When Tom Brady tore 47 ligaments in his knee during the first game of the season this year, it gravely impacted the rest of the Patriots regular season. Even with surgery and rehab, many believed he wouldn't be 100% by the time the 2009 campaign began. But hey, three Super Bowl titles in seven years? The best statistical season ever by a QB last year? Something bad was bound to happen. I mean, it's the NFL.
But not this bad.
Reports are swirling today that Tom Brady has had THREE additional surgeries to combat an infection in his surgically repaired knee. Experts are saying that if the infection doesn't improve, Brady might need an entirely new reconstructive surgery! And to make matters worse, he had the procedure done by a family recommended doctor in California, rather than a team recommended doctor in Boston. The entire franchise is at stake right now. When I wrote a post before the season started about how Brady and Peyton Manning weren't getting any younger and how injuries might be more of a factor as their respective careers progressed, I never imagined something like this.
And to all the Patriots haters out there who will say things like, "He's banging one of the hottest and richest women ever to walk the planet, screw him." or "They cheated, he's a dick." no one deserves to go out like this. Here's hoping he can somehow avoid that second surgery and don the red white and blue again next year.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Terrell Suggs: Bounty Hunter
If you're Hines Ward, chances are you've pissed off a lot of people in the NFL. Now that Rodney Harrison's gone, I'd expect Hinesy to be the frontrunner for NFL's Dirtiest Player (although I believe Harrison's reputation factored more these past couple seasons than his actions), if he can stay alive.
It's no joke, the Baltimore Ravens, specifically Terrell Suggs, have placed a bounty on Hines Ward. I don't know if in football, 'bounty' just refers to just knocking someone to the ground, shoving dirt in their face, and telling them to say hello to their mother, but something tells me this isn't something Roger Goodell-Two Shoes will take lightly.
Aside from that, this might have been taken a step too far already. This picture from the Steelers' practice yesterday shows some unusual scouting going on...
If I were Ward, I'd be more fearful of the Ravens faithful than the actual Ravens themselves, because they seem to be a team that flops most when they talk hard (plus, Ravens fans are total jackoffs). Sometimes bulletin board material is annoying, but at other times, like now, it definitely makes some games worth watching. Even if it's the Ravens and Steelers.
It's no joke, the Baltimore Ravens, specifically Terrell Suggs, have placed a bounty on Hines Ward. I don't know if in football, 'bounty' just refers to just knocking someone to the ground, shoving dirt in their face, and telling them to say hello to their mother, but something tells me this isn't something Roger Goodell-Two Shoes will take lightly.
Aside from that, this might have been taken a step too far already. This picture from the Steelers' practice yesterday shows some unusual scouting going on...
If I were Ward, I'd be more fearful of the Ravens faithful than the actual Ravens themselves, because they seem to be a team that flops most when they talk hard (plus, Ravens fans are total jackoffs). Sometimes bulletin board material is annoying, but at other times, like now, it definitely makes some games worth watching. Even if it's the Ravens and Steelers.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
That's a wrap on the preseason
Last night at Madison Square Garden, Leon dropped a 19 point, 12 rebound spot on the Knicks in the last game of the preseason. That brings his 8 game average to:
10.6 points
3.9 rebounds
19.6 min
and
33-45 FT
The Celtics kick off the NBA's regular season Tuesday, October 28th against the Cavs and LeBron who they've already faced twice in the past few weeks and who figure to once again be a top team in the Eastern Conference. Also, with the release of Darius Miles, Boston has solidified their 15 man training camp roster. That sound you heard was everyone in the Trailblazers organization breathing a sigh of relief.
10.6 points
3.9 rebounds
19.6 min
and
33-45 FT
The Celtics kick off the NBA's regular season Tuesday, October 28th against the Cavs and LeBron who they've already faced twice in the past few weeks and who figure to once again be a top team in the Eastern Conference. Also, with the release of Darius Miles, Boston has solidified their 15 man training camp roster. That sound you heard was everyone in the Trailblazers organization breathing a sigh of relief.
World Series Preview
So if I was doing a pool March Madness style for the playoffs, I'd be in pretty good shape right now. I missed one divisional series, got the championship series' right, and I don't think many people would have picked the Cubbies to blow it like they did. I'd get at least my 5 bucks back.
That being said, it's time to predict the winner.
I took the Phillies a while ago, and there's no turning back on that now. I say 5 games and they're World Series champions. But does it really matter?
If the Phillies win, Philadelphia's 25 seasons without a major championship is over, the fans' suffering is through, and a great team often overlooked will be crowned winners.
If the Rays win, they will have gone from the worst team in baseball to World Series Champions. They haven't had as many years of suffering, but let's face it...the Devil Rays were BAD. They were awful and couldn't do a thing right. This is an exciting young team of guys who collectively make less money than the combination of Jeter and A-Rod. That incredible starting rotation that brought them here? Less than $6,000,000 total, which is over $4,000,000 less than Josh Beckett's salary alone.
The Rays' pitching staff has the advantage in this series, but barely. As great as Kazmir, Shields, Garza, Sonnanstine, and their relievers (most of the time) have been, a lot of people don't talk about Hamels, Moyer, Myers and of course, Lidge. This is the sole difference between the two teams. If you can get to Tampa Bay's starting pitching and are losing late, you stand a chance of coming back against their relievers. If you see Brad Lidge on the mound, you might as well throw up a white flag and get it over with. The Phillies have yet to lose a game they've led with him on the mound this season. I'm in the "closers are overrated" boat, but Lidge is different. This year, he's been as sure a sure thing as you can have. 100% success in 72 games. Francisco Rodriguez blew 7 saves in 76 appearances. Yeah, he was given less insurance more often, but Lidge was perfect. David Price in Maddon's closer by committee is Tampa Bay's closest to a sure bet, and the only guy who I'd feel comfortable with going into the 9th of Game 7 with a 1 run lead, but he's still very very green.
As far as batting, there is not a single weak link in either lineup. There is no player in the batting order where the pitcher is thinking to themself, "If only we can get to ____, they're a sure out".
Ok, maybe Pedro Feliz on the Phillies and Gabe Gross on the Rays. I would hope for the Rays' sake that Rocco Baldelli is well enough to hit, because I really wouldn't want Gross to be relied on every night. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Gross stinks.
But Iwamura, Pena, Navarro, Longoria, Upton, Crawford, Floyd, Bartlett, and sometimes Aybar. Put them up against Rollins, Howard, Ruiz, Utley, Victorino, Burrell, and Werth. These are two very, very dangerous lineups who can hurt you in a lot of different ways.
So this is what Game 1 looks like...Kazmir vs. Hamels. I'd take Hamels, because if you've seen the guy pitch...well...I don't have to explain why if you've seen him pitch. The guy's stuff is nasty, almost as nasty as...
Brett Myers in Game 2. I'm still pushing for Manuel to put in Myers as a DH, or at least push his start to Game 3 so he can hit, but I don't have much clout in the Phillies' clubhouse. Myers has been downright dangerous with his bat these playoffs, and has been the subject of not one, but two blogs of mine. I haven't even written two blogs about Peyton Manning yet. Think about that. Anyway, he'll take on James Shields, who is also very good, but I would contend that as of right now, Myers is better.
Jamie Moyer is starting against Matt Garza Game 3. To give you an idea of how old Moyer is, he was alive for an entire year and 4 days before John F. Kennedy was assassinated. He's three years younger than Terry Francona. Imagine Francona going out in 2004 and playing outfield or first base for the Red Sox. That's essentially what it's like for Jamie Moyer to be pitching, and pitching well. Interesting fact I just learned while researching that: Jamie Moyer and Terry Francona both played for the Chicago Cubs at the same time. I wasn't even alive for most of that season (the year was 1986, and I was born in September). This was Moyer's first major league season. His first win? Against the Phillies. On top of all of this, Jamie Moyer is an all-around good guy. He's been the recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award and the Lou Gehrig Award.
I was a bump in my mom's belly when these two strapping young prospects played together.
Oh yeah, after so many years of service, Moyer has never won a ring. Not only has he never won a ring, this is the first time he's ever made the World Series. Essentially, if you're not, at the very very least, rooting for Moyer this series, you are a terrible person.
I haven't really gone in to a World Series in which I didn't care who won, but was still excited anyway, until this year. Mostly it's because I don't care about either team, but this year I really like both the Rays and the Phillies. It's like if someone gave me a High Life and a Pabst and told me to choose just one. Yeah, I'll take the champagne of beers (Phillies), but I love me some PBR (Rays) at the same time. However, you can hold on to your Budweiser Chelada (Red Sox) and Corona Light (Dodgers) thank you very much.
If you drank a thirty rack of Colt 45, vomited it into the shallow part of the ocean where 5 year old kids pee,
and then scooped all of that up and put the Budweiser logo on it, you'd probably come up with the Budweiser Chelada.
I'll post thoughts every game, because I don't think anyone else would care enough to. Also, I have nothing better to do.
That being said, it's time to predict the winner.
I took the Phillies a while ago, and there's no turning back on that now. I say 5 games and they're World Series champions. But does it really matter?
If the Phillies win, Philadelphia's 25 seasons without a major championship is over, the fans' suffering is through, and a great team often overlooked will be crowned winners.
If the Rays win, they will have gone from the worst team in baseball to World Series Champions. They haven't had as many years of suffering, but let's face it...the Devil Rays were BAD. They were awful and couldn't do a thing right. This is an exciting young team of guys who collectively make less money than the combination of Jeter and A-Rod. That incredible starting rotation that brought them here? Less than $6,000,000 total, which is over $4,000,000 less than Josh Beckett's salary alone.
The Rays' pitching staff has the advantage in this series, but barely. As great as Kazmir, Shields, Garza, Sonnanstine, and their relievers (most of the time) have been, a lot of people don't talk about Hamels, Moyer, Myers and of course, Lidge. This is the sole difference between the two teams. If you can get to Tampa Bay's starting pitching and are losing late, you stand a chance of coming back against their relievers. If you see Brad Lidge on the mound, you might as well throw up a white flag and get it over with. The Phillies have yet to lose a game they've led with him on the mound this season. I'm in the "closers are overrated" boat, but Lidge is different. This year, he's been as sure a sure thing as you can have. 100% success in 72 games. Francisco Rodriguez blew 7 saves in 76 appearances. Yeah, he was given less insurance more often, but Lidge was perfect. David Price in Maddon's closer by committee is Tampa Bay's closest to a sure bet, and the only guy who I'd feel comfortable with going into the 9th of Game 7 with a 1 run lead, but he's still very very green.
As far as batting, there is not a single weak link in either lineup. There is no player in the batting order where the pitcher is thinking to themself, "If only we can get to ____, they're a sure out".
Ok, maybe Pedro Feliz on the Phillies and Gabe Gross on the Rays. I would hope for the Rays' sake that Rocco Baldelli is well enough to hit, because I really wouldn't want Gross to be relied on every night. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Gross stinks.
But Iwamura, Pena, Navarro, Longoria, Upton, Crawford, Floyd, Bartlett, and sometimes Aybar. Put them up against Rollins, Howard, Ruiz, Utley, Victorino, Burrell, and Werth. These are two very, very dangerous lineups who can hurt you in a lot of different ways.
So this is what Game 1 looks like...Kazmir vs. Hamels. I'd take Hamels, because if you've seen the guy pitch...well...I don't have to explain why if you've seen him pitch. The guy's stuff is nasty, almost as nasty as...
Brett Myers in Game 2. I'm still pushing for Manuel to put in Myers as a DH, or at least push his start to Game 3 so he can hit, but I don't have much clout in the Phillies' clubhouse. Myers has been downright dangerous with his bat these playoffs, and has been the subject of not one, but two blogs of mine. I haven't even written two blogs about Peyton Manning yet. Think about that. Anyway, he'll take on James Shields, who is also very good, but I would contend that as of right now, Myers is better.
Jamie Moyer is starting against Matt Garza Game 3. To give you an idea of how old Moyer is, he was alive for an entire year and 4 days before John F. Kennedy was assassinated. He's three years younger than Terry Francona. Imagine Francona going out in 2004 and playing outfield or first base for the Red Sox. That's essentially what it's like for Jamie Moyer to be pitching, and pitching well. Interesting fact I just learned while researching that: Jamie Moyer and Terry Francona both played for the Chicago Cubs at the same time. I wasn't even alive for most of that season (the year was 1986, and I was born in September). This was Moyer's first major league season. His first win? Against the Phillies. On top of all of this, Jamie Moyer is an all-around good guy. He's been the recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award and the Lou Gehrig Award.
I was a bump in my mom's belly when these two strapping young prospects played together.Oh yeah, after so many years of service, Moyer has never won a ring. Not only has he never won a ring, this is the first time he's ever made the World Series. Essentially, if you're not, at the very very least, rooting for Moyer this series, you are a terrible person.
I haven't really gone in to a World Series in which I didn't care who won, but was still excited anyway, until this year. Mostly it's because I don't care about either team, but this year I really like both the Rays and the Phillies. It's like if someone gave me a High Life and a Pabst and told me to choose just one. Yeah, I'll take the champagne of beers (Phillies), but I love me some PBR (Rays) at the same time. However, you can hold on to your Budweiser Chelada (Red Sox) and Corona Light (Dodgers) thank you very much.
If you drank a thirty rack of Colt 45, vomited it into the shallow part of the ocean where 5 year old kids pee,and then scooped all of that up and put the Budweiser logo on it, you'd probably come up with the Budweiser Chelada.
I'll post thoughts every game, because I don't think anyone else would care enough to. Also, I have nothing better to do.
Monday, October 20, 2008
I don't even know what to say anymore.
I'm not upset that I'm 6/13 so far for picks this week. I'm not upset my fantasy team doesn't deserve to win (It'll take my opponent a miracle to hit 100 points, and I'm sitting at 111 with Marshall and Prater going tonight). I'm not even upset about the Colts game.
Ok, I'm very, very upset about the Colts game, but I'm trying not to think about it. I was lucky enough to be coming back from Connecticut to Boston on a bus while that embarrassment was happening, so I didn't actually have to witness it. I'm still afraid to look at game highlights, although I know I'll watch the game in its entirety at some point this week. Right now all I have to go off of is what I've read in articles and on the Colts' message board, neither of which can give any positive spin on the game.
What I'm most upset about though is that I, like most anyone watching football, have no clue what's going on. At all. Last week, this is what I knew: The Colts found their rhythm. The Chargers were getting back to dominance. The Rams had a fluke win and it wouldn't happen again. The Steelers' record was far better than their performance and it would start to show. The Redskins had a bad game and wouldn't let it happen again. I feel like Will Smith in Men in Black when he just found out that humans weren't alone on this planet, and Tommy Lee Jones is making him second guess everything that he knew, ever.
I'm not quite sure how looking for a good picture to illustrate my Men in Black concept ended up with me creating this Dick Jauron/Skeleteor hybrid, but I'm not apologizing.
There aren't any teams you can consider a lock for the postseason, and there aren't any teams you can say are out of it. Ok, the Bengals the Lions are out of it, and the Chiefs too, but would you really be phased if Damon Huard turned God the second half of the season and started hitting Dwayne Bowe for 150 yards a game? At this point, would you be surprised if Jeff Fisher, looking out for Vince Young's mental health, sets up a two quarterback scheme to get Young in the game, and the Titans offense stumbles and they lose the rest of their season? These things are unlikely and improbable, but this season has been all about unlikely and improbable.
I didn't expect my prediction on the Bills to be coming true to the extent it has. I thought they'd play well and give themselves a chance for the playoffs, but I didn't think we'd be at the halfway point and looking at their play as 'dominant'. If you watched the game, or the parts that weren't blacked out due to technical difficulties in Buffalo, they pretty much dominated, despite the fact that the score didn't look that way. Trent Edwards did a beautiful job keeping Rivers, LT and Gates off the field, and when they did get on the field, the defense contained them better than most teams have this season. Even at 3-4, if I was putting money on it, I'd still take the Chargers as a playoff team. San Diego fans must be feeling very close to the way I feel about the Colts, when you know your team is good, but they're playing God awful.
I think what's exciting and bothersome about this season is that there is absolutely no comfort anywhere for anyone. If you're a Buffalo or Tennessee fan, you weren't expecting to be controlling your division. If you're a New England, San Diego, Indianapolis, or Dallas fan, you expected to be at the very worst, tied for first place. These teams combined right now are 13-12. Those 4 teams combined to lose 11 games total last season.
Going into next week, I know the Rams are back on track. I know the Chargers and Colts have no life left in them. I know the Bills, Giants, Titans and Buccaneers are the best in the league right now. Because I know these things, I'm going to start thinking the exact opposite. When I do my picks next week, I'm going to reason out why one team should beat the other, and then assume that's not how the game will play out. This is partly an excuse so I can pick the Colts to win and feel justified, but it's partly because I can admit that I have no clue what's going on in football right now.
Here's some mid-season predictions that make sense just because of the way this season is panning out.
The MVP this season probably hasn't played that well yet but will emerge out of nowhere in the second half. There's at least 2 teams under .500 right now who will make the playoffs. Out of Buffalo, Tennessee, the New York Football Giants, and Pittsburgh, at least one team won't see the postseason. Matt Ryan will lead the Atlanta Falcons to, at the worst, the NFC Championship game. Oakland will finish over .500. There's more predictions I could make, but they'll just start getting ridiculous. I'll just have to leave you with this last thought about the football season.
...
...
...
Ok, I'm very, very upset about the Colts game, but I'm trying not to think about it. I was lucky enough to be coming back from Connecticut to Boston on a bus while that embarrassment was happening, so I didn't actually have to witness it. I'm still afraid to look at game highlights, although I know I'll watch the game in its entirety at some point this week. Right now all I have to go off of is what I've read in articles and on the Colts' message board, neither of which can give any positive spin on the game.
What I'm most upset about though is that I, like most anyone watching football, have no clue what's going on. At all. Last week, this is what I knew: The Colts found their rhythm. The Chargers were getting back to dominance. The Rams had a fluke win and it wouldn't happen again. The Steelers' record was far better than their performance and it would start to show. The Redskins had a bad game and wouldn't let it happen again. I feel like Will Smith in Men in Black when he just found out that humans weren't alone on this planet, and Tommy Lee Jones is making him second guess everything that he knew, ever.
I'm not quite sure how looking for a good picture to illustrate my Men in Black concept ended up with me creating this Dick Jauron/Skeleteor hybrid, but I'm not apologizing.There aren't any teams you can consider a lock for the postseason, and there aren't any teams you can say are out of it. Ok, the Bengals the Lions are out of it, and the Chiefs too, but would you really be phased if Damon Huard turned God the second half of the season and started hitting Dwayne Bowe for 150 yards a game? At this point, would you be surprised if Jeff Fisher, looking out for Vince Young's mental health, sets up a two quarterback scheme to get Young in the game, and the Titans offense stumbles and they lose the rest of their season? These things are unlikely and improbable, but this season has been all about unlikely and improbable.
I didn't expect my prediction on the Bills to be coming true to the extent it has. I thought they'd play well and give themselves a chance for the playoffs, but I didn't think we'd be at the halfway point and looking at their play as 'dominant'. If you watched the game, or the parts that weren't blacked out due to technical difficulties in Buffalo, they pretty much dominated, despite the fact that the score didn't look that way. Trent Edwards did a beautiful job keeping Rivers, LT and Gates off the field, and when they did get on the field, the defense contained them better than most teams have this season. Even at 3-4, if I was putting money on it, I'd still take the Chargers as a playoff team. San Diego fans must be feeling very close to the way I feel about the Colts, when you know your team is good, but they're playing God awful.
I think what's exciting and bothersome about this season is that there is absolutely no comfort anywhere for anyone. If you're a Buffalo or Tennessee fan, you weren't expecting to be controlling your division. If you're a New England, San Diego, Indianapolis, or Dallas fan, you expected to be at the very worst, tied for first place. These teams combined right now are 13-12. Those 4 teams combined to lose 11 games total last season.
Going into next week, I know the Rams are back on track. I know the Chargers and Colts have no life left in them. I know the Bills, Giants, Titans and Buccaneers are the best in the league right now. Because I know these things, I'm going to start thinking the exact opposite. When I do my picks next week, I'm going to reason out why one team should beat the other, and then assume that's not how the game will play out. This is partly an excuse so I can pick the Colts to win and feel justified, but it's partly because I can admit that I have no clue what's going on in football right now.
Here's some mid-season predictions that make sense just because of the way this season is panning out.
The MVP this season probably hasn't played that well yet but will emerge out of nowhere in the second half. There's at least 2 teams under .500 right now who will make the playoffs. Out of Buffalo, Tennessee, the New York Football Giants, and Pittsburgh, at least one team won't see the postseason. Matt Ryan will lead the Atlanta Falcons to, at the worst, the NFC Championship game. Oakland will finish over .500. There's more predictions I could make, but they'll just start getting ridiculous. I'll just have to leave you with this last thought about the football season.
...
...
...
Monday Night Preview
First off, I want to fill in that both James and I picked Tampa to win last night (James almost nailed the score, he guessed 24-10). Sorry I wasn't able to get it posted in time. Be honest though, none of you really cared about that game anyway (not even you, Trevor), especially with the ALCS Game 7 going on at the same time.
By the way, congratulations to the Tampa Bay Rays and their fans. Everything about it being a great story and feeling good for their fans and the empowering of small market teams has and will be beaten into the ground through all this, so I'll leave it at this... The Rays put together a very good baseball team this season and absolutely deserved the American League pennant. I'm just glad the Sox woke up and put up a fight. If the defending champs are going to lose, it might as well be in Game 7 of an exciting series.
Now... as for tonight...
Broncos @ Patriots (+2.5)
There's only one thing that keeps going over and over in my head going into this game, and it's this simple set of information:
Brandon Marshall: 6'4, 240 lbs, general freak of nature
Ellis Hobbs: 5'9, 195 lbs, made a tackle once in Pop Warner football
Deltha O'Neal: 5'11, 194 lbs, is still wearing a Bengals jersey in his ESPN profile page
The Patriots defense has looked downright awful lately. The defensive line, which should be our strong point, has failed to put ANY pressure on opposing QB's (7 sacks all season, 29th in the NFL). Without that pressure, wide receivers are getting more and more open, and making bigger and bigger plays.
The offense hasn't been much better... though I can't put this blame on Matt Cassel. He's obviously going to take longer to make decisions than Brady... but with the O-Line performing worse than they have in years... that's an extra second before the ball gets out, plus a second less of protection, and that leads to a lot of short drives. The Pats have given up 20 sacks, tied for 4th most in the NFL. So to recap... 4th least sacks, 4th most sacks allowed. I think the real issue with this team, rather than the glaring deficiency at QB, is that neither line is playing up to their billing. Throw in that the team is 22nd in the league in YPC and their longest rush of the year is 22 yards, and it becomes even more evident.
The Broncos have some problem of their own though. Despite their electric passing game and gaudy point totals, they have THE worst pass defense in the NFL. Yes, the team with Champ Bailey on one side and Dre Bly on the other is letting up 255 pass yards per game, and their 2 INTs are more than only Seattle and Detroit. Maybe getting rid of Mike Lynch wasn't such a good idea afterall? It doesn't get much better in run support, where Denver is 25th is yards allowed and gives up a gaudy 5.1 yards per carry. That's unbelievable when you think about it.
So what do I expect tonight? I expect a performance that will give Matt Cassel and company a lot of confidence. I expect to see Brandon Marshall bounce off defenders and have a near record-breaking game. I expect a shootout that eventually has the Patriots looking at a .500 record and another week at the drawing board.
Adam's Prediction: Denver wins, 45-38
Jame's Prediction: New England over Denver, 22-17
Fantasy Love: Brandon Marshall, by a long shot
Fantasy Hate: Sammy Morris
My word... we've entered a world where James picks the Pats and I don't. I don't know how I feel about that
By the way, congratulations to the Tampa Bay Rays and their fans. Everything about it being a great story and feeling good for their fans and the empowering of small market teams has and will be beaten into the ground through all this, so I'll leave it at this... The Rays put together a very good baseball team this season and absolutely deserved the American League pennant. I'm just glad the Sox woke up and put up a fight. If the defending champs are going to lose, it might as well be in Game 7 of an exciting series.
Now... as for tonight...
Broncos @ Patriots (+2.5)
There's only one thing that keeps going over and over in my head going into this game, and it's this simple set of information:
Brandon Marshall: 6'4, 240 lbs, general freak of nature
Ellis Hobbs: 5'9, 195 lbs, made a tackle once in Pop Warner football
Deltha O'Neal: 5'11, 194 lbs, is still wearing a Bengals jersey in his ESPN profile page
The Patriots defense has looked downright awful lately. The defensive line, which should be our strong point, has failed to put ANY pressure on opposing QB's (7 sacks all season, 29th in the NFL). Without that pressure, wide receivers are getting more and more open, and making bigger and bigger plays.
The offense hasn't been much better... though I can't put this blame on Matt Cassel. He's obviously going to take longer to make decisions than Brady... but with the O-Line performing worse than they have in years... that's an extra second before the ball gets out, plus a second less of protection, and that leads to a lot of short drives. The Pats have given up 20 sacks, tied for 4th most in the NFL. So to recap... 4th least sacks, 4th most sacks allowed. I think the real issue with this team, rather than the glaring deficiency at QB, is that neither line is playing up to their billing. Throw in that the team is 22nd in the league in YPC and their longest rush of the year is 22 yards, and it becomes even more evident.
The Broncos have some problem of their own though. Despite their electric passing game and gaudy point totals, they have THE worst pass defense in the NFL. Yes, the team with Champ Bailey on one side and Dre Bly on the other is letting up 255 pass yards per game, and their 2 INTs are more than only Seattle and Detroit. Maybe getting rid of Mike Lynch wasn't such a good idea afterall? It doesn't get much better in run support, where Denver is 25th is yards allowed and gives up a gaudy 5.1 yards per carry. That's unbelievable when you think about it.
So what do I expect tonight? I expect a performance that will give Matt Cassel and company a lot of confidence. I expect to see Brandon Marshall bounce off defenders and have a near record-breaking game. I expect a shootout that eventually has the Patriots looking at a .500 record and another week at the drawing board.
Adam's Prediction: Denver wins, 45-38
Jame's Prediction: New England over Denver, 22-17
Fantasy Love: Brandon Marshall, by a long shot
Fantasy Hate: Sammy Morris
My word... we've entered a world where James picks the Pats and I don't. I don't know how I feel about that
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Week 7 Picks... Better Late Than Never
Last week was one of the most exciting NFL football days we've had in a long time. The kind of day where I regret not having the NFL Sunday Ticket package (hey Scrob... is it awesome? It's awesome, isn't it). Detroit/Minnesota, Miami/Houston, St. Louis/Washington, and that ridiculous Chicago/Atlanta game all went down to the very last second of the game. We had a QB draw on 4th and goal for the win... a team win after losing the lead with 11 seconds left... a winless team kick a game winning field goal even after their offensive lineman gets a 15 yard penalty for yelling at a ref.... just an amazing group of games to all be happening at the same time. Have I mentioned how much I love the NFL??
Ok, it's getting late, so let's get to this week's games:
Chargers @ Bills (EVEN)
James: The Bills were finally cut down to size last game after Arizona shut down their offense and tore up their defense. Trent Edwards should be back though, which ought to get Buffalo's offense back on track. Marshawn Lynch has been disappointing so far this season, and he's going to need to step it up if the Bills want to keep the ball on the ground and away from San Diego's secondary. The Chargers punished New England last week, and are looking like the same team they were last year, if not better. Remember how San Diego started off slow in 2007 and it looked like they'd miss the playoffs after the first couple weeks...and then they became dominant? The Chargers take a while to wake up, but once they're wired, like they are now, they're tough to stop. Philip Rivers is improving and finding Vincent Jackson more and more. Chris Chambers may or may not play, but he hasn't been nearly as big a factor as his fantasy stats would show. Even with the talents of Tomlinson, the Chargers should be getting Darren Sproles in the mix, as he's filling in Michael Turner's role quite nicely. If the Bills win, expect a close game. If the Chargers win, it could be a blowout.
James' Pick: San Diego over Buffalo, 31-20
Adam's Pick: Bills win at home, 28-24, because even I admit beating New England doesn't make you a great team right now.
Fantasy Love: Lee Evans
Fantasy Hate: Vincent Jackson
Vikings @ Bears (-2)
James: The Vikes pulled away with a lucky call and a last second field goal last week against the Kitna-less Lions, and they've been anything but impressive this season. Their offense is about a quarter as productive as expected, and their defense has been on and off. To add to this, Brad Childress still doesn't look like he knows how to coach, which could be the reason for their offensive and defensive woes. Regardless of how they got there, Minnesota's still 3-3 and looking to at the very stay on top of the NFC North lead, with Chicago and Green Bay 3-3 also. The Bears are also looking to improve going into their bye week with Kyle Orton at the helm. If anything, Lovie Smith will never have to see clips of himself on TV stating "Rex Grossman is our quarterback" over and over again after this season. The Bears were recipients of a last second field goal defeat thanks to Atlanta last week, and need to stay above .500 if they're going to have any momentum for the second half of the season. These two teams will grind it out and win whatever way they can, which seems to be the norm for the NFC North this season.
James' Pick: Chicago over Minnesota, 16-6
Adam's Pick: Chicago wins 31-21 in a surprisingly offensive game
Fantasy Love: Kyle Orton
Fantasy Hate: Bernard Berrian
Steelers @ Bengals (+8)
Adam: As the 2-year owner of Willie Parker in my keeper league, I'm almost not even frustrated with these injuries anymore. I just accept they're going to happen. I really thought he'd be back for this game though, and I'll sadly be starting Mewelde Moore. Mewelde's a decent backup, and the Bengals are just the right team to make him look like a star. Big Ben is back to full strength as well, and you'll probably see a pass-heavy scheme today, especially with Moore being a skilled receiver out of the backfield (in 2006 he had 20 more receptions than rushing attempts!). On the other side, Ryan Fitzpatrick continues to start for the Tiggers. I saw in person Fitzpatrick in college, as he absolutely shredded my school's defense and led Harvard to a blowout win over Northeastern. Unfortunately, the only player to make it to the NFL from that Northeastern team was on the Bills' practice squad for one season... the Steelers are a bit more talented. The AFC is starting to look like business as usual.
Adam's Pick: Pittsburgh wins, 34-17
James' Pick: Cincy over Pittsburgh, 24-20
Fantasy Love: Ben Roethlisberger
Fantasy Hate: Cedric Benson
Titans @ Cheifs (+9)
Adam: Man, I am so torn about this game. It's smelled like upset city all week to me. Both of Tennessee's starting WR's are out... the Titans are talking about getting Vince Young back into the lineup... the Titan's are undefeated. I even had a dream last night where someone was saying to me "I can't believe Kansas City won!" But the more I look at it... especially with Larry Johnson being suspended for the game... I just can't bring myself to do it. I just don't see how Brodie Croyle and Kolby Smith are going to move the ball against Tennessee... I want to do it but... I just... I just can't.
Adam's Pick: Tennessee wins, 20-17
James' Pick: Kansas City takes it, 17-16 (apparently he's ballsier than me)
Fantasy Love: Chris Johnson
Fantasy Hate: Kolby Smith
Cowboys @ Rams (+7)
Adam: This one... I'm willing to be a little more bold about. Between busted Tony Romo and old-ass Brad Johnson, then the juggling act of getting Roy Williams and Terrell Owens balanced... the Cowboy's passing game will not be full-speed today. The Rams have the offensive talent to make lots of plays, and they finally look like they're going to use it. Plus they look ALL sorts of fired up behind their new coach. I'm telling you, upset city here.
Adam's Pick: St. Louis upsets Dallas, 27-24
James' Pick: Dallas over St. Louis, 20-13
Fantasy Love: Stephen Jackson
Fantasy Hate: Terrell Owens
Ravens @ Dolphins (-3)
James: Both teams are coming off of tough losses to AFC South teams last week. The Wildcats got shut down by a Houston team that I can guarantee you will not give up on this season, while the Ravens got downright embarrassed by the likes of the revived Colts. The loss looked much, much worse for Baltimore though, as Miami just didn't play well. Baltimore's weaknesses on their defense, the only thing really keeping them a legit team, were exploited, and you can be sure Pennington's going to be tempted to throw the deep ball on Sunday. Well, he'll be tempted...but chances are he'll pitch it to Ronnie Brown and let him chuck it long. McClain was brought back down to Earth, McGahee is still overrated, and McRice just hasn't really done anything. If the Ravens can't rely on their running game, they're going to have to rely on Joe Flacco, who is probably in the bottom tier of NFL quarterbacks right now. This season the Ravens should consider a learning process, and Miami might teach them a few lessons this Sunday.
James' Pick: Miami over Baltimore, 34-13
Adam's Pick: Baltimore over Miami, 21-13. Baltimore's too disciplined to fall for gadgets.
Fantasy Love: Willis McGahee
Fantasy Hate: Ricky Willaims
49ers @ Giants (-7)
James: Going into the season, there were a lot of things to like about the Niners. There hasn't been much to like about their last three games, all losses. The 49ers have proved they can beat bad teams, such as Seattle and Detroit, but that's it. The combined record of those teams so far...1-9. However, Cleveland was 1-3 going into Monday Night last week, and guess what team they surprised? Eli Manning and the G-Dudes. The Giants may have under prepared, but that seems unlikely considering they barely beat the Bengals in overtime a couple weeks before. They may have just played a poor game, or they may be starting their second half Giants slump early. This game should give us a better understanding of whether Monday was a fluke or not. If J.T. O'Sullivan can pick part the Giants secondary like Derek Anderson did, and Frank Gore can punish the defensive line, this could be a second big upset in a row. If not, and Eli Manning settles down, I see the New York Football Giants improving to 5-1 and guaranteeing a spot by themselves on top of the NFC East.
James' Pick: New York Giants over San Francisco, 45-28
Adam's Pick: Giants over Niners, 31-21
Fantasy Love: Brandon Jacobs
Fantasy Hate: JT O'Sullivan
Saints @ Panthers (EVEN)
Adam: So I'm typing this as the 1:00 games are starting, and I have no idea why in the world I'm watching Giants/Niners and not this game on FOX. The New England area needs to write a collective letter to the NFL and FOX and tell them that we actually don't care about the Giants. Meanwhile, the Panthers are playing for 1st place in the NFC South for the second week in a row. They have some reasons to worry this week, as the already ridiculous Drew Brees gets both Marques Colston and Jeremy Shockey back. To have a chance in this game, the Panthers need to control as much of the clock with their running game as possible and keep Brees and Bush off the field. I just don't see it being enough though.
Adam's Pick: Saints win, 34-21
James' Pick: New Orleans over Carolina, 35-16
Fantasy Love: Drew Brees, obviously
Fantasy Hate: Muhsin Muhammad
Lions @ Texans (-6)
James: Even if Houston lost against Miami last week, I'd still say they were undoubtedly the favorite to win this game. However, favorites mean nothing, and the Lions need to win sometime. I picked the Redskins over the Rams in a bloodbath, and that didn't work out so well. But let's face it, the Lions are bad, and they're only getting worse. Kitna's out for the season, and a lot of teams have better third string QB's than Detroit's starting gun now. I'm all for UConn players in the NFL making an impact, but I was thinking more for the future with Donald Brown, Darius Butler, and Scott Lutrus. Dan Orlovsky wasn't really at the top of my list. I don't even think Dan Orlovsky was at the top of Dan Orlovsky's list either. Roy Williams is gone to the Cowboys, which means one of Orlovsky's weapons that he wouldn't be able to hit from 5 yards away is lost. If you don't think Detroit's got a chance, just remember that they have to win sometime.
James's Pick: Houston over Detroit, 34-20
Adam's Pick: Houston wins it, 24-13
Fantasy Love: Andre Johnson
Fantasy Hate: Detroit Passing Game
Colts @ Packers (+3)
James: Bob Sanders is out, Kelvin Hayden is out, Joseph Addai is out. This spells disaster. Oh, except for the fact that Melvin Bullitt and Tim Jennings, Sanders and Hayden's backups, both got an interception last week, and combined for 17 tackles, 15 solo. Dominic Rhodes was 5 yards away from the season high for a Colts running back after taking over for Addai late in the first quarter. During the 2006 Super Bowl run, Rhodes was the starter, not Addai. The Colts have brought in Chad Simpson and Clifton Dawson to replace Addai and Hart. Both are familiar with Indy's system, so you won't have to worry about them not knowing the plays. I am however, upset Mike Hart is on injured reserve, as he just might be the next generation in great Colts running backs. Remember his name for next season. Simpson and Dawson aren't anything special, but they're effective, and against Green Bay's solid run defense, it'll probably be an air attack the entire game anyway. Notice I haven't even mentioned Peyton Manning or Reggie Wayne yet. The key to the Colts' winning this game is their deadly pass rush. If they can put pressure on Aaron Rodgers and force him into making bad throws that go for interceptions, the Colts will find themselves at 4-2 at the end of 60 minutes. The Packers will need to finally get some solid production out of Ryan Grant if they're going to break down the Colts' defense, but none of this matters if the same defense shows up this Sunday that showed up against the Ravens.
James' Pick: Indianapolis over Green Bay, 37-24
Adam's Pick: Colts win, 31-27
Fantasy Love: Dominic Rhodes, Ryan Grant
Fantasy Hate: Aaron Rodgers
Jets @ Raiders (+5)
James: The Jets can make a statement here if they put themselves at 4-2 and keep up with the AFC East pack. The Raiders can make a statement here if they do anything productive. Oakland's got a mediocre defense, and Brett Favre's put some big numbers up against mediocre defenses. The Jets have a surprisingly good defense this season that no one seems to be talking about, and it's a perfect fit to stop Oakland's run-only offense. They're 3rd in the NFL with 69 YPG allowed to running backs, so this will be a key matchup. If the Raiders can make something click with either McFadden, Fargas, or Bush, they could keep Brett Favre off the field and possibly wrangle the Jets. Get it, wrangle? Like the jeans? That Brett Favre wears? No? Ok. It's not as easy a matchup for the Jets as you might think, but the advantage definitely works to their favor. We'll see how Oakland works under the Tom Cable era. I'm sure if the Raiders continue to stink this season (which is as good a guarantee as there is in this game), Al Davis will find some way to blame this on Cable and not the fact that he is the biggest cancer to any team in any sport.
James' Pick: Oakland over New York, 16-9
Adam's Pick: Raiders beat the Jets, 21-17
Fantasy Love: Darren McFadden
Fantasy Hate: Bart Frave
Browns @ Redskins (-2.5)
Adam: If you listen to Kate, the Browns are the worst team to ever put on a football uniform. Apparently she's never heard of the Bay Area. When you look closer, you see a middle-of-the pack team, with a few players who have amazingly explosive but inconsistent talent. Last week, they exploded all over the Giants' faces, and shocked just about anyone. Meanwhile, the Zorn Stars were getting a bit ahead of themselves, and got blindsided by the winless Rams last week. This looks to be two teams who started the year the opposite of what was expected, and have been traveling in opposite directions since then. The Skins still have a stout Run-D, so Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards need to keep their progress moving. The weirdest storyline so far is the Kellen Winslow "mystery illness," which will keep him out again this week. If the Browns and their big, new defensive line can hold Portis in check, I say they take this one.
Adam's Pick: Browns win, 31-24
James' Pick: Washington over Cleveland, 42-28
Fantasy Love: Braylon Edwards
Fantasy Hate: Mantana Soss
Ok, it's getting late, so let's get to this week's games:
Chargers @ Bills (EVEN)
James: The Bills were finally cut down to size last game after Arizona shut down their offense and tore up their defense. Trent Edwards should be back though, which ought to get Buffalo's offense back on track. Marshawn Lynch has been disappointing so far this season, and he's going to need to step it up if the Bills want to keep the ball on the ground and away from San Diego's secondary. The Chargers punished New England last week, and are looking like the same team they were last year, if not better. Remember how San Diego started off slow in 2007 and it looked like they'd miss the playoffs after the first couple weeks...and then they became dominant? The Chargers take a while to wake up, but once they're wired, like they are now, they're tough to stop. Philip Rivers is improving and finding Vincent Jackson more and more. Chris Chambers may or may not play, but he hasn't been nearly as big a factor as his fantasy stats would show. Even with the talents of Tomlinson, the Chargers should be getting Darren Sproles in the mix, as he's filling in Michael Turner's role quite nicely. If the Bills win, expect a close game. If the Chargers win, it could be a blowout.
James' Pick: San Diego over Buffalo, 31-20
Adam's Pick: Bills win at home, 28-24, because even I admit beating New England doesn't make you a great team right now.
Fantasy Love: Lee Evans
Fantasy Hate: Vincent Jackson
Vikings @ Bears (-2)
James: The Vikes pulled away with a lucky call and a last second field goal last week against the Kitna-less Lions, and they've been anything but impressive this season. Their offense is about a quarter as productive as expected, and their defense has been on and off. To add to this, Brad Childress still doesn't look like he knows how to coach, which could be the reason for their offensive and defensive woes. Regardless of how they got there, Minnesota's still 3-3 and looking to at the very stay on top of the NFC North lead, with Chicago and Green Bay 3-3 also. The Bears are also looking to improve going into their bye week with Kyle Orton at the helm. If anything, Lovie Smith will never have to see clips of himself on TV stating "Rex Grossman is our quarterback" over and over again after this season. The Bears were recipients of a last second field goal defeat thanks to Atlanta last week, and need to stay above .500 if they're going to have any momentum for the second half of the season. These two teams will grind it out and win whatever way they can, which seems to be the norm for the NFC North this season.
James' Pick: Chicago over Minnesota, 16-6
Adam's Pick: Chicago wins 31-21 in a surprisingly offensive game
Fantasy Love: Kyle Orton
Fantasy Hate: Bernard Berrian
Steelers @ Bengals (+8)
Adam: As the 2-year owner of Willie Parker in my keeper league, I'm almost not even frustrated with these injuries anymore. I just accept they're going to happen. I really thought he'd be back for this game though, and I'll sadly be starting Mewelde Moore. Mewelde's a decent backup, and the Bengals are just the right team to make him look like a star. Big Ben is back to full strength as well, and you'll probably see a pass-heavy scheme today, especially with Moore being a skilled receiver out of the backfield (in 2006 he had 20 more receptions than rushing attempts!). On the other side, Ryan Fitzpatrick continues to start for the Tiggers. I saw in person Fitzpatrick in college, as he absolutely shredded my school's defense and led Harvard to a blowout win over Northeastern. Unfortunately, the only player to make it to the NFL from that Northeastern team was on the Bills' practice squad for one season... the Steelers are a bit more talented. The AFC is starting to look like business as usual.
Adam's Pick: Pittsburgh wins, 34-17
James' Pick: Cincy over Pittsburgh, 24-20
Fantasy Love: Ben Roethlisberger
Fantasy Hate: Cedric Benson
Titans @ Cheifs (+9)
Adam: Man, I am so torn about this game. It's smelled like upset city all week to me. Both of Tennessee's starting WR's are out... the Titans are talking about getting Vince Young back into the lineup... the Titan's are undefeated. I even had a dream last night where someone was saying to me "I can't believe Kansas City won!" But the more I look at it... especially with Larry Johnson being suspended for the game... I just can't bring myself to do it. I just don't see how Brodie Croyle and Kolby Smith are going to move the ball against Tennessee... I want to do it but... I just... I just can't.
Adam's Pick: Tennessee wins, 20-17
James' Pick: Kansas City takes it, 17-16 (apparently he's ballsier than me)
Fantasy Love: Chris Johnson
Fantasy Hate: Kolby Smith
Cowboys @ Rams (+7)
Adam: This one... I'm willing to be a little more bold about. Between busted Tony Romo and old-ass Brad Johnson, then the juggling act of getting Roy Williams and Terrell Owens balanced... the Cowboy's passing game will not be full-speed today. The Rams have the offensive talent to make lots of plays, and they finally look like they're going to use it. Plus they look ALL sorts of fired up behind their new coach. I'm telling you, upset city here.
Adam's Pick: St. Louis upsets Dallas, 27-24
James' Pick: Dallas over St. Louis, 20-13
Fantasy Love: Stephen Jackson
Fantasy Hate: Terrell Owens
Ravens @ Dolphins (-3)
James: Both teams are coming off of tough losses to AFC South teams last week. The Wildcats got shut down by a Houston team that I can guarantee you will not give up on this season, while the Ravens got downright embarrassed by the likes of the revived Colts. The loss looked much, much worse for Baltimore though, as Miami just didn't play well. Baltimore's weaknesses on their defense, the only thing really keeping them a legit team, were exploited, and you can be sure Pennington's going to be tempted to throw the deep ball on Sunday. Well, he'll be tempted...but chances are he'll pitch it to Ronnie Brown and let him chuck it long. McClain was brought back down to Earth, McGahee is still overrated, and McRice just hasn't really done anything. If the Ravens can't rely on their running game, they're going to have to rely on Joe Flacco, who is probably in the bottom tier of NFL quarterbacks right now. This season the Ravens should consider a learning process, and Miami might teach them a few lessons this Sunday.
James' Pick: Miami over Baltimore, 34-13
Adam's Pick: Baltimore over Miami, 21-13. Baltimore's too disciplined to fall for gadgets.
Fantasy Love: Willis McGahee
Fantasy Hate: Ricky Willaims
49ers @ Giants (-7)
James: Going into the season, there were a lot of things to like about the Niners. There hasn't been much to like about their last three games, all losses. The 49ers have proved they can beat bad teams, such as Seattle and Detroit, but that's it. The combined record of those teams so far...1-9. However, Cleveland was 1-3 going into Monday Night last week, and guess what team they surprised? Eli Manning and the G-Dudes. The Giants may have under prepared, but that seems unlikely considering they barely beat the Bengals in overtime a couple weeks before. They may have just played a poor game, or they may be starting their second half Giants slump early. This game should give us a better understanding of whether Monday was a fluke or not. If J.T. O'Sullivan can pick part the Giants secondary like Derek Anderson did, and Frank Gore can punish the defensive line, this could be a second big upset in a row. If not, and Eli Manning settles down, I see the New York Football Giants improving to 5-1 and guaranteeing a spot by themselves on top of the NFC East.
James' Pick: New York Giants over San Francisco, 45-28
Adam's Pick: Giants over Niners, 31-21
Fantasy Love: Brandon Jacobs
Fantasy Hate: JT O'Sullivan
Saints @ Panthers (EVEN)
Adam: So I'm typing this as the 1:00 games are starting, and I have no idea why in the world I'm watching Giants/Niners and not this game on FOX. The New England area needs to write a collective letter to the NFL and FOX and tell them that we actually don't care about the Giants. Meanwhile, the Panthers are playing for 1st place in the NFC South for the second week in a row. They have some reasons to worry this week, as the already ridiculous Drew Brees gets both Marques Colston and Jeremy Shockey back. To have a chance in this game, the Panthers need to control as much of the clock with their running game as possible and keep Brees and Bush off the field. I just don't see it being enough though.
Adam's Pick: Saints win, 34-21
James' Pick: New Orleans over Carolina, 35-16
Fantasy Love: Drew Brees, obviously
Fantasy Hate: Muhsin Muhammad
Lions @ Texans (-6)
James: Even if Houston lost against Miami last week, I'd still say they were undoubtedly the favorite to win this game. However, favorites mean nothing, and the Lions need to win sometime. I picked the Redskins over the Rams in a bloodbath, and that didn't work out so well. But let's face it, the Lions are bad, and they're only getting worse. Kitna's out for the season, and a lot of teams have better third string QB's than Detroit's starting gun now. I'm all for UConn players in the NFL making an impact, but I was thinking more for the future with Donald Brown, Darius Butler, and Scott Lutrus. Dan Orlovsky wasn't really at the top of my list. I don't even think Dan Orlovsky was at the top of Dan Orlovsky's list either. Roy Williams is gone to the Cowboys, which means one of Orlovsky's weapons that he wouldn't be able to hit from 5 yards away is lost. If you don't think Detroit's got a chance, just remember that they have to win sometime.
James's Pick: Houston over Detroit, 34-20
Adam's Pick: Houston wins it, 24-13
Fantasy Love: Andre Johnson
Fantasy Hate: Detroit Passing Game
Colts @ Packers (+3)
James: Bob Sanders is out, Kelvin Hayden is out, Joseph Addai is out. This spells disaster. Oh, except for the fact that Melvin Bullitt and Tim Jennings, Sanders and Hayden's backups, both got an interception last week, and combined for 17 tackles, 15 solo. Dominic Rhodes was 5 yards away from the season high for a Colts running back after taking over for Addai late in the first quarter. During the 2006 Super Bowl run, Rhodes was the starter, not Addai. The Colts have brought in Chad Simpson and Clifton Dawson to replace Addai and Hart. Both are familiar with Indy's system, so you won't have to worry about them not knowing the plays. I am however, upset Mike Hart is on injured reserve, as he just might be the next generation in great Colts running backs. Remember his name for next season. Simpson and Dawson aren't anything special, but they're effective, and against Green Bay's solid run defense, it'll probably be an air attack the entire game anyway. Notice I haven't even mentioned Peyton Manning or Reggie Wayne yet. The key to the Colts' winning this game is their deadly pass rush. If they can put pressure on Aaron Rodgers and force him into making bad throws that go for interceptions, the Colts will find themselves at 4-2 at the end of 60 minutes. The Packers will need to finally get some solid production out of Ryan Grant if they're going to break down the Colts' defense, but none of this matters if the same defense shows up this Sunday that showed up against the Ravens.
James' Pick: Indianapolis over Green Bay, 37-24
Adam's Pick: Colts win, 31-27
Fantasy Love: Dominic Rhodes, Ryan Grant
Fantasy Hate: Aaron Rodgers
Jets @ Raiders (+5)
James: The Jets can make a statement here if they put themselves at 4-2 and keep up with the AFC East pack. The Raiders can make a statement here if they do anything productive. Oakland's got a mediocre defense, and Brett Favre's put some big numbers up against mediocre defenses. The Jets have a surprisingly good defense this season that no one seems to be talking about, and it's a perfect fit to stop Oakland's run-only offense. They're 3rd in the NFL with 69 YPG allowed to running backs, so this will be a key matchup. If the Raiders can make something click with either McFadden, Fargas, or Bush, they could keep Brett Favre off the field and possibly wrangle the Jets. Get it, wrangle? Like the jeans? That Brett Favre wears? No? Ok. It's not as easy a matchup for the Jets as you might think, but the advantage definitely works to their favor. We'll see how Oakland works under the Tom Cable era. I'm sure if the Raiders continue to stink this season (which is as good a guarantee as there is in this game), Al Davis will find some way to blame this on Cable and not the fact that he is the biggest cancer to any team in any sport.
James' Pick: Oakland over New York, 16-9
Adam's Pick: Raiders beat the Jets, 21-17
Fantasy Love: Darren McFadden
Fantasy Hate: Bart Frave
Browns @ Redskins (-2.5)
Adam: If you listen to Kate, the Browns are the worst team to ever put on a football uniform. Apparently she's never heard of the Bay Area. When you look closer, you see a middle-of-the pack team, with a few players who have amazingly explosive but inconsistent talent. Last week, they exploded all over the Giants' faces, and shocked just about anyone. Meanwhile, the Zorn Stars were getting a bit ahead of themselves, and got blindsided by the winless Rams last week. This looks to be two teams who started the year the opposite of what was expected, and have been traveling in opposite directions since then. The Skins still have a stout Run-D, so Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards need to keep their progress moving. The weirdest storyline so far is the Kellen Winslow "mystery illness," which will keep him out again this week. If the Browns and their big, new defensive line can hold Portis in check, I say they take this one.
Adam's Pick: Browns win, 31-24
James' Pick: Washington over Cleveland, 42-28
Fantasy Love: Braylon Edwards
Fantasy Hate: Mantana Soss
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