Lucky is back this week hoping to duplicate my successful opening week where I went 10-5-1. Let’s kick it off!Week 2 SUPER PICKS
Redskins (-3) @ Giants: Holly cow. Just in: Clinton Portis is really that good. He alone could beat the Giants by more than three points. The Redskins new defensive scheme is blitz, blitz, blitz, and the Giants don’t have a quarterback or an offensive line that can handle that. The Skins roll big. In fact, I intend to place my own mortgage on this game, hoping to get Grandma back into her own house!
Game Date: 09/19/04 13:00 ET
Jets (-3) @ Chargers: Both the Chargers and the Jets looked good on opening weekend, starting off the season with wins. Don’t expect that trend to continue. The Jets are a good team, the Chargers are not. LaDainian Tomlinson ran wild against the Texans and might do it again against the Jets. But that alone will not suffice. For the Chargers to win, Drew Brees will have to play mistake free football for another week, and I just don’t see that happening. The Jet’s have a potent passing attack with Chan Pennington throwing the ball to Santana Moss, and will ride a rejuvenated Curtis Martin to victory.
Game Date: 09/19/04 16:15 ET
Seahawks (-2.5) @ Buccaneers: The Buccaneers looked hard for some offense last week and came up wanting. Scoring more points on defense than offense is now way to win football games. Seattle on the other hand, looked as good as advertised, beating the Saints by two touchdowns in New Orleans. Their young defense held Deuce MaCallister to 57 yards rushing and forced three turnovers. Look for the Seattle offense to improve in week two, and beat the Bucs by a touchdown.Game Date: 09/19/04 16:05 ET
Colts (+1) @ Titans: It’s hard to imagine the talented Colts at 0-2… so I won’t. The Colts will come back in week two and beat a formidable opponent in the Tennessee Titans. Edgerrin James looks like the Edge of old, running for over 140 yards against a good Patriot D in week one. Colts need a victory, and Lucky Lester says they’ll Edge one out here. Game Date: 09/19/04 13:00 ET
Lucky Lester’s Picks For Week Two
Broncos (-3) @ Jaguars: The Broncos really showed me something last week against the Chiefs. Jake Plummer can lead Shanahan’s offense down the field. Quentin Griffin is making people forget about Clinton Portis in Denver. The Bronco’s balanced attack is hard to defend against. Denver’s defense is hugely improved with the addition of Champ Bailey. The Jaguars won’t squeak this one out, and will get beat at home by a much more experienced Bronco squad.
Game Date: 09/19/04 13:00 ET
Steelers @ Ravens (-3.5): The Ravens are pissed, and a pissed off Ray Lewis is down right scary. Duce Staley is veteran enough to know, he’s in big trouble this Sunday. Jamal Lewis can’t be satisfied with 50 yards rushing, look for him to bounce back with help from Jonathan Ogden who’s back in the lineup.
Game Date: 09/19/04 13:00 ET
Texans (+3) @ Lions: Good news and bad news for the Lions last week. They finally won on the road, as I predicted, but unfortunately lost budding star receiver Charles Rogers for the year. But for some terrible bounces, David Carr would have led his team to victory in week one. Look for the bounces to even out and watch the Texans win in Detroit. Game Date: 09/19/04 13:00 ET
Bears @ Packers (-8.5): Bears can’t score if they don’t have the ball, and the Packers have been very piggish with that lately. Don’t expect undersized Brian Urlacher to hold his ground against a missive Green Bay ground assault. Ahman Green will run wild, and Brett Favre will sling it around. Green Bay in a land slide.
Game Date: 09/19/04 13:00 ET
49ers @ Saints (-7.5): Based on last weeks performance one would be inclined to take the Niners, but Lucky Lester knows San Francisco, and San Francisco sucks. Not to mention Miami’s own Ken Dorsey will be under center this Sunday. Never a good thing! Saints have got to be better then the Niners. Take the bitter pill and give the 7.5 points. Game Date: 09/19/04 13:00 ET
Rams @ Falcons (-2.5): This is a tough one. Both these teams looked terrible in their Victories last week. Sure, each team is 1-0, but only because they played the Arizona/San Francisco tandem that will be hard pressed to win ten games combined. Mike Vick only had 18 snaps in pre-season and should be greatly improved with a full game under his belt. Take Atlanta at home in this offensive dog fight.
Game Date: 09/19/04 13:00 ET
Panthers @ Chiefs (-6): The Panthers were dominated at home by the Packers stellar offensive line and star running back Ahman Green last week. Guess what? The Chiefs boast an even better offensive line and league scoring record holder Priest Holmes. Expect more of the same in Kansas City. Game Date: 09/19/04 13:00 ET
Browns (+4.5) @ Cowboys: The Browns took it to the Ravens vaunted defense in week 1. Jeff Garcia looked even more comfortable running the Brown offense then he thought he’d be. His young receivers ran up and down the field and William Green compiled 65 yards on the ground. The Cowboys run D isn’t as good as Baltimore, so Green should find bigger holes in Dallas.
Game Date: 09/19/04 16:15 ET
Patriots (-8) @ Cardinals: There isn’t a number under twenty the Cardinals would get that would persuade me to bet Arizona against a great Patriot team. I’ve got to give it to Arizona, they made up the spread against the Rams last week, and played tougher than expected. But, the Patriots aren’t the Rams, and I can’t imagine Bill Belichick will allow his team to look past Dennis Green’s young Cardinals. And don’t think for a minute that Emmitt Smith will gain 5.4 yards a rush against the Patriot run defense. Smith played well last week but should be slowed by a Patriots defense looking to improve from last weeks sub par performance. Watch the Patriots win their 17th in a row this Sunday. Game Date: 09/19/04 16:15 ET
Bills (+3) @ Raiders: The Bills dominated an improved Jaguar team nearly the entire game last week just to let them stumble down the field in the closing minute and steal a victory. But the Bills are better than advertised. Buffalo’s defense is one of the most underrated in the NFL and Drew Bledsoe looks like his old self again. The Raiders will fail to run against the Bills; Wheatley hasn’t proven himself and Justin Fargas just isn’t ready to carry the load. The Raider’s allowed Duce Staley to gain nearly 100 yards last week and Jerome Bettis scored 3 touchdowns. The Buffalo duo of Travis Henry and Willis McGahee are much younger and faster. Look for Buffalo to take advantage of the Raiders’ lack of cohesiveness. Bledsoe will find Lee Evens and Eric Moulds for big plays. I have to take the Bills and the points in Oakland. Game Date: 09/19/04 16:15 ET
Dolphins @ Bengals (-5): The Dolphins are a mess, they took two months to decide on a quarterback and then promptly benched him within thirty minutes, and now A.J. Feely is the starter. Lucky him. No running game, no passing attack, don’t invite me to that party. The Bengals Carson Palmer proved to be worthy of his hype, playing a solid game against a good Jets team in week 1. Cincinnati should notch their first win of the season, and the Dolphins should continue their hasty downward spiral. I take the Bengals at home, in fact if it weren’t for Miami’s stout defense, which might win them a game or two, they might have a shot at 0-16… Thanks Ricky!
Game Date: 09/19/04 20:35 ET
Vikings @ Eagles (-3): The Vikings couldn’t stop Vinny Testeverde’s Cowboys from racking up over 400 yards of offense, so there’s no doubt in my mind Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens will explode for close to 500 yards against the Viking defense. But neither defense could stop their opponent. The lowly Giants racked up over 400 yards against the Eagles last week. The Eagles had more trouble defending the run, but luckily for them the Vikings don’t have a running back. It’s on this stat alone and the fact that Philly’s playing at home that I take the Eagles in this big Monday Night Match-Up.
Game Date: 09/20/04 21:05 ET
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Lucky Lester