Last week, we saw some big losers. The Mets were bumped from the play-offs on the last day of the baseball season, easily giving them one of the biggest collapses in sports history. There were some big upsets in college football. Some big upsets in the NFL. And finally, we saw Marion Jones upset because she lied about using steroids and now she faces 6 months to 10 years in prison for a check cashing scam and lying to a federal grand jury. She lost her five medals, her freedom and her ever loving mind. Good luck brushing you cellmate’s hair….and teeth.
Here are my picks:
1pm games:
Atlanta Falcons (1-3) vs. Tennessee Titans (2-1)
Location: LP Field, Nashville, TN
Joey Harrington and the Falcons won their first game last Sunday. Good for them. Too bad they’re going to lose this weekend. Vince Young and his Titans teammates are well rested. I’m going with the Titans for the win, but don’t be surprised if the Falcons pull off the upset. I feel this weekend may be another weekend where we will see a number of upsets and close match-ups. The Titans are a little better at QB with the athletic Young. But if you really look at Harrington’s numbers, his numbers aren’t that bad. So far for the season he’s 89 for 125 with 983 yards, 4 TDs and 2 INTs. His numbers are better than the team’s record suggests. Look for the Titans to pound the Falcons out with a mix of pass and run to tire out that Falcons’ D-line.
My pick: Titans
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (2-2)
Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Larry Johnson had 100+ rushing yards for the first time this season in last Sunday’s game. The Jags, like the Titans, are well rested as well. Both teams have sub-par QBs, so don’t look for them to try to carry the games. I think both teams are going to use their run game and try to wear down the other team’s defense. If that’s the case, I think the Chiefs have a better chance to win this game than the Jags. Although the Jags have RBs Fred Taylor and fantasy football favorite Maurice Jones-Drew, the Jags also has one of the leagues weakest run defense. I think LJ will go for another 100-yard game and the Chiefs get the win.
My Pick: Chiefs
Arizona Cardinals (2-2) vs. St. Louis Rams (0-4)
Location: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, MO
The Rams are a broken up team on both offense and defense. With Stephen Jackson out and Gus Frerrote getting the start for the injured Marc Bulger, the Rams are in a hole that will be very difficult to get out of with 3 weeks to go until the halfway mark. The Cards have gone to a “QB by committee” format and it seems to work. As I stated last week, Matt Leinart may be the future, but with Kurt Warner in a Cards uniform, look for Leinart to continue to split time. In short, too many injuries and a healthy Cards team is too much for the Rams. Look for the Cards to strike on the ground and the air. I think there will be big numbers for the Cards big three in Edgerrin James, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald.
My Pick: Cardinals
Cleveland Browns (2-2) vs. New England Patriots (4-0)
Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA
Its funny how every time I look for some info on the Pats for the write-ups, most columnist and scouts just title their previews as, “The Pats have too many weapons…..” No matter which team it’s been this season, no one gives the Pats’ opposition a chance. Well that trend continues this week as well. There’s noting I can say that’s bad about the Pats. They are the most complete team in the league right now. I wish I had some insight for the Browns to give them a chance, but that’s not happening. I know there were a lot of upsets last weekend, but this would be the biggest upset to date if the Browns could pull it off. I don’t think it’s going happen.
My Pick: Patriots
Carolina Panthers (2-2) vs. New Orleans Saints (0-3)
Location: Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Deuce McAllister is out for the season and it’s time for Reggie Bush to step up and show the world why he was the 2nd pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. Jake Delhomme is out again this week with an injured right elbow, so “White Gloves”, David Carr, will start again this Sunday. Look for Carr to go to the air and hookup with Steve Smith against a weak Saints secondary. With the RB tandem of DeAngelo Williams and DeShaun Foster, the Panthers have the better chance of winning this game.
My Pick: Panthers
NY Jets (1-3) vs. NY Giants (2-2)
Location: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
On the weekend football fans get the “Red River Shootout”; New Yorkers get to have their Tri-Annual “Hudson River Shootout”. The Jets are coming in to Sunday’s game off a poor performance against the Bills. What happened to the Jets run game? It disappeared like Marion Jones’ dignity. The Giants hope to carry their record breaking defensive performance from last week into Sunday’s game and I think they will. I think Eli Manning and the Giants D-line has gotten their “groove back” and will give the Jets a hard time this Sunday in a home game for both teams. And what does the winner of the game get? They get the bragging rights for the state of New Jersey. Only in America can teams from one state have their home field in a bordering state. You gotta love it. That’s New York for you.
My Pick: The New York “Football” Giants
Seattle Seahawks (3-1) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)
Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA
The Steelers are 1-1 against NFC West teams this season. They will be 2-1 after Sunday’s game against the Seahawks in a Super Bowl XL rematch. One question, why do they call these games rematches? I know the two teams met before in the Super Bowl, but will the losers of the previous Super Bowl get a chance to take the title away from the winners if the previous losers win the game? Did that make sense? Now I’m confused. Never mind. Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue. The ‘Hawks demolished the Niners last Sunday in the worst game of the week. The Steelers had a rough loss last week against their old offensive coordinator and current Cards’ head coach, Ken Whisenhunt. I think the Steelers still have that bad taste of losing in their mouth and want to wash it out with a win.
My Pick: Steelers
Detroit Lions (3-1) vs. Washington Redskins (2-1)
Location: FedEx Field, Landover, MD
The Lions need 7 more games to win and Jon Kitna will cash in on the “10 wins” promise he made earlier in the season. One of those 7 wins won’t be this Sunday. The Lions haven’t really moved the ball on the ground this year. Most of their numbers have come through the air and Kitna is on pace to break the record for Most Passing Yards for a single season. The problem here is that the Redskins have some very good D-backs who will shutdown the Lions WRs. The ‘Skins will win, but it will be close.
My Pick: Redskins
Miami Dolphins (0-4) vs. Houston Texans (2-2)
Location: Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX
The Texans are the better team overall in this match up. The Dolphins are a mess and I don’t see them putting up much of a challenge against the Texans. Matt Schuab will have a huge game against the Dolphins and pad his stats with some good numbers. Despite the fact that both teams’ defenses have been sub-par in their performance at this point, I think the Texans have the stronger, faster, younger defense that can give the Dolphins trouble this Sunday.
My Pick: Texans
4pm games:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) vs. Indianapolis Colts (4-0)
Location: RCA Dome, Indianapolis, IN
Colts’ head coach, Tony Dungy, will cross paths with his old team; the Tamps Bay Buccaneers. This is a team who fired Dungy in 2002, traded some draft picks to the Raiders so they can hire Jon Gruden, and then wins the Super Bowl in 2003. Anyone else would come into this game mad as hell, but not Dungy because he won his ring last season while the Bucs finished the season 4-12. This year, the Colts have picked up where they last left off from their Super Bowl win of last season while the Bucs have surprised fans this year with their 3-1 record and 1st place in the NFC South. The Bucs are without Cadillac Williams and Luke Petitgout for this game and every game for the remainder of the season with injuries, so the offense is beat up just a little.
The Colts are hurting on both offense and defense. I would name some of the players, but then I would be writing this up to Christmas. The names that stand out the most of the injured are WR Marvin Harrison, LB Rob Morris, who is out for the year, Safety Bob Sanders, and RB Joseph Addai. John Clayton is reporting that the Colts will most likely sit their injured players this week so they may get healthier for their game against the Jaguars in Week 7. Thankfully the Colts have a bye next week, so I think they can afford to sit the injured players this week. Besides, you all read last week’s recap, so you already know that with Peyton Manning as your QB, the Colts don’t need a lot to win. The Colts will win the game but Jeff Garcia and the Bucs’ WR corps will definitely give the Colts’ defense a headache this Sunday.
My Pick: Colts
San Diego Chargers (1-3) vs. Denver Broncos (2-2)
Location: Invesco Field, Denver, CO
The Chargers should win this game. I’m serious. All the Chargers have to do is go back to basics and run the ball. That’s all they have to do. Travis Henry has been suspended for testing positive for marijuana and is planning to appeal the year long suspension. If he doesn’t play this Sunday, I’m sure he’ll keep himself busy. For every one good series Jay Cutler has, he will make a least one mistake that can hurt his team. If the Chargers put some serious pressure on Cutler and run the ball, they can win this game.
My Pick: Chargers
Baltimore Ravens (2-2) vs. San Francisco 49ers (2-2)
Location: Monster Park, San Francisco, CA
The Niners stunk up the joint last Sunday against the Seahawks and in the process lost QB Alex Smith indefinitely with a separated shoulder. Trent Dilfer will get the start this Sunday against the Ravens’ defense. Good look. The Niners D-line looks weak and with OT Jonas Jennings out of Sunday’s game with personal reasons, the O-line looks weaker than it did last week. Look for Willis McGahee to get a lot of touches this Sunday and watch him put a hurting on the Niners’ defense.
My Pick: Ravens
Sunday Night Game:
Chicago Bears (1-3) vs. Green Bay Packers (4-0)
Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
With the injuries the Bears have had so far this year, I don’t see them pulling off the win. Brett Farve is on fire right now and it will be hard for the Bears’ defense to try and stop him. The only thing that favors the Bears is the fact that Green Bay doesn’t have a real defense. The Packers have been getting by on the arm of Farve and who knows how much longer that will hold up throughout the season. Plus, the Bears have that issue at QB and according to what happened last week, Kyle Orton may end up starting for the Bears before the end of the season.
My Pick: Packers
Monday Night Game:
Dallas Cowboys (4-0) vs. Buffalo Bills (1-3)
Location: Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo, NY
The Bills are beat up and the ‘Boys are on a roll. Tony Romo may have not gotten the contract extension he wanted before the beginning of the season, but with the way he’s playing he has surely raised his stock. Cha-ching!! Romo and the “Boys will give the Bills stomach aches by the end of the first half. The ‘Boys defense has really gotten it together and their offense was already clicking. This may be the blowout game of the week.
My Pick: Cowboys
Teams with Bye weeks:Cincinnati Bengals, Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, and Philadelphia Eagles