Month: October 2007

OK, first a standings update. I went 6-5-2 in Week 6 and 8-6 in Week 7, for a current record of 52-44-7. Al went 7-4-2 in Week 6 and 8-6 in Week 7, for a current record of 52-43-8. Two observations on that: [1] We rock! That’s actually pretty good for us. [2] I’m going to lose by getting that stupid push wrong, aren’t I? I guess I deserve that.

On to the picks:

Sunday 1:00
Browns @ St. Louis(+3)
Only three? OK, I’ll take Cleveland.

Lions @ Chicago(-5)
I think I’ve figured out the Lions now and this leads me to pick the Bears this week.

Colts @ Carolina(+7)
Look, the Panthers are starting either Carr or Testaverde against one of the top AFC teams. Gimme a break. Indy.

Giants vs. Miami(+9.5) @ London
The Dolphins are hopeless, give the points.

Raiders @ Tennessee(-7.5)
Is Vince playing in this game? He’s listed as “probable,” so I guess that means he’ll most likely play. If he plays, they cover, so I guess I’ll take the Titans.

Eagles @ Minnesota(+1)
I hate the Eagles this year. No matter what I pick, somehow I just know that whatever it is, the Eagles will go the other way. Vikings, I guess.

Steelers @ Cincinnati(+3.5)
Pittsburgh’s poor performance last week is artificially holding down this spread. Works for me, I’ll give the points.

Sunday 4:10±5
Bills @ New Jersey Meadowlands(-3)
I love getting points here. I should believe in the Jest why, again?

Texans @ San Diego(-9)
I cannot imagine that the fires and such haven’t distracted San Diego, but the Texans are still too banged up. I’m not picking them until the big wideout is back for Houston. Bolts.

Jaguars @ Tampa Bay(-3.5)
Being embarrassed by the Colts doesn’t mean you’re bad against a middling NFC team. I guess the Bucs are favored because the Jags are starting a nobody at quarterback. But why should they need to throw anyway? Oh, cuz Jones-Drew is also probably out. Yikes. Bucs, I guess.

Saints @ San Francisco(+2.5)
Hey, just like last week: a team on the way down against a team on the way up. Saints.

Redskins @ New England(-16.5)
You have to think that eventually the Pats will fail to cover one of these big spreads, and the Redskins have been great against the pass. But are the Redskins really better than all the rest of the Pats opponents? Especially when they’re on the road? I say no, the Pats cover.

MNF
Packers @ Denver(-3)
Meh, nobody knows anything, damn “home team by a FG” spread. I know nothing, either. My coin says Packers.

Quick one, I just got back in town…

Sunday 1:00
Cardinals @ Washington(-8.5)
Wow, that’s a lot of points. I’m not sure the Redskins are really that much better than anybody. I’ll take the points on the assumption that it won’t be a blowout.

Falcons @ New Orleans(-8)
I don’t think Leftwich starting is going to help the Falcons much—they have no O line and he’s a statue. Are the Saints back? They looked like it last week, but I’m not sure yet. OK, I’ll give the eight.

Ravens @ Buffalo(+3)
The Bills can figure out a way to lose any game. I’ll give the field goal.

Patriots @ Miami(+16.5)
Yeah, sure, why not? The Pats second team could probably cover this.

Niners @ New Jersey Giants Stadium(-9)
A team on the way down vs. a team on the way up. I like the Giants to cover this.

Bucs @ Detroit(-2)
Err, no, I really don’t see how the Lions are favored here. I’ll gladly take the points.

Titans @ Houston(+1)
I’m going to keep picking against the Texans until they have Andre Johnson. I guess he’s listed as “doubtful.” We’ll see. I think if Young plays, the Titans win for sure.

Sunday, 4:10±5
Chefs @ Oakland(-3)
KC is resurgent! I’ll take the points.

Jest @ Cincinnati(-6)
As long as Pennington is starting, I’m picking against Gang Green.

Vikings @ Dallas(-9.5)
That’s a truckload of points. I see the Vikings keeping it closer than this.

Bears @ Philadelphia(-5.5)
I don’t see any reason to think that the Eagles are that much better than anybody, including the Bears.

Rams @ Seattle(-8.5)
Bleah. Two awful teams. I guess the Seabags are somewhat less awful. Are they eight and a half points less awful? Well, if the Seattle team which showed up last week against the Saints shows up again, no way. I think the better Seattle team shows up and they cover.

Sunday NBC
Steelers @ Denver(+3.5)
The Broncos are in a death spiral. Three and a half seems like a pittance here.

MNF
Colts @ Jacksonville(+3)
The Jags seem to have figured it out the last couple weeks: pound the rock, don’t turn it over. Is that enough to beat the Colts? Harrison and Addai are “probable,” so they’ll probably play but they might not be 100%. I dunno. I think I’ll take the Jags, I guess.

OK, so the bad news is that my fantasy team is in total disarray. The good news is that I went 9-5 last week making me 38-33-5 overall. Al, you went 6-8 last week, putting you at 37-33-6. (Al has more ties than I do because of my foolish use of over/under; I lost that game, Al got a push.)

Too much going on this weekend for me to have lots of commentary. Let’s just say that, as someone who follows the Texans, I’m damn glad that (A) the Dolphins are horrible, and (B) the Texans kicker had it going on. 3 kicks over 50? Nice…

Anyway, picks.

Sunday 1:00
Bengals @ Kansas City(+3)
The Chefs are horrible. I’ll give the field goal.

Texans @ Jacksonville(-7)
Every time I pick against the Texans, they win. I’m picking against them again.

Dolphins @ Cleveland(-4.5)
The Browns aren’t good, but Miami is much, much worse than being merely “not good;” they’re straight-up horrible. Browns cover easily.

Vikings @ Chicago(-5)
The QB problems for the Bears get a lot of ink and air time… but the Vikings QB situation is actually worse. Bears now have some confidence, they’ll rip the Vikings.

Eagles @ New Jersey Meadowlands(+3.5)
The Eagles aren’t very good, but history says

Rams @ Baltimore(-9.5)
I think the Ravens win, but that’s a huge spread. The only way the Ravens cover that is if their defense scores a couple TDs. Oh. Yeah, OK, with Ed Reed they’ll cover.

Titans @ Tampa Bay(-3)
So, the Bucs have looked good up until last week. The Titans also didn’t exactly look great last week. I think the Bucs defense will befuddle Young and they’ll cover this. Intriguing game, though; I’ll probably watch some of this one…

Redskins @ Green Bay(-3)
I don’t have any idea. None. Neither does Vegas, with the default “home team by three” spread. Redskins, I guess.

Sunday, 4:10±5
Panthers @ Arizona(-4.5)
All Cardinals, all the time.

Patriots @ Dallas(+5.5)
I love it when the Cowboys are on the board in a big game. Only 5.5? Really? I’ll gladly give those.

Raiders @ San Diego(-9.5)
This is a sucker bet—that’s too many points.

Sunday NBC
Saints @ Seattle(-6.5)
The Saint can’t go 0-16, can they? Probably not, but I’m not picking them on the road until they win one.

MNF
Giants @ Atlanta(+3.5)
The Falcons have been playing better lately, but so have the Giants. I think the G-men will have this one.

So… we both went 7-7 last week. I swear, one of these years I’m just going to use a quarter for the whole season.

* I can’t believe the Texans lost when I finally picked them. I know it can’t really be causal, but that’s freaky.

* McNabb is killing my fantasy team. Seriously ugly. I’m starting Philip Rivers this week, and if he simply puts up a big fat zero, that’ll be better than McNabb half of the time so far this season. Ugly.

* Err, which Patriot jersey will you be wanting this year, Al? Randy Moss?

* I think this could be the first time that the season ticket holders could actually win a class action against a GM. I’m lookin’ at you, San Diego.

Anyway, this week’s picks:

Sunday 1:00
Cardinals @ St. Louis(+3.5)
I don’t see the Rams getting better anytime soon, and the Cards’ defense is playing really well right now. I’ll give the points.

Falcons @ Tennessee(-8)
Seems like rather a lot of points, but I think the Titans are actually decent. But eight seems like a little too much this time around. The Titans will win, but not by that much.

Panthers @ New Orleans(-3)
Seems a little odd that the Saints are favored. Oh, yeah, Carolina sucks… but so does N. O. I guess that’s the three points for being at home. Meh, I’ll take the points.

Browns @ New England(-16.5)
Here’s one of those college football spreads you mentioned last week. And I’m still going to take the Pats. I think they’re on a mission to punish the entire league over the cheating thing.

Lions @ Washington(-3.5)
Redskins are just better, give the points.

Jags @ Kansas City(+2)
Jax is coming off the bye, and I think they’ll be ready.

Dolphins @ Houston(-5.5)
Just in case, I’m picking Miami here.

Jest @ New Jersey Giants Stadium(-3.5)
The Mean Green are a train wreck. I’ll take the Giants.

Seattle @ Pittsburgh(-6)
I think last week was an anomaly, I’ll give the points.

Sunday 4:10±5
Bucs @ Indianapolis(-9.5)
So, the Colts have been pretty good at covering these kinds of spreads so far this season. Cadillac is out for sure but Addai is “questionable.” I think the Bucs can keep it closer than this.

Ravens @ San Francisco(+3.5)
How come the Ravens are favored on the road? Weird. I’ll take the points; go Niners!

Chargers @ Denver, even
San Diego is in a tailspin. The Broncos aren’t very good, but I think there’s a very real chance this team will quit on Norv almost entirely. I’ll take the home team here.

Sunday NBC
Bears @ Green Bay(-3)
This makes no sense to me. The Bears are horrible, and the Packers look great. How is this only a field goal?

MNF
Cowboys @ Buffalo(+10)
It was awfully nice for the Bills to get a win last week… but it won’t continue. The Cowboys are simply a lot better. More than ten points better.