Sep 222009

Week three of great action is already upon us and the week three picks and predictions have been percolating in my mind. I have tried to really get my brain around the fact that Brady was shown up, Peyton ruined my week two upset, and the Cincinnati Bengals are no longer, well….. terrible. Scary, huh? Week three is sure to bring a great deal more surprises. With two weeks in the bag, lets get on to the meat and potatoes of the picks and prediction season. Here are the free week three picks and predictions:

Washington at Detroit

The Redskins are having some major offensive problems this season. The Lions are scoring but simply not enough. While my brain is smelling a possible (gasp) Lion’s win, my gut is telling me that the Redskins will prevail in spite of their offensive problems. I always go with my gut.

Winner – Washington Redskins

Green Bay at St. Louis

The Rams nearly pulled one out last week in spite of the fact that they simply can not seem to score. The offense has gone from the greatest show on turf to watching paint dry in no time flat it seems. Green Bay is having no such problems in spite of the week two loss.

Winner – Green Bay Packers

San Francisco at Minnesota

Now this is a match up we can sink our teeth into. The Niners are for real in spite of what many think. I am shocked to be saying that, but Singletary has made all the difference there this season. The Vikings look every bit the Super Bowl contender that they hoped to be. Favre is not finished yet after all.

Winner – Minnesota Vikings

Atlanta at New England

The Patriots are going to be very mad, and that is bad news for a young upstart like Atlanta. The Falcons are much better than years past, but they will get pounded against the Patriots.

Winner – New England Patriots

Tennessee at NY Jets

Will Sanchez have a rookie game? I am figuring on a possible let down game here for the Jets. The Titans are much better than their record indicates, and the Jets are playing way over their heads. Sooner or later, the bubble has to burst. I say it is this week against the Titans.

Winner – Tennessee Titans

Kansas City at Philadelphia

The Chiefs simply do not have the firepower to stay with Philly in Philly.

Winner – Philadelphia Eagles

NY Giants at Tampa Bay

The Gmen will go into Tampa and destroy the Bucs. They seemed like a Super Bowl against Dallas, in spite of the fact that they should have lost. Little Eli has certainly grown up.

Winner – NY Giants

Cleveland at Baltimore

Baltimore will dominate this one in a laugher. The Browns are really bad so far. Really bad.

Winner – Baltimore Ravens

Jacksonville at Houston

The Texans finally woke up from their slumber and laid a whipping on the Titans. Now they do the same to the Jaguars.

Winner – Houston Texans

New Orleans at Buffalo

Can anybody stop this offensive juggernaut? Not the Bills, that is for sure. Brees throws for 400+ again.

Winner – New Orleans Saints

Chicago at Seattle

The Bears finally showed up against the Super Bowl Champion Steelers and look what happened. I expect they will ride that momentum against an ailing Seattle squad. Matt Hasselback is a must for them, and they will struggle with his rib injury.

Winner – Chicago Bears

Miami at San Diego

The Chargers finally get it all together in one game. They will have the best game of the season against the Fins, and will win going away. The Dolphins have some defensive issues right now that can not be ignored.

Winner – San Diego Chargers

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati

The Steelers now must head into Bengal country to face an upstart squad that is playing like they have nothing to lose. They will have enough to get out of Cinci with a win.

Winner – Pittsburgh Steelers

Denver at Oakland

The Broncos surprised me in week two with a strong showing. The Raiders are the that is surprising everyone. Expect the Raiders to continue to surprise and pick up a key win.

Winner – Oakland Raiders

Indianapolis at Arizona

The Colts keep on finding ways to win with Peyton pulling them out at the last minute. Arizona looked like the NFC champions finally last week. This game is a tough call, because you never know what you will get with Arizona. Because they are at home, I am going with the Cardinals.

Winner – Arizona Cardinals

MON, SEP 28

Carolina at Dallas

This Monday night match up will give Dallas a second chance to win in primetime at the new stadium. While the Panthers have struggled, they looked like a whole new last year. I think the Panthers begin to crawl out of their hole this week, and surprise the Cowboys in week three.

Winner – Carolina Panthers
Tiebreaker Score – Panthers 21 Cowboys 17

Week Two Record – 9-7
Season Record – 18-14

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Sep 182009

Week one certainly has shaken up the power rankings for week two, that is for sure. Some things have stayed the same of course, and it is unsure if some that were picked high can recover. We will see over the course of the season. Here are the power rankings for week two of the season. (keep in mind these are before the games in week two)

1. Pittsburgh Steelers – The Steelers stay on top after a week one win over an impressive Titans squad.

2. New England Patriots – The Patriots hold onto number two, but only by the skin of their teeth. They need some work on defense for sure.

3. NY Giants – The Giants have proven their mettle, but face a serious test in Big D during week two.

4. New Orleans Saints – With Brees throwing like that, the Saints have the chance to do something special. Can the defense hold up?

5. Philadelphia Eagles – Will McNabb return and be effective?

6. Indianapolis Colts – The Colts are kind of uncertain, but Manning has them right back in the mix.

7. Atlanta Falcons – Matt Ryan is the real deal, folks. So is that Atlanta defense.

8. Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings looked sharp, and with Adrian Peterson in the backfield, there is no ceiling here.

9. Dallas Cowboys – The boys have Romo comfortable again. That could be bad news for the rest of the NFC.

10. San Diego Chargers – Still dangerous in spite of a lackluster week one win over the Raiders.

The rest…..

11. Baltimore Ravens
12. Green Bay Packers
13. Seattle Seahawks
14. NY Jets
15. Tennessee Titans
16. Chicago Bears
17. San Francisco Niners
18. Denver Broncos
19. Arizona Cardinals
20. Buffalo Bills
21. Houston Texans
22. Washington Redskins
23. Jacksonville Jaguars
24. Cincinnati Bengals
25. Carolina Panthers
26. Tampa Bay Bucs
27. Oakland Raiders
28. Miami Dolphins
29. Cleveland Browns
30. Kansas City Chiefs
31. St Louis Rams
32. Detroit Lions

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Sep 152009

Drew Brees Lights Up Week One (Photo Credited To Wikipedia Commons User Aquamelli)

Drew Brees Lights Up Week One (Photo Credited To Wikipedia Commons User Aquamelli)

Free NFL football picks are so fickle. Much like the Carolina Panthers start to the season, we pulled a Jake Delhomme in week one. (okay so it wasn’t that bad, but I am ticked at the cajun) The start was not what we had hoped for with only nine picks in the bag, but like every season we will make it up this week. That is the beauty of picks. You can always turn things around quickly with a good next week. Week two looks like a bit of an easier road to hoe, so let’s dive right into those free picks right now.

SUN, SEP 20

Carolina at Atlanta

This game is one of those where you just don’t know which trend to trust. The Panthers have owned the Falcons in recent years, and they are coming off a poor performance. The Falcons are coming off a great week one performance. Also, history has shown that the Panthers show up after a loss usually. Still, Mattie Ice has shown that he is for real. As much as I hate to do it, Carolina is toast in this one.

Winner – Atlanta Falcons

Minnesota at Detroit

The Lions really showed up last week on the offensive side of the ball and they established the fact that they can score on an average New Orleans defense. The Vikings are not average. Adrian Peterson might run for 500 yds in this one.

Winner – Minnesota Vikings

Cincinnati at Green Bay

Aaron Rodgers is no joke folks. This guy is for real. The game against Chicago was his growing up game, and he is loaded with confidence. At Green Bay, the Bengals have little chance of stopping their momentum after that fantastic win on Saturday night.

Winner – Green Bay Packers

Houston at Tennessee

The Texans are going to be a good this year, but it appears they are going to do another late season show up party. This game will be ugly with the Titans still fuming over the week one loss to the Steelers.

Winner – Tennessee Titans

Oakland at Kansas City

The Raiders had some genuine moments on Monday night and showed that they are no pushover this season. The combination of McFadden and Bush looked awfully good. The Chiefs certainly played better than expected, but they will falter in this one.

Winner – Oakland Raiders

New England at NY Jets

Mark Sanchez really gets to find out what big time NFL football is all about. He will play well, but he will learn what a loss feels like against Brady and company.

New England Patriots

New Orleans at Philadelphia

This is a game that would be much more exciting with Mcnabb. The Saints are a juggernaut offensively, and the city of Brotherly Love will see that first hand. The Eagles are going to play well but lose in the final minutes.

Winner – New Orleans Saints

St. Louis at Washington

The Skins had better enjoy this one while they can. The Rams do not come to town every week you know.

Winner – Washington Redskins

Arizona at Jacksonville

The Jaguars are going to give the Cardinals fits, and part of that is because they are better against the pass than the majority of the Cardinal’s opponents. The Cardinals will start the year off 0-2 keeping in time with previous Super Bowl losers the year following.

Winner – Jacksonville Jaguars

Tampa Bay at Buffalo

The Bills are much better than advertised. Edwards played fantastically and that is even before he and Owens get their timing right. Expect a huge night in Buffalo.

Winner – Buffalo Bills

Seattle at San Francisco

There is something about that win in Arizona that has me believing a little bit in the Niners. Mike Singletary has them really rolling as a , and the talent level is there. Could this be the next Cardinals?

Winner – San Francisco 49ers

Pittsburgh at Chicago

This is going to be a showdown. The Bears are going to have some kind of struggle against the defending champs, but I see Cutler recovering a bit this week. The guy is too talented of a and he showed flashes of brilliance last week. With the Bears being at home, I see the Steelers losing a rare early season game.

Winner – Chicago Bears

Baltimore at San Diego

The Ravens are for real this year. They not only have that vaunted defense, but they also have a pretty darn good offense. The Chargers looked a bit frail in their week one win.

Winner – Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland at Denver

The Browns are going to hand it to the Broncos this week for one reason. Kyle Orton. The guy had one thing going for him in week one. Luck. That TD was completely luck.

Winner – Cleveland Browns

NY Giants at Dallas

The Giants look fantastic but so do the Boys. I am not a huge fan of the Cowboys, but I do think that they are set to return to prominence this year. This particular week, they take the early upper hand in the NFC East.

Winner – Dallas Cowboys

MON, SEP 21

Indianapolis at Miami

This Monday night matchup is not a gimme for Peyton and the boys. I expect that at home the Dolphins will right the ship. Manning looked almost fallible in their week one struggle against Jacksonville, and the Dolphins are no joke on defense. This will be a fun one, but Indy loses in a close one.

Winner – Miami Dolphins

Tiebreaker – Miami 24 Indy 21

Week One Record – 9-7
Season Record – 9-7

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Sep 092009

Every year, me and a few of my buddies get together and have a weekly challenge. I thought it would be fun this year to have a little contest. My good buddy, Nick Meyer over at Associated Content picks em every year and we decided to post the results here each week. His week one NFL picks are now live and kicking and so too are mine.

This season we will keep you all posted on how we stack up against one another, and will also have some guest posts from Nick. He is an excellent sports writer and it will be a great treat to have him post a spot or two.

If you are interested in joining into the contest, you are welcome to leave your week one picks in the comments below, and we will be happy to keep up with those as well. Also, we welcome guest blog posts here at Picks and Predictions.

Thanks guys,
Enjoy Week One My Brothers!

Rodney

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Sep 082009

Going into week one I thought I would rank the teams in the order I see them going into the season. This is a tough thing to do prior to the regular season, because nobody knows how certain players will fit in with new teams and so on. Still, it will be a weekly thing that I do throughout the 2009 season. Here are my power rankings for week one:

1. Pittsburgh Steelers – Until someone proves otherwise, they are the champs.

2. New England Patriots – The Pats seem primed to return to glory.

3. San Diego Chargers – The fact they are finally healthy has the Charger fans in a tizzy.

4. NY Giants – Can they replace Plax? Some think not.

5. Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles are exciting again, but they must show they can be consistent.

6. Indianapolis Colts – The Colts are always a threat with Peyton Manning. Even if Dungy is gone.

7. Carolina Panthers – The Panthers have a three headed rushing monster now with hotshot rookie Mike Goodson.

8. Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings need to put up or shut up now. They have the they said they needed.

9. Tennessee Titans – The Titans find a way to be there every year. This year should be no different.

10. Chicago Bears – The Bears are sort of like the Vikings here. They now have a . What are they gonna do with him?

The rest…..

11. Atlanta Falcons
12. Baltimore Ravens
13. Arizona Cardinals
14. Green Bay Packers
15. Dallas Cowboys
16. Miami Dolphins
17. Seattle Seahawks
18. Houston Texans
19. New Orleans Saints
20. Buffalo Bills
21. NY Jets
22. Washington Redskins
23. Jacksonville Jaguars
24. Cincinnati Bengals
25. Denver Broncos
26. Tampa Bay Bucs
27. Oakland Raiders
28. St Louis Rams
29. Cleveland Browns
30. Kansas City Chiefs
31. San Francisco 49ers
32. Detroit Lions

While certainly these rankings are a work in progress, they are the way I see the NFL shaking down as of right now. Feel free to share your picks or thoughts in the comments below.

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Sep 042009

Finally the dress rehearsals are over. Week One of is upon us.  No more Sunday afternoon wishing, and no more guessing about who is good and bad.  This week we will begin to find out which teams are for real, and which teams are just playing for a draft pick.  We welcome you to picks and predictions if you are a new visitor, and we hope you will sign up for our weekly picks. We have a long and storied history of success, and this year will be no different. Without further ado, here are the Free 2009 Week One Picks and Predictions:

THU, SEP 10

2009 Week One Matchup – Tennessee at Pittsburgh

What a heavy weight matchup to have at this time of year.  Every season we see what might be a preview of a conference final in week one, and this certainly qualifies. Both teams have their share of supporters for a Super Bowl visit, and both are highly talented. The difference here is that Pittsburgh is at home.  Big Ben and the boys will be riding high after this Thursday night match up. A week one loss for the Titans is nothing to worry about.  They will make it back soon enough.

Winner – Pittsburgh Steelers

SUN, SEP 13

2009 Week One Matchup - Miami at Atlanta

This game highlights two teams who have spent a great deal of time proving others wrong during the last year.  The Dolphins came from nowhere to win the division from the Patriots (albeit with Brady hurt) and the Falcons turned a led by a rookie into a winner.  They are both in position to continue their improvement, but Atlanta seems more ready to me.  With the addition of Tony Gonzalez, the Falcons are an offensive juggernaut. I expect the wildcat will give them some fits here and there, but they will win at home in the end.

Winner – Atlanta Falcons

2009 Week One Matchup - Denver at Cincinnati

The Denver Broncos have been in major turmoil this past off season. The loss of Jay Cutler and the controversy surrounding Brandon Marshall have left the squad in a mess. With Cincinnati, it is all about second chances (sometimes third, fourth, and fifth as well). Carson Palmer, Ochocinco, and Mr. trouble Chris Henry are all trying to make a comeback of sorts.  Palmer is back after injuries yet again.  Ocho is trying to prove he is still an elite receiver (and kicker?) and Henry is trying to prove he can still play at this level without getting into trouble.  Henry has been incredibly impressive this preseason, and the Bengals are excited.  With that, I am picking an upset this week for this game.  The Bengals will get off to a great start at home.

Winner – Cincinnati Bengals

2009 Week One Matchup - Minnesota at Cleveland

The Brett Favre era begins….This game will get a lot of press and rightfully so.  The problem is that the game will not be decided by Brett Favre.  The game will be decided by Adrian Peterson and that Vikings defense.  This one should be ugly, though Cleveland might put up a fight.  I think the biggest mistake they made in Cleveland this season is waiting so long to name the for their .  The Browns could have really used a month of playing with the same for continuity.  We will see where that leads them. This week it will be a loss, but I think Cleveland will show improvements this season over all.

Winner – Minnesota Vikings

2009 Week One Matchup - Jacksonville at Indianapolis

The Jaguars had a really odd preseason looking great in one week and terrible in another. The Colts are in a bit of a mixed up season as well without the leadership of long time coach Dungy.  Expect that the Colts will get better at home, and quickly with Manning leading the way.

Winner – Indianapolis Colts

2009 Week One Matchup - Detroit at New Orleans

This game is one that is fascinating on several fronts.  For one, the Lions are trying to break one heck of a losing streak, and have some peices in place that might just do it.  Second, the Saints are in dire need of getting off to a hot start playing in the up and coming NFC South. They can ill afford to get behind early like the last couple of seasons. Carolina and Atlanta are far too good for that.  This game will be won by the Saints with Drew Brees passing for over 300 yards at a minimum.

Winner – New Orleans Saints

2009 Week One Matchup - Dallas at Tampa Bay

Dallas really needs to win this opening match up against the Bucs.  They are entering a win or else year for head coach Wade Phillips regardless of what Jerry Jones says publicly.  This game will be a very interesting mix of running backs.  For Dallas you have the three headed monster of Felix Jones, Marion Barber, and Tashard Choice.  For the Bucs you have former Giant Derrick Ward.  You might be surprised who actually wins the match up.  Upset alert right here.

Winner – Tampa Bay Bucs

2009 Week One Matchup - Philadelphia at Carolina

This game is a very tough call.  Philly looks awfully strong, and the Panthers have not lost at home in over a year.  The Panthers also have not unveiled even a little of that rushing attack from a year ago due to Stewart being out with injuries.  He is back now and fully healed, and that is bad news for the rest of the .  Throw in the electric Mike Goodson and you have a rushing attack that is second to nobody.  I give the Panthers the win due to being at home, a superior running attack, and DeAngelo Williams being healthy.

Winner – Carolina Panthers

2009 Week One Matchup - Kansas City at Baltimore

This game will be ugly from start to finish. The Chiefs have no chance whatsoever to penetrate the Ravens D.  This game will be a blowout.

Winner – Baltimore Ravens

2009 Week One Matchup - NY Jets at Houston

Quietly, the Houston Texans have built one hell of a .  They won regularly last year at the end of the season, and they look ready to continue that trend.  The Jets have hot shot new Mark Sanchez and little else.  I expect that the Texans will win this one due to a more balanced attack but I expect big things from Sanchez.  He has that look of a future star.

Winner – Houston Texans

2009 Week One Matchup - Washington at NY Giants

You got to love the NFC East.  The Giants and the Redskins.  This is what Sunday afternoon is all about.  Unfortunately this season, the Giants are much more ready to win than the Redskins.  The Skins will put up a fight as always in these matchups, but the Giants will win this one going away.

Winner – NY Giants

2009 Week One Matchup - San Francisco at Arizona

Too much airpower in play here for Arizona.  The Cardinals will win this one in a laugher.

Winner – Arizona Cardinals

2009 Week One Matchup - St. Louis at Seattle

Now this is the real NFC West match up this week.  The Rams are not as bad as some might have you think, and the Seahawks are sporting new players all  over the field.  It seems that the Rams drew a pretty good matchup this week and will get out with a win to start their rebuilding season.  The Seahawks will have all kinds of trouble with Steven Jackson.

Winner – St Louis Rams

2009 Week One Matchup - Chicago at Green Bay

The best game of the week will be played in Green Bay.  This game is going to be a slobberknocker of all time proportions.  In case you did not notice, Aaron Rodgers has become a pretty fine in spite of the naysayers.  Jay Cutler will get to enter the NFC with a bang with this one.  How would you like this to be your first game with a new ?  Cutler will shine brightly this first week, and it could be the start of a huge year in Chicago.

Winner – Chicago Bears

MON, SEP 14

2009 Week One Matchup - Buffalo at New England

New England is about to explode.  Look out below in Buffalo.

Winner : New England

Tiebreaker Score:  New England 32   Buffalo 14

2009 Week One Matchup - San Diego at Oakland

The Chargers are ready to break out this season as they finally have all their parts in place.  The Raiders are close, but not their yet.  Expect the Chargers to win this one, but in a much closer game than you would expect.

Winner – San Diego Chargers


Tiebreaker Score – San Diego Chargers 28  Oakland Raiders 17


Season Record – 0-0

Finally the dress rehearsals are over. Week One of is upon us.  No more Sunday afternoon wishing, and no more guessing about who is good and bad.  This week we will begin to find out which teams are for real, and which teams are just playing for a draft pick.  We welcome you to picks and predictions if you are a new visitor, and we hope you will sign up for our weekly picks. We have a long and storied history of success, and this year will be no different. Without further ado, here are the Free 2009 Week One Picks and Predictions:
THU, SEP 10
Tennessee at Pittsburgh
What a heavy weight matchup to have at this time of year.  Every season we see what might be a preview of a conference final in week one, and this certainly qualifies. Both teams have their share of supporters for a Super Bowl visit, and both are highly talented. The difference here is that Pittsburgh is at home.  Big Ben and the boys will be riding high after this Thursday night match up. A week one loss for the Titans is nothing to worry about.  They will make it back soon enough.
Winner – Pittsburgh Steelers
SUN, SEP 13
Miami at Atlanta
This game highlights two teams who have spent a great deal of time proving others wrong during the last year.  The Dolphins came from nowhere to win the division from the Patriots (albeit with Brady hurt) and the Falcons turned a led by a rookie into a winner.  They are both in position to continue their improvement, but Atlanta seems more ready to me.  With the addition of Tony Gonzalez, the Falcons are an offensive juggernaut. I expect the wildcat will give them some fits here and there, but they will win at home in the end.
Winner – Atlanta Falcons
Denver at Cincinnati
The Denver Broncos have been in major turmoil this past off season. The loss of Jay Cutler and the controversy surrounding Brandon Marshall have left the squad in a mess. With Cincinnati, it is all about second chances (sometimes third, fourth, and fifth as well). Carson Palmer, Ochocinco, and Mr. trouble Chris Henry are all trying to make a comeback of sorts.  Palmer is back after injuries yet again.  Ocho is trying to prove he is still an elite receiver (and kicker?) and Henry is trying to prove he can still play at this level without getting into trouble.  Henry has been incredibly impressive this preseason, and the Bengals are excited.  With that, I am picking an upset this week for this game.  The Bengals will get off to a great start at home.
Winner – Cincinnati Bengals
Minnesota at Cleveland
The Brett Favre era begins….This game will get a lot of press and rightfully so.  The problem is that the game will not be decided by Brett Favre.  The game will be decided by Adrian Peterson and that Vikings defense.  This one should be ugly, though Cleveland might put up a fight.  I think the biggest mistake they made in Cleveland this season is waiting so long to name the for their .  The Browns could have really used a month of playing with the same for continuity.  We will see where that leads them. This week it will be a loss, but I think Cleveland will show improvements this season over all.
Winner – Minnesota Vikings
Jacksonville at Indianapolis
The Jaguars had a really odd preseason looking great in one week and terrible in another. The Colts are in a bit of a mixed up season as well without the leadership of long time coach Dungy.  Expect that the Colts will get better at home, and quickly with Manning leading the way.
Winner – Indianapolis Colts
Detroit at New Orleans
This game is one that is fascinating on several fronts.  For one, the Lions are trying to break one heck of a losing streak, and have some peices in place that might just do it.  Second, the Saints are in dire need of getting off to a hot start playing in the up and coming NFC South. They can ill afford to get behind early like the last couple of seasons. Carolina and Atlanta are far too good for that.  This game will be won by the Saints with Drew Brees passing for over 300 yards at a minimum.
Winner – New Orleans Saints
Dallas at Tampa Bay
Dallas really needs to win this opening match up against the Bucs.  They are entering a win or else year for head coach Wade Phillips regardless of what Jerry Jones says publicly.  This game will be a very interesting mix of running backs.  For Dallas you have the three headed monster of Felix Jones, Marion Barber, and Tashard Choice.  For the Bucs you have former Giant Derrick Ward.  You might be surprised who actually wins the match up.  Upset alert right here.
Winner – Tampa Bay Bucs
Philadelphia at Carolina
This game is a very tough call.  Philly looks awfully strong, and the Panthers have not lost at home in over a year.  The Panthers also have not unveiled even a little of that rushing attack from a year ago due to Stewart being out with injuries.  He is back now and fully healed, and that is bad news for the rest of the .  Throw in the electric Mike Goodson and you have a rushing attack that is second to nobody.  I give the Panthers the win due to being at home, a superior running attack, and DeAngelo Williams being healthy.
Winner – Carolina Panthers
Kansas City at Baltimore
This game will be ugly from start to finish. The Chiefs have no chance whatsoever to penetrate the Ravens D.  This game will be a blowout.
Winner – Baltimore Ravens
NY Jets at Houston
Quietly, the Houston Texans have built one hell of a .  They won regularly last year at the end of the season, and they look ready to continue that trend.  The Jets have hot shot new Mark Sanchez and little else.  I expect that the Texans will win this one due to a more balanced attack but I expect big things from Sanchez.  He has that look of a future star.
Washington at NY Giants
You got to love the NFC East.  The Giants and the Redskins.  This is what Sunday afternoon is all about.  Unfortunately this season, the Giants are much more ready to win than the Redskins.  The Skins will put up a fight as always in these matchups, but the Giants will win this one going away.
Winner – NY Giants
San Francisco at Arizona
Too much airpower in play here for Arizona.  The Cardinals will win this one in a laugher.
Winner – Arizona Cardinals
St. Louis at Seattle
Now this is the real NFC West match up this week.  The Rams are not as bad as some might have you think, and the Seahawks are sporting new players all  over the field.  It seems that the Rams drew a pretty good matchup this week and will get out with a win to start their rebuilding season.  The Seahawks will have all kinds of trouble with Steven Jackson.
Winner – St Louis Rams
Chicago at Green Bay
The best game of the week will be played in Green Bay.  This game is going to be a slobberknocker of all time proportions.  In case you did not notice, Aaron Rodgers has become a pretty fine in spite of the naysayers.  Jay Cutler will get to enter the NFC with a bang with this one.  How would you like this to be your first game with a new ?  Cutler will shine brightly this first week, and it could be the start of a huge year in Chicago.
Winner – Chicago Bears
MON, SEP 14
Buffalo at New England
New England is about to explode.  Look out below in Buffalo.
Winner Buffalo
Tiebreaker Score:  New England 32   Buffalo 14
San Diego at Oakland
The Chargers are ready to break out this season as they finally have all their parts in place.  The Raiders are close, but not their yet.  Expect the Chargers to win this one, but in a much closer game than you would expect.
Winner – San Diego Chargers
Tiebreaker Score – San Diego Chargers 28  Oakland Raiders 17
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Aug 192009

pdcheer 300x210 Week Two NFL Picks and Predictions   Free NFL PicksThe 2009 preseason is off and running and things are beginning to get interesting.  Unfortuantely, my week one preseason predictions were a mediocre 9-8.  Call it rust, or call it the unpredicatable nature of preseason picking.  Whatever the case, I am just getting warmed up.  Things will get better.  Without further ado, lets get into the week two preseason predictions and get on with the :

THUR, AUG 20
Cincinnati at New England
Philadelphia at Indianapolis
FRI, AUG 21
Tennessee at Dallas
Atlanta at St. Louis
Kansas City at Minnesota
SAT, AUG 22
Detroit at Cleveland
Carolina at Miami
Pittsburgh at Washington
Tampa Bay at Jacksonville
New Orleans at Houston
Buffalo at Green Bay
NY Giants at Chicago
Oakland at San Francisco
San Diego at Arizona
Denver at Seattle
MON, AUG 24
NY Jets at Baltimore

THUR, AUG 20

Cincinnati at New England - This game is one that should really be a scoring fest.  I expect that the Bengals are going to continue to try to see if Palmer is truly ready, and they might give him a few extra snaps.  The Pats are feeling awfully good about Brady and the offense after that first week.  Preseason or regular season, this one is New England all the way.

Winner – New England Patriots

Philadelphia at Indianapolis - The Eagles now have Michael Vick on board, and they surely will be tempted to sneak him in a time or two to see what he might have.  That would likely be a mistake, as he barely has taken a snap in practice.  The Colts are trying to figure out why they stunk so bad last week.  The Eagles will win this one.

Winner – Philadelphia Eagles

FRI, AUG 21

Tennessee at DallasThe Cowboys looked about as bad as a can look in the preseason last week, and this week I expect them to bounce back.  The Titans have been great in the preseason, but they will lose in Big D.

Winner – Dallas Cowboys

Atlanta at St. LouisCould things get any worse for Marc Bulger and the Rams?  First they lose Donnie Avery, and now they lose Marc Bulger.  Atlanta will take advantage in this matchup.

Winner – Atlanta Falcons

Kansas City at Minnesota - The Chiefs are going up agains the Minnesota Favres?  Vikings, I mean.  Brett Favre in Minnesota has the whole shook up.  I think it might be a big mistake in the long run.  We will see.  The Vikings win this one going away, however.

Winner – Minnesota Vikings

SAT, AUG 22

Detroit at Cleveland – Detroit actually looks like a that is turning the corner.  Of course when you lose every game, that corner is not hard to reach.  They will steal a win against a that is having a major identity crisis at the moment.

Winner – Detroit Lions

Carolina at Miami – The Panthers looked horrid against the Giants, but the second teamers performed well.  Miami looked fairly solid.  I expect that the Dolphins will run their way to a win with the Panthers sitting all their stars.

Winner – Miami Dolphins

Pittsburgh at Washington - The Steelers are serious contenders this year, and the Redskins look pretty bad on paper.  The formula will hold true for this game at least.

Winner – Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay at Jacksonville – The Jaguars are going to struggle a bit this year, but it wont be because of their defense.  Look for some serious excitement out of the Jags on D.  This game in particular.

Winner – Jacksonville Jaguars

New Orleans at Houston – The Saints will go marching all over the Texans in this Preseason matchup.  It will be ugly.

Winner – New Orleans Saints

Buffalo at Green Bay – Buffalo has had their fair share of games having played two already and both games were a bit of a disappointment.  Green Bay has to be ticked off about the whole Favre thing.  They will take it out on Buffalo.

Winner – Green Bay Packers

NY Giants at Chicago – Chicago is excited about seeing how they stack up against the Giants.  I think that if Jay Cutler just throws the ball and keeps his mouth shut, they will look pretty good.  Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening after the Giant’s pass rush is all over him.

Winner – NY Giants

Oakland at San Francisco – The Raiders might just win this one if they can keep their fists out of each other’s faces.

Winner – Oakland Raiders

San Diego at Arizona – The Chargers and the Cardinals are certainly going to be a fun game to watch.  The Chargers have so many weapons, and the Cardinals have the ultimate weapons on offense.  Don’t expect a lot of defense, folks.

Winner – San Diego Chargers

Denver at Seattle – The Broncos are really struggling as expected given the loss of all pro Jay Cutler, and they are still taking baby steps.  The Seahawks are going strong now that Matt is back full strength.  This one will be a blowout.

Winner – Seattle Seahawks

MON, AUG 24

NY Jets at Baltimore – The Jets will put on a nice show with their new Mark Sanchez.  Will he be able to look so good against that Raven’s defense though?  I don’t think so.  Not yet.

Winner – Baltimore Ravens

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Aug 122009

pddolphincheer 243x300 AFC East NFL Picks and Predictions For 2009The AFC East in recent years has been pretty much all about the Patriots for the last several seasons with the lone exception of last year.  In a very odd 2008 season, the mighty Patriots lost superstar Tom Brady and dropped to second place behind Miami via a tie breaker.  This season, Brady is back but does that mean that the AFC East is a gimme once again?  Let’s look into the crystal ball for 2009, and see what stares back at us.

New England Patriots

While the Patriots are not the powerhouse they have been in previous seasons, they are still awfully good.  This version of the Patriots has just as strong of a chance in winning the division as any, and I expect that Brady will return to form quickly and decidedly.  Randy Moss, Brady, newcomer Fred Taylor, and many others will keep the Patriots near the top of the standings all season long.  I expect them to reclaim the AFC East crown.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins sprung from nowhere to take the playoff spot in the AFC East last season and they will not sneak up on anyone this year.  The Dolphins are a solid but they do have some question marks.  Will Ronnie Brown be able to hold up this season?  Will the wildcat be effective again?  Can the Tuna work some more magic?  I see second place in this talented division.

pdpatriots 300x214 AFC East NFL Picks and Predictions For 2009Buffalo Bills

The Bills are one of those teams that is really hard to figure out.  They have some serious talent and that new guy…. Terrell Owens.  They have a that might just explode now that the Bills have more than just Lee Evans to throw to.  It should be fun to watch.  The Bills will come in a strong third, and would not surprise me at all to go higher.

New York Jets

The Jets will struggle this season because they seem committed to rookie Mark Sanchez.  He is a fantastic talent and I do see him succeeding in his rookie year, but there will be growing pains for sure.  Expect that Sanchez will play alot, and the Jets will win a little.  This will be a good thing in the long run for the Jets.

Make sure to check out my other predictions for the league found below:

The NFC East

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Jul 282009

adrian petersonTonight is my NFL fantasy football league draft and I am anxiously hoping to accomplish a few things.  I want this year’s to be well rounded.  The draft is a head to head draft with only ten teams, so I assume that there will be plenty to choose from.  Still, it is important to get the jump on the league with a good fantasy draft.

Each week, along with my regular picks and predictions I am planning to also let you experience my fantasy league experience.  You can see the ups and downs, as well as the thinking that I put into my league.  For those that are new to fantasy , you might learn a few things.  For those that are not new to fantasy , you can laugh at me for kicks.  (It is always fun to play Monday morning .)

Going into the draft, I am hoping to draft two solid running backs with my first two picks.  I am hoping to get DeAngelo Williams rather cheaply.  And I want a balanced that has depth.  Those are my three major goals.  I do not yet know what position I will be drafting in so it makes it hard to target much else.  I am very much a “get a good after your running back is settled”  kind of fantasy drafter.  I believe in the power of the running game.

Some players I would like to get (other than the obvious players):

DeAngelo Williams

Matt Ryan (If cheap)

Roy Williams (should be a steal after last year)

Steve Smith (an annual target for me)

I will post with my actual fantasy football team and the results tomorrow and let you know how I did.  Wish me luck friends!

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Jul 212009
Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning

Trying to come up with the top quarterbacks of all time is kind of like trying to pick the best movie of all time.  It really depends on your personal taste.  Some people put a premium on records, and others put a premium on NFL championships.  Still others simply go with their personal favorites.  These are my personal picks of the best quarterbacks of all time, and I would love to hear what you agree/disagree with.

Number 5 – Dan Marino (Miami Dolphins) – Many people will argue that Dan does not deserve this spot because of his lack of a championship.  Personally, I think that his accomplishments on the field and in the record books are more than enough to place him at number five.  Some could even argue that he deserves to be higher up the list, but a lack of championships does have some say in this list.

Number 4- Tom Brady (New England Patriots) - Being a Carolina Panther fan and an old St Louis Rams fan, it is tough to concede this pick.  Brady is simply phenomenal when it comes to winning.  He is right on the edge of moving into Montana territory with the incredible skills and championships.  Tom Brady will likely be near the top of most any “best of” list.

Number 3- Johnny Unitas (Baltimore Colts) – One of the guys that I think would be a huge winner in today’s game as well.  This guy was so much better than the guys around him it was not even funny.  I love watching old film of him and he is as solid as they came.

Number 2 – Peyton Manning (Indiannapolis Colts) - Yet another man that will certainly go down as one of the greatest, I see him as a solid number two already.  His incredible passing skills, along with his ability to bring out the best in everyone around him makes Peyton Manning a solid pick at number two.  When it is all said and done, I feel he will be number one on this list.

Number 1 – Joe Montana (San Francisco 49ers) - How can you put Joe any lower than number one?  He was the consummate pro, and the best of all time when it comes to winning football games.  Even when the Niners were not very good, he still pushed and made them better.  The Niners would never have been that good without Joe Montana.

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