me wrong after week 2. Has anyone, and I mean anyone thought about how good this guy could be with a legit #1 receiver? Again, can't they get Anquan Boldin?

DeSean Jackson - Set a record by having two 100+ yard games in his first two starts. Will forever be remembered for his (2nd) bonehead play to toss the ball away at the one, something close to a Leon Lett play. Dude, finish the play, then celebrate. I'm not going to ride him because everyone else will do that for weeks and years to come, thanks to You Tube.

Marion Barber III - Ummmmm,......I'm not sure how much better this guy can get. He runs hard, catches the ball well, and seems to be pretty durable when you consider his running style. Should we be mentioning this guy as one of the best in the game now? Right up there with LT and Adrian Peterson?

Tony Romo - I guess if we just get this guy some stickum, he'll be ok. He really only made about 4 bad plays last night, and two of them happened on the fumble (the fumble and then not falling on the ball to give the Eagles the safety instead of the TD).

T.O. - What's his fascination with Usain Bolt? This is the second week in a row that T.O. has impersonated the sprinter during a game. Last week it was getting in the starting block and firing off after his TD (which he was fined for, stupid move by the league), and then on his 72 yard TD reception last night he broke the tape at the end zone as he crossed the line. T.O. became #2 on the NFL Career Receiving TD list. He's only a mere 65 behind Jerry Rice (yes, Rice was that good).

This game puts Cowboys are 2-0 and the Eagles at 1-1. The NFC East will be exciting this year if the games are played like this. I ended the week going 12-3 on picks, so all in all a good week.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Wrap Up

FINALLY!!!! We got a W. As my fellow basement dweller, They May Be Giants, said ' we got the monkeys off our backs!!!'. My team showed up and for once I was able to pick the right lineup. The bad news is that Ray Lewis almost killed my backup running back, Rashard Mendenhall, so it's going to be tough going this week since I don't really have any other backs available because of a BYE for the Jets (Thomas Jones). But hey, we got all week to deal with that. Let's get on to the recap of week 4 games.

Cold Ones (0-3) vs Techno Raiders (2-1)

J.T. O'Sullivan (QB - SF) ----- Donovan McNabb (QB - Phi)
Terrell Owens (WR - Dal) -----Chad Johnson (WR - Cin)
Santana Moss (WR - Was) ----- Hines Ward (WR - Pit)
Lee Evans (WR - Buf) ----- Hank Baskett (WR -Phi)
Marshawn Lynch (RB - Buf) ------ Clinton Portis (RB - Was)
Thomas Jones (RB - NYJ) ------ Ryan Grant (RB - GB)
Dustin Keller (TE - Phi) ----- Dante Rosario (TE - Car)
Jeff Reed (K - Pit) ----- Robbie Gould (K - Chi)
Tampa Bay (DEF) ----- Jacksonville (DEF)

The Cold Ones had a balanced attack this week but the Tampa Bay defense led the way with 18 points. Lee Evans chipped in with 16.80 points while TO and Santana Moss helped lead with 14.20 and 14.50 points respectively. Clinton Portis led the Techno Raiders with 13.50 points but other than Portis, Donovan McNabb was the only other player to contribute with more than 10 points (11.98). This allowed the Cold Ones to dominate and win in a blowout 107.18 to 48.38.

They May Be Giants (0-3) vs RDU Saints (3-0)
They May Be Giants got off to a nice lead this week, led by Brett Favre's favorite target, Laveranues Coles and his 28.50 points. Jamal Lewis chipped in with 15.40 points and Philadelphia chipped in with 12 points. The RDU Saints had a somewhat balanced attack with Tennessee's defense contributing 13 points, Rob Bironas with 11 points, Frank Gore with 13.30 points, and Antwaan Randle-El chipping in with 10.10. They May Be Giants won in a nail biter, 79.76 to 78.90.

The Quite Franklies (2-1) vs Air Raiders (1-2)
The Quite Franklies depended on Jerricho Cottery (18.70) and Jay Cutler(15.04) for most of their points this week. As you can probably guess that wasn't enough as Adrian Peterson (20.10) and Steve Smith (15.60) basically covered those points for the Air Raiders. Brandon Marshall (10.60) and Tony Gonzalez (10.70) provided more firepower for the Air Raiders and helped them win 82.92 to 69.14.

Big Game Hunter (3-0) vs Silver & Black Rules (2-1)
Big Game Hunter got major contributions from Matt Schaub (26.68) and Steven Jackson (24.80) to take the lead. Silver & Black Rules bounced back with Tony Romo (22.70), Chris Johnson (19.50) and the Buffalo defense (13). However, Big Game Hunter outlasted the S&B Rules 94.48 to 85.40, to go 4-0 in the league.

Potomac PimpSlappers (1-2) vs Charlotte PrimeTime! (1-2)
The Potomac PimpSlappers were led by the career day that Brett Favre had with 33.56 points, and they also got 15 points apiece from Jason Witten and Correll Buckhalter. Charlotte PrimeTime didn't have Favre, but did have a very well balanced attack led by none other than LT with 23.50 points. Other contributions from JaMarcus Russell (11.48), Larry Fitzgerald (12.20) , Anquan Boldin (15.90), DeSean Jackson (14.60) and Antonio Gates (11.80). Charlotte PrimeTime! wins 106.98 to 96.36.

Tha Bruthaz (1-2) vs RobbBobbyBilly (2-1)

Tha Bruthaz strgulled with Muhsin Muhammad (20.70) and Jake Delhomme (19.76) leading the way. RobbBobbyBilly got great production from Drew Brees (24.42), Greg Jennings (22.90), and Earnest Graham (17.40) to pick up the win in a relatively easy game for them. RobbBobbyBilly wins 116.32 to 88.76.

So the week ended with two teams finally getting a win (the Cold Ones and They Might Be Giants) and one team going 4-0 (Big Game Hunter). I'm presently in 9th place out of 12, but this is the first quarter of the league. Here's to next week and another win. The matchups are as follows:

Cold Ones (1-3) vs RobbBobbyBilly (3-1)
The Quite Franklies (2-2) vs Big Game Hunter (4-0)
Potomac PimpSlappers (1-3) vs Air Raiders (2-2)
They Might Be Giants (1-3) vs Charlotte PrimeTime! (2-2)
Tha Bruthaz (1-3) vs Silver & Black Rules (2-2)
Techno Raiders (2-2) vs RDU Saints (3-1)

NFL Divisional Playoffs - Saturday Games

I never thought we'd get here. The Eagles are still playing football and it's January. Nuff said. Let's take a look at the games today and see who's going to rise to the top.


Baltimore @ Tennessee - This will be a slobberknocker (yes, an old John Madden term). This should be a defensive struggle and the weather is going to be rainy. This game is simply going to come down to two things. 1. Are the Ravens healthy enough? They have a lot of people beat up and they'll be playing in some tough conditions. 2. Which QB will make the fewest mistakes. Kerry Collins leads the Titans and is a veteran that has proven that he can play mistake free ball. Joe Flacco is a rookie who is leading his team by limiting his mistakes. I just don't trust Kerry Collins. I think that he ends up costing the Titans the game. Winner - Ravens.


Arizona @ Carolina - I never thought the Cardinals would have made it out of the first week of the playoffs. So, there's no reason for me to think that they'll make it out of the second week either. The Cardinals are led by the almost MVP, Kurt Warner. They did remember that Edgerrin James can still play, which will help. The concern is losing Anquan Boldin, who is questionable with a hamstring injury. The Panthers are great at home and they have two running backs that can hurt you. If Jake Delhomme shows up, this is a blow out. I expect Carolina's defense to take control and this ought to be a laugher into the 3rd quarter. Winner - Panthers.

Fantasy Football Week 2 Wrap Up

Why do I play this game? I mean, I had my best team on the field and they didn't perform. We are now 0-2 in our league and last night just echoed what management has been saying, if we don't win, there are going to be some big moves made.

Tha Bruthaz vs. Cold Ones

Peyton Maning (QB - Ind) ----- Carson Palmer (QB - Cin)

Torry Holt (WR - STL) -----Terrell Owens (WR - Dal)

Derrick Mason (WR - Bal) ----- Roy Williams (WR - Det)

Isaac Bruce (WR - STL) ----- Lee Evans (WR - Buf)

Wilie Parker (RB - Pit) ----- Marshawn Lynch (RB - Buf)

Willis McGahee (RB - Bal) ----- Thomas Jones (RB - NYJ)

Dallas Clark (TE - Ind) ----- LJ Smith (TE - Phi)

Adam Vinatieri (K - NE) ----- Jeff Reed (K - Pit)

Dallas (DEF) ----- Indianapolis (DEF)

Carson Palmer killed me yet again. What is going on in Cincinnati? Carson, maybe we need to talk? I can't keep going through this. In two weeks you've gotten me a total of 4.62 points. So with these results in, I made some changes to the roster. I picked up Trent Edwards, J.T. O'Sullivan, and the Tampa Bay D. I dropped Vince Young, Chris Taylor, and Ahman Green. I should have played Santana Moss instead of Roy Williams, because he went off for 25.10 points. Tha Bruthaz were led by Isaac Bruce (15.30 points) who hadn't done anything last week. The Cold Ones lost 65.96 - 82.44.

The rest of the league went as follows:

The Quite Franklies vs They Might Be Giants
Kurt Warner's resurgence as a football player led the Quite Franklies along with Marion 'The Barbarian' Barber. They Might Be Giants struggled to put up a paltry 48 points and were blown out with Big Ben leading the way with 11.44 points. The Quite Franklies win 99.74 - 48.14.

Potomac PimpSlappers vs RDU Saints
The Potomac PimpSlappers got big games from Jason Witten, Nate Keading, and Anthony Gonzalez. The RDU Saints were one of the teams to put up more than 100 points this week getting major contributions from Chris Chambers, Reggie Bush, Frank Gore, and Aaron 'Not Brett Favre' Rodgers. RDU Saints win 107.92 - 74.04.

Silver & Black Rules vs Charlotte Prime Time!
Silver & Black Rules put up a whopping 150+ points. Everyone on their roster scored 10+ points except Chris Cooley who came in with 7.2. Charlotte Prime Time! valiantly hung in there, led by Anquan Boldin and Eli Manning. S&B Rules wins 150.68 - 99.80.

RobBobbyBilly vs Air Raiders
In this week's closest game, RobBobbyBilly snuck one out with the help of Earnest Graham and Greg Jennings. The Air Raiders kep it close with Brandon Marshall, Nick Folk, and Adrian Peterson. RobBobbyBilly wins 92.24 - 86.84.

Techno Raiders vs Big Game Hunter
Clinton Portis tried to keep the Techno Raiders close, but with Ryan Grant and Marvin Harrison not showing up, it hurt. The Big Game Hunter Reggie Wayne, Donald Driver, Jon Kitna, and the Raiders defense (what?). Big Game

There's always next week (that's what I said last week, sigh).

RDU Saints (2-0) vs. Cold Ones (0-2)
Charlotte Prime Time! (0-2) vs. The Quite Franklies (2-0)
They Might Be Giants (0-2) vs. Potomac PimpSlappers (0-2)
Silver & Black Rules (2-0) vs. Air Raiders (0-2)
RobbBobbyBilly (2-0) vs. Big Game Hunter (2-0)
Techno Raiders (1-1) vs. Tha Bruthaz (1-1)

Fantasy Football Draft Results

Ok, the results are in and at first I think that I am happy. I think I did pretty well, but as we all see, one play can change a season (see Tom Brady last year). So without further ado, the 2009-2010 Cold Ones:

Donovan McNabb (PHI) - QB
Adrian Peterson (MIN) - RB
LenDale White (TEN) - RB
Anquan Boldin (AZ) - WR
TJ Houshmandzadeh (SEA) - WR
Greg Jennings (GB) - WR
Anthony Fasano (MIA) - TE
Kris Brown (HOU) - K
Miami - DEF

And then the bench:

Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) - QB
Ted Ginn Jr. (MIA) - WR
Michael Jenkins (ATL) - WR
Darrius Heyward-Bey (OAK) - WR
Tashard Choice (DAL) - RB
Donald Lee (GB) - TE
Laurence Maroney (NE) - RB



Well, what do you think? We have a 12 team league and as you know the pickings get slim towards the end of the draft. We'll see how this team holds up during the year. Looking forward to regaining the winner's plaque.

NFL Wild Card Weekend

Now that we have some time to think, let's take a look at the NFL playoffs. Today's games are going to be very good.

Atlanta @ Arizona - The Falcons come in with a strong performance over the last few weeks of the regular season. They have a great running game and a good QB who has wowed all of us with his composure and play over his first 16 games of his career. Now he gets playoff game number one. The Cardinals won their division and then limped into the playoffs. Anquan Boldin is hurting, but we know he won't miss this game for anything. Kurt Warner needs to get back into the groove for this team to win. With that said the Cardinals will need to use Edgerrin James a lot more. He's a veteran that still has game in him, and if you don't use him, I expect that he will become somewhat of a cancer (but if they lose, it's only for one game). Winner - Falcons.

Indianapolis @ San Diego - This is the hardest game for me to pick. The Colts have been on a roll as of late and they are playing their best ball as Peyton Manning (celebrating his 3rd MVP) is coming back nicely from that off season knee surgery. The Colts defense is starting to play well but they aren't getting off the field as fast as they used to. The Chargers have played like trash, well, isht all year long. The Broncos gave them a chance to win the AFC West and they did just that. LT is out with a groin tear (seems like last year again). With all of the injuries I should pick the Chargers because it's times like this that the wounded team wins. Winner - Colts.

NFL Round Up

St. Louis finally got the memo and decided that they need to do a deal for Steven Jackson. Jackson will report to camp with the agreement that a deal will get done in the near future. The loud sigh that you heard was Marc Bulger, because without Jackson, the Rams offense would have been pathetic. They already have a shaky O line and people would just be waiting to tee off on Bulger. At least now they have to worry about that big guy back there running over them.
'Lights Out' Shawne Merriman is getting his sore knee re-examined by Dr. James Andrews who performed surgery to repair torn cartilage in the knee approximately 5 months ago. Merriman has been limited in practices. Chargers fans, be concerned, very concerned. This is supposedly the year that the Chargers get past the injury bug, the bad luck, and get to the Superbowl and win it. Merriman will be a big part of that, you better hope he's healthy. Side Note: Antonio Gates was removed from the PUP (physically unable to perform) list and cleared for practice after passing a physical yesterday.
Eagles wide out, Kevin Curtis is out for some time to have hernia surgery. What exactly is this? For those that don't know (like me) take a look here. This is going to hurt the Eagles because they have no one at the wide receiver spot. I mean since TO left, I could grab 3 guys out of my office and make the Eagles WR corps. Why can't Andy Reid call Arizona and find out what it'll take to get Anquan Boldin. I mean the Eagles have a good extra DB that the Cards could use. Can't we make a deal??
James Farrior signs a 5 year $18M extension with the Steelers. This was a no brainer. When you think of Steelers linebackers over the past 3 to 5 years, Farrior and Joey Porter come to mind. They didn't pay Porter and he left for that hell hole that is Miami, but the Steelers keep Farrior with a decent deal. Look for the Steelers linebackers to continue teeing off on folks in the league.