Week #6 and Lots to Prove on the Gridiron.

Week 6

Ravens @ Patriots -3

The Ravens are a top 3 team in the NFL.  I’m very surprised to see that they are getting points here, but I know it is solely because the Patriots are the home team here.  The Ravens have all cylinders clicking on both sides of the ball.  Ray Rice finally picked it up last week too.  This will be the first game the Patriots play without Moss.  I like the points for the Ravens here.

Chiefs @ Texans -4.5

The Texans have one of the most potent offenses in the NFL, however were stuffed by the Giants last week.  The Chiefs don’t have a defense like the Giants though, but they do have a shut-down corner in Brandon Flowers that could give Andre Johnson some trouble.  Look for the Texans to get their top ranked run game back on track against the surprising Chiefs.

Chargers -8.5 @ Rams

The Rams are contending for first in the weak NFC West and that is surprising a lot of people.  They are starting to turn that franchise around over there.  The Chargers on the other hand are somewhat disappointing as they keep betting themselves up.  Their special teams are nonexistent to say the least and that’s what is keeping them from being 5-0.  Philip Rivers is on pace to shatter Dan Marino’s single season passing yardage record.  I’m sticking to my guns and taking the Chargers here in a bounce back victory.

Lions @ Giants -10

Well the Giants finally stringed together a couple of good defensive games, so I’m on board now.  Like I said in earlier weeks, the Lions have been playing some good football this year and it showed in last week’s clobbering of the Rams.  The Giants are home but these points are a lot here so I’m sticking with the Lions.

Saints -4.5 @ Buccaneers

The Bucs are on an upswing winning 3 of their last 4 games, granted they were against bottom of the barrel teams.  The Saints on the other hand are struggling and are battling in close games with the likes of the winless 49ers and Panthers and losing to the Cardinals.  Perhaps the loss of Reggie Bush was more than they could account for.  The Saints are still the defending champs, so I still got faith in them here.

Browns @ Steelers -14

Now that Big Ben is done rapin chicks, he can start throwin picks.  Nahh, well at least not this week.  The Steelers are playing the Browns, who have been somewhat surprising this year due to Peyton Hillis and his beastly arms.  Colt McCoy sounds like will be getting the start this week for them.  Welcome to the NFL Colt, have fun against one of the topped ranked defenses in the game.  The Steelers are going to dominate here.

Seahawks @ Bears -7

The Bears will be getting Jay Cutler back this week, which is good considering Todd Collins threw 4 picks and has a passer rating lower than 10 and still managed to win thanks to the outstanding performance by Matt Forte.  The Seahawks are coming off a bye and will look to pull ahead in the NFC West.  They acquired Marshawn Lynch from the Bills and will now have a feature back to hopefully compliment their pass game.  The Bears may win here, but I don’t think they will cover.

Falcons @ Eagles -3

The Falcons looked impressive all year.  They haven’t skipped a beat since their opening day OT lose to the Steelers.  They are easily a top 3 team in the league, with a very explosive offense.  The Eagles have Kevin Kolb under center again and he will need to prove he is the starter before Vick returns healthy to the line-up for them.  Even though the Dirty Birds are away, I like them in the torturous city of Philadelphia. 

Raiders @ 49ers -6.5

Congratulations to the Raiders.  You have finally managed to beat the Chargers for the first time in about 6 years.  I guess they were due.  Jason Campbell did step up for the injured Bruce Gradkowski and showed why they brought him in the first place.  I think he should remain the starter, but what do I know?  The only word to describe the 49ers this year: disappointing.  They are winless yet Mike Singletary still believes they will win the division.  Win a game first Mike, and then start talking like that.  There heavy favorites here, maybe based on Singletary’s words?   I’ll take the Raiders.

Jets -3 @ Broncos

Guess I will start to believe in the Jets hype.  I may even go as far as saying that they are the best team in the NFL right now.  OK, I’m not going that far…yet.  The Jets still prove that they can take on any team by beating the Vikings despite giving up their most yards this year.  Mark Sanchez continues to improve every week.  The Broncos are slowly falling, due largely in part to all the injuries they are sustaining, despite the high-caliber effort of Kyle Orton.  The Jets will show why they may be the best team in the league again here.

Cowboys @ Vikings -1.5

Desperate times call for desperate measures and this is that time for both teams.  This game is a must win for both teams, however we all know that only one team can win, except if they tie of course.  Favre had a chance against the Jets to pull that one off but once again threw a late game pick to seal the deal for them.  Some people are calling for the benching of Favre.  Really?  Do you really think Tarvaris Jackson is a better alternative?  Doubtful.  The Cowboys cannot seem to figure out how to win a game, even with Tony Homo throwing 400yd games left and right.  This games a pick’em and I’m picking the home team here.

Colts -3 @ Redskins

The Colts did not look all too impressive last week against the Chiefs.  I guess the only real good they got out of last game was that Adam Vinateri got a lot of game reps in.  Peyton will be Peyton for the rest of the year and as long as they have him they’ll be fine.  If Donovan McNabb can rally his troops together at home, they may have a shot.  That’s a big if though.

Titans -3 @ Jaguars

CJ once again had another fantasy feast of a game, leading the Titans to victory.  It didn’t hurt that Vince Young also had 3 touchdown passes in the game as well.  The Jaguars have been flying under the radar this year posting a solid 3-2 record thus far with wins over the Broncos, Bills and Colts.  Mighty Mouse has been leading the offense, as David Garrard and WR core have not been much to talk about.  The Titans always play well against the run and will look to stop MJD at all cost and make Garrard beat them.  I’m locking up the Titans this week.

Lock of the Week- Tennessee Titans

Record:  37-37-2 (7-7)         Locks- 5 for 5

The Double Edge Sword

Pick your poison. 

Now matter how the cards unfold, one things for sure. The Yankees will be in a dog fight for the AL crown.

With Texas you have Cliff Lee and a high powered offense. With Tampa you have David Price and a devastating running game. And with both teams, the Yanks still have to deal with their own rotation and a certain inconsistent pitcher named AJ. 

All I can say is good luck Yankees and let's hope that whoever wins can take down those phucking phils! Let's just hope they don't choke on the big one like the Braves.

Week #5: Break Away Time

Week 5


Buccaneers @ Bengals -6.5

The Buccaneers are coming off a bye week, but I don’t think that time off will really help them. They have been struggling a bit, however have showed some signs of life with the games leading up to their bye week. The Bengals come off a disappointing lose to the Browns and will look to rebound here.

Packers -2.5 @ Redskins

The Redskins are coming off an exhilarating win over division rivals, the Eagles, and McNabb will look to keep it up for his team. The Packers are coming off a close win over the Lions, but Aaron Rodgers is one of the best QB’s in the game. The spread is low here, so look for the Packers to cover.

Chiefs @ Colts -8

The Chiefs are coming off a bye week of the most surprising start in the NFL. They will look to continue their ways against the Colts and Peyton Manning, who are surprisingly at the bottom of their division right now. Peyton is playing very well, however the defense is not holding up. I think this will be a lot closer than most people think, thus I’m taking the Chiefs with a higher spread.

Falcons -3 @ Browns

The Falcons are one of the best teams in the NFL right now and it shows. Roddy White and Matt Ryan are on fire. The Browns played some good football last week, beating their division rivals, Cincinnati Bengals. I think the Falcons are just too much for the Browns to handle.

Broncos @ Ravens -7

The Ravens grinded out a good win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. Ray Rice has yet to show why he deserved to be a top 5 fantasy pick. The Broncos are playing good football so far, coming off a good win against the mid-level Titans. This spread is pretty high, so I’m taking the Broncos here.

Giants @ Texans -3

The Texans are coming off a win over the Raiders off another big performance from Arian Foster. He has shown that he is a top player in the NFL right now. The Giants are coming off a much needed win over the Bears, a game in which the defense finally stepped up and had their way with Jay Cutler. Eli is still retarded though. Giants win here, with the points.

Rams @ Lions -3

If this was a game last year, I would be talking about how bad both of these teams are and that this may be the only shot for either team to get a win. However this is not last year and I will not be saying that here. Both the Rams and Lions are playing pretty good football. Not top tier football, but pretty good. I’ve been impressed with every game the Lions have played this year, and I’ll be impressed after this game too.

Jaguars -1 @ Bills

This game will be one of those games that the Bills will actually have a chance of winning, and it may be their only win of the year too. Their schedule is really tough, but it doesn’t matter because they are absolute garbage. Maybe if they can get CJ Spiller into the game for once, they could produce some points. The Jaguars are coming off a surprising win over the Colts. Look for them to beat the Bills, for the Jaguars sake.

Bears -3 @ Panthers

The Giants absolutely had their way with Jay Cutler and the rest of the Bears team last week. They will look to bounce back this week against the Panthers, who showed up to play against the Saints last week. The Panthers running game finally showed up, but look for the Bears to be fired up and get a victory here.

Saints -7 @ Cardinals

The Saints are coming off a squeaker against the Panthers off the leg of newly signed veteran John Carney. The Cardinals may be the second worst team in the NFL, next to the garbage Bills. They took out Derek Anderson, a player they believed was better than Matt Leinart, for Max Hall. Who? Exactly! I would have just kept Leinart and let him flop around out there, but apparently they think they can do something with Anderson and Hall. Well, not this week.

Chargers -6 @ Raiders

The Chargers needed their blow-out win against the Cardinals last week to boost their confidence as a team. This will be their second AFC West game, as they are behind in the standings to the Broncos and Chiefs. The Raiders are battling some injuries, as well as some QB controversy, but it looks as if Gradkowski has it sealed for now. The Chargers will continue their winning ways, and hopefully another blowout. I won’t hold my breath though.

Titans @ Cowboys -6.5

The Cowboys got their first win of the year entering into their bye week. Their running game has been abysmal and they need to pick it up in order to contend for the NFC East title. Tony Romo can’t do it all himself every game. I’m picking the Titans because this spread is high and CJ needs to bounce back after his 2nd non-100 yd rushing game of the year.

Eagles @ 49ers -3.5

If Vick doesn’t get hurt, the Eagles give Donovan a rude homecoming and win that game. Kolb did not do poorly in replacing him, but he isn’t the NFC Player of the Month. San Fran almost had it against the Saints, but the good news for them is the defense played like the 49ers D was suppose to play like, holding the high powered Saints to only 16 points. I like the Eagles here with points especially.

Vikings @ Jets -4

The Jets are proving every week that they deserved to talk all the smack they did leading up into the season. It seems as if every week they are getting better. They play another tough game here against the Vikings, who have been the most disappointing team so far. Favre will look to lead his Vikings against his former team, yes the Jets, in hopefully a win that will resurge their season.

Lock of the Week- Atlanta Falcons

Record: 30-30-2 (7-7) Locks- 4 for 4

Contender or Pretender? - Week #4 Picks

Week 4

Lions @ Packers -14.5

Losing to the Bears was a bit of a shock to me for the Packers, even with the sloppy game they played.  Their running game needs to step up for Rodgers to be as effective as he was last year, which made them a Super Bowl contender.  I think they’ll win the game here, but the spread is too much to cover, especially with a Lions team that is putting points on the board and looking impressive this year.

Broncos @ Titans -6.5

The Titans seemed to have their way with the Giants D, scoring on all fronts.  CJ had a bounce back game, but did not look as good as Vince Young’s bounce-back performance.  The Bronco’s question marks at RB will mean that they will have to really on Kyle Orton, who played relatively well last week.  The Titans will get this, but it’ll be a close game so they won’t cover.

Bengals -3 @ Browns

The Bengals are staying competitive in the tough AFC North and with this rivalry game, they will continue to be competitive.  The Browns have not really shown anything this season, however with Wallace at QB I feel they have a better fighting chance then with Delhomme.  With that said, it still won’t be enough for the Browns to overcome the Bengals in this one. 

Panthers @ Saints -13.5

The Saints lost a heartbreaker to the Falcons on a Garrett Hartley missed FG.  The Panthers still do not have any potential plan of attack, even with Clausen in now.  Look for the Saints to bounce back and score at will against the lowly Panthers.

Ravens @ Steelers -1.5

Charlie Batch was throwing TDs left and right last week in his first start for the Steelers in years.  This is going to be a defensive battle, so the team who can battle through will ultimately prevail.  Flacco has been somewhat shaky this year so far, even with a nice bounce-back game last week.  Look for the Steelers to continue their winning ways.

Jets -4.5 @ Bills

The Jets are turning it around since their disappointing Week 1 loss.  This game should be no problem for the Jets as, yes you guessed it, the Bills are still garbage.  They did seem to wake up a little bit when Fitzpatrick became the starter, but they are by far the worst team in the NFL.  The Jets will easily cover this small spread.

49ers @ Falcons -6.5

It has been quite a shock at how bad the 49ers have been playing.  A lot of people predicted them to win the sluggish NFC West, but not at this pass.  The Falcons are looking like an elite team in the NFL and coming off a great win against the Saints, they should continue to do so.

Seahawks -1 @ Rams

The first place Seahawks look to stay atop the division going up against the Rams, who are coming off a surprising win against the Redskins.  If the Seahawks can keep up their D, look for them to not only win this game handedly, but also stay atop the NFC West.

Colts -8.5 @ Jaguars

Peyton Manning is off to his best start of his career and that’s saying a lot since Peyton has been an elite QB in the league for the last 10 years or so.  The Colts as a team on the other hand are struggling a little bit, mostly on the defensive side.  They recently have been playing better though.  The Jags have no chance here as they have no offensive fire power.

Texans -3 @ Raiders

The Texans suffered a minor bump in their plan to prove the league they are a greatly improved team with the loss to the Cowboys last week, however they get the Raiders this week.  Gradkowski gave the Raiders some life, but it won’t be enough here to top the Texans.

Cardinals @ Chargers -8

The Chargers are prone to slow starts in their recent seasons so there should be no red flags here….yet.  They usually do step up as the season progresses.  They have some ground to make up in the AFC West as the Chiefs are off to a hot start.  They should hopefully have no problem here against the Cardinals, however I’d caution with the high spread here.

Redskins @ Eagles -6

This is the game of the week by far.  The return of McNabb to Philadelphia could not come any sooner.  The Eagles are playing great football and are showing that they are the top dogs in the tough NFC East.  Vick is playing like a man on fire.  McNabb on the other hand will come out guns blazing.  That’s why I’m taking the Redskins here, even though the Eagles will probably win.

Bears @ Giants -3

What is happening with the Giants?  They go from a stellar defensive team, to a team that shows up like its playing with 5 people out there.  Eli the Magnificant and Ahmad Bradshaw cannot carry the team when the defense is giving up 29 points to a team like the Titans.  Cutler has stepped up so far this season and it shows with the Bears being unbeaten so far.  I like the Bears here, especially with points.

Patriots -1 @ Dolphins

Brady and Moss have found the connection that led them to a Super Bowl years back.  They came up short last week against the Jets.  There looking to improve this week especially against division foes.  The Dolphins can’t afford to lose any more ground in the tight AFC East.  This game could go either way, but look for the Patriots to bounce-back and take it to the Dolphins.

Lock of the Week- New York Jets

Record:  23-23-2 (7-9)         Locks- 3 for 3

Broadway lights shining on the Jets

After a lack of offense in week 1, I as well as many football fans, wrote off the Jets as "pretenders". With an anemic offense and the inablity to score against the Ravens, it was hard to imagine this team as having any chance at making the Super Bowl, let alone the playoffs.

Well, this is the time where I insert my foot in my mouth. gross!

Who would have thought that Sanchez actually could throw the ball? and throw it well none the less?

Two weeks in a row, the sophmore QB has been the FedEx air player of the week. Not to shabby for a QB who relied on a strong running game, stout defense, and Indy totaling laying down to carry gang green to the playoffs last year.

The Jets look like they are the toasts of the AFC East with strong wins over the Pats and Fins. And now, with the Bills comming up, it is likely that the Jets will complete the division tirfecta, improve to 3-1, and take full control of the division.

So I ask all you out there... Are the Jets really a contender here? Will Sanchez's inexperience break through or will this young star conitnue to shine bright under the lights of Broadway???

NFL Week #3 Picks - Get Em While They're Hot!

Week 3

Bengals -3 @ Panthers

Looks like the Jimmy Clausen era has officially begun.  That didn’t take too long.  The Panthers are a struggling team right now, while the Bengals are a team competing to win the AFC North.  Look for the Bengals to take the game.

49ers -1 @ Chiefs

The 49ers and Chiefs very well could be in opposite roles right now.  The Chiefs are playing like a team that they haven’t seen in years, but how long can they really play this hot streak.  I think the trail stops here as the 49ers put up a good effort against the Saints last week in a bounce-back game for the D.

Lions @ Vikings -10.5

Favre and the Vikings are still winless.  Who would have thought that?  I’m sure this is not what he signed back up for.  The Vikings just don’t seem as explosive as they did last year, even with AP running like a beast.  The Vikings will win here, but they won’t cover the spread, as surprisingly the Lions are playing very impressive football.

Cowboys @ Texans -2.5

How bout them Cowboys?  The better question may be how bout them Texans??  The Texans are finally playing up to their potential on both sides of the ball.  The Battle of Texas will be a good one as Big D does not want to lose another game and possibly their coach, but I think the Texans will take this one.

Falcons @ Saints -3.5

The defending champs are truly playing to their form, as they are the best team in football right now.  This will be their first big test of the year, as the Falcons are playing some pretty good football too.  Matt Ryan and Co. will put up some points, but not enough to overcome the Saints high-powered O.

Steelers -2.5 @ Buccaneers

Three games into the season and the Steelers are on their 3^rd different QB.  Charlie Batch will take the reins for this game, but I don’t think it will matter for the Steelers.  The Bucs are playing good football, but the ship stops here as the Steelers are a much better team than any they faced this year so far.  Look for the Steelers to win in usual fashion.

Browns @ Ravens -10.5

The Ravens absolutely exploded last game, and I don’t mean that in a good way.  Flacco threw about 7 picks (give or take a few) and Boldin was m.i.a.  The D played decent only giving up 15 points.  Look for them to bounce back here and put up some points against the lowly Browns.

Titans @ Giants -3

Was the benching of Vince Young really needed?  I mean do the Titans really expect to think that Kerry Collins can still play football?  CJ saw his 13 game consecutive streak of 100yd rushing come to an end with the loss to the Steelers.  The Giants could not even come close to stopping Peyton, but then again that is no easy task.  The G-Men will play better than last week, but look for CJ and the Titans to build a little streak of their own here.

Bills @ Patriots -14

Three weeks into the season and yes, the Bills are still garbage.  I feel bad for them though.  They have played some pretty tough competition and it doesn’t help that they are in the toughest division in football.  That being said however, no matter who they put at QB or RB, they are still a horrid team.  I wasn’t sure if the Packers could cover last week, but since they did it gives me confidence going into this game, especially with the Pats coming off a loss to the Jets.

Eagles -3 @ Jaguars

This is what I have been waiting for the last 3 years.  Vick is a starter again.  He is by far the most exciting player to watch in the NFL.  The Eagles are coming off a shootout with the Lions, while the Jaguars just got crushed by the Chargers last week.  Look for Vick and the Eagles to excite the crowd and the scoreboard.

Redskins -3.5 @ Rams

Sam Bradford has been playing surprisingly well for the Rams, probably much better than anyone expected.  McNabb has been playing like the old McNabb and has given some life to the Redskins in the tough NFC East.  It seems like they are the team to beat.  The Rams will put up a fight, but it won’t be enough to overcome the Redskins.

Chargers -5.5 @ Seahawks

The Chargers finally played like the team that they are suppose to be, scoring in buckets against the Jaguars.  Vincent Jackson or not, the Chargers are still going to be throwing the ball like crazy.  If Rivers cuts down on the INT’s, he’ll have a career year.  The Seahawks did a complete 180 between Week 1 and 2, as they just got decimated by the Broncos.  The Chargers are going to put up similar numbers like last week and take the game.

Raiders @ Cardinals -4.5

It wasn’t long before QB’s switch in Oakland, however I don’t know if I agree with the decision.  What was the point of bringing Jason Campbell in if Bruce Gradkowski is just going to start again?  Analysts said that the team had more life when Gradkowski was in, so I’m gonna play along too with that.  The Cardinals have yet to show anything to prove they can win a game, let along score some points.

Colts -5.5 @ Broncos

Peyton Manning seemed unstoppable against little Eli and the Giants.  The Broncos D has been playing well but it’s going to be tough to stop Manning and his crew, as usual.  Plus the Colts can’t fall behind the Texans in the division this early in the season.

Jets @ Dolphins -1.5

The Jets finally backed up all the talk they had during training camp and held the Patriots in check.  I don’t see why they can’t do it to the Dolphins as well, considering the Dolphins are a run heavy team and the Jets have the best run D in the game.  The loss of Revis won’t be that much of a factor.  The Dolphins have been playing good football, but are not scoring as many points they would need to be the Jets in this game.

Packers -3 @ Bears

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are on a mission this year: to make the Super Bowl and they sure as hell are playing well enough to do so.  This is going to be a tough test for them, as last year Rodgers struggled real badly against the Bears.  Jay Cutler has been a surprise story this year so far, as he has led the Bears to a 2-0 record.  This is going to be a close game, but look for the Packers to continue in their quest for the trophy.

Lock of the Week- Philadelphia Eagles

Record:  16-14-2 (7-8-1)         Locks: 2 for 2

Week #2 - who saw that comming?

With week #2 of the NFL season all but a memory, I must say that this season is begining to offer some big time surprises and a resurgence of the "any given sunday" mentality.

Prime examples: Jets, Pats, Ravens, Bengals.

After looking like a pee-wee passing game throughout their first game, the Jets, behind 2nd year Sanchise, regained their winnings ways this Sunday, not only shutting down Brady's potent air attack, but letting Sanchez flash some of the potential that made him that first round pick just two drafts ago.

On the other hand, Brady and the Pats jut couldn't seem to get it working in the second half after unleashing all hell on the Bengals a week earier. Maybe Brady isn't "Tom terrifict" anymore, or maybe his O-line just needs some shipoopi.

On to the Ravens. Is Flaco color blind? I wasn't really sure if he was trying to throw it directly to the Bengals secondary or what. Now with some help from the refs, total BS calls against Lewis and Suggs, the Bengalas were able to steal a win, but with the Steelers playing tough without Big Ben, the AFC North race should been a thriller.

Big Problems in Big D
What is going on in Dallas? Seriously. 0-2 after playing the skins and da bears?? Just wait now as the Cowboy's schedule starts to get tougher and this early season SB pick could be staring at an 0-5 record. Texas, Titans and Vikings. The road to some wins does not look easy! For a team that is 4th in the league in total yards, its pretty sad to see that their 25th in points. So much for the three headed running monster too. 29th in the league in rushing yards per game at 69.5. Starting worrying Jerry, this season could become pretty bad if something doesn't happen soon.

The Vikings ship has sailed.
Favre should have stayed retired and thats that. With 1 TD pass and 4 interceptions, he is begining to look more and more like the over-the-hill QB that he is. Advice to #4. stay retired.

Don't get too excited Philly.
The lions are still the lions. It's good to get a win, but I do not see a Kolb or Vick lead team making any noise in the NFL this year, of frnakly for the next 2-3 years. Right now the NFC east is clearly up for grabs.

Don't look now, the Bucs and Cheif's are 2-0
Crazy right? Well if you're fans of either team, don't get too excite yet. Bucs really don't have a chance with the Saints and Falcons in their division, however, I wouldn't count out the Cheifs...in another 2 to 5 years, when they are finally done rebuilding their team.

Pure excitement so far. So many questions and so few answer so far in this early season preview. Numerous teams continue to have monumental problems, however, my SB pick Packers are flying high on cruise control. The Texans are looking like a playoff team and the Chargers turned things around with an impressive win. The season is shaping up to be something exciting, so don't blink.