Redemption Week… 9-3-2 followed by 4-9… I’m up one win in two weeks. Not spectacular, but that makes me feel a little better considering the blunder-filled slap in the face I acquired in Week 6! This next week, I’m targeting a 10-3 record with a huge upset here and there, err, in Indianapolis…???Carolina (+3.5) at Cincinnati: Like I said last week, taking the Panthers as an underdog is like money in the bank. And since I’m all about some mo money, I have to put my chips on the Panthers. Carolina has a little momentum, in the form of Steve Smith (4 straight W’s) when Smith plays, and the Bengals are starting to fall to all the distractions that have plagued their club since the off season. Take the Panthers as dogs, always a solid bet.

Detroit at N.Y. Jets (-3.5): Losing Shaun Rogers to steroid use will demoralize a Lion defense that already looked up to Miami. That one key loss will blow up any momentum the Lions carried after their first win last week against the Buff. This game will be a shoot out, no doubt about that, but 10 points more from New York is no stretch.

Green Bay (+5) at Miami: The Packers don’t have much of a running game, but who can cure that health issue better than the Dolphins? As far as the Packer passing attack, I know for a fact that Old Gray Beard can still wing the rock. Greg Jennings has been fantastic in his rookie season, and The Donald should be back for this one as well. Don’t be stunned by the 2nd Packer win of the season, and just another loss in a long line of failures out of Miami.

Jacksonville (-9.5) at Houston: The Texans aren’t a popular pick here, and I can see why. Even without their stud linebacker, Mike Peterson, the Jaguars will still act as a wall against the Texans feeble ground game. In the secondary, Jax is better than advertised. A couple big plays here, some nice defensive stops, and you look up at the scoreboard to see the Jaguars up by 24 by the end of the 3rd quarter.

New England (-5) at Buffalo: Those pesky Patriots are up against another easy foe in Week 7. Is it just me or do the Patriots always seem to play bad teams? You have to go all the way back to 2002 to find the Pats losing a game after their bye week. After Sunday, you’ll still have to look that far back. Buffalo has tailed off recently, and although the Pats like to play close games, bye weeks are their babies. Good teams win, great coaches always win after their bye.

Philadelphia (-5) at Tampa Bay: Historically, the Eagles and Donovan McNabb often come back strong the week after a loss. Last year, they lost to Atlanta, the beat the Niners 42-3. They lost to Dallas, the beat San Diego. In ’04, they lost to Pittsburgh then promptly smashed the Cowboys 49-21. McNabb just hates losing, you can see it on his face, and when he just lost a game, he blows up the very next week. It’s not any different this year. Check the week after the Eagles lost to the Giants. Tampa isn’t ready for the Eagles, especially after dealing their top defensive tackle, Booger McFarland.

Pittsburgh at Atlanta (+2.5): The Falcons haven’t played well lately, and finally Big Ben Roethilisberger looks like he’s got everything back on track. Not this time. The Falcons will make big defensive plays, and absolutely shut down the Steeler running game. With too much defensive secondary speed, Atlanta will have all corners covered on way to a close win at home.

San Diego Chargers (-5) at Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs just don’t have the passing game to compete with the Chargers. I love Larry Johnson, hell, I even think he’s a better back than LT, but with SD dominating the poor O-Line in Kansas City, you can bet LJ will have another tough game between the tackles. Phillip Rivers is the real deal. It’s nice to see both he and Brees playing well this season.

Denver (-4.5) at Cleveland: I think Jake Plummer is very limited, and the Broncos (I mean Mike Shanahan) love to sit on a little lead and punish me for betting with them on a big spread. That being said, the Broncos defense could very well be too tough for the Brownies. Clevelands rushing attack is more of a tea party than an attack, and the Broncos are back to bashing heads on defense. Expect a low scoring 17 – 6 game in Cleveland.

Arizona (-3) at Oakland: Matt Leinart and the Cards get their second win of the season this week in Oakland. Arizona is bad, but everyone that has anything to do with even thinking about an egg shaped ball knows the Raiders are worse. Randy Moss, LaMont Jordan, I don’t give a damn. I have just as good a chance to win football games coaching that team as Art “freaking” Shell does. I’ve never seen a more pathetic team. This game should be a dandy! Puke.

Minnesota (+7) at Seattle: The Hawks are the better team, and they should pull a close one out at home against the Vikings, but in what should be a close game, I have to take the Vikings and a touchdown. With Stevey Hutch coming back to Sea Town, you can bet the Vikings can’t wait to run the ball. That will slow down the game, and since the Hawks haven’t done much to stop much recently, it should also produce some points for the Vikings. Brad Johnson won’t get the win, but he’ll keep his squad in it. A very underrated defense from Minnesota will limit the Hawks scoring. Take the points.

Washington (+10) at Indianapolis: Call me crazy, but after losing to the freaking Titans, the Redskins will finally wake up. Defensively, they’re too talented for the Colts to run the ball, and with Shawn Springs coming back, their secondary gets better too. I don’t know if Mark Brunell can still win big games, but he’ll find holes in that Colt defense. Clinton will run rapid, and maybe, just maybe, the Redskins will finish a job very similar to the one the Cardinals failed to complete last Monday Night. I like the Skins with 10 points.

N.Y. Giants (+3.5) at Dallas: I don’t like Dallas, never have, never will. TO is a gong show. This game will be a score fest. Neither defense can promise a stop at any point in the game. But with Stuck in Glue Drew back there for the Boys, you can bet a couple sacks, an interception and a fumble or two will set the Giants that much farther ahead of Dallas. With big turnovers in my mind, I have to expect an upset in Texas this week.

My best week of the season came just in time, making amends for my strugglesome week 5. 9-3-2 is a nice record, one I’ll take week in and week out. But I’m not going to settle for nice, I want perfect. Over the next 12 Weeks I’ll be on the ball attempting my 2nd perfect week in as many seasons. Check out my picks for this week, and let me know which ones you like the best. Keep it Championship! In the NFL’s first 13 game week since Houston entered the fray, and the Week of Friday the 13th, this should be one hell of a week.Buffalo (-1) at Detroit: I’ve seen a lot of Sports Books change this spread throughout the week. Detroit started out favored, but now the Lions have turned into the underdog, just where they belong. If I’ve learned anything over the last couple weeks, its that the Lions really know how to lose. I’m sure they’ll stay close in this game, but ultimately, they’re 0-5 for a reason. And where the hell is Mike Williams? I want to see him on the field, throw him some balls, and show me that he can’t play. He’s a playmaker.

Carolina (+3) at Baltimore: The Panthers love to be underdogs. Their record as an underdog in the last 3 seasons is amazingly good. Baltimore will struggle to score against a solid defense for the second week in a row. How poor will McNair have to play to remove blame from Kyle Boller’s shoulders over the past few seasons? Here’s a hint, it’s the coaching staff. Carolina has enough speed and playmaking ability to score on any defense in the league. They’ll show that against one of the leagues’ best in Baltimore.

Cincinnati (-5) at Tampa Bay: The Bengals will blitz Tampa Bay into oblivion. The Bucs have been my most disappointing team of the season, and I don’t see how that’s going to change this week at home against the Bengals. Carson Palmer needs to find Chad Johnson more often; get the ball to your playmakers. After getting throttled Week 4 against the Pats, everyone on the Bengals is ready to take steps in the right direction. Lucky for them they play the Bucs.

Houston (+14) at Dallas: Everyone and their mother has the Cowboys in this one, but don’t be confused, the Texans aren’t the Titans, and you can damn well bet that these two Texas teams will be battling it out down to the wire. Dallas isn’t that good, and Houston isn’t that bad. TO’s antics and Drew Bledsoe’s demise will have Dallas wondering what happened when the Texans nearly take them out.

N.Y. Giants (+3) at Atlanta: The Giants are the better team here. Finally New York is starting to play up to their talent level, and in this game their secondary won’t be tested. The Falcons don’t often do well in highly televised games, which this one definitely will be. Eli Manning will have a nice game against the Falcons, but ultimately, it will be Tiki Barber who steps up in Week 6.

Philadelphia (-3) at New Orleans: The Eagles, right now, are my pick to show up in the Super Bowl for the NFC. I know, with Kearse out, and Brian Westbrook a hit away from a 3-4 week injury you think I’m crazy. But with this team, and the players that are healthy now, the Eagles are much better than the Saints. Expect Drew Brees to get his hits as Philly blitzes early and often.

Seattle (-3) at St. Louis: With nothing left to do but sit and think about how horribly they played against the Bears, the Hawks had a bye week to think about what they had done. And after a week or two, they’ve realized that they did dick. Matt was terrible, the O-Line was bad, and the defense was downright pathetic. Expect Matt to have a 2 touchdown 0 interception game against the Rams while Seattle’s D takes a couple away from a Rams offense that has hardly turned the ball over all season. Basically, Marc Bulger is due.

Tennessee at Washington (-10): Even at 10 points, I will be rolling with the Redskins all the way. The Colts had a hard time with the Titans because they couldn’t run the football. If the Redskins can do anything, they can run. Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts, Roc Cartright… I don’t care, one, two, all of them will get touches and bring the ruckus against the Titans. I love Tennessee in the future, but right now is a whole different ball game.

Kansas City (+7.5) at Pittsburgh: The Chiefs are better than the Steelers right now. I told all y’all in my season preview that the Steelers would struggle after their Super season in 2005, but just now are you starting to believe me. Ben Roethlisberger will play better in this one, maybe even complete his first touchdown pass, but it won’t be enough to cover against a rejuvenated Chiefs team. Larry Johnson is an absolute beast, he’ll prove it by running on one of the leagues’ toughest defenses in Week 6.

Miami at N.Y. Jets (-1.5): With Joey Harrington at the helm, I just can’t admit that the Dolphins have a better chance to win. Everyone can throw on the Jets, but Joey will test that theory this week. Will we see the difference between Joey and everyone else? Hmm… Chad Pennington on the other hand, should have an easy time completing passes at home against the Dolphins. His accurate arm should pick apart one of the most porous secondaries in football.

San Diego (-10) at San Francisco: I can’t justify picking the 49ers here. Teams just can’t run on the Chargers, and if the 49ers try to pass, San Diego will go buck wild rushing them. Phillip Rivers will show his growth this week against a 49er team that allows big points to everyone they play. LT will have his best game of the season, and he’ll only play a little under 3 quarters of football. SD will cover the 10.

Oakland at Denver (-15): The Raiders will never be picked by me as long as the Walter shall Q, the Shell shall coach, and the (whose the damn O coordinator) shall call plays. This team is bad. Defensively, the Raiders are pretty solid, but they’ll be on the field a lot against Denver. In fact, a couple defensive scores out of the Broncos wouldn’t surprise me one bit. What has gone so wrong with the Raiders to be 15 point dogs against the Broncos? Thank goodness this game is on Sunday Night football so all can see it.

Chicago (-10) at Arizona: Once again, like the 49er game, I just can’t justify picking the Cardinals, even if the spread was 20. I just don’t see the Cards doing anything against the Bears’ defense, and Chicago should be playing with Arizona defenders like cats play with mice before they claw them. It’s only a matter of time before Dennis Green puts Kurt Warner in just to see what it looks like when Kurt gets decleated by Brian Urlacher. I can see it now…. Kurt Warner came in for one play and got… JACKED UP!!

Here’s to building on a big week 5. Perfection here we come!

After a blundering stumble last week, you can bet I’m doing my damnedest to get back on track with my first HUGE WINNER of the young season. I’m only a couple games down on the year, overall, but I’m itching to celebrate. Read ’em and take ’em!Buffalo Bills (+12) @ Chicago Bears: A little bird on my shoulder tells me I’m dead wrong about this game, and the Dolphins game (read below) but I’m not much for listening to feather-headed seed-eaters, so let me explain. Despite the world’s declaration that the Bears are the best team in the NFC, and the world for that matter, I think they are very similar to the Minnesota Vikings. The Bills are much better than people think, as they haven’t been had by more than 10 points all season long, and their defense is getting better and better. A let down after last week’s big win over the Hawks is bound to bully the Bears. Unlike the Hawks, the Bills will have a workhorse to keep the chicago secondary honest. That fact alone will keep this game closer than 10 points.

Cleveland Browns @ Carolina Panthers (-8): I’m worried about the Panthers covering here, because I think the Browns are very similar to Tampa Bay, but, now the Panthers have a healthy Steve Smith, as he has seemingly invigorated the entire offense. Steve’s first game back against the Bucs was a little slow, but now he’s really back. The running game is more productive, and Jake Delhomme looks better as well. The Bucs have a better defense than the Browns, so expect a bigger margin of victory here. With the ability to run the ball, the Panthers will get out to an early lead, and be able to hold it. The Panthers will get their 1st convincing win of the season, reminding people why many had them picked to see the Super Bowl.

Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings (-6.5): I would like to choose the Lions here, because the Vikings have hit a wall offensively, and the Lions have show offensive production over the last two weeks, but this isn’t a week-by-week league, this is football, and honestly, nobody should care what the Lions did against the Packers and Rams. And they still loss by 7 in each of those games. I think Minnesota is close to Chicago, though I seem to be the only one, and because of that, I expect the Lions to be held in check while Minnesota will find plenty of holes to run in at home. Chester Taylor will be ready and roaring to sprint out of the gates after last weeks 10 rush 23 yard performance against Buffalo. It’d be nice to see Mike Martz get off the snide this week, but… Actually, I hope that idiot doesn’t win a game all year. Basically, it’s not going to happen, and people will start to see how good the Vikings can be in Week 5.

Miami Dolphins (+10.5) @ New England Patriots: That little bird once again expects to see me lose this contest. The Patriots are too strong, and the Dolphins lost to the freaking Texans. Ah, but look closer into the magic ball young feathery fellow. The Dolphins’ talent is obviously there. They struggle on the offensive line, but coaching can quell that, shorter drops, more running plays. So all the need is a wake-up call. How about a loss to the freaking Texans? Yes, that’ll do just fine. Miami knows going into this game, they can’t freelance and win against New England. They’ll play tough, they’ll probably get the win over a very overrated Patriots team that is coming off a huge win over Cincinnati.

St. Louis Rams (-2) @ Green Bay Packers: I don’t know what the Packers did to get any respect, but I’d take any team, sans the Titans and Raiders, at 2 point favorites over the Packers. New Rams’ coach, Scott Linehan, won’t let his squad play like they did against another cellar dweller, San Fran, so expect them to be ready for the Pack. The Rams are a pretty solid team, one that will run with success on nearly ever team in the league, (Especially Green Bay), and it’s not as if Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, and Marc Bulger are limited through the air, either. If there’s one thing the Packers can’t do, it’s win football games over well balanced solid football teams. The Rams aren’t great, they surely aren’t flashy, but a three-touchdown win in Green Bay wouldn’t surprise me one little bit.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+7) @ New Orleans Saints: Call me crazy, but it’s happened before. Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady, Charlie Frye, Kyle Orton, and this week Bruce Gradkowski. Those first three guys came in early, and gave their teams a fighting chance. I’m not jumping on the “Bruce is the next Brady, of Big Ben” bandwagon, but I know he throws accurately, and the rest of the Bucs will be giving a million percent to try and get their first win in 4 tries. Defensively, the Bucs are probably the best team the Saints have faced this season. Brees will have trouble, and though the Bucs might not get the W, they will cover that mighty spread.

Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts (-18): Last season, the Titans were destroyed by the Colts 31-10 and 35-3 in two AFC games. Something tells me these games won’t be that close. With Big Al getting suspended for 5 games by the league, the Titans will struggle stopping Indy’s rush attack, even. Last season, the games would have been farther apart, except that the Colts had Edge to pound some time off the clock. This year, Manning will pass and the Titans will suffer. I hate 18 point spreads unless we’re talking college football, but this is a bet I have to take.

Washington Redskins @ New York Giants (-4): This is a tough one, but sooner or later you’d have to bet the Giants will put at least 2 solid quarters together. If they do that, they’ll upend the Redskins in New York. Eli Manning is more accurate this season, and if the coaching staff can eliminate their own mistakes, Eli will benefit. This is a great rivaly game in the NFC East, and a loss here would mean almost sure death for the Giants who would fall to 1-3. I think the Redskins will finish ahead of New York, but in this one, the Giants have more to play for. Give the Giants the nod at home over Washington.

Kansas City Chiefs (-3) @ Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals really struggle against run first teams. The Chiefs just happen to be a run first, run second, and run or pass 3rd type of team. Arizona barely beat a very bad 49er team in Week 1, and have lost 3 straight since then. Contrary to many popular beliefs, starting a rookie quarterback who missed all of training camp, and most of the preseason, isn’t an upgrade, even from turnover happy, Kurt Warner. Expect the Chiefs to have a week similar to last week.

New York Jets @ Jacksonville Jaguars (-7): The Colts beat the Jaguars by 7, and the Colts only took the Jets by 3, so you’d think I’d roll with New York, but, ah ha, you’re wrong. Like I said before the Jags/Colts game, Jacksonville is the better team. At home, they’ll prove their worth by promptly stomping New York. Their defense is too good, and offensively, Jacksonville will be able to run and pass efficiently. Take the Jags, even with this huge spread.

Oakland Raiders @ San Francisco 49ers (-3): Like I said last week, I’ll take anyone against the Raiders. Andrew Walter just showed me how bad he is throwing the ball, and once the 49ers figure that out (their coaching staff is smart – they should already know that) they will put 9 guys in the box and limit LaMont Jordan’s rushing room all day long. San Fran isn’t a good football team, but they can run, pass, and once in a blue moon, they can defend. Expect the only easy victory the 49ers will have all season long.

Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles (-1): The Eagles will have Brian Westbrook back for this game, that’s why the Eagles held him out against the pathetic Packers. They knew they could handle Brett and his boys without their best offensive weapon, so they rested Westbrook for the Dallas showdown. The Eagles are the better team here, as they’ll show early and often. It should be one hell of a game, with TO and Donovan, and the Eagle D, and all that good stuff that should be all over Sportcenter all week long. But take the Eagles at home in a game I can’t believe they’re only getting a point in. Has Dallas really shown that they are better than Philly? I sure as hell don’t think so. If the Eagles can play 4 quarters strong, and I’m sure they’ll be up for the task with TO in town, they will pistol whip the Cowboys on Sunday afternoon.

Pittsburgh Steelers (+3.5) @ San Diego Charges: Pittsburgh at 1-3 isn’t something I think will happen. Though I have to say, the Chargers will be spitting blood and guts after last weeks tumble to the Ravens. They’ll be ready for Big Ben and the Steelers. The thing that catches my eye here is the Steelers after a bye. They don’t lose. The last two seasons, with Big Ben at the helm, the Steelers have beaten San Diego last year, and New England the year before that, after the bye week. For Coach Cowher and Mr. Weisenhunt, a week off only allows them to schematically dominate the football game. Pittsburgh isn’t headed to the Super Bowl, but they remain a good football team. Expect Big Ben to play better after the two weeks he had to get ready.

Baltimore Ravens @ Denver Broncos (-3.5): After flirting with disaster the last two weeks, (15-14 win over Browns and 16-13 comeback over San Diego) the Ravens will finally fall to the Broncos. First of all, and I hate to bet on something as ridiculous as this, but, Mike Shanahan and the Broncos always win on Monday Night Football. I think the Ravens are better than Denver, but on this night, at home in the cool air of Colorado. Denver, like Pittsburgh, is money after a bye week, (they’ve won their last 3 by a combined score of 102-38). Baltimore owns this match-up, but you can only play with fire so long. A nice wake-up call here for Baltimore, and a Broncos stomping will be exactly that, should get the Ravens out of their offensive slump. Take Denver because the mouse man always wins on Monday Night.

After a stunningly poor performance by the Falcons on Monday Night Football, I recorded my first losing week of the season. 6-7-1 isn’t any way to exert my football expertise, but I still rest above .500 after 3 weeks have passed, and with a solid week 4, I’ll be head and shoulders above the rest.Arizona Cardinals (+8) at Atlanta Falcons: At first site, I was taking the Falcons all the way in this one, but history tells me I should head another direction. Last season, after losing to a Packer team that had no right to be on the same field as Atlanta, the Falcons finished the season 2-5 and out of the playoffs. Obviously I haven’t given the Saints enough street cred, but Atlanta’s psyche has to be tortured after Monday’s hideous performance. Arizona can put up offensive numbers, and the Falcons often struggle with offensive football teams. These facts have me taking Arizona.

Dallas Cowboys (+8.5) at Tennessee Titans: The TO fiasco brings all types of feelings into the game in Tennessee. I really think this is good for the Cowboys though, if that sounds weird let me explain. All year, the Boys have been waiting for TO to saddle up so they could ride him to the Super Bowl. Now that he’s on medical watch, they’ll just have to get right down to business and use the talent and football know-how they’ve got. TO or not. Dallas should kill a lesser Titan squad.

Indianapolis Colts (-9) at N.Y. Jets: The Colts didn’t play awesome football against the Jags last week, yet they still took the win. This week, they should play better against a Jet team that isn’t as good as their record shows. The Colts are just about 20 Tetris levels above the Jets. New York will still put up some points, but Peyton, Marvin, Reggie and company should find wide open spaces in that Jet defense.

Miami Dolphins (-3.5) at Houston Texans: Miami is much better than they’ve played. Obviously all of the Super Bowl sleeper talk everyone was whispering to start the season was a little bit much, but Miami will start to gel, and maybe even Daunte “Baby Hands” Culpepper will remember how to hold a football. When that happens, and as Mark Brunell showed last week, there’s now better week to remember how to throw a football than when you play Texas, the Dolphins will begin their run to dethrone the Patriots hold on the AFC East.

Minnesota Vikings (+1.5) at Buffalo BIlls: The Bills have played solid football over the first three weeks only 1 win to show for it. JP Losman is getting better, and Willis McGahee has turned into a yardage machine, but this week at home against the Vikings, they’ll be in for a treat. Minnesota’s defense is much better than any of the three teams they’ve faced thus far. If I know one thing, it’s that young quarterbacks, sans Charlie Frye, struggle mightily against top defenses. The Vikings will shut down the Bill rushing attack, making Losman beat them. I don’t think JP can do that. The Vikings will win this game.

New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers (-7): The Saints will struggle emotionally after their huge victory over the Falcons on Monday Night Football in their first home game since Hurricane Katrina. As much as they were pumped to play on Monday, they’ll be exhausted on Sunday against a Carolina team that will only get better as the season moves forward. Steve Smith is back, and the Panther defense remains sturdy. I don’t like the touchdown difference, but I’ve got to take the Panthers here.

San Diego Chargers at Baltimore Ravens (+3): After nearly getting had by the lowly Cleveland Browns, the Ravens will do all they can to attack first year starter, Phillip Rivers, early and often on Sunday morning. If the Ravens can disrupt Rivers, while limiting LaDainian Tomlinson’s effectiveness early, both things I think they’ll do, they should get out to a lead early. I don’t think Rivers is ready to come back from an early deficit, so I’ve got to take the Ravens at home in this one. I still can’t believe they are underdogs.

San Francisco 49ers (+7) at Kansas City Chiefs: The 49ers will never quit, and so this game should remain close throughout. Trent Green is out another week, so the Chiefs will once again rely on career backup Damon Huard for their quarterbacking needs. Larry Johnson will definitely score his first touchdown of the season, but don’t expect a high scoring game in Kansas City. Herman Edwards likes to pound it out on the ground. The Chiefs are limited without Green at quarterback. And the 49ers just flat out don’t score often. A close game means take the dog and all those points.

Detroit Lions at St. Louis Rams (-5): After nearly upsetting the Hawks in Week 1, the Lions have deteriorated swiftly, taking form into the Lions of old. Offensively, Detroit is improving, but defensively, they are eroding into a porous sieved. Yes, they are stopping nothing. Not even the Packers. The Rams haven’t looked great, but their passing attack looks improved, and their rushing game is still strong. Defensively, they run around well, and make plays. Against the Lions, that means turnovers. Turnovers mean points, and the Rams will take advantage of all that meaning. Take St. Louis at home in this one.

Cleveland Browns (-2.5) at Oakland Raiders: Until proven otherwise, I have to take anyone playing the Raiders, especially an improving Browns team that has really played pretty well for a team with an 0-3 record. The Raiders suck, so don’t expect them to be the first team of the two to record a win. I’m not sure if Andrew Walter’s 30% completion percentage is the improvement everyone thinks it is in Oakland. It’s not Aaron Brooks’ fault that the coaching staff doesn’t know their lips from their man-tits. I don’t mean to be vulgar, but Art Shell has a nice C-cup, and his offensive coordinators look as though they’ve been coaching high school soccer for the last 10 years. This team is bad.

Jacksonville Jaguars (-2.5) at Washington Redskins: The Jaguars showed the world how good they could be when they dominated the time of possession and ran all over the Colts in the first quarter of last weeks game. Then they promptly began to suck it up on route to losing the game. Jacksonville is nearing the end of a very difficult opening schedule, as they’ll head home next week after playing the Redskins on Sunday. Jacksonville will be 3-1, and on their way to big things. Washington hasn’t showed me they can play good football against anyone besides the Houston Texans. And like I always say, everyone looks good in practice, which is basically what playing the Texans is like. Brunell won’t be breaking any records this week, let me assure you of that. Take the Jags, because they are much better than the Skins.

New England Patriots at Cincinnati Bengals (-5.5): The Bengals are the best team in football right now. When Carson Palmer starts throwing the ball to Chad Johnson, the Bengals will be sick. Until then they’ll just have to settle for the #1 spot in my rankings. I don’t know how the Patriots plan on winning this game. Their offense is pathetic this season, defensively, they aren’t even dreaming of stopping Palmer and the Bengals, and special teams doesn’t give them an advantage either. Soon the Patriots are going to have to pay someone besides Tom Brady and Richard Seymour. Losing Branch was huge, much bigger than his 998 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns looks on paper. The Bengals in a blowout. Pats 2-2 with wins against Buffalo and New York… Ah…. Feels good.

Seattle Seahawks (+3.5) at Chicago Bears: People are writing the Hawks off because Shaunna Alexander is OUT. Come one folks, Maurice Morris causes just as much concern as a starting back. Not because of his running ability, because obviously Shaun is the superior runner, but because of his pass catching prowess. Mo Morris can catch the ball and explode up field. His quickness should help the Hawks superior receiving corps look like the greatest show in the NFC against a supposedly tough Bears defense. Watch the Hawks surprise the NFL on way to 4-0.

Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles (-11): The Packers are 0-8-2 ATS in their last 10 games on grass. The Pack is 1-7-2 ATS in their last 10 overall. On the other hand, the Eagles are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 home games and 2-7 ATS when playing opponents with a losing record. This game will be one more win for the Packers. Eleven points are a ton, if the Eagles were playing any team but the Packers. After getting a W last week, the Packers will have a Monday Night hangover in Philadelphia. McNabb and the Eagles should run the Pack out of town.

So far in this young season, half the favorites have covered, and naturally, that means half the underdogs have done the same. I didn’t know that before I picked Week 3’s games, so it’s just a coincidence that I picked 7 favorites and 7 dogs, precisely half and half. As much as it is just coincidence, I’m taking it as a sign. Let the wild rumpus begin… 14-0 here I come!!!Carolina Panthers (-3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1:00 p.m. – Talk about the game of complete disappointment. Neither of these teams has any right going 0-3, yet its as sure as shit one will. It looks like Steve Smith will be out again for Carolina, but I have to his Panthers anyway. The way I see it, if the Bucs can’t run against the likes of Atlanta, Carolina will shut them down easily. Relying solely on Chris Simms to win NFL games isn’t the thing to do. Expect a low score, some hard hits, and a Panther W.

Chicago Bears (-4) at Minnesota Vikings 1:00 p.m. – The Bears have looked tough early in the season, and although that has a little to do with their sub-par opponents, they’ve shown me some offense to go with that stellar defensive unit. Minnesota is the Bears’ toughest challenger in the weak NFC North and home-field advantage shouldn’t be taken lightly, but I think the Bears have enough to clip the Vikings in Minnesota. It doesn’t hurt that Minnesota has had to play 2 down to the wire games. Chicago is rested and ready to roll.

Cincinnati (+3) at Pittsburgh 1:00 p.m. – Now Carson Palmer gets to show the world what would have happened had his knee held up in the playoffs last year. The way Big Ben threw the ball on Monday night made me feel like Nostra-freaking-Domus for God’s sake. He’ll still be rough around the edges in Week 3’s match-up with the Bengals. He’ll be better, but not good enough to take the AFC’s best. You heard me… The Bengals are tied for the best team in the league with the Jaguars. Yep, write it down, quote it, roll it up, smoke it, I don’t care. Cinci stays undefeated as the Steelers fall to 1-2.

Green Bay at Detroit (-6.5) 1:00 p.m. – I can’t believe I’m doing this, but I’m taking the Lions as a touchdown favorite. Ugh. The Packers just don’t have enough talent on the offensive line to win football games. Even when Brett throws well, the O-Line’s weakness finds a way to irk its way out into the open and kill Green Bay’s tiny little hope of victory. Plus, the Packers are much worse defensively than I originally thought. It’s impossible to take the Packers against NFL competition, even though the Lions just barely qualify.

Jacksonville (+7) at Indianapolis 1:00 p.m. – I stated earlier that the Jags and Bengals were the best teams in the AFC. So, I might as well stick to my guns in this game. Byron Leftwich can huck a pigskin a country mile, and that damn thing is always accurate. His receivers have proven to be capable of overmatching opposing defenses with their elite size, and Fred Taylor looks as good as I’ve seen him in a long time. Peyton Manning has played well, but this Jag defense isn’t the Houston Texans. In fact, they might be the best D in football. The Colts haven’t been able to run against anyone. Sunday will be no different. The Jaguar front 4 will easily shut down the Colts rushing attack, leaving plenty of help in the secondary to disrupt Peyton. 7 points is too many in this contest.

N.Y. Jets at Buffalo (-5.5) 1:00 p.m. – The Jets aren’t a very good football team, but then again, neither are the Bills. Yet, both teams have a victory this season. J.P. Losman and Chad Pennigton have both impressed me quite a bit. I never thought I’d say this, but this game should be a high scoring affair. With the Bills possessing a solid rushing attack, they should out shoot the Jets in Buffalo. Willis McGahee or Kevan Barlow? Hmmm…

Tennessee at Miami (-10.5) 1:00 p.m. – Oh, you tricky little lines-makers, you can’t trick good Old Lucky. The Dolphins have looked bad, yet still they are favored by 10.5. Does that tell you how bad Tennessee must be? Even Daunte Culpepper will look like he has normal sized hands in this one. Wide-open spaces haunt the Titan’s defense while too much youth on offense, and Kerry “Pabst Blue Ribbon” Collins, make for some suicidal turnovers in Tennessee. Miami is better than they’ve showed. That won’t last for long. Look for them to showoff Sunday.

Washington (-4) at Houston 1:00 p.m. -The Redskins are 0-2 after a dismal outing on Monday Night against their rival Cowboys. I don’t know if they’ll play much better throughout the season, but this week they play Houston. With Clinton Portis back, things should open up in the passing game, and the rushing attack will obviously show more power and explosion. Look for Houston to put up a fight early, watch the Redskins take over in the second half.

Baltimore (-6.5) at Cleveland 4:05 p.m. – The Ravens are 14 points better than the Browns at the very least. Hell, I’d take them at -6.5 with Kyle Boller at the helm. Cleveland will play hard from start to finish, but that’s not enough in this league. Baltimore is a close number 3 to in the AFC, and they’ll continue to show their dominance on Sunday. I’d love to see Jamal Lewis go off for something close to his 295-yard performance 2 years ago against Cleveland. That was fantastic.

N.Y. Giants at Seattle (-3.5) 4:15 p.m. – This is a tough one, but I’ve got to believe Eli Manning will struggle with the Hawks defensive schemes. Picture the first 3 quarters of the Eagles – Giants game. Seattle really brings it at the quarterback. This game is always a great one, and I expect no different this time around. Last years’ top rushers, Shaun Alexander and Tiki Barbar, going head to head in Seattle… Brilliant! But Matt Hasselbeck’s supreme accuracy will be the reason he and the Hawks down Eli Manning’s Giants.

Philadelphia (-6) at San Francisco 4:15 p.m. – After the Eagles molted against New York in Week 2, they’ll be looking to get back on their flight path early and often. Don’t expect them to take it easy on an inferior 49ers team either. After letting up late last week, they’ve probably learned a nice little lesson or two. Even without Javon Kerse, the Eagles defense should scare the piddle-and-poo out of Alex Smith. Frank Gore will still run, but Philly should dominate on the road like last season when they scored just under a billion against the Niners.

St. Louis (+4.5) at Arizona 4:15 p.m. – The Cardinals looked like a rust covered ’73 FORD pick-up against the Hawks in Week 2. The Rams looked like hopeless little fragile sheep against the 49ers. What to do? I think the Cards will have trouble with rushing teams all year long, something the Rams will do early and often on Sunday. Steven Jackson has yet to score a touchdown this season, but that shouldn’t last as I expect 2 from him in Week 3. With the Cards trying and failing to stop Jackson, Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce will be practicing end-zone celebrations on the sidelines. Can’t wait to see them in action.

Denver (+7) at New England 8:15 p.m. – What New England has done to be a touchdown favorite here, I’ll never know. 3 Super Bowls in 4 years doesn’t mean jack this season, that’s for sure. So was it their lucky 2-point victory over the Mighty Bills? Or was it the way they nearly let their 24-point lead slip away against the Powerful Jets? Right. Denver hasn’t looked good, but don’t let them fool you, they’ll be up for the challenge in Foxborough. I’ll be surprised if the Patriots win this game.

Atlanta (-3) at New Orleans 8:30 p.m. – I can’t even begin to understand how in the hell the line-makers came up with this one. Drinking whisky at a Mexican food joint all night? Eating paint-chips? Huffing rubber cement? Honestly, 3 points, that’s it? The Falcons are 2-0 against teams such as the Panthers and the Bucs, winning both by more than a touchdown. New Orleans is undefeated against the Browns and Packers, each game decided by a touchdown or less. I’m not even going into and analysis details. Take the Falcons in a beat-down!

I’m not happy to the point of drunken parties, strippers, and huffing easy cheese, but it’s nice to be a Week 1 winner. 9-6-1 isn’t the best record in the game, it won’t get me to the playoffs, but it will make me some cash. With my extra cake, I bought Yani’s Greatest Hits, sat down at my Mac and took a little extra time to study this weeks’ games. After much thinking, a headache, and a smashed CD, I’m done. If this week turns out a big winner, I’m headed back to the classical section for some Yo-Yo Ma. This is how the story goes…Buffalo Bills (+8) at Miami Dolphins 1:00 p.m. – Last season… (Famous last words) The Bills took down the Dolphins 20-14, and then lost 23-24 at Miami. In those two games, the Bills played very well. This season, Buffalo is much improved, while the Dolphins struggled in Week 1’s opener against Pittsburgh. I’m not saying the Dolphins will fall to 0-2, I’m just not willing to say the Bills will lose by more than a touchdown.

Carolina Panthers (-2) at Minnesota Vikings 1:00 p.m. -?The Panthers struggled in their opener, but with Steve Smith back in the fray, and the fact that many are writing off the Panthers after just a week, should mean the Panthers get a much needed win in Minnesota this week. The Vikings are coming off a win, but they aren’t on the same level as Carolina. A close victory here should catapult the Panther hopes.

Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals (-10) 1:00 p.m. -?The Browns looked bad against one of the leagues’ worst defenses. The Bengals defense was stout against Larry Johnson and the Chiefs. Things don’t always equal out, but those two factors should make for a Bengal domination game. Carson Palmer will open up this week, and that shouldn’t help the Browns’ cause. After many people worrying the Bengals would tumble out of the gates, 2-0 looks like a sure thing.

Detroit Lions (+9.5) at Chicago Bears 1:00 p.m. -?Those pesky Lions almost sank the Seahawks ship last week in Detroit, but points were tough to come by, and they lost by a field goal. This week, another loss via field goal is on the horizon. The Lions’ defense is too tough to yield many scores to the Bears, while the Bears defense is good enough to keep the Lions point total low as well. A lion win isn’t out of the question, but a Bears killing is, so take the points and roar with the Lions. Last year, Ten of the Bears 16 regular season games were decided by 10 points or less.

Houston Texans (+14) at Indianapolis Colts 1:00 p.m. – Though this is tough for me, I’m taking Houston. The Texans played a plethora of close games last season, and this season shouldn’t be any different. Their defense is improving, and their offense will click more and more as the season goes on. The Texans aren’t a popular choice here, but 14 points is too many. Ten of the Texans 2005 games were decided by 14 points or less, and both games against the Colts were closer than the final score indicated. Without a running back like Edge to control the clock, I think the Colts will play more close games this season.

New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers (+2.5) 1:00 p.m. – Once again, the Packers aren’t the sexy choice in this one, but I have a feeling they might just pull it out. New Orleans is anything but strong on either side of the ball, and the Packer D is much better than people think. At home in what all but promises to be his last season opener, Brett will likely show the world why he’s going to the Hall of Fame. The Saints won’t pressure Brett like Chicago did, so he’ll have time to use that cannon of his. Don’t bet the barn, but I predict a Packer win.

N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5)1:00 p.m. -?The Giants played tough against the Colts, but they couldn’t pull it out. That’s too bad, because a loss to the powerful Eagles in Philly would take the Giants to 0-2. The Eagles should play better defense with more on the line this week, while Eli Manning will be pressured by Philly’s D. The Eagles are the class of the NFC East. They’ll back that up in Week 2.

Oakland Raiders at Baltimore Ravens (-7) 1:00 p.m. -?The Ravens are giving more and more points as the day moves forward. There’s still a couple big sites selling Baltimore at (-7) but time is running out, so make your move fast. Even at (-10 or -11) I think the Ravens are the best bet here. Unless the Raiders are going up against the Stanford Cardinal I wouldn’t take them (+7) ever again. Poor play calling, dropped balls, and inferior talent should be three main factors in another blowout of the Raiders.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+6.5) at Atlanta Falcons 1:00 p.m. – The Buc starts here. After getting blasted by the Ravens, the Bucs will put up a better fight against Mike Vick and the Falcons. Nearly half of Atlanta’s games last season were decided by 7 points or less. Tampa took down Atlanta twice last season, both times by a field goal. Cadillac Williams will find more room to run in Atlanta, while the Falcon running game will slow down against Gruden’s Buccaneer front. Take the Bucs and all those points.

Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks (-6.5) 4:05 p.m. -?The Hawks didn’t show much last week in Detroit, but they did get the victory. This week, the Hawks should get back on track against a Cardinal sieved. Frank Gore ran all over Arizona, and Alex Smith threw for 288 yards. What will the Hawks do? Well, last season in two games against Dennis Green’s Cards, Seattle scored 70 points while only allowing 31. Arizona may be improved, but sliding by the Niners doesn’t impress me. A little boost from the addition of Deion Branch should start the engines in Seattle.

St. Louis Rams (-3) at San Francisco 49ers 4:05 p.m. -?The Rams are better than the 49ers. St. Louis’ win over the Broncos wasn’t a fluke. Their new smash mouth running game, and their sack happy defense should run Alex Smith for a loop. Frank Gore should stay on track for San-Fran, but Marc Bulger will find room in the Niner secondary, and St. Louey should easily elude the 49ers on way to their 2nd win of the season.

Kansas City Chiefs (+11) at Denver Broncos 4:15 p.m. – What did the Broncos do to become an 11 point favorite? Nothing, that’s what. Sure, the Chiefs lost their starting QB, and Damon Huard isn’t necessarily a top tier back up. On the other hand, if the Rams showed us anything about the Broncos, it’s that you can smash mouth a running game right into their teeth and put up enough points to win. I’d say Larry Johnson is a bit of a smash mouth guy. Don’t be surprised if the Broncos start the season 0-2 for the first time in more than 5 years.

New England Patriots (+5.5) at N.Y. Jets 4:15 p.m. -?The Jets beat the Titans, but then again, the Titans are bad. New England isn’t bad, and though they aren’t the powerhouse they once were, they’ll easily dismantle a Jets team that has no running game to speak of. New England, I’m sorry to say, should be 2-0 after the first two weeks of the NFL season. Chad Pennington won’t be throwing for 300 yards and 2 touchdowns this week.

Tennessee Titans at San Diego Chargers (-10.5) 4:15 p.m. -The Chargers should open up the passing game this week in San Diego. Last week Chad Pennington of all people, threw for 300 yards and a couple scores as the Jets got a victory. The Jets… San Diego’s defense destroyed the Raiders, which isn’t saying much, but it’s not a stretch to think they’ll have zip-ties on the New York attack. 10.5 is a ton of points, but I can’t take the Titans. In fact, if Tennessee scores more than a touchdown and a field goal in San Diego I’ll fly to Tennessee next week and give Coach Fischer a hand shake.

Washington Redskins (+6) at Dallas Cowboys 8:15 p.m. -?The Redskins lost to a Minnesota team that’s better than people think, and the Cowboys were beaten pretty handily by a Jaguar team that is always underrated. This week should be a hell of a game in Dallas. After signing TO in the off-season, you can bet your balls that there was no way Dallas thought they’d have two losses as soon as Week 2. But look out Jerry Jones, the time is a comin’. Ten of Dallas’ 2005 games were decided by less than 7 points, and they were 0-2 against Washington, including a 35-7 loss when their playoff lives were on the line. Down with Dallas! Yeehaw! It’ll be sad if Drew gets pulled in this game, it’ll be hard to make fun of him if he’s on the bench… Wait, no it won’t.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars (+1) 8:30 p.m. – Hello world! The Jaguars are a very good team. The Steelers might be without Big Ben again, and even if he’s back, are the Steelers really good enough to be favored in Jacksonville. If you’re struggling with that one, the answer is no freaking way, Mr. Lester. Byron Leftwich showed the NFL that without Jimmy Smith doesn’t mean without receiving weapons. Matt Jones, Reggie Williams, and Earnest Wilford are three good options small little corners will struggle with throughout the season. Fred Taylor is running with vision and speed, and the Jags might be the team to beat this season. I’ll take the Jags as an underdog at home against any team in the league.

Get ready for another crazy season of NFL football! Week 1 is only days away, and already medical miracles are taking place. For instance, Nic Saban and the Dolphins prayed for Ben Roethlisberger to sit out Thursday’s opener in Pittsburg, and almost immediately Ben was scheduled for his first tummy-tuck. Amazing the way things work out. Read on to see if I stay with Pittsburgh or jump ship and head towards Miami. Thursday’s game along with every other game of opening week analyzed and picked below. Are you ready for a little Sunday Magic?Miami (+4) at Pittsburgh: I like the Dolphins this season, and with Big Ben Roethlisberger out with a tummy tuck, I have to take the Dolphins right now before the lines change drastically… Okay I’m back. Charlie B-i-atch doesn’t have what it takes to outgun Daunte Culpepper and the rest of those rascally sea mammals. Ronnie Brown didn’t look impressive in the preseason, but he is a damn good runner, so I expect him to have a big game against the big bad steel show. Game Date: 09/07/06 20:30 ET

Atlanta at Carolina (-4.5): Though I do think Atlanta has improved on the defensive side of the ball, I just don’t see the improvement against the run. On the other hand I do think the Panthers have improved offensively. DeShaun Foster, when healthy, is an improvement over Steven Davis. Steve Smith can’t be covered. I guess the overriding factor that sends me Carolina’s way, is the match-ups short term history. Last season Atlanta lost 3 games by more than 8 points. Only 3. Two of those games were against the Panthers. The combined score of the two games? 68-17. Yikes. Game Date: 09/10/06 13:00 ET

New Orleans at Cleveland (-2.5): This game is only exciting because Reggie Bush makes his opening day debut in Cleveland. Other than that, neither of these teams should do much in the standings. All being accounted for, Cleveland’s rushing attack should find wide open spaces against the Saints’ porous linebacking unit, even with their struggling O-Line. Reggie Bush should make a nice play or two, but with Braylon Edwards back in the swing of things, Charlie “Brown” Frye has 3 nice offensive weapons for his disposal; Edwards, Kellen Winslow, and Reuben Droughns. I have to take the Brownies in a Super Bowl 55 preview.
Game Date: 09/10/06 13:00 ET

Seattle (-3.5) at Detroit: I don’t know what the rest of the world thinks Mike Martz can do to influence a game, but there is no way the Lions beat the Hawks. No way. In that case, I have to put my ass on the line and say the Hawks win by 2 touchdowns or more. That’s right, the NFC’s best team should destroy one of the worst squads in a blowout in Motown. Kevin Jones should find it tough to get going against the speedy Hawk D, while Jon Kitna gets hammered early and often by his old-old-old team.
Game Date: 09/10/06 13:00 ET

Philadelphia (-3.5) at Houston: Personally I think the Eagles will compete for the NFC crown while the Texans will find themselves in the bottom half of the AFC once again. The Texans will be better, don’t get me wrong, but they won’t be competing with teams like the Eagles. Donovan McNabb looks more accurate than ever before, and the addition of Donte Stallworth could push the Eagles over the edge and into the playoffs. Watch Brian Westbrook shine in this game. Game Date: 09/10/06 13:00 ET

Cincinnati (+4.5) at Kansas City: Can Larry Johnson, a beast of a back, take out the Bengals all by himself? I’m putting my money on no. The Bengals have a much stronger passing attack, a better defense, and explosion on special teams. The Chiefs have LJ and Tony Gonzalez, and that’s where I’d draw the line. The Chiefs have playoffs in their near future, but with Cincinnati doing all they can to protect Carson, expect a methodically strong offensive performance out of the Bengals. 4 and ½ is just too much for me to go any other way. Game Date: 09/10/06 13:00 ET

Buffalo (+9.5) at New England: Tom Brady and crew should pull this game out, but don’t expect a final spread of more than a touchdown. Seven of the ten Patriot wins came by 10 points or less. With the Patriots unimproved from a year ago, and the Bills headed in the right direction, an upset here wouldn’t surprise me. That being said, I’ll take the 9.5 points and those pesky Bills whose defense should be much improved with the return of Takeo Spikes. Game Date: 09/10/06 13:00 ET

Denver (-3) at St. Louis: I really wanted to take the Rams in this one, but the numbers say Denver gets the nod. It’s only 3 points, a situation where I always take the team I expect to win. I think the Rams could be right around .500 this season, but Denver always starts hot. They did lose to the Dolphins in last years’ opener, but they’ve won the opener in 3 of coach Shanahan’s last 4 seasons. In those 4 seasons, Denver has started 5-1 thrice, and 4-2 once. I have to take a team that historically starts hot against a Rams team that hasn’t started better than 2-2 since 2001.
Game Date: 09/10/06 13:00 ET

Baltimore (+3.5) at Tampa Bay: The Ravens picked up Steve McNair in place of Kyle Boller (now their #2 QB) so I have to throw out last year’s offensive stats. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are back on a scary defense, so last year’s defensive numbers won’t do justice to this game either. The bottom line is I’d take the 3.5 point underdog every time these two teams played. McNair can really manage a low scoring game, and Tampa struggles to put up points against tough run defenses. This game should be very even, with a field goal separating the winner from the loser. Look for the upset in Tampa. Game Date: 09/10/06 13:00 ET

N.Y. Jets (+3) at Tennessee: Ugh. This game has the makings of an early season #1 pick bowl. Sure, its nearly impossible to tell which team will get the chance to pick the best college player in the land, but I’ll be stunned if one or both of these classy organizations doesn’t find themselves with a top 3 pick in next year’s draft. Vince Young will look a lot better throwing pig rockets to Calvin Johnson anyway. In this game I have to take the Jets. They have the best chance to win now. Chad Pennington is a good signal caller when healthy, and if he is indeed healthy, his passer/receiver relationship with Coles should push his Jets to 1-0 on the season. After that I’ve got no guarantees NY. Game Date: 09/10/06 13:00 ET

San Francisco at Arizona (-7): While San Francisco’s lack of off-season movage all but promises their return to the bottom of the league, the Cardinals spent big and expect a winning record as well as grand returns in week 1. I’m with them on one expectation. Week 1 should be a breeze. Frank Gore will try to keep his Niners close, but his running ability alone won’t do the trick as Edge, Kurt, Larry, and Anquan will prove too explosive for the young 49ers defense. Arizona won each of it’s two games against the Niners last season, both times by 7 points or more.
Game Date: 09/10/06 16:15 ET

Chicago (-3) at Green Bay: It’s insane to think the Packers even stand a chance in this game. Rexxy Grosman started to put it together by the end of the preseason, and Lovie Smith did the smart thing by naming Thomas Jones the starter in Chicago’s backfield. Brett Favre doesn’t have it like he used to, and even if he did, his offensive line isn’t sturdy enough to keep him alive. The last thing the Packers need is to play one of the NFL’s strongest defenses in Week 1. I’ll be stunned if the Pack remains in the game by half time. Game Date: 09/10/06 16:15 ET

Dallas at Jacksonville (-2): If it were up to me I would stay away from this game. But, since I leave no game unplucked, I’ll roll with the Jaguars in this one, if only to be different. The Boys are a hot pick for week 1, but don’t count out the Jags. Dallas is 1-3 in opening games since 2002, while the Jags always play well on Day 1. Byron Leftwich hasn’t looked like a stud this preseason, but he’s got all the tools. Jimmy Smith’s absence will hurt, but the young trio in Jax will be fine as all three have youth and explosiveness. With Fred Taylor back and healthy, I’ll pick TO to lose his first game as a Cowboy. Fat Slow Drew will almost assuredly get concussed by Marcus Stroud or John Henderson, so we’ll see what Tony Romo can do early. Dallas’s D isn’t as good as everyone thinks, just wait and see. Game Date: 09/10/06 16:15 ET

Indianapolis (-3) at N.Y. Giants: In the battle of the evil NFL spokesmen brothers, I’ll go with older and better, Peyton. Think about it. Peyton’s team is better, his receivers are better, and he’s just flat out better than Eli. Plus, is there one big brother out there who could see themselves losing to their younger brother on the gridiron? Precisely. This one goes to the Colts, even on the road in New York. Peyton doesn’t seem to mind playing there. This is the regular season here, not the playoffs, Peyton is good to go. Game Date: 09/10/06 20:15 ET

Minnesota at Washington (-4): I hate this game. With Clinton Portis out and T.J. Duckett in, who knows what will happen. Mark Brunell has looked, well, 40 years old throughout the preseason, but those old guys never seem to light it up in meaningless games, so I’ll overlook his poor outings for this one. The Redskins spent big this off season, which should allow them to sneak one out at home against the Vikings. It’ll be the first time in the history of the NFL where the combined age of both QB’s (Brad Johnson and Mark) will exceed 100 years… (White lie) Game Date: 09/11/06 19:00 ET

San Diego (-2.5) at Oakland: San Diego isn’t known for fast starts, and with a first year QB, its hard to claim things will be different for the Bolts. But they are playing Oakland. We’re talking about a team that traded their #2 receiver for a draft pick, picked up Jeff George, cut Jeff George, and sang a handful of Disney tunes on the plane ride home from Seattle all in the same week. Gong show. Aaron Brooks should find some passing yards and some touchdowns, but don’t expect the Raiders’ sorry ass defense to hold LaDainian Tomlinson for one freaking series. That would be too much to ask. Closing week 1 with a burst, SD should roll the Raiders.
Game Date: 09/11/06 22:15 ET
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