Your Week Three Leader

Ok maybe I didn't make this clear but trash talking IS allowed in this fantasy football pick em league.  Preferrably in the comments of these posts each week so we can all join in.  Its been wayyyy too quiet for my liking.  I'll tell you this much, after a terrible week one for me I am now officially kicking asses with steel toe boots on and taking names!  I wasn't number 1 this week but I finished just behind our week 3 champ ....uhmmm ...the uhmm....Butt Water Drinkers?

Yeah.....that name....LMAOOOO

Anyway yall had better get on your hustle because the I'm trying to run away with this thing by the middle of the season.

Alternately, what happened to Top Dog this week?

Remember to make your picks and good luck this weekend!!! 

Your Week Two Leader

For the second week in a row Top Dog is in fact the Top Dog of our fantasy football league with a scorching 79 points. I did a little bit better than my first week with a respectable 57 of my own. Remember that your lowest week will be dropped at the end of the season and that is why right now yahoo shows you with only having only the points from your highest week so far. I'll tell you this much, if Top Dog doesn't slip and or somebody else doesn't get on a hot streak most of us are about to get embarrassed lol.

Might have to take that guy with me out to Vegas!

Don't forget to get your picks in for this week.

Hot Off The Presses: Playoff Divisional Games

I was just 2-2 last week. Turnovers killed the Bengals as well as their kicker. The Patriots game was just a debacle, didn't see that coming at all. Welp another week, more picks.

Saturday

Cardinals Vs Saints: Saints. I know quite a few people jumped off the Saint's bandwagon after they slid late in the season but they are all going to look kinda silly this week. The Saints had two major injuries that hindered them. Pierre Thomas hurting his ribs in the Tampa Bay game effectively took them out of their running game. Mike Bell is good but a lot better when used as a compliment to Thomas. Him being out forced the Saints into being more one dimensional than they would like to end the season. But from all reports he will be back for this game and that is going to give their offense a boost.

The other major injury was probably the most impactful and that was when Jeremy Shockey went down with his turf toe. Shockey's role in the offense is one that is not easily duplicated because of the roles the tight ends play for the Saints. Shockey is basically the tight end they use to push the ball down the field and threaten the seams. David Thomas on the other hand is more of an H Back who lead blocks in the running game and catches a lot of shorter routes. With Shockey out Thomas had to take on his role some and that's not really his strength. Plus it made them more predictable because if Thomas was in the backfield it was likely to be a run, because if it were a pass they would usually have him in Shockey's spot. Now those days are over and I think the Saint's offense will put up at least 30 pts.

I know what you are thinking though, what about that explosive Cardinals offense that we saw against Green Bay? Well here is the thing, the Saints defense is practically made to play against a team like Arizona. They love to blitz and they are very opportunistic in the secondary. What they have the most problem with is when a team can run the ball on them. And then they can't dictate what kind of coverages and blitzes they want to use because it ends up being 3rd and short instead of 3rd and long. Because the Cardinals don't run the ball that much, it won't be a factor in this game. That's not to say that the Saints will totally shut them down, because I don't think they will. But I believe the Saints will pick Warner off several times and take him off rhythm just enough to hold their scoring down. I also think that while losing Charles Grant is a blow it may end up being a net plus in this game as it means Bobby McCray is going to get a lot more playing time and that dude can really get after the quarterback.

Ravens Vs Colts: Colts. The Ravens played one helluva game last week and I wish I could pick them to win this game because I just love their style of play. But I just can't do it this week. The Colts will be healthier and fresher this week than they have been most of the year. They are playing at home, on turf and they are an extremely fast team. I do think that the Colts will have problems with the Ravens' running game at least at first. We all know they aren't really built to defend the run on defense and Ray Rice and Willis McGahee are both running well right now.

On the other hand I think that Peyton Manning is going to put points on the board. One of the keys to this game will be the Colts getting their running game going. Joseph Addai and Donald Brown will keep the Ravens defense honest. I really think Brown will have a big day as he is the more physical back. And when that happens Peyton will just pick them apart doing down the field. Once the Colts get up a couple of scores then their defense will start to tee off on Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. One of the matchups to watch will be rookie right tackle Michael Oher of the Ravens, you know the guy whose life the movie "The Blind Side" is based on, and the Colts excellent but underrated left end, Robert Mathis. It could get ugly on for the Ravens at that spot.

Sunday

Cowboys Vs Vikings: Vikings. Even though I am a lifelong Cowboys fan, it pains me to have to say the Vikings are going to win this game. I was talking to a friend of mine and here is how I put it. The problem for the Cowboys this week is that where they are strong, the Vikings are strong, and where they are weak the Vikings are above average. For instance, the Cowboys' running game has really been the key to their offensive dominance at the end of the season. One of the major reasons they have had success is their very big, very talented offensive line has really taken it to other teams' defensive lines. The problem for them this week is that they are facing what is, in my estimation, the most talented defensive line in football. You have the Williams brothers inside who hold up really well against the run, you have Ray Edwards at left end who is a monster against tight ends and a better than average pass rusher. Which brings us to the biggest problem.

Jared Allen

This guy is one of the best pass rushers in the game and he embodies the word relentless. The reason why he will make a difference in the running game aside from just his technique, is the effect he will have on Cowboys left tackle, Flozell "The Motel" Adams. Long suffering Cowboys fans know the problems Adams has with remembering the snap count and how he gets us in a hole with penalties at the most inopportune times. Well now add on that the fact that he is facing Allen AND he won't be able to hear the snap count in that loud ass dome. Expect to see a lot of 1st and 15s on Sunday.

Offensively Adrian Peterson has had his problems with fumbling at the end of the year but unfortunately the Cowboys aren't a team that really goes after the ball all that much. Add to that the fact that our defense hasn't been all that great against stopping good running backs and it may end up being a very long day in the trenches. The Vikings interior offensive linemen are every bit as big and dominant as the Cowboys O Line and they are going to come right down hill at the Cowboys.

The matchup that will be worth the price of admission if you ask me will be when DeMarcus Ware is matched up in pass rushes against Bryant McKinnie. I think McKinnie will end up getting the better of those battles and help to keep Brett Favre clean.

There are two other predictions I will make about this game. First off, Romo generally does a great job of ball security when he is in the pocket. When he scrambles however he tends to take more chances. I think that once Allen et al start getting after him you will see Romo throw sone balls up for grabs. Secondly Visanthe Shiancoe is going to present a major matchup problem for the Cowboys. If they continue their pattern so far, Shiancoe will be matched up quite a bit with Bobby Carpenter. When I say that won't end well, I am talking folks may end up kicking their TV in as they curse the name of Bobby Carpenter. I am going to make sure not to wear any shoes during the game :)

Jets Vs Chargers: Chargers. This was by far the easiest pick for me this week. The Jets have to travel cross country for this ass whupping. Everybody is talking about the matchup between Darrelle Revis and Vincent Jackson but what they need to be asking is who on the Jets defense are going to defend the other power forwards that they use in their passing game. Hell Malcolm Floyd has fewer catches but the exact same 17.2 yard average per catch. And who which three guys are going to deal with tight end Antonio Gates who is finally back to being 100% healthy? That isn't even talking about LT and Darren Sproles making catches out of the backfield on screens when the Jets blitz. Oh and Legedu Naanee is another big receiver who is nice as well. If there is one quarterback in the league who isn't going to be intimidated its probably Phillip Rivers also.

On defense the Chargers aren't exactly world beaters against the run and that will be a problem early but once their own offense puts up the points they game will change completely. Yeah it was great last week when the Jets kept rolling Sanchez out and hitting the tight ends on crossing routes but this week if he rolls out he is probably going to turn around and get hit in the mouth by a rush linebacker. Above and beyond that when he finally has to actually sit in the pocket and make plays in the passing game Antonio Cromartie is going to have a field day. See you have to remember that it was only like 2 years ago when folks were calling Cromartie the 2nd coming of Deion Sanders and he was putting up crazy numbers. He went backwards last year but he bounced back this season and I have a sneaky suspicion that he isn't happy with being forgotten in favor of Darelle Revis in so many people's mind. I would think the Chargers will match him up most of the day on Braylon Edwards and I just know in Sanchez is going to try to test him and he is going to pay for that.

I am actually a fan of Rex Ryan and I like the excitement he brings to games with his trash talk, but he is going to be on the wrong side of an ass kicking on Sunday and he ain't gonna like it.


There you have it. I tried to be a little more detailed this week and as we get closer to the Superbowl I will continue adding more and more into my analysis. Now hopefully I won't come off looking like a dumbass after this weekend is over lol.

See ya next week!

Hot Off The Presses: Playoff Wild Card Games

Its time for the second season ladies and gents. Here are my winners for the first round of the playoffs.

Saturday

Jets at Bengals: Bengals. I know the Jets have a great defense and a great running game but at some point in this matchup they are going to have to ask rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez to make a play for them. That won't turn out well for the Jets.

Eagles at Cowboys: Cowboys. Its damn near impossible to beat a team 3 times in a season but I think the Cowboys will get it done this year. They are the healthier team and the hotter team and they run the ball which is how you win in the playoffs. I will admit to some nervousness about this pick though. Something tells me the homer in me might be behind this one.

Sunday

Ravens at Patriots: Patriots. I like the Ravens a lot and the truth is they had a very good chance of beating the Patriots in their earlier meeting this season. I realize that having Wes Welker out will hurt the Patriots offense also. But there is one factor I am looking at that I think will be the difference in this game and that is the return of Fred Taylor. I don't necessarily think Taylor will have a monster game. I just think he will make enough plays in the running game to keep the Ravens defense honest enough that Brady is able to go up top to Moss a few times. Even the threat of a running game is something the Patriots haven't had most of the year and I personally think it will be enough to offset the loss of Welker.

Packers at Cardinals: Cardinals. As much attention as the Cards get for their offense, and rightly so, I think they will win this game with their defense. I think they will be great against the run and force Green Bay into a lot of 3rd and longs. I also think that even though the Cards are banged up that Kurt Warner will find a way to make plays in the passing game to push the ball down the field. It will be close but I think the Cards win it right at the end.

Hot Off The Presses: Week 17

Winners for the final week of the season.

Colts

Jaguars

Bears

49ers

Steelers

Vikings

Buccaneers

Saints

Patriots

Cowboys

Cardinals

Chargers

Titans

Ravens

Broncos

Bengals

Update: I am officially changing my Broncos pick to the Chiefs. After Josh McDaniel's childish display I will be rooting for the Chiefs to kick his ass out of the playoff hunt.

Hot Off The Presses: Week 16

Its Christmas Eve and I am lazy as hell so once again I will just be providing my winners for the week. On a side note I wanted to let you know that so far I have picked 145 winners to 77 losers on the season. Not bad, if I do say so myself.

Titans

Falcons

Bengals

Browns

Packers

Ravens

Dolphins

Patriots

Buccaneers (Yeah, I said it)

Giants

Cardinals

49ers

Eagles

Jets

Cowboys

Vikings

Hot Off The Presses: Week 15

A little under the weather today so I will just give my winners for the week.

Jaguars

Saints

Patriots

Cardinals

Titans

Chiefs

Texans

Jets

Eagles

Ravens

Chargers

Broncos

Packers

Bucs

Vikings

Giants

Hot Off The Presses: Week 14

Thursday

Steelers at Browns: Steelers.

Sunday

Saints at Falcons: Saints.

Packers at Bears: Bears.

Broncos at Colts: Colts

Bills at Chiefs: Chiefs.

Jets at Bucs: Jets.

Dolphins at Jaguars: Dolphins.

Lions at Ravens: Ravens.

Seahawks at Texans: Texans.

Bengals at Vikings: Vikings.

Panthers at Patriots: Patriots.

Rams at Titans: Titans.

Redskins at Raiders: Raiders.

Chargers at Cowboys: Cowboys.

Eagles at Giants: Eagles.

Monday

Cardinals at 49ers: Cardinals.

Hot Off The Presses: Week 13

I think I am going to stick with just giving the picks for the rest of the year. If you have questions on any game just hit me up in comments and I will explain my thinking on it.

Thursday

Jets at Bills: Bills.

Sunday

Eagles at Falcons: Eagles.

Rams at Bears: Bears.

Lions at Bengals: Bengals.

Titans at Colts: Colts.

Broncos at Chiefs: Broncos.

Saints at Redskins: Saints.

Bucs at Panthers: Bucs.

Texans at Jaguars: Jaguars.

Raiders at Steelers: Steelers.

Patriots at Dolphins: Patriots.

Chargers at Browns: Chargers.

49ers at Seahawks: 49ers.

Cowboys at Giants: Cowboys.

Vikings at Cardinals: Vikings.

Monday

Ravens at Packers: Packers.

Hot Off The Presses: Week 12

No explanations this week, hell everybody deserves a holiday right? So buckle your seat because here we go.

Thursday

Happy Thanksgiving!

Packers at Lions: Packers.

Raiders at Cowboys: Cowboys.

Giants at Broncos: Broncos.

Sunday

Bucs at Falcons: Falcons.

Dolphins at Bills: Dolphins.

Browns at Bengals: Bengals.

Seahawks at Rams: Rams.

Panthers at Jets: Jets.

Redskins at Eagles: Eagles.

Colts at Texans: Colts.

Chiefs at Chargers: Chargers.

Jaguars at 49ers: 49ers.

Cardinals at Titans: Cardinals.

Bears at Vikings: Vikings.

Steelers at Ravens: Ravens.

Monday

Patriots at Saints: Saints.

Hot Off The Presses: Week 11

To quote myself "Football will make liars of us all!"

Now that we got that outta the way...

Thursday

Dolphins at Panthers: Panthers. Like I said last week, Thursday games are notoriously hard to pick. The only reason I am going with Carolina is because the Dolphins are hurting right now with Ronnie Brown being out the rest of the season. But who knows, if Delhomme goes out and starts serving up picks again it could be anybody's game.

Sunday

Browns at Lions: Lions. I think the Browns defense will matchup well with the Lions offense but I don't think Joshua Cribbs is gonna play and that means that their offense which was already awful will be positively putrid. Thats not even taking into account how his absence will effect them on special teams. Oh and by the way Cleveland, PAY THAT MAN!

49ers at Packers: 49ers. The Packers just aren't that good of a team, last week's Dallas game non withstanding. I think the 49ers are going to pound them with the run and their defense is going to really get after Rodgers whose offensive line is still definitely a weak point.

Steelers at Chiefs: Steelers. I have a feeling this game will be closer than it should be but the Steelers will pull it out in the end.

Redskins at Cowboys: Cowboys. C'mon Son!

Falcons at Giants: Giants. Take a dome team outdoors in November and December and they don't usually like that. Besides that, without a healthy Michael Turner I don't have a lot of confidence in the Falcons offense.

Saints at Bucs: Saints. Unfortunately the Saints probably had their wakeup call last week when the Rams almost upset them. Because of that I don't think they will come into Raymond James with their guard down. And the Saints hitting on all cylinders right now are just better than the Bucs hitting on all cylinders. It won't be the blowout that many believe though. Antonio Bryant might have a really big day after taking the last two games off to rest his knee.

Bills at Jaguars: Jaguars. The Jaguars are the most schizo team I have ever seen. I knew they were going to bite me in the arse last week and sure enough they did. This game is kind of hard to pick because you just don't know how the firing of Dick Jauron will affect the Bills. Will the go out now and play harder for the interim guy? Or will he take more risks than normal? Oh well I am just gonna go with the Jags and hope they show up two games in a row for a change.

Colts at Ravens: Colts. I was kind of leaning towards an upset by the Ravens earlier in the week but then I thought about how bad the Ravens offense looked on Monday night. Now Im almost sure that the Colts won't go undefeated this year, sooner or later their rash of injuries are going to have to catch up with them right? Still until they show me they can lose I am not going to pick them to do so.

Seahawks at Vikings: Vikings. Duh.

Cardinals at Rams: Cardinals. This is going to be closer than necessary, at least for awhile. Division game and the Rams are actually playing better. But the Cardinals are too stacked right now.

Chargers at Broncos: Chargers. The Broncos haven't looked all that great the last 2 or 3 games and if Orton doesn't play they have no shot of winning. If Orton does start I still don't think they will beat a Chargers team that is dangerous as hell on offense with all its weapons now balling out and a defense that is starting to get after people. Funny because a few weeks back people were seriously doubting the Chargers and pumping up the Broncos and their rookie head coach Josh McDaniels. Now both teams have the exact same record, go figure.

Bengals at Raiders: Bengals. This has all the earmarks of a trap game. New starting quarterback in Oakland. Cedric Benson might be out or at least slowed by injury. West coast trip. But I actually believe in this Bengals team. They have showed me they are for real so I am riding with them.

Jets at Patriots: Patriots. The Jets haven't seemed to ever recover from losing their all world nose tackle Kris Jenkins. Even though they won games after that they never again looked dominant the way they did early on. Well I don't think this game will do anything to help their confidence. The Patriots offense has finally shook the rust off and is back to giving defensive coordinators all kinds of nightmares and headaches. The defense has been quietly getting back to putting in work too since they got Jerrod Mayo back from injury. I think this will be a very physical hard fought contest but I fully expect the Patriots to win by at least a touchdown.

Eagles at Bears: Eagles. Jay Cutler + Eagles blitzing defense = lots and lots of picks. This could get ugly, REAL ugly. I hope the Bears at least keep it competitive because I don't want Lovie Smith to lose his job, but I am just not sure that is gonna happen.

Monday

Titans at Texans: Titans. Everything in my head is telling me that this will be the game Vince Young comes back to earth. He is going to be going back home which is a problem in and of itself. And the Texans have a high powered offense. But dammit I am riding with VY an the Titans! Monday Night Football, under all the lights and on a big stage I expect VY to shine on these fools. He has been waiting for over a year now to show what he could do and all kinds of folks were hating on him and doubting his skill set and yet he just kept working. Of course it helps when you have a back like Chris Johnson putting in work too but say whatever you want to say, Kerry Collins had the same guy lined up behind him and wasn't getting it done. Like his own head coach said earlier this week, this is a new VY. And I expect to see that new guy lead his team to victory on Monday night.

Hot Off The Presses: Week 10

Well I am up 1-0 so far for the weekend, hopefully the win tonight will give me momentum going into the weekend.

Sunday

Saints at Rams: Saints. Duh

Bucs at Dolphins: Dolphins. I think the Bucs are going to have a good showing this weekend but the Miami strengths just so happen to coincide with the Bucs weaknesses. I look for Miami to pound the rock right at the Bucs defense and stay out of third and long and their defense will get off the bus blitzing the rookie QB Josh Freeman. Now last week I picked against the Bucs and they won the game. I hope that they pull it off again, but I just don't see it happening.

Lions at Vikings: Vikings. Duh

Jaguars at Jets: Jets. This game makes me more nervous than it should because the Jags are such a shizo team. One week they look great, the next week they look horrible. I am taking the Jets at home though because I think overall they are just the better team.

Bills at Titans: Titans. Make of it what you will but Vince Young is now 2-0 as a starter this year and for whatever reason the team is playing a lot better. The Bills just haven't looked good this year even in their wins and I think by the end of Sunday VY will have the Titans on a 3-0 run.

Bengals at Steelers: Steelers. The Steelers defense is back and you can attribute a lot of that to the return of safety Troy Polomalu from injury. But their offense isn't half stepping either and I don't think people are really noticing how much Rashad Mendenhall's running is helping to open things up for the passing game. Teams are having to commit extra people in the box to try to take him away witch leaves a lot of single coverage out wide. As much as I think the Bengals are an improved team I just don't see them sweeping the Steelers with a victory at Heinz field.

Broncos at Redskins: Broncos. Duh.

Falcons at Panthers: Falcons. I have a really funny feeling about this one. My brain tells me the Falcons will win this won pretty easily but I worry that the Panthers are gonna stand up at home. Still I am going with my brain on this one, Falcons win one way or another.

Chiefs at Raiders: Chiefs. Flip a coin, sheesh.

Eagles at Chargers: Chargers. The Eagles have to go cross country on this trip and they may well not have Brian Westbrook again for this game. And the Chargers just so happen to have some corners that I think will match up well with Philly's wideouts. I also think that Antonio Gates is going to have a field day when the Eagles blitz so if you have him on your fantasy team you definitely want to start him this week. Write it down, take a picture, I don't give a .......

Seahawks at Cardinals: Cardinals. The Cardinals are hitting on all cylinders on offense and defense now and the Seahawks have just had to many injuries this year (again). Cards in a laugher.

Cowboys at Packers: Cowboys. It has become apparent to me that the Packers are pretenders. Their defensive scheme does not take advantage of the talent that they have and they refuse to really commit to running the ball on offense even when they are dominating. I expect the Cowboys to go in there and really bring a smash mouth attitude and pull out a close win.

Patriots at Colts: Patriots. Randy Moss and Wes Welker against two rookie corners? Not a good look. Don't get me wrong, I think Peyton and the Colts will get theirs too but I think the Patriots will make a few more stops on defense and steal one in Indianapolis

Monday

Ravens at Browns: Ravens. Duh

Hot Off The Presses: Week 9

I am feeling the home cooking this week.

Sunday

Redskins at Falcons: Falcons. The Redskins clown care pulls up to Atlanta this week and really most people are just waiting to see how bad its going to get there before the season is over.

Cardinals at Bears: Bears. The Bears will have homefield advantage working for them and I am not convinced that the Cardinals are a team equipped to play in the elements. The Bears are going to really get after Kurt Warner and I think that pass rush is going to affect him big time. I look for Cutler to have a pretty big day and stay away from the high risk throws.

Ravens at Bengals: Bengals. The Bengals are an up and down team but I think they matchup well with the Ravens. They have a lot of weapons on offense and they can exploit Baltimore's suspect secondary. I also think the Bengals defense doesn't get enough credit for the work they have put in this year and they will do a good job of shutting down that Ravens offense.

Texans at Colts: Colts. The injury to Colts cornerback Marlin Jackson is going to really affect their secondary but I think as a team they just have too many weapons for the Texans.

Dolphins at Patriots: Patriots. The Patriots have their mojo back and now that they have had an opportunity to heal up a bit I look for them to come out like gangbusters. It won't hurt that they will have the homefield advantage either. The Dolphin secondary has been suspect all year and I think the Patriots having their wide receivers healthy and Tom Brady having his rhythm back spells big trouble for them.

Packers at Bucs: Packers. Duh.

Chiefs at Jaguars: Jaguars. This is a tossup game honestly because the Jaguars are the biggest frauds in the NFL. They only get the nod because they are at home.

Lions at Seahawks: Lions. With Calvin Johnson back in the lineup I look for a better than their record Lions team to shock the Seahawks.

Panthers at Saints: Saints. This pick makes me nervous considering the recent history of Panthers success in the Superdome combined with the resurgence of Julius Peppers since he moved back to left end. But I just think that right now there isn't any stronger complete team than the Saints. On offense defense and special teams they can take it to anybody. So I look for this to be a lot closer than most folks think but the Saints pull it out at the end.

Chargers at Giants: Giants. Chargers. Ok I just changed my mind on this pick. The Giants secondary is shady and the Chargers have a bunch of power forwards playing wide receiver. Combine that with Darren Sproles being a weapon in the return game and I think the Chargers will shock the Giants at home. I know a west coast team coming east has a hard time getting up for the game but the matchups simply favor the Chargers in this one.

Titans at 49ers: 49ers. I like that the Titans won their first game with Vince Young at quarterback last week but I think their defense will once again be exposed by Frank Gore and the 49ers running game. I think Vince takes a couple steps back this week as well as the 49ers secondary will probably pick him off a time or two.

Cowboys at Eagles: Eagles. My heart says Cowboys but my head just watched the Eagles destroy the Giants at home. The Eagles are going to blitz the hell out of Tony Romo and I think he will end up making some big mistakes again. On offense the Eagles have so many weapons that they may well expose a still pretty young Cowboys secondary. And DeSean Jackson is likely to make yet another game breaking play in the return game. The Cowboys will hang for awhile but the Eagles will pull out this crucial NFC East showdown.

Monday

Steelers at Broncos: Broncos. I really want to pick the Steelers here but the Broncos are too impressive at home. I know that the Broncos really took it on the chin last week in Baltimore but I spent too much time this year off the bandwagon to now turn around and jump off one week in. This team just wins and I think they will do that again this week.

Hot Off The Presses: Week 8

I rebounded well to a 10-3 record last week but I am feeling the magic touch. Can I finally go undefeated?



Sunday



Texans at Bills: Texans. The Texans are finally living up to their potential and the Bills are still.....well the Bills.



Browns at Bears: Bears. No brainer.



Seahawks at Cowboys: Cowboys. The Cowboys are starting to put it all together and they are also getting healthier. Miles Austin's explosion the last two games has brought a whole new element to our offense. The defense is finally bringing the pressure that most of us thought they would have all season and playing much better overall. The Seahawks have just had way too many injuries at critical positions this year and TJ Whos Your Mama is becoming a big big distraction.



Rams at Lions: Rams. Talk about picking he lesser of two football evils lol. This could definitely go either way. But no Calvin Johnson equals no offense for the Lions if you ask me.



49ers at Colts: Colts. The Colts are quietly the most dominant team in the NFL right now. While everyone else is focused on the Vikings and the Saints, Peyton Manning and his boys have been blowing people out and are just now getting fully healthy. The 49ers will be better with Alex Smith at the helm but not quite good enough.



Dolphins at Jets: Dolphins. As they say in boxing, styles make fights. And I just think Miami matches up well with the Jets. Besides that I don't think conditions will be good for a big passing day for either team and with the Jets down Leon Washington I don't think they will be able to match the Dolphins' running game. Besides that these teams hate each other which should really make for an intense and exciting game.



Broncos at Ravens: Broncos. I promised after the Broncos beat the Chargers that I would never pick against them the rest of the year. It is what it is.



Giants at Eagles: Giants. The Eagles historically have not done too well with Brian Westbrook out of the lineup and I just don't see him being ready for this game. The fact that the Redskins stuck around so long with the Eagles on Monday night really didn't inspire any confidence in them either.



Jaguars at Titans: Titans. Its the return of Vince Young and the Titans are at home. Hell why not? LOL



Raiders at Chargers: Chargers. Duh!



Vikings at Packers: Packers. With Chad Clifton back I think the Packers' protection will be better. I also think that being outside in November will be a factor against the Vikings team. Home field advantage will be huge in this one and I think it all equals up to a Packers victory dashing the Brett Favre love story.



Panthers at Cardinals: Cardinals. With John Fox sticking with Jake Delhomme at quarterback I just can't take the Panthers seriously anymore.



Monday



Falcons at Saints. Saints. Too much offense from the Saints especially against an Atlanta secondary that is hurting. This might not even be close.

Hot Off The Presses: Week 7

I have nothing to say about last week. Nope, nothing at all...

Sunday

Packers at Browns: Packers. Chad Clifton's back which means that an already hot Aaron Rodgers should be even better. The Browns just aren't a good team and the Packers will treat them as such.

Chargers at Chiefs: Chargers. The Chargers have so much talent its just hard to pick against them playing Chiefs even on the road. However its also hard to pick the Chargers because of how inconsistent they have been of the last few years. If I saw any signs of life in KC I probably would go with them but I just don't see them moving in the right direction. Consider this a Chargers by default pick.

49ers at Texans: 49ers. The 49ers are coming off a bye and they are going to get their battering ram, Frank Gore back. Even though they were dismantled by the Falcons a couple weeks ago I still like their defense a lot too. And really I think the Texans will find a way to lose this one. I am a little worried because of how Singletary handled the promotion of Michael Crabtree but I think if he comes out and makes some plays all will be forgiven.

Colts at Rams: Colts. Duh.

Vikings at Steelers. Steelers. This is a really tough pick for me but there are a few factors that make me think the Steelers will pull it out. First of all they are at home which means the game will be outside in the elements. Its one thing for that Vikings offense to put up big numbers inside an air conditioned dome on turf. Its quite another to do it in cold weather on green grass. Not only that, the Vikings are hurting in the secondary and the Steelers are really pushing the ball down the field well in the air. Not only that but with Rashard Mendenhall running the ball well now I would expect more balance in this game. This will be another game where I feel like Favre will get hit a lot and that will be a factor also.

Patriots at Bucs. Patriots. Duh.

Bills at Panthers. Panthers. The Panthers are playing a lot better on defense and a lot of that has to do with Julius Peppers going back over to left end. That spells trouble for a Bills offensive line that has already had its problems this year. Its also bad news for the Bills that after giving up a ton of rushing yards to Thomas Jones last week in the Jets game, they now have to face the dynamic duo of DeAngelo Williams and Johnathan Stewart. If there is a chance for them to win this game it will have to be because Jake Delhomme throws a ton of picks. But I think at this point the Panthers just aren't going to have him throw the ball as much and instead lean heavily on their run game.

Jets at Raiders. Jets. The Raiders had a huge upset win over the Eagles last year but I imagine that after Thomas Jones' big day last week that the Jets won't make the same mistake of not running the ball at that Raiders defense. Not only that but I don't think JaMarcus Russell will handle all of those Jets blitzes well.

Bears at Bengals. Bengals. This was also a tough call for me. The Bengals losing last week at home to the Texans was very dissappointing and somewhat of a head scratcher but I think they bounce back this week with the help of Cedric Benson. I thought prior to the regular season starting that Benson would end up shocking a lot of people. He showed glimpses last year of being a dominating runner and he has carried it over into this season. Now with his former team coming to town, a team that he contends tried to black ball him from playing in the league, I have to believe that he is going to play with a chip on his shoulder. It won't help the Bears that they re down to their 4th string set of linebackers either.

Falcons at Cowboys. Cowboys. I will admit that this is a bit of a homer pick for me but I really do think the Cowboys will win. They are finally health again in the backfield although Marion Barber fractured his thumb. That means they will be running the all a LOT at a somewhat undersized Falcons defense. The Falcons are also hurting in the secondary with the loss of Brian Williams which could mean a big day for Jason Witten. The Cowboys defense will have its hands full trying to cover Tony Gonzales, but I think that overall they will be able to contain the Falcons offense. I am also looking for Miles Austin to show that his huge game against the Chiefs was not just a fluke.

Saints at Dolphins. Saints. The Dolphins secondary is the weakest link. The Dolphins offense will likely play keep away again but I am not so sure that it will be as successful against the blitz happy Saints defense. But as was the case with the Colts game, the problem will end up being that they won't be able to keep up scoring with the Saints no matter how long they hold the ball.

Cardinals at Giants. Giants. The Giants should bounce back big time on defense this week and have a huge day against the Cardinals. One little known secret is that the winds at the Meadowlands make it almost impossible to throw the ball when you are on offense going in one direction. That means the team with the better running game is likely to win the game. The Cardinals have been tough against the run all year. But I don't think they will hold up well against Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw.

Monday

Eagles at Redskins. Eagles. The Redskins are going with an offensive coordinator who doesn't even know all the plays? C'mon Son! Get the bleep outta here with that.

Taking The Plunge

With the news that Earnest Graham will start at fullback tomorrow I am officially changing my pick to the Bucs over the Panthers tomorrow. Not saying you should but I think with the changes on the defensive line and now the ever versatile Graham in the game a lot more that the Bucs are primed to make it happen. Take it or leave it but I am riding with the Bucs tomorrow.

Hot Off The Presses: Week 6

I went 9-5 last week which wasn't great but a couple of the losses involved some great games that went down to the wire so honestly I can live with that. Hopefully this week those down to the wire games will fall in my favor however.

Sunday

Texans at Bengals: Bengals. The Bengals are for real and the Texans' pass defense is atrocious. With the emergence of now a fourth legitimate receiving option with Andre Caldwell the Bengals can really push the ball down the field and Cedric Benson gives them a hammer in the run game. As important is the fact that the defense can really get after the quarterback as well. I think Andre Johnson will get his but the Bengals will harrass Matt Schaub into making some key mistakes in the game.

Lions at Packers: Packers. The Lions are probably better than their record reflects but I think the Packers are playing at a high level with their skill people on offense and their defense is getting better week to week. The one area where there is weakness for the Packers is of course their offensive line but I don't think the Lions have the players to exploit it.

Ravens at Vikings: Ravens. I have gone back and forth over this pick and I still have some trepidation but the one thing I don't think we have seen yet this year is how Brett Favre will respond when he is getting pounded play after play and has to get up and continue making plays. As good as the Vikings offensive line is I think the Ravens are going to really test them. The game within a game of course is going to be Ray Lewis versus Adrian Peterson. That in and of itself will be worth the price of admission. I think the deciding factor will be the Ravens' ability to run the ball with Ray Rice and Willis McGahee.

Giants at Saints: Saints. Home field advantage will be a factor in the dome and I also think that some of the injuries in the Giants secondary will finally catch up to them. There is only so much that a great pass rush can cover up if your back line is shaky and the Saints just have so many weapons. It doesn't help that Ahmad Bradshaw isn't going to be 100% for the Giants.

Panthers at Buccaneers: Panthers. Sorry but I just can't pick the Bucs in this one even though I think it will be close and they will look better. Steve Smith historically kills the Bucs and with this new bump scheme by our secondary I imagine this game will be no different. Not only that but the Bucs run defense will continue to be soft up the middle and the Panthers have a really good running game. I think the Buc offense will finally put up some points with the return of center Jeff Faine but I just don't see it being enough and the Panthers win in a squeaker.

Chiefs at Redskins: Redskins. I had been leaning Chiefs for most of the week but I have to go with the Redskins. They are at home. They seem to be able to beat really bad teams. The Chiefs secondary looked just god awful last week and I think the Redskins are going to play a little harder for their head coach this week. Although I would love nothing more than to laugh at Redskins fan for losing to the Chiefs I just don't see it happening this week.

Rams at Jaguars: Jaguars. The Jags are frauds but even they aren't bad enough to lose to the Rams.

Browns at Steelers: Steelers. Duh.

Cardinals at Seahawks: Cardinals. This is another game I am not sure about mostly because of how the Seahawks destroyed the Jaguars last week and also because of the way the Cardinals tried to give the game away to the Texans. I have to believe that the Cardinals will bring their A game though in against a division rival. If both teams play up to their potential I think the Cardinals win hands down. Now its just a matter of whether they will play up to their potential.

Eagles at Raiders: Eagles. Duh.

Bills at Jets: Jets. I don't see the Bills being able to score much this week although I think their decision to scrap the no huddle will help them. If nothing else it will give T.O. an opportunity to cuss Trent Edwards out after every play. I keed I keed LOL. But the Jets are going to be angry after the Monday Night Football loss and at home. It could get ugly.

Titans at Patriots: Patriots. Injuries in the Titans secondary do not bode well for them against a Patriots offense that is still just a hair off. That is mostly due to Tom Brady but I expect that soon, perhaps this weekend, it will all click for them and they will get back to shredding defenses. Jerod Mayo should get more playing time on defense this week too and that will spell trouble for the Titans running game.

Bears at Falcons: Falcons. This should be a great game but I think the Falcons will shine at home in the dome. I have to admit that they surprised me last week in the way that they dismantled the 49ers. This week the Bears are hurting in some key spots on defense and I expect the Falcons to exploit that. I also think that John Abraham will have a big game getting after Jay Cutler.

Monday

Broncos at Chargers: Chargers. I really labored over this pick as well. But the Chargers are at home and coming off a bye week. They have the biggest, most athletic corps of wide receivers in football. They also should have their running game going again with LT back to close to full speed and Darren Sproles doing his thing. Their defense matches up well I think with Denver's offense and I think Shawne Merriman is way over due to have some impact plays in a game. But the X factor I believe will be Sproles on special teams. I think that he will end up giving the Chargers great field position to work with and that Phillip Rivers will have a big day letting his big receivers go up and catch the ball over everyone but Champ Bailey.

Week 5 Picks Revisited

Not a great week but I still came through with a 9-5 record. Barely missed on a few but those were some great games.

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.

Loss. I was right about the sad sack game, wrong about the advantage in bullets.

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.

Win. The Lions made it interesting for awhile but in the end the Steelers pulled away.

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

Win. Barely. Nice to see Miles Austin step up though.

Vikings at Rams: Vikings. Duh

Win.

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

Win.

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.

Win. Its gonna be a LONNNNNNG season Bucs fans.

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.

Win. What a suck fest. A shame because both teams have a lot of talent.

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.

Loss. Won't be underestimating the Bengals anymore this year.

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.

Loss. Nobody was more dissappointing this weekend than the 49ers. I know they are still going through growing pains with Mike Singletary but DAMN!

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.

Win. The Jaguars are a fraud.

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

Win. Texans almost pulled it out and Andre Johnson was amazing but the Cardinals are a well oiled machine on offense. Memo to the Texans by the way, stop using Chris Johnson with the game on the line. That is all.

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.

Loss. I am now a believer!

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.

Win. They are who we thought they were!

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.

Loss. I am at a loss for why the Jets decided not to blitz more but the Dolphins physically kicked their ass on offense.

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.

Hot Off The Presses: Week 4

We are back in business after a 12-4 week and I am going to try to ride this momentum for the rest of the season.

Sunday:

Lions at Bears: Bears. Chicago is at home, its a division game and I think Detroit is still going to be hungover from their first win in over a year. It will probably go down to the wire but I am giving the Bears the edge. Bonus caveat, don't forget that my old defensive line coach, Rod Marinelli, got fired as the Lions coach last year. I expect the Bears D Linemen to play out of their mind for him.

Bengals at Browns: Bengals. The Bengals have made me a believer at this point. Plus the Browns are just a mess. I think Derek Anderson will have a good game but the Browns will find a way to lose the game.

Seahawks at Colts: Colts. No brainer.

Giants at Chiefs: Giants. This shouldn't even be close.

Ravens at Patriots: Patriots. I know a lot of people are picking the Ravens but the Patriots are killer at home and their offense seems to be getting back on track. I was very encouraged by Fred Taylor's running last week and I think if they give him the touches again this week its going to pay off. I also think their defense is finally coming around as well. If the game were being played in Baltimore I would probably pick the Ravens but its not so I'm not.

Bucs at Redskins: Bucs. This is a very intriguing game for me. I don't have a ton of confidence that the Bucs will win but I am still picking them. With the change at quarterback to Josh Johnson I think they might have an X factor in their favor. Add to that the fact that the wide recievers for the Bucs are now getting healthy and that Greg White just might start at right end. The fact that the fans are already turning on the team may work against the Redskins being at home this week too. If they don't get off to a fast start frustration may set in when they hear the boos. This may well be a homer pick but I am riding with the Bucs this week.

Titans at Jaguars: Titans. This team is too good to keep losing and Jack Del Rio seems determined to make his team implode. Taking away his starting quarterback's radio show in such a public and humiliating fashion, as if the guy weren't concerned about winning, may be the straw that broke the camels back. I think its time for new blood in Jacksonville and after they lose this game we may see it.

Raiders at Texans: Texans. As much as the Texans dissappointed me last week by fumbling away a touchdown right at the end of the game, I don't know how anybody picks the Raiders to win a game for the rest of the year.

Bills at Dolphins: Bills. I think people are going to see how much Chad Pennington meant to that Dolphins team starting this week. Buffalo's defense is a lot better than people give it credit and I think they will do just enough to eke out victory this weekend. In related news things won't get much better for TO for those playing fantasy football.

Jets at Saints. Saints. The reason for this win will actually end up being the Saints' defense as much as its offense. It has been frustrating to see teams not get after the Jets' starting rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez but I have a feeling that all of that ends this weekend. Because the Jets will have to throw a lot to keep up with the Saints there will be a lot of opportunities to force Sanchez into making a lot more mistakes.

Cowboys at Broncos: Cowboys. Denver is a fraud and the Cowboys will expose them this weekend.

Rams at 49ers: 49ers. Duh.

Chargers at Steelers: Steelers. I think the Chargers coming east for a game will work against them and the Steelers are due for a break out game. I look for Timmons to have a big day on defense.

Monday:

Packers at Vikings: Vikings. My heart says the Packers can pull of this upset, my head says that's bull. If this was just about Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers I would feel confident in picking the Packers. But its not. The Vikings' defense gets after the quarterback and the Packers offensive line looks like a sieve right now. Not only that but of course the Vikings have Adrian Peterson to go along with Favre and so far nobody has really shut him down. Then you factor in that this is a Monday Night Football game and the Vikings are home in the dome and you just have to go with the Vikings. As a side note I don't think Favre will play well and I would bet that he throws at least one interception but in the end his team will play better than the Packers.