NFL Picks and Predictions

Who in their right mind would have ever thought the Cleveland Browns were going to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers?  Outside of the city of Cleveland, I would guess that nobody would.  Especially with the Steelers season on the line.  Still, the Browns literally smacked the Steelers around and gave a much-needed boost of optimism to the Browns fans.  The Steelers have to be wondering what in the world happened.  A few short weeks ago they seemed to be in full control and ready to head back to the playoffs.  Not anymore.

The Steelers are now looking for answers from somewhere.  Anywhere….

None of the Steelers are looking like they much know what is going on.  They all seem to be stuck in a funk like they were sleepwalking through the back half of the NFL schedule.  Something  just does not feel right in Steeler country.  It remains to be seen whether heads will roll over this, but I would hope not.  Mike Tomlin has been a stand up coach for Pittsburgh and I would hate to see him take the fall on this.  Still, in the “what have you done for me lately” NFL, it would not be a complete shocker.

On a side note, Brady Quinn still does not look like an NFL quarterback.  He managed the game and did not turn the ball over, but that is not going to be nearly enough.  This is especially true in a city like Cleveland.  It will be interesting to see how the season hammers out in Cleveland as well.  They have a nice young nucleus of talent in Cleveland and I would think they have some things to build on.  I am not sure if that includes Brady Quinn or not.  I once was a big fan, but he has looked pretty bad this year in his chances to shine.

As for Pittsburgh, I guess it is back to the drawing board.  I really never saw this coming, but congratulations to the Browns.  They really needed something to cheer about.

It is beyond comprehension that the Cincinnati Bengals, in previous years known as a holding cell for troubled players, has apparently not learned their lesson yet. In a season when the Bengals are legitimate contenders, the Bengals would be better off having their punter at running back than signing the troubled Johnson. Have the Bengals not learned their lesson yet? Have they forgotten what bringing in troubled draft picks did to their team?

While it is true that Larry Johnson could still have something left, the odds are much higher that he has a bunch of problems left. Every time he gets in trouble, he issues an empty apology and then repeats the same behavior (or something different in it’s place equally bad) The truth is, Larry Johnson could absolutely blow up the progress the Bengals have made. Adding him to the mix can only bring heartache to the franchise.

One might wonder what other options the Bengals have? Who says they need one? They are thin at the position and yes, Cedric Benson hurt himself the other day. Still, the injury is not supposed to keep Benson out for long if at all, so the bottom line is they have their running back. It has been said that Johnson would be a backup to the backup. That is exactly why I would not sign him. Johnson has shown that he will not accept being a backup. Oh sure, he will sign up and say all the right things. The minute that he has a foot hold on the team, however, he will show that famous temper and make waves.

It is hopeful that the Bengals will think better of this decision, but I fear they will not. They are not exactly known for their caution when it comes to signing folks of questionable character. I fully expect Johnson to sign with the Bengals. Somewhere the rest of the AFC is smiling.

The Cincinnati Bengals have begun to really make believers out of many of the experts around the NFL. Cedric Benson, Carson Palmer and a rejuvenated Chad Johnson has the Bengals thinking playoffs for the first time in a few years. One group of players in particular believe – the Baltimore Ravens. The Bengals took out the Ravens and Cedric Benson ran for better than 100 yds against them. Nobody runs for more than 100 against the Ravens. Yet he did.

Cedric Benson is the key once again for the Bengals. The last thing they need is for the Ravens to stuff the run and force the Bengals into a pass only team. This year’s Bengals are at their best when they are mixing the run and the pass. Gone are the days of Carson Palmer throwing bombs as the Bengals first choice on offense. The Bengals are a balanced offense when they are clicking.

As for the Ravens, they are going to be hell bent on avenging that early season loss. This game is pivotal in the division race, and both teams really need the win. This game is what makes November football so interesting. The teams that show up and win key match ups in November are the teams that are likely to move on in the playoffs. The Ravens know what they are facing and they will be ready.

In spite of the Ravens determination, I see the Bengals actually pulling out this win. I do think the game will be close, and that both teams will put up good showings. I just feel that after the bye week last week, the Bengals are going to be fresher and more prepared than the Ravens. The Ravens just got over an emotional week eight win over previously undefeated Denver. That takes a toll.

This game will be one that we look back to come playoff time. Mark it down. It will mean a lot in the long run.

Week three of great NFL 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 NFL picks and prediction season. Here are the free week three NFL 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 team 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 team 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 team 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 team 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

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 NFL football season. Here are the power rankings for week two of the NFL football 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

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 NFL football 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 NFL football 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 team 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 team, 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 quarterback 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

The Pittsburgh Steelers are not a team that throws in the towel when they are down.  Just ask Hines Ward.  With the game firmly in hand, Ben Roethlisberger threw a bullet to Hines Ward for a first and goal inside the five yard line with less than a minute to go.  The sure handed Ward then proceeded to fumble the ball while trying to get into the end zone.  The mistake was one that many teams would have let get them down.

Not the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Instead, they forced overtime and took the opening possession straight down the field for the game winning field goal. There is a reason that the Steelers are defending Super Bowl Champions.

While the game itself was highly competitive, it did seem inevitable that the Steelers would win the game.  The biggest reason why was Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes, who hooked up throughout the game with catch after catch.

The Titans appeared to be completely unable to stop the Steelers once the Steelers went to the pass.  They continuously rushed only four men, and Ben simply sat back in the pocket, scrambled when needed, and hit his receivers like it was a game of catch.  It seemed at times that he had hours to pass the ball.  This led to the Steelers completely abandoning a running game that could not get by the stiff  Titan defense at all.

The Steelers could manage only 38 yds on the ground, but went over 300 yds through the air.  The Titan secondary was not the problem for the Titans. Ben simply had way too much time to throw the ball.

The Titans did have some bright spots as well.  Justin Gage had a touchdown and 85 yds through the air.  Kerry Collins looked sharp for the most part throughout the game as well after a less than sterling preseason.  The Titans gave the defending champs all they could handle.

The Titans now go home to face the upstart Texans while the Steelers travel to play the new look Chicago Bears.

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 NFL Picks and Predictions.

Thanks guys,
Enjoy Week One My Brothers!

Rodney

Going into week one I thought I would rank the NFL 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 NFL teams and so on. Still, it will be a weekly thing that I do throughout the 2009 NFL football 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 quarterback 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 quarterback. 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.

In a move that some might call risky, the Detroit Lions are wasting no time throwing their number one draft pick into the lion’s den. Stafford will start the season as the number one man under center. First up for Stafford is the New Orleans Saints. Nice draw, rookie.

Stafford seems to have all the tools to be a top shelf NFL quarterback. The problem is, few NFL rookie quarterbacks actually perform well when thrown into the fire so quickly. The last couple of seasons have seen some exceptions to this rule however. Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco come to mind from last year. But for every Ryan there is a Rick Mirer in the history of the NFL.

Stafford has looked pretty darn sharp in preseason play. He is not without any weapons by any means. Calvin Johnson is about as good as it gets at the wide out position, and the Lions are vastly improved along the offensive line. (though they were terrible and only got better)

The Lions are going to struggle at some point. That much is a given. How will Stafford, and the Lion’s fans handle that struggle? That is the real question here. The rookie will have to grow a very short memory to find his way in the rough and tumble NFC.

The Saints are actually a pretty good first match up for Stafford. He should be facing plenty of points against one of the best offenses in the NFL. Drew Brees will put up some points for sure. Given this, Stafford should be throwing the ball alot.

It will be interesting to see if the Lions will attempt to bring along Stafford like the Falcons did with Ryan, and the Ravens did with Flacco. It is unlikely, because they do not have the horses at running back that the Falcons had, and they do not have the defense that the Ravens had. Stafford will have to throw the football and often. That much is certain.

In a world where NFL football fans turn on you in a flash, Stafford really needs to have a good performance on Sunday. Win or lose, if he performs well the Lion’s fans will rally around him. That will do wonders for his state of mind, and that is half the battle on a field of warriors. If he believes in himself, he has the tools to do well.

Matthew Stafford has made the ultimate jump. College starter to NFL starter in one year is a huge deal. Hopefully, he will not be overwhelmed and relegated to the trash heap of former number one quarterbacks that never made the cut.