NFL Week 8 Picks

Before football I have to talk about last night's baseball game. Obviously I'm biased towards the Red Sox but Jim Joyce cannot make that call. I'm aware it's really Salty's fault for even throwing the ball to third base. Horrible decision. The Sox are down 2-1 in the series because of two throws to third base. Those are the types of mistakes that cost you a series. Anyways back to Joyce, it's the 9th inning of the WORLD SERIES. Let the players decide the game. Don't put yourself into the spotlight. Was it even obstruction? Not really. Looking at replays, Jim Joyce wasn't even looking at third base.  It didn't need to be called just like the refs didn't have to throw a flag in the Patriots Jets game. It was a horrible way to end what had been a classic back and forth game. The Sox better win tonight. Bogus. Bogus.

Onto football...

Overall: 64-42   Spread: 12-15-1

Cowboys 30, Lions 27 --- The Cowboys are starting to find their groove. Sure they only scored 17 points last week but the defense shut down the quick paced Eagles for only 3 points. Meanwhile I still have no idea what the Lions are. They lost last week to the Bengals on a last second field goal. I think they are a good football team but they are missing something. I don't know what it is but I feel like they aren't a serious contender at this point. I'll take the Cowboys to win a close one today in Detroit.

Chiefs 24, Browns 14 --- At least Brandon Weeden isn't playing anymore. He was brutal. I still don't think the Brownies have a chance today with Jason Campbell starting. The Chiefs will sack him a few times and probably force a turnover. This would be one of the worst losses on the board if Kansas City fell today. I don't see it happening though. 8-0 for the Chiefs.

Patriots 31, Dolphins 17 --- NE -6.5 I just have a feeling TFB is going to break out of his slump today. The Dolphins have lost three in a row and seem to be headed in the wrong direction. Gronk had a big day last week against the Jets but it wasn't enough. I just can't see the Pats losing two in a row and three of four. Trust in Lord Brady.

Saints 28, Bills 20 --- BUF +11 --- The Bills circled the wagons last week in Miami with Thad Lewis playing QB. They are not a push over this year. Every game they have played (minus a Thursday nighter in Cleveland) has been within a touchdown. I know the Saints are off a bye and this is the Bills second straight week on the road but I think they hang around with the Saints for awhile.

49ers 35, Jaguars 3 --- I hope London is ready to witness their new franchise. I all honesty, I'm not happy at all that the NFL is trying to put a permanent team in London. Why? Obviously for money but is it really going to make the NFL a better league? For sure not. What are they going to do? Play 8 homes games in a row then go on the road for 8 weeks. Also what free agent is going to want to sign with them? A kid who gets drafted from Alabama won't be thrilled about having to move across the pond. Roger Goodell, ruining the league since 2006.
Anyways, Niners crush the Jags today.

Eagles 31, Giants 27 --- The Iggles have lost nine straight at the Linc. How is that possible? So I'm not giving the edge to the Eagles based on home field advantage but I kind of am because the G-Men are 0-4 on the road this year and are on a short week after beating the Vikings last Monday. The Eagles still have a hope to win this division so they need a win and with Mike Vick back at QB, their offense should score some points.

Bengals 27, Jets 24 --- NYJ +6  The Jets are a roller coaster team this year. One week up, then next down. They won last week so I see them losing in Cincy today. It will be a close one though because the Bengals don't blow people out. Their largest margin of victory this year is 10 against the Steelers in week 2. They have also won the last two weeks on last second field goals so I think the Jets have a chance to keep it close but the Bengals will find a way to win it.

Broncos 45, Redskins 35 --- The Broncos like to score against the NFC East. In three games this season they have scored 144 points. The Washington Bravehearts (possibly the new name of the Redskins because America has to be so politically correct nowadays) defense struggled last week, allowing 41 points to Da Bears backup quarterback Josh McCown. I think the Broncos will bounce back from their loss to the Colts in a big way.

Falcons 27, Cardinals 20 --- Teams that have faced the Seahawks in the previous week have yet to win a game this season. Unfortunately that means the Cardinals could be in trouble. I still think the Falcons are a good team. Yes the loss of Julio Jones will eventually hurt them, but the Cardinals are not a great team. Carson Palmer will turn the ball over and Matt Ryan will find a way to get the Falcons to 3-4.

Raiders 24, Steelers 21 --- I'm picking this game with my head not my heart. The Steelers never fair well in Oakland. They have lost 3 of 4 to Oakland and DAY RAYYYDERS are off a bye and a win over the Chargers. They are not a pathetic team this year. The Steelers have won two in a row but just played the Ravens so they could be a little beat up. I know the Steelers can win this game and probably should but I'm nervous that they will turn the ball over once or twice (watch out for Charles Woodson) and not be able to get them back on the defensive side of the ball. All I can say to the Steelers is an Al Davis quote, "Just Win Baby".

P.S. I saw two guys wearing Raiders hats in Paris this week, so that can't be a good sign.

Packers 31, Vikings 24 --- MIN +8.5 Has any quarterback ever became so terrible as quickly as Josh Freeman has? He's almost as bad as Brandon Weeden. Luckily for the Vikings he probably isn't playing tonight. But does the Vikings coaching staff even know they have Adrian Peterson on the roster. He only got 13 carries last week against the Giants. The MVP of the league only got the ball 13 times? And he only got 10 carries the week before. Are you serious? Feed the man the rock and let him run. If the Vikings are smart and they give AP 25 carries, if so then maybe they can keep it close. If not, the Vikings have no chance.

Seahawks 27, Rams 9 --- Kellen Clemens, former Jet great, against the Seahawks who have had a long week of rest. No thank you. Seahawks are going to win this game and they might win it big.

Enjoy the games people.

Week 8 Thursday Night Pick

Six takeaways from Week 7.

1. Patriots at Jets. Pushgate.

First of all I think the penalty should not have been called in that situation. Was it the correct call according to the letter of the law? Maybe. The NFL wants to protect it's players and that play could be dangerous if the defensive player pushes his own teammate into a semi-defenseless offensive lineman. I understand all of that. What I don't like is most (not all) Patriot fans are losing their minds blaming that one call for the entire loss? You do realize you were playing the Jets? The team you love to make fun of whenever you can. If you want to blame something for the loss blame the fact that you went 1-12 on 3rd down, or that you only had the ball for 23 minutes, or that Lord Brady got sacked 4 times, or that Lord Brady threw a pick six, or that you had 100 penalty yards, or that you let Chris Ivory run for 104 yards, or that you blew an 11 point lead. Bottom line is that the Jets deserved to win that game. Sure maybe not on that field goal but if you are the Patriots there are a ton of places to look to before you blame the refs.

2. I have no idea what to make of the Jets. NONE.

I write about the Jets pretty much every week because after each game I think I have them figured out. I'm finally going to admit I have no idea what the Jets are going to do from week to week. The Steelers made them look bad but then they bounce back and beat the Patriots. The defense is good. I know that. I think Geno has a lot of talent and could become a very good QB. I think I know that. What I don't know is which Geno will show up for each game. Good Geno or Bad Geno?

3. Are the Colts the best team in the league?

I would have said yes had Reggie Wayne not torn his ACL. But the Colts have put together an impressive resume of wins. They are the only teams to beat the Seahawks and the Broncos plus they went into San Francisco and handed the 49ers their only home loss. They have proven they can go toe to toe with everybody in this league. They seem to have the AFC South wrapped up so if they can find a way to fill in the massive void of injured Reggie Wayne, they could be a big threat come playoff time.

4. The Steelers might have a little life.

Two straight wins. They have cut their deficit in half and get to play the Raiders in Week 8. I'm not looking past the Raiders though because the Steelers always struggle against the Black and Silver. They lost last year and have lost 3 of 4 so next Sunday is no gimme. Anyways, the Steelers seem to have at least lifted themselves off the mat. Wins against the Jets and Ravens didn't seem to likely when they were sitting at 0-4. If the Steelers do make a little run this year, I have a feeling the one game that will cost them will be their loss to the Vikings in London. They needed to win that game. They should have won that game. If they had they'd be 3-3 right now. I'm not saying the Steelers are going to the playoffs, that's a long ways away but they have given me some hope that they get to 5-5 after their next four games (games in Oakland and New England, home against Bills and Lions). Then with six games left (Brownies twice), who knows what can happen? All I know is that Viking loss will end out costing them if they get close to playoffs.

P.S. I clearly just jinxed them. I'm regretting writing this already. Hello 2-5. Damn Raiders.

5. NFL Injuries

The NFL is a brutal game. This Monday, it was just name after name of players that got injured. Jay Cutler, Lance Briggs, Sam Bradford, Reggie Wayne, Doug Martin, Brian Cushing, Arian Foster, Jermichael Finley, and I'm sure there are more that I missed. The NFL has become a war of attrition at this point. If you look at every NFL team almost all of them have a key player lost for the year and it's only Week 8. We all think that the Seahawks, Broncos, 49ers are among the elite teams in the league but if last week taught us anything, injuries could be just around the corner.

6. Bears and Rams QB situation in the future.

Both Jay Cutler and Sam Bradford got injured last week. Cutler with a groin is out for 4 weeks, while Bradford will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. Coming into this year we knew it was going to be a big year for both of these two to prove they could be the franchise QB's. Cutler will have to play great for DA BEARS when he comes back in four weeks in order to get a big payday like Tony Romo did last off-season. As for Bradford, he is still under contract until for next year but will the Rams try to get a QB in the draft now? It's possible since Bradford hasn't proven he's a special quarterback so far during his career.

Thursday Night Pick

Tonight would be a fitting time for the Bucs to pull out the Creamsicle jerseys

Panthers 31, Bucs 16 -- The Bucs are brutal. They just lost Doug Martin for the season. They are 0-6. Who knows how much longer their coach will be around. Ronde Barber picked the right time to retire. The Panthers have won two in a row and three out of their last four. Cam Newton has played well two weeks in a row now, completing 15 of 17 passes last week against the Rams. Their defense is one of the best in the league and I don't see how they could lose tonight. Panthers win and possibly win big. 

P.S. I like GIFs. (Taken from @CorkGaines and @CJZero)

NFL Week 7 Picks

Thankfully the Red Sox closed out the ALCS last night because I'm not sure I could have handled a Steelers Ravens game and then a game seven all in one night. Anyways, onto the picks...

Overall: 55-36   Spread: 9-14-1

Falcons 35, Bucs 17 --- ATL -6.5 The Bucs are a horrible football team right now. Schiano could be on his last days as the coach there and I don't think the players really care. The Falcons are 1-4 and are without Julio Jones and Roddy White but they are off a bye and absolutely need to win today. I think they start off hot and score a few early touchdowns and coast to the victory today.

Lions 27, Bengals 24 --- I say this every week but I'm still not sure who the Lions are. They are 4-2 and 2-0 at home but I'm not sure if they are a playoff team just yet. But I can say the same thing about the Bengals. I know the Bengals have playoff talent but I'm never sure which Bengals team is going to show up. I'll give the edge to the Lions today at home but it wouldn't shock me if the Bengals won.

Dolphins 28, Bills 24 --- The Bills almost upset the Bengals last week at home. They are 2-4 but every game (other then their Thursday night game against Cleveland) has been within a touchdown. So I have a feeling they will keep it close today but they are not as good away from Buffalo. I also think the Dolphins off a bye week need the win to end their two game losing streak.

Patriots 24, Jets 14 --- After watching the Jets last week, I don't have as much confidence in them. Geno is up and down week to week so maybe today he has a great day against a Patriots defense that is getting beat up. I just have a feeling though that Billy Belichick is going to try to bury the Jets today. If the Jets did upset the Pats they would only be one game out of the division and that's certainly not what the Pats wants to happen. If Tommy F. Brady can get enough time in the pocket all day he will be able to lead the Patriots to another win.

Cowboys 40, Eagles 30 --- DAL +3 Explain to me how the Cowboys aren't going to score a ton of points today. Sure they don't have DeMarco Murray but how much do they actually utilise him anyway? Tony Romo has been playing great and the Eagles defense has been bad all year. Nick Foles was very good last week but that was also against the winless Bucs. I do believe that the Cowboys are the best team in this division and if they want to prove that they have to go into Philly and get a win today.

Bears 27, Redskins 23 --- The Redskins just aren't a very good football team. I don't think RG III is the only person to blame but they just aren't the the same team as last year. Frankly, I blame Mike Shanahan, I really don't think he's a great coach. The Bears are a lot like the Lions to me. I think they are good but I don't know how good. If Jay Cutler doesn't turn the ball over today in Washington, I don't see how they can lose.

Panthers 31, Rams 20 --- Since I am going to pick the Panthers to win this game I fully expect Cam Newton to lay an egg now. Whenever I start to believe in the Panthers they always seem to disappoint me. They looked great last week in Minnesota, so I'll give them a shot. They Rams however have won two in a row, so if Cam isn't great today the Rams certainly have a shot to get a road win.

Jaguars 21, Chargers 17 --- JAX +7.5  Upset special. The Chargers are off a big win on Monday night, so they are on a short week headed across country to play a 1 PM game. If that doesn't have the recipe for coming out flat, I don't know what does. Plus the Jaguars haven't been god awful the past two weeks since they got Justin Blackmon back. Their offense now has a little bit of firepower. I think the Jags actually get their first win of the year. I hope they enjoy it because it could be one of their only wins.

49ers 31, Titans 21 --- SF -3 The Titans do get back Jake Locker today, who had been looking very good before his hip injury. With Locker the Titans were 3-1 but I'm not sure he makes an immediate impact today against the Niners. San Fran has won three in a row and has scored over 30 points a game in those three games. They have seemed to become a more physical team, with Frank Gore running for over 100 yards twice, while Colin Kaepernick has thrown for under 200 yards twice. I think they go into Tennessee and beat up on the Titans.

Packers 33, Browns 20 --- I think the Packers are a lot like the 49ers at the moment. They struggled early in the year but they have now won two in a row and seem to be figuring things out (other than keeping their receivers healthy). They have a real run game now for pretty much the first time in Aaron Rodgers career. Eddie Lacy has been very good the past two weeks. Plus playing the Browns with Brandon Weeden at QB will help the Packers chances today. He's a turnover machine and will probably cost the Browns points during this game. Packers win their third straight.

Chiefs 26, Texans 14 --- It won't be too easy for Case Keenum today making his first career NFL start. The Chiefs defense has been fantastic all year. They lead the league in sacks with 31 and they haven't let any team score over 17 points all year. The Texans have lost four in a row and I don't think they have what it takes to go into Arrowhead to upset the undefeated Chiefs.

Steelers 27, Ravens 26 --- The last time the Steelers and Ravens met Charlie Batch lead the Steelers to a victory in Baltimore. They split the season series despite Big Ben not playing in either game. This is actually his first game against the Ravens since September 11th, 2001. Big Ben is 6-1 head-to-head against Joe Flacco. I know the Steelers just got their first win of the season last year but anytime these two teams meet you can throw out the records. It's going to be a tough game that will be decided by one or two key plays. If they Steelers are the team that doesn't turn the ball over, they have a great chance to get their second win in a row.

Broncos 34, Colts 31 --- I think Jim Irsay might have hurt the Colts chances in this one by saying he was disappointed that Peyton only won one Super Bowl while in Indy. I think those comments are insane because without Peyton Manning the Colts might not be playing in Indianapolis right now. Sure he had a lot of playoff failures but he is the best player in Indianapolis Colts history. The Colts are off a bad loss Monday night and have to face Peyton, who now wants to stick it to his former boss.

Giants 27, Vikings 21 --- The Giants have to win sometime (I've been saying that for five weeks). Why not get the first win of the year under the bright light of Monday Night Football? They are playing the 1-4 Vikings, with their new QB Josh Freeman. He wasn't playing great in Tampa so I'm not sure he will automatically be better three weeks later in a new city. Eli Manning has stop turning the ball over though if the G-Men are actually going to win a game. I think they get it done but if they don't that's not too surprising either.

Enjoy the games people.

Week 7 Thursday Night Pick

Six takeaways from Week 6.

1. Don't give TFB three chances to win the game in the fourth quarter

It seems pretty simple but apparently the Saints didn't know that. Hell, Bill Belichick even handed them three points and they still couldn't win the game. I honestly thought the game was over after Brady threw that pretty horrible interception. But the Patriots defense is no joke. They got the ball back to the offense and Lord Brady did what Lord Brady often does. Win football games. I already predicted that the Patriots were going to the Super Bowl after Week 3 and I'm certainly not backing off that pick at the moment (Although they keep losing people on defense, Vince Wilfork now Jerod Mayo).

2. Cam Newton is good, maybe, sort of.

Last week I said Cam Newton stinks, which he did against Arizona in week five. But last week against the Vikings in Minnesota, he threw three touchdowns, ran for one, didn't turn the ball over, and only got sacked one time. Sure he played the 1-4 Vikings, but the Vikes aren't the worst defense in the league by a long shot. So basically what I'm saying is I have no idea what to make of Cam Newton. He's great one week, horrible the next. I like the guy but I'm not sure what kind of quarterback he is.

3. I may have overreacted with the Jets

I said last Thursday that the Jets might have a chance to get to 10 wins. I don't know about that anymore after watching the Steelers give them a pretty good beat down in JetLife. Defensively they are good but at times the Steelers were doing what they wanted on offense. I'm talking more about Geno and the offense. I know they were off a short week and it's not easy on a rookie QB to face a Dick Lebeau defense, but I wasn't too worried that the Jets were going to make an explosive play (other then the deep pass where Stephen Hill was open but Geno over threw him). Geno only threw for 201 yards and Bilal Powell ran for a solid 30 yards. They need playmakers badly. Their next five games are, vs Patriots, at Bengals, vs Saints, at Bills, at Ravens. Best case scenario they go 2-3 there, with 1-4 being much more likely. I'm not calling them a horrible team like I did in the preseason, I was wrong about that, but one thing they definitely need in the offseason is weapons on offense otherwise they will remain mediocre.

4. The 6-0 Kansas City Chiefs

Only two undefeated teams remain in the NFL. The Broncos and the Chiefs. One is widely believed to be the best team in the league at this point. That team has Peyton Manning. The Chiefs on the other hand still have some doubters. I'm not really sure what to make of them at this point. I believe in the Chiefs defense but I don't know if I believe in their offense. Defensively, they lead the league in sacks with 31 (nine more than the Ravens who rank second with 22). They also lead the league in least points allowed (only 65, 10.8 PPG). If those stats continue the Chiefs might have a shot in the playoffs because getting to the quarterback is so important in January. But I don't know if their offense has what it takes to make the Chiefs great. Alex Smith is a game manager, that's just what he is. He won't lose you games but he's not going to do what TFB did last week in the final minute either. Anyways, I can't wait until week 11 when they travel to Denver to play the Broncos.

5. Who gets fired first? Kubiak or Schiano?

The correct answer is Greg Schiano in Tampa Bay. The Bucs are horrible at 0-5. Three players have MRSA. They traded away their starting QB. At least they have Revis Island. I don't see Schiano making it much farther this season considering the Bucs have lost 10 of their last 11 games dating back to last year. Gary Kubiak is also on the hot seat though. The Texans got embarrassed at home last Sunday and who knows if he can even play Matt Schaub anymore after the Texans fans cheered when he got injured. Its incredible to think that last year at this time the Texans were number 1 team on ESPN's power rankings at 5-0.

6. Justin Blackmon and Josh Gordon are top ten receivers

I wanted to say they are top five receivers but that might be a bit much at this point. Either way, since coming back from his two game suspension Josh Gordon in four games has 25 catches for 429 yards and two TD's and Justin Blackmon in two games has 19 catches for 326 yards and one TD. Plus Gordon plays for the Browns who had Brian Hoyer and now Brandon Weeden throwing to him and Blackmon playing for the pitiful Jaguars has Chad Henne. These two young guys are beasts and if they can stay out of trouble they will be in the league for a long long time.

Thursday Night Pick

Seahawks 20, Cardinals 13 --- I'm really at the point where I'm just confused how Carson Palmer is still a starter in the NFL. For the past four games he's thrown at least two picks. He's a turnover machine. Russell Wilson has only thrown four picks all year. The Seahawks are the better team, they will win the turnover battle and the game.

NFL Week 6 Picks

(The good old days, when the Steelers were playing in AFC Championships)

Today is going to be an awesome sports day...well only if my teams win. Steelers at Jets to start it off, then the Saints at the Patriots should be a great game, and finally the Red Sox play game two of the ALCS tonight. That also means I'll be up until 6 AM over the pond, but who cares. Sports. Love em.

Overall:  44-32  Spread:  7-12-1

Jets 21, Steelers 17 --- This is what we call reverse psychology. I have picked the Steelers to win every game so far. That hasn't worked out too well. So today I'll pick the Jets. I'm actually not too sure who wins this one. The Jets are a much better team at JetLife Stadium and Geno Smith is off the best performance of his career. But they are playing on a short week, while the Steelers are off a bye. Plus can Geno really have another game without turning the ball over? Maybe because the Steelers still haven't forced a turnover. Frankly, I'm just tired of seeing the Steelers in the bottom four of the ESPN Power Rankings every week. Please win Steelers. Please.

P.S. Steel Town's going down.

Bengals 17, Bills 14 --- BUF +6.5 If EJ Manuel was playing in this game I'd take the Bills. They are 2-1 at home and the Bengals are off a huge win against the Patriots. Also, The Bengals have only scored 19 points in the past two weeks. I just don't have confidence in Thad Lewis to get a win but it wouldn't surprise me if the Bengals play like the Bungals toady. This game might be closer than you think.

Lions 20, Browns 17 --- Do I want the Browns to continue winning? I think I do actually. But would I mind if Brandon Weeden threw three or four picks today to cost the Brownies the game? No. The Browns have zero luck. Brian Hoyer was actually looking like he had a future in the NFL. Next thing you know he tears his ACL and he's done for the year. I'll take the Lions in this one because Weeden is starting.

Chiefs 26, Raiders 17 --- I don't think the Chiefs are a team that will overlook an opponent at this point. The Raiders can actually put themselves in the playoff hunt if they get a win today but the Chiefs know they need to keep pace with the Broncos. The Chiefs defense should be able to contain Terrelle Pryor so Kansas City will get the win in Arrowhead.

Vikings 14, Panthers 10 --- I have lost all confidence in Cam Newton. He looked horrible last week. I can't see him playing well today in Minnesota facing a team off a bye week. The Panthers defense is solid though so they will be in the game but I think Adrian Peterson breaks free a few times and probably scores two touchdowns to give the Vikings their second win of the season.

Eagles 21, Bucs 17 --- Two backup quarterbacks are playing today. I have no idea who wins this one. The Bucs players have MRSA, which doesn't sound pleasant. Plus the Bucs don't know how to win close games so if Nick Foles plays well late, the Eagles could get their second win in a row.

Packers 31, Ravens 24 --- The Ravens don't have the offensive firepower to hang with the Packers today. They have a chance to win since they are at home but Aaron Rodgers might torch the Ravens defense like Peyton Manning did in week one. Joe FLACCCOOOOOO will have to be at the top of his game to win this one, but I doubt he will be.

Texans 27, Rams 21 --- Could this be the last game Matt Schaub starts for the Texans? Possibly if he throws another pick six. Either way I think the Texans win this game at home. The Rams haven't looked like a good football team all year and they are 0-2 on the road. If the Texans can rely on their ground game they should be able to get their third win of the year.

Broncos 44, Jaguars 19 --- JAX +27  This game has backdoor cover written all over it. Meaning that the Broncos will have a huge lead, well over the 27 point spread, but since they will be up so much they might start benching their players in the fourth quarter, which will allow the Jaguars to score a late touchdown to cover the spread. Either that of Peyton Manning throws eight touchdowns. Can you imagine if the Jaguars win though? It won't happen but that would have to be one of the biggest upsets in NFL history.

Seahawks 30, Titans 14 --- The Seahawks don't lose at home. Ryan Fitzpatrick will throw at least two interceptions. That's pretty much it.

Patriots 31, Saints 27 --- The Patriots rarely lose two games in a row. They played awful on offense last week in Cincinnati and I doubt that trend will continue. Sure the Saints haven't allowed a team to score over 18 points all year but this is Tommy F. Brady we are talking about. If the Patriots defense can keep Drew BREEEEEEEESSS and the Saints under 30 points they would give the offense a chance to win this one.

49ers 24, Cardinals 10 --- As good as the Cardinals defense has been, that's how bad the offense is. Carson Palmer threw three picks last week, he now has nine for the year. You can't turn the ball over like that and expect to beat the Niners in San Fran. If Kaepernick doesn't turn the ball over multiple times I can't fathom the Cardinals winning this one.

Cowboys 34, Redskins 27 --- WAS +5.5 You would have to assume that since Tony Romo lit up the Broncos with 500 passing yards he could do the same thing to the Redskins, who are ranked 31st on defense and 26th against the pass. You would assume that. But this is Tony Romo and the Cowboys we are talking about. The Redskins are off a bye week and their first win of the season. Plus if the Skins lose this one they will fall two games out of first place. I'll take the Cowboys because they looked too good on offense last week but if they lose it wouldn't shock me at all.

Colts 28, Chargers 20 --- IND -1.5 The Colts are one of the best teams in the league. I'm not too sure why the spread in this game is only 1.5. The Chargers just lost to the Raiders and Phil Rivers is starting to look like the 2012 version of Phil Rivers again. Also, the Chargers aren't exactly the most clutch team on Monday nights. Andrew Luck will get the job done in San Diego.

Enjoy the games people.

Week 6 Thursday Night Pick

Six takeaways from Week 5.

1. I nailed my Super Bowl prediction

By nailed, I mean I'm already wrong and it's only October 10th. I picked the Atlanta Falcons to beat the Broncos. Right now it doesn't even look like the Falcons are going the playoffs. Sure, every team they have lost to currently has a winning record, but they are going to be without Julio Jones for the rest of the year and Roddy White hasn't been himself so far. Plus their defense might be the real problem. I am starting to believe in Geno, but he shouldn't look like a ten year veteran against a team that is suppose to be good. Their next three games are winnable (Tampa, Arizona, Carolina) but they still have the Seahawks, Saints, Packers, and 49ers on their schedule. Nine wins might be a best case scenario for the Dirty Birds and even that might not be enough to get in.

2. The New York Football Jets

They are a good football team, I'm still not saying they are going to make the playoffs, but they are going to be in the hunt and won't be a push over in any game. Furthermore, if Geno doesn't turn the ball over they can possibly get to ten wins. They should be able to win this week at home against the Steelers, because lets be honest, Steel Town doesn't force any turnovers and they probably won't score too much against a solid Jets defense. Also, Rex Ryan may just be a very good coach after all. He out-coached Mike Smith on Monday night and his defense is still great even without Revis. Coming into the year it seemed like this would be his last year as the head coach, but not right now.

3. Tony Romo is Brett Favre without a Super Bowl

He's a gunslinger. That's just who he is. He is exactly what Brett Favre was. He's going to have great games, like last Sunday, and at times he will leave you scratching your head, also like last Sunday.
Will he ever win a Super Bowl? I don't know. If they get hot at the end of the year why not? Joey Bleeping FLACCCCCCCOOOO just won a Super Bowl, so anything is possible. I like Tony Romo and I think he's a top 10 QB but he is prone to make mistakes late in games. But if he plays like he did last Sunday for the rest of the year the Cowboys are going to win a lot of games.


4. Cam Newton stinks

I actually watched a lot of the Panthers at Cardinals game on Sunday because I was forced to play Cam in fantasy thanks to a bye week for RG III. Anyways, I don't know if the Cardinals defense is amazing or if Cam Newton just isn't very good. I think it's Cam. He threw three interceptions, fumbled once, and got sacked in the end zone for safety. Sure, he got sacked seven times so maybe his protection isn't great but he would never leave the pocket. He only ran the ball four times and during the second half it almost looked like running the ball never crossed his mind. He just stood in the middle of the pocket waiting for it to collapse on him. I do actually like Cam a lot but something has to change in Carolina. A number one overall draft pick should not look that bad three years into his career.

5. AFC playoff teams

Right now I think four teams are without a doubt going to be in the playoffs. Broncos, Chiefs, Colts, and Patriots. All four of them will make it. That means there are really only two more spots left (one has to be the AFC North champ). So from all of these six teams, Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Jets, Dolphins, and Titans only two will make it. That doesn't even count the Texans who are only 2-3. All I'm saying is it could be a wild race come December for the final playoff spots in the AFC.

6. Andrew Luck

I was thinking about what to write about Tony Romo and I was going to call him a top five QB. Then I went through all the teams and thought who I couldn't take him over. Peyton, TFB, Drew BREEEESSSSSS, Luck, and Rodgers. I said Andrew Luck without even hesitating.
He is eventually going to become the best quarterback in the league and I think he's already in the top five. I heard a stat from Bill Polian, that in his 20 career regular season games he already has 9 fourth quarter comebacks. He's got all the tools to be great. Sure he's kind of a nerd, but I love the kid. He's going to do a lot of winning in Indy.

Thursday Night Pick

Bears 35, Giants 17 --- I have finally given up hope on the Giants. They are horrible. I think the Bears will score at least one defensive touchdown tonight because Eli is definitely going to turn the ball over multiple times. Plus DA BEARS are a pretty good football team even though they have lost two in a row. They need the win tonight and I think they get it rather easily.

NFL Week 5 Picks

It's already October. The season is a quarter over. That's the only bad part about the NFL season. It goes by way too quickly and before you know it, it's February. So savor every Sunday because there are only a handful more of them.

Oh, hey and at least the Steelers can't lose today.

Overall: 36-26    Spread:  5-10-1

Saints 30, Bears 24 --- I think the Bears are what they were last week against the Lions. Meaning if they lose the turnover battle they probably lose. They don't lose that battle too much because their defense has a nose for the football. The bad news for the Bears today is that they play against Drew BREEEEEESSSSSSSS, who had an outstanding performance last Monday against the Dolphins. Saints get the win today in the city of broad shoulders. DITKA.

Patriots 27, Bengals 21 --- NE -1 I'll be honest, I want to pick the Bengals in this game. Only because the Bungals looked horrible last week in Cleveland, while the Patriots went into Atlanta and won. It wouldn't seem to make sense but I think the Bengals might play great today. Plus it might take a game or two to adjust to the loss of Big Vince Wilfork. I don't have the stones to actually make that pick though because the Red Rocket (Andy Dalton) just hasn't been consistent all year. I'll stick with QB on the other side of the field. TFB gets the job done once again.


Packers 31, Lions 23 --- Green Bay has to win this game. They can't afford to fall to 1-3, while the Lions would then be 4-1 and the Bears might get to 4-1 also. Luckily for them they are at home and off a bye week. Plus the Lions are not good at Lambeau Field. They haven't won there since 1991. So I think the Packers keep that streak going and get the win today.

Chiefs 24, Titans 17 --- The difference in this game will be turnovers. With Ryan Fitzpatrick playing for the injured Jake Locker, the Titans may be in trouble in that department. The Harvard man likes to fling the ball around and quite frequently he finds the wrong team. On the other side of the ball, Alex Smith normally manages the game pretty well. So, even though I think the Texans are a pretty good team, I think they take a step back with Fitzpatrick at QB. Chiefs move to 5-0.

Colts 26, Seahawks 20 --- IND +3 I still don't trust Seattle on the road. If Matt Schaub doesn't throw a horrible pick six, they lose last week in Houston. Today they face a much better team. The Colts already went to San Francisco and dominated the Niners. I don't see why they can't take down another NFC West team at home.  

Rams 28, Jaguars 13 --- STL -11 Vegas is finally figuring out how bad the Jags are. Giving the 1-3 Rams an 11 point spread seems kind of crazy. I'm still going to take it because the Jaguars are that dreadful. They do get Justin Blackmon back today after his four game suspension. Obviously that won't change the outcome in the win/loss category but maybe, just maybe, they look sort of like an NFL team at times.

Dolphins 24, Ravens 20 --- The Ravens offense can't be as bad as it was last week, when Joe FLACCCCCCCOOOOOOO threw five interceptions and Ray Rice barely touched the ball. With that being said, I'm still going with the Dolphins in this one. I don't think the Ravens are the same team they were last year. No Anquan Boldin has really hurt Flacco. He doesn't have that one go to receiver at all times. Meanwhile, the Phins are 1-0 at home and I think Mike Wallace will be able to beat the Ravens deep at least once. Dolphins win.

Giants 30, Eagles 27 --- The G-Men have to win sometime. I think today is the day. Plus if they win and the Cowboys lose they will only be one game out of the division. I think they win today because the Eagles haven't been good at all since week 1 in Washington. If the Giants do lose though, how hot will Tom Coughlin's seat be? I don't think they can fire him or will but people on ESPN will start talking about it.

Panthers 20, Cardinals 14 --- CAR -2 I have no idea what to make of the Cardinals. The barely beat the 0-4 Bucs last week. They did beat the Lions at home in week two. But they are have only scored 20 points in the past two weeks. The Panthers are off a bye and a 38-0 ass kicking against the Giants. I'm going to go with Cam and the Panthers in this one but it wouldn't shock me at all if the Cards win.

Broncos 34, Cowboys 28 --- This game could be a close one IF the Cowboys can establish a run game like they did against the Rams in week 3. IF they can, then they keep Peyton Manning off the field, which is the only way to slow him down. Tony Romo also cannot turn the ball over. IF both of those things happen for the Cowboys, then maybe they win. But those are big "IFs". So in the end I think the Broncos get their fifth win.

49ers 27, Texans 21 --- The Niners have had a long week to prepare for this Sunday Night game and the Texans are off a brutal overtime loss to the Seahawks. I'm still not sure what to make of the Texans. They could easily be 0-4 right now but they pulled off late wins against the Chargers and Titans. I do not think they go into San Fran and get the win though. Plus if the Niners offense plays anything like they did in St. Louis last week they will be just fine. No turnovers. Solid run game. Should lead to a W most weeks.

Chargers 28, Raiders 24 --- I doubt anybody in the US is going to watch this game considering it starts at 11:35 ET. Hell, I might watch it when I wake up in the morning before I have to go to school. Actually, it probably will be still going on at 8 am over here in Paris. Sweet. Now I'm pumped about this game. The Chargers have been playing pretty well this year and if Phil Rivers keeps it going they should go into Oakland and win.

Falcons 30, Jets 17 --- Absolute must win for the Falcons. They cannot lose to the Jets to fall to 1-4. They just can't. They shouldn't have a huge problem winning this game though because the Jets are a different team away from JetLife. If Geno turns the ball over two or three times it could get a bit ugly on Monday night.


Enjoy the games people.



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Week 5 Thursday Night Pick

Six takeaways from Week 4.

1 - NFC East 2013 = NFC West 2010

Does anybody even want to win this division? The Cowboys could have given themselves a two game lead had they won in San Diego last week, but they didn't. Instead they let the Redskins and the Eagles, who have lost three in a row, back in the division at 1-3. Hell, even the Giants, who have been brutal so far aren't necessarily dead just yet. I feel like I keep saying the Cowboys should be able to get to nine or ten wins but who knows anymore. If they lose to the Broncos Sunday, every team will be under .500. Eight wins might be all you need to win the East.

2 - The Bengals aren't exactly the Bungals but they are kind of close

The Bengals are arguably the most talented team in the AFC North but it just seems like they can't put it all together. The lost in Chicago week one (not a horrible loss), then they beat the Steelers and Packers at home so it looked like they were on their way to taking control of the division. And then they lay an egg against the Browns. 6 points? I know the Browns have some momentum going but come on Bengals. You have to win that game if you are the class of the North. I kind of expect the Bengals to be like this all year now. One week great. One week horrible.

3 - I hope the Brownies win the AFC North

Two weeks ago the Browns were finished. They traded Trent Richardson and everyone had them buried. But since then they beat the Vikings and the Bengals. Now they play the Bills at home tonight with a real chance to go 3-2. Which might be good enough for first place after this week since the Bengals play the Patriots and the Ravens go to Miami. Frankly it would make me smile if the Ravens and Bengals both miss out on the playoffs while the Steelers are finishing in the basement. So lets go Browns (That's a first).

4 - Peyton Manning is amazing in the regular season

16 touchdowns, zero interceptions, the Broncos score 40 something points a week, blah, blah, blah. I'm tired of Peyton in the regular season honestly. The Broncos are going to the playoffs and Peyton might break some records but I don't care. We all know how amazing he is during the regular season. I just want to see him in the playoffs again. Because no matter how great his season is, if they lose at home in their first playoff game again, the Broncos season will be a failure. So the next 12 Broncos game are meaningless to me, their 17th game will be the first one that matters.

5 - The Texans need a new QB

If Matt Schaub doesn't throw the horrible pick six to Richard Sherman in the fourth quarter, the Texans beat the Seahawks. You cannot make that throw in that situation. I'm not saying Schaub is an awful quarterback, he's obviously better than most, but I don't think he has the ability to take the Texans any farther than they have already been. The Texans might get back into the playoffs but they aren't a threat to do any damage in the AFC with him at the helm.


6 - When did Big Ben become horrible?

I know the Steelers have a lot of problems. On Sunday they couldn't tackle anybody. But Big Ben arguably cost them the game. The past two weeks he's thrown for 789 yards but he's also turned the ball over six times (4 INT's and 2 fumbles). The key turnover last week was the Chad Greenway interception. They were down 27-17 in the third and Big Ben basically handed the Vikings another seven points. Then he fumbled on third and goal at the end of the game (that was mostly due to the offensive line not blocking anyone) but the point is, is that Big Ben ain't what he used to be. I realize he might not have the same talent around him and the offensive line is bad, but it was bad in 2010 when he took the Steelers to the Super Bowl. I'm not blaming Todd Haley and their relationship...well actually I am. It's all Todd Haley's fault. Once he took over as the O.C. last year Big Ben changed. Ben is now what Philip Rivers was when Norv Turner was the head coach of the Chargers. If the Steelers finish the year with ten losses or more, Haley better be gone.


Thursday Night Pick

Browns 24, Bills 14 ---  The Bills surprised me last week by circling the wagons against the Ravens but it was a home. The Bills are only 0-1 on the road but the loss to the Jets makes me think they are a different away from Buffalo. Plus the Brownies are coming off a nice win against the Bengals. I think they keep the momentum going and get their third straight win.

P.S. Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron, have a big night for me.