A five day drink fest culminated with me arriving home Sunday morning around 6 A.M. I did not go to any of my local, NFL friendly pubs on Sunday so I watched only the locally broad casted games. Here are some of my thoughts from those games.
Giants defeat Dolphins: If this game was played on a better field, the Giants would have won by a large margin. Their offensive line tore apart the Miami front 7 and Jacobs was running very hard. The Giants list Jacobs at 260 pounds. I am not sure if he is that heavy, but his muscle mass and height are impressive. He continues to run with anger and although not on display often in this game, is becoming a better blocker as the year progresses. Eli Manning did little to win the game, but maybe more importantly, did not lose the game when called upon to pass in the muck. The Dolphins still have some aging players that other teams may want via trades. Taylor and Thomas may be worth draft picks this off season and the Dolphins would be wise to listen to offers.
Watching the game, I would have guessed that half the fans at Wembley Stadium for this game were Americans living in Europe who jumped at the opportunity to see an NFL game. The rest being 30% Europeans who followed the NFL Europe league and now had the opportunity to watch an NFL game in person. The last 20% simply people who wanted to have a few beers and watch some organized violence. I am not sure of these numbers, just guessing.
The NFL has a great product. Passion, athleticism and teamwork are just three qualities that link NFL football and soccer. The one attribute that the NFL has that soccer does not, and is appealing to European countries, especially those that play rugby, is the violence that happens with every single play in the NFL. I am positive that a casual fan at the game last Sunday, a fan who never watched an NFL game before, saw the extreme level of contact and became hooked.
The NFL will never take over as the premier sport in Europe. Soccer is too popular and beautiful of a sport to lose its perch as #1. The NFL has to reach the fans by finding a way to get some NFL games on local television stations, especially during the playoffs. Have tutorials on rules and strategy before, during and after the games. The NFL Europe league was the equivalent of Triple AAA baseball so the more real NFL games Europeans get to watch, the better.
Bills defeat Jets: In what has become a common theme with Mangini, he had no confidence in his offensive line or running game when it mattered most. The Jets had the ball at the Buffalo 40 with 6 minutes to go. 3rd and 3 and I am thinking, ”this is certainly 4 down territory, give it to Jones twice and see what happens”. Wrong, incomplete pass and the Jets punted. Jones is running real hard all day behind an offensive line that had been pushing the Bill front 7 off the line and yet Mangini decided to throw and then punt. You are 1-6, at home, down by 3 late in the game and he decided to play it safe. After showing zero confidence in his line and running game repeatedly through the year, I wonder if it has creeped into his lineman’s heads, “we really do stink”. Even after the punt landed on the 3, did anyone really think that the Jets were going to stop Lynch before he got a couple of first downs? I didn’t. Congrats so far to Buffalo. They are playing hard week in and week out and seem to have a good core of young players to build on.
Packers defeat Broncos: The supposedly best CB tandem in the league got beat for the two long TD passes. First it was Champ Baily in the 1st Q and then Dre Bly in OT. I am still not sold on the Packers but I will say this. My mind is changing as I see them get a running game going. At the start of the season, I though Favre was through being an elite QB. I was wrong. Then I thought that without a running game, the Packers could not win. Wrong again. But, when the playoffs arrive, the Packers will need a decent running game to win and they may have found something in Ryan Grant. It was one game against a shaky run defense ,so let’s see how he does the next few games. If they get a ground game going, I will start to believe in this Packer team.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
NFL Week 8 Picks
Last Week 6- 8- 0
Season 47- 49- 7
I have been on a 5 day bender so I have not thought of these games too intently.
Giants(-9.5), Bills (+3), Rams (+3), Bears (-5),Colts (-6.5), Titans (-7.5),
Eagles (-1), Bengals (+4), Texans (+10), Buccaneers (-4), Saints (-3),
Redskins (+17), Broncos (-3)
Season 47- 49- 7
I have been on a 5 day bender so I have not thought of these games too intently.
Giants(-9.5), Bills (+3), Rams (+3), Bears (-5),Colts (-6.5), Titans (-7.5),
Eagles (-1), Bengals (+4), Texans (+10), Buccaneers (-4), Saints (-3),
Redskins (+17), Broncos (-3)
Friday, October 26, 2007
Glenn Dorsey Chop Blocked
Last Saturday, Auburn’s freshman RG Chaz Ramsey took a vicious shot at LSU standout DT Glenn Dorsey’s knee. Did an Auburn coach tell his young, impressionable lineman, who wants to be a starter on Auburn for all 4 years to take Dorsey out, help Auburn get a big win? Or is Chaz Ramsey a very mean person who has and will do this again? Combination of both? I am happy for Dorsey that the injury is a sprain and he is scheduled to play next Saturday.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
NFL Week 7 Game Notes
Games that I watched this weekend:
Bengals beat Jets: Eight second half rushes by Thomas Jones is not enough when
you are up 10 at half. The offensive line did a poor job at opening up holes
for Jones to run through, a travesty considering that the Bengals had been
giving up a ton of yards on the ground through their first five games.Overall, the Jet offensive line is not playing well this year. I thought it was a team strength , but has yet to live up to expectations. Pennington needs to take a seat. It may seem like a panic move by some, but at 1-6, what are your options? Is he going to be your QB next season? If the answer is yes, then keep him in there, but if the answer is no, bring in Clemens and see what he has. The Jet defense stinks. No pass rush, can't stop the run, and opposition receivers are constantly open. I was very wrong about the Jets this season, having them winning the division. Congrats to the Bengals on winning this game. A big test against the Steelers this weekend. If they want recognition as a playoff contender, a home win against a division opponent is a must.
Giants defeat San Fran: The Giants are playing the best football in the NFC right now and took care of an inferior San Fran team. The offensive line is playing at an elite level, Jacobs and company are running angry and the receiving trio of Burress, Shockey and Toomer are making plays. Manning seemed to have avoided his mandatory one bone headed interception per game in this one. The interception deep inside SF territory was the result of a tipped pass at the line. The effectiveness of the Giant defense is dependent on the front 4. Whenthey are causing havoc, the Giant defense is solid because the weaknesses at LB and secondary are being masked. Outside of Antonio Pierce, the Giants lack a consistent playmaker behind the defensive line. However, if the line plays at the level they are playing at now, the Giants have a real shot at the East andat making a deep playoff push.
Buffalo defeats Baltimore: Ok, so there are 60 seconds left in the 2nd Q. The
Ravens are down 9-0 and have the ball, 4th and 10 from the Bill 39 yard line. I am watching the game thinking "The punt unit is coming out, why is the punt unit coming out?" You are at home, have a defense you believe in and there are 60 seconds left in the half. Why is this guy punting? I thought that was a bad call on Billick’s part, especially with Baltimore getting the kick to start the 2nd half. The second half starts with a Baltimore TD drive featuring McGahee running for 72 yards on 4 carries. What does the "offensive genius" Billick do on the next Baltimore possession, down 12 -7? Pass, pass, pass, punt. The next Baltimore possession when they were down 19-7, with 18 minutes left to play? The get to the Buffalo 8 yard line, 3rd and 3. McGahee is running hard and the offensive line is playing well, run the ball was what I thought. Wrong. The "offensive genius" calls two pass plays resulting in two incompletions. If you know you are going for it on 4th down, run it on 3rd and 4th down. Buffalo is a tough team and Marshawn Lynch is a gifted running back. He is going to be a good player in this league for a while. My AFC final 4 included the Ravens and not the Patriots. I would like to amend that prediction please.
Cowboys defeat Vikings: I am still not convinced that Dallas is an elite team but they continue to win, so what do I know. Their defense is a weakness and will prevent them from reaching the Super Bowl if they do not tighten up that unit. Marion Barber runs like he is possessed and needs to be the featured back. He is tough, blocks extremely well, comes out of the backfield as a receiver better than Jones and has a mean streak that is needed to win in this league. Romo played at an All Pro type level in this game. If the Vikings had a QB, they would fight for a playoff spot.
Patriots defeat Dolphins: It was interesting the way every onlooker at the bar, regardless of fan affiliation, watched every Patriot possession in the first half. As Brady had his customary seven Mississippi count in the pocket, a collective, anticipatory hush fell across the bar on both his long attempts to Moss, and laughter of dismay and pleasure when Moss came down with the TDs. All football fans know that the Patriot offense can break records and most of these fans are happy to be witness to it. Good luck to Ronnie Brown and Renaldo Hill on their upcoming ACL reconstructions and rehabilitations. Good luck to the Dolphins on possibly winning a game this year.
Bears defeat Eagles: When a team get to the red zone, the field shrinks. WRs need to work harder to get open. This is not happening in Philly and their red zone TD rate is abysmal because of it. Ronnie Brown and Kevin Curtis are not the answer at WR and the Eagle offense is paying for it. It is no coincidence that the one year McNabb had an elite WR, the Eagles went to the Super Bowl and McNabb was an MVP candidate. It is a shame that the Eagles refuse to go out and get McNabb support outside of Westbrook and I root for him to get out of Philly when this year is complete and go somewhere that will support his tremendous talent better. Chicago is a better team with Griese at helm and they are also a better team when Adrian Peterson gets more touches than Cedric Benson. I see little in Benson at this point. No toughness and no desire to get the extra yard. Peterson will start to get more touches as the season progresses,
New Orleans defeats Atlanta: If you go to nfl.com, you can see a 4 minute or so highlight clip from every game. If you look at the clip of this game, take note of the angle the Atlanta LB takes on Bush’s 4th Q TD run after catch. It’s 3rd and goal form the 4. Short pass to the left and Bush gets tangled with the right CB and is being held up. The LB in question, running from the middle of the field towards the tangle on the right sideline between Bush and the right CB, does a very amateur thing. Instead of knocking them all out of bounds, he tries to push the pile back towards the line of scrimmage. Bush frees himself and scores. Atlanta is playing above their talent level and could have three wins at this point. They played better than Jacksonville in week two and outplayed N.O. in this game. Jerious Norewood deserves more touches and Roddy White is a future All Pro.
Colts beat Jaguars: A clinic by the Colt offense. They took what the Jaguar defense gave them and wore out Jacksonville by the end of the game. In all the years I have watched Manning and company, I feel that this is their most cohesive offensive unit. The offensive line is elite, Wayne is now a seasoned veteran making the difficult catches, Marvin is still his All Pro self, Addai and Keith are both tough, explosive runners and Clark has emerged as an elite TE. I will be rooting for them in two weeks against the Pats. Why was Jones- Drew running the ball with 3 minutes to go in the game down by 3 TDs. I hope his knee injury is non-lingering.
Seattle defeats St. Louis: Seattle will probably win the NFC West, but they lack a toughness needed to make a deep push in the playoffs. Alexander is running like he is avoiding contact and the offensive line is nothing to brag about. The defense is the Seahawk strength right now.
Chiefs defeat Raiders: With the pints of Sam Adams and Patron shots flowing, I really did not watch this game too intently, but I will say this. What the hell is Priest Holmes doing back on the football field? He suffered a neck/spine injury categorized as severe two years ago and now is going helmet to helmet again with very angry, very large defensive players that do not care of prior spinal/ neck injury. Does he need the money, because if so, I’ll start a collection. He should not be on the field.
Bengals beat Jets: Eight second half rushes by Thomas Jones is not enough when
you are up 10 at half. The offensive line did a poor job at opening up holes
for Jones to run through, a travesty considering that the Bengals had been
giving up a ton of yards on the ground through their first five games.Overall, the Jet offensive line is not playing well this year. I thought it was a team strength , but has yet to live up to expectations. Pennington needs to take a seat. It may seem like a panic move by some, but at 1-6, what are your options? Is he going to be your QB next season? If the answer is yes, then keep him in there, but if the answer is no, bring in Clemens and see what he has. The Jet defense stinks. No pass rush, can't stop the run, and opposition receivers are constantly open. I was very wrong about the Jets this season, having them winning the division. Congrats to the Bengals on winning this game. A big test against the Steelers this weekend. If they want recognition as a playoff contender, a home win against a division opponent is a must.
Giants defeat San Fran: The Giants are playing the best football in the NFC right now and took care of an inferior San Fran team. The offensive line is playing at an elite level, Jacobs and company are running angry and the receiving trio of Burress, Shockey and Toomer are making plays. Manning seemed to have avoided his mandatory one bone headed interception per game in this one. The interception deep inside SF territory was the result of a tipped pass at the line. The effectiveness of the Giant defense is dependent on the front 4. Whenthey are causing havoc, the Giant defense is solid because the weaknesses at LB and secondary are being masked. Outside of Antonio Pierce, the Giants lack a consistent playmaker behind the defensive line. However, if the line plays at the level they are playing at now, the Giants have a real shot at the East andat making a deep playoff push.
Buffalo defeats Baltimore: Ok, so there are 60 seconds left in the 2nd Q. The
Ravens are down 9-0 and have the ball, 4th and 10 from the Bill 39 yard line. I am watching the game thinking "The punt unit is coming out, why is the punt unit coming out?" You are at home, have a defense you believe in and there are 60 seconds left in the half. Why is this guy punting? I thought that was a bad call on Billick’s part, especially with Baltimore getting the kick to start the 2nd half. The second half starts with a Baltimore TD drive featuring McGahee running for 72 yards on 4 carries. What does the "offensive genius" Billick do on the next Baltimore possession, down 12 -7? Pass, pass, pass, punt. The next Baltimore possession when they were down 19-7, with 18 minutes left to play? The get to the Buffalo 8 yard line, 3rd and 3. McGahee is running hard and the offensive line is playing well, run the ball was what I thought. Wrong. The "offensive genius" calls two pass plays resulting in two incompletions. If you know you are going for it on 4th down, run it on 3rd and 4th down. Buffalo is a tough team and Marshawn Lynch is a gifted running back. He is going to be a good player in this league for a while. My AFC final 4 included the Ravens and not the Patriots. I would like to amend that prediction please.
Cowboys defeat Vikings: I am still not convinced that Dallas is an elite team but they continue to win, so what do I know. Their defense is a weakness and will prevent them from reaching the Super Bowl if they do not tighten up that unit. Marion Barber runs like he is possessed and needs to be the featured back. He is tough, blocks extremely well, comes out of the backfield as a receiver better than Jones and has a mean streak that is needed to win in this league. Romo played at an All Pro type level in this game. If the Vikings had a QB, they would fight for a playoff spot.
Patriots defeat Dolphins: It was interesting the way every onlooker at the bar, regardless of fan affiliation, watched every Patriot possession in the first half. As Brady had his customary seven Mississippi count in the pocket, a collective, anticipatory hush fell across the bar on both his long attempts to Moss, and laughter of dismay and pleasure when Moss came down with the TDs. All football fans know that the Patriot offense can break records and most of these fans are happy to be witness to it. Good luck to Ronnie Brown and Renaldo Hill on their upcoming ACL reconstructions and rehabilitations. Good luck to the Dolphins on possibly winning a game this year.
Bears defeat Eagles: When a team get to the red zone, the field shrinks. WRs need to work harder to get open. This is not happening in Philly and their red zone TD rate is abysmal because of it. Ronnie Brown and Kevin Curtis are not the answer at WR and the Eagle offense is paying for it. It is no coincidence that the one year McNabb had an elite WR, the Eagles went to the Super Bowl and McNabb was an MVP candidate. It is a shame that the Eagles refuse to go out and get McNabb support outside of Westbrook and I root for him to get out of Philly when this year is complete and go somewhere that will support his tremendous talent better. Chicago is a better team with Griese at helm and they are also a better team when Adrian Peterson gets more touches than Cedric Benson. I see little in Benson at this point. No toughness and no desire to get the extra yard. Peterson will start to get more touches as the season progresses,
New Orleans defeats Atlanta: If you go to nfl.com, you can see a 4 minute or so highlight clip from every game. If you look at the clip of this game, take note of the angle the Atlanta LB takes on Bush’s 4th Q TD run after catch. It’s 3rd and goal form the 4. Short pass to the left and Bush gets tangled with the right CB and is being held up. The LB in question, running from the middle of the field towards the tangle on the right sideline between Bush and the right CB, does a very amateur thing. Instead of knocking them all out of bounds, he tries to push the pile back towards the line of scrimmage. Bush frees himself and scores. Atlanta is playing above their talent level and could have three wins at this point. They played better than Jacksonville in week two and outplayed N.O. in this game. Jerious Norewood deserves more touches and Roddy White is a future All Pro.
Colts beat Jaguars: A clinic by the Colt offense. They took what the Jaguar defense gave them and wore out Jacksonville by the end of the game. In all the years I have watched Manning and company, I feel that this is their most cohesive offensive unit. The offensive line is elite, Wayne is now a seasoned veteran making the difficult catches, Marvin is still his All Pro self, Addai and Keith are both tough, explosive runners and Clark has emerged as an elite TE. I will be rooting for them in two weeks against the Pats. Why was Jones- Drew running the ball with 3 minutes to go in the game down by 3 TDs. I hope his knee injury is non-lingering.
Seattle defeats St. Louis: Seattle will probably win the NFC West, but they lack a toughness needed to make a deep push in the playoffs. Alexander is running like he is avoiding contact and the offensive line is nothing to brag about. The defense is the Seahawk strength right now.
Chiefs defeat Raiders: With the pints of Sam Adams and Patron shots flowing, I really did not watch this game too intently, but I will say this. What the hell is Priest Holmes doing back on the football field? He suffered a neck/spine injury categorized as severe two years ago and now is going helmet to helmet again with very angry, very large defensive players that do not care of prior spinal/ neck injury. Does he need the money, because if so, I’ll start a collection. He should not be on the field.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
NFL Week 7 Picks
Spreads courtesy of the Friday New York Post. HOME team in CAPS.
Last week 5- 6- 2
Season 41- 41- 7
Games I would wager on if in Vegas.
Jets (+6.5) over BENGALS: Seems like too many points given by a team that plays no defense.
Steelers (-3.5) over BRONCOS: Steelers kicked the snot out of Seattle before the bye week and now get most of their injured players back. The Broncos do not look good on either side of the ball and will be without Javon Walker.
Rams (+8.5) over SEAHAWKS: The Rams will probably have Bulger back at QB and are also getting healthy on the O-line. Seattle has shown very little the past few weeks in terms of talent or heart. I don’t feel confident picking Seattle to win this game outright at this point, never mind the large line.
Games I think I know what I am talking about.
Patriots (-16.5) over DOLPHINS: Only scary part of this spread is that Brady has never really excelled in Miami. However, this is a Patriot team looking to destroy all teams on their schedule and Miami has Cleo Lemon at QB who looked razzed at times against a poor Brown defense last week.
EAGLES (-5.5) over Bears: I had predicted these two teams to meet in the NFC championship game. Whoever loses this game will probably not make the playoffs. The Eagles are a bit more balanced on both sides of the ball right now and are at home.
Chiefs (+2.5) over RAIDERS: I hate the fact that I am picking the Chiefs. I am not sold on Cullpepper at all right now, the Chiefs are running the ball well and playing solid defense.
Colts (-3) JAGUARS: I can smell a 24-10 Colt halftime lead. The Colts are rested, have their offensive stars healed after the bye week and are the better team. I do not think the 4-1 Jaguar record is an indication of their abilities. They lost to the only solid team they played , Titans, and were fortunate in victories against the Falcons and Chiefs. Besides, the Colts and Pats are destined to play their game later in the season both undefeated.
Games that I would stay away from:
Falcons (+9) over SAINTS: I think the Saints will win, but they are poor against the run and Leftwich is a smart QB that will make the Falcons a better team
Ravens (-3) over BILLS: Throw all analysis out the window when the Bills are at home.
TEXANS (+1.5) over Titans: The Texan defense should be able to control the game, especially if Collins is QB for the Titans.
Vikings (+9.5) over COWBOYS: I like to look at the games for the week and before looking at the line, trying to guess the line. My guess for this game was Vikings
+5.5. The Cowboys are a bit overrated, especially when you take their defense into account.
Buccaneers (+2) over LIONS: The Lions are so erratic right that I would stay away from their games. The Bucs are winning with defense and Garcia is playing at a very high level. The addition of Bennett will help their running game.
The If games- These are 2 games that have injury issues that are important, will be game time decisions, and swing my picks from the favorite to the underdog depending on if they are playing or not.
If QB Smith plays for the 49ers 49ers (+9) over GIANTS
If QB Smith does not play GIANTS (-9) over 49ers
If QB Warner plays for the Cardinals Cards (+8.5) over REDSKINS
If QB Warner does not play REDSKINS (-8.5) over Cards
Last week 5- 6- 2
Season 41- 41- 7
Games I would wager on if in Vegas.
Jets (+6.5) over BENGALS: Seems like too many points given by a team that plays no defense.
Steelers (-3.5) over BRONCOS: Steelers kicked the snot out of Seattle before the bye week and now get most of their injured players back. The Broncos do not look good on either side of the ball and will be without Javon Walker.
Rams (+8.5) over SEAHAWKS: The Rams will probably have Bulger back at QB and are also getting healthy on the O-line. Seattle has shown very little the past few weeks in terms of talent or heart. I don’t feel confident picking Seattle to win this game outright at this point, never mind the large line.
Games I think I know what I am talking about.
Patriots (-16.5) over DOLPHINS: Only scary part of this spread is that Brady has never really excelled in Miami. However, this is a Patriot team looking to destroy all teams on their schedule and Miami has Cleo Lemon at QB who looked razzed at times against a poor Brown defense last week.
EAGLES (-5.5) over Bears: I had predicted these two teams to meet in the NFC championship game. Whoever loses this game will probably not make the playoffs. The Eagles are a bit more balanced on both sides of the ball right now and are at home.
Chiefs (+2.5) over RAIDERS: I hate the fact that I am picking the Chiefs. I am not sold on Cullpepper at all right now, the Chiefs are running the ball well and playing solid defense.
Colts (-3) JAGUARS: I can smell a 24-10 Colt halftime lead. The Colts are rested, have their offensive stars healed after the bye week and are the better team. I do not think the 4-1 Jaguar record is an indication of their abilities. They lost to the only solid team they played , Titans, and were fortunate in victories against the Falcons and Chiefs. Besides, the Colts and Pats are destined to play their game later in the season both undefeated.
Games that I would stay away from:
Falcons (+9) over SAINTS: I think the Saints will win, but they are poor against the run and Leftwich is a smart QB that will make the Falcons a better team
Ravens (-3) over BILLS: Throw all analysis out the window when the Bills are at home.
TEXANS (+1.5) over Titans: The Texan defense should be able to control the game, especially if Collins is QB for the Titans.
Vikings (+9.5) over COWBOYS: I like to look at the games for the week and before looking at the line, trying to guess the line. My guess for this game was Vikings
+5.5. The Cowboys are a bit overrated, especially when you take their defense into account.
Buccaneers (+2) over LIONS: The Lions are so erratic right that I would stay away from their games. The Bucs are winning with defense and Garcia is playing at a very high level. The addition of Bennett will help their running game.
The If games- These are 2 games that have injury issues that are important, will be game time decisions, and swing my picks from the favorite to the underdog depending on if they are playing or not.
If QB Smith plays for the 49ers 49ers (+9) over GIANTS
If QB Smith does not play GIANTS (-9) over 49ers
If QB Warner plays for the Cardinals Cards (+8.5) over REDSKINS
If QB Warner does not play REDSKINS (-8.5) over Cards
Ray Rice
Here is a prediction from me to you I hope to be wrong about. Ray Rice will not go as high as he should in the NFL draft (he is a junior this season) because his pre-draft combine results will not be stellar. He will not post a great 40 time, or jump high in the vertical test or do extremely well in whatever athletic tests they have at these events. I have watched Ray Rice run a lot the past two seasons. He runs angry, always keeping his legs moving. His blocking is above average and has improved his ability to come out of the backfield as a receiver. Most importantly, he plays at a higher level in the big games, wanting the ball. All of Ray Rice’s big games and big moments, his instincts as a running back and leadership qualities will be marginalized because of his 40 time or number of bench presses. He will not be the first player to fall in the draft because of the “combine” results and unfortunately, will not be the last.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
NFL Week 6 Game Notes
Here are my thoughts on games I watched this weekend.
Eagles defeat Jets: The Jets had the ball, 3rd and 1 at the Eagle 3or 4 yard line, late in the 4th Q, needing a TD. Once again Mangini showed ZERO confidence in his running back and offensive line. Jones is having a monster day, running behind an offensive line playing very well, especially on the right side. Give it Jones until you get in the end-zone He went with a QB sneak that netted 4 inches. The Eagles knew that play was coming, the Jets already ran the sneak twice. Next play, spread set and an incompletion. Awful. I root for the Eagles and even I was pissed that Mangini/Schottenheimer called those plays. Pennington needs a seat so we can see what Clemens has. An outstanding finish is needed by the Jets to make the playoffs and the way Pennington is playing, all the INTs, it is not going to happen with Chad at helm. Also, Coles and Cotchery need someone that can get them the ball downfield without needing to rely on play-action. They are both playmakers that are being hindered by Pennington. The Eagles looked good yesterday, especially Westbrook. He is an extremely tough runner who is the MVP of the Eagle offense this year. McNabb will get better and have more confidence in his knee as the year progresses. The Eagles are a team that can get far into the playoffs. The NFC is wide open and they have playmakers on both sides of the ball.
Patriots defeat Cowboys: If you are reading this, I am sure you watched the game, so I won’t go into how great the Pats are. I will say that the Cowboys have yet to show any defensive ability against a good offense. The Giants moved the ball at will opening night and the Pats did whatever they wanted on Sunday. The other Cowboy opponents this season have been the offensively challenged Bears, Dolphins, Rams and Bills. Their offense is very good, but are going to need to step up defensively if they want to get the Super Bowl. I have a beef with Wade Phillips going for a FG at the 10 minute mark of the 4th Q when they were down 38-24. You are at the Pats 6 yard line, down by two TDs. Best case scenario is you get a TD and are now down by 7. One defensive stop and you can tie the game. Worst case scenario is that you do not get the TD, the Pats have the ball at the 6, and you are down two possessions. What does a FG here do? Assume you get the FG. Now you are down 11, still needing two more possessions. You need to stop the Pats, score a TD, then convert the 2 point conversion, kick off and stop Brady again, move the ball into FG range (assuming you get the 2pt conversion) and kick a FG. Brady already has 5 TDs in the game, moving the ball at will, and you think you are going to stop him not once, but twice. Give me a break. Phillips showed no balls and kicked the FG so he would not be second guessed. It was a bad call to go for the FG when they were down by 14 and if someone thinks differently, please explain why.
Bucs defeat Titans: These are two well coached teams that play very hard every week. Jeff Garcia was pressured many times this game, but always seemed to get away from trouble and make a play downfield. The Bucs are a team that will be vying for a playoff spot at the end of the year. A concern has to be the running game. Graham is in the NFL for a reason, but I do not see him as a featured back. Garcia has experience quarterbacking two pass first offenses with San Fran and Philly, so if the offensive philosophy becomes one dimensional, he has the experience and talent to do so. Let’s hope that Vince Young gets back on the field quick because the Titans will go no where with Kerry Collins at helm. One play sticks out in my head. While being sacked in the red-zone, he turned in the opposite direction from where they were driving and threw the ball down on the field. It was amazing, my description will not do the play justice and if I find a clip of it, I will put it on the site.
Baltimore beats St.Loius: Twice I turned to the TV carrying the game and thought, “the Rams are punting”, but it was actually ducks thrown up by Ferrotte that only looked like punts. The Ravens defense has played well the past two weeks, but it has been against the 49ers and Rams, two bad offenses. The Ravens defense gets to be bullies again this week against Buffalo, a game that they should win.
Chiefs beat Bengals: This game was on a corner TV because no body cared for it, so I really did not watch much of it. The Bengals are the leagues premier underachievers this year because they are healthy and losing.
Minnesota defeats Chicago: Really fun game to watch and how much can you say about Adrian Peterson, “Purple Jesus” according to a buddy of mine. On his 73 yard run, the way he waited for blocking after he got into the secondary, and then cut back against the defense, and then out-sprinted everyone was absolute beauty. That play exemplifies his talents, instincts and God-given ability. It is going to be fun watching him run for the next decade or so. Peterson even ran a kickoff back into Bear territory to help set up the winning FG. You put a QB on the Vikings and they have as good a shot as any to make a playoff push in the NFC. I liked the Bears to make it to the NFC championship game. The defense is going to have to play a lot better for them to even make the playoffs. Big game against Philly next week. A loss by either team and their playoff chances are in peril.
Cleveland defeats Miami: If Cleveland had a defense they could win the division. I was a big fan of Winslow coming into the year and he continues to be a mismatch against any team. Braylon Edwards has really stepped up. He always had talent, but I got the feeling about him that he never really cared about succeeding, making tough catches. That has certainly changed this year. I have seen him make more than a handful of really tough, over the middle grabs, while getting hit type of catches this season. It seems his swagger is more of a confidence in his ability than a “ I am going to show you up” attitude. Miami has traded Chambers to San Diego. I called for Miami to do this a few weeks back. Now if they can get a few more picks for Taylor and possibly Brown, they can really start to rebuild.
Green Bay defeats Washington: Jason Campbell has a good chemistry with his TE Cooley. If Moss and Randal-El can get in synch with Campbell the same way, this offense can be really strong. The Packers still don’t impress me, but they continue to win so what the heck do I know.
Jacksonville defeats Houston: Houston desperately needs Andre Johnson back. He makes the entire offense better. The turning point of this game came in the 1st Q. Houston was up 3-0 and on a crossing pass deep in Jax territory, Andre Davis caught the ball and looked to be going into the end zone. Instead of tucking the ball and driving for the score, he tried to get cute and extend the ball over the goal line. This was not necessary and he got stripped of the ball, the ball went through the end zone for Jax ball at the 20. I know it’s early but the play changed the game. Houston would have had momentum and a 10-0 lead. Real ballsy call by Jack Del Rio to onside kick after scoring a TD to go up 7-6 late in the 2nd Q. Jax converted a FG on the drive to make it 10-6 at half. The second half opened up with a 14 play 7 minute Jax drive. It was not good for Houston from that point on as Jax rolled the rest of the way.
Carolina defeats Arizona: VINNY!!!VINNY!!!VINNY!!! I had Zona in this one, but once Rattey had to come in for Zona, I knew it would be tough for them to win and wanted to see Vinny do well. Aside from the long ball to Smith late in the game, most of Vinny’s passes were short and conservative. I hope he does well for Carolina.
Chargers defeat Raiders: The addition of Chris Chambers is huge. Chambers is a freak physically, has great hands and will help open things up for Rivers and the Charger passing game. The offense will still, and should go through LT, but to have Chambers on the outside means that there will be fewer 8 man fronts and less double coverage of Gates. A fantastic move by the Chargers, any San Diego fan has to be real excited. Chambers also gets 2 weeks to learn the playbook before SD plays again after this week’s bye.
Giants defeat Atlanta: Did not watch the game
New Orleans defeats Seattle: Seattle looked soft on both sides of the ball and played this game with little emotion. They have the personnel to be better than a .500 team but seem to crumble at any real competition. Holmgren needs to start yelling at people and should start with Shaun Alexander and the offensive line. Reggie Bush looked like he was running hard between the tackles. He is an amazing athlete and by running tough between the tackles, he will break more and more long runs as the season progresses. A nine win season can get the Saints into the playoffs so they need to go 8 and 2 the rest of the way. Not impossible for a team with this much talent on offense. Will the defense play well enough to give New Orleans a shot at winning is a major question that will answer itself in the weeks ahead.
Eagles defeat Jets: The Jets had the ball, 3rd and 1 at the Eagle 3or 4 yard line, late in the 4th Q, needing a TD. Once again Mangini showed ZERO confidence in his running back and offensive line. Jones is having a monster day, running behind an offensive line playing very well, especially on the right side. Give it Jones until you get in the end-zone He went with a QB sneak that netted 4 inches. The Eagles knew that play was coming, the Jets already ran the sneak twice. Next play, spread set and an incompletion. Awful. I root for the Eagles and even I was pissed that Mangini/Schottenheimer called those plays. Pennington needs a seat so we can see what Clemens has. An outstanding finish is needed by the Jets to make the playoffs and the way Pennington is playing, all the INTs, it is not going to happen with Chad at helm. Also, Coles and Cotchery need someone that can get them the ball downfield without needing to rely on play-action. They are both playmakers that are being hindered by Pennington. The Eagles looked good yesterday, especially Westbrook. He is an extremely tough runner who is the MVP of the Eagle offense this year. McNabb will get better and have more confidence in his knee as the year progresses. The Eagles are a team that can get far into the playoffs. The NFC is wide open and they have playmakers on both sides of the ball.
Patriots defeat Cowboys: If you are reading this, I am sure you watched the game, so I won’t go into how great the Pats are. I will say that the Cowboys have yet to show any defensive ability against a good offense. The Giants moved the ball at will opening night and the Pats did whatever they wanted on Sunday. The other Cowboy opponents this season have been the offensively challenged Bears, Dolphins, Rams and Bills. Their offense is very good, but are going to need to step up defensively if they want to get the Super Bowl. I have a beef with Wade Phillips going for a FG at the 10 minute mark of the 4th Q when they were down 38-24. You are at the Pats 6 yard line, down by two TDs. Best case scenario is you get a TD and are now down by 7. One defensive stop and you can tie the game. Worst case scenario is that you do not get the TD, the Pats have the ball at the 6, and you are down two possessions. What does a FG here do? Assume you get the FG. Now you are down 11, still needing two more possessions. You need to stop the Pats, score a TD, then convert the 2 point conversion, kick off and stop Brady again, move the ball into FG range (assuming you get the 2pt conversion) and kick a FG. Brady already has 5 TDs in the game, moving the ball at will, and you think you are going to stop him not once, but twice. Give me a break. Phillips showed no balls and kicked the FG so he would not be second guessed. It was a bad call to go for the FG when they were down by 14 and if someone thinks differently, please explain why.
Bucs defeat Titans: These are two well coached teams that play very hard every week. Jeff Garcia was pressured many times this game, but always seemed to get away from trouble and make a play downfield. The Bucs are a team that will be vying for a playoff spot at the end of the year. A concern has to be the running game. Graham is in the NFL for a reason, but I do not see him as a featured back. Garcia has experience quarterbacking two pass first offenses with San Fran and Philly, so if the offensive philosophy becomes one dimensional, he has the experience and talent to do so. Let’s hope that Vince Young gets back on the field quick because the Titans will go no where with Kerry Collins at helm. One play sticks out in my head. While being sacked in the red-zone, he turned in the opposite direction from where they were driving and threw the ball down on the field. It was amazing, my description will not do the play justice and if I find a clip of it, I will put it on the site.
Baltimore beats St.Loius: Twice I turned to the TV carrying the game and thought, “the Rams are punting”, but it was actually ducks thrown up by Ferrotte that only looked like punts. The Ravens defense has played well the past two weeks, but it has been against the 49ers and Rams, two bad offenses. The Ravens defense gets to be bullies again this week against Buffalo, a game that they should win.
Chiefs beat Bengals: This game was on a corner TV because no body cared for it, so I really did not watch much of it. The Bengals are the leagues premier underachievers this year because they are healthy and losing.
Minnesota defeats Chicago: Really fun game to watch and how much can you say about Adrian Peterson, “Purple Jesus” according to a buddy of mine. On his 73 yard run, the way he waited for blocking after he got into the secondary, and then cut back against the defense, and then out-sprinted everyone was absolute beauty. That play exemplifies his talents, instincts and God-given ability. It is going to be fun watching him run for the next decade or so. Peterson even ran a kickoff back into Bear territory to help set up the winning FG. You put a QB on the Vikings and they have as good a shot as any to make a playoff push in the NFC. I liked the Bears to make it to the NFC championship game. The defense is going to have to play a lot better for them to even make the playoffs. Big game against Philly next week. A loss by either team and their playoff chances are in peril.
Cleveland defeats Miami: If Cleveland had a defense they could win the division. I was a big fan of Winslow coming into the year and he continues to be a mismatch against any team. Braylon Edwards has really stepped up. He always had talent, but I got the feeling about him that he never really cared about succeeding, making tough catches. That has certainly changed this year. I have seen him make more than a handful of really tough, over the middle grabs, while getting hit type of catches this season. It seems his swagger is more of a confidence in his ability than a “ I am going to show you up” attitude. Miami has traded Chambers to San Diego. I called for Miami to do this a few weeks back. Now if they can get a few more picks for Taylor and possibly Brown, they can really start to rebuild.
Green Bay defeats Washington: Jason Campbell has a good chemistry with his TE Cooley. If Moss and Randal-El can get in synch with Campbell the same way, this offense can be really strong. The Packers still don’t impress me, but they continue to win so what the heck do I know.
Jacksonville defeats Houston: Houston desperately needs Andre Johnson back. He makes the entire offense better. The turning point of this game came in the 1st Q. Houston was up 3-0 and on a crossing pass deep in Jax territory, Andre Davis caught the ball and looked to be going into the end zone. Instead of tucking the ball and driving for the score, he tried to get cute and extend the ball over the goal line. This was not necessary and he got stripped of the ball, the ball went through the end zone for Jax ball at the 20. I know it’s early but the play changed the game. Houston would have had momentum and a 10-0 lead. Real ballsy call by Jack Del Rio to onside kick after scoring a TD to go up 7-6 late in the 2nd Q. Jax converted a FG on the drive to make it 10-6 at half. The second half opened up with a 14 play 7 minute Jax drive. It was not good for Houston from that point on as Jax rolled the rest of the way.
Carolina defeats Arizona: VINNY!!!VINNY!!!VINNY!!! I had Zona in this one, but once Rattey had to come in for Zona, I knew it would be tough for them to win and wanted to see Vinny do well. Aside from the long ball to Smith late in the game, most of Vinny’s passes were short and conservative. I hope he does well for Carolina.
Chargers defeat Raiders: The addition of Chris Chambers is huge. Chambers is a freak physically, has great hands and will help open things up for Rivers and the Charger passing game. The offense will still, and should go through LT, but to have Chambers on the outside means that there will be fewer 8 man fronts and less double coverage of Gates. A fantastic move by the Chargers, any San Diego fan has to be real excited. Chambers also gets 2 weeks to learn the playbook before SD plays again after this week’s bye.
Giants defeat Atlanta: Did not watch the game
New Orleans defeats Seattle: Seattle looked soft on both sides of the ball and played this game with little emotion. They have the personnel to be better than a .500 team but seem to crumble at any real competition. Holmgren needs to start yelling at people and should start with Shaun Alexander and the offensive line. Reggie Bush looked like he was running hard between the tackles. He is an amazing athlete and by running tough between the tackles, he will break more and more long runs as the season progresses. A nine win season can get the Saints into the playoffs so they need to go 8 and 2 the rest of the way. Not impossible for a team with this much talent on offense. Will the defense play well enough to give New Orleans a shot at winning is a major question that will answer itself in the weeks ahead.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
The Mighty Cro-Zillian
Another game, another goal. Bringing the Beautiful People 1 step closer to Euro 2008 with the game winner against Israel.
NFL Week 6 Picks
Spreads curtsey of the Friday New York Post. HOME team in CAPS.
Last Week 3 – 11 – 0
Season 36 – 35 - 5
The games I would wager on if I were in Vegas:
Eagles (-3) over JETS
Texans (+6.5) over JAGUARS
Patriots (-5.5) over DALLAS
Saints (+7) over SEAHAWKS
Games I think I know what I am talking about.
BROWNS (-4.5) over Dolphins
Rams (+10) over RAVENS
Titans (+3) over BUCS
Redskins (+3) over PACKERS
Bengals (-3) over CHIEFS
Games that I would not bet, stay away from at all costs but for the sake of statistics here are the picks.
CHARGERS (-10) over Raiders
BEARS ( -5.5) over Vikings
CARDINALS (-4) over Panthers
ATLANTA (+3.5) over Giants
Last Week 3 – 11 – 0
Season 36 – 35 - 5
The games I would wager on if I were in Vegas:
Eagles (-3) over JETS
Texans (+6.5) over JAGUARS
Patriots (-5.5) over DALLAS
Saints (+7) over SEAHAWKS
Games I think I know what I am talking about.
BROWNS (-4.5) over Dolphins
Rams (+10) over RAVENS
Titans (+3) over BUCS
Redskins (+3) over PACKERS
Bengals (-3) over CHIEFS
Games that I would not bet, stay away from at all costs but for the sake of statistics here are the picks.
CHARGERS (-10) over Raiders
BEARS ( -5.5) over Vikings
CARDINALS (-4) over Panthers
ATLANTA (+3.5) over Giants
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
View from The meadowlds- Notes from the Jet-Giant game.
Went to the Jet/ Giant game this weekend. This is what I saw.
• Chad Pennington’s arm is embarrassingly weak. On TV you really do not get a sense of how strong a guy’s arm is. All the talk of Pennington’s arm being weak is something I always dismissed as exaggerated, however, watching him throw in person has changed my perception. The Giants were jumping routes, yes, but with a bit more zip on the ball, the defender would have not had an opportunity to intercept the pass. Pennington’s first INT took a long time to get to the target and the receiver was only about 12 yards away. The second INT was under thrown by about 5 yards. The third INT, well to be honest, I was not watching. The NFL is not a league that you can rely strictly on accuracy and timing. Pennington is a good leader, makes intelligent reads most of the time, but his arm strength will never allow this offense to reach it’s potential. He can not throw the 15 yard out or a 40 yard fly. Coles and Cotchery are playmakers that do not have the QB in Penningtonm to get them the ball.
• Mangini has no faith in his running game or offensive line. Three times this year the Jets have had 4th down and less than a yard in opponent territory, on the first drive of the game, and punted. Against New England they punted from the NE 35 or so and Brady threw a TD to Wes Welker 12 plays later. Two weeks ago the Jets had the ball in Bills territory on the first drive, 4th and short, punted, and eventually lost the game. This past weekend, on 4th and two feet, the Jets pretended like they were going to run a play and them tried to draw the Giants offsides. All the Jet fans, I would say 30-35% of the crowd wanted the Jets to go for it. They punted, and then scored a defensive TD on Jacobs’ fumble, but the point is this. You got Thomas Jones for a reason, you have two studs on your O-line in Mangold and DeBrickeshaw, show your team you have some balls and go for it. Worst case scenario is that the opponent gets the ball at about midfield. OK, but by going for the 1st down, you are not only showing faith in your offense, but also your defense.
• Jet play calling was awful at times, and predictable the rest of the time. The second INT, when the Jets had the ball at the Giant 20, 1st and 10, was ugly. The throw itself, off Pennington’s back foot, was bad. A better throw and maybe you get a TD, but why not run with Jones. Let him be the pile driver you want him to be. How many sweeps were you going to run before you realized they were not going to work? How about a few play-actions out of I-Formation on 1st down after running out of I-Form on first down 8 consecutive times?
• The Giants have two excellent between the tackle running backs. Ward and Jacobs hit the hole hard and make yards when the hole is not there. I was not sold on Jacobs until I watched him this past weekend. The man is physically imposing and runs with anger.
• The Giants can make a lot of noise in a very weak NFC, but Manning needs to stop making boneheaded mistakes. The INT at the end of the 1st half is a typical type of play that happens with alarming frequency. I like Manning and think he can lead the Giants, but those mistakes need to stop.
• This next weekend is one that Tom Coughlin needs to have the Giants ready for. Patrino will have Atlanta ready to go Monday night, but no excuses here for the Giants. They are the more talented team and a win is a must.
• Chad Pennington’s arm is embarrassingly weak. On TV you really do not get a sense of how strong a guy’s arm is. All the talk of Pennington’s arm being weak is something I always dismissed as exaggerated, however, watching him throw in person has changed my perception. The Giants were jumping routes, yes, but with a bit more zip on the ball, the defender would have not had an opportunity to intercept the pass. Pennington’s first INT took a long time to get to the target and the receiver was only about 12 yards away. The second INT was under thrown by about 5 yards. The third INT, well to be honest, I was not watching. The NFL is not a league that you can rely strictly on accuracy and timing. Pennington is a good leader, makes intelligent reads most of the time, but his arm strength will never allow this offense to reach it’s potential. He can not throw the 15 yard out or a 40 yard fly. Coles and Cotchery are playmakers that do not have the QB in Penningtonm to get them the ball.
• Mangini has no faith in his running game or offensive line. Three times this year the Jets have had 4th down and less than a yard in opponent territory, on the first drive of the game, and punted. Against New England they punted from the NE 35 or so and Brady threw a TD to Wes Welker 12 plays later. Two weeks ago the Jets had the ball in Bills territory on the first drive, 4th and short, punted, and eventually lost the game. This past weekend, on 4th and two feet, the Jets pretended like they were going to run a play and them tried to draw the Giants offsides. All the Jet fans, I would say 30-35% of the crowd wanted the Jets to go for it. They punted, and then scored a defensive TD on Jacobs’ fumble, but the point is this. You got Thomas Jones for a reason, you have two studs on your O-line in Mangold and DeBrickeshaw, show your team you have some balls and go for it. Worst case scenario is that the opponent gets the ball at about midfield. OK, but by going for the 1st down, you are not only showing faith in your offense, but also your defense.
• Jet play calling was awful at times, and predictable the rest of the time. The second INT, when the Jets had the ball at the Giant 20, 1st and 10, was ugly. The throw itself, off Pennington’s back foot, was bad. A better throw and maybe you get a TD, but why not run with Jones. Let him be the pile driver you want him to be. How many sweeps were you going to run before you realized they were not going to work? How about a few play-actions out of I-Formation on 1st down after running out of I-Form on first down 8 consecutive times?
• The Giants have two excellent between the tackle running backs. Ward and Jacobs hit the hole hard and make yards when the hole is not there. I was not sold on Jacobs until I watched him this past weekend. The man is physically imposing and runs with anger.
• The Giants can make a lot of noise in a very weak NFC, but Manning needs to stop making boneheaded mistakes. The INT at the end of the 1st half is a typical type of play that happens with alarming frequency. I like Manning and think he can lead the Giants, but those mistakes need to stop.
• This next weekend is one that Tom Coughlin needs to have the Giants ready for. Patrino will have Atlanta ready to go Monday night, but no excuses here for the Giants. They are the more talented team and a win is a must.
Friday, October 5, 2007
NFL Week 5 Picks
Spreads curtesey of the Friday edition of the New York Post. HOME team in CAPS.
Last Week 10– 4 – 0
Season 33 – 24 – 5
GIANTS (-3.5) Jets: The Giant defense is led by their pass rush and I do not see them having as great of a day as last week against the Eagles. **Note to Andy Reid—how about having the RB chip the ends last week, or better yet, why not keep calling runs, you were getting 5 yards a clip. Brutal play- calling almost got your QB killed.** The Jets will run the ball and get some plays downfield against the weak LB and secondary units the Giants present. The Giants get Brandon Jacobs back this week and I do see the Giants moving the ball. Manning is good for 1 bonehead play a game and it should happen again this weekend. I think the Jets are the better team top to bottom. This is the week Mangini has to get the Jets ready because a loss will cast serious doubts on a post-season appearance.
Pick: Jets (+3.5)
SAINTS (-3) Panthers: The by week offers time for healing, but if you are not careful, complacency could creep in. That should not happen here with the Saints. Home and desperate for a win, I expect N.O. to come out and play with heart. Breeze is better than he has shown and you expect someone touted as a leader of the team to be ready when this game starts. I hope Payton sat down with Reggie Bush and told him to hit the hole hard and don’t stop running until paydirt. Bush is a phenomenal athlete, as we all know, but needs to run with toughness between the tackles, rather than rely on stretching plays to the outside. What scares me against picking N.O. is their rush defense. John Fox has no problems running the ball 45 times if it works, with or without Jake Delhomme. Still, to much is riding on this game for New Orleans and I do not feel that Carolina is all that good.
Pick: Saints(-3)
Jaguars (-2) CHIEFS: Ugly game. What did the Chiefs prove last week? They won’t give up on a game and L.J. is still a beast. I really do not like Herm Edwards and no longer root for the Jaguars. I am rooting for a 0-0 tie.
Pick: Chiefs (+2)
REDSKINS (-3.5) Lions: This is a smelly spread. The Lions should be able to move the ball on Washington. Kevin Jones is back in the lineup. I have always liked Kevin Jones. A tough runner, good blocker and excellent out of the backfield, he adds a bit more punch to an already good offense. Calvin Johnson is looking like he will play as well, more weapons for Martz and Kitna to work with. The Redskins have had trouble scoring this season. Will that change against the Lions? They should be able to score but I do not see them staying score for score against the Lions. Gibbs will try and limit Lion offensive sets, so expect a lot of Portis- if healthy- and Ladelle Betts.
Pick: Lions(+3.5)
TITANS (-8.5) Falcons: This is another fishy line. I guess odds makers figure Atlanta is not as good as they have shown the past few weeks. Patrino seems to have the Falcons playing hard every week and the offense has been in rhythm the past few weeks. Jerious Norewood needs more touches on offense. DeAngelo Hall will be back for the entire game. There will be no by-week let down from the Titans. Jeff Fisher is one of the best coaches in the league and there is no doubt the Titans will be ready. I like the Titans to win, but 8 points seems a bit too much against a Falcon team playing solid football right now.
Pick: Falcons(+8.5)
TEXANS (-5) Dolphins: The Texan offense is simply not the same without Andre Johnson. Can they win without him? Yes, but everyone else needs to be healthy. Ahman Green returned to practice and is necessary for the ground game. WR’s Jacoby Jones and Jerome Mathis will probably miss this week. Andre Davis is serviceable, had a good week last week, and is now the Texan #1 WR. I do not know how good that sounds. Miami, as I have stated numerous times, will be in the competition for #1 overall pick in next years draft. However, with all the injuries the Texans have to deal with on offense, this may be a game Miami could win. Nahhhh, Take the Texans because Miami is bad. They made Culpepper look like Steve Young and Justin Fargus like Marcus Allen.
Pick: Texans(-5)
STEELERS (-6) Seahawks: The Seahawk defense has looked good the past few weeks. Julian Peterson is playing at an All –Pro level, and the LBs and secondary are playing at a high level. Matt Hasselbeck is finding a rhythm with his targets. I am a bit concerned with Shaun Alexander. I have watched him play three games this year and he seems to be running a bit tentative, kinda like he is trying to avoid getting hit. This needs to change soon. The Seahawks have a chance to make some real noise this season in a wide open NFC. The defense is holding up their end of the deal, but to go far, Seattle needs Alexander to be a horse. I am still not sold on Pittsburgh and this is a well balanced Seattle team.
Pick: Seahawks(+6)
PATRIOTS (-16.5) Browns: The Browns have some playmakers on offense and they should score about 20 points. How many will the Patriots score? The Browns were fortunate last week that the “offensive genius”, Brian Billick, lost his running play side of the playbook every time the Ravens were in Brown territory. The Pats know how to score in the red zone and will do so in this game. Does it even matter whom the Pats are playing at this point, or what the spread is anyway? True Story, I had a dream the other night, I pass by a TV in a room foreign to me, and the score of this game was on the TV as I walked by it. 4th Quarter, Browns 13 Pats 7.
Pick: Pats (-16.5)
Cardinals (-3.5) RAMS: The Rams are in trouble this year. An injury depleted O-line equals no offense in the NFL. The Cards are playing with spirit and will move the ball on a bad Ram defense. Is there anything good to say about the Rams at this point?
Pick: Cards (-3.5)
COLTS (-9.5) Bucs: This is one of the games I left for Friday, after the injury reports came in. I was leaning the Bucs way the entire week ; with the news that Marvin, Addai, Sanders and a very underrated Rob Morris are likely to miss this game, I need to lean with my sleeper NFC playoff pick.
Pick: Bucs (+9.5)
BRONCOS (-1) Chargers: O.K. Seriously. Is Norv Turner really that bad of a head coach? Losing to the Chiefs last week was downright atrocious. Travis Henry may not play because of his knee/ positive marijuana test. The Chargers are the more talented team and they better win this game.
Pick: Chargers(+1)
Ravens (-3.5) 49ERS: Trent Dilfer has won a Super Bowl. Weird right. I remember watching the Baltimore games that year and always taking the over. The line would be 33 at times and the game would still go under. Trent Dilfer looked uncomfortable last week against Seattle. You do not expect that from a veteran. It will help to get a full week of practice with the first team. Frank Gore is better than his numbers indicate. What does one make of the Ravens at this point? Someone still needs to explain why Billick is considered a stout offensive mind. Kyle Boller is warming up in bullpen if McNair struggles this week. I would stay very far away from this game if I were actually betting, but for the sake of statistics, I need to pick someone here. I have to give the Ravens the edge with a defense that needs to come out and dominate a game for the first time this year.
Pick: Ravens (-3.5)
PACKERS (-3) Bears: Ride the wave until it breaks.
Pick: Packers (-3)
Cowboys (-10) BILLS: The Cowboys got LB/DL Gregg Ellis and CB Terrence Newman back last week. They will both help a Cowboy defense that has yet to play well against a good offensive team. The Giants lit them up opening week, then played Miami, Chicago and St. Louis, all bad offenses when they played. Buffalo has a decent offensive line that is opening holes for a very tough Marshawn Lynch. At QB, Trent Edwards looked in total control of the offense for Buffalo last week against the Jets. He made the right reads and had a lot of poise. What happens on the Monday Night Football stage? The biggest question is whether or not the Bills can contain the Dallas offense. The Bills are a tough team and always seem to play well at home, but the Dallas offense is really clicking right now. I see Marion Barber running one in with about 6 minutes to go for a Dallas 24-13 win.
Pick: Dallas (-10)
Last Week 10– 4 – 0
Season 33 – 24 – 5
GIANTS (-3.5) Jets: The Giant defense is led by their pass rush and I do not see them having as great of a day as last week against the Eagles. **Note to Andy Reid—how about having the RB chip the ends last week, or better yet, why not keep calling runs, you were getting 5 yards a clip. Brutal play- calling almost got your QB killed.** The Jets will run the ball and get some plays downfield against the weak LB and secondary units the Giants present. The Giants get Brandon Jacobs back this week and I do see the Giants moving the ball. Manning is good for 1 bonehead play a game and it should happen again this weekend. I think the Jets are the better team top to bottom. This is the week Mangini has to get the Jets ready because a loss will cast serious doubts on a post-season appearance.
Pick: Jets (+3.5)
SAINTS (-3) Panthers: The by week offers time for healing, but if you are not careful, complacency could creep in. That should not happen here with the Saints. Home and desperate for a win, I expect N.O. to come out and play with heart. Breeze is better than he has shown and you expect someone touted as a leader of the team to be ready when this game starts. I hope Payton sat down with Reggie Bush and told him to hit the hole hard and don’t stop running until paydirt. Bush is a phenomenal athlete, as we all know, but needs to run with toughness between the tackles, rather than rely on stretching plays to the outside. What scares me against picking N.O. is their rush defense. John Fox has no problems running the ball 45 times if it works, with or without Jake Delhomme. Still, to much is riding on this game for New Orleans and I do not feel that Carolina is all that good.
Pick: Saints(-3)
Jaguars (-2) CHIEFS: Ugly game. What did the Chiefs prove last week? They won’t give up on a game and L.J. is still a beast. I really do not like Herm Edwards and no longer root for the Jaguars. I am rooting for a 0-0 tie.
Pick: Chiefs (+2)
REDSKINS (-3.5) Lions: This is a smelly spread. The Lions should be able to move the ball on Washington. Kevin Jones is back in the lineup. I have always liked Kevin Jones. A tough runner, good blocker and excellent out of the backfield, he adds a bit more punch to an already good offense. Calvin Johnson is looking like he will play as well, more weapons for Martz and Kitna to work with. The Redskins have had trouble scoring this season. Will that change against the Lions? They should be able to score but I do not see them staying score for score against the Lions. Gibbs will try and limit Lion offensive sets, so expect a lot of Portis- if healthy- and Ladelle Betts.
Pick: Lions(+3.5)
TITANS (-8.5) Falcons: This is another fishy line. I guess odds makers figure Atlanta is not as good as they have shown the past few weeks. Patrino seems to have the Falcons playing hard every week and the offense has been in rhythm the past few weeks. Jerious Norewood needs more touches on offense. DeAngelo Hall will be back for the entire game. There will be no by-week let down from the Titans. Jeff Fisher is one of the best coaches in the league and there is no doubt the Titans will be ready. I like the Titans to win, but 8 points seems a bit too much against a Falcon team playing solid football right now.
Pick: Falcons(+8.5)
TEXANS (-5) Dolphins: The Texan offense is simply not the same without Andre Johnson. Can they win without him? Yes, but everyone else needs to be healthy. Ahman Green returned to practice and is necessary for the ground game. WR’s Jacoby Jones and Jerome Mathis will probably miss this week. Andre Davis is serviceable, had a good week last week, and is now the Texan #1 WR. I do not know how good that sounds. Miami, as I have stated numerous times, will be in the competition for #1 overall pick in next years draft. However, with all the injuries the Texans have to deal with on offense, this may be a game Miami could win. Nahhhh, Take the Texans because Miami is bad. They made Culpepper look like Steve Young and Justin Fargus like Marcus Allen.
Pick: Texans(-5)
STEELERS (-6) Seahawks: The Seahawk defense has looked good the past few weeks. Julian Peterson is playing at an All –Pro level, and the LBs and secondary are playing at a high level. Matt Hasselbeck is finding a rhythm with his targets. I am a bit concerned with Shaun Alexander. I have watched him play three games this year and he seems to be running a bit tentative, kinda like he is trying to avoid getting hit. This needs to change soon. The Seahawks have a chance to make some real noise this season in a wide open NFC. The defense is holding up their end of the deal, but to go far, Seattle needs Alexander to be a horse. I am still not sold on Pittsburgh and this is a well balanced Seattle team.
Pick: Seahawks(+6)
PATRIOTS (-16.5) Browns: The Browns have some playmakers on offense and they should score about 20 points. How many will the Patriots score? The Browns were fortunate last week that the “offensive genius”, Brian Billick, lost his running play side of the playbook every time the Ravens were in Brown territory. The Pats know how to score in the red zone and will do so in this game. Does it even matter whom the Pats are playing at this point, or what the spread is anyway? True Story, I had a dream the other night, I pass by a TV in a room foreign to me, and the score of this game was on the TV as I walked by it. 4th Quarter, Browns 13 Pats 7.
Pick: Pats (-16.5)
Cardinals (-3.5) RAMS: The Rams are in trouble this year. An injury depleted O-line equals no offense in the NFL. The Cards are playing with spirit and will move the ball on a bad Ram defense. Is there anything good to say about the Rams at this point?
Pick: Cards (-3.5)
COLTS (-9.5) Bucs: This is one of the games I left for Friday, after the injury reports came in. I was leaning the Bucs way the entire week ; with the news that Marvin, Addai, Sanders and a very underrated Rob Morris are likely to miss this game, I need to lean with my sleeper NFC playoff pick.
Pick: Bucs (+9.5)
BRONCOS (-1) Chargers: O.K. Seriously. Is Norv Turner really that bad of a head coach? Losing to the Chiefs last week was downright atrocious. Travis Henry may not play because of his knee/ positive marijuana test. The Chargers are the more talented team and they better win this game.
Pick: Chargers(+1)
Ravens (-3.5) 49ERS: Trent Dilfer has won a Super Bowl. Weird right. I remember watching the Baltimore games that year and always taking the over. The line would be 33 at times and the game would still go under. Trent Dilfer looked uncomfortable last week against Seattle. You do not expect that from a veteran. It will help to get a full week of practice with the first team. Frank Gore is better than his numbers indicate. What does one make of the Ravens at this point? Someone still needs to explain why Billick is considered a stout offensive mind. Kyle Boller is warming up in bullpen if McNair struggles this week. I would stay very far away from this game if I were actually betting, but for the sake of statistics, I need to pick someone here. I have to give the Ravens the edge with a defense that needs to come out and dominate a game for the first time this year.
Pick: Ravens (-3.5)
PACKERS (-3) Bears: Ride the wave until it breaks.
Pick: Packers (-3)
Cowboys (-10) BILLS: The Cowboys got LB/DL Gregg Ellis and CB Terrence Newman back last week. They will both help a Cowboy defense that has yet to play well against a good offensive team. The Giants lit them up opening week, then played Miami, Chicago and St. Louis, all bad offenses when they played. Buffalo has a decent offensive line that is opening holes for a very tough Marshawn Lynch. At QB, Trent Edwards looked in total control of the offense for Buffalo last week against the Jets. He made the right reads and had a lot of poise. What happens on the Monday Night Football stage? The biggest question is whether or not the Bills can contain the Dallas offense. The Bills are a tough team and always seem to play well at home, but the Dallas offense is really clicking right now. I see Marion Barber running one in with about 6 minutes to go for a Dallas 24-13 win.
Pick: Dallas (-10)
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