Hot Off The Presses: Week 5

After a 10-4 week highlighted by my getting burned by the Tennessee Titans who totally laid an egg, we are back at it this week still searching for that elusive undefeated weekend.

Sunday

Browns at Bills: Bills. This will be a pretty sad sack game but I think the Bills have a few more bullets in their gun than the Browns plus they are at home.

Steelers at Lions: Steelers. Rashard Mendenhall finally looked like the running back the Steelers thought they were getting when they drafted him. The defense is also looking better and Mike Wallace is showing up as a number 3 receiver. I actually think there is a good chance the Lions will look better with Daunte Culpepper as the QB, especially if he starts throwing it up to Calvin Johnson the way he used to with Randy Moss. But in the end the Steelers are much too much for the Lions even in Detroit.

Cowboys at Chiefs: Cowboys. I mean if they can't beat the Chiefs the whole Cowboys coaching staff should be fired on the spot.

Vikings at Rams: Vikings. Duh

Raiders at Giants: Giants. With or without Eli the Giants should win this one in a cake walk.

Buccaneers at Eagles: Eagles. This game should be a good litmus test for the Bucs even though they won't win. They get back Tanard Jackson this week and so we should get a good look at the best the defense will play all year. The Eagles will get off the bus blitzing so we will learn alot about second year quarterback Josh Johnson this week too. Unfortunately I don't think this will be a close game with Donovan McNabb coming back and the Eagles coming off a bye.

Redskins at Panthers: Panthers. Even though the Redskins won last week, they didn't look good doing so against the lowly Buccaneers. The Panthers should get back to pounding the running game and playing stifling defense this week. Home field should help a lot too.

Bengals at Ravens: Ravens. The Bengals have come a long way but the Ravens are perhaps the most well rounded team in that division. I have to ride with Ray Lewis at home.

Falcons at 49ers: 49ers. Its the immovable vs the unstoppable with the 49ers run defense going against that great Falcons running game. In the end I think the 49ers show that they are for real and close the Falcons out in a close game at home.

Jaguars at Seahawks: Seahawks. I am not sure about this one at all. But I think homefield + Hasssleback playing + cross country trip for the Jags + Housmanzadeh starting to step his game up, will lead to a Seahawks win. But don't quote me on that lol.

Texans at Cardinals: Cardinals. The Texans' defense has been atrocious and I don't think they can win a shoot out with the Cards.

Patriots at Broncos: Patriots. I have a little more respect for the Broncos now, but not much. Watching the Cowboys game last week they played well but definitely not great. And they will need to play above their level to beat the healed up Patriots. Losing Fred Taylor will hurt but the Broncos lost Correll Buckhalter too so thats about a push in my estimation.

Colts at Titans: Colts. Its hard for me to believe that I am picking the Titans to start the season 0-5. But it would be harder for me to pick them to beat the Colts and Peyton Manning at this point.

Monday

Jets at Dolphins: Jets. I know a lot of people will make this game about the Braylon Edwards trade, but I think Calvin Pace coming off his suspension will have a much greater impact for the Jets. I have said for a long time that if you want to stop the Miami Wildcat the way to do it is to blitz to Ricky Williams' side of the formation. I guarantee you that you will see that a lot from the Jets this week. And on the flip side the Dolphins' secondary is just atrocious and will once again be their weak link on Monday.