Friday, October 12, 2007

I Predict A Riot - Week 6 in the NFL

Well it looks like I was 10-4 last week. So by my calculations that puts me at 52-26 for the year - and while it's pretty good to have twice as many wins as losses, I'm starting to feel like it was a little disingenuous for me to not be picking games taking the point spread into account. If I were picking point spreads I'd probably be 1-77. Oh well, picking the spreads will be on the agenda for next year.

To Week 6:

Minnesota @ Chicago
This game is what I'm now calling an "obligation game" - as in, I want nothing to do with this game and have no desire to pick a winner (mostly because I have no idea). However, I have a duty to the readers so I feel obligated to write about the game. Minnesota is coming off a bye but they also had a locker room fight yesterday - so that's never a good thing. Chicago should have been stomped like a cockroach last week but they forced a couple turnovers and hung around - but that was mostly due to Green Bay's total inability to run the ball. I'll pick Chicago based on the fact that they're at home.
Winner: Chicago

Miami @ Cleveland
Wouldn't it be funny if Miami had the only 16-0 team and 0-16 team in NFL history? I think that would be fitting somehow. And yes I know that the '72 Dolphins actually were 17-0 and the '76 Buccaneers were 0-14 but give me a break, it's not easy to come up with something clever to say all the time. If Miami is going to win a game this year it might have to be this one. Although I will say that Cleveland hung around with the Patriots last week. Oh, and did I mention that I guy named Cleo Lemon is the starting quarterback for Miami this weekend?
Winner: Cleveland

Washington @ Green Bay
I'm very worried about the Packers. I think their season had been a house of cards up until last Sunday and I think with that loss to the Bears it might have come tumbling down - at least somewhat. For some reason I can see the Packers unravelling over the next couple weeks. However, I'm going to stick with them at home against Washington. But beware teams that can't run the ball.
Winner: Green Bay

Cincinnati @ Kansas City
In my significant other's Pick 'Em league I took Kansas City to win this game - and then had a Ron Burgundy moment, "I immediately regret this decision!" Kansas City has a pretty good defence I think and they are playing at home in Arrowhead. But yikes, the Chiefs just have no offence. And Cincinnati seems to be the mirror image of Kansas City - all offence and no defence. I'm taking a fresh Cincy team coming off the bye in this game.
Winner: Cincinnati

Philadelphia @ NY Jets
Yikes, this game could either be 43-40 or 3-0, I have no idea which. Philly is coming off the bye week and the Jets quarterback is Chad Pennington. You do the math. If New York is down early the Jets fans will be howling for Pennington's head. Not a good environment.
Winner: Philadelphia

Tennessee @ Tampa Bay
Listen to me when I tell you this - Tennessee barely, just barely, beat the Atlanta Falcons at home last week. It took a 4-down, goaline stand for them to win that game against the two-headed quarterbacking monstrosity that is Joey Harrington and Byron Leftwich. Tampa Bay is actually a pretty good team with a pretty good defence playing at home.
Winner: Tampa Bay

Houston @ Jacksonville
It took 5 field goals by Houston kicker Kris Brown (including 3 over 50 yards, with the winner being 57 yards) to beat the Miami Dolphins last week. Now to me Jacksonville is a better team than Miami and Houston will now be playing on the road. So simple logic dictates that there is no way Houston can win this game. On a related note - how is that Matt Schaub trade looking now? I wonder if Atlanta would like to have him back instead of relying on Joeron Harringwich.
Winner: Jacksonville

St. Louis @ Baltimore
"And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!" - Gus Ferotte
Winner: Baltimore

Carolina @ Arizona
This is the bet the house game. Bet the kids, bet the cats, bet it all. I would have probably said this anyway but now it appears that Vinny Testaverde is probably going to start for Carolina. That means this game could feature a quarterback duel between Vinny Testaverde and Kurt Warner. It could be one for the ages... or at least aged. Sorry.
Winner: Arizona

Oakland @ San Diego
Which San Diego team do you think is going to show up? The one that got trounced by Kansas City at home or the one that rolled over Denver on the road. Quite honestly I have no idea about this game.
Winner: San Diego

New England @ Dallas
Is there anyway this game can live up to the hype? I kind of doubt it but I'm still hopeful. With a week of bad games I've got a lot of eggs in this basket. This is one of the two games that New England might lose this year - the other being November 4th in Indianapolis. As much as I'd love to say that I think Dallas can win this game, I'd be lying if I said that. On one sideline you have Wade Phillips - on the other you have Bill Belichick. Which one would you bet on?
Winner: New England (jinx jinx jinx)

New Orleans @ Seattle
Seattle is great at home and terrible on the road. New Orleans is just terrible all around.
Winner: Seattle

NY Giants @ Atlanta
I can't think of one compelling reason why I would want to watch this game. For starters, these are two of my least favorite teams in the NFL. But even if you didn't have any strong feelings about these teams one way or the other, why on Earth would you want to watch this? I'd rather watch Rules of Engagement on Monday night - which by the way is one of the worst TV shows on right now. It might go down as one of the worst ever. Just totally unwatchable. For a review of some other new TV shows check out the Music, Movies and TV blog.
Winner: NY Giants

And here's one bonus pick for you this week:

Saskatchewan @ Hamilton
Saskatchewan better stomp on Hamilton's throats this week with jackboots made of iron. There is no way that Hamilton should even be close this week. I don't think anything less than something in the neighbourhood of 45 or 52 to 13 is acceptable. I'm really looking forward to seeing some killer instinct this week after the Roughriders were not able to bury Calgary last week.
Winner: Saskatchewan

A couple of other quick notes - it looks like the NHL has suspended Jesse Boulerice for 25 games, which I guess is an appropriate amount. It's the same number that Chris Simon got last year for trying to chop Ryan Hollweg's head off. At some point someone is going to have to be suspended for an entire season, although I'm not sure what it's going to take to get to that point. Maybe if an NHL player started an illegal dogfighting ring.

It also looks like the Jim Balsille/Nashville Predator three ring circus is going to continue. See for yourself.

The college football picks will be up a little later.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

joeron harringwich .....Boooooooo, Booooooo

didn't jacksonville get crushed by houston in week 1, didnt they also lose to them twice last year. Last year when carr was t qb and they weren't that good. Houston seems to have a leg up on the jags for some reason..Also looks like fragile fred may not play.