Tag Archives: Week 2

Week 2 College Football Picks Review: 2006

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Ugh… So, after two weeks of college football action, good Ol’ Lucky Lester is 10-11… Not so hot. But there’s always down weeks. After an opening winner in Week 1, 4-7 wasn’t what I was going for in Week 2, but as it turns out, that’s the way the cookie crumbled. Check out the pieces in my WEEK 2 REVIEW…

The Dukies put up a nice fight against a far superior Wake Forest team as I got my first loss of week 1. Picking the Deacons to win by nearly 3 touchdowns isn’t a mistake I’ll make again.

Those blasted Army boys were too busy worrying about the next time President Bush is going to send them into a lose-lose situation to destroy Kent State. Luckily for them, a spread means nothing, unfortunately for me a spread means no dinner tonight.

Thank God for those Auburn cats. A big win in the exact fashion I imagined gave me one of my few victories on Saturday. Kenny ran like LT, and Auburn’s defense played like the Great Wall.

I don’t know what I was thinking jumping off the Notre Dame band wagon because of a close game on the road against Georgia Tech, but that’s exactly what I did. I knew GT was better than advertised. I blame myself completely for this one.

Clemson couldn’t get it done, but it wasn’t for lack of effort. BC took the game by a point, and I lost by 2, but close only matters in horseshoes and games in which you have a spread in your favor. I didn’t have that. I lost again.

I think Washington might be much better than I thought, and I know Oklahoma isn’t as good as everyone else thought. That being said, Adrian Peterson beat the Dawgs by 17 points, just enough for me to cash in.

Iowa was without Drew Tate, and I still don’t know why. I do know that without Drew, Syracuse almost took down Iowa in what would have been a huge upset. As for me, I lost again.

Idaho couldn’t hang. Washington State actually came to play this week, proving that Auburn could be the Nation’s best team… You heard it here first. Idaho, on the other hand, isn’t the Nation’s best, and as it seems, neither was I on Saturday.

Colorado State made me a winner for the 3rd time in my fist 8 games, but its not like they didn’t make me sweat it out. These rivalry games are always tough, luckily I came out on top in this one.

Though my Minnesota/Cal game turned out to be a huge typo, that didn’t replace last weeks pick, (me=moron this time around) it didn’t turn out well for me anyhow. Minnesota didn’t seem like the same team they were last week, and neither did Cal for that matter. To make a long drunk story short, I lost money here too.

At least I won my game of the week. Ohio State trotted into Texas and branded the Longhorn’s asses in a show of dominance over last week’s #2 team in the nation. I’ll be very surprised if OSU loses this season. Their young defenders look great.

Free 2006 NCAA Football Picks – Week 2

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After a week in the green, 6-4, I’m attempting a perfect week 2 in the college ranks. On the schedule, I see a couple nice games, a couple gimmies, and a couple important contests to boot. With a little luck, I can see a nice week for one Lucky Lester. How will I do it? Read on my son, quest for the knowledge that exists… For a little extra kick, I’m picking the Ohio State – Texas game as an extra. That makes 11 games this week. I freaking rock!
Duke @ Wake Forest (-19): Wake Forest beat Syracuse 20-10, which at least gives them a little flare in the air that says they can win. This weekend, the Demon Deacons face a Duke team that has proven over ages that they can’t win. Last year the Deacons took down the Blue Devils 44-6. This season won’t be any different. Expect nothing from Duke football and you will be rewarded.

Army (-4.5) @ Kent State: Army knows how to run. Not quite like the Golden Gophers, but I’m not expecting a 44-0. I am, however, expecting a 2 touchdown win from the Black Nights. Kent State is very similar to Duke in my expectations. There are none. And for that I thank the oddsmakers.

Auburn (-19) @ Mississippi State: After getting shut out 15-0 by an ailing Gamecocks squad, the Mississippi State Bulldogs schedule doesn’t get any easier when Kenny Irons and the stout Auburn defense comes to town on Saturday. The Tigers poo-pooed Washington state 40-14 last week. This game shouldn’t be any different. The Miss D is better than the Cougs, but not that much better. If the Bulldogs play within 4 touchdowns, I’ll be stunned.

Penn State (+8.5) @ Notre Dame: After barely escaping the Yellow Jacket grasp in Week 1, the Fighting Irish host the best uniforms in sports, Penn State, in what should be one hell of a game. The Nittany Lions looked pretty good in their week 1 tune up, while the Irish looked like anything but the #2 team in the nation. I think this game is closer than 8 points, even if the Irish win. With so much talent on offense, don’t expect the Lions to flounder on offense like Tech did in the second half. ND’s defense isn’t as good as the score claimed last week, and I expect that to be well known at weeks end.

Clemson (-1) @ Boston College: After Clemson’s 54-6 win over Florida Atlantic, people are starting to talk about the Tigers. To be honest, I don’t think that game should make people talk, but I do think the Tigers deserve some powerful team consideration. Senior QB, Will Proctor had a nice game for the Tigers, while running backs Reggie Merriweather and James Davis combined for 169 yards and 2 touchdowns on 23 carries. Clemsons athletic approach should give them the nod in this battle ACC championship hopefuls.

Washington @ Oklahoma (-16.5): While Oklahoma didn’t impress much in week 1, the oddsmakers must be on crack to think this won’t be a 30 point blowout midway through the 3rd quarter. Sure, OK didn’t show much, but then again, the Huskies almost let their win slip away to San Jose Freaking State. SJ State has like 1 win in the last billion years for God’s sake. It’s hard to believe the Huskies have changed after they nearly choke away their opener. Adrian Peterson is gonna go Maurice Drew on the Dogs… For all of you who don’t know what that means, turn back the clocks and see how Drew did the Dawgs throughout his career. Championship!

Iowa (-18) @ Syracuse: The ‘Cuse tumbled at the hands of Wake Forest last weekend, and this weekend they’ll go to 0-2 via the knockout. Iowa should put everything together against a poor Orangemen team, solidifying their place in the Top 15. Drew Tate is a fine signal caller, and if Albert Young continues to rush well this week, you can expect a grand old blowout by the Hawkeyes.

Idaho (+17) @ Washington State: Is this the year? The year the Cougars tumble at the hands of their neighbor state rival for the first time since 2000? It very well could be. I think Washington State is better than they showed against Auburn, but then again, Idaho has improved since their 12 point defeat at the hands of the Cougars last season. WA State doesn’t have much going for them, and Idaho just played a tight one with Michigan State. I know that doesn’t always translate, but I think it will this Saturday. Those tricky Vandals will give the Cougs a ride!

Colorado State (-2) @ Colorado: After getting slapped in the face by D1AA Montana State, it will be tough for the Buffs to get as ready as they need to be for this rivalry game. State always plays tough football, and usually this game is a toss up, because in rivalries like this one you never know what’s going to happen. But not this week. With a week full of questions about the Buffaloes program, expect an exhausted team attempting to get up for the Rams. What usually happens in cases like these is a close game in the first half with a blowout in the 2nd. Those Buffs need a win bad, but not this week.

Minnesota (+8.5) @ California: These Louisville Cardinals are finally the real deal. Kentucky can’t handle the offensive production that the Cards throw on the board. Rushing, passing, defense… On all aspects of the game, Louisville should dominate. That being said, Kentucky is 4-16 in their last 20 games. They’re 4-8 ATS on the road in their last 12, and 3-4 ATS in their last 9 games. On the other hand, the Cards are 18-6 ATS in their last 24, 11-1 ATS in their last 12 home games, and they won 5 straight to end 2005. Did I mention Louisville returns budding stars Brian Brohm (QB) and Michael Bush (RB) from their 9-3 2005? This game should be a gong show.
Game of the Week

Ohio State (+2.5) @ Texas: It’s Ohio State’s turn to travel all the way down to Texas and uproot the Longhorns. If you can remember back to yester-year, Vince Young and the those pesky Longhorns came all the way to Ohio, came back in the 4th quarter, and stunned the Buckeyes on rout to their National Championship. Regardless of rankings, these two teams truly are the best in the Nation. I think Ohio States offensive speed and quarterback leadership push them over the edge in the biggest game of the season.

Free NFL Picks 05-06 Week 2

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It’s a good thing I got out all of those early-season free football picks butterflies in week one, because I can’t have another week like that. When I say can’t, I mean if I lose the type of cash I lost last Sunday, my wife says she’ll sell my TV to her “friend” that lives on the first floor. God knows I don’t want Guilermo watching soccer on my TV while he’s “teaching my wife how to cook”. I need a win like Guilermo needs to get his ass kicked. Anyway, that’s another article. What I need to do is switch the script on opening weekend and finish closer to 12 wins than 6… though both would be an upgrade. A little pathetic, I know. Luckily for good old Lucky, the odds makers have given me another chance to make good on my picks. No more Culpepper-like weeks for Lucky Lester… Bring on the victories Guilermo!!!
Baltimore (-4) @ Tennessee – The Ravens have lost their starting quarterback, Kyle Boller, to a knee injury. That’s the only reason I’m taking the Ravens. Boller wasn’t going to get the job done. With Kyle and his shot-put throwing style on the sidelines, the Ravens will light it up against a Tennessee defense that looked more like a J.V. team last week against the Steel show. This game should be a blow out. Jamal Lewis should get his season on track after a dismal start against the Colts. Baltimore will not go 0-2 to start the season, I guarantee that. The Steelers took care of their business in week one against the Tennessee Titans, and the Baltimore Ravens will do the same in week 2. Steve McNair and his makeshift offense won’t be able to produce against another tough defense. Anthony Wright knows how to get his receiving weapons, (Derrick Mason, Todd Heap, and Mark Clayton) the ball. If Wright plays well, and gives the Ravens a chance at the playoffs, don’t be surprised if Boller doesn’t see the starting lineup when he comes back. The Ravens need to win. They expect to win. If they don’t win, only God knows how Ray Lewis will react. Game Date: 09/18/05 13:00 ET

Buffalo (+2.5) @ Tampa Bay – Last week the Buffalo Bills defense obliterated the Houston Texan offense. The Bills gave up 70 passing yards to David Carr while intercepting three of his passes. All preseason opposing players, like Brett Favre, praised the Buffalo defense, and for good reason. The Bills defense is as good as it gets. This week the Bills go up against the Buccaneers and rookie sensation Carnell Williams, who rushed for 148 yards last week against the “revamped” Viking defense. If you expect Williams to have a repeat performance, don’t hold your breath. This won’t be the same walk in the park for the Rookie. The Bills will hold Williams’ rushing total to under half his output from a week ago. This game might be the biggest defensive struggle so far this year. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are always good on defense, and they held MVP candidate Daunte Culpepper well below his season averages in almost every statistical category. Except for fumbles of course. Pep far exceeded those expectations with 5. He’s on pace to have one billion. Tampa Bay should fair better than the Vikings. They actually have a rushing attack. Brian Griese found his receivers last week against the Vikes, but they won’t be wide open this week. Griese will have a couple turnovers and the Bills will capitalize. Willis McGahee will eclipse 100 yards on the ground, even against a tough “stuff’em” defense in Tampa. This game will be an old fashion smash them in the mouth contest. Take the Bills, as they’re made for this type of game.
Game Date: 09/18/05 13:00 ET

Detroit (-1.5) @ Chicago – Last week I claimed the Bears would take part in the most boring game of the week. Final score, Chicago Bears 7 – Washington Redskins 9. Last time the Cubs and the Nationals played there were more runs scored for God’s sake. This week the “exciting” Lions come to Chicago to do their best to brighten things up. Unfortunately for the Bears, the Lions will do exactly that. The Bears don’t have the firepower to play with any high-powered teams, so their only hope is to limit the Lions to fewer than two touchdowns. Good luck. Last week Kevin Jones didn’t find the end zone. This week will almost certainly be different. The Bears defense is tough, but their offense is so stagnant, and the Lions defense is much improved. What does that mean? Kyle Orton is a rookie. A good rookie, yes, but a rookie nonetheless. He’ll make his mistakes, giving the Lions good field position, and a chance to blow the game wide open. Roy Williams was held in check last week against a pathetic Packer defense. This week the average fan would think a much better Bear defense would have their way with Roy. Don’t expect that to happen. Roy will come to play this week. And if the Lions want to win, they’ll have to get their game-breaking receiver the ball. Look for this game to stay tight early, but watch the Lions break away as the Chicago Bear defense gets tired, ala the Colts against Baltimore last Sunday night.
Game Date: 09/18/05 13:00 ET

Jacksonville (+9) @ Indianapolis – Speaking of those Indianapolis Colts, they host the Jacksonville Jaguars in week 2. The Jaguars’ defense won’t have the same effect they had on the Seattle Seahawks last week, limiting Shawn Alexander to 74 yards and intercepting Matt Hasselbeck twice. But they will play a big roll in Sunday’s tangle with the Colts. The Jacksonville Jaguars always play close, and they’re much improved from a year ago. Fred Taylor should play better in his second full game back from knee surgery, and Byron Leftwich will only get more and more comfortable as the season progresses. Don’t expect the Colts defense to play as well as they did last week against Baltimore. Because they were playing against Baltimore. They won’t get away with stacking the line of scrimmage against the run; Leftwich will pick them apart if they try that. Both secondarys will be tested this week. This will be a close game, early and late. The nine points given by the Colts is too much for my taste, so I’ll take the underdogs to play with in 9 points. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Jags come out and put a wallop on the overconfident Colts. With Reggie Williams, Jimmy Smith, Fred Taylor, and Matt Jones on the field together, the Colts will have to make a decision. Will they blitz Byron and allow one of those aforementioned Jaguars to burn you? Or will you sit back and see if Byron will make mistakes? Don’t count the Jaguars out of this match-up.
Game Date: 09/18/05 13:00 ET

Minnesota @ Cincinnati (-3) – The Vikings started the year just about as poorly as they possibly could. Well, I guess they could have lost to the Miami Dolphins or the San Francisco 49ers… Nice work Rams and Broncos! Either way, 5 turnovers and a huge loss to the Buccaneers at home couldn’t be what the Vikings were expecting after a good preseason. Daunte didn’t seem to gel with a wide receiving corps without Randy. Unfortunately for “Baby Hands” Culpepper, he’s going to have to learn to succeed without Mr. Moss. I imagine he’ll do much better this week against the Bengals. I don’t think he’ll win, but how could he possibly do worse than no touchdowns, three interceptions, and two fumbles? The Bengals didn’t destroy the Browns as I would have expected, but they won. Rudi Johnson rammed his way past the century mark, and Carson Palmer had his first big day, throwing for 280 yards and 2 touchdowns. There’s more to come from him. I think the Bengals are a better team than the Buc’s but the game will still be close throughout. Look for Rudi Johnson to follow Cadillac Williams’ lead and run all over the Minnesota Vikings on way to victory. Minnesota will play better this week, but still lose by a touchdown against a good Bengal team. Minnesota at 0-2… I have to say, I wouldn’t have expected that from the Vikings. Game Date: 09/18/05 13:00 ET

New England @ Carolina (+3) – The Patriots didn’t play all that well against the Raiders, but they still made their victory look easy. Tom Brady was in fine form, tossing rockets to open receivers all over the field. Corey Dillon started off slow, but finished with 2 touchdowns after a better second half. The Patriot defense baffled Kerry Collins, who seemed to throw the ball up for grabs every single time his number was called. The Panthers have a top tier rushing attack with two big tough backs, Steven Davis and Deshaun Foster. Last week against the Raiders the Patriots defense didn’t show me they could consistently stop the rush. The Panthers will take advantage of that this weekend, feeding the ball to Foster and Davis many a time. This is where the Patriots will finally make my predictions come true as they begin to play like an average team. Carolina is a much better team than they showed against the Saints last week. With Kris Jenkins out for the year, they’ll really have to step up to beat the Patriots. This game will be close, as the spread insists, but at the end of the game it will be the Patriots who should’ve gotten the points. The Panthers fell victim to the emotional outburst from the Saints, but they have the confidence to compete with the defending world champs, and that’s just what they’ll do.
Game Date: 09/18/05 13:00 ET

Pittsburgh (-6) @ Houston – The Steelers played a poor defense last week and destroyed them. This week the Steelers play a below average defense that hasn’t learned to mesh quite yet. The veteran leadership in the Texan secondary is gone, and all though they are athletic, they are young and still have a lot to learn. And they’ll be taking notes this weekend. Because the Steelers know how to do it all. Willie Parker should follow up his starting debut with another big performance in Houston. Hines Ward will get more involved in the action this week. The Steeler defense looked pretty good against Tennessee, but who knows what that means? We could say that Pittsburgh is as good as they were last year, or we could say the Titans are as bad as they’ve been in quite some time. Either way the Steelers found a way to win big, and they’ll do it against the punch-less Texans. David Carr had his worst game as a professional, and if he wants to continue to start for his team, he’ll have to perform at a higher level. It doesn’t look like his competition is getting any easier, so he’ll have to step up big or sit down fast. The Steelers win big on the road. Roethlisberger continues to thrive.
Game Date: 09/18/05 13:00 ET

San Francisco @ Philadelphia (-13) The Eagles are big favorites even after their stubby performance in Atlanta on Monday night. Donovan McNabb looked like a spaz and TO dropped more passes than he did all last year. Brian Westbrook didn’t rush the ball worth a sheep’s ass, and Mike Vick seemed like he could just break out in a trot and gain 20 yards any time he wanted against the feared Philly D. Maybe Trotter is that important. Kudos to Kevin Mathis by the way. That was a good trade bub. (Sorry to hear he’s out for the year, hopefully he recovers fast, seriously) As for the 49ers, they already have more wins than I thought they’d have all year. Funny, the St. Louis Rams screwed me again. Well hopefully the Rams are just that pathetic, and the 49ers really are as bad as I had imagined. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Niners fail to score an offensive touchdown against the Eagles. Philly should get back on track against the, 1-15-to be, San Francisco 49ers. McNabb will play through the sore chest he got from sitting in the pocket and holding on to the ball like Warren. Think, about it. What happened to the mobile Donovan McNabb? He’ll be back in full form against an attacking Niner defense. Look for McNabb to have huge numbers throwing touchdowns to Owens, LJ Smith, and Brian Westbrook. They’ll show us why they’re picked to make a Super Bowl return. Game Date: 09/18/05 13:00 ET

Atlanta (+1) @ Seattle – The Atlanta Falcons looked like a pretty good football team last week against the “defending NFC Champion” Philadelphia Eagles. This week they play the “I can’t believe we got into the playoffs with nine wins last year” Seattle Seahawks who got destroyed in the second half at Jacksonville last week. Based on that, this should be one hell of a game! In week 1 Seattle played well in the first half, and it should be easier for Shawn Alexander to get good yards against a team that doesn’t have Marcus Stroud and John Henderson stuffing holes up front. Either way, why the Seahawks are favored in this one is beyond me. They definitely didn’t prove that their defense has improved, and their offense doesn’t look any better than the inconsistent attack they tried last year. That being said, the Falcons still have a little fast superstar I like to call Mike Vick. He’ll have a field day with a defense that should be very worried about Warrick Dunn and TJ Duckett. The Hawks are young on defense, and they should be in for a nice little lesson in rushing from the Falcons. The Atlanta Falcons haven’t beat the Seahawks in the last three seasons, but things will change this Sunday in Seattle, as Vick and his pack of pesky players take it to the Hawks.
Game Date: 09/18/05 16:05 ET

St. Louis @ Arizona (-1) – Arizona got beat by the Giants last week, and it was no close game. The Giants special teams outscored the entire Cardinal unit, and the Arizona rookies didn’t look as good as everyone thought they’d be. That being said, it was only week one, and nobody recovers from a debacle better than coach Dennis Green. Fortunately for the Cardinals, they play the worst team in football this week. Yes, the St. Louis Rams. Why are they the worst? They lost to the Niners last week. Must I say more? Okay, I will. Not only did they lose to the Niners, but they got whooped by the Niners. They only lost by three, but if it weren’t for the terrible Niners trying as hard as they could to lose, the Rams wouldn’t have been close. Mike Martz started off rushing Steven Jackson, but gave up on that much too early. I’ll never understand this Joker. Marc Bulger had pretty good numbers for a guy who got beat by San Francisco, but he won’t have another good day against Arizona. Dennis Green will have his boys ready to go after getting embarrassed to start the year. Kurt Warner might never find the touch that made him MVP while leading the Rams, but he can be as good as Tim Rattay. Apparently, that’s good enough to beat the Rams. Game Date: 09/18/05 16:05 ET

Cleveland (+6.5) @ Green Bay – After the way the Green Bay Packers played against the Detroit Lions last week, I can’t believe their favored by 6.5. And for most of the game last week the Packers had Javon Walker. He was the best option the Packers had, and yes, that includes Ahman Green and Brett Favre. This could be an odd year for the Packers who appear to be on a greasy slip ‘n’ slide headed off a cliff. On the bright side their defense played fairly well on opening day. But that can’t be expected on a weekly basis out of this club. Romeo Crenel’s team played pretty well against a good Bengal team, but Carson Palmer lit their secondary up for 280 yards. So they’re vulnerable. Is Brett still good enough to take advantage of the Browns? Maybe, but can he take advantage while he’s getting hit every down because his offensive line couldn’t stop the Little Giants? Probably not. Either way, it’s not right for the Packers to be favored by more than a couple even if they’re playing at Lambeau. Hell, until they prove otherwise, they should never be favored. Look for the Browns to play tit for tat with the Packers eventually upsetting Green Bay at home. My Uncle John isn’t going to like this one.
Game Date: 09/18/05 16:15 ET

Miami @ N.Y. Jets (-6) – The New York Jets really disappointed me last week, even though I think the Chiefs are one of the league’s best teams. Obviously I wasn’t the only one disappointed with the Jets. Head coach Herman Edwards went off on his team in practice, printing out a paper with size 22 font listing things like, don’t fumble, as something they need to do to win. Hopefully, for the Jets, that “back to basics” business works against the hapless Miami Dolphins. Well, I guess the Dolphins have a little hap. They took it to a Bronco team that looked as bad as I’ve ever seen. Gus Ferrote, of all people, was throwing the ball around their defense as if he was playing catch in his backyard. But I’ll talk about Denver later. I can’t imagine the Jets will ever play as bad as they did in Kansas City last weekend. Chad Pennington won’t be dropping snaps, and Laveranues Coles won’t be dropping passes. What will be happening is Curtis Martin running with the ball, fast and effective. Curtis needs to succeed for the Jets to get where they want to be. Miami can’t stop the Jets when Curtis is running the ball, and Chad Pennington is play action passing. The Jets defense is strong enough to shut out Ferrote and the rest of the Dolphins. I’m betting those New York Jets play up to their ability this week. Game Date: 09/18/05 16:15 ET

San Diego (+3) @ Denver – San Diego has LT. This week Antonio Gates is back. Denver lost to Miami 34-10. C’mon.
Game Date: 09/18/05 16:15 ET

Kansas City (-1) @ Oakland – The Chiefs just tore into the New York Jets in their opener. The Chiefs look like the old Kansas City team that started the season 9-0 a couple of years ago. Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson look like the best running back tandem in the NFL. In fact I’d rate Priest number 1 and Larry wouldn’t be too far behind. Especially, if he keeps doing what he’s doing. And I don’t mean getting arrested. Oakland got pushed around by the Patriots. Even when the score was close, the Raiders looked like everything they did was so difficult while the Patriots didn’t even get a brow sweat. The Raiders dropped the passes that did get to them, and Kerry Collins threw the rest of them up for grabs. Lamont Jordan played pretty well, rushing for 70 and receiving for 40 yards. He’s a big back who will give the Chiefs another tough test. The Kansas City defense will be up for the challenge, as they looked much improved from yesteryear. Until Kerry Collins stops throwing lob passes every chance he gets, I don’t think the Raiders can beat a good team. He hasn’t stopped doing that since he was 7, so the Raiders will struggle often. Trent Green does just enough to win games. He leads his team and doesn’t make many mistakes. Unless the unthinkable happens, the Chiefs will slaughter the Oakland Raiders in Oakland. Game Date: 09/18/05 20:30 ET

N.Y. Giants @ New Orleans (+3) – The Saints are playing a home game in New York against the Giants. The Giants slaughtered the new and improved Arizona Cardinals. The Saints stumbled to a victory over the Panthers. Every year the Saints underachieve. All things point to trouble for the Saints. But that’s what’s so great about this team. They’ve always needed something to play for and now they have it, New Orleans. I don’t want to get all sentimental, because this is football and Hurricane Katrina is life. But the Saints have a new reason to go out on the field every single week and win. That’s all they’ve ever needed. Whether it’s in San Antonio, New Orleans, or Egypt, the New Orleans Saints are going to come with it every single game. And they have the talent to win a lot of games if they play like that. Deuce McCallister will find room to run against the wobbly New York Giant defense, and Aaron Brooks will pick his places to shine. Look for Joe Horn to have a big game in the spotlight in New York. Eli Manning still hasn’t impressed me much, but Tiki Barbar can really play this game. Barbar will keep the Giants in it, but Saint confidence will keep New Orleans on top. Game Date: 09/19/05 19:30 ET

Washington @ Dallas (-6) – I’d love to say that I believe the Washington Redskins are going to win. I’d say that Mark Brunell is the new starter and he gives the Redskins something Patrick Ramsey doesn’t. I’d even talk about how Clinton Portis looks like he’s finally found out how to run in Joe Gibbs’ scheme. And that defense, hell, I wouldn’t even be fibbing when I said they were a very good group. But the bottom line is, Dallas looks like a better team than Washington. The Washington Redskins barely skipped by the Bears and rookie signal caller Kyle Orton, 9-7. Playing in Dallas on Monday night against the Cowboys. This is going to be tough, but I’m taking Dallas. Last year was great. I bet against Dallas every week, and they made me look great. Plus I don’t like the Cowboys. I don’t like that stupid star on their helmet, the fact that they claim to be America’s team, and I really hate those stupid Jerry Jones commercials when he talks about the “12 person hot-tub shaped like Texas Stadium”. But I need victories like Jerry Jones needs a new face, so I have to go with the more talented team here, and that is surely the Dallas Cowboys. Julius Jones looks really good, and Drew Bledsoe wasn’t a complete piece of crap last week. Mark Brunell hasn’t had it for some time, and Clinton Portis is in a rushing scheme that makes him slow down and wait for blocks. All signs point to a big Cowboy win in Dallas.
Game Date: 09/19/05 21:05 ET
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Lucky Lester – Free Football Picks

NFL Free Picks 04-05 Week 2

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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