NFL Picks: Week 8

Ravens over the Cardinals

Arizona has given no indication that they're ready to take on the big boys yet . Kolb has been a bust so far. I mean what do you do if you are Larry Fitzgerald? You're quite possibly the best receiver in the league and yet your value is being wasted in the desert. It's almost like we've forgotten about this guy. I agree with those who've pointed out Fitzgerald might have been better off waiting to sign an extension on his contract. I get that the money was big and security is never a bad thing but a receiver needs someone to throw him the ball. Kolb may not be that someone.

Panthers over the Vikings

It will be interesting to see if Jared Allen can chase cam Newton down.

Texans over the Jaguars

Arian Foster, when healthy, is in the discussion for top running back in the NFL.

Giants over the Dolphins

Reggie Bush says the Dolphins stink. I agree. But so what? I mean Miami has had an odor for years (the team, not the city...I have no idea what the city smells like....but I would love to find if someone would like to spring for an all-expense paid trip for me to investigate this).

Saints over the Rams

Good thing the Cardinal's World Series victory will keep minds off this shellacking. Hide your eyes kids, hide your eyes.

Titans over the Colts

I actually think the Colts could make this competitive. But only if they get over that public beatdown they got last week courtesy of the Saints. Have some pride Indy.

Lions over the Broncos

For an athletic guy, Tim Tebow can look pretty awkward in the pocket. To me he's tight end athletic or maybe even linebacker athletic. I got enough of a look at him last week to realize he can make some amazing plays and some of the ugliest plays I have ever seen. However, Tebow magic 20% of the time isn't going to win very many games when 80% of the time he looks so bad you want to put him out of his misery. Also, I don't get it, wasn't Brady Quinn the backup to Orton. So why is Tebow starting? I mean I'm all for it, I just don't understand it. If Tebow is listed 3rd on the depth chart how does he jump Quinn? Three explanations. One: he's seen as better than Quinn. Doubtful considering Coach Jon Fox's less than enthusiastic endorsement of Tebow. Second: he's not seen as better than Quinn which gives them a greater chance of losing and maybe being bad enough to get Andrew Luck. That also seems doubtful since Fox doesn't seem the type to tank games. So is it the 3rd option? Fox and Elway, are caving to fans in order to give them a taste of Tewbow hoping in this lost season they see him fail and then they can move on without the fan pressure? I'm hoping Tebow screws up everyone's plans by actually winning games.

Bills over the Redskins

Fitzpatrick just signed a nice deal with Buffalo. Hope he doesn't go and pull a "Chris Johnson" on us now. I love that I can use Johnson's name as a descriptive term for "got paid, now I'm gonna suck donkeys". Couldn't happen to a more deserving deuche. Anyway, I digress. I like Fitzpatrick and I tend to think he'll continue to work hard and be a decent QB. He's not got superstar DNA in him but then again not many QBs do.

Bengals over the Seahawks

Despite poor ownership and pretty crappy coaching for the past few years, the Bengals have managed to get lucky with some draft picks and look pretty decent this year.

49ers over the Browns

Is it time to believe in San Fran? I don't think a win over Cleveland really gives us that answer.

Patriots over the Steelers

Probably the game of the day. Or at least it should be on paper. The Patriots week off killed my fantasy team last week. I needed Brady as my QB. I hate rooting for him to do well just for fantasy purposes. I've been flogging myself each week with a spiked belt to purge the sin of it from my soul.

Eagles over the Cowboys

For Philly's sake let's hope it's not close. As good as Andy Reid has been over the years, he has to be one of the worst clock management/tight game situation coaches I've ever seen. He rivals Norv Turner of the Chargers. ...speaking of which...

Chargers over the Chiefs

Last week Norv Turner and Philip Rivers had one of the worst 2 minute drills to end a game that I have ever seen. Just amazingly pathetic. And yet I find myself thinking they should probably win this. That's what San Diego does. They're like the NFL's mafia. Just when you think you're out..they pull you back in. Come on K.C. help me resist. .....Crap. can't do it. Southern California bastards.

Last Week: 11-2

Overall: 62-38 (61%)

NFL Picks: Week 7

Lions over the Falcons.
I'm ticked off with Michael Turner for turning a sure fantasy win into a loss last week. Everything was going fine until he decided to be good again.

Jets over the Chargers
NY gets some swagger back this week.

Bears over the Bucs
If this game had been in Tampa, I'd take the Bucs but since they are going to be playing in London I'll say the Bears because Chicago offensive coordinator Mike Martz reminds me of a British guy I once knew. That's not a compliment for either of them.

Browns over the Seahawks
Must see tv. ......in Hell.

Panthers over the Redskins

I'd like to see John Beck do well as a QB but I just don't think it will happen. He's been a backup for a reason. Still, I'll be rooting for him just like I did when he was at BYU. When Grossman is good he's much better than Beck. Unfortunately for Grossman those good days only happen about 30% of the time. The other 70% of his games Grossman is the 2nd coming of Jamarcus Russell.

Broncos over the Dolphins

It's Tebow time. Fantastic, now maybe the media can have their Tebowgasm and get it over with. I like the guy but even he has to be sick of the endless debate of his abilities as a QB. Let's let me him play and see what happens.

Texans over the Titans

Matt Hasselbeck is being very unlike himself this season. He's actually been fairly efficient with a passer rating of nearly 96. Who would of thought he'd be more valuable than Chris Johnson?

Chiefs over the Raiders

Will Palmer play this week? Probably not but so what? He can't really be ready after just getting off the couch a few days ago. Now I know he's been working out and all but it's not the same as going to camp and and getting some pre-season snaps. Raiders are home but Kyle Boller doesn't inspire me.

Steelers over the Cardinals

I like Larry Fitzgerald a lot but his team doesn't have the overall quality of receivers that the Steelers do. Between Ward, Wallace and Brown, Rothlisberger has some nice options.

Packers over the Vikings

Shouldn't be close. The Pack are amazing this season.

Cowboys over the Rams

I don't want talk about my Rams. Can it get any worse?. Yep.

Saints over the Colts

What's up with the Saint's center quitting mid-season? Weird.

Ravens over the Jags

Ray Rice comes to Jacksonville. He meets his twin Maurice Jones Drew. Those two guys play the game the same way. Passion and hard running.

Last Week: 8-4
Overall: 51-36

NFL Picks: Week 6

Steelers over the Jaguars
Maybe Jack Del Rio's master plan in getting rid of David Garrard was to compete in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. If so it's a weird plan since he probably won't be around to enjoy that draft pick were they to get it.

Packers over the Rams
Not a great week for my Rams to turn things around. Going to Aaron Rodger's house means St. Louis is going to be 0-5 come Monday.

Eagles over the Redskins
This has got to be the week Philly gets its act together right?  I think I asked that same question last week.

Giants over the Bills
This feels like it should go the other way but the Giants are one of those teams that are bi-polar. You never know what you will get out of them (and their QB for that matter).

Lions over the 49ers
 The defensive pressure of the Lions is incredible. Alex Smith has been great for the Niners so far but the Lions are at home. Hard to see the upset happening. Wait...did I just call a possible Lions loss an upset?  Live it up Detroit, those words have not been written about the Lions in quite awhile.

Raiders over the Browns
If the Raiders could get themselves a passing game (in a pass happy league) along with their already solid running game and defense they would be a legitimate playoff winning threat. But franchise QBs don't grow on trees and I think Jason Campbell just won't be the answer for them down the line.

Texans over the Ravens
I'm calling the upset here at Baltimore. Mario Williams is out, Andre Johnson is out, what I am I thinking? I'm thinking Joe Flacco has regressed so far this year.

Colts over the Bengals
Cincy is 3-2, the Raiders are 3-2, the 49ers are 4-1, the Bills are 4-1, the Lions are 5-0, and the Redskins are 3-1.  The success can't be sustainable for all of them.  Which ones will fall back to earth? My guess is the Skins, and the Bengals are most likely to fall hard. Without Manning the Curtis Painter show is shaky but there have been signs that he's not as bad as we feared. He hasn't been able to do it at home so I'm not sure why I'm making this pick on the road for Indy.


Patriots over the Cowboys
Brady and Belichick love to stick it to a Ryan if they can. Rex, Rob, whatever.

Saints over the Bucs
This could go either way since Tampa usually plays New Orleans tough at home. Hard to pick against Brees this year though.

Bears over the Vikings
A porous line won't stop Cutler from getting creamed by Jared Allen a few times. But if Hester, Forte and others can make a play or two they should be able to score enough to win. Other than Adrian Peterson, the Vikes are dead on offense.

Jets over the Dolphins
I would love to see the Dolphins end up with worst record in the league this year. Getting Andrew Luck in the draft could bring them back from their disastrous mistake of letting Drew Brees go to the Saints.

Al Davis: Pioneer, Rebel, .......& certifiably crazy for a decade

Lots of glowing testimonials over the last couple of days over recently deceased Raider owner Al Davis. I guess that's to be expected and I guess that's appropriate. Al Davis did some great things.....many years ago. Many, many, many years ago. I'm appreciative of history though so I think it's ok to celebrate his impact in the old AFL, his record of hiring minorities, his willingness to go against the grain etc.  But even though many don't want to talk ill of those who have passed on, any discussion of Al Davis has to also include the fact that the guy was just plain nuts for the last 10 years. His decisions, actions, and attitude drove his own organization into the ground and we have to be honest that both he and the Raiders were a joke for most of the past decade.  Having said that,  a bad 10 years doesn't erase the 40 years before that made Al  Davis a legend. So I appreciate the young Al Davis who revolutionized some aspects of prof football and I mock the crazy old coot Al who gave me a decade full of "Weekend at Bernie's" jokes.   Rest in Peace Al. If you happen to make it to heaven try not to drive God crazy.

NFL Picks: Week 5

Colts over the Chiefs
The Colts are playing hard even without much hope. I think Freeney and the defense take exception to the idea that Manning was the only reason for their prior success.

Saints over the Panthers
Cam Newton is better than expected. Wish we could say the same about the Saints defense to this point. They won't always outscore everybody as evidenced in the Packer game (week 1).

Eagles over the Bills
The name "Dream Team" name is dead according to Vick.  Are the regular old Eagles toast too?  I hope not. The league is better off if the Eagles are competitive.

Giants over the Seahawks
If the Giants can't beat this team we'll know they're frauds.

Steelers over the Titans
Hasselbeck is surprising me so far. Still, I'm convinced you can't trust him and that he'll be the on and off guy he was in Seattle. Chris Johnson is not as good as he thinks he is but I think you have to keep feeding him the ball. He's still got breakaway speed.

Bengals over the Jags.
Andy Dalton has been impressive as a rookie QB. Perhaps not Cam Newton impressive but the Bengals signal caller has shown some guts and skills.

Texans over the Raiders
The Texans need to take this division and step on it's throat. Is it in em? Their team history and their QB history doesn't suggest that so far.  But times change. At least Gary Gary Kubiak hopes so.

Bucs over the 49ers
I like both coaches.  This game intrigues me.

Patriots over the Jets
Games between these guys are never predictable. But you know the Pats want to stick it to Ryan's Jets.  If they get the chance they'll run up the score.

Broncos over the Chargers
The Chargers are over .500 this early in the season.  I'll channel my inner Lombardi and ask what the Hell's going out here?

Packers over the Falcons
The Pack look unstoppable.

Lions over the Bears
You know they'll be rocking in Detroit for Monday night. Gotta win this one right?


Last Week 10-6
Overall:: 37-26

NFL Picks Week 4

Lions over the Cowboys

Am I drinking the kool-aid. Yes, yes I am.

Bears over the Panthers

This just feels like one of those games where Jay Cutler does more good than harm.

Bills over the Bengals

The Bengals seem to be primed to win this trap game for the Bills. But these Bills are very likable and fun to watch.

Browns over the Titans

I hope with Kenny Britt down now that Titan QB Matt Hasslebeck targets wide receiver Nate Washington a lot. I'm starting him in fantasy football this week. This is what fantasy has done to me. The minute I saw Britt was seriously hurt I started to think of it's effect on my fantasy football team. I grabbed Washington off the waiver wire during the Titan game last week as Britt is being carted off. Damn.....I feel dirty.

Vikings over the Chiefs

Both are a mess. But while the Chiefs lost their star RB, the Vikes still have theirs. They just need to make sure they give him the ball. The less Donovan McNabb handles the rock, the better.

Redskins over the Rams

I can't even begin to describe how disappointing my Rams are thus far this year. If Rex Grossman outplays Sam Bradford this week I may have to light Bradford's rookie card on fire.

Saints over the Jaguars

This shouldn't be close...... so naturally it will be.

Texans over the Steelers

This is the kind of game Houston needs to win if they want to sit at the big boy's table.

Eagles over the 49ers

Maybe this will be the "wow" game we've been looking for this year from Philly. They had several last year but this year... not so much.

Cardinals over the Giants

Kevin Kolb needs to be better in key situations (3rd downs, etc.). They miss Beanie Wells so hopefully he's back.

Falcons over the Seahawks

This used to be the kind of game where Seattle's hometown advantage would kick in. I just don't see it this year. At what point does Peter Carroll start humming the USC fight song to himself on the sidelines?

Chargers over the Dolphins

just because the Bolts are at home. Still......I don't trust em. That's not changing as long as Nor Turner's at the helm.

Patriots over the Raiders

Belichick usually gives us one of those "no mercy" type of games the week after a loss. The Raiders have toughened up but I just don't think they'll score enough to win this game.

Packers over the Broncos

The TE Finley is coming on as a target for Rodgers and is a nice weapon in the Pack's offensive arsenal.

Jets over the Ravens

would be weird and feel somewhat awkward if this turned into a scoring fest. This game in theory should be low scoring.

Bucs over the Colts

With Payton Manning this is an interesting Monday night game. Without him it's monopoly night with the kids and checking the dvr if I hear any highlights are good.

Last Week: 9-7

Overall:27-20

The Steve Bartman story and 2003 Cub Fans that Suck

Just watched the ESPN documentary on Steve Bartman and the choke job by the 2003 Chicago Cubs. Now I know why I have never felt sorry for the Cubs and their fans. The treatment of Steve Bartman by jerk Cub Fans (thousands and thousands of them) was way, way out of line. The players, the manager (Dusty Baker), and the Chicago media all threw a normal guy under the bus and then backed that bus over his metaphorical head. One of the Cub fans comments caught on camera that night at the ballpark was: "put a shotgun in his mouth and pull the trigger!".

Stay classy Chicago.

A couple of things that struck me about the aftermath of that 2003 Pennant game. One, it's incomprehensible to me that the Florida Marlins have won two World Series championships. They've been around since 1993 and have won as many rings in nearly 18 years of existence as the Cubs have in 134 years. The Marlins do not play in a baseball town, they've blown up their teams after winning each of their championships just to save money and lastly, they're the Florida Marlins. It boggles the mind.

Secondly, the irrational nature of the Cub Fans during and after that game really bugs me. Mob mentality always does. Another Cub fan comment caught on tape that night that was directed toward Bartman, "I hope you rot in hell!" I have no doubt in my mind as I watch the clips of the fans that night, that if they had been able to get their hands on him, many would have had no problem in killing him.

I don't care about the history of the Cubs and their misery or stupid curses. 2003 Cub fans made a loyal fan their scapegoat and forever cemented their place in the Douchebag hall of fame.

NFL Picks Week 3

Saints over the Texans

Should be a good game. Both are good teams and each have excellent skill position players. The Texans defense might be a bit stronger but Brees is usually pretty good at home and has shredded good defenses there before.

Eagles over the Giants

I'm taking the Eagles with or without Vick here. The Giants defense is opportunistic but Manning is shaky and might give a few gifts away himself. It's no shock that people were booing Eli last week in NY. The one consistent thing about him is that's he's fairly inconsistent. Eli should get get the Rex Grossman style tag of "good Eli" and "bad Eli". The biggest weakness I can see with him is he just isn't that accurate. Watch Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady and then watch Eli. The difference in accuracy is significant.

Panthers over the Jaguars

It feels like it's time for a win for Cam Newton. If he throws for 400 plus again I might just poop my pants. Then again it seems like everyone's throwing for at least 300 plus yards these days. What's happened to the passing defense? Or are teams just throwing it way more now? It may be that because it seems like every QB's stat sheet has 30-50 attempts.

Patriots over the Bills

This should subdue the Bills fever for a week or so as Brady puts on another clinic. I can't believe how much time he has to just sit back and survey the field. He doesn't have that good of offensive lineman does he? Hasn't anyone learned from the Giants and the Jets? You need to bring the house against Brady. Pressure is the only way to rattle him. You can't do it with extra defensive backs. He's an assassin and he'll pick a secondary apart.

Dolphins over the Browns

Miami plays better on the road. At least it seems that way. For fantasy purposes I need Brandon Marshall to have a big game this week.

Bengals over the 49ers

You can't trust Alex Smith or his running game yet. I like Frank Gore but it's not there yet for him this season. I think Andy Dalton is pretty good for a rookie QB and Cedric Benson is playing well again. Wouldn't it be weird if the Bengals were good this year and Carson Palmer had to watch his team go to the playoffs without him while he sat home sipping diet cokes and working out with T.J. Houshamenwhatshisface? I might just root for that. This is a story that needs to happen.

Titans over the Broncos

Chris Johnson has got to break out another 80 yard TD soon right? I don't really like the guy though so if he crashes and burns this season it will be ok with me. I'm a hater like that sometimes.

Lions over the Vikings

We can only hope to contain this bandwagon as we all jump on. But seriously, they destroyed the Chiefs last week. The Chiefs apparently suck this year (after a couple of years of gaining respectability again) but still the Lions haven't destroyed anyone for a very long time. They have some very good players. I'm not all in yet but I actually want to see a Lions game this season and that's remarkable. The Vikings have Adrian Peterson and that's always entertaining but how much of the load can he carry again? Except for 2009 when Favre was all-world and almost had them in the Super-Bowl, AP has been the show in Minnesota.

Ravens over the Rams

My Rams need a win badly but the Raven defense is going to be very rude to Sam Bradford.

Jets over the Raiders

....trying to hold in the Al Davis jokes here. ........I'm fine.....no really, I can restrain myse...so did you hear about the guys who got busted this past week after pulling a "weekend at Bernie's" deal (hauling a dead body around town and using his credit card)??? Are we sure that some intern in Oakland isn't keeping Al on ice and wheeling him out once in a while with his shades on?? Ok, I got that out my system. Al Davis ridicule: check. Gushing about Darren McFaddeen: ooops, not yet. I love McFadden. If he could stay healthy this season he could challenge Adrian Peterson for best back in the land.

Chargers over the Chiefs

I could really see the Chargers starting another season off by digging themselves a whole too big to climb out of. I mean, it's kind of their M.O. But with Charles out for the Chiefs and their offense looking very timid otherwise, this should not be a a game.

Cardinals over the Seahawks

The only reason I would watch this game is to see Larry Fitzgerald. He's awesome.

Bucs over the Falcons

Not a total shocker if this happens. Josh Freeman has a toughness to him and a never say die attitude.

Packers over the Bears.

I like the Pack. Fun to watch.

Steelers over the Colts

It's going to get much worse for the Colts before it gets better. And it's their own fault. They've ridden Manning for so long and got spoiled by his ability to win games for them that they've neglected to surround this team with the toughness and talent that it needs to win. Without Manning they are a 3 win team. If that.

Redskins over the Cowboys

If Romo was healthy I'd got the other way with this . Gotta ride the Rex Grossman wave while it's cresting.

Last week: 10-6 (60%)

Overall: 18-13 (60%)

NFL Picks Week 2

Eagles over the Falcons

Welcome home Michael Vick. It should be a nice feeling for Matt Ryan as the Atlanta Crowd cheers the opposing QB. If the Eagles start a beat down on the Falcons and Vick is largely responsible for said beatdown then it could get kinda of awkward for the post-game Vick/Ryan greeting. Ryan: "uh... dude, I think they want you back" Vick: "ummm...yeah....my bad." Ryan's going to have some pressure because they need to avoid 0-2 and the Vick return will always be a sideshow but isn't his name "Matty Ice"? It's a pretty stupid nickname come to think of it, but he better live up to it this week or the doubts about his ability to be an elite QB for Atlanta will hang around this season. Falcon fans know it's Vick's own fault he's not with them anymore but it doesn't stop many of them from drooling over the fantasy of number 7 in the black jersey again.

Atlanta may get back on track this week. They have the players. They have a good coach. Still, that same thing could be said about the Eagles. I'm going with the Philly in a close one.

Packers over the Panthers

Not many of us thought Cam Newton had a 400 yard day in him for his career let alone his inaugural game. Touche, Cam. You sure showed us buddy, but keep an eye on the other guy this week because Aaron Rodgers just might be the best QB in the game and he could teach you a few tricks. This game should be worth watching for two reasons. To see if Cam Newton can do anything similar to week 1 and to watch the Pack rack up points. The Packers remind me of the Patriots in many ways. Unstoppable, professional, and well on their way to being annual Super Bowl contenders. Let's hope they don't add the Patriot A-hole quality too.

Browns over the Colts.

I need to see more from Kerry Collins and the Colt defense before I can pick them. Even against the hard luck Browns.

Saints over the Bears

Drew Brees is like the anti-Cutler: likable, inspirational and vocal leader to boot. Cutler tough or no? Who cares? He's a punk but that arm of his can win some games. This could be close with the Saints defense still highly suspect.

Raiders over the Bills

I would like to see a rushing battle between McFadden and CJ Spiller. I think Spiller has serious potential.

Jets over the Jags

Sanchez to Burress. That combo is looking better all the time. Also, Tomlinson had some zip in his legs last week. He's not done yet. Shonn Green better start ripping it up or LT is going to keep grabbing playing time from him.

Ravens over the Titans

Should be another tough day for Chris Johnson if Ray Lewis and the Ravens D can channel some of their signature aggressiveness. Ed Reed is my favorite defensive player of the past decade. The nickname "Ballhawk" doesn't even begin to describe his impact in the secondary.

Cardinals over the Redskins.

What am I to do with Rex Grossman? Have we gotten past the whole Good Rex and Bad Rex thing. It will take more than two games to tell us that. I want to see more of Kolb to Fitzgerald and this game should do that.

Chiefs over the Lions.

Everything we've seen so far in the pre-season and in week 1 says this should go the other way. But this is the NFL and expectations aren't always fulfilled.

Broncos over the Bengals.

This whole Tebow QB controversy can't be good for him in that Bronco locker room and the fact that he has a cult following in the mile high city isn't going to end well for him. He's 3rd string for hell's sake.

Steelers over the Seahawks.

Should be just the tonic that Pittsburgh needs this week. I don't trust the Seahawks. How did they not prepare better for the end of the Hasselbeck era? Charlie Whitehurst and Tavaris Jackson, Seriously? Seattle, you guys had a few years to see this coming and you could have drafted or traded for an upgrade at some point. My advice for Pete Carroll is to play everyone, go 1-15 and get Andrew Luck in the draft. Then he could stick it to Luck's former coach Jim Harbough twice a year when they play San Fran.

Vikings over the Bucs

Donovan McNabb can't suck any worse than he did last Sunday right? 39 yards! It's all uphill from here baby! Actually McNabb is washed up and has been for a few years. It's unusual (but not unheard of) for a guy who was an elite QB to go downhill as early as he has (he's only 34!) but make no mistake, you can stick a fork in Mcnabb. He's done. He may have a good game or two this season but the Vikes have not found an answer with him as their QB.

The Bucs on the other hand have a guy under center that should make strides this year. Josh Freeman needs some help in the run game though. Last week Tampa was under 60 rushing yards and 3.5 yards a carry (last game's stats) and that's less than helpful. This may not be the game to fix it though because I still like the Viking defense led by Jared Allen.

Texans over the Dolphins.

This is Houston's year to take the division. It's ripe for the picking. Which means if they hold true to form they'll find a way to blow it. The silver lining? No Manning around to mess it up.

Cowboys over the 49ers

Dallas needs a win or Jerry Jones may begin to melt like the Wicked Witch of the West. Or was it the East? Screw it, either way we need Dallas to win just so we can keep Jerry around for awhile. He's good entertainment. Creepy but fun.

Patriots over the Chargers

Brady and Belichick are about to get their groove on again. ....wait...that didn't come out right. Strike that. The "hoody" and the supermodel's husband are about to take it to teams without giving a s#@% what anybody thinks. If Brady can avoid injury he's due for another huge year and MVP consideration again.

Giants over the Rams

My Rams are hurting. Injuries could have been more devastating in week one so I'll have to be grateful Bradford is talking about playing against NY. I've got Giants wideout Mario Manningham on my fantasy team and I'm hoping he does well. That's my team he's playing against. I'm officially a fantasy football whore.

Last week: 8-7

NFL 2011. Let's Get Ready to Rumble!

Yes the National Football League season is here. Finally. Lockout crisis averted. Billions of dollars ready to be passed out to some NFL people we like, and many we would just as soon see stuck in an oven with the broil setting on. But I digress. Did I mention pro football is ready to be played? I'm excited enough that my wife could jam toothpicks up my nostrils and I wouldn't even notice because I'm on a pigskin high. I do have a slight problem though as the Pro season begins. I finally caved and joined a fantasy football league. I'm a newbie. First timer. And I'm conflicted. I knew I would be. That's why I've held off on playing fantasy football until I became quite possibly the last football fan in America who had never indulged. Those that have read me before know that I root passionately against the New England Patriots. I might root against them as much as I root for my teams to win. It's sick and demented but what are you gonna do? When Tom Brady when out for the season with an injury a couple of years back I whistled and skipped to work the next day. It was somewhat awkward when some small girls on their way to school joined in the skipping....but hey life's celebrations are few and far between in my world. I bring this up because my worry in playing fantasy football over the years was that I might end up with and/or need players I disliked and I would on some level have to root for them to do well. It would mess up my Football weekend mojo.

So what happens this year on my first foray into the world of fantasy football? You guessed it, I get Tom Brady as my 1st QB. Why did I end up with him? The easy answer is because the league I'm in runs an auto draft using player rankings that we set. My second QB ended up being Sam Bradford---only the signal caller for my favorite team. Nice. So I can sit Brady and play my guy (Bradford) while Brady torches D-backs this season or I can play Brady (aka demon spawn) who might help me with bragging rights in my league. Bragging rights would be nice. I'll probably play Brady.

I'm a deuchebag.

So the season starts tonight. Packers vs. Saints. I'm in football heaven and hell. Damn you fantasy football.

NFL Labor Dispute: Ho Hum.

This NFL lockout of 2011 spring/summer has interested me about as much as an enema. Come to think of it the two concepts are similar. They aren't much fun but occasionally they are necessary. That's my take on the lockout. Labor dispute was inevitable in the NFL. The league is swimming in money and everyone wants as much of it as they can get. That takes some sorting out. So it was a little weird this off-season. Big deal. Things might be delayed a bit and some of the players are probably a bit out of shape but we probably won't miss any regular season games. And even if we did....the world moves on the league would have come back. I'm fairly fanatical about NFL football, as many of you are...but labor disputes every decade or so are par for the course. I've got a lot to keep me up at night, but worrying about a bunch of millionaires and billionaires and how they plan to split their money isn't one of them.

NFL Playoffs: Championship Round

Packers and Bears. I picked the Pack to win this because I didn't trust Cutler to come up big in big games. Boy was that an understatement. I'm interested to see what happens with the knee injury. Even if it's not too bad I'm not sure I trust the Bears to tell the truth on it. How could they if it's a minor injury? If it turns out to be something that most people will feel he could have played on then he'll be destroyed officially in that town. They have to say it's serious don't they? So how will we really know? We won't would be my guess. We will just have the image of a surly, seemingly disinterested Cutler standing on the sideline. Is it fair to him to question his toughness? Sure it is. That's what we do as fans. These points are all over the blogs and articles but I think they are fair points. First, if he's seriously hurt why stand on the leg from the sidelines for the rest of the game? But he wanted to support his teammates. Well then how about throwing on a headset and getting involved and supporting them like a leader does. Also, we've seen QBs beg and plead to be put back in the game after being injured. There was none of that visible from Cutler. Again, maybe we missed something. Some people don't wear their emotions. Cutler could have been dying inside but it's pretty clear if that's ever the case we'll never know it because the guy has robot face on pretty much 24/7. 2nd point, We've watched guys hobble around in the pocket on bad knees before. Byron Leftwich did it famously at Marshall . Robbie Bosco did it to win a national championship all the way back in 1984 (start at 5 min mark). Say what you want about negatively about Brett Favre (and I have), but that dude played more games than you could count where he should have been in the locker room by the second quarter. I don't know if Cutler could have played or not. I suspect he could of but maybe his knee truly was toast and he would have done more damage than good. Again, I don't know. I do know at least on this night Cutler didn't seem like much of a warrior.

--The Packers made this game much closer than it should have been. They seemingly played the entire game on the Bears side of the field and yet punted wayyyyyy more than you should ever punt your opponent's 40 yard line. A lot of third and shorts were missed and that could kill their chances in the Super Bowl if they don't get it fixed. Rodgers wasn't stellar but he was good enough. The Pack deserve to go to Dallas for the Super Bowll but you can't tell me we wouldn't have had a better game had the Saints been playing instead of Chicago. Damn Seattle Seahawks. Screwing up the playoffs again.


Steelers and Jets. I picked the Steelers because they were at home and because I thought their defense would show up big. Not a big leap to pick the home team but it's hard to go against Roethisberger in a big game. The dude seems to have a knack for making key plays. His last 3rd down play to ice the game was classic Roethlisberger. Extending the play, throwing on the run and off balance, and of course completing it. I thought the Jets should have been hustling a bit more in the latter part of the 4th quarter so more time would be left if they scored but the runs were working for them and they needed a for sure score. They were relying on their defense which played well in the second half. Just not good enough on 3rd down. --when they needed it the most. Still, it was a good playoff run for the Jets. If Sanchez has some clutch in him but needs to make a step up in consistency. I've learned one thing with Rex Ryan's guys, you don't want to count them out.


Super Bowl Pick: Steelers over the Packers. Sometimes the Packers mess up on the little things. It's what hurt them in the games they lost this year. Penalties, dropped balls, bad clock management. It's not epidemic or anything, just enough to lose some tight ball games they have no business losing during the year. The Steelers do all the little things right. I think Mike Tomlin is one of the top 3 coaches in the league. I want the Pack to win it but I think Steeltown gets another title.

NFL Playoffs: Divisional Round

Bears over the Seahawks. Raise your hand if you had both of these guys playing in the 2nd round of the playoffs when the season began. This league is crazy and this game proves it. Actually last week proved it too. The Seahawks played out of their mind last week offensively. Hasslebeck got himself another year in Seattle as a starter with his near perfect game against the Saints porous defense. Thankfully for my Rams, that's a good thing. Hasselbeck never had much of a "prime" but I would say based on the last few years he's well past that prime. Of course people have gotten hot in the playoffs before and ridden the wave for 2 or 3 games. Maybe the hawks will go surfing on Hasselbeck's arm. More likely though the Bear defense will come crashing down on him and the Seattle offense like a Tsunami. The Bears, in my mind, catch a break by avoiding the Saints and instead should get a pretty easy path to the championship game. The Saints meanwhile are heading home after an 11 win season. You can talk all you want about how if they were really championship worthy they should win their game, even on the road, but I'm not buying it. Home field is an advantage otherwise teams wouldn't try so hard to get it. Seattle played better than New Orleans last week and they deserve to move on but a 7-9 team does not deserve a home game in the playoffs. Period.

Patriots over the Jets. Here go the bigmouths again. Jet coach makes an ass of himself. Jet's defensive back makes an ass of himself. Same old, Same old. Here also comes a repeat: Tom Brady is going to make mincemeat of New York/Jersey's secondary.

I think the Jets got lucky many times this year. I think they got lucky against the Colts. Overall they probably have the better team but Indy had that game won and they let it slip away. I really need to find a new AFC team to root for. Manning plays tight in the playoffs. He always has. Even his SuperBowl victory was a so-so game for him. It's frustrating to watch. I'll always wonder how he would have fared with Dallas Clark and Austin Collie to throw to.

Steelers over the Ravens. At some point you think maybe the Ravens will thump the Steelers. They have similar philosophies and similar players. Probably come down to a field goal.

Falcons over the Packers. Rodgers looks great but so do the Falcons. It's really a "pick em" game.

NFL Picks:Wild Card Playoff Round

Jets over the Colts. I don't like either of these teams' chances to make it to the AFC championship game. Too many flaws. And you know this might be the first year that I won't root for the Colts to make it to the AFC championship. The reason? They have no chance to beat the Patriots. Lets face it, the chances are slim for anyone in the AFC to pull an upset in New England but the Steelers might come the closest.

Ravens over the Chiefs. I like K.C. and I would love to see them do well in the playoffs. I just don't see it happening.

Saints over the Seahawks. So Seattle knocked off my Rams last week. I hate the Seahawks. I felt like I was in Mike Martz withdrawal as I watched Sam Bradford try and nickel and dime is way to a first down each series. Geez Louise, do they have a pass play in their arsenal that goes past 6 yards? Two Ram games have been on tv this season in my tv market. Both have been bad games by Sam Bradford. I've read about Bradford doing well and I've seen some highlights where it seems he is doing well. But my own personal viewing of him suggests some work needs to be done. I mean, Charlie Whitehurst outplayed you man! Charlie Whitehurst! But I digress. Next season . Next season. My Rams made significant progress this year and I need to be happy about that. They should contend for the NFC West next year as well. That Ram/Seahawk game was ugly though. Fitting for a division champ that has a losing record. Shouldn't this give some push to the idea of seeding the playoffs by record? The Saints will face a disadvantage with the Seattle crowd noise but I think they'll pull this game out.

Packers over the Eagles. I think Rodgers will outplay Vick. Hopefully this will be a matchup for a few more years to come.

NFL Prob

NFL Picks: Week 17

Falcons over the Panthers. Stranger things have happened but the Panthers walking into Atlanta and beating the Falcons just won't happen. The only way Carolina has a prayer is if the Bucs are up by 30 in the 4th quarter with the Saints..... and with the number 1 seed locked up, the Falcons pull their starters.

Steelers over the Browns. Mangini hasn't done a terrible job with the Browns this season but I just can't see him surviving the ax come Monday morning. Unless he and Mike Holmgren have been become poker buddies or something this should be a no-brainer. Mangini hasn't done anything with the Jets or the Browns that screams "elite coach". Holmgren should look to the Steeler sideline during this game for inspiration. Mike Tomlin is an elite coach and he should search for a similar hire.

Chiefs over the Raiders. This will be a tough one for K.C. They are at home but Oakland is no pushover. I'm rooting for Jamaal Charles to have a huge game. He's been the best back in the league this year in my opinion, and with a monster game he has an outside shot at snatching the rushing title from Arian Foster.

Pats over the Dolphins. New England doesn't rest their starters much so look for Brady to be in until the blowout is secured.

Saints over the Bucs. Brees wants this one bad and if the Panthers could somehow pull out a miracle in Atlanta, a victory here would give them the 1 seed. That would be pretty incredible considering how they started the season. Even if Tampa loses this game they should feel this year is a complete success. They've come back from the abyss and have a solid future for the next couple of seasons.

Jets over the Bills. Even with a loss last week, the Jets back into the playoffs again. Then again it didn't seem to hurt them last year. The Jets are just flat out more fun with Rex Ryan as their coach. I'm not a fan of the team but they have been more interesting in the last 2 years than they have in the 20 previous years.

Ravens over the Bengals. The Bengals beat the more talented Chargers last week but that says more about the Chargers than it does the Bengals. I agree that's disrespectful to Cincy, but hey they've earned that the past couple of years.

Giants over the Redskins. Grossman mania in D.C.! Actually he has played ok and he's going against a struggling Eli Manning so maybe I should flip this. Nah. The Giants defensive line is still great and they'll do some damage this week.

Eagles over the Cowboys. The Eagles redeem themselves this week even if it's Kolb at QB.

Texans over the Jags. Garrard is out and the Jags lost their mojo late in the season anyway. They are tough enough to win this one but being on the road makes me think the Texans may get the best of them.

49ers over the Cardinals. Singletary is gone so does that mean the Niners come out with less fire? Because that's one thing that guy had. Maybe the only thing. His coaching decisions can be questioned but not his will. So I'm curious to see if San Fran comes out ready to play with some energy.

Packers over the Bears. Nice matchup to end the season. This was actually tough to pick because the Bears are playing so well. But the Pack absolutely need this game.

Colts over the Titans. The Colts don't get their annual "rest the starters day" this year. Maybe that's good. It worked out for them in 2006 when they had to play hard to end the season.

In regards to Tennessee: The Titans owner Bud Adams needs to fire Jeff Fisher after this season. He's an overrated coach and part of the Vince Young mess is his fault too.

Chargers over the Broncos. This week San Diego has nothing to play for except pride. That actually might not be a slam dunk for them then since you think a little pride would have kicked in earlier in the season. Another head coach that needs to go is Norv Turner. That team should be a Super Bowl contender.

Rams over the Seahawks. Go Rams! I haven't had a Ram game that I've been nervous about for years. This is going to be weird. I could could get used to some meaningful games for my favorite team in the league.

Lions over the Vikings. What the Vikes did to the Eagles on Tuesday was impressive. They shut down the Eagle offense and their unknown backup QB, Webb, played surprisingly well. The Lions on the other hand have only won 3 in a row. Yep that's not a typo. 3 in a row. How can you root against the Lions this week if you are not a Vikings fan? A 4 game winning streak to end the season would flat out be awesome for the Lions--- who along with the Rams are giving hope to losing clubs.

One note though: Favre will be sidelined again with injury. Plus he's been recently fined for being a douche. Well.....fined for not cooperating with the league in the Sterger investigation.....but it's pretty much the same thing. That whole situation was a joke though. The NFL's "let's just drag this thing out until the end of the season, then it won't matter" philosophy was classic. Jen Sterger was a pretty unsympathetic character herself, what with her blatant attempt at a money grab. It was pretty obvious with her earliest recorded statements that she wasn't all that upset over the text messages Favre was sending her and the pics if they are from Favre (which I personally don't doubt that they are) seemed to creep her out in an amusing way more than anything (again from her earliest recorded words). I'm not saying it wasn't a sexually harassing thing to do, I'm just saying Sterger doesn't come off as much of a victim with her attitude she displayed. Still, Favre comes out the worst in the debacle. He looks like a guy who wanted to cheat on his wife. For his sake I hope his home life is ok now and that he's got it worked out. So hopefully this time he really does stay retired. He damaged his legacy quite a bit the past 4 years (gained some of it back last year with a stellar season) and then stayed a year too long. Actually kind of fits his personality and the "gambler" he was pegged to be as a QB. Unfortunately for Favre he didn't follow the Kenny Rogers country song. You see, in reality most gamblers don't know when to fold them.

Last Week: 10-6
Overall: 130-91 (59%)

NFL Picks: Week 16

Steelers over the Panthers. In the NFL any team is capable of beating another. That's been proven over and over. However the Panthers are in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes for a reason.

Cowboys over the Cardinals. Cowboys still playing for Jason Garrett's job.

Patriots over the Bills. I just read that Terrell Suggs of Baltimore didn't even put Tom Brady on his Pro Bowl balllot but instead had the Bill's Ryan Fitzpatrick on it as a QB. Suggs was doing it out of spite because of he and Brady's well publicized feud this year. Interesting though because Fitzpatrick gets to play against Brady this week and he'll get an up close and personal look at not just a Pro Bowl QB, but a Hall of Fame QB.

Bears over the Jets. Bears are having trouble getting respect despite a great record. This would be a quality win and would help people take them a little more seriously.

Ravens over the Browns. Not terribly interested in this game.

Chiefs over the Titans. I'm wondering if K.C. is feeling the heat. I hope not. I'd like to see them make the playoffs. They need to watch out for Tennessee because they can still be dangerous.

Rams over the 49ers. This game will be on local channels for me this week. It marks the first time I will actually get to watch my Rams this year. Being in the Rocky Mountain area I get a steady diet of Bronco football and a smattering of other popular or winning teams. But the Rams have been non-existent on tv for me the past few years. I actually was ok with that since St. Louis was pretty much unwatchable from 2006-2009. But this year had me yearning for the NFL Ticket package again. I'm on Dish Network so that's not really an option for awhile so I'll have to take advantage of this once-a- season opportunity to see Sam Bradford in action. Now watch a snowstorm roll in this weekend and knock out the power.

Dolphins over the Lions. My favorite receiver is back in the league. Kevin Curtis (from my alma mater of Utah State) has been signed by the Fins and I hope he can show he still has it. Dude had testicular cancer (ouch) and had surgery earlier this year for it. Too bad the Colts didn't sign him. Manning would find he's a lot like the recently reinjured Austin Collie. Great hands and fast. Best of luck Kevin.

Jags over the Redskins. The Skins are in chaos. Shocker. I root for the Colts in the AFC so I would like to see Washington get it together..... at least for this game.

Colts over the Raiders. The Raiders are easily capable of winning this game. They found some old Raider toughness this year. McFadden could run all over the Colts defense if he finds a few holes and the Colts are still without some needed weapons on offense. It's clear that Dallas Clark was the key receiver in that offense. Collie filled some of that void but his concussions have robbed Manning of critical guy. Reggie Wayne is still great but he's double teamed constantly and that slot/middle of the field stuff was Collie's domain. Notice how Austin Collie tore up the Jag's defense last week before he had another horrible concussion. I'm pretty depressed about that injury. Before Collie got hurt the first time this year he was one of the leading receivers in the league. Too bad the second half of the year has been snake bitten for him.

Texans over the Broncos. I'll admit it. I'm not a Tebow hater. I know some are but I like the guy. He plays hard and he seems like genuinely nice guy. I'd like to see him do well.

Chargers over the Bengals. Marvin Lewis needs to be fired this year. Palmer has been awful at QB and the Cincy defense hasn't really stepped up either but Lewis has had his shot and it seems clear he's not the guy to lead the Bengals back to contention.

Packers over the Giants. Do you realize that Eli Manning has thrown 20 interceptions this year? I know it's Christmas time and all but with the increase in brother Payton's picks the Manning family has been entirely too giving this season. Rodgers return should make the difference this week for the Green Bay.

Bucs over the Seahawks. Explain to me again why Pete Carroll went after Charlie Whitehurst as a QB this past offseason. I know Matt Hasselbeck has been washed up for years but that's not the answer. Seattle seems like they need a complete overhaul on offense.

Eagles over the Vikings. I've seen two games that made my jaw drop this year. Both involved Michael Vick. The Redskin game and last week's Giants games are keepers on my DVR.

Saints over the Falcons. This is the best game game on paper going into this week. Can the Saints regain some swagger and knock off the Falcons at home? I think they have the potential but they really need to start playing some better defense. Matt Ryan has been awesome at home and this is probably not smart on my part picking the Saints on the road in Atlanta.

Last Week: 9-7
Overall:120-85 (59%)

NFL Picks: Week 15

Chargers over the 49ers. I would say this is a lock but then again the Chargers did lose to the Raiders a couple of weeks ago. I know, I know, Oakland has improved this year but the Chargers are supposed to be good and they have a top 5 QB. They could finish the season out strong and if K.C. chokes the division away San Diego could be the team nobody wants to face in the playoffs.

Browns over the Bengals. What did the Browns pay Jake Delhomme this year? 8 Mil? Jake is laughing all the way to the bank. Looked stupid when they signed the deal and it looks even stupider now. Colt McCoy is perhaps not the long term answer at QB but has potential and that's something Cleveland needs.

Texans over the Titans. Chris Johnson meet Arian Foster again. The guy who might take your rushing title from you.

Ravens over the Saints. Some are asking what's wrong with the Ravens. They lost to Pittsburgh and had to struggle to beat the Texans. Nothing is wrong unless you mistakenly had the Ravens pegged as the best team in the AFC a month ago, as many did. They're a good team. They're just not a Super Bowl team yet. I hope the Saints can take this one but they are in Baltimore and that may just give the Ravens the edge they need this week.

Jags over the Colts . Nothing the Colts have done this season leads me to believe they can win out and take their division. Except they are the Colts and despite some playoff failures in the past decade they have managed to pull out some remarkable regular season victories. The Jags just look tougher though and I think they'll gash the Colts with their running game.

Cowboys over the Redskins. Grossman at QB. That's outstanding. Shannahan and son are brilliant. I know McNabb is washed up, but at least he was great once. Grossman came into the league washed up. It almost makes me want to root for the Cowboys. Almost.

Bills over the Dolphins. Some games are forgettable before they're even played.

Bucs over the Lions. It would sure be fun if next year the Lions could have a promising season like the Bucs are having.

Chiefs over the Rams. A game with possible playoff implications for both teams. Kinda sounds weird when talking that way about the Rams and Chiefs doesn't it?

Cardinals over the Panthers. Someone has to win this.

Giants over the Eagles. Vick has to hope he doesn't get battered like the last time he saw the G-Men. I do agree with those that say Vick doesn't get the same protection as other QBs. He brings some of the hits on himself but there are other times when the refs seem to be swallowing their whistles. The hit he took out of bounds last week (a penalty that wasn't called) was ridiculous.

Falcons over the Seahawks. Seattle is tough at home so this is another game for Atlanta to show they are the NFC team to beat this year.

Raiders over the Broncos. This rivalry just doesn't have the same juice without the background noise of Shannahan and his feud against Al Davis.

Steelers over the Jets. The Jets' close victories earlier in the season look like a sign that they were getting a bit lucky rather than being really good.

Patriots over the Packers. If Aaron Rodgers was playing for the Packers this week I would give them a fighting chance against the Pats. He's out with the concussion symptoms and without him it could be a blowout for New England.

Bears over the Vikings. It's really strange to see Favre on the sidelines. His streak was to me the most impressive of all playing streaks among the different sports. Cal Ripken and Lou Gehrig were great but they didn't have Michael Strahan or Ed Reed trying to take their head off. Favre stayed at least a year too long and I've had my fill of the drama but the guy was fun to watch. His legacy has been destroyed in the short term but hopefully we can look back again at some point and remember when he was the most popular player in the league..... and one of the best.

NFL Picks: Week 14

I hate this time of year in the NFL. Reason? We are in sight of the end of the regular season. Then it's playoff time, Super Bowl and the season is done. That's right...I was the kid that got pissed about Christmas being over before it was even over. I can't help it.

Colts over the Titans. It's the case of two reeling teams. The difference I believe is that Indy is desperate and Tennessee is past that point. They seem to be in the "I don't give a #$%# mode right now and even though Manning is just downright awful at the moment, I'll take him over whoever the Titans trot out there. Having said that......as someone who roots for the Colts, it is hard to watch them this year. They are grinding offensive plays out like never before. 5 yards. 2 yards, 7 yards. 1 yard. Mind you, these are all passes. Reggie Wayne is the only guy stretching the field for them and even he has dropped some critical passes. Garcon is not having the type of year I thought he would have considering he is a main target. Additionally, the running game is a joke. Here is where Manning's complex offense comes back to bite the Colts in the rear end. I believe they have passed on very talented runners in the draft and in free agency who they feel would not be suited for picking up the blocking schemes in a very complex offense. For the Colts pass protection is job A and job B for a running back. Picking up yards on the ground is an afterthought...... and that's killing them right now. Having Dallas Clark, Austin Collie, and Joseph Addai out with injury are key factors for sure, but think back to how Manning won his only Super Bowl. Remember a running back named Dominic Rhodes and how he tore up the vaunted Chicago Bears defense? I'm not saying he was a fantastic runner in his career, but he was awesome that day and he was just as responsible for that victory as Manning was. Watch the tape sometime. You'll agree.

p.s. I just googled Dominic Rhodes' name to make sure I spelled his name right and lo and behold I read that the Colts just resigned him due to the injuries to their running backs. You can't make this stuff up. Well....you can but why would I want to?

Browns over the Bills. The Bills are at home and despite their record they aren't pushovers. Still, even with Jake Delhomme trying to give the game away for Cleveland last week they managed to win it in a squeaker. I'm taking the Browns in another shocker to myself.

Steelers over the Bengals. The Steelers need to keep an eye on this one. The Bengals have a habit of playing them tough and they could be easy to overlook for a Pittsburgh team that just had one of the more impressive wins of the year over the Ravens. I can tell you one thing: a whole lot of women around the country saw Ben Roethlisberger's broken nose in the game and stood up applauded.

Packers over the Lions. It's a divisional game so I guess it could be tougher than it looks. But the Pack look really good to me.

Giants over the Vikings. I think NY ends Favre's season if he plays in this game. Their pass rush is relentless. The Vikes should play Tavaris Jackson, hand the ball to Adrian Peterson and prep for next year.

Bucs over the Redskins. Tampa still hasn't beat a team with a winning record. They're good but not playoff good. They've made progress this year and next year we might be talking about them as a sexy pick to compete for their division. There is nothing sexy about the Skins though. Not from El Creepo Eyes Shannahan to Albert Haynesworth's incredibly lazy and incredibly rich butt, to Donovon McNabb's rapidly disappearing career. .

---And by the way I loved the throwback creamsicle orange unis the Bucs wore last week. I would never advocate for it to come back full time (just like I think the powder blues for the Chargers isn't a good look week to week) but a little nostalgic homage to the 70s and 80s in Tampa was nice.......Even if that nostalgia invokes memories of total and complete futility.

Falcons over the Panthers. Kudos to the Panther punter who made TD saving tackle on a showboating Seahawk Leon Washington this past week. That highlight will be saved and packaged by him for Christmas gift dvd stocking stuffers.
-If the Falcons are truly serious contenders this year then this game shouldn't even be close.

Jags over the Raiders. If only the Raiders could just play teams in their own division. They own those guys! Too bad for them they have to go on the road to play a hot Jacksonville team. ---Hey can we all agree that the Saints picked the wrong Southern California running back in the draft a few years back? Reggie Bush is a dangerous weapon for the Saints when healthy but Maurice Jones Drew is the complete package. He was overlooked and overshadowed at UCLA by the flashier Bush at USC. But their numbers were comparable in college and it's not even close in the Pros. Drew by a mile.

49ers over the Seahawks. Seems like the Niners always play well at home against Seattle. Alex Smith is starting but that probably isn't exciting anyone in the Bay area.

Saints over the Rams. Bradford is not ready to take down the Saints at home.

Jets over the Dolphins. NY needs to show that the Pats game was a fluke. Too bad for them it wasn't. New England is a much better team with a living legend at QB. Mark Sanchize Sanchez at this point is talented but could not fill out Brady's jockstrap (metaphorically speaking).

Broncos over the Cards. the "win one for the interim coach" thing has worked so far this year for a couple of clubs so why not the Broncos? Hard to believe how far the Broncos have fallen the past couple of years. Wasn't too long ago we were thinking of them as a team with massive potential. Cutler at QB, Marshall at receiver. A opportunistic defense. It's not all McDaniels fault. But he did set some of the dominoes in motion and for that (and other stupid things) he probably did deserve to get whacked.

Chargers over the Chiefs. I wish K.C. could get this one but I have a feeling San Diego will continue to string people along with another shot of hope. I know the Chargers have gone deep in the playoffs a couple of times recently but it sure seems like they are one of the prime contenders for wasting the most of their talent over the past half decade.


Eagles over the Cowboys. The rebirth of John Kitana! Again! Yikes! Dallas is at home this week in the "House that Jerry Built" but I'm going with Vick and the Eagles. It's funner that way.

Ravens over the Texans. Arian Foster might have a tough time running against the Ravens.

Patriots over the Bears. I've said it and I've said it. And it makes me sick to say it. Tom Brady is the best QB in the league. Maybe the best QB of all time. Certainly the best QB in the past decade. Manning made it interesting for a couple of years but there just isn't any doubt that Brady is the best. He's unstoppable. He's calm, strong armed, tall, insanely accurate, has great timing and leaps tall buildings in his spare time. Had it not been for his season ending injury 2 years ago, he probably would have taken the Patriots back to the SuperBowl that year too. He had just come off the amazing 2007 year (re-writing the record book) and he had a good team that Matt Cassel ended up winning 11 games with as a backup. Last year was a bit of down year for him coming off the injury but he's back in form and .....and....and I need to throw up. I must control my hate. I must control my hate. It's all about baby steps in my anti-Patriot therapy.

Last Week: 13-3
Overall: 113-78

NFL Picks: Week 13

Eagles over the Texans. I think the Eagles bounce back this week. How great was the Johnson fight last week? I have never liked the Titan's corner (Finnegan). As awesome as it was, both needed to be suspended and it really is a joke that the NFL is so inconsistent in their punishments.

Saints over the Bengals. The Saints are not as good away from home but the way the Bengals have been playing doesn't leave you full of confidence that they can deny them a victory. Brees hasn't been spectacular this year but he's still been very good. The Saints may sneak up on people this year which is kind of weird because they are the defending champions.

Bears over the Lions. Looks like I'm going to have to accept it. The Bears may just be good again. Their offense has improved and their defense is ferocious . Julius Peppers is not the only one making plays (Urlacher is back in form) but Peppers seems to be a perfect fit in Chicago.

Packers over the 49ers. If the Pack can get rid of the mental mistakes this should be a blowout. Does anyone throw a better deep ball than Aaron Rodgers? His arm and that tight spiral are the stuff of legend already.

Jaguars over the Titans. I just can't get over how badly it went for Vince Young this year. His QB rating was solid. He had some nice victories. And then he completely melted down. If he wasn't injured this would be a huge story the rest of the season. Imagine what would happen to this guy if things ever went really bad. He might disappear and threaten to harm himself. Oh wait, that already happened. --Compare him to the Jag's David Garrard. This is a guy who in my opinion is not much more than an average QB but who has good leadership skills. He has his good and bad days. But do you ever hear much controversy about him? No, he has some maturity which is a must if you want to last a few years as a QB in the NFL.

Chiefs over the Broncos. Time for me to beat a dead horse again. The best running back in the NFL this season is Jamaal Charles. I've been saying he needs more carries. He nearly has as many yards as the Texan's Arian Foster and he has approximately 80 fewer rushing attempts! Maybe he has fresh legs and that's why he's been great. I don't know. I don't think he needs to be a workhorse but 4-5 more carries a game at least is reasonable. The K.C. offense has been solid with Dwayne Bowe at receiver and Matt Cassel is living up to some expectations. Stats aren't everything but he has some nice numbers this year they do indicate that he's worth keeping around.
--speaking of stats...... the Bronco's Kyle Orton has some great numbers and should get a shot next year as well but the running game isn't there this year and the Denver defense has given up some critical touchdowns. I can't go with them against the Chiefs at home.

Dolphins over the Browns. Delhomme almost killed Cleveland last week. He's starting again this week. Yikes.


Vikings over the Bills. Was it last week ..or the week before that I praised the up and coming Bills receiver Steve Johnson? Then he goes out and drops 5 passes (none more critical than the overtime drop in the endzone). He wasn't done screwing up though. His "tweet" where he blames God for the butter fingers is classic. Watch for lightning Stevie....24/7

Giants over the Redskins. Doesn't matter that Tom Coughlin is starting Brandon Jacobs over Bradshaw at running back this week. If Jacobs can't get it done, Bradshaw will be back in (fumbling problems or not).

Chargers over the Raiders. Is San Diego now an elite AFC team? Maybe. --5 and 5 is a very average record and they are just as responsible for losses as they are for their very impressive victories. We'll see how it ends up later. Maybe the Chargers will be like the great race horse Zenyatta, always charging down the backstretch.

Seahawks over the Panthers. These are the types of home games that Seattle is usually automatic with.

Falcons over the Bucs. This is Tampa's great chance to prove they are as good as their record. They've beaten nothing but cupcakes this year and now a heavyweight comes to town. Let's go Josh Freeman. Rise and shine.

Rams over the Cardinals. Rams have to win this game. Have to. They play the Saints and Chiefs next, and then finish with divisional foes Seattle and San Francisco. I think the latter two are very winnable but K.C. and New Orleans might be a problem. So if they can go 3-2 to end the season they'll sit at 8-8 which definitely could win the NFC West. It's not pretty but neither am I ---and my wife still loves me.

Colts over the Cowboys. I need to face facts this year. The Colts are just not that good right now. Manning has been average this year but it's not all on him. He's got no running game and his receivers are dropping like flies. And those that are healthy are playing hot potato with his passes. He needs Austin Collie back who is a very reliable target over the middle. If Collie can keep from getting his bell rung again and the Colts can get a few easy TDs going into the final weeks then maybe they can become dangerous again. They have a favorable schedule to finish up the season so if they can get a game ahead of the Jags and stay there they will be in the playoffs again. But they sure don't look like contenders this year.

Steelers over the Ravens. This seems like a tough one to pick. Two teams with warrior mentalities. They usually play close and nasty. I'm going with the Steelers in another tight one.

Patriots over the Jets. I'm conflicted here. I agree with the thought that if the Jets were to win this and then had to play the Pats in the playoffs, they would struggle to win 3 straight games against Brady and crew. Who knows if they'll meet in the playoffs though. Go Jets.

Last Week: 13-3
Overall: 100-75 (57%)