Week 5

Week 5

Cleveland at New England – GO BROWNS!!! 16-0?? Where are these commentators coming up with this crap? The Patriots are not invincible! This will be proven this week against the Browns. The Browns played well against the Ravens last week. Anderson, a sleeper around the league, has shown he knows how to get it done. Browns will have to contain Brady to avoid another shootout.

Seattle at Pittsburgh – Why am I picking the Squealers? The Steelers had their heads handed to them by the Cards last week. Was it a fluke? Or is it that Tomlin isn’t a real coach? I’m going with the latter. Even though Seattle is 3-1, don’t let their record fool you. They beat the Bucs, Bengals, and the Niners. While they are wins, they aren’t quality wins. Seattle will have their hands full with the Steelers’ offense.

Carolina at New Orleans – The Saints are 0-3, and yet I’m still picking them to win. Sean Payton had a bye week to regroup his team. Hopefully, they watched a lot of film. The Panthers will give Carr the start at QB once again this week. DeShaun Foster had a couple of fumbles last week, but should have a good game against this defense.

Detroit at Washington – I am truly convinced now. The Redskins’ owner is playing fantasy football. Why in the world would you sign another old wide receiver, when the ones you have are having problems getting the ball? The ‘Skins picked up WR Keenan McCardell over the last week. Campbell has played well, but this game will rest on the running game. Clock management is the key. If Portis is healthy enough to play, expect him and Betts to have a big game. Kitna throws a lot of INTS so Washington’s defense may also play well on Sunday also.

New York Jets at New York Giants – You have to give the home field advantage to the Giants. They are coming off a huge game over the Eagles last week. The defense got to McNabb 12 times. If the Jets allow that to happen to Pennington, we might see the backup QB by the second quarter. The Jets are utilizing RB Washington a little more now in the offense. They will have to play big if they want to come out of this game with a win.

Miami at Houston – Upset of the Week! Miami remains winless but will sneak in a win over the Texans this week. They had no answer for Culpepper last week, who showed his former team that his knee was just fine. RB Brown had over 200 all-purpose yards including one TD. The Texans had their own woes against the Falcons last week. They seemed to limit the ground game, but were susceptible to the passing game.

Atlanta at Tennessee – The Falcons got their first win of the season last week over the Texans. I hope they celebrated enough during the week. Their winning streak will end here. Harrington hooked up with Michael Jenkins for two scores. The Titans are coming off of a bye week and should be well rested. Vince Young will exploit the suspect secondary of the Falcons, who gave up 300+ yards last week. It should be an easy win for the Titans.

Jacksonville at Kansas City – The Chiefs finally looked like a complete team against the Chargers last week. Huard threw for 284 yards with two picks and two TDs. Larry Johnson even had 123 yards rushing on the day. It won’t happen again this week. This team got lucky against a poorly coached Chargers’ team. The Chiefs will come back to reality after this loss to the Jags.

Arizona at St. Louis – I thought the 2-QB system only worked in college and high school games. I guess the Cardinals are scraping the bottom of the virtual “playbook barrel” to try and muster up wins. Neither QB is good enough to play a full game, so they will continue to use this tactic until Leinart comes around. Gus Frerotte will start in place of Bulger. The Rams may want to just tank this year.

Tampa Bay at Indianapolis – With the loss of Cadillac Williams, Tampa Bay will look to Pittman and Graham to get it done on the ground. This has definitely changed their game plan they had originally against this Colts team. Dungy’s bitterness toward the Bucs will not play a factor, but you best believe they won’t hold back. Peyton and Addai had huge games over the Broncos last week. It will spill over into this week also.

San Diego at Denver – If the Chargers don’t win this game, heads will roll! Losing to the Chiefs is unacceptable. This could possibly be the season’s first head coach change if they continue on this downward spiral. The Broncos couldn’t contain any facet of the Colts last week. They will need to play a lot better on defense if they want to try to get out of this game with a win.

Baltimore at San Francisco – After the Ravens loss to Cleveland last week, look for McNair to lead this team to a victory. With QB Alex Smith out, Dilfer will be behind center. The Ravens’ defense will bounce back from last week’s collapse and hold Gore and Dilfer at bay. No pun intended.

Chicago at Green Bay – Favre is having a great year! But that’s only because he has to. The Slackers can’t manage to run the ball at all. They had 6 different rushers who totaled 46 yards last week against a Vikings D. Now they have to play a real defense. Griese is not the answer. He looks like he went to the same QB school that Grossman went to. He threw 3 INTs last week against the Lions. RB Benson continues to struggle. Tell me again, why did they get rid of Thomas Jones?

Dallas at Buffalo – Monday night??? Who picked this crap? Dallas is still undefeated, but they have had a cake schedule thus far. If they beat the Patriots next week, maybe we can say that they are legit. The Bills finally squeaked out a win over the Jets last week, but still continues to look bad every week. Those Bills DBs will have their hands full on Monday.

Bye Week: Cincinnati, Minnesota, Oakland, and Philadelphia

Game of the Week: Seattle at Pittsburgh

Week 3

Week 3

Miami at New York Jets – This game reminds me of the recent University of Michigan and Notre Dame game, with both teams winless, somebody has to win. With Pennington still listed as questionable, Kellen Clemens may get the nod again this week. He didn’t fare too badly against an ailing Ravens team. Trent Green, on the other hand, managed to throw 4 INTs against the Cowboys last week. The Jets D is probably not as aggressive as Dallas’, but if Trent continues to make stupid mistakes, the Dolphins will suck all year.

San Diego at Green Bay – The Cheeseheads are 2-0?!? Can this be possible? Are they really good, or are the teams really that bad? This week will be a true test to see their true caliber. Tomlinson, who has 68 yards on the year thus far, seems like he has forgotten how to run. Maybe this week, he’ll finally give Philip Rivers some help and finally start producing numbers for all those fantasy football owners.

San Francisco at Pittsburgh – Frank Gore had 2 TDs in last week’s game over the Rams. QB Alex Smith continues to put up mediocre numbers, but they have found a way to win both games this season. The Steelers were not truly tested last week playing against the Bills, outscoring them 26-3. Willie Parker had a good day on the ground, rushing for 126 yards with a TD. Pittsburgh will control the tempo of this game from the start. Steelers will advance to 3-0.

Buffalo at New England – Even with a possible scandal looming over Coach Belichick, they still seem to remain focused with their agenda. It appears that most of it is being swept under the rug. The Patriots have their division rival who looked absolutely terrible last week. Buffalo’s defense only managed to sack Roethlisberger once last week. If they give Brady anywhere close to that amount of time, look for another blowout.

Minnesota at Kansas City – Larry Johnson held out for a new contract. I wonder did he have a “I’m not working for this check” clause. He is another RB who has yet to earn his paycheck this year. He has 98 yards on the year. Chiefs’ QB Huard can feel the heat from backup QB Brodie Croyle on the back of his neck. Vikings’ Tavaris Jackson was also throwing a pick party last week, with 4 INTs. The Chiefs’ defense usually gets smoked, so this shouldn’t a factor this week.

Detroit at Philadelphia – The Eagles have to win eventually, right? On Monday night, they were merely outplayed by the ‘Skins. McNabb just couldn’t manage to get into the endzone. The Eagles were held to four field goals. The undefeated Lions have seemed to get it done when it counted, but that was against the Raiders and Vikings. If they can manage to pull this one off, they may actually be for real.


St. Louis at Tampa Bay – Tampa Bay looked really good against the Saints last week. Carnell Williams and Joey Galloway both found the endzone twice. I actually picked the Rams initially but, they lost to the Niners last week. That’s inexcusable, especially with as many weapons at Bulger’s disposal. Isaac Bruce looks like he has lost a step, but you wouldn’t think so from the 145 yards he gained last week. The Rams need to focus on establishing their running game this week.

Arizona at Baltimore – The Cardinals managed to get a win over the Seahawks on a last second FG to prevent overtime. Matt Leinart showed poised as they rallied in the last two minutes of the game. WRs Fitzgerald and Boldin combined for 170 yards in the air, while Edge had 126 on the ground. Baltimore’s defense should negate any attempts for the Cards to mirror last week’s game.

Indianapolis at Houston – With both teams coming into this one undefeated, this is more of just a regular division game. QB Matt Schaub has seemed to get this Houston team turned around rather quickly. Unfortunately, his favorite target, Andre Johnson, is very unlikely to play against the Colts. The Colts have a few injuries this week, including 2 offensive linemen, 2 tight ends, and a linebacker. I hope the second string is ready to step up to protect Peyton this week.

Jacksonville at Denver – Good coaching by Mike Shanahan and a blunder by Janikowski gave the Broncos the win over the Raiders last week. Even though they are 2-0, there is a lot of room for improvement. Travis Henry had 128 yards on the ground, but failed to score. The Jags seemingly struggled with the Falcons, scoring 10 of their 13 points in the fourth quarter. They need to get Jones-Drew a few more touches to make him a little more effective.

Cleveland at Oakland – GO BROWNS!!! Derek Anderson saved his job with last week’s shootout with Cincinnati. He threw for 328 yards with 5 TDs and one pick. Jamal Lewis had 216 yards on the ground. Look for the Browns to pick up where they left off against possibly the worst team in professional football. I had tickets to this game, but why go to a game where the team refuses to compete? Final score: Browns 70 – Raiders -3.

Cincinnati at Seattle – Notice to all opponents who want to jump into the Dawg Pound, you will come out smelling like “recycled beer.” Just ask Chad “Bed Pan” Johnson. Seattle’s defense didn’t seem to stop the Cards last week. If the Bengals come out with the same intensity as they did against the Browns, it might be a little too much for the Seahawks.

Carolina at Atlanta – Well, you can end all of the speculation. Byron Leftwich has finally signed with the Falcons. Harrington and the Falcons continue to struggle offensively. As soon as Leftwich is up to speed, look for him to replace Harrington (that’s if he can stay healthy). Carolina continues its aerial assault, with little focus on the running game. I think they need to mix it up, but hey, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

New York Giants at Washington – Those ‘Skins act like they want to win games all of a sudden. At 2-0, this is probably the best start they have had since Gibbs returned to football. The Giants were embarrassed by the Green Bay Packers, losing 35-13. The Giants are plagued with injuries across the board. With Jacobs out, Derrick Ward will have to get more done on the ground to take some of the heat off of Eli.

Dallas at Chicago – I actually wish that the Bears would win this game to shut these obnoxious Cowboy fans up for at least one week. But let’s be reasonable, Grossman doesn’t have what it takes to lead the Bears past Dallas. Grossman threw for 160 yards with a single touchdown and 2 INTs during the Chiefs game. This Dallas D had 4 picks last week. Dallas’ defense will make him pay with even more picks, if the Bears can’t establish a running game.

Tennessee at New Orleans – Has the Saints lost their mojo? A team that was one game away from the Super Bowl, and who hasn’t lost many of their starters, has yet to win a game this year. Maybe they can bounce back against the Titans. The Titans (1-1) seems just to hang around without making a big effort to win the game. Vince Young had another mediocre game, throwing for 184 yards with one touchdown.

Game of the Week: Dallas at Chicago

Last Week’s Picks: 8-8

Week 2

Week 2

Indianapolis at Tennessee – Well, it looks like the Colts have picked up where they left off. Both the offense and defense played well last week in the season’s opener. Manning had nearly 300 yards and 3 TDs on the day. Vince Young just couldn’t seem to get it together last week, but RB Chris Brown stepped up his game and had 175 yards rushing. Colts take this one easily.

Green Bay at New York Giants – I can’t believe I’m picking the Green Bay Slackers over the Giants. Without knowing the severity of Eli’s shoulder, this is the best bet. The Cheeseheads actually squeaked a win against the Eagles on a last second field goal. With the Giants numerous injuries, they shouldn’t have to work too hard to win this one.

Cincinnati at Cleveland – GO BROWNS!!! One and done! Charlie Frye was sent to Seattle after a horrid display against the Squealers last week. This week Anderson has to show his ass or else he will be replaced by Brady Quinn in week 3. Cinci-nasty’s passing game showed up last week over the stingy Ravens’ defense, but the running game appeared to be stifled. The Browns will need to rush Palmer to shut down the air attack.

Houston at Carolina – Don’t get it twisted! Houston is not that good of a football team. True, they beat up on the Chiefs last week, but that was expected. The Panthers abused the Rams secondary last week. Expect more of the same this week. RB Foster had 94 yards on the ground. Those numbers should increase this week.

New Orleans at Tampa Bay – Tampa Bay just couldn’t manage to find the endzone last week, scoring only 2 field goals. If they had a hard time stopping the Seahawks last week, they are in for it this week. Deuce and Bush both rushed for 38 yards a piece. The Saints will bounce back to reality after last week’s lost to the Colts.

Buffalo at Pittsburgh – So, when did NBA refs start working for the Steelers’ organization? I sat in amazement at some of those calls from last week’s game against the Browns. But I digress. Congrats to Tomlin for his first NFL career “win” (cough). Buffalo was another team who lost on a last second FG. The Bills’ front seven need to control the line and get pressure to Roethlisberger if they want to beat the Steelers.

Atlanta at Jacksonville – Even though the Jags’ D-line is pretty banged up, they shouldn’t have to worry about the Falcons’ offense this week. Harrington had 200 yards and two picks. Dunn averaged 2.5 yards per carry. Hell, with numbers like that, I wouldn’t even put anyone in on defense and the Falcons may still have to punt.

San Francisco at St. Louis - That Niners vs. Cards game last week was almost exciting as watching paint dry. The Rams had their own woes last week. Steven Jackson came down with a bad case of fumble-itis which contributed to their lost to the Panthers. This is redemption week for Jackson. Look for him to put up big numbers.

Minnesota at Detroit – The Lions managed to beat the Raiders, but that’s just because the Raiders suck. Kitna torched the Raiders’ secondary by completing 75% of his passes, three of which were TDs. The Vikings DBs may not be able to contain all of those receivers at Kitna’s disposal.

Seattle at Arizona –Well, with the new acquisition of Charlie Frye at least all the Seahawk players should have enough water in their bottles. Matt Leinart struggled last week throwing 14-of-28 for 102 yards with one TD and 2 picks. And this was only against a Niners’ D. Just imagine what the Seattle D will do to him.

Dallas at Miami – Ok. I am convinced. Dallas has the worst (or best) fans ever! You would have thought it was the Super Bowl last week. Tony Romo made a case for himself by throwing 4 TDs and rushing for another. I guess that makes up for the infamous bobbled snap. Miami lost to themselves and the ‘Skins last week on a field goal. The Skins made Trent Green look a lot better than he is. This should be a real test this week.

Kansas City at Chicago – The Bears look bad, but the Chiefs look worse. This defense took another setback again this year with the loss of Mike Brown – again. The defense will contain the Chiefs offense. The problem is – Grossman will have to be on the field most of the game. This can never be a good thing.

New York Jets at Baltimore – The Ravens, arguably the stingiest defense in the league, appears to be made out of Styrofoam. Everyone seemed to get hurt last week. Even QB McNair was hurt in last week’s game. But you’d best believe as long as the team doctor allows them to suit up, you’ll have to worry about them. I really hate to take the Jets, but if Boller is leading this team on Sunday it may be a long day for the Ravens.

Oakland at Denver – Oakland finally signed their rookie quarterback, but after McCown’s performance last week it may be a while before he sees any playing time. McCown threw for 313 yards with two scores and two picks. If he can continue to spread the ball around like that, Champ Bailey and the other DBs will earn their pay this week.

San Diego at New England – Everyone knew Belichick does his homework prior to every game, but who knew he had all the opposing coaches Charades home videos? Moss had a stellar day against the Jets with 183 yards on only 9 catches. The Chargers had a little problem running the ball on the Bears front seven. But with the given history between Belichick and Tomlinson, look for LT to break for a couple of scores.

Washington at Philadelphia – Both teams fate was decided by a FG last week. They were just on opposing sides of the outcome. Randle El was just a little too much for the Dolphins, with 162 yards on five catches. Don’t look for a repeat performance on this Eagle’s defense. Philly lost to the Packers but appears to play a little more soundly.


Game of the Week: San Diego at New England

Last Week’s Picks: 11-5

Week 1 - 2007-08

New Orleans at Indianapolis – In an alternate universe, this would have been the match-up in last season’s Super Bowl. The Saints’ resurgence landed them one game away from making this possible. Neither team has lost many pieces in the off-season, but look forward to the defending champs to pull off a win in Week 1.

Philadelphia at Green Bay – Why is Favre still playing? This guy needs to seriously consider retirement. It appears that his heir apparent, Aaron Rodgers, looks to be a decent replacement. Once they realize this, maybe they can start putting out a better product on the field on a weekly basis.

Atlanta at Minnesota – This is the beginning of the end for the Dirty Birds. Throughout the summer, this team has had to endure many distractions. The Vikings are not the best team, but has an overall better chemistry then the Falcons. Watch out for Vikings rookie RB Adrian Peterson to make a big splash in this game.

Miami at Washington – Even though the Redskins have looked pretty bad in the preseason games, they should have enough to beat the Dolphins. The Dolphins have the former Chiefs’ QB Trent Green. This move is just another attempt for them to replace Marino. Green’s better years are behind him. As long as Redskins’ QB Jason Campbell is healthy, he should put up better numbers in this bout.

New England at New York Jets – The Patriots has probably made the most notable acquisitions during this past off-season. The Jets on the other hand, just can’t seem to get it together. They picked up RB Thomas Jones and he was hurt in pre-season. He should be ready to go for this game, but this Patriots’ defense will probably hold him to a low productive game.

Tennessee at Jacksonville – Jacksonville threw the team, the city, and undoubtedly the Leftwich family a curve ball with his recent release. Enter David Garrard. The team will not be in any kind of disarray with this move. On the other hand, it should put everything into perspective since Leftwich was very injury-prone. Unfortunately, they’ll have to play against Vince Young. Titans should prevail in this one.

Denver at Buffalo – The Bills looks like a decent team – on paper. Even though, they lost a considerable amount of starters from both sides of the ball. Champ Bailey will need to contain WR Lee Evans, who continues to have big games. The Denver offense seems to lack continuity. Cutler will need to learn to lead this team more effectively.

Pittsburgh at Cleveland – GO BROWNS!!! Cleveland’s road to the Super Bowl begins here playing their most hated adversary. This is probably one of the biggest rivalries in professional football. The Browns have looked great in the preseason and this will spill over into the regular season. Without Cowher, new head coach Mike Tomlin will learn the hard way with his first loss of the season.

Carolina at St. Louis – The Panthers will have their work cut out for them this year. They went 1-3 in the pre-season. They will need to control the tempo of the game in order to even compete. The Rams seem to have everyone on the same page offensively.

Kansas City at Houston – With the departure of Green and the holdout of RB Johnson, this team might not even be ready for a lowly team like Houston. When will players understand that holdouts disrupt the overall team chemistry. Now they may have to wait a couple of weeks to shake the rust off. Well, this will work in the Texans’ favor this week.

Tampa Bay at Seattle – Seattle doesn’t look like the team that it once was. Injuries, free agency, and just aging players have this team looking a little lackluster at times. Tampa Bay has looked terrible since it won the Super Bowl. With so many questions left to be answered, the Bucs may want to tank this season already.

Chicago at San Diego – His name says it all, Gross-man! Regardless if the Bears made it to the Super Bowl last season, you don’t want this guy leading your team. The Chargers have a great defense and an even better offense. San Diego wins this one hands down.

Detroit at Oakland – Oakland needs help! Maybe taking Russell with the number 1 pick was a mistake. Playing for the future is something they always seem to do. Too bad they need to start winning games now. Kitna connecting with rookie WR Calvin Johnson may be the only reason to watch this game.

New York Giants at Dallas – So begins the post-Tiki era. They will need to utilize Brandon Jacobs in nearly every facet of the game to beat the Cowboys. These division rivals know each other pretty well. It should be a very defensive game, but the Cowboys have a few more weapons in their offensive arsenal.

Baltimore at Cincinnati – Does the Bengals even have enough players to suit up for this game? With so many players suspended, Cincy will probably be down to starting their third string for most of the season. Baltimore replaced RB Jamal Lewis with Willis McGahee over the summer. This should help a normally suspect offense.


Arizona at San Francisco – After a 0-4 pre-season effort (or lack thereof), the Cardinals has not made any adjustments from last year. The Niners only won one game, but have the necessary tools in place to become a possible contender. QB Alex Smith and RB Frank Gore will lead this team over the Cards.

Game of the Week: New Orleans at Indianapolis

Playoff Edition - Week 2

Playoff Edition – Week 2

Indianapolis at Baltimore – The Colts made it their resolve to stop Larry Johnson on the ground, limiting him to only 32 yards rushing. Baltimore may not have the most dangerous offense, but their defense more than makes up for it. Peyton threw 3 INTs and only one touchdown. Baltimore will make him pay for any mistakes he has this week.

Philadelphia at New Orleans – With a last second FG, the Eagles advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Too bad, but the buck (or luck) stops here. Westbrook had a huge day with 141 yards on only 20 carries. The Saints are ready for this challenge. With the 2-headed monster of Bush and Deuce, and Brees continuing to perform well, this may be enough to combat the heroic acts of late by Jeff Garcia.

Seattle at Chicago – Griese or Grossman? I’ll rather see the Bears’ defense play the entire game. The defense has a better chance of getting in the end zone than either of the quarterbacks on the Bears team. The gridiron “gods” appear to be on the Seahawks’ side after last week’s squeaker over the Cowboys.

New England at San Diego – Here we go again. Brady and the Pats looked great last week against the Jets. But then again, who hasn’t looked great against the Jets this year? The Patriots appears to be in playoff mode and focused on another championship. Unfortunately, for them to get there, they’ll have to find the answer for: 1) Tomlinson, 2) Gates, and 3) the Chargers defense. The Chargers has been in this situation before, but their defense has never been this strong.

2006 Playoffs - Week 1

2006 Playoffs – Week 1

Kansas City at Indianapolis – History will repeat itself once again this year. After a stellar regular season, Peyton and Co. will once again be kicked out in the first round of the playoffs. Throughout the regular season, The Colts has had difficulty stopping the run. Enter Larry Johnson. This is definitely not a team they wanted to see in the first round.

Dallas at Seattle – Seattle’s defense has always been one of their strong points. Couple their defense with their ability to move the ball downfield, we see why the defending NFC Champs are in the playoffs once again this year. The Cow Paddies lost their last regular season game to second worst team in the league. How do you lose to the Lions of all teams? Romo fumbled the 4 times last week. See what happens when you get a new girlfriend. His hands aren’t as sticky anymore. He needs to limit his turnovers this week against this Seahawk defense.

N.Y. Jets at New England – I thought only 2 teams received a bye in the first week of the playoffs. I guess not. The Patriots will have any easy time over this suspect Jets team. I give them credit for making this far without a legitimate running back. Rookie RB Leon Washington shows signs from time to time for the potential of greatness, but it won’t happen this week against the Pats’ defense.

N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia – Tiki’s last game! This is the end of an era for the Giants. They need to start working on who they will get to fill his shoes next season. Brandon Jacobs is nice, but not the answer to replace the effort that Tiki gives this team. They need a guy who can run between the tackles and catch the ball in the flat. Garcia has resurrected this team from the bowels of hell. The Eagles should have enough in their tank to dust off their division rivals in their third meeting off the season. Too bad they will lose next week.


Picks for Regular Season: 146-97

* No picks for Week 7

Week 17

Week 17

N. Y. Giants at Washington – Wonder twin deactivate! If all goes as plans, this will be the last regular season game that Tiki will lace up the cleats. Woe is Washington! The ‘Skins lost a close game last week to the Rams in overtime. This team, even at 5-10, has been rejuvenated with the activation of QB Jason Campbell at quarterback. Maybe Gibbs will learn from his mistakes and start the guy at the beginning of the 2007-08 season.

Carolina at New Orleans – Brees for MVP! Colston for Rookie of the Year. Many will probably disagree, and pick the fan favorite Reggie Bush for rookie of the year. Don’t believe the hype! Bush is nice, don’t get me wrong, but didn’t everyone think he would be? Without Delhomme, Carolina is still struggling with Weinke at the helm. Weinke threw for 32 yard in the entire game against the Falcons last week. That’s pathetic! Especially when the only points the Falcons scored was on a 40-yard FG from the senior citizen, Morten Andersen.

Cleveland at Houston – GO BROWNS!!!! The Cleveland Browns select with their first pick in the 2007 NFL Draft: Troy Smith! That’s right ladies and gentlemen. The Browns have been playing the Troy Smith lottery since week 1. I couldn’t tell you this prior, but I think it is only fair to let my readers know this week. Please grab your ticket for the Browns Bandwagon early. Tickets are going fast!

Detroit at Dallas – Cancer continues to disrupt the chemistry of yet another team. Even though he had the only TD last week in an abysmal effort against his former team, his lackluster performance has been evident over the entire season. They should invest in sticky gloves for his hands and sticky tape for his mouth.

Jacksonville at Kansas City – Ok, beating up on Oakland does not make you a high caliber team. But the Chiefs needed that win as a morale booster in the locker room. They dropped the last 3 games prior to this win. Kansas City will need to focus on containing Jones-Drew and putting pressure on Garrard. The Patriots squeaked away with a win last week using this same philosophy. If they allow Jones-Drew to get out on them, it will be a long day in Arrowhead Stadium.

New England at Tennessee – Tennessee pulled off a shocker over the Bills last week, edging them by the score of 30-29. The Titans managed to come from behind in the fourth outscoring the Bills 10-0. The Patriots have many weapons at their disposal. The question is, how long will they play? This is week 17, and there is no need to flirt around with possible injuries before the playoffs. Especially, against a team who has nothing to play for.

Oakland at N.Y. Jets – The Raiders are terrible! This team has set themselves up for the first pick in the draft. What area will they address with their first selection? They need help pretty much everywhere. They are unlikely to pick Troy Smith with their pick. Moss may not return next year, so possibly a WR? Or maybe, they will address the offensive line again this year, since Gallery wasn’t the missing piece. The Jets should have a cake walk this week.


Pittsburgh at Cincinnati – Will the Steelers play spoiler this week? Cincy holds their destiny in their hands. They had a chance to clinch last week, but lost to the Broncos by 1 point. What a way to end the season! They will have to beat the reigning Super Bowl Champs and division rival in order to make it to the playoffs.


Seattle at Tampa Bay – Seattle had their hands full with the Chargers last week. Despite a 140 yard & 2 touchdowns effort by Shaun Alexander, the Seahawks lost in the waning minutes on a touchdown pass from Philip Rivers. Tampa Bay (4-11) is a team that you can pretty much look past this week. Gruden has driven this team into the ground. Seattle should win this won effortlessly.

St. Louis at Minnesota – Marc Bulger let loose on the ‘Skins last week with a 400+ total yard performance including 4 touchdowns. Minnesota couldn’t even Mapquest directions to the endzone last week. Their only score came off of an interception by Fred Smoot. He was just recently in a car accident and will not play this game. Maybe if they focused on playing football instead of “pleasure” cruises, they may actually find a way to win this game.

Arizona at San Diego – L.T.! What more can I say? Arizona will have to do everything in their power to keep this guy under control. Fortunately, they may only have to see him intermittently throughout the first half. Playoff-bound… why waste him on a bum team? After his first two touchdowns, he will be yanked from the game.

Atlanta at Philadelphia – Garcia? Who would’ve thought this guy could continue a playoff push for the Eagles after losing McNabb? But he has, with the help of Brian Westbrook, not only made the playoffs but led them to possibly clinching their division title. Westbrook was snubbed for the Pro Bowl. But honestly, who gives a crap about the Pro Bowl?

Buffalo at Baltimore – At 12-3, the Ravens have not only shocked the world, but they have shocked themselves. They have found ways to win games even with 0 seconds left on the clock this season. They literally trounced on the Squealers last week with a final score of 31-7. This defense is one to reckoned with, even if the offense is oftentimes suspect.

Miami at Indianapolis – Indianapolis always manages to fall into the same situation every year, no matter how well they start the year off. Starting 9-0 and losing 4 of the last 6 is no way to make a run for the title. I would be nasty and pick Miami to upset them, but that would just be cruel. If Miami had a rushing attack, they could definitely pull off the upset here. Ron Dayne let them have it last week, dropping 153 and a pair of TDs. I haven’t heard Dayne’s name and touchdown in the same sentence since he left Wisconsin. The Colts should finish this season 12-4.

San Francisco at Denver – Cutler looked a lot better last week in their big win over Cincy. He completed a little over 50% of his passes with 2 touchdowns. Both Tatum and Mike averaged over 4 yards a carry. The Niners were on the losing end of a battle with the Cardinals. Their inability to contain Edge, Shipp, or Fitzgerald proved to be a costly mistake. They will need to rethink their game plan in order to stop the Broncos.

Green Bay at Chicago – Is this the last hurrah for Favre? Unfortunately, for all those Cheesehead fans, this may be the end of an era. Grossman or Griese? Griese’s is the possible favorite to start this week. But it really doesn’t matter which one starts. The game’s MVP will be the entire Bears’ defense who will pick off nearly every pass Favre’s throws. If this is his last game, you can guarantee he will break the INT record on Sunday. Well now, maybe he can focus on shooting There's Something About Mary 2.

Game of the Week: Pittsburgh at Cincinnati & Green Bay at Chicago

Picks for Week 16: 9-7