- Indy @ Tennessee - 8:20 Thursday - Must-win for Indy... it seems shocking to think they could be out of the playoffs, but they should already be out of it at 6-6... fortunately for them, Tennessee is in shambles offensively with the Rusty Smith/Kerry Collins duo and I like Indy to bounce back here... I like Peyton to bounce back at least a little bit here, and I still wouldn't bet against him in a night game...
- Green Bay @ Detroit - 1:00 - I still think GB is the best team in the NFC North... Detroit will be frisky-ish at home, but I can't pick Drew Stanton... He was average in college, and although he showed some signs of life last week, I don't trust him... Aaron Rodgers should have a field day, and whatever running back (Starks, Jackson, Kuhn) should be able to get a decent ground attack going...
- Oakland @ Jacksonville - 1:00 - Really a Jekyll/Hyde game all around... I have no idea what to expect out of either team from week to week... I think the Jags have an identity now with a commitment to grind with MJD and that'll continue here... basically, I'll default take the home team b/c I still don't trust Oakland at all... are the Jags going to win the AFC South?...
- Cincy @ Pittsburgh - 1:00 - Cincy is suddenly not as pathetic as they seem... hanging around for several weeks in a row, and being competitive despite their QB... Pittsburgh is another animal though, and they shouldn't have a problem making Cincy one-dimensional, which will turn into the Carson Palmer show... yikes... Pittsburgh by double-figures...
- Atlanta @ Carolina - 1:00 - Never want to pencil in a road win in the NFL... that's my company line this week... yes, Atlanta is significantly better than Carolina in every phase... we know that... but it's a division game and Atlanta has to play a decent game to win here... I think they will... One caveat? Jonathan Stewart is running the ball extremely well the past few weeks, and they'll need to bottle him up...
- Cleveland @ Buffalo - 1:00 - I was shocked to see Buffalo was favored in this game... at any rate, the Bills have been competitive for weeks now, and they still have a homefield that isn't easy to play at... the key? Keeping Peyton Hillis from absolutely murdering them... the Buffalo run D is pretty bad, and they'll need to stack the box... I think they can bottle him up (to a point) and Fitzpatrick/Jackson/Johnson will do enough to win...
- Tampa @ Washington - 1:00 - This was a tough one for me... Tampa still hasn't beaten a better-than-.500 team all year, and I'm not totally sold on them as a road favorite... that said, I hate Washington... McNabb is being forced to try and carry the offense and he isn't that guy anymore, especially without a single above-average target in the passing game... I like Josh Freeman and the Bucs here...
- NY Giants @ Minnesota - 1:00 - Upset special... the Giants receivers are still banged up, Minny can stop the run, and they've played very well under Leslie Frazier... we forget how much talent is on that Viking roster and how bad Brad Childress really was... NYG has to cause turnovers with Favre or T-Jax to win this one, and while that's exceedingly possible, I think the Vikings win it tight...
- St. Louis @ New Orleans - 4:00 - I still think it's funny how many people are sleeping on the 9-3 defending champs... Brees is on crazy pace (again) and now his running game is catching up a bit with Ivory's emergence and Bush/Thomas returning... they'll put up points, and I don't think STL can fully match them on the road... it'll be a tight game though
- Seattle @ San Francisco - 4:00 - Tough one here... Seattle is the better team IMO, but they are so different on the road, and SF is playing better... the deciding factor? Mike Singletary's indefensible decision to start Alex Smith this week... what!? why!?!?... That swung this pick for me... here's looking at you Alex...
- Kansas City @ San Diego - 4:00 - I was picking SD anyway (I think) but it became a lock when Matt Cassel had an appendectomy this week... Brodie Croyle = Go the other way... The Chargers win and get back in the AFC West race...
- Denver @ Arizona - 4:00 - The Cardinals are the worst team in the league at the moment... yes, I know Carolina has 1 win... I don't care... Arizona is a disaster... to the point where I'm taking a coach-less team on the road...
- Miami @ NY Jets - 4:00 - Chad Henne stinks (sorry Michigan fans), the Jets will be extra motivated this week off that drubbing, and they are playing at home... could be an ugly game...
- New England @ Chicago - 4:00 - Game of the day... tough spot for NE coming off a short week and a potential let-down from that domination... but if there was ever a team to do it, it's the Pats... I still don't fully buy in to Chicago, but this one would sell me a bit..
- Philly @ Dallas - 8:20 Sunday - Go Cowboys!... That sounds odd... anyway, Falcons fans are in the Dallas camp this week because they (we) are terrified of Mike Vick in the playoffs... Dallas is playing much better under Garrett, but the Dez Bryant injury hurts, and I think Philly can stop the run and make Kitna/Roy Williams/Austin beat them... good luck with that...
- Baltimore @ Houston - 8:30 Monday - How has Gary Kubiak survived the season?... This was actually a tough pick, and that was the X-factor, but I'm not sure I buy Flacco and the Ravens on the road... their pass D is pretty beat up, and we could be looking at a 150-yard explosion from Andre Johnson on 11 days rest... that said, Baltimore is just better, and they have the better coach....
THE PICKS! 44-36-2 entering...
- NY Jets -5.5 over Miami - Think they blow them out...
- St. Louis +9.5. over NO - Don't usually like to take an underdog that I don't think will win, but 9.5 seems like a lot to me...
- Pittsburgh -8.5. over Cincy - Could be 20+...
- Seattle +5.5 over SF - Picking them to win outright, but I'll take the 5.5..
Enjoy it...
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