[/center]ALRIGHT! So we're starting our NFL Picks up from scratch. For those of you who are just joining in and don't know how this works, here it is in very general terms:
1. Every week you pick all of the NFL games. Simply say who you think will win, and provide reasons (not necessary, but encouraged)
2. We award one bonus point for a correct upset pick. While you can pick as many upsets as you want, you will only get bonus credit for a maximum of two correct upsets. An upset, for our purposes, is defined as a game in which the team that was the underdog in the point spread (listed with each game) wins the game. If a game is listed as a "push," there is no spread and therefore no upset possibility.
3. For the rest of this season, you can miss a maximum of two weeks of picks.
4. Typically we do year-long predictions before the season starts, but now that that has already happened it's kind of pointless to go back and re-do those.
If you have any questions, let one of us know and we'll be happy to help you out!
Here are the picks for this week:
GAME OF THE WEEK - New Orleans Saints (5-0) at New England Patriots (4-1), NE by 2.5 - I think this is the third week in a row the Saints have been featured in our Game of the Week .They've played quite a tough schedule so far but have managed it very well indeed. Nobody's really talking about them as a contender, but with Sean Payton back as coach and an improved defense, they're doing quite well for themselves. However, they may be running into a buzzsaw in Foxborough. The Patriots almost never lose consecutive games, and they are an outstanding home team. Tough choice here, but I'm going to go with the homefield advantage. Patriots 27, Saints 24
THURSDAY NIGHT - New York Giants (0-5) at Chicago Bears (3-2), CHI by 7.5 - The Bears' grasp on the NFC North is quickly slipping, but they get a reprieve by playing the down-and-out giants at home on a short week. What the hell has happened to the Giants, anyway? There's no reason that they should be as bad as they currently are, yet every week they come out and set new standards of ineptitude for themselves. Until they give me a reason to believe otherwise, I'm going to say that they are just plain awful. Bears 31, Giants 10
Oakland Raiders (2-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (5-0), KC by 9 - Even more surprising than Kansas City's 5-0 start is the fact that Raiders QB Terrelle Pryor currently has two games on the season with a 100+ quarterback rating. Uh, who saw that coming? As well as Pryor is playing, this Chiefs team is ridiculously talented and are certain to be amped for a home game against their arch rivals that could put them to 6-0. I don't see the Chiefs dropping this one. Chiefs 24, Raiders 17
Philadelphia Eagles (2-3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-4), PHI by 1.5 - The Buccaneers are another team that I'm just going to pick against every week until they convince me that they're capable of winning a game. Nick Foles looked solid in replacing Michael Vick last week - it'll be interesting to see how he performs against this Bucs defense. Eagles 35, Bucs 20
Green Bay Packers (2-2) at Baltimore Ravens (3-2), GB by 3 - The scary thing about the Packers? They just came off a week where their passing game was extremely ineffective, yet they won with a dominant rushing and defensive performance. For the first time in recent memory, the Packers are a complete team. This isn't the Ravens' defense of old, either. I can't see the Ravens managing to keep pace with Aaron Rodgers, especially if Eddie Lacy runs like he did against Detroit. Packers 31, Ravens 16
Detroit Lions (3-2) at Cleveland Browns (3-2), DET by 2.5 - The outcome of this game definitely hinges on whether or not Calvin Johnson will be playing. I'd be very much tempted to pick the Browns to win this game if Brandon Weeden wasn't starting at quarterback. The Lions looked pretty listless against the Pack, but I think they should be able to manage this one. Lions 24, Browns 20
Carolina Panthers (1-3) at Minnesota Vikings (1-3), MIN by 2.5 - How disappointing was that game by the Panthers last week? They looked completely lifeless against the Cardinals after thrashing the Giants before their bye. I think they're a significantly more talented team than the Vikings, but the coaching situation in Carolina is just so damn bad. They'll find a way to blow this one too. Vikings 20, Panthers 13
St. Louis Rams (2-3) at Houston Texans (2-3), HOU by 7.5 - The Texans were flat out embarrassed against the 49ers in primetime a few nights ago. They're going to have to win this game if they can hope to keep pace with the Colts and the surprising Titans in the AFC South. Texans 30, Rams 10
Pittsburgh Steelers (0-4) at New York Jets (3-2), NYJ by 2.5 - Really hard to predict this one. On the one hand, I find it hard to believe that the Steelers are going to be 0-5... but on the other hand, they're already 0-4. Same thing goes with the Jets... how have they gone over .500 in the first three weeks? Somehow they've managed to pull it off. Still, I think there's got to be some sort of sense of desperation in Pittsburgh at this point. Maybe it's me underestimating the Jets once again, but the Steelers have to win sooner or later, and this is as good a time as any for that to happen. UPSET! Steelers 24, Jets 16
Cincinnati Bengals (3-2) at Buffalo Bills (2-3), CIN by 7.5 - The Bengals didn't exactly put on an offensive spectacle against the Patriots last week, but my goodness that defense is something to behold. Without EJ Manuel, I don't give the Bills much of a chance in this one. The Bengals are a darkhorse Super Bowl contender at this point in the season. Bengals 30, Bills 13
Tennessee Titans (3-2) at Seattle Seahawks (4-1), SEA by 13.5 - I think this spread is a bit disrespectful to the Titans, who really played well against a great Chiefs team last week before collapsing in the fourth quarter. While I think the Seahawks will win and that they have a great homefield advantage, I also think that it'll be closer than what most people expect. Seahawks 27, Titans 20
Jacksonville Jaguars (0-5) at Denver Broncos (5-0), DEN by 27.5 - One of the worst teams in NFL history takes on an offensive juggernaut in what is the biggest point spread for a game in the history of the league. Can the Jaguars beat the spread? Nah. Broncos 52, Jaguars 10
Arizona Cardinals (3-2) at San Francisco 49ers (3-2), SF by 11 - A surprisingly important divisional match, as the Niners dropped two early and the Cardinals have been better than anticipated. This game being in San Francisco, I don't see the Cardinals having much of a chance. However, they have given the 49ers fits in years past, and could again this week. 49ers 23, Cardinals 17
Washington Redskins (1-3) at Dallas Cowboy s (2-3), DAL by 5.5 - Based on the Redskins' first several weeks and how the Cowboys' offense performed against Denver, I really don't see this one being much of a contest. But with divisional games you really never know. Crazy that just a couple years ago the media could never stop sucking off the NFC East and now they're the worst division in the league. Well, actually, the media still sucks them off, but that doesn't stop them from being fucking awful anyway. Cowboys 31, Redskins 24
Indianapolis Colts (4-1) at San Diego Chargers (2-3), IND by 1.5 - The Colts are coming off an emotional last-second victory at home against one of the league's best teams, and now have an extra day to prepare for a road contest in sunny California against a team they're probably overlooking. Now, logically there's no reason the Colts should lose this game, but something about the circumstances here makes me think it's a perfect upset opportunity... UPSET! Chargers 27, Colts 26
BYES: Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins
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Sorry couldn't resist.
