Thursday, November 17, 2011
2011-12 NFL Week 10 Wrap Up
Oakland @ San Diego - The Chargers just let me down. Not sure how much more I can say about them, but between them and the Eagles, I'm just done for the year. tonight. Inquisitive Mind 0 - 1 for the week.
New Orleans @ Atlanta - Thank you Mike Smith for this win. I mean going for it on 4th down on your side of the field and in overtime? Inquisitive Mind 1 -1 for the week.
Arizona @ Philadelphia - You've got to be kidding me. The Eagles let who beat them? Skelton? Andy Reid, pack your bags. Inquisitive Mind 1 - 2 for the week.
Tennessee @ Carolina - Cam Newton is starting to make Andy Dalton the Rookie of the Year. Inquisitive Mind 2 - 2 for the week.
Houston @ Tampa Bay - The Texans are playing like the team we thought they could be. Inquisitive Mind 3 - 2 for the week.
Miami @ Washington - Does it matter which QB they trot out there in Washington? Inquisitive Mind 4 - 2 for the week.
Jacksonville @ Indianapolis - I just though that the Colts would pull this one out. Boy, was I wrong. Inquisitive Mind 4 - 3 for the week.
Denver @ Kansas City - The Chiefs get off the mat one week and then lay right back down. Tebow completed 2, read it 2, that's T-W-O passes and won this game. Inquisitive Mind 4 - 4 for the week.
Dallas @ Buffalo - Cowboys big and Romo looked good. Let's see what happens next week in another game they should win. Inquisitive Mind 5 - 4 for the week.
St. Louis @ Cleveland - Did I pick this game?
Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati - They almost lost this game. Still think the Steelers are dangerous. Inquisitive Mind 6 - 4 for the week.
Seattle @ Baltimore - I saw Ray Lewis get trucked. I'm still crying somewhere on the inside. Inquisitive Mind 6 - 5 for the week.
San Francisco @ New York Giants - SMH. Why is my starting fantasy RB sitting on the sidelines behind a dude with a messed up thigh? Inquisitive Mind 6 - 6 for the week.
Chicago @ Detroit - The Bears actually looked unbeatable. I mean really unbeatable. Inquisitive Mind 7 - 6 for the week.
New England @ New York Jets - Buddy,...I mean Rex Ryan, I'm done with you guys for the rest of the year. Inquisitive Mind 7 - 7 for the week.
Minnesota @ Green Bay - DOMINATION. Can't keep letting Rodgers get hit like that, but the Packers are good (just in case you've been living in a hole lately). Inquisitive Mind 8 - 7 for the week.
I guess I got trucked this week too. Not only am I barely above .500, but I even missed a pick. Whew, we gotta regroup. Too much partying I guess. That brings us to 92-53-1 for the year and needing a prayer to catch Golic.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
2011-12 NFL Week 10 Picks
Ok, back home in the Bull City (Durham, NC if you didn't know) and I'm limited due to no Internet access and I'm doing my picks from my phone. So I won't work out my fingers too much but wanted to get my picks out. The Chargers already lost for me so we're starting the rest o the week in a hole. Wish me luck.
New Orleans - they have to get back on track if they want to be the team that plays the Packers for the NFC title. Thy win this week in the ATL.
Pittsburgh - I thought they were too old? They seem just right by my calculations as long as they don't play Baltimore. Steelers all the way.
(Fingers tires already, so here we go with less typing)
Cowboys
Colts
Chiefs
Dolphins
Eagles
Texans
Titans
Ravens
Bears
Giants
Jets
Packers
That's should do it. Who you got?!?!?!?
Thursday, November 10, 2011
2011-12 NFL Week 10 Thursday Night Pick
First Thursday night game of the season and it's an old AFC West showdown.
Oakland @ San Diego - The Raiders come into this game and the big question is how much of the offense has Carson Palmer learned? We know that there will not be any Run DMC for this game, so Bush has got to have a monster game if they want to win. Where is Darius Heyward-Bey when you need him? If he gets some run tonight, look for a decent game from him. Palmer made some good throws last week but will need to replicate more than a few of those this week. Note to Palmer, make sure you throw to the same color jersey tonight. The Chargers come in off a close loss to the Packers where Philip Rivers seemed to bounce back after a tough start. A total of 6 TDs that game, but 2 of them to the Packers is a performance that he can't repeat. He'll have Mathews back tonight and hopefully (he's on my fantasy team) he'll hold up and not re-injure that groin. If he does, look for Tolbert to bounce around, over, and through some Raider defenders. No Malcolm Floyd may means a lot more balls going to Vincent Jackson. Can Rivers prove to us that he can close the deal? This is a home game, he better or the 'boos' might be coming out tonight. Winner - Chargers.
Who you got?!?!?!?
Oakland @ San Diego - The Raiders come into this game and the big question is how much of the offense has Carson Palmer learned? We know that there will not be any Run DMC for this game, so Bush has got to have a monster game if they want to win. Where is Darius Heyward-Bey when you need him? If he gets some run tonight, look for a decent game from him. Palmer made some good throws last week but will need to replicate more than a few of those this week. Note to Palmer, make sure you throw to the same color jersey tonight. The Chargers come in off a close loss to the Packers where Philip Rivers seemed to bounce back after a tough start. A total of 6 TDs that game, but 2 of them to the Packers is a performance that he can't repeat. He'll have Mathews back tonight and hopefully (he's on my fantasy team) he'll hold up and not re-injure that groin. If he does, look for Tolbert to bounce around, over, and through some Raider defenders. No Malcolm Floyd may means a lot more balls going to Vincent Jackson. Can Rivers prove to us that he can close the deal? This is a home game, he better or the 'boos' might be coming out tonight. Winner - Chargers.
Who you got?!?!?!?
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
NBA Lockout Over, Well Not Really,.......
The NBA and the NBAPA are meeting at this moment to figure out a way to end this lockout. If for some reason they can't come to an agreement, check out this the folks over at Basketball Prospectus as they run a simulated season of the the 2011-12 NBA Season. As of last night the games that were played, here are some of the outcomes (all information from Basketball Prospectus):
PACERS 119, ROCKETS 115: Danny Granger (16 points) and Darren Collison (12) led a 37-point first quarter for Indiana, during which the Pacers led by as many as 15. Indiana pushed the lead to 22 in the second quarter before Houston finished the half strong. Nevertheless, Indiana tacked on 38 more points in the second period, giving them--I'll do the math for you--a robust 75-point first half. Houston plugged its defensive gaps in the second half, holding Indiana to 17 points in the third. Marcus Morris scored the last four points on a 12-5 closing surge that left the game tied entering the final quarter. It was nip-and-tuck down the stretch. Kevin Martin scored off the break to put Houston up 110-108 with 2:19 to play. Granger answered with a three. Luis Scola's old school three-point play put the Rockets back in front 115-114 at the 1:04 mark. Granger was then fouled on a three attempt and sank all three free throws. Martin missed a three, but Houston retained the ball when the rebound was knocked out of bounds. Chase Budinger missed another three and Granger made two free throws to seal the win. Granger was fantastic, needing just 21 shots to put up 42 points.
HEAT 88, JAZZ 81: Miami entered the game 2-1 but sported an average point differential of +17.7 after winning consecutive home blowouts. There was no blowout this time around after an 11-2 run gave Utah a four-point lead early in the third quarter. The Jazz stretched the lead to six before Udonis Haslim scored in the paint and Eddie House hit a three, drawing Miami within a point entering the fourth quarter. Those hoops ended up sparking a 13-point run that gave the Heat the upper hand. The Jazz stayed within shouting distance, but never seriously challenged the rest of the way as Miami won its third straight. Dwyane Wade enjoyed his best game of the season, scoring 28 points on 7-of-11 shooting.
KNICKS 116, THUNDER 110: I suspect this would have been NBA TV's featured game on Tuesday, and it would have been an excellent choice. Kevin Durant versus Carmelo Anthony in Madison Square Garden--what's not to love? Both teams were starved for a win after starting the season slow and played like it. The Knicks seized a 14-point lead on Toney Douglas' three midway through the second quarter and led by eight at the half, with Douglas' 13 points leading the way. Durant went on a spree early in the third, scoring 12 points in less than four minutes, drawing the Thunder within three. New York pushed back, stretching the lead back to 13 on Douglas' hoop late in the third. The Thunder had another burst left, scoring the first nine points of the fourth to tie the game. The teams traded baskets before Bill Walker's fastbreak dunk capped a 7-2 run that put the Knicks up five with 4:06 to play and New York led by at least six over the last 3:21. Anthony scored 14 of his 32 in the fourth. The streak-shooting Douglas finished with 21 points on 9-of-10 shooting. The Thunder fell to 1-4 on the young season.
BULLS 122, CLIPPERS 88: The Clippers slipped by the Bulls 100-99 in their only meeting in Chicago last season, snapping the Bulls' seven-game winning streak when Derrick Rose missed a free throw after time had expired. This time around, Tom Thibodeau's bench led a 32-18 second quarter burst that left Chicago up by 20 at halftime. It was never really a ballgame, as Chicago led by as many as 35 in the second half and improved to 3-1 on the season. The Bulls outrebounded the Clippers 51-21, grabbed more than half their own misses and outscored L.A. 20-1 on second-chance points. If this were the real thing, you'd be questioning the effort of Vinny Del Negro's squad in his second trip back to the arena in which he once coached.
GRIZZLIES 116, SUNS 100: A tough test for the surprising Suns, who entered the game as one of four unbeaten teams left in the league. Memphis went on a 23-11 run during the first half and led by 13 at the break with Rudy Gay's 12 points leading the way. Gay entered the game averaging 29.7 points per contest. He finished with 26 this time out, as the Grizzlies led by double digits for the entire second half and came evened their record at 2-2. The Suns are no longer perfect after getting pounded in transition (44-24) and in the paint (34-18). The bad news for Memphis: Zach Randolph was injured and will miss a couple of games.
Great site and great simulation. I'll definitely be checking back in the near future, especially if the real NBA guys can't get it together.
PACERS 119, ROCKETS 115: Danny Granger (16 points) and Darren Collison (12) led a 37-point first quarter for Indiana, during which the Pacers led by as many as 15. Indiana pushed the lead to 22 in the second quarter before Houston finished the half strong. Nevertheless, Indiana tacked on 38 more points in the second period, giving them--I'll do the math for you--a robust 75-point first half. Houston plugged its defensive gaps in the second half, holding Indiana to 17 points in the third. Marcus Morris scored the last four points on a 12-5 closing surge that left the game tied entering the final quarter. It was nip-and-tuck down the stretch. Kevin Martin scored off the break to put Houston up 110-108 with 2:19 to play. Granger answered with a three. Luis Scola's old school three-point play put the Rockets back in front 115-114 at the 1:04 mark. Granger was then fouled on a three attempt and sank all three free throws. Martin missed a three, but Houston retained the ball when the rebound was knocked out of bounds. Chase Budinger missed another three and Granger made two free throws to seal the win. Granger was fantastic, needing just 21 shots to put up 42 points.
HEAT 88, JAZZ 81: Miami entered the game 2-1 but sported an average point differential of +17.7 after winning consecutive home blowouts. There was no blowout this time around after an 11-2 run gave Utah a four-point lead early in the third quarter. The Jazz stretched the lead to six before Udonis Haslim scored in the paint and Eddie House hit a three, drawing Miami within a point entering the fourth quarter. Those hoops ended up sparking a 13-point run that gave the Heat the upper hand. The Jazz stayed within shouting distance, but never seriously challenged the rest of the way as Miami won its third straight. Dwyane Wade enjoyed his best game of the season, scoring 28 points on 7-of-11 shooting.
KNICKS 116, THUNDER 110: I suspect this would have been NBA TV's featured game on Tuesday, and it would have been an excellent choice. Kevin Durant versus Carmelo Anthony in Madison Square Garden--what's not to love? Both teams were starved for a win after starting the season slow and played like it. The Knicks seized a 14-point lead on Toney Douglas' three midway through the second quarter and led by eight at the half, with Douglas' 13 points leading the way. Durant went on a spree early in the third, scoring 12 points in less than four minutes, drawing the Thunder within three. New York pushed back, stretching the lead back to 13 on Douglas' hoop late in the third. The Thunder had another burst left, scoring the first nine points of the fourth to tie the game. The teams traded baskets before Bill Walker's fastbreak dunk capped a 7-2 run that put the Knicks up five with 4:06 to play and New York led by at least six over the last 3:21. Anthony scored 14 of his 32 in the fourth. The streak-shooting Douglas finished with 21 points on 9-of-10 shooting. The Thunder fell to 1-4 on the young season.
BULLS 122, CLIPPERS 88: The Clippers slipped by the Bulls 100-99 in their only meeting in Chicago last season, snapping the Bulls' seven-game winning streak when Derrick Rose missed a free throw after time had expired. This time around, Tom Thibodeau's bench led a 32-18 second quarter burst that left Chicago up by 20 at halftime. It was never really a ballgame, as Chicago led by as many as 35 in the second half and improved to 3-1 on the season. The Bulls outrebounded the Clippers 51-21, grabbed more than half their own misses and outscored L.A. 20-1 on second-chance points. If this were the real thing, you'd be questioning the effort of Vinny Del Negro's squad in his second trip back to the arena in which he once coached.
GRIZZLIES 116, SUNS 100: A tough test for the surprising Suns, who entered the game as one of four unbeaten teams left in the league. Memphis went on a 23-11 run during the first half and led by 13 at the break with Rudy Gay's 12 points leading the way. Gay entered the game averaging 29.7 points per contest. He finished with 26 this time out, as the Grizzlies led by double digits for the entire second half and came evened their record at 2-2. The Suns are no longer perfect after getting pounded in transition (44-24) and in the paint (34-18). The bad news for Memphis: Zach Randolph was injured and will miss a couple of games.
Great site and great simulation. I'll definitely be checking back in the near future, especially if the real NBA guys can't get it together.
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
Catching Up
It's been a while since I've posted anything outside of my weekly picks, so I thought that I'd get back into the swing of things with some quick blurbs so you can see what's going on.
NBA:
Lockout - We all know that the lockout is still on going and David Stern has been masterful about using the media to bludgeon the players into taking a raw deal and being 'happy' with it. There's a lot of people who look at this from an employer to employee view and how dare the players want more than a 50/50 BRI split. People are going to argue and make this about their experience ('if I had a company I'd tell them to take the deal or they can get out of here' or 'these guys are asking their bosses for more of the profits, to he77 with them'). You must understand that these athletes are more like actors than rank and file employees. They have a specialized skillset that you just can't go out and get any average Joe off the street to perform. Plus this is corporate America where sometimes you have to fight for everything. This can't be lost in the argument because Stern is trying his best to demonize the players (is demonize to strong of a word?) and have the fans revolt against them. I only hope that the lockout ends soon and that there is a deal where there are concessions on both sides and not just the owners.
Charlotte Bobcats - Mr. Air Jordan himself is on record as one of the owners that wants to cut the players percentage of BRI down to 47%. All I got to say Mike is that when this is done, we're going to see how your public stance hurts your ability and image among the players that hold you in such high esteem.
NFL:
Chicago Bears - Well, he finally got paid, and no not Forte, offensive lineman Garza. I still can fathom why the Bears don't make this deal with Forte. They had put a deal on the table that would have given him around $13M to $14M guaranteed and Forte wants closer to $16M to $18M guaranteed. You have a guy that is doing it all for your team (minus the fumbles last night) and he's being a pro about it and he's not letting his play suffer. I just don't get it. Worse for Forte is the franchise tag, which the team can do for 2 years straight. The cap number for the franchise tag used to be the Top 5 position players from the previous year, but now the franchise tag is the Top 5 position players from the previous 5 years. That lowers next years' cap for a RB from $9.5M (this year) to closer to $7.5M. Sucks to be Forte right now.
Indianapolis Colts - Still winless and maybe they want to stay that way. Andrew Luck is the prize and many are questioning what the Colts would do with that pick, should they get it. I think it's easy, I think you draft Luck and keep him until Peyton retires (I imagine 2 to 3 years tops due to neck concerns). Yes the Colts need offensive and defensive line help, but when you think about it, Peyton would end his career like daddy Manning started his, running for his life.
New York Giants - With Ahmad Bradshaw having a broken bone in his foot, Jacobs did a decent job this past weekend against the Patriots to help the Giants get a win. Now word is Bradshaw is on his way back and will probably have to share the workload in order to keep him healthy. Why wouldn't the Giants just rest Bradshaw for a few weeks and give Jacobs the rock for a few weeks. This get Bradshaw a little healthier and maybe energizes Jacobs.
Arizona Cardinals - With the Philadelphia Eagles on the docket for Sunday, Kevin Kolb is trying to do his best to get back in the lineup so he can prove the Eagles made a mistake (unless he plays defense, I really think that's a moot argument) in trading him away.
New England Patriots - They have waived Albert Haynesworth. Is Ocho up next? I for one thought that their additions would reap benefits for the Patriots and boy was I wrong.
Washington Redskins - Released Donte Stallworth.
Carolina Panthers - Released Ronald Fields.
NBA:
Lockout - We all know that the lockout is still on going and David Stern has been masterful about using the media to bludgeon the players into taking a raw deal and being 'happy' with it. There's a lot of people who look at this from an employer to employee view and how dare the players want more than a 50/50 BRI split. People are going to argue and make this about their experience ('if I had a company I'd tell them to take the deal or they can get out of here' or 'these guys are asking their bosses for more of the profits, to he77 with them'). You must understand that these athletes are more like actors than rank and file employees. They have a specialized skillset that you just can't go out and get any average Joe off the street to perform. Plus this is corporate America where sometimes you have to fight for everything. This can't be lost in the argument because Stern is trying his best to demonize the players (is demonize to strong of a word?) and have the fans revolt against them. I only hope that the lockout ends soon and that there is a deal where there are concessions on both sides and not just the owners.
Charlotte Bobcats - Mr. Air Jordan himself is on record as one of the owners that wants to cut the players percentage of BRI down to 47%. All I got to say Mike is that when this is done, we're going to see how your public stance hurts your ability and image among the players that hold you in such high esteem.
NFL:
Chicago Bears - Well, he finally got paid, and no not Forte, offensive lineman Garza. I still can fathom why the Bears don't make this deal with Forte. They had put a deal on the table that would have given him around $13M to $14M guaranteed and Forte wants closer to $16M to $18M guaranteed. You have a guy that is doing it all for your team (minus the fumbles last night) and he's being a pro about it and he's not letting his play suffer. I just don't get it. Worse for Forte is the franchise tag, which the team can do for 2 years straight. The cap number for the franchise tag used to be the Top 5 position players from the previous year, but now the franchise tag is the Top 5 position players from the previous 5 years. That lowers next years' cap for a RB from $9.5M (this year) to closer to $7.5M. Sucks to be Forte right now.
Indianapolis Colts - Still winless and maybe they want to stay that way. Andrew Luck is the prize and many are questioning what the Colts would do with that pick, should they get it. I think it's easy, I think you draft Luck and keep him until Peyton retires (I imagine 2 to 3 years tops due to neck concerns). Yes the Colts need offensive and defensive line help, but when you think about it, Peyton would end his career like daddy Manning started his, running for his life.
New York Giants - With Ahmad Bradshaw having a broken bone in his foot, Jacobs did a decent job this past weekend against the Patriots to help the Giants get a win. Now word is Bradshaw is on his way back and will probably have to share the workload in order to keep him healthy. Why wouldn't the Giants just rest Bradshaw for a few weeks and give Jacobs the rock for a few weeks. This get Bradshaw a little healthier and maybe energizes Jacobs.
Arizona Cardinals - With the Philadelphia Eagles on the docket for Sunday, Kevin Kolb is trying to do his best to get back in the lineup so he can prove the Eagles made a mistake (unless he plays defense, I really think that's a moot argument) in trading him away.
New England Patriots - They have waived Albert Haynesworth. Is Ocho up next? I for one thought that their additions would reap benefits for the Patriots and boy was I wrong.
Washington Redskins - Released Donte Stallworth.
Carolina Panthers - Released Ronald Fields.
Monday, November 07, 2011
2011-12 NFL Week 9 Wrap Up
In my best Lombardi voice, 'What in the he77 is going on out there?' This was another thisclose week with some teams just letting me down. And it's funny that I have to start this off with one of those teams,.....
Miami @ Kansas City - I did say this 'This Dolphins team has been playing tough as late and they are one of those teams that you don't want to play because they are hungry. If you aren't prepared, you're going to get beat'. So maybe I was just ahead of the curve on this one and should have ridden with the Dolphins. Reggie Bush (13 carries for 92 yards, 1 TD, 3 rec for 50 yards) has put up some big numbers the last two weeks, which give more credence to the Kardashian-Gate (he's been running his arse off since her divorce). Matt Moore looked like Dan Marino (on a bad day, 17 of 23 for 244 yards, 3 TDs) and the Dolphins defense got pretty staunch all of a sudden. This is the Chiefs team that I had been talking trash about for most of the year and then I pick them and they do this to me. To add more pain to the equation, the Chiefs didn't even commit any turnovers. Just unmotivated and not prepared. Time for Haley to shave after this one. Inquisitive Mind 0 - 1 for the week.
Atlanta @ Indianapolis - Again, it's sad to see the Colts getting beat like this. For all of those who vote for MVP, please mail that award to Indianapolis, C/O Peyton Manning for the next 2 years (whether he plays or not). The Falcons looked like world beaters with Ryan (14 of 24 for 275 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT) and Turner (19 carries for 71 yards, 1 TD) handling the majority of the load. It seems like this was nothing more than a pre-season game for the Falcons so hopefully they got back on track with a limited workout this week. Big Ups to Julio Jones (3 rec, 131 yards, 2 TDs) on his breakout game of the season. Side note: Thanks to @Lizzs_Lockeroom for pointing out that no one was really tweeting or talking about Marvin Harrison being inducted into the Colts Ring of Honor? Where is the love? That guy put his body on the line (all 5'8" of him) for years for the Colts and helping Manning set a lot of passing records. Inquisitive Mind 1 - 1- for the week.
Tampa Bay @ New Orleans - The Saints looked like a team on a mission and they played liked they owed the Bucs a butt whuppin from their last encounter. Brees was Brees (27 of 36 for 258 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) and the rest of the Saints backfield, Ivory/Thomas/Sproles combined for 195 yards on the ground and the Saints survived a late comeback try by the Bucs. This was an all-business game as the Saints looked to prove that they should be the team that people are talking about being able to face and beat the Packers for the NFC. I like Josh Freeman (27 of 37 for 281 yards, 1 TD), but I'll say this again, how do they get this guy to zero in earlier in games and not wait for the 4th quarter? Inquisitive Mind 2 - 1 for the week.
New York Jets @ Buffalo - This is the next game that let me down. I just knew that the Bills, playing at The Ralph, with the 'White Out' in full force would show up and move the Jets season a lot closer to the brink. What happened was something totally unexplainable as the Bills refused to come out of the locker room, or at least their desire stayed there as they put up their worst performance of the year. I will give it to the Jets, they played well, but I'm not sold on them yet. Sanchez (20 of 28 for 230 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) was just alright, but the defense did show us that they have the ability. Fitzpatrick 15 of 31 for 191 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs) was bad, Mr. Jackson (18 carries, 82 yards, 3 rec 38 yards) was bad, and the Bills defense couldn't get off the field. Moral of the story, you make turnovers, you lose. Inquisitive Mind 2 - 2 for the week.
Seattle @ Dallas - I say let Jerry Jones coach the team. I mean at times, it seems like these Cowboys need that type of motivation sitting on the sidelines. You miss a tackle, you gotta face Jerry, you throw a pick, Jerry's waiting on the sideline. This Seahawks team sucks, and I'm really being nice. I'm almost at the point where I am going to travel out there this week in my cleats and tryout for the starting QB job that they have open. The Cowboys let this team play with them for a half and that's way too long. Inquisitive Mind 3 - 2 for the week.
Cleveland @ Houston - I'm not sure how often this happens, but when two backs from the same team, Foster (19 carries, 124 yards, 1 TD, 5 rec, 26 yards) and Tate (12 carries, 115 yards, 1 TD) both eclipse 100 yards, you normally win the game. Even if your QB, Schaub (14 of 23 for 119 yards, 1 INT), plays like garbage. Best record in the franchise for the Texans, right? Inquisitive Mind 4 - 2 for the week.
San Francisco @ Washington - If you were on twitter, just search for #ShannyFace and you'll see the ugliest picture you're ever seen. The Redskins shouldn't have to put up with this kind of performance by their team. Someone needs to just put them out of their misery. There's been a lot of chatter about who is your Coach of the Year at the halfway point of the season and my response is an emphatic Harbaugh. Jim wins hands down because he actually has his team winning and they have Alex Smith (17 of 24 for 200 yards, 1 TD) as their starter. Let that marinate for a second. John Harbaugh gets any second place votes because his Ravens are looking good right now after sweeping the Steelers this year. Frank Gore ran the ball and all the talk before the game really meant nothing as the 49ers took the Redskins heart. Inquisitive Mind 5 - 2 for the week.
Cincinnati @ Tennessee - Well Chris Johnson seems to be turning the corner, but not fast enough for this Titans team to change their direction. This was a tough loss for the Titans and I think this will pretty much end their hopes of making the playoffs unless they can get on a real nice run over the next few weeks. Not sure they have enough left in the tank. Andy Dalton (22 of 39 for 217 yards, 3 TDs) is the truth. I doubted him earlier in the year, but the kid can play, I mean he can really play. He quietly brought his team back to win this game. He's doing a lot while depending on Cedric Benson (20 carries, 78 yards) and the Bengals defense to get him through. Just imagine this guy with some more talent on the offensive side of the ball. Inquisitive Mind 5 - 3 for the week.
Denver @ Oakland - Wow!! I have to say that someone from the Broncos had to be reading my blog because I said here 'Can I say that they are setting this kid up to fail? The offense doesn't seem to be tailored to his skillset and he's also struggling because he doesn't have a go to receiver (if Decker is your answer here then that further proves my point) and really no running game'. Then the Broncos go out and tailor make their game plan to Tebow's (10 of 21 for 124 yards, 2 TDs, 12 carries, 118 yards) strengths and he puts on a performance, along with McGahee (20 carries, 163 yards, 2 TDs). And yes, I also did say that Decker (3 rec, 47 yards, 1 TD) isn't a #1 receiver but he had a good game also. The rebirth of Carson Palmer looks to be taking baby steps also as he showed the world that he still has some football left in his body (but maybe not enough?). I'm not so worried about the Raiders as they will get Run DMC back next week and I look for them to make the playoffs or scare us all the way there. Inquisitive Mind 5 - 4 for the week.
New York Giants @ New England - Ok, let's get past all of the Eli is the best and this was the Superbowl all over again. This was a week 9 game where the Giants limped into Gillette Stadium (no Bradshaw, no Nicks) and beat the Patriots. Yes, they were a 9 point dog, but it took a great team effort and a last second drive by Eli to win the game. So, let's cheer about that, but hold off on all of the Giants are THE team now. Both teams were even on time of possession (Giants 30:17, Pats 29:43), rushing yards (Giants 111 yards, Patriots 106 yards), and the Patriots had about 90 more passing yards. No big statistical differences with the exception of the turnovers (Pats 4, Giants 2). I did hear boos directed at Tom Brady (that has to be a first at home for him), but they had their chances. (Getting on soapbox) Dear Giants fans: The QB that you have is not named Peyton, but it is Peyton's little brother. Eli is an average or slightly better than average QB (take a look at his entire book of work), but he's having a helluva year so far. You will need to play much better defense and run the ball more effectively to win the NFC. I'm not saying you don't have a chance, but let's temper the enthusiasm for right now. (Getting off my soapbox). Inquisitive Mind 6 - 4 for the week.
St. Louis @ Arizona - The Rams ran the ball pretty well but weren't able to stop the juggernaut that is John Skelton (20 of 35 for 222 yards, 1 TD) from leading the Cardinals to a win. (Yes, I laughed when I typed that last line). Steven Jackson (29 carries, 130 yards) put in work. Doesn't it seem like he's in a no win situation in St. Louis? Anyway, Sam Bradford (23 of 36 for 255 yards, 1 INT) is still on someone's milk carton with his performance. However, Patrick Peterson (99 yard punt return, 1 INT) figured out a way to not only get the win, but do it in Primetime fashion by returning a punt for a TD to end the game in overtime. Inquisitive Mind 6 - 5 for the week.
Green Bay @ San Diego - Well, the Chargers found a way to keep Aaron Rodgers (21 of 26 for 247 yards, 4 TDs) on the sideline by running the ball, Philip Rivers (26 of 46 for 385 yards, 4 TDs, 3 INTs) threw for 6 TDs (two to the Packers), and the Chargers lost. Rivers had something to prove after his choke from last Monday night and after the first touchdown pass, I thought for sure he'd have a pretty good game. The Chargers had some opportunities but they weren't able to capitalize on them. I will say this again, Aaron Rodgers proved in this game that he is THE MAN right now. I like Brees, I like Brady, but right now they are like 1a, while Rodgers is an emphatic 1. Could you imagine this Packers team with a better running game? I don't think that they run the table and go undefeated, but I think they definitely return to the Superbowl this year, barring a significant injury. Norv Turner, it's time to pack your bags and go and get a OC job somewhere. I think they need some help in DC, and you should try to return to whence you came. Inquisitive Mind 7 - 5 for the week.
Baltimore @ Pittsburgh - What a game!!!!! This is the type of game that I had to take my son away from his regularly scheduled programming and have him watch this game. This was about defense, and punishing the opposing team. Ray Rice's (18 carries, 43 yards, 1 TD) 80 yard scamper was called back on a bad holding call, but this game was marred by a few bad calls, both ways. I thought for sure we'd see a lot more out of the Steelers because they lost Round 1 of this matchup, but it seems like only James Harrison (8 tackles, 3 sacks) got the memo. Big Ben (20 of 37 for 330 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) had a decent game, but not being able to run, hurt the suddenly pass-happy Steelers. On the other hand Joe Flacco (28 of 47 for 300 yards, 1 TD) decided to show us his good side with leading the team down the field for the game winning drive. I like Flacco, but I am still not sure that this team can win it all if he doesn't consistently play better. He has weapons, so he has no excuse. Is it play calling or something else? Inquisitive Mind 8 - 5 for the week.
Chicago @ Philadelphia - This had to be the best game of the season for the Bears, I mean, the best (with the exception to the two fumbles by Forte, they still need to pay that man). Cutler (18 of 32 for 208 yards, 2 TDs) didn't get sacked, and was actually in a good mood after the game. They jumped on the Eagles early and it looked like they were going to blow them out, but somehow the Eagles, led by LeSeasn McCoy, scrapped back into this game. I think it's interesting watching this game that the Eagles have a lot of pieces, but as someone said, they don't have that chemistry. Despite some lapses on defense and the inability to stop the run, they actually looked ok. Their season is at that critical stage where they have to almost win out to make the playoffs and sadly I'm going to say they have a chance (still on the Eagles bandwagon, but I have a leg and half my arse hanging off). The Bears can't play better than this, or if they can they actually might have me opening my mouth and inserting my foot. We'll see, I hope they are wrong. Inquisitive Mind 8 - 6 for the week.
Well, obviously I'm getting hammered with this whole picks thing. This 8-6 week bring me to 84-46 for the season. It's going to get better. Pulling out all stop for Week 10.
Miami @ Kansas City - I did say this 'This Dolphins team has been playing tough as late and they are one of those teams that you don't want to play because they are hungry. If you aren't prepared, you're going to get beat'. So maybe I was just ahead of the curve on this one and should have ridden with the Dolphins. Reggie Bush (13 carries for 92 yards, 1 TD, 3 rec for 50 yards) has put up some big numbers the last two weeks, which give more credence to the Kardashian-Gate (he's been running his arse off since her divorce). Matt Moore looked like Dan Marino (on a bad day, 17 of 23 for 244 yards, 3 TDs) and the Dolphins defense got pretty staunch all of a sudden. This is the Chiefs team that I had been talking trash about for most of the year and then I pick them and they do this to me. To add more pain to the equation, the Chiefs didn't even commit any turnovers. Just unmotivated and not prepared. Time for Haley to shave after this one. Inquisitive Mind 0 - 1 for the week.
Atlanta @ Indianapolis - Again, it's sad to see the Colts getting beat like this. For all of those who vote for MVP, please mail that award to Indianapolis, C/O Peyton Manning for the next 2 years (whether he plays or not). The Falcons looked like world beaters with Ryan (14 of 24 for 275 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT) and Turner (19 carries for 71 yards, 1 TD) handling the majority of the load. It seems like this was nothing more than a pre-season game for the Falcons so hopefully they got back on track with a limited workout this week. Big Ups to Julio Jones (3 rec, 131 yards, 2 TDs) on his breakout game of the season. Side note: Thanks to @Lizzs_Lockeroom for pointing out that no one was really tweeting or talking about Marvin Harrison being inducted into the Colts Ring of Honor? Where is the love? That guy put his body on the line (all 5'8" of him) for years for the Colts and helping Manning set a lot of passing records. Inquisitive Mind 1 - 1- for the week.
Tampa Bay @ New Orleans - The Saints looked like a team on a mission and they played liked they owed the Bucs a butt whuppin from their last encounter. Brees was Brees (27 of 36 for 258 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) and the rest of the Saints backfield, Ivory/Thomas/Sproles combined for 195 yards on the ground and the Saints survived a late comeback try by the Bucs. This was an all-business game as the Saints looked to prove that they should be the team that people are talking about being able to face and beat the Packers for the NFC. I like Josh Freeman (27 of 37 for 281 yards, 1 TD), but I'll say this again, how do they get this guy to zero in earlier in games and not wait for the 4th quarter? Inquisitive Mind 2 - 1 for the week.
New York Jets @ Buffalo - This is the next game that let me down. I just knew that the Bills, playing at The Ralph, with the 'White Out' in full force would show up and move the Jets season a lot closer to the brink. What happened was something totally unexplainable as the Bills refused to come out of the locker room, or at least their desire stayed there as they put up their worst performance of the year. I will give it to the Jets, they played well, but I'm not sold on them yet. Sanchez (20 of 28 for 230 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) was just alright, but the defense did show us that they have the ability. Fitzpatrick 15 of 31 for 191 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs) was bad, Mr. Jackson (18 carries, 82 yards, 3 rec 38 yards) was bad, and the Bills defense couldn't get off the field. Moral of the story, you make turnovers, you lose. Inquisitive Mind 2 - 2 for the week.
Seattle @ Dallas - I say let Jerry Jones coach the team. I mean at times, it seems like these Cowboys need that type of motivation sitting on the sidelines. You miss a tackle, you gotta face Jerry, you throw a pick, Jerry's waiting on the sideline. This Seahawks team sucks, and I'm really being nice. I'm almost at the point where I am going to travel out there this week in my cleats and tryout for the starting QB job that they have open. The Cowboys let this team play with them for a half and that's way too long. Inquisitive Mind 3 - 2 for the week.
Cleveland @ Houston - I'm not sure how often this happens, but when two backs from the same team, Foster (19 carries, 124 yards, 1 TD, 5 rec, 26 yards) and Tate (12 carries, 115 yards, 1 TD) both eclipse 100 yards, you normally win the game. Even if your QB, Schaub (14 of 23 for 119 yards, 1 INT), plays like garbage. Best record in the franchise for the Texans, right? Inquisitive Mind 4 - 2 for the week.
San Francisco @ Washington - If you were on twitter, just search for #ShannyFace and you'll see the ugliest picture you're ever seen. The Redskins shouldn't have to put up with this kind of performance by their team. Someone needs to just put them out of their misery. There's been a lot of chatter about who is your Coach of the Year at the halfway point of the season and my response is an emphatic Harbaugh. Jim wins hands down because he actually has his team winning and they have Alex Smith (17 of 24 for 200 yards, 1 TD) as their starter. Let that marinate for a second. John Harbaugh gets any second place votes because his Ravens are looking good right now after sweeping the Steelers this year. Frank Gore ran the ball and all the talk before the game really meant nothing as the 49ers took the Redskins heart. Inquisitive Mind 5 - 2 for the week.
Cincinnati @ Tennessee - Well Chris Johnson seems to be turning the corner, but not fast enough for this Titans team to change their direction. This was a tough loss for the Titans and I think this will pretty much end their hopes of making the playoffs unless they can get on a real nice run over the next few weeks. Not sure they have enough left in the tank. Andy Dalton (22 of 39 for 217 yards, 3 TDs) is the truth. I doubted him earlier in the year, but the kid can play, I mean he can really play. He quietly brought his team back to win this game. He's doing a lot while depending on Cedric Benson (20 carries, 78 yards) and the Bengals defense to get him through. Just imagine this guy with some more talent on the offensive side of the ball. Inquisitive Mind 5 - 3 for the week.
Denver @ Oakland - Wow!! I have to say that someone from the Broncos had to be reading my blog because I said here 'Can I say that they are setting this kid up to fail? The offense doesn't seem to be tailored to his skillset and he's also struggling because he doesn't have a go to receiver (if Decker is your answer here then that further proves my point) and really no running game'. Then the Broncos go out and tailor make their game plan to Tebow's (10 of 21 for 124 yards, 2 TDs, 12 carries, 118 yards) strengths and he puts on a performance, along with McGahee (20 carries, 163 yards, 2 TDs). And yes, I also did say that Decker (3 rec, 47 yards, 1 TD) isn't a #1 receiver but he had a good game also. The rebirth of Carson Palmer looks to be taking baby steps also as he showed the world that he still has some football left in his body (but maybe not enough?). I'm not so worried about the Raiders as they will get Run DMC back next week and I look for them to make the playoffs or scare us all the way there. Inquisitive Mind 5 - 4 for the week.
New York Giants @ New England - Ok, let's get past all of the Eli is the best and this was the Superbowl all over again. This was a week 9 game where the Giants limped into Gillette Stadium (no Bradshaw, no Nicks) and beat the Patriots. Yes, they were a 9 point dog, but it took a great team effort and a last second drive by Eli to win the game. So, let's cheer about that, but hold off on all of the Giants are THE team now. Both teams were even on time of possession (Giants 30:17, Pats 29:43), rushing yards (Giants 111 yards, Patriots 106 yards), and the Patriots had about 90 more passing yards. No big statistical differences with the exception of the turnovers (Pats 4, Giants 2). I did hear boos directed at Tom Brady (that has to be a first at home for him), but they had their chances. (Getting on soapbox) Dear Giants fans: The QB that you have is not named Peyton, but it is Peyton's little brother. Eli is an average or slightly better than average QB (take a look at his entire book of work), but he's having a helluva year so far. You will need to play much better defense and run the ball more effectively to win the NFC. I'm not saying you don't have a chance, but let's temper the enthusiasm for right now. (Getting off my soapbox). Inquisitive Mind 6 - 4 for the week.
St. Louis @ Arizona - The Rams ran the ball pretty well but weren't able to stop the juggernaut that is John Skelton (20 of 35 for 222 yards, 1 TD) from leading the Cardinals to a win. (Yes, I laughed when I typed that last line). Steven Jackson (29 carries, 130 yards) put in work. Doesn't it seem like he's in a no win situation in St. Louis? Anyway, Sam Bradford (23 of 36 for 255 yards, 1 INT) is still on someone's milk carton with his performance. However, Patrick Peterson (99 yard punt return, 1 INT) figured out a way to not only get the win, but do it in Primetime fashion by returning a punt for a TD to end the game in overtime. Inquisitive Mind 6 - 5 for the week.
Green Bay @ San Diego - Well, the Chargers found a way to keep Aaron Rodgers (21 of 26 for 247 yards, 4 TDs) on the sideline by running the ball, Philip Rivers (26 of 46 for 385 yards, 4 TDs, 3 INTs) threw for 6 TDs (two to the Packers), and the Chargers lost. Rivers had something to prove after his choke from last Monday night and after the first touchdown pass, I thought for sure he'd have a pretty good game. The Chargers had some opportunities but they weren't able to capitalize on them. I will say this again, Aaron Rodgers proved in this game that he is THE MAN right now. I like Brees, I like Brady, but right now they are like 1a, while Rodgers is an emphatic 1. Could you imagine this Packers team with a better running game? I don't think that they run the table and go undefeated, but I think they definitely return to the Superbowl this year, barring a significant injury. Norv Turner, it's time to pack your bags and go and get a OC job somewhere. I think they need some help in DC, and you should try to return to whence you came. Inquisitive Mind 7 - 5 for the week.
Baltimore @ Pittsburgh - What a game!!!!! This is the type of game that I had to take my son away from his regularly scheduled programming and have him watch this game. This was about defense, and punishing the opposing team. Ray Rice's (18 carries, 43 yards, 1 TD) 80 yard scamper was called back on a bad holding call, but this game was marred by a few bad calls, both ways. I thought for sure we'd see a lot more out of the Steelers because they lost Round 1 of this matchup, but it seems like only James Harrison (8 tackles, 3 sacks) got the memo. Big Ben (20 of 37 for 330 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) had a decent game, but not being able to run, hurt the suddenly pass-happy Steelers. On the other hand Joe Flacco (28 of 47 for 300 yards, 1 TD) decided to show us his good side with leading the team down the field for the game winning drive. I like Flacco, but I am still not sure that this team can win it all if he doesn't consistently play better. He has weapons, so he has no excuse. Is it play calling or something else? Inquisitive Mind 8 - 5 for the week.
Chicago @ Philadelphia - This had to be the best game of the season for the Bears, I mean, the best (with the exception to the two fumbles by Forte, they still need to pay that man). Cutler (18 of 32 for 208 yards, 2 TDs) didn't get sacked, and was actually in a good mood after the game. They jumped on the Eagles early and it looked like they were going to blow them out, but somehow the Eagles, led by LeSeasn McCoy, scrapped back into this game. I think it's interesting watching this game that the Eagles have a lot of pieces, but as someone said, they don't have that chemistry. Despite some lapses on defense and the inability to stop the run, they actually looked ok. Their season is at that critical stage where they have to almost win out to make the playoffs and sadly I'm going to say they have a chance (still on the Eagles bandwagon, but I have a leg and half my arse hanging off). The Bears can't play better than this, or if they can they actually might have me opening my mouth and inserting my foot. We'll see, I hope they are wrong. Inquisitive Mind 8 - 6 for the week.
Well, obviously I'm getting hammered with this whole picks thing. This 8-6 week bring me to 84-46 for the season. It's going to get better. Pulling out all stop for Week 10.
Sunday, November 06, 2011
2011-12 NFL Week 9 Picks
Lot more time with the kids this weekend and a lot less time to get my post out. Also updated my software on my iPhone and I didn't lose information, so I'm excited. I'm expecting a good week this week so let's get right to it.
Miami @ Kansas City - This Dolphins team has been playing tough as late and they are one of those teams that you don't want to play because they are hungry. If you aren't prepared, you're going to get beat. The Chiefs come off their improbably win last week and have an opportunity to win the AFC West and get a game on the Chargers if they lose to Green Bay today. I can't believe that I'm doing this, but the Chiefs are on the rebound. Haley still hasn't shaved, so I gotta go with the Grizzly Adams impersonator this week. Winner - Chiefs.
Atlanta @ Indianapolis - I guess I'm still wondering why the Colts just don't put Manning on IR and then I thought about it, him being around gives this team some kind of hope that he'll return this season and that might be the one thing that keeps them motivated. They're out of the playoff hunt and now it's all for pride. The Falcons come in with something to prove. They were supposed to be the team that we would all be scared of based on their work last season, but so far that hasn't happened. Hopefully they collected themselves off their bye last week and come out like gangbusters. Winner - Falcons.
Tampa Bay @ New Orleans - Tampa comes off their bye and I'm sure they're confused as to which team they are playing this week. Is it the team that put up 62 two weeks ago or the team that lost to the Rams last week? I know they are hoping for the latter, but I imagine that with a little home cooking the Saints will get back to their winning ways. Winner - Saints.
New York Jets @ Buffalo - This is where it gets interesting. The Bills are looking like giant killers and they are serious. They quietly have a solid team on both sides of the ball and they get a Jets team that hasn't impressed this year. The Jets need this win or Rex Ryan is going to have to wear a muzzle for at least a week as he figures out a way to backup all of his Superbowl boasts. Winner - Bills.
Seattle @ Dallas - The Cowboys play at home and need a big win and what do they get this week, a terrible Seahawks team. All I have to say is if the Cowboys lose this game, they might as well shut Jerry World down for the year and concentrate on next year. Winner - Cowboys.
Cleveland @ Houston - This should be a routine 'W' for the Texans. Hillis is suffering from the Madden Curse and the Browns don't have much more on offense with McCoy also struggling at QB. Winner - Texans.
San Francisco @ Washington - The 49ers have to run the ball and not make too many mistakes. This Redskins team is wounded, but they are playing at home and may be able to feed off of the crowd. I don't expect the crowd to be into this game for too long though. Winner - 49ers.
Cincinnati @ Tennessee - Two teams that I wouldn't have expected to be winning much this year. I thought Hasselbeck would struggle in a new offense and my theory on player holdouts in football would explain Chris Johnson's year thus far. The Bengals are being led by a rookie redhead whose isn't related to Bill Walton, and they are winning. The Titans are at home and I think that it's time for a Chris Johnson break out game just to remind us how good he is. I said the same thing last week and he didn't show, so he's got to make me look good this week. Winner - Titans.
Denver @ Oakland - The Clash of 2 Eras. This is game 3 of the Tebow Era. Can I say that they are setting this kid up to fail? The offense doesn't seem to be tailored to his skillset and he's also struggling because he doesn't have a go to receiver (if Decker is your answer here then that further proves my point) and really no running game. This is game 2 of the Carson Palmer Era in Raidernation. How much more of the playbook does he know after the bye week? How does the addition of Houshmandzadeh help him get comfortable? How much concern should he have for not having Run DMC this week? So many questions, so few answers. Winner - Raiders.
New York Giants @ New England - Did the Steelers show the NFL the blueprint for beating the Pats? If so, can the Giants show that they have what it takes to execute the plan? Bradshaw has a broken bone in his foot but may play? I imagine that you'll see a lot of the big guy (Jacobs) this weekend and a solid performance (did I say that about Eli) from Manning should get this Giants team over the hump. Winner - Giants.
St. Louis @ Arizona - Does anyone outside of these two cities care about this game? Two bad teams with not so much hope for the playoffs. Arizona is still trying to find their mojo on offense and the Rams used all of their mojo up last week beating the Saints. Sam Bradford, where are you?!?!? I'm looking on milk containers for your picture. If the Rams can run the ball, this helps them tremendously, but I have my doubts. Winner - Rams.
Green Bay @ San Diego - Who would have thunk that after one week we'd be throwing Philip Rivers in with Tony Romo as a QB with talent, but maybe not enough to get their teams over the top. This is a huge game for the Chargers as they try to not only win the AFC West but prove to the rest of the NFL that last week was an anomaly. I've said here previously that the Packers are for real. Rogers is playing the QB position as effortlessly as I've seen it played in years. He has an answer for whatever you throw at him and he looks as calm as the other side of the pillow in every game. Winner - Packers.
Baltimore @ Pittsburgh - The Big Payback! Well, that's how the Steelers should be looking at this one. They got punished, not beat, punished by the Ravens earlier this season and now that the Ravens seem to be struggling on offense, this is probably one of the better opportunities for the Steelers to deliver some payback. Can they follow through? Winner - Ravens.
Chicago @ Philadelphia - Monday night in Philadelphia. I can just smell the cheesesteaks from South Philly right now (somebody bring me one, please!!!). The Bears normally play the Eagles or any Mike Vick team pretty well because they have speed at the LB position but the difference this time is that the Eagles are playing at home. The Bears offense is led by Matt Forte and he's quietly int he MVP discussion with his performance this year. The Eagles have to run the ball with McCoy and don't put Vick in positions where he's going to take hits and the Bears are going to have to get some big plays in their passing game. I think the Eagles are on track. Winner - Eagles.
Ok, who you got?!?!?!?
Miami @ Kansas City - This Dolphins team has been playing tough as late and they are one of those teams that you don't want to play because they are hungry. If you aren't prepared, you're going to get beat. The Chiefs come off their improbably win last week and have an opportunity to win the AFC West and get a game on the Chargers if they lose to Green Bay today. I can't believe that I'm doing this, but the Chiefs are on the rebound. Haley still hasn't shaved, so I gotta go with the Grizzly Adams impersonator this week. Winner - Chiefs.
Atlanta @ Indianapolis - I guess I'm still wondering why the Colts just don't put Manning on IR and then I thought about it, him being around gives this team some kind of hope that he'll return this season and that might be the one thing that keeps them motivated. They're out of the playoff hunt and now it's all for pride. The Falcons come in with something to prove. They were supposed to be the team that we would all be scared of based on their work last season, but so far that hasn't happened. Hopefully they collected themselves off their bye last week and come out like gangbusters. Winner - Falcons.
Tampa Bay @ New Orleans - Tampa comes off their bye and I'm sure they're confused as to which team they are playing this week. Is it the team that put up 62 two weeks ago or the team that lost to the Rams last week? I know they are hoping for the latter, but I imagine that with a little home cooking the Saints will get back to their winning ways. Winner - Saints.
New York Jets @ Buffalo - This is where it gets interesting. The Bills are looking like giant killers and they are serious. They quietly have a solid team on both sides of the ball and they get a Jets team that hasn't impressed this year. The Jets need this win or Rex Ryan is going to have to wear a muzzle for at least a week as he figures out a way to backup all of his Superbowl boasts. Winner - Bills.
Seattle @ Dallas - The Cowboys play at home and need a big win and what do they get this week, a terrible Seahawks team. All I have to say is if the Cowboys lose this game, they might as well shut Jerry World down for the year and concentrate on next year. Winner - Cowboys.
Cleveland @ Houston - This should be a routine 'W' for the Texans. Hillis is suffering from the Madden Curse and the Browns don't have much more on offense with McCoy also struggling at QB. Winner - Texans.
San Francisco @ Washington - The 49ers have to run the ball and not make too many mistakes. This Redskins team is wounded, but they are playing at home and may be able to feed off of the crowd. I don't expect the crowd to be into this game for too long though. Winner - 49ers.
Cincinnati @ Tennessee - Two teams that I wouldn't have expected to be winning much this year. I thought Hasselbeck would struggle in a new offense and my theory on player holdouts in football would explain Chris Johnson's year thus far. The Bengals are being led by a rookie redhead whose isn't related to Bill Walton, and they are winning. The Titans are at home and I think that it's time for a Chris Johnson break out game just to remind us how good he is. I said the same thing last week and he didn't show, so he's got to make me look good this week. Winner - Titans.
Denver @ Oakland - The Clash of 2 Eras. This is game 3 of the Tebow Era. Can I say that they are setting this kid up to fail? The offense doesn't seem to be tailored to his skillset and he's also struggling because he doesn't have a go to receiver (if Decker is your answer here then that further proves my point) and really no running game. This is game 2 of the Carson Palmer Era in Raidernation. How much more of the playbook does he know after the bye week? How does the addition of Houshmandzadeh help him get comfortable? How much concern should he have for not having Run DMC this week? So many questions, so few answers. Winner - Raiders.
New York Giants @ New England - Did the Steelers show the NFL the blueprint for beating the Pats? If so, can the Giants show that they have what it takes to execute the plan? Bradshaw has a broken bone in his foot but may play? I imagine that you'll see a lot of the big guy (Jacobs) this weekend and a solid performance (did I say that about Eli) from Manning should get this Giants team over the hump. Winner - Giants.
St. Louis @ Arizona - Does anyone outside of these two cities care about this game? Two bad teams with not so much hope for the playoffs. Arizona is still trying to find their mojo on offense and the Rams used all of their mojo up last week beating the Saints. Sam Bradford, where are you?!?!? I'm looking on milk containers for your picture. If the Rams can run the ball, this helps them tremendously, but I have my doubts. Winner - Rams.
Green Bay @ San Diego - Who would have thunk that after one week we'd be throwing Philip Rivers in with Tony Romo as a QB with talent, but maybe not enough to get their teams over the top. This is a huge game for the Chargers as they try to not only win the AFC West but prove to the rest of the NFL that last week was an anomaly. I've said here previously that the Packers are for real. Rogers is playing the QB position as effortlessly as I've seen it played in years. He has an answer for whatever you throw at him and he looks as calm as the other side of the pillow in every game. Winner - Packers.
Baltimore @ Pittsburgh - The Big Payback! Well, that's how the Steelers should be looking at this one. They got punished, not beat, punished by the Ravens earlier this season and now that the Ravens seem to be struggling on offense, this is probably one of the better opportunities for the Steelers to deliver some payback. Can they follow through? Winner - Ravens.
Chicago @ Philadelphia - Monday night in Philadelphia. I can just smell the cheesesteaks from South Philly right now (somebody bring me one, please!!!). The Bears normally play the Eagles or any Mike Vick team pretty well because they have speed at the LB position but the difference this time is that the Eagles are playing at home. The Bears offense is led by Matt Forte and he's quietly int he MVP discussion with his performance this year. The Eagles have to run the ball with McCoy and don't put Vick in positions where he's going to take hits and the Bears are going to have to get some big plays in their passing game. I think the Eagles are on track. Winner - Eagles.
Ok, who you got?!?!?!?
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
2011-12 NFL Week 8 Wrap Up
Can't seem to get back on track. This thing is harder than I thought. Let's take a look at Week 8 games.
Arizona @ Baltimore - Have you ever had that feeling that you wanted to pick up your TV and just throw it out into the street because you're watching a game and you feel like there's nothing you can do to effect the outcome? That was this game. How can the Ravens be world killers (beating the Steelers in week 1) and then play down to competition like these Cardinals? They finally snuck this one out, but the Ravens got a lot of explaining to do. Next week it gets tougher. Inquisitive Mind 1 - 0 for the week.
Minnesota @ Carolina - Great game, and Olindo Mare nukes Cam Newton. I did like the fact that Newton basically laid the blame on his team (including himself) and he didn't take the easy road of blaming the kicker. The kid is growing up right in front of our eyes and I imagine that he's going to keep getting better. The Vikings got a win by giving the ball to AP 21 times and I can't imagine who would have thought that would be the answer for them to win some more games (please understand the sarcasm). Inquisitive Mind 1 -1 for the week.
Jacksonville @ Houston - Blaine Gabbert is not looking good at all and maybe there's a guy with a #9 (Garrard) on his back sitting at home and watching with a smile on his face. All I got to say is when you go to Luke McCown as your QB, it's tough on the team. The Texans rode Arian Foster for 33 carries for 112 yards and a TD. Still waiting and wondering when we'll see Andre Johnson again. Inquisitive Mind 2 - 1 for the week.
Miami @ New York Giants - I'm not a Sparano supporter, but I'm going to tell you this, his team gave the Giants all they could handle in this game. I mean they played hard and came up short on a few plays or they pull off a big upset. I mean Matt Moore is their starting QB and Reggie 'Kim is Free' Bush is their starting running back. Not a lot of star power or production in that backfield.Inquisitive Mind 3 - 1 for the week.
New Orleans @ St. Louis - WOW! The Saints pull a disappearing act and the Rams show up. I don't think anyone outside of the state of Missouri would have picked this, even with the World Series winners in the house. I think the best thing said about this game was that 'if the Saints don't do well the rest of the season, people are going to look at this game as the reason'. Inquisitive Mind 3 - 2 for the week.
Indianapolis @ Tennessee - Titans win was a good one. They are quietly having a good year even without Chris Johnson not playing well. My only question is what happens when Johnson turns that switch to on? Inquisitive Mind 4 - 2 for the week.
Detroit @ Denver - Didn't think it would be that bad of a butt whuppin but the Lions enjoyed this one a little too much. I felt bad for Tebow because his receivers didn't help him at all by trying to get open in press coverage. He's gotta get rid of the ball, but they gotta give him a target. We all knew that the Lions were going to crowd the line of scrimmage and blitz and the Broncos weren't ready. Not sure if this was an indictment of Tebow. Inquisitive Mind 5 - 2 for the week.
Washington @ Buffalo - Sad day to be a Redskin. Did they really award the Bills another sack, today?!?!? Inquisitive Mind 6 - 2 for the week.
Cincinnati @ Seattle - This game wasn't even fair. I know Pete Carroll is somewhere today rolling over in his grave? I guess this is pay back for not giving himself a 5 or 6 game suspension for the silliness that he allowed to happen at USC? Inquisitive Mind 7 - 2 for the week.
Cleveland @ San Francisco - Harbaugh is Coach of the Year so far in my book if for no other reason than the fact that he is finding a way to win with Alex Smith as his QB. Nuff said, ballot closed (drops mic, exists stage left). Inquisitive Mind 8 - 2 for the week.
New England @ Pittsburgh - Great game!!! The Steelers pressed the Patriots into submission. Now the Patriots are looking beatable and the Steelers are looking even better since they'll be getting Harrison back in two or so weeks. The only hope is Woodley will be following him back to the field in the near future. Inquisitive Mind 8 -3 for the week.
Dallas @ Philadelphia - I watched this game and had to think about my uncle John. He's a retired Philadelphia paramedic who happens to love the Cowboys (for some reason). I know he was crying in his beer when Eagles put that beatdown on the Cowboys. I felt like I could have gotten out there and thrown for a TD or something. Maybe Romo isn't the man the Cowboys need? When will Jerry figure that out? Inquisitive Mind 9 - 3 for the week.
San Diego @ Kansas City - I did say 'it's Halloween and we never know what could happen' and that about explains the entirety of the game. The Chargers couldn't find a way into the end zone for the majority of the game and the Chiefs looked like the team that we expected they'd be come opening weekend. Then it all went wrong for the Chargers and more specifically Philip Rivers and it's over just like that. The Chiefs have a share of the AFC West crown. Repeat that a few times until it sinks in. I can't even kid the guys on the train anymore about their Chiefs. What a difference a few weeks make? Inquisitive Mind 9 - 4 for the week.
Not bad, but the Patriots and the Chargers let me down big time. So a 9-4 week puts us squarely at 76-40 for the season and still behind. Gotta gain some ground. Golic is still killing us!!!!!
Arizona @ Baltimore - Have you ever had that feeling that you wanted to pick up your TV and just throw it out into the street because you're watching a game and you feel like there's nothing you can do to effect the outcome? That was this game. How can the Ravens be world killers (beating the Steelers in week 1) and then play down to competition like these Cardinals? They finally snuck this one out, but the Ravens got a lot of explaining to do. Next week it gets tougher. Inquisitive Mind 1 - 0 for the week.
Minnesota @ Carolina - Great game, and Olindo Mare nukes Cam Newton. I did like the fact that Newton basically laid the blame on his team (including himself) and he didn't take the easy road of blaming the kicker. The kid is growing up right in front of our eyes and I imagine that he's going to keep getting better. The Vikings got a win by giving the ball to AP 21 times and I can't imagine who would have thought that would be the answer for them to win some more games (please understand the sarcasm). Inquisitive Mind 1 -1 for the week.
Jacksonville @ Houston - Blaine Gabbert is not looking good at all and maybe there's a guy with a #9 (Garrard) on his back sitting at home and watching with a smile on his face. All I got to say is when you go to Luke McCown as your QB, it's tough on the team. The Texans rode Arian Foster for 33 carries for 112 yards and a TD. Still waiting and wondering when we'll see Andre Johnson again. Inquisitive Mind 2 - 1 for the week.
Miami @ New York Giants - I'm not a Sparano supporter, but I'm going to tell you this, his team gave the Giants all they could handle in this game. I mean they played hard and came up short on a few plays or they pull off a big upset. I mean Matt Moore is their starting QB and Reggie 'Kim is Free' Bush is their starting running back. Not a lot of star power or production in that backfield.Inquisitive Mind 3 - 1 for the week.
New Orleans @ St. Louis - WOW! The Saints pull a disappearing act and the Rams show up. I don't think anyone outside of the state of Missouri would have picked this, even with the World Series winners in the house. I think the best thing said about this game was that 'if the Saints don't do well the rest of the season, people are going to look at this game as the reason'. Inquisitive Mind 3 - 2 for the week.
Indianapolis @ Tennessee - Titans win was a good one. They are quietly having a good year even without Chris Johnson not playing well. My only question is what happens when Johnson turns that switch to on? Inquisitive Mind 4 - 2 for the week.
Detroit @ Denver - Didn't think it would be that bad of a butt whuppin but the Lions enjoyed this one a little too much. I felt bad for Tebow because his receivers didn't help him at all by trying to get open in press coverage. He's gotta get rid of the ball, but they gotta give him a target. We all knew that the Lions were going to crowd the line of scrimmage and blitz and the Broncos weren't ready. Not sure if this was an indictment of Tebow. Inquisitive Mind 5 - 2 for the week.
Washington @ Buffalo - Sad day to be a Redskin. Did they really award the Bills another sack, today?!?!? Inquisitive Mind 6 - 2 for the week.
Cincinnati @ Seattle - This game wasn't even fair. I know Pete Carroll is somewhere today rolling over in his grave? I guess this is pay back for not giving himself a 5 or 6 game suspension for the silliness that he allowed to happen at USC? Inquisitive Mind 7 - 2 for the week.
Cleveland @ San Francisco - Harbaugh is Coach of the Year so far in my book if for no other reason than the fact that he is finding a way to win with Alex Smith as his QB. Nuff said, ballot closed (drops mic, exists stage left). Inquisitive Mind 8 - 2 for the week.
New England @ Pittsburgh - Great game!!! The Steelers pressed the Patriots into submission. Now the Patriots are looking beatable and the Steelers are looking even better since they'll be getting Harrison back in two or so weeks. The only hope is Woodley will be following him back to the field in the near future. Inquisitive Mind 8 -3 for the week.
Dallas @ Philadelphia - I watched this game and had to think about my uncle John. He's a retired Philadelphia paramedic who happens to love the Cowboys (for some reason). I know he was crying in his beer when Eagles put that beatdown on the Cowboys. I felt like I could have gotten out there and thrown for a TD or something. Maybe Romo isn't the man the Cowboys need? When will Jerry figure that out? Inquisitive Mind 9 - 3 for the week.
San Diego @ Kansas City - I did say 'it's Halloween and we never know what could happen' and that about explains the entirety of the game. The Chargers couldn't find a way into the end zone for the majority of the game and the Chiefs looked like the team that we expected they'd be come opening weekend. Then it all went wrong for the Chargers and more specifically Philip Rivers and it's over just like that. The Chiefs have a share of the AFC West crown. Repeat that a few times until it sinks in. I can't even kid the guys on the train anymore about their Chiefs. What a difference a few weeks make? Inquisitive Mind 9 - 4 for the week.
Not bad, but the Patriots and the Chargers let me down big time. So a 9-4 week puts us squarely at 76-40 for the season and still behind. Gotta gain some ground. Golic is still killing us!!!!!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
2011-12 NFL Week 8 Picks
Ok, a big Week 8 on tap and we'll see if we can do a better job than flipping a coin.
Arizona @ Baltimore - I have to think that the Ravens are going to be on a mission to erase that performance that we saw last Monday night. They are playing at home and maybe Halloween will be time for their offense to treat instead of trick. Arizona is in the process of getting their offense on tracka nd this isn't the defense that I'd like to go against in order to make this happen. There is some hope because the Ravens defense will have a few injuries that may play a role in this game and their biggest one being Ed Reed. Winner - Ravens.
Minnesota @ Carolina - This ought to be a good one, with two rookie QBs (Ponder and Newton) and two struggling defenses. I am surprised that McNabb still feels like he's better suited to win games for this Vikings team, well moreso that he said it publically. I think that switched to Ponder one game too early but it proved to maybe not be such a bad decision with Ponder's performance against the Packers. I could see it going both ways. Winner - Carolina.
Jacksonville @ Houston - The Texans showed up last week and put up a lot of points with Arian Foster literally running wild. Jacksonville surprised the world with their win over the Ravens last Monday night in possibly one of the ugliest games I've seen in awhile and at the same time they may have saved their head coaches job. Houston has to win this game because this is their year, so we'll see if they can put two back to back good games. Winner - Texans.
Miami @ New York Giants - This starts the Sparano Death March. It's snowing in New York, the Dolphins are struggling (to say the least). A lot of news has been made about Sparano putting his house up for sale, but it's really about whether this team could score 21 points on the practice field. Winner - Giants.
New Orleans @ St. Louis - I don't think they'll get to 62 this week, but I expect a big win from the Saints. Winner - Saints.
Indianapolis @ Tennessee - I have been waiting for Painter to have a break out game and he's been close, so the question is will it be today? The Titans are struggling to get their running game on track and something tells me that this may be the week that happens. Hasselbeck can manage this team and help them get a win, but if they don't score, I think that gives the Colts a chance to stay around and possibly sneak at win at the end. Winner - Titans.
Detroit @ Denver - This seasons' darlings against Tebow Mania. The Lions have lost 2 straight and they have to get back to doing what they need to do in order to win games and that's run the ball. We'll see if they have found an answer to their running game while we'll see how well Tebow can bounce back after his performance last week. I imagine that the defensive line of the Lions will give the Broncos some problems as they have some RB issues also. Winner - Lions.
Washington @ Buffalo - No Santana Moss, no Tim Hightower, and pretty much no chance. Thsi Redskins team went from an amazing start to crashing and burning quickly. Hopefully Fitzpatrick doesn't have contract letdown since signing his deal late last week. Winner - Bills.
Cincinnati @ Seattle - How can Tavaris Jackson possibly start with an injured pectoral? I know the QB play isn't inspiring in Seattle, but that must say alot that you'd start him over Whitehurst (we'll see what really happens). But this game won't be worth watching, unless you live in Cincy or Seattle and maybe not even then. Winner - Bengals.
Cleveland @ San Francisco - The 49ers are for real. The Browns are without Hillis and I'm not sure thtey have a lot of hope. Winner - 49ers.
New England @ Pittsburgh - Now we're talking the big boys. The Patriots come into Pittsburgh owning these Steelers. The big question is whether the Steelers can pressure Brady and force him into bad decisions. Those two tightend sets that the Patriots will run will hurt a Steelers defense, so the Steelers offense will do well with running the ball and keeping Mr. Brady in a baseball cap. Winner - Patriots.
Dallas @ Philadelphia - The Cowboys have had this game circled since the preseason. I hope that they're ready to actually do something besides make a mark on a calendar. It's fitting that this game will come down to whether Romo 'tricks or treats' his team. Winner - Eagles.
San Diego @ Kansas City - Halloween Night. Two teams that have taken two different routes here. The Chiefs can play for a tie in the AFC West with a win here. They have lost their starting RB (Charles) , S (Berry), and TE (Moeaki) and are still winning. I wouldn't have thought that they would have gotten this far, but their defense has stepped up. The Chargers actually started off fast this year and then hit a lull with some closes losses. Gates looks to finally be back in the Chargers lineup and as always their offense is explosive. I would normally pick the Chargers in this game, but it's Halloween and we never know what could happen. Winner - Chargers.
Who you got?!?!?!?
Arizona @ Baltimore - I have to think that the Ravens are going to be on a mission to erase that performance that we saw last Monday night. They are playing at home and maybe Halloween will be time for their offense to treat instead of trick. Arizona is in the process of getting their offense on tracka nd this isn't the defense that I'd like to go against in order to make this happen. There is some hope because the Ravens defense will have a few injuries that may play a role in this game and their biggest one being Ed Reed. Winner - Ravens.
Minnesota @ Carolina - This ought to be a good one, with two rookie QBs (Ponder and Newton) and two struggling defenses. I am surprised that McNabb still feels like he's better suited to win games for this Vikings team, well moreso that he said it publically. I think that switched to Ponder one game too early but it proved to maybe not be such a bad decision with Ponder's performance against the Packers. I could see it going both ways. Winner - Carolina.
Jacksonville @ Houston - The Texans showed up last week and put up a lot of points with Arian Foster literally running wild. Jacksonville surprised the world with their win over the Ravens last Monday night in possibly one of the ugliest games I've seen in awhile and at the same time they may have saved their head coaches job. Houston has to win this game because this is their year, so we'll see if they can put two back to back good games. Winner - Texans.
Miami @ New York Giants - This starts the Sparano Death March. It's snowing in New York, the Dolphins are struggling (to say the least). A lot of news has been made about Sparano putting his house up for sale, but it's really about whether this team could score 21 points on the practice field. Winner - Giants.
New Orleans @ St. Louis - I don't think they'll get to 62 this week, but I expect a big win from the Saints. Winner - Saints.
Indianapolis @ Tennessee - I have been waiting for Painter to have a break out game and he's been close, so the question is will it be today? The Titans are struggling to get their running game on track and something tells me that this may be the week that happens. Hasselbeck can manage this team and help them get a win, but if they don't score, I think that gives the Colts a chance to stay around and possibly sneak at win at the end. Winner - Titans.
Detroit @ Denver - This seasons' darlings against Tebow Mania. The Lions have lost 2 straight and they have to get back to doing what they need to do in order to win games and that's run the ball. We'll see if they have found an answer to their running game while we'll see how well Tebow can bounce back after his performance last week. I imagine that the defensive line of the Lions will give the Broncos some problems as they have some RB issues also. Winner - Lions.
Washington @ Buffalo - No Santana Moss, no Tim Hightower, and pretty much no chance. Thsi Redskins team went from an amazing start to crashing and burning quickly. Hopefully Fitzpatrick doesn't have contract letdown since signing his deal late last week. Winner - Bills.
Cincinnati @ Seattle - How can Tavaris Jackson possibly start with an injured pectoral? I know the QB play isn't inspiring in Seattle, but that must say alot that you'd start him over Whitehurst (we'll see what really happens). But this game won't be worth watching, unless you live in Cincy or Seattle and maybe not even then. Winner - Bengals.
Cleveland @ San Francisco - The 49ers are for real. The Browns are without Hillis and I'm not sure thtey have a lot of hope. Winner - 49ers.
New England @ Pittsburgh - Now we're talking the big boys. The Patriots come into Pittsburgh owning these Steelers. The big question is whether the Steelers can pressure Brady and force him into bad decisions. Those two tightend sets that the Patriots will run will hurt a Steelers defense, so the Steelers offense will do well with running the ball and keeping Mr. Brady in a baseball cap. Winner - Patriots.
Dallas @ Philadelphia - The Cowboys have had this game circled since the preseason. I hope that they're ready to actually do something besides make a mark on a calendar. It's fitting that this game will come down to whether Romo 'tricks or treats' his team. Winner - Eagles.
San Diego @ Kansas City - Halloween Night. Two teams that have taken two different routes here. The Chiefs can play for a tie in the AFC West with a win here. They have lost their starting RB (Charles) , S (Berry), and TE (Moeaki) and are still winning. I wouldn't have thought that they would have gotten this far, but their defense has stepped up. The Chargers actually started off fast this year and then hit a lull with some closes losses. Gates looks to finally be back in the Chargers lineup and as always their offense is explosive. I would normally pick the Chargers in this game, but it's Halloween and we never know what could happen. Winner - Chargers.
Who you got?!?!?!?
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
2011-12 NFL Week 7 Wrap Up
Is the world really going to end? I mean these games this weekend
just broke my heart a few different times. Lots of injuries this week
that caused some of these outcomes, but that's part of the game.
San Diego @ New York Jets - Well, the Chargers jumped out early and looked like they were going to not only take the Jets hearts, but win this game. After that, the 2nd half happened. The Jets battled back and Mark Sanchez found Plaxico Burress for (not 1, not 2,..) 3 TDs and a come back win for the Jets. I'm not sure if this was a season saver for the Jets, but part of me thinks that it was. If they didn't win this game, Sanchez was going to come under fire for his bad play and all Superbowl talk would have come down to whether the Jets would have been able to find a travel agent that could have gotten them tickets for the event. The Chargers looked like the team that they have in the past, good for one half and then they looked worse than average at the end of the game (bad play calling, no urgency, and lots of mistakes). Rex Ryan was extremely happy during this presser, so you know he was breathing a sigh of relief. Inquisitive Mind 0 - 1 for the week.
Chicago @ Tampa Bay - Well, the short of it is this, the Bears have the same record as they had last year going into the bye week and they are excited in Chicago but I think they need to temper that excitement because this team isn't as good as last years. The other thing that we know is that it's a dayum shame that Forte isn't getting his money. I'm not sure what else he has to do. His price is only going up. For the Bucs, this was a costly trip to London because they lost about 4 players in this game including Earnest 'Insurance' Graham. Hopefully Blount comes back soon because they were down to their last running back in this game. Inquisitive Mind 1 - 1 for the week.
Washington @ Carolina - This was a yawner up to halftime and then somehow the offense opened up. Cam Newton was decent and showed signs of really becoming a better QB, I just need him to get some more help on the ground from his team so that he is running as much. No turnovers and 2 TDs (1 rushing, 1 passing). The Redskins may be done for the rest of the year with Hightower (ACL) done for the year and the defense's inability to stop the run. It's not going to really matter whom the QB is at this point. Inquisitive Mind 2 - 1 for the week.
Atlanta @ Detroit - Another week, another Lions letdown. The bandwagon wheels are starting to show some wear and may require a full fledged jumping off if the Lions can't run the ball. The defense was able to slow down the Falcons, but the Lions offense is going to have to puts some points on the board. There should be concern in Detroit, but I'm not ready to give up on them yet. Inquisitive Mind 2 - 2 for the week.
Seattle @ Cleveland - This was the second worst game of the week and with a 6-3 final score, you have to know what the worst game of the week was. This is all I have to say, this has to be punishment for Pete Carroll for all of the USC stuff because this Seahawks team is horriawful. Neither QB can play and your starting RB has back spasms. For those that watched this game, please send your request for payment of your time to the Browns and the Seahawks. Inquisitive Mind 2 - 3 for the week.
Denver @ Miami - Well this is the beginning of Tebow Mania. Tebow and the Broncos played like isht for about 54 minutes of a 60 minute game (and they played better than the Ravens, imagine that). Tebow put on his Superman cape and willed this team to a win. Still this is a bad team and with their losses in this game, they got a lot on them for their next game. On the flip side an out of town trip from the Dolphins owner may in fact allow Sparano to keep his job. We know the end is coming, right? Inquisitive Mind 3 - 3 for the week.
Houston @ Tennessee - Well the Texans opened up a can of A$$WHOOPIN on the Titans. They treated this game like they were playing the Colts in Week 1. I think that Arian Foster is still running or catching passes somewhere. Good win and this may get them back on the right road in the AFC. Inquisitive Mind 3 - 4 for the week.
Kansas City @ Oakland - Al Davis wouldn't have liked this game. Both of your QBs throw for 3 INTs in one game? Really? McFadden injures his ankle, and now some are ready to close down the Raiders shop, all within a week. The Chiefs are messing up their chances for Andrew Luck with each of these empty wins. (Yes, that's about all they have left for this year). Inquisitive Mind 3 - 5 for the week.
Pittsburgh @ Arizona - Beanie Wells gets hurt, the Cardinals offense sucks yet again and the Steelers limp along. That pretty much sums this game up. If he's not careful someone in Arizona might be job hunting also. Inquisitive Mind 4 - 5 for the week.
Green Bay @ Minnesota - I will say that I am surprised that the Vikings were able to keep this close. Had it not been for that wide open Greg Jennings TD, this game could have been in the Vikings favor. Christian Ponder actually played pretty well for a rookie and moved outside of the pocket to make some throws. Maybe it was time for the Vikings to make that change at QB. With the defense turning around the Vikings may play spoiler to a few teams in the NFC when we start talking about playoffs. Is anyone else watching Aaron Rodgers and how well he's playing? I mean he makes it look so effortless to play the way he is playing. Brees is balling, but Rodgers might be the MVP this year. Inquisitive Mind 5 - 5 for the week.
St. Louis @ Dallas - The Cowboys showed up and they were 'unbeatable' (from Dez Bryant). These team needs to show up more and it always helps when you have a newbie who runs for a team record 253 yards on the ground. DeMarco Murray made this game easy for the Cowboys and if he can keep this up (we know he's going to have like a 70 yard game next week) the Cowboys are going to look good. Success never really changes for the Cowboys, run the ball to setup the pass and get a few big plays out of your big time receivers and tight end and you win. Inquisitive Mind 6 - 5 for the week.
Indianapolis @ New Orleans - Oochie ouch!!!! They scored 62!!! And they could have easily scored at least another 7 points. Drew Brees was out of this world and he didn't even get over 350 yards, but those 6 TDs probably made him the big fantasy winner. The Colts looked bad and there's even some sentiment running around that Jim Caldwell may need to have his bags packed. I hope that he isn't fired because of this season (sans Manning) as that would be a travesty. By the way, the cutaways to Manning reached 6 in the first 4 minutes of the game and I stopped counting after I got to about 15. It's tough to watch the Colts get beat like this. Inquisitive Mind 7 - 5 for the week.
Baltimore @ Jacksonville - Hello Jaguars defense, goodbye Ravens. What in the halibut happened? I mean this is the second time this year that the Ravens have not only laid an egg, but it was a rotten egg at that. I was downplaying the chatter that this team is being held back by Flacco but now, I'm almost on board with that. This was supposed to be the year they opened the offense and got him some more weapons to make this offense go and this is the type of game that I have to suffer through? Harbaugh should have pulled a Schwartz on his OC and Flacco with some old Vince Lombardi 'What the he77 is going on out there?' This was sad, really sad. I remember back in 2000, Ray Lewis came on TV and told everyone, if the offense gives us 14 points a game, I guarantee that we win the majority of them because their defense was that good. They're close now to that defense and I think he needs to step out there and say the same thing again. Something has got to change. The absolute worst game of the week (unless you're a Jaguar fan). Inquisitive Mind 7 - 6 for the week.
This was horrible, and I mean horrible. I might have to resort to flipping coins for next week. After this 7-6 that puts us at 67 -36 for the year and in last place. (Jaws doesn't count because he can't pick Monday night games).
San Diego @ New York Jets - Well, the Chargers jumped out early and looked like they were going to not only take the Jets hearts, but win this game. After that, the 2nd half happened. The Jets battled back and Mark Sanchez found Plaxico Burress for (not 1, not 2,..) 3 TDs and a come back win for the Jets. I'm not sure if this was a season saver for the Jets, but part of me thinks that it was. If they didn't win this game, Sanchez was going to come under fire for his bad play and all Superbowl talk would have come down to whether the Jets would have been able to find a travel agent that could have gotten them tickets for the event. The Chargers looked like the team that they have in the past, good for one half and then they looked worse than average at the end of the game (bad play calling, no urgency, and lots of mistakes). Rex Ryan was extremely happy during this presser, so you know he was breathing a sigh of relief. Inquisitive Mind 0 - 1 for the week.
Chicago @ Tampa Bay - Well, the short of it is this, the Bears have the same record as they had last year going into the bye week and they are excited in Chicago but I think they need to temper that excitement because this team isn't as good as last years. The other thing that we know is that it's a dayum shame that Forte isn't getting his money. I'm not sure what else he has to do. His price is only going up. For the Bucs, this was a costly trip to London because they lost about 4 players in this game including Earnest 'Insurance' Graham. Hopefully Blount comes back soon because they were down to their last running back in this game. Inquisitive Mind 1 - 1 for the week.
Washington @ Carolina - This was a yawner up to halftime and then somehow the offense opened up. Cam Newton was decent and showed signs of really becoming a better QB, I just need him to get some more help on the ground from his team so that he is running as much. No turnovers and 2 TDs (1 rushing, 1 passing). The Redskins may be done for the rest of the year with Hightower (ACL) done for the year and the defense's inability to stop the run. It's not going to really matter whom the QB is at this point. Inquisitive Mind 2 - 1 for the week.
Atlanta @ Detroit - Another week, another Lions letdown. The bandwagon wheels are starting to show some wear and may require a full fledged jumping off if the Lions can't run the ball. The defense was able to slow down the Falcons, but the Lions offense is going to have to puts some points on the board. There should be concern in Detroit, but I'm not ready to give up on them yet. Inquisitive Mind 2 - 2 for the week.
Seattle @ Cleveland - This was the second worst game of the week and with a 6-3 final score, you have to know what the worst game of the week was. This is all I have to say, this has to be punishment for Pete Carroll for all of the USC stuff because this Seahawks team is horriawful. Neither QB can play and your starting RB has back spasms. For those that watched this game, please send your request for payment of your time to the Browns and the Seahawks. Inquisitive Mind 2 - 3 for the week.
Denver @ Miami - Well this is the beginning of Tebow Mania. Tebow and the Broncos played like isht for about 54 minutes of a 60 minute game (and they played better than the Ravens, imagine that). Tebow put on his Superman cape and willed this team to a win. Still this is a bad team and with their losses in this game, they got a lot on them for their next game. On the flip side an out of town trip from the Dolphins owner may in fact allow Sparano to keep his job. We know the end is coming, right? Inquisitive Mind 3 - 3 for the week.
Houston @ Tennessee - Well the Texans opened up a can of A$$WHOOPIN on the Titans. They treated this game like they were playing the Colts in Week 1. I think that Arian Foster is still running or catching passes somewhere. Good win and this may get them back on the right road in the AFC. Inquisitive Mind 3 - 4 for the week.
Kansas City @ Oakland - Al Davis wouldn't have liked this game. Both of your QBs throw for 3 INTs in one game? Really? McFadden injures his ankle, and now some are ready to close down the Raiders shop, all within a week. The Chiefs are messing up their chances for Andrew Luck with each of these empty wins. (Yes, that's about all they have left for this year). Inquisitive Mind 3 - 5 for the week.
Pittsburgh @ Arizona - Beanie Wells gets hurt, the Cardinals offense sucks yet again and the Steelers limp along. That pretty much sums this game up. If he's not careful someone in Arizona might be job hunting also. Inquisitive Mind 4 - 5 for the week.
Green Bay @ Minnesota - I will say that I am surprised that the Vikings were able to keep this close. Had it not been for that wide open Greg Jennings TD, this game could have been in the Vikings favor. Christian Ponder actually played pretty well for a rookie and moved outside of the pocket to make some throws. Maybe it was time for the Vikings to make that change at QB. With the defense turning around the Vikings may play spoiler to a few teams in the NFC when we start talking about playoffs. Is anyone else watching Aaron Rodgers and how well he's playing? I mean he makes it look so effortless to play the way he is playing. Brees is balling, but Rodgers might be the MVP this year. Inquisitive Mind 5 - 5 for the week.
St. Louis @ Dallas - The Cowboys showed up and they were 'unbeatable' (from Dez Bryant). These team needs to show up more and it always helps when you have a newbie who runs for a team record 253 yards on the ground. DeMarco Murray made this game easy for the Cowboys and if he can keep this up (we know he's going to have like a 70 yard game next week) the Cowboys are going to look good. Success never really changes for the Cowboys, run the ball to setup the pass and get a few big plays out of your big time receivers and tight end and you win. Inquisitive Mind 6 - 5 for the week.
Indianapolis @ New Orleans - Oochie ouch!!!! They scored 62!!! And they could have easily scored at least another 7 points. Drew Brees was out of this world and he didn't even get over 350 yards, but those 6 TDs probably made him the big fantasy winner. The Colts looked bad and there's even some sentiment running around that Jim Caldwell may need to have his bags packed. I hope that he isn't fired because of this season (sans Manning) as that would be a travesty. By the way, the cutaways to Manning reached 6 in the first 4 minutes of the game and I stopped counting after I got to about 15. It's tough to watch the Colts get beat like this. Inquisitive Mind 7 - 5 for the week.
Baltimore @ Jacksonville - Hello Jaguars defense, goodbye Ravens. What in the halibut happened? I mean this is the second time this year that the Ravens have not only laid an egg, but it was a rotten egg at that. I was downplaying the chatter that this team is being held back by Flacco but now, I'm almost on board with that. This was supposed to be the year they opened the offense and got him some more weapons to make this offense go and this is the type of game that I have to suffer through? Harbaugh should have pulled a Schwartz on his OC and Flacco with some old Vince Lombardi 'What the he77 is going on out there?' This was sad, really sad. I remember back in 2000, Ray Lewis came on TV and told everyone, if the offense gives us 14 points a game, I guarantee that we win the majority of them because their defense was that good. They're close now to that defense and I think he needs to step out there and say the same thing again. Something has got to change. The absolute worst game of the week (unless you're a Jaguar fan). Inquisitive Mind 7 - 6 for the week.
This was horrible, and I mean horrible. I might have to resort to flipping coins for next week. After this 7-6 that puts us at 67 -36 for the year and in last place. (Jaws doesn't count because he can't pick Monday night games).
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