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| Captain Kirk "Sunshine" Cousins will be leading the Redskins if RG3 can't go on Sunday (Photo from Brad Mills-US PRESSWIRE - Presswire) |
The Steelers beat the Eagles in a close game last week but what's more significant is the re-injury of Troy Polamalu. That guy can't seem to stay healthy this season and it definitely affects the defense. As long as Big Ben keeps finding ways to win games and make key plays I wouldn't bet against the Steelers. The Titans lost to the Vikings last week in the least interesting game of the week. They are dead last in rushing the football which is making it hard for Jake Locker (or Matt Hasselbeck) to be able to do anything. The defense is in the bottom 3 thus far to make things worse. Pittsburgh covers the spread 24-10.
Oh man, the Titans are awful. I think the biggest fluke this year in the NFL might be the 4 60+ yard TDs they scored against the poor Lions in week 2. I also think they might be the worst team in the league. In my mind the Steelers are that good, but this is a weak team ripe for the picking. Steelers 17-10 in a dreadful game.
2) Cinci -1 @ Cleveland
Ah the Browns, always showing their fans hope, and then snatching it away in the cruelest way possible. First it was the dropped interception opening day that would’ve sealed a huge upset against Philly, then last week, they raced out to a 14-0 lead at the Meadowlands only to be crushed 41-27. Cinci on the other hand missed a huge opportunity against a relatively weak Miami team, losing the chance to go to 4-1. The Law Firm is fumbling for the first time in his NFL career and Andy Dalton struggled against a decent Miami secondary. I don’t see Cleveland going to 0-6, I think they eek out a tight one at home behind some strong running by Trent Richardson, Cle 21-17.
The Bengals blew a win last week in Miami. They were unable to capitalize on chances and score enough points against a sub par defense. By all accounts it was a bad game and it came against a bad team which makes it hurt that much more. Their defense is been all right thus far but since week 1 they really haven't played any offensively talented teams. The Browns got spanked last week by a much better team in the Giants. The Browns just don't have the talent to compete week in and week out. This week is no different. Cincinnati 27-17.
3) Indy +3.5 @ New York Jets
As an Indy fan last week was a real treat. Not only did the Colts beat the Packers after their coach was diagnosed with Leukemia but Reggie Wayne was absolutely money. “Yesterday's performance made me want to lead his Hall of Fame induction campaign," rookie tight end Coby Fleener said. "I've never seen anything like it." Enough said. I think they are in tough this week against the Jets team that will have more Tebow Time if Sanchez keeps playing as bad as he has been thus far. The Jets cannot do anything on offense and are better off just having Tebow run the option until he is all out of gas. Indianapolis 24-21.
I love Andrew Luck, if you read our preseason column I was ready to trade RG3+more for Luck, and that stance hasn’t changed. Yes the Indy offense asks Luck to do more because of the shittyness of Donald Brown, but I truly believe Andrew Luck can make every throw needed in the NFL and will be more durable than RG3, I still love RG3, I just love Andrew a bit more. Funny enough, Reggie Wayne won the AFC offensive player of the week, the FIRST (!?) time in his illustrious career, it appears that Reggie’s success is not all due to Peyton. The Jets are awful, Mark Sanchez sucks and Tim Tebow is worse. Their vaunted D can't stop the run, and they don't have Revis. Andrew Luck cements his Rookie of the Year award, Ind 28-14.
4) Kansas City +4 @ Tampa
Ugh, this has to be the most uninteresting game of the week. Both teams are struggling, Tampa is coming off a bye after losing a close one to the Redskins two weeks ago. Kansas City lost the kickers bowl last week against an uninterested Ravens team. Tampa has a great run defense, but was stretched thin due to RG3’s ability to scramble. However, Brady Quinn is awful and will allow the Tampa D to focus on stopping Jamaal Charles. I see Josh Freeman having an ok game, but that will be enough as Brady Quinn will be awful. TB 21-12. Another dreadful game to watch.
The Chiefs fans are frustrated but they shouldn't be booing anyone getting injured on their team, I don't care how bad they are playing. As Jack said I don't have too much interest in this game other than I hope Matt Cassel gets better sooner rather than later. Tampa Bay 20-13 because of the Chief fans booing.
5) Oakland +9.5 @ Atlanta
Atlanta is a wicked team. They keep winning and that offense is only getting stronger as the season goes on. Matty Ryan is having a stellar season and the offense is prolific as expected. The defense is quietly having a solid season making sure the Falcons are always in a position to win the game on offense. They are 3-0 on the road as well including a win in The Mile High which is no fun to play in as a visitor. The Raiders that i expected showed up two weeks ago vs the Broncos after beating the steelers the week before. The raiders are coming off a bye week so they will be prepared but their defense will have trouble stopping the Falcons and their offense will have issues in the Dome. Atlanta 31-14.
Just when you thought the Raiders had taken a step in the right direction, they shit the bed. The team looks lost, Run DMC is struggling to do much and Carson Palmer cannot carry the load by himself. The Falcons on the other hand are flying high and off to a 5-0 start. They had a tough time in DC last week but ultimately pulled out the win after RG3 left the game. I expect Atlanta to have no problem at home and take care of the Raiders early, ATL 35-14.
6) Dallas +3.5 @ Baltimore
Baltimore looked quite bored last week, doing just enough (3 FGs) to beat a shit Kansas City team. Dallas just came off a bye, but looked awful on Monday night two weeks ago getting demolished by Chicago at home. Tony Romo is a good QB, I truly believe that, but when he gets no help, he is bound to make some questionable throws, and those all backfired on him leading to a 5 INT day. Dez Bryant physically should be the best receiver in the league, but he just can’t get his head in the game. He had two key drops on 3rd down and also led to a pick six due to some miscommunication with Romo. Those two needs to be on the same page to beat Baltimore. The Ravens D is not what they used to be, but the offense carried by a beast like Ray Rice is very dangerous. I think Dallas plays Baltimore tough, but ultimately losing a close one, 21-18 Baltimore.
Dallas really needed that bye week and hopefully they come out better prepared this week. Tony Romo had one of the worst games i've seen last time out and unfortunately for him he could have the same thing happen this week vs the Ravens defense. The Cowboys defense is having a good season and would greatly appreciate some points being put up by Romo in favor of Dallas and not the other team. The Ravens might as well had a bye week last week beating the browns 9-6. The offense reminded me of the kyle boller days and they need something better vs the cowboys pass defense if they want to win this game. Look for the Ravens defense to play mind games with romo and try and force him into bad decisions( not too hard to do really). Baltimore 24-17.
7) Detroit +4 @ Philly
Well Detroit is in trouble and things don’t get much easier going to Philadelphia this week. The Lions offense has been atrocious thus far and that could be because defenses are doubling MEGATRON and making the Lions and Stafford beat them some other way. The Lions front 4 on defense is also been really unimpressive this far into the season and if the punches they took this week in the press doesn’t wake up this team and help them win they are in for some huge trouble. The Eagles seem to be in every game even though they cannot control their TO’s. Vick had another 2 TO’s last week and they still had a chance to beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh last week. The Defense is doing its part thus far and just needs the offense to put together a couple mistake free quarters to win games. Philadelphia 21-14.
What Philly confirmed with their last second loss in Pitt last week is that they will always play to the level of the opposing team. This team has all the talent to be great, yet constant turnovers and strange play calling has them fighting for every game. But good teams win these close games, and Philly is still a respectable 3-2. The Lions on the other hand are very close to falling out of the playoff race, with the Bears and Vikings in front of them at 4-1 respectively. This is almost a must win now for Detroit as they cannot afford to fall much further behind. I predict that Stafford will have a huge game and Detroit somehow pulling one out in Philly. Det 28-25.
8) St Louis +3.5 @ Miami
The much improved Rams head in to Miami on a high after beating divisional foe Arizona 17-13 last week. The defense played great, but the offense lost their top weapon in Danny Amendola. This will be a big blow to Sam Bradford and the other receivers needs to step up. The Dolphins are at a surprising 2-3 after beating Cincy in Cincy, I had them as the worst team in the league at the beginning of the year. I think this game comes down to Ryan Tannehill and his ability to limit his turnovers. The St Louis D is feisty and would provide a huge boost if they can get a defensive score. If Miami runs the ball and control the clock, I think they will take it 23-17.
Just when I was excited for the Rams they lose their top WR Amendola. Sam Bradford is going to have to get the other WR to step up fast to keep the mojo going. The Rams defense is getting chippier as the season goes on and if they keep winning games that's only going to continue. The Dolphins are the surprise team of the year so far no questions. They have lost 2 out of their 3 games in OT so they could easily be 4-1 right now ( Holy Crap). Tannehill seems to be improving every week and the running game is been doing enough to help him through the games. I think this game is a toss up but Miami at home and the Rams without a real WR threat results in Miami winning 20-17.
9) New England -3.5 @ Seattle
I don't understand this line for the Patriots. They looked great vs the Broncos last week and should have no problem with the over rated Seahawks this week. The Seahawks have a great defense but they make dumb decisions and that will bite you in the ass like a great white shark vs Bill Belichick. New England 28-17.
I’m not quite sure what Omid is trying to say with his shark reference, but I am with him. New England an underdog? In Seattle? After playing prob the most complete 6 quarters they have played in a while? I really think Seattle is quite weak, the home crowd will help, but they are going up against a good NE team. Tom Brady has two good young RBs, how scary is that thought? NE takes it, easily, 21-10.
10) Buffalo +4.5 @ Arizona
Man the Bills are bad. They seem to give up in games if they get down early. Since leading 21-7 at New England two weeks ago, they’ve been outscored 90-10 in 6 quarters. However they do boast one of the top running back duos in the league in Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller. Arizona is coming off a tough loss on the road to the Rams and will look to get back to their winning ways at home. Arizona is very good at home but with no semblance of running game, the expensive Bills Defence will be looking to get to Kolb at every opportunity. Mostly because i don’t think the Bills can continue to play this badly and I still think Arizona will struggle to score, Im picking an upset, Bills 24-17 win on the road.
Good old Buffalo Bills i have missed you. HAHAHAHA Mario Williams was a great signing. No????????????????????? Cardinals you lost to St.Louis last week but luckily you are playing the Bills at home. Arizona 21-17. Anything can happen in this game....but nothing worth watching.
11) Giants +6.5 @ 49ers
Here we go, a game thats going to be awesome to watch. These teams had a fantastic game last year in the playoffs and this one will pick up where that left off. The Niners defense is still the best defense in the league and they will make it hard for Manning and the Giants to get anything going consistently. Good thing for Manning he doesn't need to get into a flow, he can come out at any time and just light you up, especially in 4th quarters of close games (This one will come down to the last possession for sure). The Niners offense has scored a lot of points in the last 2 games but that was vs the Jets and Bills. Their confidence will be high and they should be able to get some points using their balanced attack. San Francisco 24-21.
What a game this will be, a tight rematch of last year's NFC championship, where Kyle Williams fumbled away the Super Bowl. Most experts predicted a drop off this year for the SF defense, however they are playing better than ever. The Giants D has yet to show their Super Bowl form, but the offense featuring Eli, Bradshaw, Cruz and an endless line of secondary receivers. The Giants always play well on the road, but I see Jim Harbaugh having his team make a statement this week with a strong win at home. SF 35-31.
12) Minnesota +2.5 @ Washington
Curse you Billy Cundiff, you are banished to the deepest part of kicker hell in my mind, shared only with Graham Gano and Shaun Suisham. It is no surprise to me, that after the week i ordered my RG3 jersey, he gets hurt. As awesome as he is a Weapon, RG3 needs to learn to slide or run out of bounds soon or he will jeopardize his career. Washington is running the ball really well at the moment with Alfred “The Butler” Morris and the script looks to be the same this week. The Vikings look great, Adrian Peterson no longer has to carry the load as Percy Harvin is developing into a stud and Ponder looks confident and promising. However they will take a step back this week and the Redskins will take the game, 24-21 (even if Captain Kirk Cousins starts) .
The Vikings are 4-1 and looking better every week. With Adrian Peterson getting healthy and the defense being rejuvenated they could be the surprise team in the NFL. I'm not totally sold on them but with the RG3 injury and the Redskins tough losses the past couple of games i feel like this is the best time for the Vikings to squeak out a road win. The Redskins have been keeping all their games close thanks to RG3 and the defense. I'm not sure how RG3 will respond to being concussed so i'm taking the cautious approach. Minnesota 21-20.
13) Green Bay +3.5 @ Houston
Oh man this is a tough game to call. I cannot bet against the Texans as they are perfect thus far but an injury to Brian Cushing is going to have a huge impact on their defense. The offense is still clicking on all cylinders and the GB secondary is horrible so they will not have a problem scoring. The Packers also scare me because i know what AR12 can do at any given point in a game. He made comments this week that he needs to step his game up and that has me leaning towards the Packers. Green Bay 28-24.
Houston remains undefeated, but they lost a massive part of their D in Brian Cushing to a torn ACL. The hit that knocked Cushing out was as dirty as you will see, it is really unfortunate. I think Aaron Rodgers has a great game this week, however Arian Foster is too good and if Houston can get the lead, Rodgers will be running for his life. Really tough game to call, Hou 31-28.
GAME OF THE WEEK
14) Denver +1 @ San Diego
Ah, classic Monday nighter, two good teams with elite QBs will face off this week in San Diego. Peyton looked poised for more of his 4th quarter magic, however that was fumbled away by Willis McGahee and Demaryius Thomas. Peyton no longer has that zip on his throws, yet he is too smart and will pick a defense apart with the short to intermediate game. The Denver defense I spent two weeks talking up is playing at an ordinary level and that might be a problem in San Diego. Ryan Mathews reminded everyone that when he hangs onto the ball and stays healthy, he is a threat to break a run every time he touches the ball. Philip rivers had no time at all to operate last week, however they would’ve gone into OT if it weren't for some very questionable calls in the 4th quarter. This will be a tight but very entertaining game, SD takes it 28-24.
Denver needs to win this game to have a chance at the playoffs. They cannot continue to try and come back from behind in the second half of games. They have had a chance to win all their games thus far in the 4th quarter but have had to climb back too far. Key fumbles in 2 of those games by Moreno and McGahee have cost them dearly. Manning is still killing defense but not with his arm but rather his brain. The defense needs to get back to pressuring the QB and getting some key TO’s to help the offense. The Chargers are looking good, good enough to avoid a mid season collapse maybe. Before I go that far i need to see them win this week. The offense has been clicking and with Ryan Mathews getting back to his old self they are very dangerous. The defense I’m still suspect about and this will be a tough test. Manning knows the importance of getting back to to 500 and winning vs division rivals. Denver 28-27.
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