NFL 2010 Week 11 Picks

At least we started out on the good foot with the Bears game this week.  I was surprised that some folks actually picked the Dolphins, even I couldn't do that in good faith.  Let's finish up the week strong.     


Buffalo @ Cincinnati - I almost think that the Bills should win this game.  The Bengals have sucked this year and there's really nothing that is redeeming about this team.  They lost their kicker for the year, they have a QB who is struggling to get back to being the QB that many thought he would be, they can't seem to run the ball, and the TO/Ocho combination is terrible.  BUT, they are playing the Bills and they are playing this game in Ohio.  Why am I doing this?  I'm going to say this now, if they don't win, I will not pick them the rest of the year, period.  Winner - Bengals. 



Detroit @ Dallas - Jason Garrett is 1-0 for the year and he's done a great job of motivating this team to actually showing up for a game.  The Lions are a dangerous team as long as Megatron is on the field and they have proven that I could start at QB and he'll still get the ball.  The Cowboys' corners have been terrible for most of the year and this will definitely be a test for them.  Both defensive lines are good and should provide each offense with their own issues.  I expect that Suh will help the Cowboys continue the string of not being able to run the ball effectively.  This is at Jerry's World, so gotta go with the home team.  Winner - Cowboys.  


Washington @ Tennessee - You have a Redskins defense that is still giving up points to the Eagles and Mike Vick, and a Titans squad that really underachieved last week by losing to the Dolphins (even though the Dolphins almost ran out of players).  Which team has the gumption to step up and make it two bad weeks in a row.  Randy Moss had 1 catch last week in his debut and we know he's better than that.  They have had some time and I expect Moss to show out this weekend against this weak Redskins secondary.  For the Redskins, I'm just waiting for Shanahan to pull McNabb again.  Does it happen this week?  Winner - Titans.


Arizona @ Kansas City - The Cardinals are terrible and it's time for this Chiefs team to show me something or I will revert back to calling them the Chefs.  Dwayne Bowe seems to be able to catch balls as of late and the defense has got to make a run back to the first four games of the season.  They were pretty much in a groove up until the loss against Indy, but they played well even then.  If they can turn the clock back, just a little, and play some defense, this should be an easy game for the Chiefs.  Winner - Chiefs. 



Green Bay @ Minnesota - Another 'job' game for Childress and a must win for the Vikings if they have ANY hope of making it to the playoffs.  If the Vikings lose this game, I'm pretty sure Childress is done, but so is the team for this year.  The Packers are coming off a bye week and hopefully they were able to find the fountain of recovery because they needed it badly.  The sad thing is that I think Favre will see a younger version of someone resembling him, behind a decent offensive line, throwing the ball all over the field, and he may come to tears.  Maybe the Vikings drop Rodgers and start a blowout and we see a little of Tavaris Jackson in this game?  I doubt it.  Winner - Vikings. 


Houston @ New York Jets - The Jets come off of a close win against the Browns and now they get a Texans team that is looking for some respect.  The Texans are coming off of a lost game to the Jaguars on a hell mary and they needed a win last week, so the urgency is there.  All of the luster has worn off of this team since their great start, including a win over the Colts.  The Jets have been quiet, which is something I never thought I'd say.  The bravado that the Ryan led Jets were talking has toned down a lot.  Can they get it all back together and start the talking again?  Winner - Jets.   


Oakland @ Pittsburgh - How do you make up for losing a close game against the Patriots?  You get a chance to prove to the world that you can beat the Oakland Raiders.  The Raiders aren't the sacrificial cow that they have been over the last few years and they come to Pittsburgh with a good running game (Bush and DMC) and Jason Campbell peaking.  This will be a closer game than most think if Campbell doesn't regress.  Again, it's hard to beat Pittsburgh at home (although the Patriots did).  Winner - Steelers. 


Baltimore @ Carolina - Baltimore, easy.  Winner - Ravens. 


Cleveland @ Jacksonville - The Jaguars aren't that good, but sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, ask the Bears about that.  The Jaguars snuck a win last week and they have been playing pretty well as of late following the lead of David Garrard.  The Browns have also shown a pulse these past few weeks and they seem to be coming together on the defensive side of the ball at the very least.  This is a coin toss.  Winner - Jaguars.   



Tampa Bay @ San Francisco - I would normally say that this is a win for the 49ers and easy, but the Bucs are not laying down for anyone.  With a youth enthused team led by Josh Freeman and LeGarrette Blount, this Bucs team is dangerous.  The 49ers have been given a shot in the arm by searching and finding a QB on their roster in Troy Smith.  Smith has been able to lead this 49ers squad to some wins and he may get another this weekend.  This ought to be a hard fought game and a good one to watch.  Winner - 49ers.


Seattle @ New Orleans - The return of Reggie Bush?  Bush is trying to make his return from breaking a leg earlier in the season and going against his old coach my be the best opportunity for success.  The Seahawks have been up and down all year and I think (let me count here,.......) it's time for them to be up this game.  They should be able to play with the Saints for at least a quarter or two but in the end, the better team should win.  Winner - Saints. 


Atlanta @ St. Louis - I know which team better win.  The Falcons, as I repeat here often, are one of the best teams in the NFC.  They can run with Turner, throw with Ryan, and they have Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez to catch the ball.  The defense is one of the better ones in the league and they are playing a Rams team that is struggling just to keep players on the field.  Even with that said, the Rams have been a team that will take a win from you if you let them stay in the game.  Atlanta will have to jump out early and try to put any fire that this Rams team has out.  Winner - Falcons.   



Indianapolis @ New England - Two of the games best QBs face off against each other:  Brady vs. Manning.  Manning is dealing with not having his usual targets on the field, but he's made it work with the fill ins that the Colts have.  The Patriots are riding high after beating the Steelers at home and they get to stay at home and welcome the Colts.  The Patriots young defense was able to make some plays in Pittsburgh and the question now is will they be able to do the same thing against a Manning led offense.  My money is on Manning.  Winner - Colts. 


New York Giants @ Philadelphia - Is Mike Vick still on fire?  The Giants defense will find out.  The Giants have the personnel upfront to keep Vick in check, but I'm not sure if their second level (LBs) is good enough.  They also have to worry about McCoy and Jackson who are explosive also.  The Giants can grind the ball with Jacobs and Bradshaw, which could limit Mr. Vick's touches.  The more Vick is on the sidelines, the better chance the Giants have.  Can they pull off the upset?  Winner - Eagles.   


Denver @ San Diego - This has shootout written all over it and that's hard to say when you have Kyle Orton as your starting QB.  Orton has played, by far, his best season as a QB.  The Chargers don't really scare you on defense so I expect that the Orton to Lloyd combo will be ordered up several times this game.  Philip Rivers has shown that he too has an arm and is willing to throw to anyone with a Chargers jersey on since the Chargers have had problems from injuries and holdouts all year long.  Do the Broncos have enough to keep pace?  Winner - Chargers.  


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 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 4 Picks

Yes, we're running late today with the picks, but hey, sometimes the day job gets in the way of the fun.  But the day job allows us to have fun.  Remember that.  Looking to make last week go away and try to get something with at least 10 or 11 picks right.  We'll see.  Good luck to McNabb in his return to Philly this week. 

San Francisco @ Atlanta – The Falcons proved me right last week with a W against the Saints and I think they have to get it going so that they can make this NFC race a good one. It’s a home game and the 49ers are bringing in a crew with a new OC and lots to work on. This could get dicey, but I expect a big game from Matty Ice. Winner – Falcons.


Cincinnati @ Cleveland – The Battle of Ohio. Too bad this won’t be too much of a battle. Looks like Jake Delhomme is starting at QB and that pretty much says it all. The Bengals have got to get it going or they are going to be sitting at the bottom of their division soon. The best thing for a QB that’s struggling is to hand the ball off. Cedric Benson should go for almost 150 in this game. Winner – Bengals.


New York Jets @ Buffalo – Last week I said the Bills didn’t have a chance and they came thisclose to beating the Patriots. Let’s say that it was a fluke. Winner – Jets.


Seattle @ St. Louis – I’m having a problem with this game. The Seahawks are not impressing me but something about them says don’t give up on them yet. Hasselbeck has some talent around him and some talent to protect him. He’s still a decent QB and that’s got to mean something. The Rams will be either with a slightly injured Steven Jackson or without a slightly injured Steven Jackson. Without a running game this is an easy pick. Winner – Seahawks.


Denver @ Tennessee – Let VY continue to roll on. This team is finding a way to get it done each week. Jeff Fisher normally has pretty good defensive teams, but VY is making sure that people can’t load the box to stop Chris Johnson. Winner – Titans.


Detroit @ Green Bay – After losing that game against the Bears last week, I imagine that the scoreboard operator is going to have a hard time keeping up with the Packers this week. Detroit will be able to score also, but I want to see how Calvin Johnson does against the Green Bay corners. He’s got height on them, but will Shaun Hill be alive to throw the ball? Winner – Packers.


Baltimore @ Pittsburgh – There will be a number of bruises after this game. All I have to say is that Rashard Mendenhall may not want to ever talk trash to Ray Lewis again after what happened last year with Rashards’ shoulder. The Steelers will plan on running the ball and I expect Mendenhall and Lewis to meet on several occasions. This is a tough one to pick. I like the Ravens, but that Steeler defense is playing out of their minds right now. Can I pick both teams? Would that count? Winner – Ravens.


Carolina @ New Orleans – Unless Drew Brees and half the offense don’t play, there’s no question about this one. Winner –Saints.


Indianapolis @ Jacksonville – This is the last thing that the Jaguars needed, a visit from Peyton Manning when he is playing this well. Add to the fact that I could probably start for the Jaguars at QB and it’s just not looking good. Winner – Colts.


Houston @ Oakland – Two teams going in opposite directions. What’s up with the QB situation in Oakland? I thought that given the right opportunity that Jason Campbell could work out there nad he’s sitting on the bench behind a guy who’s name most people can’t spell. They have a running game this year and I just thought things would be better. (Shaking head) Sad. Winner – Texans.


Washington @ Philadelphia – Oh, how I would love this game if Kolb were playing. It’d be a blowout for the Redskins and Donovan would actually have to shake his and Andy Reid’s hand at mid field after the game. Alas, no Kolb, but there will be a Mike Vick sighting and it has nothing to do with dogs. Vick is on a roll and now that he understands that a pocket is something you throw out of, he’s probably the most dangerous QB in the league. Winner – Eagles.


Arizona @ San Diego – Why do the Chargers play like this? IT CAN’T BE THE TALENT!!! Someone, please go to CareerBuilder.com and put out a job description for the Head Coach for the San Diego Chargers. The first line would be ‘Anyone except Norv Turner’. These guys waste talent every game by playing lackadaisical football. But they’re playing at home and it’s the Cardinals. Winner – Chargers.


Chicago @ New York Giants – I said last week that the Giants have folded their tent. We’ll see how far from the camping grounds they have driven after this game. The Bears have stopped the run, but can’t run. They’ve gotten luck from the two games at home and 1 team that hasn’t played well against them. They are 3-0 and I think everyone is surprised. I have to pick the Bears, right? Winner – Bears.


New England @ Miami – The Dolphins almost pulled it off last week and I think that they do it this week. The Patriots have shown us that they can’t play defense and Chad Henne had a helluva game last week against the Jets. More Henne and a few more touches by the running back by committee and the Dolphins go home happy. Winner – Dolphins.



Those are my picks. Who you got?

NFL 2010 Week 3 Picks

 It's on this week.  We're trying to ride the wave of a successful 12-4 week.  Let's see how it goes.  

Tennessee @ New York Giants – It’s too early in the year to start this song of ‘is you is, or is you ain’t my baby (QB)’.  VY was pulled last week for being ineffective and we had a Kerry Collins sighting.  Fisher, in my humble opinion is looking for the first opportunity to get rid of VY.  Fisher lost how many games last year with Collins at QB before he went to VY?  I digress, the Giants are in need of a win and I think that they get one, in the New Meadowlands.  How high can Brandon Jacobs throw his helmet into the stands this week?  Winner – Giants.

Pittsburgh @ Tampa Bay – Which team is for real?  The team with the suspended starting QB which has found a way to win behind a good defense as they line up just about anyone serviceable at QB, or is it the young team who has shown some flashes on offense while their defense has made a few plays here and there?  Both teams are 2-0 and The Bucs get an opportunity to play the Steelers at home.  Someone has to win.  Winner – Steelers.

Cincinnati @ Carolina – I’ve gotta be a sage or something.  The Jimmy Clausen era begins in Carolina this weekend.  You normally want your rookie to open at home (check) and with a decent ground game (ummm,….) to help him manage.  The Bengals will be looking for blood in the water.  I expect a lot of blitzing and a lot of stunts to confuse the rookie.  Good luck Jimmy.  Winner – Bengals. 

Cleveland @ Baltimore – This will be a slugfest, regardless of records.  The Ravens have got to get their offense rolling and get Flacco to stop throwing to the wrong color jerseys.  This Browns team ought to offer somewhat of a cure.  There was word that the Ravens are not going to kick away from Josh Cribbs, please tell me it ain’t so.  If the Ravens kick to Cribbs, this will be close, otherwise a nice win for the Ravens.  Winner – Ravens. 

Dallas @ Houston – Best game of the week.  Well, maybe.  The Cowboys are 0-2 and 0-3 might mean some heads start to roll.  They get a Texans team that is coming off a great win against the Redskins and for some reason, no one feels that putting 3 people on Andre Johnson is a good idea.  I got a feeling that the Cowboys finally wake up and put it all together.  Expect big games from Felix Jones and Jason Witten.  If the Cowboys lose this game, Jerry may want to fold up camp.  Winner – Cowboys. 

San Francisco @ Kansas City – I feel sorry for Mike Singletary.  If his team played with half his passion, they’d be 2-0.  Alex Smith didn’t look bad last week and this team’s success sits squarely on his shoulders.  If he can somehow limit his mistakes, this team makes a big turn for the better.  Kansas City is 2-0 and that’s about as good as it gets for them this year.  They have already exceed expectations.  Winner – 49ers.

Detroit @ Minnesota – Just what the Vikings needed, no not a WR, a cupcake.  The Vikes need to right their ship and get this team back on track like they were last year.  Continue giving AP his 20+ carries and for goodness sake find a healthy WR, somewhere.  Winner – Vikings.

Buffalo @ New England – The Bills come to New England and hopefully they enjoy the trip there because the outcome of this game is going to make for a long trip home.  Winner – Patriots.

Atlanta @ New Orleans – The best game of the week.  The Falcons finally showed what kind of team they can be and now they get to go to a different dome and prove just how good they are.  The Saints got by last week against the 49ers and they have to adjust to life without Reggie Bush.  I could see the Falcons winning this game,…..Winner – Falcons. 

Washington @ St. Louis – This should be an opportunity for McNabb to have a good game and not have to throw for 400+ yards.  The Rams just aren’t ready for primetime yet.  Winner – Redskins.

Philadelphia @ Jacksonville – Once again back it’s the incredible, Mike Vick.  Many people are saying this is a bad move, but let’s think back.  The Eagles brought in Vick when they had McNabb and Kolb.  We all knew they weren’t going to pay McNabb to stay so we knew he was gone.  Vick was supposed to be insurance, but we all saw how bad Kolb was as a substitute.  Andy Reid’s job is on the line, and he’s gotta win.  Shouldn’t we have seen Vick being the starter, until he loses?  He’ll continue the trend this weekend.  Winner – Eagles.   

Oakland @ Arizona – Somebody has to win.  I don’t think that Derek Anderson is a starter for any team and I can’t even spell Gradkowski, but the Raiders get it done this week.  Winner – Raiders. 

San Diego @ Seattle – Are we done with the Pete Carroll era yet in Seattle?  I think that they could use a good possession receiver who could help their QB, but they let him go.  The Chargers haven’t looked real good yet so I expect them to get it together on this road trip and put some numbers on the board.  Winner – Chargers.

Indianapolis @ Denver – After the debacle that was Manning Bowl II, the Colts look to be on the same page.  They get to go to Denver and I imagine that they are going to start pounding the Broncos upfront by running the ball and then let Manning take over from there.  Winner – Colts.

New York Jets @ Miami – After their first big win, Braylon Edwards decides to tie one on and get caught by the police.  From a fantasy impact, I’m mad as he77.  You gotta do better.  I will say this again, Miami is a team you don’t want to play.  They play fundamental ball and if you make a mistake they normally capitalize.  The Jets defense is going to have to pick up the slack from Edwards’ mistake.  Winner – Dolphins.

Green Bay @ Chicago – Ok, the guys at Union Station that manage the traffic (and our buses) have been on me all week about the Bears and how they are going to beat the Packers on Monday night.  I say that the Bears are now sitting on 1 loss (that was a Detroit TD) and ½ a W (the Cowboys beat themselves).  There is no way that the Bears are going to beat the Packers on Monday Night even if they played in Maui.  Even if I have to walk from the train station all week long,……Winner – Packers.  

Who you got?  

NFL 2010 Week 2 Picks

We definitely started the season off with a bang with our 7-9 record, so let's see if we can make less noise and some better picks.  

Pittsburgh @ Tennessee – Well Dennis Dixon gets his next test in Tennessee.  We all know from Week 1 that the Steelers defense can get them out of a lot of trouble, but the offense is going to have to step it up this time around.  The Titans will give the Steelers large doses of Chris Johnson, and I imagine that VY is going to have to throw the ball more than 17 times.  This ought to be quite the game.  Winner – Steelers.    

Miami @ Minnesota – Miami travels all the way to Minnesota and I imagine that their ground game will be ready to test the Vikings front 7.  The Saints seemed to run well against them in Week 1 and I think the Dolphins have a more dynamic group of runners.  I hope someone in Minny tells Childress that Chris Johnson got 27 carries in a laugher of a game last week for the Titans,…….give AP his carries!!!!  Winner – Vikings.

Arizona @ Atlanta – After giving away last week’s game to the Steelers, the Falcons are at home and hopefully they’ve implemented more than one pass play and more than 4 running plays or it’s going to be a long season.  The Cardinals can be tough against the run upfront, but I expect the home cooking to work in favor of the Falcons and give them their first win of the season.  Winner – Falcons.

Baltimore @ Cincinnati – When I look at this game, the one thing that comes to mind is that Cedric Benson was the first back in 61 games to get 100 yards on this Baltimore defense.  That’s a gauntlet being thrown down to this defense.  The Ravens on offense looked pretty good with Boldin last week and I expect some more work for Houshmandzadeh this week.  Which receiving core are you going to pick, Ocho and Owens or Boldin and TJ?  Winner – Bengals.

 

Kansas City @ Cleveland – The Chefs, they got their ‘i’ back so I’ll say the Chiefs surprised last week with a pretty good performance by beating the Chargers.  Cassel looked decent and the surprised play from the defense shocked me.  The Browns are already on quarterback number two with Seneca Wallace getting the start.  I can’t say much more about the Browns.  I think this one is closer than most expect, but I imagine that the Chiefs come out on top.  Winner – Chiefs.

Chicago @ Dallas – One team got a W with an asterisk (Bears) and the other got an ‘L’ for not showing up (Cowboys), so something’s got to give.  Hillenmeyer is out for the year with the Bears with a concussion, and DeMarcus Ware is coming back from a mild concussion himself.  What’s the over/under on the number of games Urlacher plays before he gets hurt?  There’s no way the Cowboys let the Bears come in and spoil the home opener for them, right?  Lots of running by the Cowboys and I expect Dez Bryant to show out.  Winner – Cowboys.

Philadelphia @ Detroit – Mike Vick, glad to see you back in the saddle.  The Eagles finally announces that Vick would start (we knew this was going to happen, right?) and he has been practicing with the 1^st team all week long.  Vick should be a lot better prepared and the game plan should be wide open.  Shaun Hill will get the start for the Lions, so I expect that he’ll see a lot of blitzing from the Eagles, but they will double Calvin Johnson (they are smarter than the Bears), so this one may end up being a blowout.  Winner – Eagles.

Buffalo @ Green Bay – The tundra isn’t quite frozen yet, but the Packers are feeling a little sick from losing their starting RB, Ryan Grant, in their first game.  Because of Aaron Rodgers, they can pretty much insert running back X and keep that machine moving.  The Packers defense seems to be close to mid-season form and the Bills don’t have anyone.  Winner – Packers. 

Tampa Bay @ Carolina – Well, Week 2 and it seems as though Matt Moore will start this game, but if he does, I don’t expect him to end it on the field.  We will probably end up with a Jimmy Clausen sighting preparing for his Week 3 start.  Neither team is loaded but I bet against the Bucs last week and lost.  Winner – Bucs.

Seattle @ Denver – I don’t think many people outside of Pete Carroll’s office thought they would play like they did last week.  Is this a sign of things to come or an anomaly?  They go to Denver who may be able to provide them with some issues on the defensive side of the ball, but I’m not sure anywhere else.  I don’t actually believe this, but I’m going with,…..Winner – Seahawks. 

St. Louis @ Oakland – Talk about two bad teams (at least right now).  The Raiders will once again turn to Darren McFadden to see if he can pull the load, which he should against this defense.  Maybe they’ll even open things up a little for Jason Campbell and this one should be over by halftime.  Winner – Raiders. 

Houston @ Washington – This is the test for the Texans.  You come off a game where many thought you couldn’t beat the Colts and now you get a team in the Redskins that everyone expects you to beat.  Are the Texans going to step up?  We know Arian Foster won’t get 231 in this game, but I expect a better performance out of Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson.  I liked the Redskins on defense last week and if they can keep that up, this won’t be the cakewalk that many think it will be.  This is the Texans year.  Winner – Texans.

New England @ New York Jets – I love the trash talk.  We all know that Moss plays when he wants and this is probably one of those where he plays.  Revis has a built in excuse with his sore hammy, but this will come down to whether the Pats can protect Brady.  As we saw in their game against the Ravens, they are going to bring it all day.  The Jets are just limited on offense with Shonn Greene (the dropsies) and Sanchez not wanting to complete a pass for more than 9 yards.  Winner – Patriots.

Jacksonville @ San Diego – Chargers, are you ready to start the season yet?  You are already looking up to the Chiefs in your division, and that should never happen.  Jacksonville surprised last week with a decent performance, but I expect the Chargers to be extra motivated after that debacle last week.  Winner – Chargers.

New York Giants @ Indianapolis – I guess this is Manning Bowl Part Deux.  Normally the better Manning should win this game and I think that holds.  Note to insurance agents, if an individual named Bob Sanders applies for any type of insurance, you probably want to deny him, he’s accident prone.  The Colts defense will be okay with Bullitt back there, but Peyton seemed to be already in mid-season form.  I’m just not a believer in Eli.  Winner – Colts. 

New Orleans @ San Francisco – I can already see it, Mike Singletary addressing the media after this game,…’I’d like to thank the Saints for kicking our a$$ like that because it’s something we need to learn from’.  Winner – Saints. 

Who you got?

Chris Henry Dies

Sad word from Charlotte, NC. Chris Henry, the troubled wide receiver from the Cincinnati Bengals, died today from falling off the back of a pickup truck. Henry had a troubled past of arrests, but this year it seems as though he turned it all around. He dedicated himself to his family more and now he's gone at the young age of 26. There are lots of stories going around about the accident that caused his death and I for one have no information that I can credibly assess. With that said, take some time out of your day today to wish his family well, and make sure that you hug someone that's important in your life. Life is indeed truly short. Rest in peace Chris Henry.

It Always Happens,...

I think I've written out here how these holdouts normally go. Normally you get guys that want to holdout, veterans and rookies alike, because they want a few more dollars. Don't get me wrong, I want them to get all of the money that they can get because these NFL contracts aren't guaranteed (at least the big numbers) like the NBA deals. But, with that said, it's almost like the Madden Curse. Normally these guys hold out and then once they get their money, something bad happens. Our newest case in point is Cincinnati Bengals draft pick Andre Smith. He had already held out during an extended contract negotiation and finally signed earlier this week. Day one in practice, during a non contact drill, he fractures his foot. How you like me now?!?!? The vets on the team are probably more pissed because they won't get a chance to haze him or get his big body on the offensive line, and probably because he gets more money than most of them and hasn't played a down in the NFL yet.

I say all of this to say to all people. Negotiate early and often and try to get your deal BEFORE camp starts. Karma just doesn't seem to work well in these situations for the players. Michael Crabtree, the only unsigned rookie left, should tread lightly and buy as many rabbit's feet as he can.

What is your take on this? Are the Bengals just cursed? Will this guy live up to his draft selection? When does he play?

NFL Matchup Week 2

Well we know how my first week of prognostication went, but as they say, it's not how many time you get knocked down, it's how many times you pay someone to knock that other dude out (or something like that). So I'm back for more, here's a look at Week 2.

Tennessee @ Cincinnati - Wow, this is a bounce back week for the Bengals or they can go ahead and close Paul Brown Stadium. The Titans will be without VY and they will start with the statue at QB, Kerry Collins. This may open things up from a passing attack for the Titans, but from a defensive standpoint, the Bengals will know exactly where Collins will be, about 7 yards deep in the pocket (the entire game). I expect the Bengals to pounce on this opportunity to get to .500. Winner - Bengals.

Green Bay @ Detroit - This doesn't sound like a good game for the Lions to show up for. Rodgers looked good last week and the Green Bay D will beat up the Lions receivers all day long. Brian Grant is banged up with a sore hamstring, but I think that I could run for 100 yards against Detroit's defense. Winner - Packers.

Oakland @ Kansas City - Talk about the best of the worst. Neither of these teams did anything last weekend (unless you count the Brady injury, and no it wasn't a dirty hit). Oakland played like a bad Pop Warner team, which is hard for me to fathom because they have talent. Kansas City just doesn't have an O-line and they do have a hurt QB. Plus the Raiders can't play that bad twice, can they? Winner - Push (Raiders).

New York Giants @ St. Louis - The Giants looked good against the Redskins in week 1. I said that Justin Tuck will be a handful for everyone this year. Their D will continue to play well. It's up to Eli Manning to make this offense consistent. St. Louis, I think it's going to be a bad day at the park. Winner - Giants.
Indianapolis @ Minnesota - The Colts lost to the Bears and gave up a lot of yards on the ground to a rookie. The Colts couldn't get anything working on offense because the Bears just blitzed the entire game. The Vikings can't stop anyone through the air. So, if you're in a battle and you had to choose to win in the air or on the ground, which do you pick? Winner - Colts.

New Orleans @ Washington - Well, game 2 into the Jim Zorn era in Washington and it will get better. They played well enough to keep it close with the Giants. New Orleans toughed it out against the Bucs. Washington will be able to stop the Saints on the ground and the Saints won't be able to stop the Redskins. Winner - Redskins.

Chicago @ Carolina - Things looked great for the Bears in the season opener. They got good QB play and 100+ yards on the ground for Forte. This is where the isht hits the fan. The Panthers have a much better defensive front against the run than the Colts. We'll have to see how good that Bears defense really is. The Panthers shocked the Chargers last week, so can they do again? Winner - Panthers.

Buffalo @ Jacksonville - Talk about a sad situation. Jacksonville has gone through 4 O-linemen already and we're just at Week 2. An improved Buffalo D will cause problems for the Jaguars. The Bills have a balanced offense and look for Marshawn Lynch to run hard against a normally stingy Jaguars defense. Winner - Bills.

San Francisco @ Seattle - This one usually means lots of points on the board, but I don't see Seattle being able to keep up. Hasselbeck has a hurt back and Julius Jones is really making people want Shaun Alexander back in Seattle. The 49ers looked a lot better with J.T. O'Sullivan and will continue to flourish. Winner - 49ers.

Atlanta @ Tampa Bay - This will be interesting. Matt Ryan will get his chance for a 2-0 start. This defense will be better than the one that Michael Turner ran through last weekend, so I imagine a rougher game for Ryan this week. The Bucs will start Brian Griese instead of the injured Garcia. Not sure if this is an upgrade or a lateral move. The heart says Falcons, the head says Bucs. Winner - Bucs.

Baltimore @ Houston - This game may be moved due to Hurricane Ike, but if it's played, I expect the weather to be rainy, muddy, and just nasty. Houston lost Ahman Green (remind me not to draft a guy in Fantasy Football who restructures his contract to get paid based on the number of games he plays in during the year). Baltimore will still bring their D and a decent running game to help Flacco. Winner - Ravens.

New England @ New York Jets - Before the season started, this looked like a great game. Now with Brady injured, it doesn't have the shine. This will be a great opportunity for the Jets to establish themselves as the front runners in the AFC East. Matt Cassell isn't the answer. I'm sorry, the dude hasn't won a QB job since high school. The Pats won't be able to keep putting points on the board like they have in the past. Can the Jets sneak this one out? Winner - Jets.

Miami @ Arizona - Should this even be a game? If Arizona doesn't win this game, I'm not sure what they should do. They have a better D, a better O, and they are playing at home. Winner - Cardinals.

San Diego @ Denver - This is going to be interesting. The Chargers are beat up a little physically and mentally after their loss to the Panthers. Denver looked great last week in destroying the Raiders. Cutler looked good and he and Eddie Royal have to be attached at the hip or something. I hate picking against the Chargers, but I have to on this one. Winner - Broncos.

Pittsburgh @ Cleveland - Maybe the Browns can invite LeBron to the game? The Steelers looked great last week. Big Ben is a little banged up in his shoulder, but he'll start and he'll play well. The Browns are still reading their clippings from last year. They better show up and play or it's going to be a long season. Winner - Steelers.

Philadelphia @ Dallas - This is the game of the week. Two teams that looked great week 1 and they are both in the same conference. SI picked the Eagles as the Superbowl loser this year. McNabb still doesn't have a great #1 receiver, but it seems as though the team is pulling it off. Dallas, has all of the stars on both sides of the ball. Heart says Eagles, head says Cowboys. Winner - Eagles.

Not Just Yet

Don't get rid of those Chris Henry #15 Cincinnati Bengals jerseys just yet. It looks as though the Bengals are going to give Henry another chance. What an organization? (Yeah right). I guess they were too quick to cut the kid earlier this year after his 5th arrest in 3 years. The charges were dropped, but the NFL still suspended him 4 games. So, with the injuries to both TJ Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson, why not go out and get a guy who knows the system? This guy has all of the talent in the world, if he could only keep the off the field stuff in check. Somewhere, Cedric Benson is smiling, waiting for his second chance.