Week 15 in the NFL

I had a rough night last night so I'll be brief. For the third week in a row I finished 11-5 which brings my season total to 128-80. Plus I picked Atlanta on Thursday and Dallas last night. Miami with their new Interim Head Coach will play inspired ball and win over Buffalo. Giants over the Redskins because they need it more. Titans take out their frustrations on the Colts and win in Indy. Texans at home win over the Panthers. Green Bay continues its winning streak today at Kansas City. Bengals over the Rams. Saints in another close one edge out the Vikings in Minnesota. Seattle surprises Chicago at Soldier Field beating the Bears. Lions over the Raiders even though you might worry about Suh who comes back from suspension today. Jets over the Eagles again because they need it more. Cardinals at home over the Browns who are going nowhere fast. My upset special the Broncos at home over the Patriots more so because of Denver's defense but Tebow will have a little magic as well. Ravens over the Chargers again because they need it and want it more. Finally, Pittsburgh takes one from the Forty-Niners and opens a door for New Orleans. That's my picks....Have a great weekend!

Week 14 in the NFL.................

Another good week last week with 11-5 mark. Also started out with one win this week with Pittsburgh over Cleveland but that was an easy pick. Now for the rest of my picks. My first upset special is Carolina over Atlanta. You may think I am crazy but just look at how each team performed last week. Atlanta is not a good road team and Carolina is red hot. Panthers win this one. Lions at home against the Vikings. Adrian Peterson should be back in the line up but look for Jim Swartz's team to get back their focus. He is a good coach and I predict he will have his team disciplined today. Lions win. Green Bay at home against the Raiders. Packers win. Tampa Bay at Jacksonville. Firing Del Rio was only one piece of the puzzle and it truly is a jigsaw for the Jags. Josh Freeman should be back for the Bucs. Bucs win. Philly travels to Miami. This is another stark contrast between two teams going in opposite directions. The Fins win this one. Look for the Patriots to keep the train rolling with another win today against the Redskins. Saints at Tennessee. This game should scare you if you are a Saints fan. Facing the same QB as they did last year in Seattle, Matt Hasslebeck will be ready again. The question here is did Gregg Williams' defense learn anything from last year. Today will be a good test. I am putting my money on the Saints to pull this one out. Saints win in an offensive battle. Next up Colts at the Ravens. The Colts will go 0-13 today as the Ravens stomp them in Baltimore. Jets at home against the Chiefs. Jets win as they need it more. Bengals at home against the Texans. The battle of the backup QB's will go to Andy Dalton who has had more time than T.J. Yates to perfect his craft. Bengals win. San Francisco at Arizona. I am thinking this could be a trick bag for the Niners as they may come in a little over confident. My second upset special Cardinals at home steal one from the Niners. Chicago at Denver. The Bears defense will not be able to bale out the Bears offense against Tebow and company. Tim has another stellar day as the Broncos put one more nail in the Bears coffin. Broncos win. Buffalo at San Diego. Bills will play loose like their on vacation with the great weather in San Diego. Bills win. Giants at the Cowboys. Here's where the "G-Men" make their stand. If you watched the way they played last week, you know they aren't finished. Giants win. And in the who cares Bowl for Monday Night the Seahawks are at home against the Rams. Go withe the home team here. Seattle wins with the "12th" man.

Week 13 in the NFL...

Much better last week with an 11-5 mark which brings my season total to 106-70. However, behind the eight ball thanks to Philly blowing the game against the Seahawks. So, I am 0-1 to start this weekend. Let's see if I can do better with the rest of my picks. Steelers are focused and at home. Two of many reasons the Bengals will have trouble this week. Pittsburgh wins. I know I am going against the grain here but my upset special is Carolina over Tampa Bay. One team is reeling the other making strides. Another upset Kansas City over Chicago. The Bears might think they can win with just defense but you still need an offense to score a few points. If the Chiefs can hold Forte to under 100 yards rushing they will win. Look for Kyle Orton to give them a spark. Chiefs win. Redskins can't get out of their own way. Skins at home against the Jets who need it more. Jets win. People will think I am crazy again but the Texans are at home against the Falcons and the Texans are playing tough even without their starting QB. Too much Arian Foster for the Falcons to handle. Texans win. Raiders at the Dolphins need this one to keep pace. Black & Silver will win this one. Tennessee at Buffalo. Bills at home will bounce back. Bills win. Denver at Minnesota. Why would I get off the Tebow Train now. Broncos win behind another solid Tebow performance. Colts at New England. This would be tough for the Colts If Manning were the starter. Pats win. Ravens at Cleveland. Ravens need it and want it more...This is December. Ravens win. Rams at the Niners. San Fran won't let this one slip away. Especially at home. Niners win. Cowboys at the Cardinals...there was a time when this was a good match up. Today will not be one of them. Boys win. Green Bay at the Giants. If the Packers were going to slip up this would be the place and time. Unfortunately, for Tom Coughlin and the Giants today won't be it. Packers send Giants and their coach a message. The Pack is back and here to stay. Packers win. Lions at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome to face the Saints. If the streak continues the Saints are very hard to beat in Prime Time on the big stage. Look for the Saints to bring all weapons to bear. Tough enough for the Lions with Suh in the lineup. Saints win. Chargers at Jacksonville. Jags have already fired Del Rio and the word out of San Diego is Norv Turner is out at the end of the year...just as I predicted. Look for the Jags to play inspired under their Interim coach at home. Jags embarrass Turner and the Chargers one more time.
That's my picks...how about yours....Can't wait till Sunday Night Football!!! Have a great weekend!

Week 12 in the NFL....

Last week 8-6 and season total now 95-65. My Beat the Insiders picks for Thanksgiving have me at 2-1 for this weekend. Let's see if we can improve on that. Bengals at home against the Browns. Bengals win. My upset special has the Jacksonville Jaguars at home against the ailing Texans. Look for the Jag defense to take advantage of Matt Lienert who has yet to prove he can play with the big boys. Jags win. The Rams are at home again this time against the lowly Cardinals. If  Spagnola can't win this one, he may be out before the teams exit the field. Rams win. Jets vs Buffalo....Must win for both...Jets get the advantage at home. Jets win. Tampa Bay at Tennessee also an interesting match up as the Bucs with a lot of promise have disappointed in the last several weeks. They are better than the Titans and should win. Bucs win a close one. As much as I would like to see the Colts win, they just haven't shown the ability to overcome adversity. Panthers win in Indy. Colts remain winless. Atlanta is at home again against the Vikings. With Adrian Peterson a possible last minute scratch, the Falcons are getting a break. Falcons need this one more. Falcons win. Raiders at home against Chicago. Bears will try to run the ball with Forte. That will be their only hope. Raiders win this one. What happened to the Redskins? The Seahawks are at home and the Redskins must travel cross country. Seattle wins. Broncos at San Diego....Broncos win another behind the running of Tebow plus a few good passes. Patriots at Philly. Pats too much and will win this one. Steelers at Kansas City...Chiefs with their newly acquired QB Kyle Orton. Can Orton play today? Maybe, but it still won't be enough to beat the Steeler "D". Pittsburgh wins. Finally, Monday Night has the home town Saints entertaining the Giants. Saints should have another repeat of 2009. This is the final stretch for the Saints and they know if they want that second seed they can't afford another loss. Saints win. That's where I stand...How about you? Have a great weekend.

Week 11 in the NFL......

As I had a long day yesterday, I will again be brief. Last week I was a dismal 8-8 and my total for the season is 87-59. Let's get to it........Bengals over the Ravens my upset pick. Ravens are hurting and Ray Lewis is out. Cowboys over the Redskins as Romo has finally found a rhythm. Buffalo will get back on track in Miami. Bills find a way to win. Raiders behind Carson Palmer win over the Vikings. Jaguars at Cleveland just a better team. Jags win. Lions win at home against the Panthers. Green Bay at home against Tampa Bay. As much as I would like to see the Packers lose it will not be today. Pack wins. Rams slightly better than Seattle will win at home behind the running of Steven Jackson. The Forty-Niners keep the one loss record going today against the Cardinals who have really gone downhill since Curt Warner retired. Falcons at home against Tennessee are in a must win situation. Atlanta wins. Chargers at Chicago. Two words "DA BEARS"!!! San Diego doesn't stand a chance. Giants are at home against the Dream Team minus a few of the Dream Players. Giants win. Kansas City at New England. The Chiefs are without their starting QB and Tom Brady is at home. Pats win.  Thanks Fred this felt great! See you next week!!!

Week 10 in the NFL....

Last week I went 8-6 not so good. For the season 79-51. In case you were not aware the week of football started Thursday night and like a fool I went against my own instincts and picked the Chargers. They of course lost again. So a I started this weekend 0-1. I really need to make these next picks count. The big game of the day is the NFC South battle between the Saints and Falcons in Atlanta. Injuries aside and both teams have them, look for Atlanta to exploit the Saints run defense which has been absent thus far. It pains me to say this but until the Saints can show a little consistency, they do not appear to be headed deep into the post season. Falcons win part one of this 2-game a year rivalry. Chicago has the Lions at Soldier Field. This will be very difficult for Detroit partly because of the weather but mostly because the Bears are playing better football. Bears win. Jacksonville at Indy. Indy working on the Number One Pick in the draft. Jags win. Broncos at Kansas City. Neither team has been able to put together any kind of streak other than a losing one. Broncos edge the Chiefs on the play of Tebow. In a key AFC North contest the Bengals are at home against the Steelers. Cincy is quietly putting together a good season off the radar. At 6-2 they control their own destiny. Bengals win this round. Dallas at home against Buffalo. Cowboys on a roll win this one. The Eagles at home versus the Arizona Cardinals should win despite being without the services of Desean Jackson who apparently is trying to make a statement by missing a team meeting. Andy Reid made his statement by making Jackson inactive today. When will these players learn....there is a time for everything and the middle of the season when your team needs you is not that time. Eagles win anyway. Ravens at the Seahawks. Ravens are the superior bird. Baltimore wins keeps pace with Cincy & Pittsburgh. 49ers at home entertain the red hot Giants. Niners at home are really tough so I am going with the home team. San Fran wins again. Jets at home against the Patriots. I wish I knew what teams were going to show. Flip a coin. Mine says Pats steal a win. Coaching may be the difference here.
Finally, Monday Night in Lambeau. What do you think? Vikings are not that good and Aaron Rodgers is rock solid in Prime Time. Packers stay undefeated. Have a great football weekend!

Week 9 in the NFL.............

Last week proved to be another good one as I finished 9-4 and that brings my season total to 71-45; not bad for a regular football fan. Well, my friend Fred says I am too long winded with my picks at times. Since time is not a luxury this morning I will be unusually brief. Bills will win at home against the Jets...too much defense for Mark Sanchez. The Saints will rebound at home today against the Bucs and will provide the Who Dat faithful with a much needed win. As much as I would love the Falcons to falter, it will not happen this week against the lowly Colts. Falcons win an easy one at Indy. Seahawks are flying to Dallas and jet lag is the least of their problems. Jerry World will be rocking with a Cowboys win.The Chiefs are at home against the Reggie Bush led Dolphins. Bush will not have another 100 yard day as he did a week ago for two reasons: one he is playing on the road at Arrowhead and two he is inconsistent, an unfortunate trait that has marked his career. Chiefs win. My upset special this week...take the Redskins and the points at home against the 49ers. Look for Mike Shanahan to have a few surprises up his sleeve for the Niners. Always hard to play in D.C. Just ask Bill Clinton. Texans at home entertaining the Browns. Texans take another step towards a Division Championship. Carson Palmer gets his first start today with the Raiders. I am not sure he has rid himself of all of the rust just yet that's why I am picking the underdog Broncos to win. Look for Tim Tebow to have the better day. Bengals at the Titans. Chris Johnson has not had a 100 yard rushing game yet this season. What's up with that? Bengals win. Rams at the Cardinals....Who cares? Okay, Okay the home team only because they are at home. Cards win it. Patriots at home against the Giants. Both teams playing well so I'll give the nod to the Pats being in the friendly environment. Pats win. Green Bay at San Diego. Again as much as I would like to see the Packers lose for selfish reasons, it will not happen this week against the self destructing Chargers. The Pack stay undefeated. The rematch of the season happens tonight with the Steelers on their turf this time against the Ravens. The key question here is what Ravens team will shop up? Steelers at home in primetime are too tough to beat. Pittsburgh wins. Finally, Monday Night Football has the Eagles at home against the Bears. This is a must win for Andy Reid's team and the fact they get this game at home will be the difference. Nothing like the Philly fans pumped up on a cold Monday night for a great football game. It should be pretty loud and we know what happens to Jay Cutler when he can' hear....He loses focus and that will be enough for the Eagles defense to pounce on him. Eagles win.
This is probably one of my shorter columns all thanks to my friend Fred.....and the constraints of time. Anyway it felt good this week. Maybe, I should have listened to Fred a long time ago. Have a great football weekend. See ya next week!

Week 8 in the NFL...............

Not a bad showing last week with 9-4 and 62-41 overall. Now to the picks...First up Tennessee entertains the Colts in Nashville. Although the Colts will make a game of it, if the Titans were watching any film they will be feeding the ball to Chris Johnson for most of the game. That should be enough to move the lowly Colts to 0-8 on the year. Titans win. Texans at home against the Jaguars. If you want to win week in and week out you must show consistency otherwise you are a flash in the pan. The question here is: Which team is the real Jacksonville Jaguars? I believe we'll find out this Sunday. I am going with the Texans to win. Baltimore will not be embarrassed two weeks in a row especially at home and especially against the Cardinals. Ravens win. Miami on the road to New York to face the Giants. Reggie Bush finally realized money isn't everything albeit too late. Giants win. Panthers have the Vikings in Carolina. The Cam Newton show will continue. Panthers win. The Saints are on the road once again after having decapitating the 0-7 Colts last Sunday at home. This time they face the 0-6 Rams. Same story different venue. Saints will let the Rams hang around till the second half then let Chris Ivory put some distance and wear on the Rams defense which is allowing 183 rushing yards per game to their opponents. Ivory will have fresh legs and Sean Payton will take advantage of that fact despite what you may hear the team say in public about slowly working him in. If Ivory gets hot, it could be a long day for St Louis. First half will be the Drew Brees show and the second half will go to Ivory to put a ribbon on it. Saints win. Buffalo is at home against the Redskins. Bills are strong at home. Fitzpatrick will do enough to get the win for Buffalo. Denver and Detroit face off at Mile High. Detroit could be developing a confidence problem. With 2 back to back losses at home, the Lions must travel to a hostile environment where the air is thin and the oxygen tanks are plentiful. Look for the Lions to stumble again. Tim Tebow gets a little more comfortable. Broncos win. San Francisco is at home against the Browns. The 49ers are playing very solid ball and they are not asking Alex Smith to win it for them. They have given opponents a steady diet of Frank Gore and will continue that theme on Sunday. Niners win. The Bengals at Seattle. Bengals are playing surprisingly well under QB Andy Dalton. Bengals win. Patriots on the road at Pittsburgh. Can Big Ben bring out the magic at home? Maybe, but it won't be enough to overcome the Nor'easter heading their way. Brady and Co make it out with a win. Dallas at Philadelphia. Although last week we saw a resurgent Cowboys team, look for the Eagles to take care of business. They can ill afford a Division loss at home. At 2-4, this is a must win for the Eagles and they will win. Finally, Monday Night Football has the Chargers traveling to Arrowhead Stadium to face the Chiefs. The Chiefs are at home in primtime and need to keep pace. Matt Cassel will have a good enough night. Chiefs win. Well that's my picks for another week. Where's yours? Have a great football weekend!!!

Week 7 in the NFL...............

Another forgettable week,  last week,  for me with 7-6 which takes me to 53-37. Fortunately,  it is a marathon and I do have time to catch up. Now for this weeks picks...First up we have Seattle at Cleveland another "who cares bowl" I know but we still owe them a pick. I am going against the grain and picking the underdog Seahawks to win. What can I say I like Pete Carroll's enthusiasm. The Texans travel to Tennessee and are in desperation mode already. With Peyton Manning out the Texans thought they had the Division locked up. That's why you play the games. Texans backs against the wall. Houston wins. Speaking of desperation the Falcons find themselves in a precarious situation at 3-3 trailing the Saints and Bucs. Unfortunately for the Falcons they are on the road at red hot Detroit to face the Lions who are coming off a heartbreaker last week. Look for the Lions to rebound and the Falcons to slip again. Lions win. The Denver Broncos are starting a new QB in Miami this weekend. I WILL say I told you so. John Fox must have read my blog. Tim Tebow will start and the Broncos will win. If you play Fantasy Football make sure Tebow is starting for you this week. He is for me. Chargers are at the Jets. Jets will win. Chicago is at Tampa Bay and as much as I would like to see the Bucs lose here for selfish reasons, they won't. Just like everyone else they have seen the tape on Cutler. Ronde Barber will have a field day. Bucs win. Redskins at Carolina. The stange thing about the Redskins is that I thought they actually had solved the QB position, but apparently not. Young John Beck will start on the road. When in doubt always pick the team with the best QB and that would be Cam Newton. Panthers win at home. The Chiefs are coming off a bye and Matt Cassell is coming off a 4 touchdown no interception performance. The Raiders however must face the Chiefs with new QB Carson Palmer. I am glad Palmer has found a new home but winning will be a little difficult in his first appearance in the Silver & Black. Chiefs steal one in Oakland. The Steelers are in Arizona. Even with an injured Roethlisberger(and he's healthy again) the Cardinals would have trouble keeping pace. Pittsburgh wins. Green Bay at Minnesota. Another rookie QB starting, this time for the Vikings. Unfortunately the result will be the same...a loss. The Vikings problems go way deeper than the QB position. Aaron Rodgers will not work up a sweat in this one. The Pack wins this going away. Poor St. Louis they just can't seem to catch a break. Now this week they must face a very ticked off Cowboys team which will be ready to play at home in Jerry World. Dallas will open up a 0-6 wound on the Rams. Boys win it. Saints are back on Sunday Night Football in a game that should have been the match up of the mid-season. The Colts however are without their star QB and their defense is hurting. The Saints are back at home and know they let one slip away last week. This game should be over at halftime but knowing my heroes they love to keep it interesting so I am going to say the Saints will pull away in the 4th Quarter. Saints get needed win at home. Lastly, Monday Night has the Ravens at Jacksonville. Baltimore is way too hot and way too much for the Jags to handle. Ravens win. Here's where you speak up and give me your picks. How about it? Have a great football weekend!!!

Week 6 in the NFL.............

Not exactly a banner week but over .500 at 8-5 and 46-31 overall for the year. By the way if you want to have a little fun with the big guys you can go to www.beattheinsiders.com to take on Warren Sapp, Phil Simms, and Chris Collinsworth on their Showtime gig. Now on with the picks...Carolina at Atlanta. I've got to believe the Falcons will right this ship at home today. Atlanta wins. If not today, it will be a long, long season. Philadelphia at Washinton. The Redskins are playing well and the Eagles are not. It's as simple as that. Redskins at home too much for the Eagles. Skins win. Bills on the road at the Giants. Although the Giants have played a little better, the Bills are a "team" as Warren Sapp put it and I agree. Bills win. Colts at the Bengals. The Colts looked like they had a spark last week and Peyton Manning will at least be on the sidelines with encouragement this week. My upset special...Colts win. Steelers at home against the Jaguars. What do you think? With the Steelers defense and even a hobbled Big Ben the Steelers will take care of business. Pittsburgh wins.The surprising 4-1 Forty-Niners are at Detroit to face the 5-0 Lions. Probably no one considered this scenario at the beginning of the season. This will be another big test for the Lions and they should pass. Lions win. Green Bay at home against the Rams. Give it to the Pack. Packers win. Ravens over the Texans. Texans too beat up. Raiders at home against the Browns. Raiders win. The Saints travel to Tampa Bay to close out a 3-game road swing. Although the Bucs were exposed last week by the 49ers do not expect such a showing today by Tampa Bay. They will be up for the game and give the Saints all they can handle. In the end the difference again will be Drew Brees. Saints win. Patriots at home against the Cowboys.Are you kidding me? Pats win at home. Another upset I am picking today is the Vikings over the Bears. I know Chicago is at home. But I believe the Vikings found their running game last week with Adrian Peterson. If Peterson can put together back to back good weeks or even the threat of him running should open up the passing game for McNabb. Vikings win a close one. Finally, Monday Night Football has the hapless Dolphins playing the Jets in New York. Looks like Reggie should have taken that pay cut and stayed with the Saints. Now that Henne is out all the Dolphins have is Reggie Bush. As a Saints fan, let me say this to the Dolphin faithful.....HE IS NO DARREN SPROLES!!! Jets win big. That's my picks....What's yours??? Enjoy the games!!!

Week 5 in the NFL.................

I was back in form going 12-4 last week and 38-26 for the season. This week could be a back breaker though. Several trick games on tap this week. First up the Saints travel to Carolina to face rookie QB Cam Newton and the Panthers. Newton has broken the rookie record of most passing yards by a rookie in the first 4 games of a NFL season averaging right at 346 yards passing per game. Not to mention the rush yards he has along with the touchdowns. If the Saints wish to make a statement that they are back to 2009 form, this game would be the one they want to win for sure. It is a Division game first and foremost which makes it a little more important than the rest. I could be reading them wrong but I believe that this is another special Saints team. They must win the ones they are supposed to win. This game would fall under that classification. Saints win in a close one. Philly at Buffalo. The Eagles are reeling and appear to be spiraling out of control. The Bills are for real. Buffalo wins. Bengals at the Jaguars...Jack Del Rio is on his last leg. Look for Jacksonville to pull the plug on the Del Rio era by mid season should the Jaguars fail to turn it around. Bengals upset Jags. Cincy goes home with another win. Giants at home against the Seahawks. Giants look to have a little momentum going. Giants win. Titans at Pittsburgh. I know what you're thinking...The Steelers haven't been themselves. Look for that to get corrected at home on Sunday. Steelers win. Raiders at the Texans. If the the home teams were reversed I might pick it differently. Texans squeak out one at home. Colts at home against the Chiefs. Last week the Colts fought hard against a very good Tampa Bay team on the road. The only game the Colts were really out of was game one against the Texans. The defense is coming around in spite of the injuries. Look for the Colts to turn it around at home. Colts win first one. Vikings at home against the Cardinals. Vikings also get first win. Tampa Bay at San Francisco. I am a believer! The Bucs are for real. Tampa Bay puts the 49ers away in the second half. Bucs win. Broncos entertain the Chargers at Mile High. If John Fox goes an entire season without finding a way to get Tim Tebow on the field, he should be fired. With that kind of talent, you don't want Tebow warming the bench. You already know how I feel about the Chargers. Sooner or later they will implode. Broncos win at home. Jets at New England. Tom Brady is just too much for Jets "D" and the Jets "O"  Line will not have an answer for the Patriots interior defensive rush. Pats win. Green Bay at Atlanta for a re-match of last years' playoff game. Same teams; Same venue; Same result. Packers win. Finally, the Hank Williams Jr "Less"  Monday Night Football will feature the Bears at Detroit. The Lions are without a doubt on a roll with an incredible come from behind victory last week. The Lions are for real. Lions win.
A quick note about Hank Williams, Jr. If you haven't read the story, you can google it. I am not going to repeat the entire thing here. My question to all of you is this: When did free speech all of a sudden become the judgement of others? Sometimes free speech is offensive no doubt. Sometimes it goes against what we believe or would say ourselves. No matter what though, FREE SPEECH is at the very core of the foundation of this country. You should go back and study your history. In the early years of this country, things were said about and to fellow Americans that at that time were considered far worse insults, however, in those days we realized the importance of our fellow Americans right to say it. Now, in the 21st Century, apparently if what you say isn't Politically Correct, then you are chastized by the Media as being offensive and in some instances you risk losing your livelyhood. I don't always agree with what others say, but I do respect their right to say it. Just a thought......Have a Great Football Weekend!!!

Week 4 in the NFL......

Not a good week with 5-11 after going 15-1 the week before. I am 26-22 for the season. Let's see if I can do better this week. First up the Saints travel to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars. The last time the Saints were in Jacksonville, they lost a heart breaker. After the incredible River City Relay to draw within one point of a tie and send the game into overtime, John Carney missed the extra point. After the game Carney said the sun must have gotten in his eyes. Let's hope we fare better this time and we should. Gregg Williams should provide the defense with enough plays to confuse rookie QB Blaine Gabbert. Drew will be Drew and the offense should score 30+ to win. Saints win first of 3 road games. The Chiefs played their hearts out last week and had a chance to win. This week the Vikings will be too much. The guarantee here is one team will still be winless. That team will be the Chiefs. Vikings win. Bears take on the Panthers at home. Bears win....way too tough for Carolina in Chicago. Titans take on the Browns. Tennessee appears to have straighten out whatever was wrong. They are playing better team ball. Titans win. Texans at home against the Steelers. Texans have something to prove in front of the home crowd. Texans win. Eagles at home against the 49ers. Too much speed on Philly's side and even if Vick can't play Vince Young will be enough to handle the lowly Niners. Eagles win. Redskins at St Louis. Rams Bradford trying to win it all by himself. Grossman has learned to manage the game and realized he can't win it by himself. Buffalo at Cincinnati. Bengals still searching. In Buffalo, the Bills have found it. Bills win. Detroit at Dallas. I respect Tony Romo for even suiting up last week. Playing like he did was incredible. The Lions "D" will not be so kind. Matt Stafford will show why he belongs in the conversation. Lions win. Giants at Arizona. Looks like New York will get Umenyoira back this week. That's not good news for Kevin Kolb. Giants win. Falcons on the road cross-country to visit the Seahawks. Atlanta realizes this is a must game if they are to keep pace with the Saints and Tampa Bay. Mike Smith will have them ready and focused. Falcons win. You got to feel sorry for the Broncos. Not only do they have to face the undefeated Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers, they have to play them in Lambeau. The Pack is back. Packers win. Raiders entertain the Patriots. Oakland would like to be on the porch with the big dogs, unfortunately for them, it won't be this week. Patriots win. My upset special is the Dolphins over the Chargers. Chargers always lose the ones they're supposed to win. Dolphins win. Ravens at home against the Jets. If this were New York my pick might be different. Ravens win...way too tough at home. Finally, Tampa Bay gets a shot at Primetime against the broken down Colts. Bucs win big as Indy continues to slide.
Well, there's my picks....How about you? Can you outpick the crazy fan?

Week Three in The NFL.....................

An amazing 15-1 which I believe is the best I have ever done with my picks was my record last week. Surpassing even the local gurus who actually did pretty well. Just remember the farther into the season the more difficult it gets. Here we go with another week of picking who I think will be the winners. For the season I am now 21-11 having had a slow start in Week One. First up the Patriots travel to the undefeated Buffalo Bills. That's right I said Undefeated Bills whose Undefeated status will end today against New England. Although the Bills always play the Patriots with a lot of fire, it won't be enough. Patriots win and remain the undefeated team. Lions at the Vikings. The game is still in a Domed Stadium so the Lions will feel right at home. Too much speed on the Lions offense for the aging Vikings defense. Lions win. Eagles are at home against the Giants and it looks like Michael Vick will play. Not a good sign for Giants fans. This will probably be the game of the week. Tough hard nosed football but I am giving the edge to the Eagles only because they are home. Eagles win a close one. Panthers are at home against the Jaguars who are in search of a quarterback. When in doubt pick the team with the best QB and that would be Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers. Panthers win first game on the back of Cam Newton with another big day throwing the ball. The Bengals entertain the 49ers. If this game were in San Francisco I might pick it different. I am not fan of Marvin Lewis either but the Bengals will pull this one out. Bengals win at home. Saints at home against the 2-0 Houston Texans. This will be a measuring stick for both teams and may have an impact on both teams seasons down the road. Some might even say you are watching a Super Bowl Preview. This game will come down to which coach has his team better prepared. I believe there is something special about both teams this year and I believe the Texans will make the playoffs in light of their rivals the Colts being out of the picture. When two teams are this evenly matched you just got to go with the home team. Saints win in a close one. Miami at Cleveland. This should be excellent football weather in Cleveland this time of year which will make the Dolphins feel at home. Reggie is good about every three games so he is due for a breakout game. Make sure you are playing him on your Fantasy Team. Dolphins win on the wings of Reggie. Broncos on the road in Tennessee to face the Titans. Go with home team again. This one too close to call. Titans win.
For my next pick,  I know you will think I am crazy. The Chargers are at home against the beat up 0-2 Chiefs. What did I say about the Chargers? This is just the kind of game they will choke on. San Diego is a 14 and a half point favorite to win today. Trust me on this,  the 14 points I would take,  if I were a betting person. Chiefs win in the biggest upset of the weekend and possibly the year. Ravens at the Rams. Home team again. Rams find a way to win. Jets at Oakland. A good test for the Jets on the road. Jets win and stay undefeated. Green Bay at Chicago. I know after the beat down the Saints gave Jay Cutler you are thinking cake walk for the defending Super Bowl Champions. Just remember,  this is a Division game and the Bears are at home. Bears hang on win with a Robbie Gould field goal. Cardinals at Seattle....who cares! Okay I am going with the the Red Birds to win. Steelers at Indy.....The Colts are simply lost without their leader. Pittsburgh wins. Atlanta in a Division game at Tampa Bay. This is a must win in Mike Smith's eyes. Falcons win. Finally, the Redskins at Dallas. I know all you Dallas fans think Kitna is the answer. You would be wrong. Redskins win big in Big "D"
That's my picks this week what are yours? Challenge me..............

Week 2 in The NFL

Not a good opening week for the Fan here.....6-10. Again I come from a fan's perspective. Games I should have won briefly were the Vikings, Panthers, Rams, and Steelers. Keep in mind what Phil Simms said on Showtimes' Inside the NFL....The first few weeks teams are just starting to gel and a whole lot can happen between Week One and Week Five. So don't get too high or too low on your team. On to the picks......
First up the Lions have the Chiefs at home. Lions are looking good as I predicted and the Chiefs are still looking for an identity. Lions win at home. Seahawks travel to Pittsburgh and although it won't be freezing temperatures the Steelers at home should get well against Seattle. Steelers win. The Raiders are at Buffalo and traditionally the Raiders do poorly on the East Coast. The Bills look to be a possible dark horse in the AFC. Bills win at home. Green Bay at Carolina. Panthers have a long way to go to even be considered in the same breathe as the Packers. Packers win easily. I know the Ravens were pumped up against the Steelers last week at home. I also know that the Titans are at home on Sunday. Neither of these will be a factor this week. Ravens will still win. Too much defense(Ravens) for a team(Titans) that only has one real weapon right now on offense. That soon may change. If the Titans don't start turning it around soon look for Hasselbeck to get the hook in favor of Jake Locker the rookie QB. Could be this week, if things get out of hand early against the Ravens. Although I am extremely disappointed in the Browns for giving one away(Colt McCoy looked like a rookie) , I don't see that happening in Indy this week against the Colts. I know most of the people that are supposed to know more than we fans do, believe the Colts will bounce back even with the Gray One at QB, but I believe the Colts are in danger of mentally losing it because their leader who has never missed a game(until last week)over the last 13 Seasons is still standing on the sideline. Barring a miracle comeback by Manning the Colts will be this season's Train Wreck. You won't want to watch but you won't be able to take your eyes off of them either. Browns win a close one and McCoy gets his game back. Tampa Bay at Minnesota. Last week the Vikings reminded me of an old team. Old as in when the game is in the 4th Quarter you simply don't have any gas left in the tank. Tampa Bay brings a lot of young "Bucs" with them this week. Look for Donovan McNabb to fold again. Bucs win. Redskins at home again against the Cardinals. Washington looks solid and Grossman is managing the game without any stupid turnovers. Redskins win at home.
Saints at home against "THE" "BEARS". The Saints were better than they showed last week and the Bears were not as good as they appeared to be against the Falcons. Drew Brees will find a way to attack the Bear "D" and the Saints defense will be just tough enough to hold Matt Forte in check. Saints win a big one at home. Jets entertain the Jaguars. Although the Jags surprised me last week I don't think the Jets defense will be so giving. Jets win. Dallas at San Fran. The 49ers looked okay in their win last week, however, Dallas looked mighty impressive in their loss. Look for Dallas to come out strong and run away with this one early. Cowboys win on the road. Chargers at New England.....I don't care what happens...what did I say? I am not picking the Chargers and especially this week. Patriots show who is the team to beat. Bengals at the Broncos. I am not giving up on Denver yet. I am also not sure if Cincinnati won last week or Cleveland lost. Broncos win at home. Texans at Miami. The Dolphins are another team that looked pretty good in defeat but I believe the Texans are on a mission this year. Texans win in a very good battle. Eagles travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons....another team that was not as bad as they showed last week. Look for Matt Ryan to get on track. Falcons win their home opener. St Louis at New York. Rams are just too beat up and the Giants will be at home. Eli and company will take this one away from the Rams. Giants win. That's a wrap for week two...How about you???

Week One in the NFL

If you read my blog last year then you know I think it's a waste of time to pick scores. Ultimately, the team that has the higher score wins and that's all that matters. I am not a place for you to figure out your morning line. I am just a guy who loves football and competition. Having said that, if you have been to my Saints blog www.saintsfootballfanatic.blogspot.com, you know I already picked Thursday's winner. As much as I love my Saints, I call 'em like I see 'em. Right out the gate we have some great match ups today. Atlanta has to travel to Chicago. Great time of year for the Falcons to be playing in the Windy City. Falcons win. Steelers travel to Baltimore. Pittsburgh too much for the Ravens. Steelers win. Chiefs at home against the Bills. Chiefs start fast and win this one. Texans entertain the Colts. I know everyone thinks Indy doesn't stand a chance....And they would be right. Texans overpower the Manning-Less Colts. Eagles at St. Louis. This is one I am going to give to the home team. I believe if the Eagles are to gel then it will take a few games to do so. The Rams have a year of Sam Bradford under fire behind him. He performed at a high level and completed 60% of his passes in 2010 as a rookie. Not too shabby. Rams win a close one. Lions at Tampa Bay. Give this to the Lions. Jim Schwartz has built a very aggressive and fast team. The Bucs will simply be outmatched today. Lions win. Titans at Jaguars. Titans & Chris Johnson run away with it. Bengals go to Cleveland to begin an unprecedented season of losing. Browns win...destroy Bengals...It's not even close. Redskins at the Giants. Rex Grossman just doesn't go away. There has got to be something to it. Redskins win at home in a hard fought battle. Chargers at home against the Vikings. Donovan McNabb has his way with the Chargers defense. San Diego begins it's decline today. Vikings win in an upset. In the Battle of "Who Cares Bowl" the Seahawks defeat the 49ers in Frisco. Panthers at Cardinals. Today we see what Panthers Coach Ron Rivera really has planned for Cam Newton. I am going with the Panthers in an upset. Carolina gets off to a good start with first win. Cowboys at the Jets. Jets show why they are Super Bowl Material. Jets win. Patriots at Miami. Dolphins new RB/KR Reggie Bush will show flashes today but that will not be enough to keep the Patriots from winning this one. Patriots win. Finally, in the last game of the first weekend, the Raiders travel to Mile High to play the Broncos. Broncos win. Coach John Fox even finds a couple plays for Tim Tebow to flash his talent. Well, that's my picks for this week what's yours?

How the Playoffs Shake Out................

In the NFC the Packers & Saints get the bye and in the AFC the Steelers & Jets get the bye. The Wildcard weekend has the Falcons over the Lions and the Eagles over the Rams in the NFC. In the AFC Chiefs bow to the Ravens and the Patriots show the Texans the way home for the Holidays. In the Divisional Round the Steelers once again have the Ravens number as Ray Lewis finally calls it quits realizing there will not be another Super Bowl in his future. Steelers move on. Jets too much for the Patriots & headed to Pittsburgh for the AFC Championship Game. After the game Jets' Coach Rex Ryan says plenty of butts left to kick, quote "we are just getting started". On the NFC side Green Bay hands the Falcons another bitter defeat this time on the frozen tundra of Lambeau. Coach Mike Smith can't believe it; starts on a three day binge, drinking red bull while he watches the game film over and over. The Saints at home with too many unselfish players for the Dream Team Philly to handle. Vick is kept in check as New Orleans finds it's rhythm on defense. In the city of Three Rivers the Jets come out on top earning their 1st trip to the Super Bowl since Joe Namath was the QB. In Green Bay in a rematch of the first game of the season the Saints final prove they can win in the cold. In frigid conditions Drew Brees hooks up with Lance Moore for the winning touchdown with less than a minute left on the clock. Aaron Rodgers tells reporters after the game quote "Maybe there is something to that Mini-Camp stuff. I plan on getting with Drew after the season and find out how he put that thing together".
In the first Super Bowl in Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium, the temperature is a pleasant 72 degrees while conditions outside are less than tolerable. Thank goodness for Domed Stadiums. Saints consider themselves the home team being indoors and of course the large number of Who Dats that turn out to see the boys win another one. Jets defense is good but the Saints this year have a healthy stable of running backs and are able to mix it up just enough to keep the Jets off balance. Saints pull away in the second half and win by two touchdowns. Saints Head Coach Sean Payton is heard saying after the game "Who's butt got kicked?"
Saints take home second Lombardi trophy in three years. Saints Fans now heard cheering "THREE DAT!!!"
Well, that's a look into my Crystal Ball. What does yours say? Challenge me throughout the season to see if you can top my picks each week.

AFC 2011 Predictions................

Now I'll turn my attention to the AFC. 1st up the AFC South..........In any other year we'd be talking about the Colts making another run. Unfortunately for the Colts this is not one of those years. This will be a highly unusual year for Indy. Peyton Manning's injury is apparently more serious than when we were first informed of it. Just recently having another operation on his neck. My first question as I stated a few weeks ago is "what in the Hell was Bill Polian thinking during the draft this year?" Instead of drafting a quality back up for Manning he decided that Curtis Painter could handle the job? You have a Hall Of Fame QB in Manning however he IS only human. Considering this will be his 14th season some preparation should have at least been thought about for the future of the team. If Manning is out for the season, the Colts will be lucky if they can produce an 8-8 record. Texans will win the Division. If not now then never. Titans will come in a close second. The new coach Munchak will have them ready with all of the distractions finally gone. Jacksonville will finally say goodbye to Jack Del Rio which they should have done a couple years ago. Too little to late was the move to finally say goodbye to the mediocre play of David Garrard. Garrard has always been inconsistent and Del Rio waited a couple seasons too long to get rid of him. Luke McCown is not the answer and probably the rookie Blaine Gabbert will start before the season is out. Again for Del Rio it will be too late. Indy and Jacksonville will fight for the cellar spot this year.
The AFC North will come down to the Steelers and Ravens again. The Browns are still about a year away from being competitive and losing Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan to the Cowboys did not help. The Bengals are in complete disarray.... But what else is new. Why hang on to a QB that doesn't want to be there is beyond me. Someone would have given up a player and/or draft pick for Carson Palmer. Again look at who we are talking about...The Bengals! This should be Marvin Lewis' last year. Really two years ago should have been Marvin Lewis' last year.....Once again though we are talking about THE BENGALS!!! Steelers will win the Division. Ravens will follow in second place and a Wildcard spot in the playoffs. Browns come in third and well you already know where the Bengals finish.
In the AFC East a battle for the Division will come down to New England and the Jets. I know pre season doesn't mean anything but the way the Lions dismantled the Patriots' offensive line I am going with the Jets to win the Division this year with New England getting the WildCard spot for the playoffs. Miami and Buffalo will finish 3rd & 4th respectively. Reggie will have a good year for the Dolphins but it won't be enough of a boost to get them to the promise land this year. Buffalo rebuilding again.
Finally, the AFC West. As I stated earlier don't expect me to pick the Chargers for anything. Too many blown opportunities. Look for the Chiefs to make a run for it this year with the Broncos chasing close behind. With new Head Coach John Fox the Broncos are talented enough to make a run at it as well. If Fox can overcome his poor quarterback evaluation and get Tim Tebow some snaps Denver just might give Kansas City a run for their money. Fox doesn't like running QB's. Get over it John and you might have a winning season. Look for the San Diego Chargers to implode and bring an end to the Norv Turner era. Norv can go back to doing what he does best....a coordinator position. Raiders will be improved but not enough and will drag up the rear again this year.
Well, there you have it........My Predictions for the year. What's yours? Tonite my picks for the winners and losers in the playoffs and eventual Super Bowl.

NFC 2011 Predicitions..................

Well, It's that time a year again when all of the prognosticators bring out their Crystal Balls including yours truly. Last year including the playoffs I had a 157-99 record with regards to my picks, however, my predictions for the Division winners as well as the Super Bowl was off just a tad. I did pick the Packers to be in the NFC Title game but instead of the Packers going to the Super Bowl I picked the Saints. On the AFC side I believe I finally have learned a powerful lesson....DON'T PICK THE CHARGERS! to win anything. San Diego continues to baffle everyone. Anyway, This is the NFC picks today. I'll talk about the Chargers when I do my AFC picks.
First up......The NFC South......By far the best all around Division in the NFC if not the entire league. Only the rebuilding Panthers will not be good enough to challenge for the Title but they will win some games. The Panthers along with their new Head Coach Ron Rivera and number one draft choice Cam Newton will make some waves this year but will have trouble, in a very solid division, getting a division win. Look for the Panthers to finish no better than .500 and that would be a great accomplishment for a first year coach. Next up the upstart Tampa Bay Buccaneers who will show improvement but unfortunately so will the two other contenders in the South. If the Buccaneers were in another Division they might have a better opportunity. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay they have to face Atlanta and New Orleans twice a year. Reminds me of the days when The Jim Mora led Saints had to face the 49ers and Rams twice a year...not an easy task. Bucs will finish above .500 for the second consecutive year but will need a little luck to make it into the post season. Atlanta will be a force to be reckoned with again this year. It should be another neck and neck race with the Saints to the finish line. Only this year the Saints will win the race and the Division with an 11-5 record Atlanta will fall to 10-6 and a playoff wild card. New Orleans will position itself for another Super Bowl run with home field advantage.
Next up the NFC North......The big question will be is it Green Bay's turn for a Super Bowl hangover or will they be the next New England Patriots and repeat? The Packers are loaded on offense and defense and I expect them to win the Division easily. My surprise team of the year will be the Lions who have quietly under Jim Schwartz built a very solid and FAST team on both sides of the ball. If  Detroit QB Matthew Stafford can stay healthy for an entire season look for the Lions to challenge for that last wild card spot. The Bears under Lovie Smith have been consistent but have not been able to get back to the big game since 2006. There is a lot of off the field things going on in Chicago. A lot of players whining about  their contracts. It seems to be more about the individuals than the team. The question here is can Lovie Smith bring the Bears together when the real bullets start to fly. If not it could be a long season in the Windy City. The Vikings once again have brought in yesterday's star QB. Can Donovan McNabb resurrect his career once again? Two things have always plagued McNabb.....Injuries and Inconsistency. If he can't get away from either then the Vikings will finish last in the Division and He won't and they will...finish last. One final word on last year's QB Farve......don't count on him fully retired just yet. Should a team say around mid-season or later with a good chance to make the playoffs lose their starting QB, I would say it's better than 50-50 that Favre would come back for that kind of opportunity. He's definitely not coming back for a full season, that I am certain of.
Now to the NFC East where everyone is talking about the Dream Team in Philly. Talent wise the Eagles really have everyone out matched in their Division. I would probably give the nod to Andy Reid for the best Coach as well. But Andy Reid's coaching abilities will truly be tested this year. Can he corral all of those egos in one locker room? It should be an interesting season to say the least for Philadelphia Fans. The Eagles will win the NFC East. Dallas will follow up in second place but will not be strong enough to get to the playoffs and will give Jerry Jones fits because it will be the second consecutive "home for the holidays" for the Cowboys. The Giants are so beat up with injuries this could be Tom Coughlin's swansong considering the short leash on Big Apple coaches. Giants will finish last. The real "unknown" in this division is the Redskins and only because of the coach do I say this. He is a proven winner and could turn things around. But Really Mike is Rex Grossman the best you can do at QB? Maybe Grossman has matured. Only time will tell. If so then the Skins may challenge Dallas for the number two spot.
Finally, the NFC West.........I saved the worst for last. Let's hope that another 7-9 team doesn't win the Division and make the playoffs. That shouldn't be the case with the resurging Rams. This should be a breakout year for Sam Bradford. The Rams organization is another one that has quietly been building a real good football team and should be extremely competitive this year. Rams will win the Division. Finishing a close second will be the Seahawks. I lean in their direction because I believe Pete Carroll has finally found a place he can coach in the big leagues. The Seahawks even though with a new QB will be better than last year and will challenge for the Division. The Cardinals are most people's pick to either win or place 2nd. Unfortunately, you can't win with Larry Fitzgerald alone. Kevin Kolb still looks like he's adjusting to Ken Whisenhunt's version of the West Coast offense. The 49ers...what can you say??? Re-building time. When Jim Harbaugh brought in washed up quarterback Daunte Culpepper for a tryout you know things are bad at the QB position. You've heard it over and over...this is a quarterback driven league and without a quality QB you just can't win that many games. Harbaugh has resigned himself to the fact that the best QB in his stable this year is Alex Smith. If that doesn't say to the 49er faithful "don't get your hopes up" nothing will.
Look for my AFC picks coming soon......

Preseason # 3......

Did you see the Lions-Patriots game Saturday night? Jim Schwartz has built a formidable team. And I mean FAST!!! Those guys were flying around the ball. They had Tom Brady shaking his head. The Patriots simply did not have an answer to the aggressive Lions defense. I am surprised Belicheck left Brady in as long as he did. The Lions beat him up pretty bad.I can't say how many games they will win at this point but I guarantee one thing these guys are going to be competitive and they will upset some good teams this year. They could challenge the Bears and Vikings for the number 2 spot in the Division. The scary thing for me is they come through the NFC South and I just hope it's the Falcons, Bucs, and Panthers that get their good game and not the Saints. The Lions are going to rip up some teams this year. You heard it here first.

Week 2 in the Preseason......

The big news this past weekend was Larry Fitzgerald's humongous contract of $120M with close to $50M guaranteed. The big question....Is he worth it? And if he is...then what is the worth of other receivers that have either won more games or won a championship? Unfortunately, wherever you come down, this new contract has started a firestorm throughout the league. In other big news the Oakland Raiders give up a 3rd round pick in next year's draft for Terrelle Pryor in this year's Supplemental Draft. I know preseason is preseason but look out for the Patriots this year. This could be Brady's best if they can put the pieces together and make it work. Finally, to reiterate what I said last week..."WHAT IN THE WORLD WERE THE COLTS THINKING IN THIS YEAR'S DRAFT?" How about not the QB position where they should have focused. Yes you have a Hall of Fame QB in Peyton Manning. But he won't last forever! This will be his 14th season and he is in jeopardy of ending his streak of starts this year. On a side note Brett Favre may still keep his streak intact. The rumor mill has Colts owner Jim Irsay in Mississippi visiting in the area where Brett lives. A recruiting trip??? Maybe. I told my friends over the weekend if Brett Favre came back this season, it would be on the condition that he not play a full schedule. This might just fit that bill. We'll see.......

2011 Football Season Begins.........Part 2

Well, now that the nonsense is over and Peyton Manning along with Tom Brady have their new contracts in hand, we can breathe a sigh of relief that FOOTBALL IS HERE! Patriots look like they are regaining their form. The big question in Boston is "Will Ochocinco become an el Problemo"??? Only time will tell. The Colts are in real trouble with Manning on the PUP list. Why the Colts still have Curtis Painter on the roster is beyond me. Where is the front office? You know going in to the offseason that your Starting QB is having surgery and will be coming back for his 14th season and you don't draft a quarterback. What are you thinking? Now we know Manning is durable simply because he's lasted 13 years in the League. But at the same time you've got to know this will be the last contract he signs. He will more than likely retire in a few years, depending largely on his health, and await his induction on a first ballot to the Hall Of Fame in Canton. You have to wonder, given Bill Polian's reputation, is this another cheap move by Jim Irsay to save a little money. I would be extremely concerned if all I had to back up Manning was Painter and Orlovsky and two unknown rookies. Somebody in Indy is asleep at the wheel. Really not much else has caught my attention. Cam Newton made his debut and he looked.....like a rookie. I honestly believe the coaches at Carolina didn't want him to run just yet because that's his secret weapon. The guy is built like a tank and reminds me of a young Daunte Culpepper who can actually throw...an accurate pass. Speaking of Culpepper he was just retrieved from his living room couch by the 49ers for a look see. I guess after that massacre at the hands of the Saints defense in New Orleans on Friday night, Jim Harbaugh thought better of his depth at quarterback. Finally, I said it last year and I'll say it again....the pundits are all wet on Tim Tebow. This kid will be a starter. He's intelligent and very talented and has great physical presence. Kyle Orton is not a bad QB, but when you have a Tim Tebow sitting on the bench you have a lot more talent there. Is he rough? Yes. Is he raw? Yes. Tebow needs a good QB coach and mentor. If John Fox wants to last as long in Denver as he did in Carolina, he better start recognizing that talent. Unfortunately, his record is quite different when it comes to judging QB talent. He never drafted an adequate back up to Jake Delhomme and when Jake started to show signs of aging Fox couldn't bring himself to replace Jake. Being from New Orleans, where Delhomme got his start I too am a big fan. Jake has a heart bigger than anyone and the fire to go with it. The problem is the physical tools are not there anymore and John Fox was responsible for correcting the situation by at least having a QB waiting in the wings and knowing when to pull the trigger. I hope for Fox's sake he doesn't make the same mistake twice.
A brief mention about the Cowboys and Eagles....Both will need to gel quickly to keep up with the Saints and Falcons. Eagles have the talent but Dallas is still searching for an identity.
Okay...It is your turn. Tell me what you think of the NFL this year or your favorite team.

Football is Here...Finally Part 1

I know you've been wondering....What happened to the Crazy Football Fan? Well there's finally something to talk about. Now that the CBA has been voted on and everyone is allowed now to practice, we have something to discuss. I refused to waste my time writing about grown men whining about money when most of the ones who are whining don't face the same challenges that we the fans face in our every day lives. Namely, will we even have a job vs how many millions or billions are we going to split. Sometimes we the fans get lost in the shuffle. One point that stood out in the CBA that struck me as another stupid move by the players is allowing the NFL to dictate to the players the usage or non-usage of HGH. For those of you who aren't familiar with HGH, it stands for Human Growth Hormone. There is no evidence that this is anything but good for people. Some who are researching HGH believe it is the true "Fountain of Youth". There is no direct evidence that HGH is dangerous. So, why not let players take something that could help extend their career? More importantly why do the players not fight harder for the things that matter. In the end, it seems like all they are interested in is the money. What a shame. Which leads me to my other point...Why did they not fight harder on these diet pill cases like the one involving the Saints and Minnesota players? It is absolutely ridiculous that if a player takes a diet pill that happens to have a chemical in it that MAY mask steroid use can be grounds for a 4-game suspension. Especially when the players in question have impeccable character and have no previous failed tests for steroids or anything else. These are the kinds of issues that the players should have fought harder for instead of worrying about the owners getting an extra billion here or there.

The Draft.......and my analysis

Stay tuned as I am still gathering a few facts..........I will give my complete analysis soon..........

Owners VS The Players...............

I told you it would be an interesting offseason and so far we haven't been disappointed. The negotiations between the players and owners for a new collective bargaining agreement alas has come to the inevitable halt that we all new it would. Make no mistake that despite what you hear from both sides that it is not about money, IT IS ABOUT MONEY!!! I don't know about you but if I went to my boss and said I need to know your bottom line, my bottom line would be out the door and on the street. Players should take a look at history. In 1987 the owners learned how to defeat this simply by putting "A" product on the field. Maybe it was a little rag tag but it was still football. The replacement players entertained us in 1987 and ultimately that is what football is all about.....Entertainment! The latest ploy by the players is to de-certify as a Union so that they can individually file suit against the owners and the league stating that you cannot lock us out now because we are not part of a union. The owners on the other hand are saying that this de-certification of the Union is a sham just so the players can go to court and let the courts decide who is right and who is wrong. There are of course several other issues involved in the suit having to do with anti-trust laws. In my humble opinion the owners are missing a golden opportunity to fight fire with fire. Simply, do not play into the players hands and just don't Lockout the players. Any player under contract, now that there is no union, should be allowed to report to their respective  facilities for work. From Spring practice all the way through the start of the season. I really don't believe the players want to report to work until they get their demands met. As an owner I would just tell all players under contract I expect you to play. In addition since there is no union, we the owners no longer have to split the $9 billion in annual revenue and we will spend it as we see fit. The players should know by now what the "Golden Rule" is "He who has all of the gold makes the rules". If a court sides with either the players or the owners this will eventually go to the Supreme Court which could take a while. I do not believe either side wants to wait that long. Should this initial ruling go in favor of the players the owners can do exactly what I stated earlier, just allow the players to come to work. If the ruling is in favor of the owners and the court says that the union is still together, then the owners "can" Lockout the players and simply follow the formula from 1987 until the players decide they have lost enough money. Either way in the end the players will have to capitulate if they want to make any money at all this season. You might think by what I have expressed here that I am on the side of the owners but you would be incorrect. I am simply taking things to their logical conclusion. When you have the privledge of playing in the NFL regardless of the term of your career, you know what you are getting into and you have a choice. You can play for a lot of money or you can go out into the real world with the rest of us. The lowest salary in the NFL is somewhere around $300K a year more than most of us regular people will ever make. What we as fans can do if we really want to impact the sport is simple. Don't buy season tickets. Cancel your season tickets now! If you believe the owners are wrong, this would make the biggest statement and have a dramatic impact immediately. If you are leasing a suite for six figures, cancel it. You should have grounds to get out of your lease if there is no football being played. IMAGINE...32 NFL cities and their fans go on strike by NOT participating in this fiasco. The impact on the owners would be immeasurable...I guarantee it!
So, Football Fans where do you stand? I waiting to hear from you. Join in the fun as it appears we will have a lot to talk about over the next few months. See ya soon.................

Super Bowl Sunday......

Finally....It's here! Super Bowl XLV! Now I know most of you reading this are saying "Yeah Super Bowl Sunday is here but "My Team" isn't playing"! Right? And of course unless you are from Pittsburgh or Green Bay you'd be correct. What do the other 30 NFL cities do on Super Bowl Sunday? Mainly we watch...........the  COMMERCIALS! Who cares about the game if "your" team isn't playing? Right? What else could be important? Well, I know for some of you, you have probably placed a wager or two. It is a well known fact that more money is bet on this one game than any other sporting event. So, I get it for those of you who have laid down a couple dollars on the outcome of the game or any variety of combinations during the game. For the Super Bowl, you see,  people will wager on just about anything that has to do with the game down to whether or not the announcers will say something stupid or an old tired cliche'. Think of this game as a time to get together with friends and family and enjoy some good food and conversation. Mainly, the conversation about how "your" team will be in it next year and the reasons why. Just remember starting in September (for we football fans a few short months away) we will all be 0-0 once again with the dream of "our" team being one of two to make it to the big dance.
Now for all of you who truly want an opinion let's turn our attention to the game just a bit. If ever there were two more evenly matched teams playing each other it would seem today is the day. The Super Bowl has been competitive in the last few years and I believe that has a lot to do with the parity in the league now. Today is no exception. There is an incredible amount of talent on each team and players who have distinguished themselves. Also, players who have stepped in for injured or missing players and performed admirably. The story lines go on and on and on. Some say that the team with Super Bowl experience has the advantage. Last year would seem to prove that theory wrong. The most important thing for the players to overcome is letting the game become bigger than it is. When players do that they lose focus. I would bet that Mike McCarthy has called Sean Payton for just a little advice on how to deal with this. McCarthy seems to have the ear of his team. They believe in him and his vision. For this reason and others I am going with the Packers today to win it and become the new world champions. I always look to the quarterback position first and I must lean to Aaron Rodgers as the QB that is the hottest going into this game. Everybody's talking about the Steeler defense and no one is looking at the Packer defense led by Clay Matthews. Matthews is a game changer just like Troy Polomolau is for Pittsburgh. Unlike Polomolau, Matthews has been healthy all season and will be refreshed after a two week rest. I do look for this to be a close game at least until the 4th Quarter. In the end the Packers will be victorious. For the rest of us the mantra will be "Wait till next year"! Enjoy the game but most of all enjoy the family and friends and make some great Super Bowl memories of your own.

Pro Bowl Weekend.....

It's that annual time when the Best of the Best meet up in Hawaii to display their awesome talent or is it? Some say the NFL has worst All-Star game of any professional sport. For the players, it happens at a time of the year when they are physically and emotionally drained from the rigors of a long season. For those that made the playoffs even longer. Football is unique in that the chance of injury is much more likely (as well as finding someone to replace an injured player) that having an All-Star game at the beginning of a season or the middle of a season would not fly with most owners, coaches, or players. Basically, there is no good time to have a game except for the end of the season. I actually believe the old format was better because at least there was some competition fighting for bragging rights. For example if the NFC won the Super Bowl then the AFC could get some measure of respect or payback if you will the following week and vice versa. Of course this new format is in it's infancy so I guess it is really too early to tell how this way will be viewed over a period of time. I guess will have to just wait and see. The main thing for those of us who are just pure NFL Football fans is that it represents the second to last chance to see our heroes before that dreaded offseason that will soon be upon us. Of course you know that picking the winner of this game is a crap shoot at best but I'll take a whack at it anyway. I'll go with the NFC simply because I believe "This Year" the NFC was the more talented Conference. That is the only theory (or opinion) I can come up with right now. Enjoy the game and don't forget to come back next week for my Super Bowl pick.
Since we do discuss football here in general I would like to leave you with this other opinion. In the local rag here(Times Pic) sports writer Jeff Duncan wrote a story about how coaches in the NFL skate around injury reports and that during last week's NFC Championship game at halftime the Bears via Twitter released a report on Jay Cutler that gave everyone the impression that he could possibly return after Bears' doctors had actually determined that in fact Cutler was medically ruled out. First let me remind Mr Duncan a few short years ago there WAS no Twitter to receive any type of injury update at halftime. The only way anyone would know anything was if a sideline reporter got a chance to speak with someone on the field. So it is ridiculous that we are even discussing that aspect (Twitter). Some coaches feel it gives them an advantage or disadvantage depending on which side of the injury they are on. As a fan I really don't care what the status of the injured player is during the game other will he return. After the game I would be curious simply because I would worry that one of our players may not be available the next week. But REALLY an injury report during the game, what good is that information to a fan?  Or the specific injury itself? If you tell me he could possibly return and he is sitting on the bench, I believe I am intelligent enough to figure out he's not coming back in. All this reminded me of Coach Jim Mora when he was with the Saints. A group of reporters would not let up until Mora would give them an answer on injuries at a press conference. Finally, a reporter asked Mora "can you tell us what "particular" injury Smith has?" Mora's answer was classic as he rattled off each players injury....Smith has a "particular" knee; Jones has a "particular" elbow; Jackson has a "particular" shoulder....etc etc etc. It was hilarious and Classic Mora! Even then it gave us an insight on coaches. They will always find a way around giving the opposing team any kind of edge. That has been and always will be a part of the game. Get used to it!

Championship Weekend............

I call it Championship Weekend because if memory serves I do believe at one time we had one game on Saturday and one on Sunday. I could be wrong but that's how I remember it. Anyway now it is Championship Sunday. It probably has something to do with TV ratings and such. Now for the games.....First up we have the Green Bay Packers leaving the frigid confines of Lambeau to travel to the freezing torn up Soldier Field. Trying hard to keep the field in somewhat decent condition at least for kickoff, the field is covered with a big tarp and hot air is being blown over it to keep the field from freezing....again just until, maybe kickoff. After that it is anyone's guess as to how long it will maintain any semblance of a football field as we know it. The big question is will this affect either team considering that they are "outdoor teams" as we so often hear. I will propose it will have an affect on the teams through maybe the 1st Quarter then after that both will adjust accordingly to the field and weather conditions. Ultimately, I believe the Packers are the best team on offense AND defense. If the Packers manage to get enough "Remember Me" hits on QB Cutler then they will have a distinct advantage. I have yet to see Jay Cutler overcome a fierce pass rush. He is easily rattled and I am sure Green Bay is aware of this fact. Unlike Aaron Rodgers who after being the most sacked quarterback in 2009 proved he has a short memory and can take a beating without affecting his overall game. The only "X" factor for the Bears is Devon Hester. If he can possibly change field position for the Bears they may make it a closer game. In the end I am going with the Packers to prevail and move on the Super Bowl.
For our second contest of the day or should I say night, as the game will be under the lights at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh is at home against the surprising Jets. No one including myself gave the Jets a chance last week. My only loss was that game as I went 3-1 over the weekend which by the way puts me at 5-3 for the playoffs. The Jets seem to be the Saints of last year. It is almost magical to watch them play. Inside The NFL did an interview about mid-season with Jason Taylor during the Jets bye week. Some of the comments Taylor made were very telling with respect to how they approached this season. He spoke of how close they were in the locker room. How the coaches believed in the players and what they could ultimately accomplish. Prophetic? Maybe. Or maybe they really do have something special going on this season. The Steelers on the other hand faced their own set of challenges winning 3 out of 4 of their first four games without their starting QB who was suspended. The Steelers won with defense and this game could very well be a defensive battle with the caliber of defenses facing off today. The game could be decided by a field goal or less. At any rate I do believe we will see a great ball game. The Steelers are a slight favorite because they are at home. I would guess on a neutral field the Jets might be a slight favorite. I am strictly going from the gut on this one. I believe the Jets will win today and we will see the first Super Bowl with two 6-seeded teams playing against each other. We always seem to have new "firsts" every year. It's hard enough to get to the Super Bowl when you have a bye week and only need to win two games but when you are a wildcard team and you get in the playoffs with the last seed you are really in a tough spot. The odds of course are against my prediction coming true but that's why they play the game.
Enjoy Championship Sunday and I will see you in two weeks if not sooner to discuss the Super Bowl. Make sure you get you picks in and let me know what you think. See you next time........

Divisional Playoffs....................

Well not bad yesterday as I went 2-0 on Saturday's contests. Today our first game has the now 8-9 Seahawks at Chicago to face the 11-5 Bears. Unlike the Saints, Chicago has had a week to rest and get fully prepared and they are at home. I am really sick and tired of hearing how great the Seahawks are considering they edged the Saints by a mere 5 points on a day when the Saints were down to a fullback as their only healthy running back and when the Saints defense played their absolute WORST game of the year. The Saints allowed 13 TD passes in the entire 2010 campaign and in Seattle last week allowed Matt Hasselback  to throw for 4 TD passes in one game not to mention an eight player missed tackle run that made Marshawn Lynch look like Jim Brown. AND with all that Seattle still could only win by FIVE points AT HOME! Now you tell me what you think will happen today. The Bears will expose the Seahawks for what they are.....A LOSING team that should not be in the playoffs regardless of their win last week. Just about any team could have beaten the Saints last week with all of the injuries they had and probably a good team would have beaten the Saints a lot worse. In the mind of the Seahawks they just won their Super Bowl last week beating the defending Champions. Today the Bears will bring them down to earth with a sound BUT-WHIPPING! Bears win BIG at home move on to the NFC Championship game against the Packers.
Next up the Game some have been waiting for. The Jets vs the Patriots. This will be a similar scenario as the Jets got the monkey off their backs by beating Peyton Manning at his own game,  a last minute drive to a winning field goal. The Patriots however, probably were hoping for this matchup instead of the against their nemesis the Colts. Either way it would be hard to pick against the Patriots if you have watched them play the last half of the season. In their final eight games(All Wins) only 2 were even close against the Colts & Packers which they beat by 4 & 3 points respectively. However, their average margin of victory over those eight games was 19 points and if you take away those two games,  it's even more incredible at 24 points per game. With those kinds of numbers it is hard to go against the grain. I won't be one of the ones to do so. The Jets 2010 story ends today at Foxboro. Patriots will show why they are the team to beat. Patriots win and move on to face the Steelers for the AFC Championship.

Divisional Playoffs....................

Like many I ended up the weekend last week 2-2. Let's see if I can do better this weekend. Just like last weekend I will pick Saturday's games on Saturday and Sunday's games on Sunday morning. By the way I finally corrected my time. For some reason I've been on Pacific Time and of course I am in the Central Time Zone. 1st up today the Steelers are at home against the Ravens. Now I know a lot of you are sentimental about this game since Ray Lewis will be retiring at the conclusion of this post season or so he says. I can think of only one player in recent history who was able to go out on top. That person would be John Elway with back to back Super Bowl wins. It is rare that someone in this game can leave on top and on his own terms. Of course Elway was the extreme exception which I doubt seriously will be duplicated in my lifetime again. Which brings us to our game today. Both teams seem relatively healthy for this time of year so seemingly this game would be a toss up. That's why I have to go with the home team and the extra week of rest. There is something about the playoffs that bring out the best in the Steelers especially at home. It will be a battle but in the end the Steelers will move on to the AFC championship game.
Next up the late game today has the Falcons entertaining the Green Bay Packers. The Packers are fast on real grass, just imagine how fast they will be inside a dome on turf. I believe the Falcons are full of themselves and don't think anyone is as good as they are. Never underestimate your opponent. Green Bay feels like they let it get away from them last year. They believe it should have been them last year. They are focused and most of all battle tested. They will use a similar approach this week against Matt Ryan as they did against Michael Vick. They will utilize Charles Woodson as a spy on Ryan as well as a roamer on the field. The Saints gave everyone the Blue Print on how to beat the Falcons. Shut down Michael Turner and the Falcons become one-dimensional.  As much as I agree Matt Ryan is a good QB he has not yet risen to the level of a Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, or Drew Brees. He is not capable of carrying the team by himself. Some day that may be the case but not today. The Packers are on a mission this year and I do not believe they will be denied. Packers win in the upset of the weekend. Have a great Football Saturday and don't forget to check back here in the morning for my Sunday picks.

Playoffs.......

Just like the teams all of us prognosticators started out 0-0 for the Playoffs and after two shockers yesterday most of us are 0-2 including this amateur. Hopefully I can do better today. First up the Ravens are at Kansas City. For this game the underdog is once again at home. The Chiefs have shown a lot of promise this year, but I still feel they are a year or two away. The Ravens are at the end of an era and must win. Their defense will not be the same next year and they know it. Ravens win on the road.
For the second game of the day, the Packers are at Philadelphia. This is my upset special for the weekend. I believe the Packers are on fire. Their defense with Clay Matthews leading the way will find a way to contain Michael Vick just enough. If they get a few hits on him, it could be a long day for Eagles fans. Packers win. Let's see if you can do better than me. Come on I am 0-2 for the Playoffs! Have a great Football Sunday.

Finally The Playoffs Have Arrived........

Well, to wrap up my season numbers I finished with back to back weeks of 12-4 to bring my season total to 157-99. I finished higher than 3 of the Times Pic prognosticators. Not too bad for an amateur.
I don't know about you but I am excited to finally see the playoffs get here. It's one and out now and as I am sure you have heard many times already by players and announcers alike everyone has a clean slate and is starting at 0-0. This tournament  could go in many different directions so I will pick as I usually do the day of in the morning for each days games.
Now for today's picks.......1st up is my Home Town Boys(Saints) trying to win there first ever road game in the playoffs. No matter what anyone says this is not an easy game. The Saints are roughly 10 point favorites going into this game. Do not for one moment think that Pete Carroll hasn't put that and all of the pundits comments throughout the locker room as bulletin board material. He will use that as a motivational tool just as he did in the season finale when everyone thought the Rams were the better team including yours truly. To help the Saints to win this game they will need to try to take the crowd out early. That may be a problem though, with the weather conditions which favor the Seahawks simply because they have 3 good running backs in Lynch, Forsett, and Washington where as the Saints are without their two main running backs in Thomas and Ivory. For the Saints to win, not only will Reggie Bush have to step it up but also either Jones or Wynn will have to emerge as the new between the tackles runners. On a rainy cold day short passes will be the only way the Saints can move the ball efficiently.This could come down to a field goal which brings me to another story line with kickers Garrett Hartley and Olindo Mare. Those of you Saints fans will remember the experiment with Mare with the Saints. He couldn't hit a Stop Sign from 10 feet when he played with the Saints. Since he has been with the Seahawks he has missed very few including a stretch of 30 consecutive field goals ending with a miss against Oakland on Oct 31st this year. For the season both kickers are close with Hartley going 25 of 31 and Mare 25 of 30. I would like to see some Karma come back for Mare today. We will shall see. I believe the game will be close but the Saints should prevail and win their first playoff game on the road.
Next up we have the Jets at Indianapolis. The way the Colts have played the last few weeks I just can't see them losing at home. I know the Jets want to go further this year but wanting to and actually doing it are two different things. The last 4 weeks Peyton Manning has been on FIRE! He has willed his team into the playoffs and I can't see them losing in this round. It may come down to another Adam Vinatieri field goal but the Colts will win. Enjoy the games and I'll see you tomorrow morning with my Sunday Playoff picks.

Week Seventeen in the NFL........

Before I get started on this week's picks, just a quick comment on last week's Monday Night Football game. At the risk of sounding like Ray Rice of the Ravens, did you see that horrible officiating at the Falcons-Saints game? I have just 2 stats for you...Saints 8 penalties for 92 yards and the Falcons ONE for 10 yards.....C'mon Man!
Just had to get that off my chest now for the picks. By the way, I had an incredible week last week at 12-4  bringing my season total to 145-95 not bad for an amateur. First up the home town team Saints are entertaining the Bucs. This is a must win for Tampa Bay. Contrary to many of the TV analysts the Saints are not going to be scoreboard watching and Drew Brees will not be pulled in the 2nd half if the Falcons are way ahead of the Panthers. You would have to drag Drew kicking and screaming to get him out of the game. Saints are at home and will come focused not to say it will be easy keep in mind the Bucs need this game to even have a slim hope of getting in the playoffs. Saints win in a close one. Panthers are at Atlanta. I am praying for the Panthers to give  John Fox a going away present. Although they lost a lot this year Fox never lost the team. In the end I believe the Falcons will be too much for the injury plagued Panthers. Falcons win. Steelers at the Browns. Pittsburgh has too much on the line. Steelers win and win AFC North. Bengals at Baltimore. This is an interesting game. After dispatching the playoff hopeful Chargers last week Marvin Lewis could possibly save his job with a win today. If they were playing in Cincinnati I'd give the Bengals a slight edge but not today in Baltimore. Ravens win. Vikings at the Lions....another situation where there are two teams going in different directions. It would be nice to see Brett Favre go out riding into the sunset unfortunately that won't happen. He will finish his last game from the bench finally coming to the realization that the body relinquishes long before the mind. Forty-one doesn't seem that old to most of us but in football age he's ninety-two. Goodbye Brett....we will miss you. Lions win.
Raiders at the Chiefs....I do not understand the complicated playoff scenarios but I do believe that the Chiefs cannot get any higher in the seeding than they already are. This might be a game where they rest some people. I am going to say the motivation will be higher for the Raiders. Raiders win. Dolphins have to travel to New England...Although New England will probably rest their starters I do believe they will play a half at least and that should be enough to put away the Dolphins. Patriots win. Bills at the Jets....I cannot see how the Jets would not be ready to play but again with the seeding pretty much set the starters will only see a half at most. But I still believe Rex Ryan would like a little momentum going into the playoffs especially after last week's loss to the Bears. Jets win. Bears at Green Bay...another very interesting game. It's a long shot but the Bears can actually get the 1st Seed if both the Falcons and Saints lose. I see the Bears coming in with chip on their shoulder trying to prove they belong. Unfortunately, the Packers need it more and they are at home. One of the toughest places to play is Lambeau in January. Packers win in a slugfest and seal the final playoff spot. Giants at Washington....Giants going nowhere have no incentive. Redskins have shown new life. Redskins win.
Titans at the Colts...Simple....Colts have too much at stake and Peyton will be more focused today than even the last three weeks. He lead his team into the playoffs. Colts win. Jaguars at the Texans....another two teams with late season collapses and in my opinion both coaches are on the bubble. Both coaches have worn out their welcome and the patients of their respective owners. Jags have a little more to play for. Jags win. Cowboys at Philly. Eagles stuck in number 3 seed no matter what. Vick will not play today along with others. Dallas is still talented enough to beat Philly's second teamers. Cowboys win. Cardinals and the 49ers...who cares??? 49ers win at home. Chargers at Denver...I said once before if the Chargers lost another one where I picked them, I would never pick them again. I am sticking to my word. Tebow and team put the Chargers out of their misery and Norv Turner out of a job. Broncos win big. Finally the primetime matchup between the Seahawks and the Rams. I am picking the Rams for two reasons. One, I don't want a team with a losing record to get into the playoffs and Two, I do believe the Rams are the better team. Either way barring a meltdown by their opposing playoff opponent neither team will get past the first round. Rams win.
Have a great football weekend and let me hear from you on who you think will win in the upcoming playoffs.