NFL Picks and Predictions

Seeing the NFL Sports crew in Afghanistan really put the War into perspective for a great many people tuning in for Sunday football. As a former Army Medic that served overseas, I can fully appreciate the moral boost that such a visit would provide. Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, Jimmy Johnson and the gang over at Fox should be quite proud of the show they put on. I was happy to see them mix it up between NFL football coverage and focus on the soldiers.

Too often here in America we get “tuned out” to the life that our soldiers are leading when in harm’s way. That is certainly necessary on some fronts, particularly for those families and loved ones that have someone serving. I think that our entertainment venues should do as much of this sort of thing as possible to keep up those soldier’s morale, and give them just a little taste of home. When I was in Germany, and an American concert would come over to entertain us, I would never miss them.

One of the best segments in my view was the closing statements during “Fired Up”. You could tell that the gang was truly touched by the things they saw and heard there. The soldiers face incredible sacrifices while serving that stretch much farther than any bullet or bomb. The hardest part for most of them is being away from their loved ones. Anything that can bring a bit of home to their doorstep is a great thing indeed.

Kudos to Fox Sports and the entire team that made the trip. And God Bless Those Troops!

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.

The injury bug has literally been attempting to dismantle the undefeated Indianapolis Colts throughout the 2009 football season. At one point or another, it seems that virtually every player on the Colts team has spent time on the sidelines. Ironically their biggest star has never been healthier… or better. Peyton Manning is having what many would argue to be his best NFL football season. It seems that regardless of the injuries that are put before him, Manning finds a way to post a win in the column each week.

Once again all-pro safety Bob Sanders has been sidelined. Unfortunately for the Colts and Sanders, this injury will put him out for the remainder of the season. As if that isn’t bad enough for the Colts secondary, cornerback Marlin Jackson is also out for the season. When you consider the injuries to wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez and Pierre Garçon, it seems it would be more than the Colts could overcome.

Don’t tell that to Peyton Manning however.

Throughout this troubled a successful NFL season, Peyton Manning has simply come out and directed his team to a win. Amazingly, the Colts have not seemed to miss a beat regardless of who they put in from week to week. While certainly some of this deserves to be credited to the coaching staff, the biggest part of it should go to Manning. Throughout all of the problems, Manning has remained calm, cool and collected. Certainly that state of mind has rubbed off on the other team members.

Peyton Manning and the Colts will next face an upstart Houston Texans team. Quarterback Matt Schaub has the Texans playing quite well right now. Wide receiver Andre Johnson is among the best in the NFL, and has to be licking his chops facing this revamped Colts secondary. One would have to think that the Texans are going to put up one heck of a fight against the Colts.

Still, I would not bet against Peyton Manning and the Colts.

Week nine of NFL football action is upon us and we are feeling pretty good about things. With the season starting off on the wrong foot picks wise, we have battled our way back to a very respectable season record. That said, we are now ready to make our move into the big time this week with several red hot NFL football games. This week features an upset that may surprise you, but there is a good reason for it. Whatever the case, here are the week nine NFL games picks and predictions for your viewing pleasure:

Washington at Atlanta

The Atlanta Falcons have to be feeling pretty bad about themselves after letting the game against the New Orleans Saints get away. While certainly they should have won the game, there is no shame in falling victim to that Saints offense. They are not the first. Fortunately for the Atlanta Falcons, the lowly Washington Redskins are coming to the Georgia Dome. While I’m hesitant that the Falcons may look past the Redskins, I do believe that they simply have too much talent for it to matter. The Falcons will win this one going away.

Winner – Atlanta Falcons

Arizona at Chicago

Having been completely demolished at home against the Carolina Panthers, the Arizona Cardinals have to be wondering what the hell was going on. With the number one run defense in the NFL, the Cardinals proceeded to give up nearly 300 yards on the ground to the Panthers. To be fair, the Panthers running game is as good as it gets in the NFL. Matt Forte has started to show signs that he is finally coming out of his slump, and that could be bad news for the Arizona Cardinals. When Forte is running the football effectively, quarterback Jay Cutler becomes much better than average. I expect that Forte will continue his running success, and knock off the Cardinals in a frigid Chicago Bears stadium.

Winner – Chicago Bears

Baltimore at Cincinnati

This game is one that is very difficult to pick because the Cincinnati Bengals pick and choose when they want to show up. If they play up to their capabilities, the Bengals are as good as anybody. The Ravens seem like they are starting to really gel, and knocked off previously undefeated Denver last week. I do think that the Bengals will have some success throwing the football and pull out the win.

Winner – Cincinnati Bengals

Houston at Indianapolis

This is the Houston Texans’ opportunity to prove that they are for real in the AFC. The problem is, they are facing a very solid and focused Peyton Manning led Colts team that has not been beaten. Even in the games that the Colts were close with other teams, the Colts seemed in total control. It is hard to imagine the Colts losing to the Texans, and it won’t happen Sunday… In time, however, I can see the Texans being that good. Maybe even later this season.

Winner – Indianapolis Colts

Miami at New England

The Dolphins are one of those teams that kind of lurks around, and if you let down your guard, they smack you in the mouth. They did just that in 08, coming from nowhere to win a division that the Patriots had dominated for years. You can be sure the Patriots see them coming this week. No letdowns here, and the Pats will win it emphatically. This game will not be as close as people think as the Pats are coming off a bye week.

Winner – New England Patriots

Green Bay at Tampa Bay

This should be a slaughter as the battle of the Bays is no real battle at all. The Packers are smarting from the Favre saga last week, and they will be looking for someone to take it out on. Enter winless Tampa Bay. Ugh..

Winner – Green Bay Packers

Kansas City at Jacksonville

This game could literally put some people to sleep. I expect that this will be an up week for the Jags, and Jones-Drew will likely break the 200 total yard barrier. Because of superior talent behind the line, the Jags should completely dominate this match up.

Winner – Jacksonville Jaguars

Carolina at New Orleans

Okay everybody. I realize that you all might think I am crazy picking the Panthers here, but there is a darn good reason for it. The Panthers are built to beat teams just like the Saints. They can completely dominate the ground game, as shown by Atlanta running back Michael Turner on Monday night. The Panthers have two running backs that are as good or better than Turner. In addition to this, the Panthers are masters at shortening the game. I am telling you this is the upset game of the year. Mark it down. Just like I said the Panthers would beat the Cardinals and they did, this game will be the upset of week nine.

Winner – Carolina Panthers

Detroit at Seattle

Does anyone care? Seattle in a landslide.

Winner – Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee at San Francisco

The Titans looked pretty darn good with Vince Young under center, but I think the party stops in San Francisco. The Niners are a good football team, and they are going to have some success against that Titan defense. That still sounds very strange does it not? Last year they were simply impossible to score on. This year?

Winner – San Francisco Forty Niners

San Diego at NY Giants

This game is a real stinker to try to pick. Do we get the last three weeks version of the Giants or the team that preceded it? I am thinking that the Giants will come out and play a great game against the Chargers. Besides, the Chargers are due a stinker. The Chargers never can put several games together where they look great, so they are due to stink up the Meadowlands. The Giants start to get well again.

Winner – NY Giants

Dallas at Philadelphia

This is what NFL football is all about. The Eagles and the Cowboys baby! Both NFC East teams are playing outstanding football, and both are going to likely be in the playoffs. This game will be won and lost in the running game, and the Cowboys are stacked there in comparison. The one thing that worries those Cowboys fans is Deshaun Jackson. This little dynamo is the best young receiver in the game, and he is finding more and more ways to get the ball. Still, the Cowboys will make enough plays to win and take over first place in the NFC East.

Winner – Dallas Cowboys

MON, NOV 9

Pittsburgh at Denver

The Steelers always find a way to win these big games. Whatever happens, Ben and Hines and the gang find a way to get it done. Being in Denver, the Broncos really could use a big win against the Steelers. I expect that this game will be close, but that the Steelers will pull it out in the end.

Winner – Pittsburgh Steelers

Tiebreaker Score – Pittsburgh 28 Denver 21

Week Eight Record – 9 – 4

Season Record – 74 – 42

It is hard to believe that we are already heading into week eight of NFL football action. After a very solid 10 and 3 record during week seven, we are now prepared for that all-important stretch run. There are some key injuries that could affect week eight in a big way, and some surprises may be in store. Here is a game by game look at the week eight matchups, and predictions for each game.

Houston at Buffalo The Texans looked particularly good during week seven action, and Matt Schaub in a particular looks like the real deal. With Steve Slaton starting to look like last year’s version, the Texans may be one tough team to beat in November and December when it counts. The Buffalo Bills actually beat the Carolina Panthers though most would say that the Panthers beat themselves. This game will be a blowout in favor of the Texans.

Winner – Houston Texans

Cleveland at Chicago When you consider the fact that Cleveland could not beat my high school football team, it becomes rather clear that they will not defeat Chicago in Chicago.

Winner – Chicago Bears

Seattle at Dallas Finally last week Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys look like the team to beat in the NFC East. Unfortunately for them, it may be too little too late. On the bright side, the New York Giants have lost two in a row and are leaving the door open for both Dallas and Philadelphia. Wide receiver Miles Austin has come from absolutely nowhere to post two huge games in a row. One would think that the struggling Seahawks would have no chance. If Romo shows up like last week, this will be a huge blow out.

Winner – Dallas Cowboys

St. Louis at Detroit One cannot help but laugh at this particular matchup. The Lions are going to win this one simply because they have more life on the roster. The only real chance the Rams have at winning is if Stephen Jackson runs for 200 plus yards. Do not be surprised if that actually happens, but I still say the Lions will win this game.

Winner – Detroit Lions

Denver at Baltimore Baltimore Ravens enter this game with their season hanging in the balance in many ways. A win against the undefeated Denver Broncos could re-energize the team and send them heading down a long winning streak. The Broncos seem to find a way to win every single week, so it is with some trepidation that I pick the Ravens.

Winner – Baltimore Ravens

San Francisco at IndianapolisWhile San Francisco has made huge leaps and bounds and 2009, they have zero chance of stopping Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts

Winner – Indianapolis Colts

Miami at NY JetsIf Mark Sanchez can stop eating hotdogs long enough to see his wide receivers wide-open down the middle, the Jets are likely to walk out of the Meadowlands with another win. The Dolphins blew one of the biggest leads of the year last week against a high-powered New Orleans Saints team. This game will go to the Jets.

Winner – New York Jets

NY Giants at PhiladelphiaIn what should be a huge game in the NFC East, I expect that the New York Giants will come in and smack the Eagles around. Part of this is because the Eagles will be without Brian Westbrook, and part of it is because they have lost two in a row. The Giants always seem to come back strong after adversity.

Winner – New York Giants

Jacksonville at Tennessee While Tennessee is suffering through one of the worst NFL football seasons in their history, I still think that they are due for a breakout game. They have plenty of talent on both sides of the football and the Jacksonville Jaguars are very inconsistent. With the Titans a home, I am looking for a big upset.

Winner – Tennessee Titans

Oakland at San DiegoThe Chargers win this going away.

Winner – San Diego Chargers

Carolina at ArizonaThe Carolina Panthers head into this week a matchup against Arizona with a quarterback change looming. What many people outside of Carolina does not realize is that backup quarterback Matt Moore is capable of big things. Look for another shocker in Arizona.

Winner – Carolina Panthers

Minnesota at Green BayHere we go with round 2. Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings won the first go around, but I expect that Green Bay will come back in a big way in this week 8 battle. Aaron Rodgers will finally shut up the critics in Green Bay for good.

Winner – Green Bay Packers

MON, NOV 2

Atlanta at New Orleanswhat is sure to be a very important game in determining the NFC South championship, the Saints will completely dominate the Falcons. The Falcons simply do not have the firepower to keep up with Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

Winner – New Orleans Saints

Tiebreaker Score – Saints 42 Falcons 21

Week Seven Record – 10 – 3

Season Record – 65 – 38

Sometimes a man just has to have a hot dog. During the New York Jets massacre this past Sunday against the Oakland Raiders, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez was caught on camera scarfing down a hot dog. For some reason, the announcer took offense to his flippancy. This has apparently become a big story around the web, and I just had to weigh in on this.

The truth of the matter is Mark Sanchez had every right to eat that hot dog. Here are some of the reasons why:

• He was hungry.
• They were playing the Oakland Raiders so respect wasn’t an issue.
• He was hungry.
• The Jets had the game well in hand.
• He was hungry.
• Hot dogs rock!
• He was hungry.

It seems utterly ridiculous to me that anyone would make a big deal about Mark Sanchez eating a hot dog on the sidelines. It is not as though he was sitting there having chips and salsa. it was not a social function. With the way he was diving into that bad boy it would appear that he was simply hungry. I seriously doubt that it was a way for him to disrespect his teammates or opponents.

When asked about the situation, Mark Sanchez actually apologized and explained that he was simply hungry. I would not have apologized for one second. If you’re hungry, then you eat. Especially when you are burning tons of calories out on the football field. What’s next? Are we going to give players that get IVs during the game a hard time?

It seems almost premature to consider either Buffalo or Carolina as an NFL contender, yet this Sunday’s matchup has the feel of a season changing game. Both Buffalo and Carolina are fighting to get on the plus side of .500. Buffalo began the season 1-4 before finally winning a big game against the New York Jets last week. Carolina started the season 0-3 but has now won two straight games while suddenly finding their running game. This match up will go a long ways towards determining which direction these teams will go in 2009.

The Buffalo Bills certainly have their work cut out for them as they will be playing without their starting quarterback, Trent Edwards. Edwards was knocked out of the New York Jets game early and suffered a severe concussion. Replacing him will be Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick is known for being a ball control quarterback without much ball control.

While the Buffalo Bills certainly have a decent running attack with Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch, they really need to find a way to get the ball to their superstar receivers. Both Terrell Owens and Lee Evans have been thrust into the decoy role and have become virtual non-factors in most of Buffalo’s games. The Panthers secondary can certainly be exploited if Fitzpatrick can get the ball out quickly. That may be easier said than done with the Panthers defense suddenly waking up the last few weeks. Julius Peppers has been an absolute terror the last two weeks with four sacks, and the entire defense has been producing turnovers.

Likewise, the Buffalo Bills defense has shown a nose for the ball as well. The Bills secondary picked off six passes against the New York Jets. Given that the Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme tends to throw the ball to the other team, this could be an area where the Bills can have an impact.

While Jake may have a problem passing the football, the Panthers are not likely to throw it very often. With DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart running the football, head coach John Fox would be a moron to throw the ball except when absolutely necessary. If the Panthers stick to the game plan for controlling the clock with a powerful running game, the Bills likely will have no chance. Look for Williams and Stewart to completely dominate the football game from start to finish. The Panthers will control the clock and win going away.

Every NFL football season there are at least a few teams that seem to start very slow. Sometimes it is an NFL team that was expected to have a huge year, and sometimes it is a team that everyone thought would be horrible. For every favorite that falters, there are at least two teams that win unexpectedly. In spite of this, a good portion of these NFL football teams will end up being very good before the end of the season. So far in 2009, there are a number of teams that fit into both categories in the NFC. In particular, there are five NFC football teams that are showing signs that they might be ready to explode. Here they are in no particular order:

Carolina Panthers – the Carolina Panthers were on most everyone’s list of teams in the NFC that were expected to do quite well this season. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart had such impressive statistics in 2008 that it became quite difficult to ignore them any longer. Going into 2009, Williams and Stewart knew that they would be facing not only teams stacking the run, but the second toughest schedule in the entire NFL. Thus far, the Panthers running game has been derailed primarily because quarterback Jake Delhomme has been unable to throw the ball to his own team. In spite of the horrible quarterback play so far, the Panthers find themselves with a two-game winning streak and are a win at Buffalo away from being at .500.

what is even more telling about the Panthers is that Williams and Stewart are beginning to show signs of exploding. In week six game against Tampa Bay, Williams rushed for two touchdowns on 150+ yards rushing while Stewart had one touchdown and also broke the century mark. This marked the first time either running back had topped 100 yards in a game this season. Granted, the Bucs are far from top level competition. Still it is clear that these two running backs have yet to show the best they have to offer in 2009. This makes Carolina a team to look out for in the weeks to come.

Green Bay Packers - The Packers have actually been rather good so far this season. In particular, quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been lights out in his second year under center for the pack. The Packers have suffered a good bit of injuries as well as some unfortunate luck to start the season slow. Most everyone that follows NFL football would concede that the Packers are a candidate to explode at any time.

San Francisco 49ers - San Francisco has been a team that has surprised everyone, and so imagining them improving might be a stretch. The reason for San Francisco getting better is simply about one player — Michael Crabtree. The first-round draft pick up the San Francisco 49ers is set to make his NFL debut during week seven after finally signing with the team. If the 49ers were able to perform as well as they have without him, it stands to reason that they should be even better with him. Crabtree is a special player and should be a great playmaker for the 49ers.

Dallas Cowboys - Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys have been pretty much a train wreck in 2009. It seems that every single week the Cowboys find a new way to put questions in the minds of the NFL experts. In particular, Tony Romo has not played up to expectations to say the least. In some ways this may actually benefit the Cowboys. With the emergence of wide receiver Miles Austin, the Cowboys now have a certified playmaker to take the heat off of Roy Williams and Romo. It remains to be seen whether the Cowboys can put it all together, but their talent level is simply too high to continue on the same track.

Atlanta Falcons - The Atlanta Falcons are currently in second place in the NFC South trailing only the undefeated New Orleans Saints. While they are winning football games, they are not doing so in the way in which they were expected to. The running game with Michael Turner has not been up to par this season. This is primarily a problem because Atlanta is definitely a running football team. On the bright side, quarterback Matt Ryan and free-agent signing Tony Gonzalez have developed a very special passing connection. As the season wears on, it is only a matter of time before Turner and that Atlanta offensive line start to gel. When they do the Falcons may not play second fiddle to anyone.

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What an NFL season we have going here. The Saints are no longer Aints, and the Broncos finally showed me in week six that they were for real. What a mixed up year. Still, it makes for great football every single week, and week seven should be no exception. Here are your free NFL picks for the NFL week seven of action:

Green Bay at Cleveland – Green Bay looked like world beaters in week six, but they were playing the Detroit Lions. It is a good thing they are facing Cleveland this week. The result should be similar as Cleveland just can not seem to get it together at all.

Winner – Green Bay Packers

San Diego at Kansas City – The Chargers totally bombed on Monday Night Football against the Broncos but it seems the Broncs have a way of doing that to teams. The Chiefs finally got a win last week, but will return to their losing ways against the Chargers. Especially the angry Chargers.

Winner – San Diego Chargers

Indianapolis at St. Louis – The Rams have zero chance. Zero.

Winner – Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota at Pittsburgh – This is easily the game of the week to most NFL fans, and it should be a doozie. It is not every day we see Brett Favre face Ben Roethilisberger. This should be fun, but I see the Vikings finally losing one. It will be at the last minute, but the Steelers steal a much needed win.

Winner – Pittsburgh Steelers

New England at Tampa Bay – Tampa Bay has zero chance. Zero.

Winner – New England Patriots

San Francisco at Houston – This is another game that will be better than advertised. Schaub has been excellent this year, and the Niners struggled in their last outing. I think the Texans are just hot enough to take down the Niners this week.

Winner – Houston Texans

Buffalo at Carolina – Don’t look now but that Carolina running game is starting to rumble again. Just about this time last year, the Panthers did the same thing and ended up nearly taking home field advantage from the Giants in the NFC. The Bills are simply in the way. Just do not let Jake throw the ball, and the Panthers roll easily.

Winner – Carolina Panthers

NY Jets at Oakland – The Jets and Sanchez rebound in a big way. Nothing like having Oakland around to get back on the horse.

Winner – NY Jets

Atlanta at Dallas – The Cowboys have to win, and will for that reason only. The Romo watch continues though as he will struggle again against the Falcons rush.

Winner – Dallas Cowboys

Chicago at Cincinnati – The Bears will pull this one out but not without some serious fight from the Bengals. The Bengals and Bears might become an annual classic someday. It should be already. This will be a fun one.

Winner – Chicago Bears

New Orleans at Miami – I am smelling an upset here, but I think that if I pick against the Saints I might lose some readers here. If you are so inclined, feel free to take the Dolphins as they could very well upset the Saints at home. I still think the Saints will weather the storm though in all probability.

Winner – New Orleans Saints

Arizona at NY Giants – The Cardinals are in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Giants are angry.

Winner – NY Giants

MON, OCT 26

Philadelphia at Washington – See above. Add to this that the head coach is really not the head coach in Washington and they can not score. Philly better win or they might just be disowned when they go home.

Winner – Philadelphia Eagles

Tiebreaker Score – Eagles 21 Redskins 3

Week Six Record – 8 – 6

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The Chicago Bears are 3-1 entering their week six match up with the Atlanta Falcons, and they are right behind the Minnesota Vikings in the standings as well. The Bears have had what has to be a good season so far, and quarterback Jay Cutler has been as good as advertised. If you throw out that week one nerve game, Cutler is among the most efficient quarterbacks in the league. With Atlanta coming up, the Bears face a game that could make or break their season in some ways.

First of all they are playing a team that is incredibly talented. The Falcons are showing that they are going to be major players come playoff time, and the Bears know it. More importantly, it is very likely that the Bears will be competing with these Falcons, among others for the wildcards. Minnesota is looking like they might have a stranglehold in the standings, and so does New Orleans in the South. Either way, this game could end up being important down the road.

Another key reason this game is so vital is because the Bears are heading on the road and playing on prime time television. This is the chance they have to make a statement to the rest of the NFC.

If the Bears can go into Atlanta and pick up the win, they have to feel good about their chances moving forward. They need one of those “statement” wins this year as they have been up and down so far.

Atlanta is in a similar position, but they seem to be on cruise control right now. They have every part of their game rolling with the passing game and the running game. Even the defense looked good this past week.

The game should be a doozy, and I expect it will be a huge game for the ratings.