NFL Picks - Week 13

First things first: terrible news regarding Redskins safety Sean Taylor, who was senselessly killed on Monday. We're often told how things like this "put things in perspective", and like all cliches, that has a ring of truth to it.

Let's move on.....the NFL has really mucked this one up, haven't they? A superb matchup (10-1 Cowboys vs. 10-1 Packers), which didn't look like much in April, falls into the (unecessary) Thursday night package, and the majority of fans will have no visibility to the game. Nice! Obviously, the honchos on Park Ave. are hoping this will create a groundswell of support for their channel, which will then force cable systems to place it on the basic level tier. No matter who wins the battle, which will ultimately be settled, the biggest losers, as usual, are the fans. Maybe we'll live blog the thing for the benfit of those who can't see it. Stay tuned.

On to the picks. The less said about last week's 5-11 crapfest, the better, but I will say that the following things do indeed suck:

• Gus Frerotte


• Pittsburgh's grounds crew


• The Tenness Titans


• The Jet offensive line


• Eli Manning

THURSDAY

DALLAS (-6.5) over Green Bay

Cowboys are very tough at home, while Favre has never won here. The number looks tempting, but Big D should be able to get out of this one with a win. By the way, is there a more quiet, unassuming coach in the league besides Wade Phillips?

Cowboys 28 Packers 20

That's a winn-ah!

SUNDAY

CAROLINA (-2.5) over San Francisco
Ugh, another crapfest. Condolences to those who are forced to watch this one.
Panthers 20 49ers 18

Jacksonville (+7.5) over INDIANAPOLIS
Big game for control of the AFC South. Jags always give Colts trouble, and since Indy hasn't been setting the league on fire much of late, we'll grab the touchdown plus.
Colts 24 Jaguars 20

MINNESOTA (-3.5) over Detroit
We're reasy to throw more disrt on the Lions, especially on the road. Vikes get Adrian Peterson back and should roll at home.
Vikings 27 Lions 16

KANSAS CITY (+4.5) over San Diego
Still not sold on the Chargers turning the corner yet, particularly in Arrowhead, which has been a House of Horrors for them. Chiefs can stay close and maybe steal this one.
Chiefs 20 Chargers 17

NY Jets (+1.5) over MIAMI
Wow, an 0-11 team is giving points? Do the Jets garner that little level of respect? Put no stock in the Monday Nighter by the Fish - your local high school team might have been capable of slowing down the Steelers on that crummy field.
Jets 17 Dolphins 16

WASHINGTON (-5.5) over Buffalo
In what should be a somber FedEx field, the Skins will rebound and dedicate this one to their fallen teammate Sean Taylor. It doesn't hurt that the Bills have been in free fall the past three weeks either.
Redskins 30 Bills 13

Houston (+3.5) over TENNESSEE
We're officially through with the Titans. They have become impossible to pick week-to-week. Texans getting healthy, and have returned to the level of competitiveness they showed in the first few weeks.
Texans 20 Titans 17

ST. LOUIS (-4.5) over Atlanta
No Bulger, which would have impacted this pick had we known. nevertheless, it's near impossible to trust the Falcons on the road, so we'll go with the hometown Rams.
Rams 22 Falcons 14

PHILADELPHIA (-3.5) over Seattle
Eagles, fresh off big important moral victory last week, return home in a prime spot to lay an egg. The hunch is that with Feely at the helm they can avoid that pitfall and take out the maddeningly inconsistent Hawks.
Eagles 24 Seahawks 17

Cleveland (+1.5) over ARIZONA
Browns are our anti-Titans: we're picking them every week, since they never seem to disappoint. Cards coming off ugly-ass loss to the Niners last week, and falling behind early here could finish them off quickly.
Browns 38 Cardinals 27

Denver (-3.5) over OAKLAND
Raiders a little tougher at home, but it's hard to imagine the Broncos not recovering from late collapse in Chicago last week. Besides, Raiders don't have a Devin Hester, so it's all good there.
Broncos 23 Raiders 10

Tampa Bay (+3.5) over NEW ORLEANS
Okay, okay, we'll jump on the Bucs bandwagon now. Saints can;t seem to string together a decent run of games of late, and we can see this one maybe being decided by a late figgie.
Saints 23 Buccaneers 21

NY Giants (-1.5) over CHICAGO
Manning! Grossman! The Clash Of The QB's!!! So long as the G-Men don't kick it to Hester, and Eli can manage to hit the guys in the white jerseys (which he had no problem doing last week), this is a nice recovery week for them.
Giants 27 Bears 17

PITTSBURGH (-7.5) over Bengals
Show of hands: who else took a bath on the Steelers last week? Field has been repaired, and the Steely McBeamers (worst. mascot. ever.) will rebound.
Steelers 31 Bengals 20

MONDAY
NEW ENGLAND (-20.5) over Baltimore
So much for Vegas not requiring a "Patriot Tax" after last week. We'll bite on this one, since there is no way Ravens can match the offensive effort put forth by Philly last week. Blueprint, shmueprint, Pats are pissed off they nearly lost and will roll.
Patriots 40 Ravens 10

BEST BETS: Patriots, Vikings, Redskins

Last Week: 5-11
Season Total: 95-81 (54%)

Best Bets
Last Week: 1-2
Season Total: 17-13 (56.7%)

We'll Take A Shot At This One....

Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury continued his amazing year yesterday. After the Knickerbockers knocked off the Jazz 113-109 at MSG, the long suffering fans, apparently not ready to forgive all recent transgressions despite the win, booed. Marbury, not normally prone to broad, idiotic statements, uncorked this gem:

"If people feel like they need to come here and do that, then that's what they're going to do.....I don't even think they know why they're booing."

Hmm, you raise an interesting theory there, Mr. Marbury. Perhaps we can offer some points of rebuttal:

• The team, once one of the jewels of the NBA, has become a laughingstock
• The owner is a trust fund idiot who has absolutely no idea how to run the business of Madison Square Garden
• Said owner hired a GM (who now doubles as coach) who has failed at every other endeavor he's undertaken since retiring as a player
• Said GM/Coach recently took a bath (thus tarnishing an already damaged public image) by losing an embarassing sexual harassment lawsuit
• Said owner allowed that case to go to court rather than pay a quick settlement
• You, sir, Mr. Marbury, introduced the "fun truck" to that circus
• You also ditched the team during a recent west coast road trip
• The fans, realizing they were forced to pay exorbitant prices to fund this disaster, needed an outlet to express their collective frustration

Just a hunch.

Week 12 - What Did We Learn?

Welcome to a new feature which will appear sporadically after a NFL Sunday, What Did We Learn?

Pretty self explanatory, eh? Let's proceed:

1.) Kicking to Devin Hester is really stupid. This was actually learned by most people several weeks ago, but Mike Shanahan apparently did not get the memo.

2.) The Cardinals should rarely be favored over anyone, and Vegas is just messing with us when they set the line at 10+.

3.) The Rams will not run the table, go 8-8, and win the NFC West. Gus Frerotte saw to that.

4.) The Chiefs might have something special in Kolby Smith.

5.) It is actually possible to hit Tom Brady, bottle up Randy Moss, score 28 points on the New England defense, and still lose.

6.) The Ravens really, really suck. This makes us really, really happy.

7.) Eli Manning might have issues differentiating between blue and white jerseys.

8.) Vince Young might not be that good.

9.) The bookies made their point with the huge Pats/Eagles line. Might be awhile before we see it go that high again. Phew.

10.) Brett Favre kinds, sorta did the right thing by sticking around. Can't imagine why anyone would have said he was selfish for doing so.

NFL Picks - Week 12

Two issue at the forefront this week: First, the ongoing debate about the Patriots. Are they exhibiting poor sportsmanship, or simply playing to perfection? Tough call, and the reason the issue is so hotly contested is simple: we've never, ever seen anything like this at the NFL level before. This argument was commonly heard about college teams like Nebraska and Oklahoma back in the day, and they would routinely be 35 point favorites on any given Saturday against a weak sister opponent and end up winning 73-6. Even the most dominant teams of recent years have not come close to producing consistent blowout wins each week. This leads to the oddsmakers, finally, forcing bettors to lay really big numbers in order to stay on the New England gravy train - this week the Pats are laying 22 1/2 (and this line has moved several times already, meaning it could go higher by Sunday)! We've learned our lesson after hopping off the bandwagon last week, taking the Bills plus 16 1/2....then watching Buffalo fall by 46.

Also, a quick note to bid farewell to Priest Holmes, who retired this week. Going from being undrafted to All-Pro is something one doesn't see very often, and 31 did it with class and professionalism. His comeback this year once again showed that he could never be counted out, and at least he can leave after starting one last time.

A 9-7 mark last week pushed the season total to a nice round 90-70, and we look to boost the record with some early wins on Turkey Day:

Thanksgiving Day
Green Bay (-3.5) over DETROIT
Going agianst the Lions on Thanksgiving is usually a bad idea, but Favre on national TV is too good to pass up. The Packers are on a roll and won't be deterred here.
Packers 24 Lions 16

NY Jets (+14.5) over DALLAS
Jets have been losing, but have a habit of staying close when doing so. Big win over Steelers has to give them a boost as they head into Big D. Count on TO having a big day, as he usually does when there are more cameras around, but we think the Jets can harass Romo a bit and keep this one closer than you'd think.
Cowboys 24 Jets 13

Indianapolis (-11.5) over ATLANTA
Falcs were blown out at home by Bucs, which leads us to think they are the perfect cure to what ails Indy. It won;t matter who the Colts are missing, this one will be over early.
Colts 31 Falcons 10

Sunday
CAROLINA (+3.5) over New Orleans
As soon as we can figure out either one of these teams. we'll alert you. When in doubt, we'll go with a home underdog.
Panthers 20 Saints 14

CINCINNATI (+1.5) over Tennessee
Another pair of impossible teams, so we'll go with the same theory (home underdog).
Titans 20 Bengals 19

Houston (+3.5) over CLEVELAND
Texans are better now that Andre Johnson is back (and more importantly, Matt Schaub is finding him). Browns are the most entertaining team in the league, having mastered the art of 3 point wins. How about another one here?
Browns 30 Texans 27

Buffalo (+7.5) over JACKSONVILLE
Let's see if the Bills can bounce back from the blowout last week. Maybe they can, but at the very least they should be able to stay within a touchdown of the oh-by-the-way-we're-7-3 Jags.

Jaguars 17 Bills 14

KANSAS CITY (-5.5) over Oakland
Brodie Croyle looked pretty good last week, despite being handcuffed by the ultra conservative play calling of Mike Solari and Herm Edwards. Croyle will have to step it up this week with the lack of an experienced halfback (Larry Johnson: OUT, Preist Holmes: Retired). Welcome to the show, (Chief RB) Kolby Smith.
Chiefs 20 Raiders 13

NY GIANTS (-7.5) over Minnesota
No Adrian Peterson for Minny, plus a devastating Giant pass rush against Tavaris Jackson, equals a Giant blowout.
Giants 30 Vikings 14

ST. LOUIS (+3.5) over Seattle
Rams have the horses (Bulger, Jackson) back, and can easily hang with a Seahawk team that does not travel well. We said it last week, and it still holds: the Rams run the table, finish 8-8 and win the West!
Rams 24 Seahawks 17

Washington (+3.5) over TAMPA BAY
Still not fully sold on the Bucs, and with a two game lead it's easy to see them fall into a bit of a trap here against the feisty Redskins.
Redskins 23 Buccaneers 20

ARIZONA (-10.5) over San Francisco
Niners are a train wreck, while the Cardinals have a real shot at (gulp) the division title. Even though 'Zona doesn't normally win big, this looks like the perfect chance to buck that trend.
Cardinals 27 49ers 7

CHICAGO (-2.5) over Denver
Time for the Broncos to come back to the pack. Given the recent play by these teams, this line doesn't really add up, and you know what that means: take the unlikely favorite.
Bears 20 Broncos 17

SAN DIEGO (-9.5) over Baltimore
Chargers are a mess, but play better at home, while the Ravens are still reeling from the we-won-no-we-didn't routine against the Browns last week. Bolts take control of the AFC West with win here, which seemed unfathomable a month ago.
Chargers 24 Ravens 13

NEW ENGLAND (-22.5) over Philadelphia
With or without Donovan McNabb, this line would still be huge. Patriots, at home, with the "let's not only win, let's break their spirit" attitude, will run away with another one, causing another vein in Don Shula's head to throb that much more intensely.
Patriots 41 Eagles 10


Monday
PITTSBURGH (-16.5) over Miami

Jeez, another huge spread, and we'll lay it, thanks very much. Steelers should be very focused after lackluster effort in the swamp, and will have enough anger to overrun the overmatched Dolphins.
Steelers 31 Dolphins 7

Best Bets: Colts, Rams, Steelers

Last Week: 9-7

Season Total: 90-70 (56.3%)

Best Bets

Last Week: 2-1

Season Total: 16-11 (59.3%)

NFL Picks - Week 11

We regressed a bit last week, posting a 6-8 mark. Not fully damaging, but putting us in need of a big rebound this week. Let's get the ball rolling with these gems:

ATLANTA (+3.5) over Tampa Bay
Falcons show a little toughness at home, enough to stay close to the Bucs.
Buccaneers 20 Falcons 17

CINCINNATI (-3.5) over Arizona
Can't take Cardinals on the road, even against lackluster Bengal team.
Bengals 24 Cardinals 20

Kansas City (+14.5) over INDIANAPOLIS
Look, we know that KC is starting Brodie Croyle, and is also missing Larry Johnson, but we can;t underestimate the loss of Dwight Freeney for Indy, combined with the key losses on the other side of the ball. Peyton Manning surely won;t throw 6 picks, but the hunch is that the Chiefs can put together a decent defensive effort to keep the score down.
Colts 23 Chiefs 13

JACKSONVILLE (-2.5) over San Diego
We're not folled by Chargers - the offense is still not doing a damned thing. Jags, at home, force more hair to fall out of Norv's head.
Jaguars 22 Chargers 14

MINNESOTA (-5.5) over Oakland
Note to selves: Never take the Radiers on the road, unless Vegas is spotting them 20+.
Vikings 24 Raiders 10

Cleveland (-2.5) over BALTIMORE
Browns almost pulled out big W in Pittsburgh, and will not suffer letdown against a bad Raven team.
Browns 24 Ravens 16

GREEN BAY (-9.5) over Carolina
Juggernaut that is The Pack will not be slowed down here. Panthers, once a staunch defensive squad, have been juts plain ordinary thus far, and we won't even mention the issues they have offensively.
Packers 30 Panthers 13

New Orleans (-1.5) over HOUSTON
Not sure why, but something says the Saints will rebound from the debacle last week against the previously winless Rams.
Saints 20 Texans 17

Miami (+10.5) over PHILADELPHIA
Up and Down Eagles now face a "down" week. Dolphins have been losing, but somewhat competitive, and are going with rookie QB this week. Look for Cleo Lemon to be in by the 3rd quarter.
Eagles 21 Dolphins 12

DETROIT (+2.5) over NY Giants
Lions are back home, where they have been deadly efficient bunch. Are the G-Men starting another second half swoon? Maybe, and expect that talk to increase with a loss here.
Lions 24 Giants 21

Pittsburgh (-9.5) over NY JETS
Even though Kellen Clemens has had an extra week to prepare, we just can't see the Jets hanging with a vastly superior team like the Steelers.
Steelers 27 Jets 13

Washington (+10.5) over DALLAS
Possible slight letdown after big win over Giants last week will allow the feisty Skins to keep it closer than it should be. Cowboys are still the class of the conference right now, and will ultimately prevail here.
Cowboys 24 Redskins 17

St. Louis (-2.5) over SAN FRANCISCO
Anyone else think the Rams can run the table, finish 8-8, and win the West? Don't laugh, this division is so bad even the Niners have a shot. Okay, everyone except the Niners has a shot.
Rams 27 49ers 13

SEATTLE (-4.5) over Chicago
Hawks better at home, and would love to payback Bears for 38-0 nationally televised shellacking last season.
Seahawks 20 Bears 10

Buffalo (+15.5) over NEW ENGLAND
C'mon, Bills have to be able to stay close, right? Pats have been obliterating everyone in their path not named Indy thus far, but the rest of the league might be able to catch up to them (or at least slow 'em down).
Patriots 29 Bills 16

MONDAY
Tennessee (+2.5) over DENVER
Two teams we hate to pick - something's gotta give. Since we like the Titans defense better, and feel that the erratic Vince Young has to have a big week sooner or later, we'll go with the visitors.
Titans 17 Broncos 13

Best Bets: Rams, Seahawks, Steelers

Last Week: 6-8

Season Total: 81-63 (56.3%)

BEST BETS

Last Week: 1-2

Season Total: 14-10 (58.33%)

NFL Picks - Week 10

Now what? Now that Super Bowl 41.5 is in the books, and the Pats appear on their way to a perfect season (one AP writer went so far as to say it was a virtual lock), what are we supposed to do? We're going to go out on a limb and say, what the hell, let's play the rest of the schedule out and see what transpires. Who knows, maybe we'll all learn something, and isn't that ultimately the point, kids?

On to the Picks, though with New England on their bye everything seems so......empty. Sigh.

CAROLINA (-4.5) over Atlanta
Neither team has shown much of anything, so we'll side with the home team and a relatively small line.
Panthers 24 Falcons 10

GREEN BAY (-6.5) over Minnesota
Pack return home after two big AFC West road wins, and will be primed to stop the only prong in the Viking attack: Adrian Peterson. It's obvious Minny coach Brad Childress reads this column, as he decided to use Peterson extensively last week, and the kid went ahead and set a new single game rushing record. You're welcome, Brad. That gets negated, however, by the idiotic team decision to fine WR Troy Williamson for burying his grandma (though today the team caved to public pressure and returned the check to Williamson). This from the team that gave us the infamous Sex Boat scandal last season. You stay classy, Vikings.
Packers 26 Vikings 13

KANSAS CITY (-4.5) over Denver
Chiefs should have been able to stave off Packers last week, but somehow allowed LB Donnie Edwards to cover a speedy wideout one-on-one while nursing lead late, with predictable big play results. Broncos have been one of the league's biggest disappointments, and do not win here since Elway retired. Think about Denver for a moment - last year, heading into a Thanksgiving Day showdown at Arrowhead, the team stood at 7-4 with the division in their grasp. After losing that night, overrated (no titles sans Elway) Head Coach Mike Shanahan decided to throw rokkie QB Jay Cutler into the starting role, and the team limped home to a 9-7 finish, missing the playoffs. At 3-5, a loss here would pretty much finish them off, and we're betting that is exactly what will happen, even as KC goes with Priest Holmes at HB.
Chiefs 23 Broncos 14

Buffalo (-2.5) over MIAMI
Only here would we take the Bills on the road, but this team has actually played pretty well of late. Think about it - if not for losing two winnable games ( a last second loss to Denver, and the ugly collapse against Dallas), these guys could be 6-2. No way they suffer a let down against the punchless Fish.
Bills 17 Dolphins 6

NEW ORLEANS (-11.5) over St. Louis
Drew Brees is the hottest QB not named Tom Brady right now, and this one could get ugly early. Betcha Sean Payton doesn't leave Brees in and have him throw the ball at that point though.
Saints 38 Rams 10

PITTSBURGH (-9.5) over Cleveland
Wow, this line is pretty large, don't you think? At home, look for the Pittsburgh defense to slow down Derek Anderson, Jamal Lewis and the rest of the high flying Brownies, and seize control of the division in the process.
Steelers 24 Browns 14

Jacksonville (+4.5) over TENNESSEE
Titans continue to win ugly each week, but they win. It can;t last forever, and Vince Young's erratic play is going to catch up with him sooner or later.
Titans 20 Jaguars 18

WASHINGTON (-2.5) over Philadelphia
Skins rebounded from Pat blowout with come from behind win at the Meadowlands, and even though we like Philly more on the road than at home, the number here is low enough to envision a narrow Washington victory.
Redskins 20 Eagles 17

BALTIMORE (-5.5) over Cincinnati
God, we hate taking the Ravens. No team is harder to root for (Brian Billick, Ray Lewis, need we go on?), and no team plays more havoc with the weekly pick sheet. the only team more difficult to pick and root for? The Bengals, thus the pick below.
Ravens 22 Bengals 16

ARIZONA (-1.5) over Detroit
No logic here - this is purely a "Vegas knows something we obviously don't" choice. How else could you explain it?
Cardinals 23 Lions 21

NY GIANTS (+1.5) over Dallas
Tough choice, but we're thinking the defense Tony Romo will see on Sunday will bear little to no resemblance to the unit he picked apart at will in Week 1. The pass rush is a monster, and will keep the pretty boy on his toes all afternoon. Eli Manning will do just enough to get the G-Men right in the thick of the NFC East title hunt.
Giants 27 Cowboys 24

Chicago (-3.5) over OAKLAND
Go ahead, Raiders, kick it to Devin Hester. Idiots.
Bears 27 Raiders 10

Indianapolis (-3.5) over SAN DIEGO
My oh my will Norv Turner be exposed this week. Colts are angry at themselves for letting the game get away in the last 10 minutes last week, and will take it out on the up and down Chargers, who were pitiful against the run last week.
Colts 31 Chargers 14

MONDAY
SEATTLE (-9.5) over San Francisco
It's an "On" week for the Seahawks as they return home, and the toothless Niners are the perfect foil. Once again, people will become convnced Seattle is a legitimate contender....until the next meltdown. This team isn;t very good, and may win the West through attrition thanks to games like this one.
Seahawks 34 49ers 14

BEST BETS: Colts, Seahwaks, Saints


Last Week: 11-3
Last 3 Weeks: 27-14 (65.9%)
Season Total: 75-55 (57.7%)

BEST BETS
Last Week: 1-2
Season Total: 13-8 (61.9%)

NFL Picks - Week 9

Apparently, there is a pretty big game this week. We hadn't heard too much about it. If you know which one of the below is the game in question, feel free to drop us a line.

The hot streak continues for this column, after a quietly efficient 8-5 week (though the 1-2 Best Bets were a concern). Looking to stay hot, we submit the choices for Week 9, relying pretty heavily on the favorites:

TENNESSEE (-4.5) over Carolina
Titans continue to have some pretty ugly games, win or lose, and could very easily be 3-4 right now, but the unsettles Panther QB situation, coupled with a tough road venue, leads us to believe Fisher's boys can lay the 4.5, though it will probably be ugly.
Titans 24 Panthers 17

TAMPA BAY (-3.5) over Arizona
Like the Bucs at home just about as much as we don't like the Cards on the road. Always wary of the back door cover by 'Zona, but will lay the number nonetheless.
Buccaneers 27 Cardinals 20

Washington (-3.5) over NY JETS
The Kellen Clemens Era begins! Will that make a difference for the disappointing jets? Maybe a little bit, but we like a pissed off Washington team which was humiliated by the Pats last week to come back with a vengeance and take it out on Mangini and Co.
Redskins 30 Jets 13

NEW ORLEANS (-3.5) over Jacksonville
Seems a bit high here, but we still think the Jags will struggle with Quinn Gray at QB against the resurgent Saints. This one could be one of the more entertaining games of the week, with the Saints pulling one out.
Saints 20 Jaguars 14

San Diego (-7.5) over MINNESOTA
Vikes just can't seem to understand that they have one of the most explosive weapons sitting in the backfield in Adrian Peterson, as shown by the sparse usage of the rookie. Chargers seem to have things back together now and can enhance their team speed in the Metrodome. This one might get ugly.
Chargers 31 Vikings 13

ATLANTA (-3.5) over San Francisco
Ugh. Woe be to those who are forced to watch this stinker. Niners are a mess on offense, which makes us think the Falcs can out enough on the board to cover.
Falcons 17 49ers 10

KANSAS CITY (-2.5) over Green Bay
Pack should have lost last week if not for the remarkable ineptitude of the Bronco red zone offense. Short week plus back-to-back tough venues add up to the biggest Chief victory thus far.
Chiefs 20 Packers 16

DETROIT (-3.5) over Denver
Wow, how the heck are the Lions 5-2? Denver has not traveled well and will have its hands full in the Motor City. Still trying to figure out how the Best Corners in Football(tm) were burned for two bombs last week against the Packers.
Lions 24 Broncos 19

BUFFALO (-1.5) over Cincinnati
Bills should be 5-2, and seem to be gaining confidence each week. Bengals are a mess of a team, and are going nowhere. Love the Bills at home with this low spread.
Bills 19 Bengals 10

CLEVELAND (-1.5) over Seattle
Seahawks are another team which can't seem to play consistently on the road, while the Brownies, behind Derek Anderson is playing his way to a Hawaii trip. Don't look now, but Cleveland might be able to maybe, possibly, hopefully think about the playoffs with a win here.
Browns 27 Seahawks 24

INDIANAPOLIS (+5.5) over New England
Oh, this is the game everyone is all hot and bothered over, eh? We've been riding the Pats train all year, and they have not let us down. Still, these Colts are easily the most potent offense, as well as the toughest defense New England has seen thus far, and if you think Brady and Co. will just show up and put 40 on the board you're nuts. While we believe the whole deal about NE being on a missions and crushing all in its path, we still think Indy will find a way to, at the very least, stay close.
Patriots 26 Colts 24

Houston (+3.5) over OAKLAND
Honestly, does anyone else besides the people who set the lines think the Raiders are 4 points better than anybody right now?
Texans 29 Raiders 27

Dallas (-3.5) over PHILADELPHIA
Tony Romo will have to try not to justify his shiny new contract in one day. Cowboys are better, and the Philly boo birds will be out early and often. The Andy Reid situation strikes us as more of a distraction than a rallying point right now as well. Throw in the TO Revenge factor, where he will most certainly do something douchebaggy if and when he scores, and you've got a recipe for a blowout.
Cowboys 31 Eagles 16

MONDAY NIGHT
PITTSBURGH (-8.5) over Baltimore
Initially we thought this line was too high, but upon further review take the Steelers with no qualms. Ravens are not exactly a scoring machine, and the defense has just enough holes to allow Pittsburgh to put up a few points.
Steelers 23 Ravens 10

BEST BETS: Washington, Kansas City, Buffalo

Last Week: 8-5
Overall: 64-52