Tag Archives: Week 5

2007 Fantasy Football Review – Week 5

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This Week’s Top Team: Oh, I don’t know, not a big showing, but not too shabby either. This is how I got what I got. 92+QB: Tom Brady vs. Cleveland: Tomothy had 265 yards and 3 touchdowns for a whopping 22 points in my fantasy league. Yeah, needless to say, this guy is consistent.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Denver: LT had 140 yards rushing and receiving combined, but that doesn’t do much without a touchdown. His yards per carry were questionable again, especially against a suspect Broncos rush defense (21 totes for 67 yards) but he definitely made his impact on the game. I got 13 points here.

RB: Marion Barber vs. Buffalo: MBIII put up a whopping 6 points against the Bills. He has his quarterback to thank for that one. He did only get 28 yards on 8 carries, which isn’t even close to average for him, but all those interceptions Tony threw ripped the Cowboys’ rushing attack, and I was hurt because of it.

WR: Randy Moss vs. Cleveland: Randy wasn’t used as much in Week 5. I guess his low day was coming, and in light of that, Ben Watson and Donte Stallworth both had big days for the Patriots. Randy had 3 catches for 46 yards, which means 4 points for me here.

WR: Plaxico Burress vs. NY Jets: 20 points for my main New York Giant. Plax found time to catch 5 balls, and break an easy sideline tackle on way to a 53 yard touchdown reception. He had 124 yards. Not a bad day for the former Steeler. He’s having one hell of a fantasy season.

TE: Jason Witten vs. Buffalo: 9 catches, 103 yards and a touchdown. Witten has become a beast. He was wide open in the end zone, but he still made a great catch that maybe 5 tight ends in the league make. No, Jeremy Shockey isn’t one of them, he drops it I’m sure. Anyway, 16 big ones from the TE spot – I’m a genius.

K: Nate Kaeding vs. Denver: Nate had 5 extra points and 2 field goals, one was 46 yards and worth a bonus point in my league, so Nate busted out 12 fantasy points. That’s now Kris Brown action (3 50+ yarders) but it is a nice day for a kicker.

D: Patriots vs. Cleveland: Lets see. They gave up more points than I imagined, but they did work. 3 interceptions, 3 sacks, and a late defensive fumble recovery for a touchdown. The Patriots put up 21 fantasy points in my league. All these points total up fairly nice.

LUCKY’S Week 5 SLEEPERS

Jason Campbell: Campbell put up a nice day against the Lions, 248 yards and 2 touchdowns without an interception. The Lions didn’t put up much of a fight, so there was no need for Campbell to really go off, but I’ll take an A for a very nice starting option on Sunday.

Panthers Starting QB: David Carr only had 6 points, and I know personally that my advice cost my cousin his fantasy game this weekend – if only he had started Jeff Garcia. How many times do you think people can say that? Anyway, because of my loss causing prediction, I’ll just take an F and run with it.

Julius Jones: Jones was hurt because of bad quarterback play, and coming from behind all game long. In the end, his 4 fantasy points give me a fat F. Dang.

Brandon Jacobs: 100 yards and a touchdown for a guy starting for the first time in 4 weeks. Yeah, I’ll take an A for this one as well. What can I say, sometimes I can pick em.

LenDale White: And sometimes I can’t. LenDale looks a lot chubbier when he’s only rushing for 36 yards and a fumble, doesn’t he? His 1 point performance hurt me, and I took yet another F – that makes two for Sunday.

Lee Evans: 1 catch 12 yards – bust anyone? I wasn’t willing to admit it earlier in the year, but Lee has played like a pile-o-poop. Hurry, if you can, I’d trade for him: I imagine that in the next 10 weeks he’ll be one of the Top 10 receivers in the league. Just a hunch.

Larry Fitzgerald: Larry balled on Sunday. He put the game out of reach with his easy touchdown grab, and that just seemed to make fantasy owners everywhere gasp for Fitzy’s first score of 2007 – hopefully for many, this opens the flood gates. 136 yards to go with that TD – I’ll take an A.

Chris Cooley: Cools had a touchdown and a 2 pt reception and put up 10 fantasy points for the Redskins. Believe that. 10 pts for a Tight End – I’ll take my A.

Cardinals DST: The Cardinals didn’t stop St. Louis like I thought they would, that’s for sure. But they did get 3 interceptions from Gussy Frerotte, sacked him twice, and brought a pick back for a touchdown. In my league, that gave them 14 points, and I’ll take a B-.

LUCKY’S Week 5 Splinter-Butts (bench him, son)

Phillip Rivers: Rivers basically had his best game of the year – and that was a good day. He threw for 2, ran for 1, and passed for about 275 yards. Yeah, I failed on this one. But look at my benched running backs.

Shaun Alexander: “The Steelers will shut Shaun down. Alexander has been busy running like a pussy since he got his big deal a season and a half ago. I counted, and in 25 carries last week, he lowered his shoulder once. I think it was an accident.” Ha. This week Shaun carried the rock for 25 yards on 11 carries. He was so scared he would just drop as soon as he got the ball. Can you say cap-casualty next season? Believe that.

Jamal Lewis: The Browns’ starting runner lasted a couple plays, he got hurt and didn’t return. I don’t know if he would have had better stats, or changed the outcome, but I was right about this one.

Tory Holt: Tory Holt did what Tory Holt does; he got open, caught a few balls for nearly 90 yards and scored a touchdown. I missed on this one. 3 out of 5 – not too shabby.

Todd Heap: Heap was injured, but if you sat him based on my advice, you won either way. Freaking Heap, I think he needs to go play in the NBA or something, because here in the NFL, people play with thigh bruises. Lineman give each other thigh bruises before games just to keep each other honest.

Free NFL Football Picks 07-08 Week 5

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I struggled through my free picks last week, winning a whopping two, but I was over .500 on my Elite Picks, as a few of you very well know. I have my money on a winning bet in both my Free and Elite picks this week. Really, I have my money on them. Here’s how we’re getting rich… I have a feeling this is going to be a big week. The places and times I got the lines are listed below.

Cleveland Browns @ New England Patriots (-16):
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00pm EST: Bookmaker)

I have to take the Patriots here. I know the Browns have put up points, but week after week it seems like those they’ve put up points against don’t have defenses as strong as we all once figured. Well, the Patriots do have a defenses that good, and their offense might be even better. They definitely complement themselves. I hate huge spreads, but the Patriots deserve that big of a cushion. They are that good. I see a 42-14 game in New England, as a down week doesn’t seem like a reality with this team of professionals.

Detroit Lions (+3.5) @ Washington Redskins:
(Line: Monday, 1:00pm EST: Bookmaker)

Tough game to call, both the Redskins and Lions have played above what I expected this year. Detroit’s defense played better last week, but they were going up against a pathetic Bears offense, so I don’t know how much can be said about that. The Redskins are coming off a bye, which doesn’t seem to help as much when byes are earlier in the season, but that gives them a slight edge. I guess I like the Lions to ride out their hot-streak, here, because I’m still not convinced that the Washington Redskins are a force on either side of the ball. I do know that the Lions play against the run better than many give them credit for, and that will help against Portis and company. In this tough one, I’ll take the road team and the points.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Indianapolis Colts (-10)
(Line: Monday, 1:00pm EST: Bookmaker)

I’m not sure what to expect out of the Bucs and Colts this week. Will we get a dominant performance out of the Colts? Or will they play like they did against the Texans and Titans? That’s a tough call, and one you have to think about when betting for or against the Colts. The way I see it, Indy has a tough time against lesser opponents, and the Bucs seem to be one of the better teams in the NFC this season. With that in mind, and the fact that John Gruden came into Tampa taking Tony Dungy’s job, you’d have to think that the Colts players try to come out and embarrass the Bucs organization. I’m not sure Tampa, as well as they’ve played this year, is ready for that.

San Diego Chargers (+1.5) @ Denver Broncos:
(Line: Monday, 1:00pm EST: Bookmaker)

This game is very tough for me, but I have to believe the San Diego Chargers figure it out sooner rather than later. The Broncos haven’t played that well, even when given week after week of big rushing performances by Travis Henry. San Diego might be able to stop a hobbled Chargers rushing game, and I know Denver can’t do the same to LT. That being said, I wouldn’t be surprised if this game came down to a field goal at the end. Elam’s been questionable on all his kicks from my point of view, so I’ll roll the dice on the kid in San Diego, and a big “must win” for the Chargers.

Baltimore Ravens (-3) @ San Francisco 49ers:
(Line: Monday, 1:00pm EST: Bet-Jam)

The Ravens have looked pretty bad on defense, and even worse at punching in touchdowns on offense. They take their best offensive player out on the goal line (McGahee) and their play calling has been predictable at best. Luckily, they go to San Francisco to play a reeling Niners team that has lost 2 straight. San Francisco will have Trent Dilfer on offense, and you can bet the Ravens’ staff will have the book on him. I like Baltimore to realize what they are by beating the Niners by running the ball, and sending the world at Dilfer.

Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers (-3):
(Line: Monday, 1:00pm EST: Bookmaker)

The Bears are getting last years’ lines. The Packers are the better team this year, if the Bears start Grossman or Griese. Talk about questions in Chicago, the downfall of the Bears is getting more attention than the playoff Cubs. That’s a stunner. I like what Brett has done this year, but the Packers defense is what gets me getty. They are young and fly around making plays with the best of them. What really has me going Green Bay’s way is the Bears’ coaching questions each week. Every single week I’ve heard, “We need to get Hester more involved,” or “We need to get Greg Olsen in the game more,” or “We should win games instead of lose them.” Thanks for the ideas, now instead of claiming that you need to do one or the other, what do you think about just doing it? Take the Packers resurgence to continue.

Seattle Seahawks @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-5.5):
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00pm EST: Bookmaker)

Despite what I think about the Hawks, (they are very good), the fact is that they aren’t a very good road team, and seem to struggle against the AFC (like every NFC team). Also, this isn’t Trent Dilfer and the 49ers offense, this is the Steelers, a unit that is coming off a huge upset at the hands of their former coach. They are going to come out pissed and ready to go. Everything is working against the Hawks in this one, there’s no sense of urgency on their part, they’re away from Seattle, and that whole Super Bowl refereeing stick in the spokes is history. Look for Willie Parker to have a day.

2007 Fantasy Football theRUNDOWN Week 5

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This Week’s Top Team: Week 5 is here, and bye weeks have limited an option or two. No worries, I’m here to give you a starting lineup that should be dominant, and some sleepers to be had in hopes of picking up a point or two for a close victory. Here you go.

QB: Tom Brady vs. Cleveland: This one’s a toss up between Tony Romo and The One. Well, The One gets the nod because I think the Cowboys will run the ball too much for Romo to have a bigger day than Brady.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Denver: I have to stick with LT here. Denver hasn’t been able to stop the run, and LT has the fierce eye of frustration in his eye. I think the Chargers will ride LT to a win in Denver.

RB: Marion Barber vs. Buffalo: Barber is a risk here, because he’s not even the starter on his own team. But I have a feeling the Cowboys will run the ball a lot next week in Buffalo. Give Marion 20 carries, and that’s 100+ yards and a couple touchdowns. I’ll take that chance.

WR: Randy Moss vs. Cleveland: Randy is a flat out stud. I’m rolling with Randy to do Cleveland up. Randy catches everything thrown his way and is better than anyone thought he was. Tom Brady is his quarterback, a hard throwing, accurate, risk taker. Randy’s dreams have come true.

WR: Plaxico Burress vs. NY Jets: I think Plaxico will torment this defense. He had a down week last week, but still caught a touchdown. This week, after another few days of skipping practice, Plax should be plenty healthy enough to torment the Jets secondary.

TE: Jason Witten vs. Buffalo: I like Gates to take advantage of a strong running game this weekend. On the goal-line, if Dallas takes a second to give the ball to someone not named Marion Barber, it will be a play action dump to Witten.

K: Nate Kaeding vs. Denver: With LT, the ball will move down the field. With the Chargers offense, the ball won’t get into the end zone every drive. That leaves room for Kaeding to kick in Denver. I like that combo-set.

D: Patriots vs. Cleveland: I know, the Browns have put up tons of points. So what. New England is football’s version of Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. I expect lots of turnovers and very few points out of Cleveland.

LUCKY’S Week 5 SLEEPERS

Jason Campbell: Give me an underrated quarterback against the Detroit Lions’ secondary, and I’ll give you a nice sleeper candidate for this weekends’ fantasy stats. Campbell has had 2 weeks to prepare for Detroit – that makes me believe a big day is in the future.

Panthers Starting QB: Even if you have to start David Carr, I think the Panthers’ starting quarterback will have an easy 15 point fantasy day against the Saints’ pathetic defense.

Julius Jones: Jones might get a 100 yard day in Buffalo this weekend. I have a feeling that the Cowboys will ride their running game, and 100 total yards for Jones isn’t out of the question.

Brandon Jacobs: The Jets can’t stop anyone running the football. If Jacobs gets cleared, he might end up with a couple touchdowns on Sunday. That’s a good day for a sleeper who has been out for 3 weeks.

LenDale White: I like LenDale to have his most productive outing this weekend against Atlanta. White is a big bad runner, and the Falcons aren’t a big defensive unit. Expect him to get close to 20 carries 100 yards and a touchdown.

Lee Evans: I’m sticking with Lee here. I think the Bills will need to score points if they want to stay anywhere close to Dallas. Evans is the quickest way to a touchdown. Look for him to take a short pass to the house for his first touchdown of the season.

Larry Fitzgerald: Larry hasn’t been as dominant as I figured he’d be, but that means he could be a nice buy low option. Fitz will have his way with the Rams defense, as that secondary will key in on the more productive Anquan Boldin. Fitz could have a couple scores and 100 yards on Sunday.

Chris Cooley: Guy plays the Lions, and he’s a touchdown threat every single time the Skins are in the red zone. That should be a lot considering they are playing the Lions.

Cardinals DST: Arizona will try to feast on the turnover happy, terrible offense that has taken over the greatest show on turf. The game is in St. Louis, which could cause trouble – but the Cardinals’ defensive unit is very aggressive and physical. That’s not a good sign for a team with 1 offensive line starter in the lineup.

LUCKY’S Week 5 Splinter-Butts (bench him, son)

Phillip Rivers: I don’t think Phillip will have such a bad day, but he won’t get enough passing attempts to be a starter worthy option against Denver.

Shaun Alexander: The Steelers will shut Shaun down. Alexander has been busy running like a pussy since he got his big deal a season and a half ago. I counted, and in 25 carries last week, he lowered his shoulder once. I think it was an accident.

Jamal Lewis: Note to fantasy owners – your player plays the Patriots, bench him. Especially if he’s a running back on a bad team. Don’t be confused by their 2-2 record, the Browns are a bad team.

Tory Holt: I didn’t think there would be a day I suggested a benching of Holt, he’s always open – but with the way the Rams have been playing, and the physical nature of the Cardinals defense in mind, I have to bench most Rams this weekend.

Todd Heap: I just don’t like Heap this week. He’s kind of hurt (what’s new?) and the Ravens have sucked bad. I’ll stay away from the Ravens until they flip a switch.

Fantasy Football Tear Jerkers – Week 5

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Fantasy Football Know-It-All

Romo did some interception throwing like he was getting points for the damn things, but he ended up leading his team to victory and flashing a fat 8 points on the board. Needless to say, he didn’t win my fantasy league for me. Who was a tear jerker in Week 5? Weird, Lee Evans finds his name back on the “bad” list, as do a couple more big name players. Check ’em out right MEOW!

Jon Kitna: Is that a zero I hear dropping on the score sheet from Kitna’s fantasy league? You betcha. 2 picks, 106 yards, and a big fat loss for the Lions. Yes, I imagine it’ll be tough to reach that 10 win plateau with numbers like that. I mean, I know the Redskins are improved, but lets not pretend that they’re one of the best defenses in the league. Kitna, suck it up and use that cave-man skull of yours to put up some points next week. Or better yet, don’t, and get back on the list.

Larry Johnson: Tough sledding for the big-money guy. 9 rushes, 12 yards, 5 catches 3 yards. Needless to say, the Chiefs didn’t do much in terms of winning on Sunday. It looks like the Jaguars are back to their old tricks which means, watch out running backs. Huard was brutal, the O-line in KC is something to frown at, and overall, I’m not so sure it’ll get much better. Not every game will put the Chiefs up against one of the toughest front-fours in football, but every D will single in on LJ, especially with Brodie Croyle running show.

Mark Clayton: Like Tatum Bell, Mark Clayton will not be allowed back on the tear jerker list until he proves he’s actually worth owning. I’m holding on to him, just because I think his upside is mucho grande, but he’s been one of the biggest busts in fantasy football. Last week against San Francisco – 1 catch, 5 yards. Thanks for coming out.

Tatum Bell: Bell will no longer be on the Tear Jerker list, because he is no longer worth owning in fantasy football leagues. I kid you not, this cat is done. After all that off-season talk about how Mike Martz loves him and Jones is out for the year, Tatum will now be a high-priced backup looking to the off-season for some more work. Thank you for your 4 carries for 15 yards, young Bell – and next time you get the ball, learn how to look for a hole.

Terrell Owens: TO had more drops than catches, and he busted out 2 for 25 yards and 2 fantasy points. I had Romo and TO, so needless to say, I’m searching for a way to pick up the pieces in Week 6.

Lee Evans: Back again. 1 catch, 12 yards – but hey, it was a nice route, and a nice sideline finger tip catch. My good god.

Chris Chambers: Chris had a point. Sweet, Carl. 2 catches for 19 yards, and to think, one more yard and he could have had 2 points. Eh, he still makes this list if he has 2 points, so big deal.

(Also considered; – Matt Leinart’s shoulder, the Cardinals’ defense, every single player on the Broncos, even coach Splinter)

Week 5 College Football Picks Review: 2007

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It was a bad week. That’s a sure thing. Check it out, these are the games I picked, and this is how it went wrong.

LUCKY LESTER’S Free NCAA Football Picks

Michigan Wolverines (-16) @ Northwestern Wildcats:
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

This game was closer than I thought, but the Wolverines had it in hand. It was just an unlucky week for old Lucky – what more can I say?

Alabama Crimson Tide (+2.5) @ Florida State Seminoles:
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bet-Jam)

0-0 at half, Nick Saban’s offense was absolutely terrible. The Seminoles didn’t play amazing, but that FSU defense is stout. I lost another pick.

Mississippi State Bulldogs (+14) @ South Carolina Gamecocks:
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

The Carolina Gamecocks scored about 10 more points than I figured. I just hated picking games this week, the un-luck had me wondering what I did wrong earlier in the week to deserve all the bad ju-ju. I still haven’t figured it out, but stealing candy from those kids earlier in the week might have had something to do with it.

Pittsburgh Panthers @ Virginia Cavaliers (-7):
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

Yay! I picked one right. This went just like I thought it would. Weird. Because in every other situation this weekend, that didn’t happen. Thank you Cavs – you are now an all time Lucky Lester favorite. Thanks for keeping me off the snide.

USC Trojans (-20.5) @ Washington Huskies:
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

UW almost pulled this one out, and that’s because the USC Trojans just couldn’t get their emotional woes under control. Locker was solid, but Josh Booty wasn’t accurate. The Huskies secondary was allowing receivers to get open, just as I had imagined, but Booty wasn’t finding them. He may have axed himself from the Heisman picture on Saturday evening in Seattle.

2006 Fantasy Football Review – Week 5

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This Week’s Top Team (McNabb, F. Taylor, Deuce, Baskett, Galloway, Gates, Robbie Gould, and the Vikings) scored 168…. My team scored 87. I’ve had better days.

QB: Marc Bulger: Marc had a decent day against the Packers, not as great as I expected, but he threw for 220 yards and 2 scores, good for 17 points and the 2nd best day for quarterbacks.

RB: Brian Westbrook: Westy had 88 total yards and a touchdown good for 12 fantasy points. It wasn’t really what I was hoping for, but it wasn’t bad either. His fumble docked him a bit.

RB: Larry Johnson: LJ Had 140+ total yards, 106 receiving and only 36 on the ground, but he did score, giving him 17 points and ranking him 3rd among RB’s.

WR: Torry Holt: 40 yards and a score got me 10 total points. Top 15, but not awesome, that’s for sure.

WR: Marvin Harrison: Thank Goodness Marv caught a TD, because it was getting bad. He had 29 yards, giving him only 8 points. But that’s 6 more than he would have had.

TE: Tony Gonzalez: 1 catch for 25 yards… Officially Tony is no longer a top notch fantasy tight end. 2 points for me.

K: Jeff Wilkins: My boy was 3 for 3 with 2 extra points for a fat score of 11. Jeff is a stud. He only ranked 6th among kickers, but you can’t get more consistent than Jeff.

D: Colts: The Colts had 10, making me sorry for not picking the Panthers with my real pick instead of my sleeper. Damn.

LUCKY’S Week 5 SLEEPERS – I’m grading my sleepers from now on. A for great, B for good, C for decent, and F for I failed. This week, 4 A’s a C and two F’s. Championship!

Matt Leinart: Like I said, Matt won’t struggle, he’ll find Boldin and Fitzgerald for scores. Larry got hurt but he caught a TD, as did Boldin. Matt thre for 253 and 2 scores with 1 interception. He produced 16 fantasy points, not bad for a rookie. A (scored in the top 6 of QB’s)

Frank Gore: Frank didn’t fumble but then again, he didn’t score either… However, he did have 170+ total yards, including 134 rushing. I got 16 points from Frank, 6th among RB’s. (A)

Laurence Maroney: LoMo had a 45 yard day, good for 4 points and an F in the sleeper department. Can I take a C for this one?

Troy Williamson: Troy didn’t do dick. I don’t think it’s his fault as much as Brad Johnson’s eyes are too old and slow to be able to judge Troy’s speed. Either I get another F.

Greg Jennings: Greg had 105 yards and a score for 16 fantasy points, putting him all alone in 3rd place among WR’s. Not bad for a sleeper start from a rookie. In fact, yep, A.

Daniel Graham: Daniel did nothing, didn’t even suit up I reckon. But the bottom line is he scored a fat 0 – that’s grounds for an F.

Carolina: Carolina scored 24 points, in my league, good for 5th among defenses. They only allowed 12 points to the Brownies, just as I had predicted, they were in shut down mode on Sunday. A.

LUCKY’S Week 5 WUSSIES

Jake Plummer: Nice stat line snake… 100 yards a TD and a pick… 7 points… gross.

Edgerrin James: 71 rushing yards, no scores, 44 yards receiving. 11 points. Not bad, better than I imagined, but still not great.

Javon Walker: Javon’s 62 yards against the Ravens is amazing considering Jake only had 100 yards passing total. But 6 points isn’t too good either.

Reggie Bush: Reg had 9 carries for 23 yards… That’s a 2.6 yard per carry average. He did return a punt for a game winner though. But I didn’t’ get any points for that. 63 receiving yards gave him 8. Not bad, but not great.

Free Football Picks 06-07 Week 5

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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.

Week 5 College Football Picks Review: 2006

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ITS about damn time! Feels good to be a big winner in the college ranks for the first time this season. 8-2. Rockin’ it Ya’ll. This is how I did it. And my two losses, I missed covering by a point in each one. Not a bad week, not bad at all.

Auburn Tigers @ South Carolina Gamecocks (+14.5): Winner winner chicken dinner. I kept looking at this game on Thursday, asking myself what the hell I was thinking. And it all worked out. Some how the Tigers didn’t have their roar, allowing SC to play with them for most of the game. A late score kept Auburn undefeated, but I still rolled to victory 1.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (-3) @ South Florida Bulls: Rutgers couldn’t win by enough to keep me happy. For the 5th week in a row, I was broken by a point. One point, one loss.

Virginia Cavaliers (-5) @ Duke Blue Devils: Hahahaha…. I still can’t believe this game had a 5 point spread. Unbelievable. Duke… Haha… Virginia held on late, winning 37-0. What a joke. Win number 2, I’ll take it with a smile.

Toledo Rockets @ Pittsburgh Panthers (-14): What can I say? When it’s going well, it’s really going well. The Panthers blew out the Rockets to the beat of 45-3. I love it when it’s a sure thing.

Alabama Crimson Tide (+14) @ Florida Gators: What do you know, lost this game by a point. I hate points. Check that, points are fine, one singular point sucks. The Tide could only manage a field goal in the 2nd half as Florida scored 21 to upend ‘Bama 28-13. Loser.

Oregon Ducks (-1) @ Arizona State Sun Devils: Lets see, does 48 to 13 cover the spread? Let me check. Oregon -1. 48 minus 13… Oh, yeah, apparently 35 points is plenty in this situation. Feels good to know what’s going one. Took me a few weeks, but this is lookin’ good.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (+10) @ Virginia Tech Hokies: How about this? Not only did I pick this game, I told you Tech was getting the upset. Check it out.. “I really think Georgia Tech isn’t getting enough credit here, while the Hokies are 10 point favorites for no particular reason whatsoever. Tech has a close loss to Notre Dame, and wins over a decent Virginia team and solid Troy team. The Hokies have a nice strength of schedule… If we’re talking college basketball. But here in the football realm, wins over North Carolina and Duke really don’t mean jack. I’m looking for a Jacket upset here, especially with the Hokies losing their starting defensive end and #2 wide receiver for this game.” Winner.

California Bears (-9) @ Oregon State Beavers: 41-13. Yeah they covered, and not by a measly point either. The Bears dominated because they are many times better than the Beave. Love the Pac 10 winners, baby.

Ohio State Buckeyes (-6) @ Iowa Hawkeyes: You heard it here… “I’m not saying they don’t belong amongst college football’s best, but I’m saying they don’t belong with college football’s best… Wait, I was saying that after all. Iowa will get stomped by a far superior Ohio State team that got a nice wakeup call last weekend.” Winner.

Washington Huskies (+4) @ Arizona Wildcats: I don’t care that they only scored in one quarter. That quarter was the 2nd, and it just so happened to be 21 points, and that easily held against the Wildcats. I can’t believe it, I bet on the Dawgs, and they came through in fine fashion. Boy-O-Boy, it feels a lot better to go 8-2 than it does to go 5-7. Let the wins roll!

2006 Fantasy Football Week 5 theRUNDOWN

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This Week’s Top Team: This is the best team I could put together for Week 5.

QB: Marc Bulger: Marc should have a solid game against the Packers. Green Bay’s secondary has been annihilated all season long. It shant stop there…. Another game, another 2-3 passing scores.

RB: Brian Westbrook: I’m going to go with Westbrook again. With Julius Jones on my bench. So if Westy doesn’t play, I’ll take Julius in that game in Philly. Ah, Westbrook is too talented for Dallas’ defense, and the Eagles can’t wait to show everyone that.

RB: Larry Johnson: The Cardinals can’t win against run first teams, and Larry Johnson can’t have less than 20 fantasy points against the Cardinals. I don’t care what they do, put 12 guys in the box, do it, LJ will still run the show in Arizona.

WR: Torry Holt: Torry will benefit from Green Bay’s insistence that everyone should throw on them. Without a stellar pass rush, Torry will get too much time to get open, and naturally he will be.

WR: Marvin Harrison: Peyton will try to put this game out of reach by half time. You can bet Marvin will be a big part of that performance. Harrison is always open, and he’ll be wide open against a youthful secondary in Tennessee.

TE: Tony Gonzalez: Tony really hasn’t had a big game all season long. But Huard will try to find him often against the Cardinals. That being said, it’ll be easy to find Tony, he’s the big bad ass basketball player running show on the football field.

K: Jeff Wilkins: I’ll ride my horse. Here’s to Jeff Wilkins, 2006 fantasy football all American.

D: Colts: I like that the Titans are going with Vince Young. He’s fun to watch, he’s athletic, and a very likable guy. That being said, he makes mistakes, and defenses capitalize. Sacks and turnovers.

LUCKY’S Week 2 SLEEPERS

Matt Leinart: Everyone expects Matty to struggle, but with his struggles will come accurate passing and what that means is touchdowns. Because if you can get Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald the ball, they’ll score.

Frank Gore: I’m guessing Frank doesn’t fumble this week, and in turn has one hell of a game. Oakland’s run D is better than people think , but Frank is a very talented runner.

Laurence Maroney: LOMO is a stud, flat out, no questions asked, this kid will take the cake from this class of stud runners. This week he’ll take it to the Dolphins porous rush defense.

Troy Williamson: This young stud is only held back by Brad Johnson’s reluctance to go his way. Against Detroit he’ll be so open Brad won’t have a choice.

Greg Jennings: St. Louis isn’t bad defensively, but I expect the Rams to be up early, so Brett will have to throw often. With Jennings being the go to guy with Driver out, that means many chances will come his way.

Daniel Graham: Graham hasn’t had a huge year, and he has other solid TE’s on his own team. But he’s fast and athletic and Miami’s defense doesn’t have many in the secondary who can compete with his size and speed.

Carolina: Cleveland has been solid offensively, but this could be the week the Panthers really show the football world what they’re made of. Frye will have to elude the rush, and in the secondary, the Panthers could set the youngster up for some big mistakes.

LUCKY’S Week 1 WUSSIES

Jake Plummer: Don’t’ look for much from Jake… again.

Edgerrin James: Edge will have another tough week, this time against the Chiefs.
Kansas City’s defense is greatly underrated.

Javon Walker: Javon won’t find much room against the Ravens. He had a huge game a couple weeks ago, but Baltimore’s a different beast.

Reggie Bush: Bush hasn’t been the best back of the rookie class, due greatly to having Deuce McCallister on his team. This week another speedy defense comes to town in hopes of containing Reggie.

Free NFL Picks 05-06 Week 5

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Home Alone!Is it possible that the away teams will win 12 of 14 games this week? I sure hope so. I’ve taken the underdog in eight games and the away team in twelve. These are both season highs for me, so get ready for a season high in the win column. After another week of mediocrity (7-7) I’m primed for a big breakout performance that will bring me up and over the .500 plateau. An epic home team disaster is on the way. Don’t drink and drive!

Chicago @ Cleveland (-3) – The Bears and Browns were both off in Week 4. Many are saying the bye week will help Kyle Orton get used to the NFL, but I’m here to say that won’t happen. All a bye week does for a rookie is allow him to think more about his mistakes. Kyle will do much better when he gets into the swing of things and doesn’t have enough time to think about anything, just play football. Trent Dilfer has been very accurate for the Browns, and he’ll need to continue that if he wants to win his first home game in a Browns uniform. The Browns will find it tough to dent the Bears powerful defensive unit, but big mistakes by the Bears will allow Cleveland to pull it off late. Game Date: 10/09/05 13:00 ET

New Orleans (+3) @ Green Bay – The Packers shouldn’t be favored against anybody. The Packers can’t do just enough to beat me this week, as they can’t make me lose without winning the game. God knows they’re not prepared to do that. My good friend lives in Green Bay, and he told me “I’ve never see more grown men cry than when the Packers got beat by the Browns in Lambeau.” Tears should continue to poor like the Fox River as Joe Horn will come back from injury and terrorize Al Harris and the Packer secondary. Look for Aaron Brooks to have his biggest statistical game of the year as the Saints upset the Pack. Game Date: 10/09/05 13:00 ET

Tampa Bay (-3) @ New York Jets – The Buccaneers got lucky against Detroit last week. Marcus Pollard’s knee supposedly went out of bounds before he controlled the ball and Mike Williams’ right pinky toe nicked the left sideline in the end zone as the Buc’s literally won by an inch. But you take them when you can get them, and everyone and their mother knows, this is the time to take them from the Jets. Cadillac Williams is bruised and possibly out for this game, but back up runner Michael Pittman is no slouch. The Jets will have their hands full, with or without Carnell in the lineup. Look for Joey Galloway to make more big-plays as Tampa Bay takes out the Jets in New York.
Game Date: 10/09/05 13:00 ET

Seattle (+3) @ St. Louis – The Seahawks never win in St. Louis. Hell, the Hawks never beat the Rams no matter where the game is played. Little known fact, the Rams are always out to surprise their viewers. Last week they got destroyed by the New York Giants, but the Rams always play well at home. Ha! That’s what they want you to think. Don’t let them fool you. They will lose to Seattle this week. There’s no question in my mind. Shaun Alexander will rush for over 100 yards without much of a defense to get in his way. When Shaun does that, the Seahawks win big. Take the Hawks to win their first game against the Rams in over a year. Game Date: 10/09/05 13:00 ET

New England @ Atlanta (-3) – Wait until right before kickoff to take this bet. If Mike Vick isn’t suiting up for the Falcons, the Patriots at +3 is a pretty damn good bet. If Vick is starting, take the Falcons in a landslide. The Falcons defense has really stepped it up, and the Patriots aren’t as sharp as they once were. But that’s not where this game is going to be won and lost. The Falcons possess the leagues best rushing attack by far. Even without Vick, the Falcons have a shot because the Patriots haven’t been able to stop the run all year. They won’t be able to hold the three headed monster in Atlanta (Vick, Dunn, and Duckett) When the Patriots lose this game, they will be 2-3. I won’t say I told you so! Game Date: 10/09/05 13:00 ET

Miami (+3) @ Buffalo – The Dolphins are a better football team than I expected. On the eve before the return of Ricky Williams, the Dolphins will go into Buffalo and beat a wounded Bills squad. Wounded by the loss of Takeo Spikes, and wounded like the Ducks that JP Losman throws every other play. Nick Saban has done wonders for this Dolphin team, and he’ll continue to wow us as he takes the Dolphins to 3-1. Right now the Dolphins are leading the AFC. Can they keep it up? They can in Week 5! Game Date: 10/09/05 13:00 ET

Baltimore (+1.5) @ Detroit – The Lions played well enough to win last week against the undefeated Buccaneers, but luck wasn’t on their side as they fell inches short of victory, not once but twice. Joey Harrington played well against a very good Tampa Bay defense. Can he replicate or one up his performance in week 5? I’m guessing NO. The Ravens defense finally showed up to play as they limited the Jets to three whole points. Baltimore’s offense isn’t worthy of much more than a victory in Detroit, but that’s exactly where they play this week. Take the Ravens to outlast the Lions for their second win in a row. Game Date: 10/09/05 13:00 ET

Tennessee (+3) @ Houston – The Titans were humiliated by the Colts. They’ll get used to that sooner than later. Lucky for them they play the winless Houston Texans in Week 5. Look for Steve McNair to get some time to throw, feeding the ball to Drew Bennett for Drew’s first 100 yard game of the year. Chris Brown will also get a chance to shine against an average Texan defense. This will be a tight game, as the Texans proved last week that they aren’t a complete waste of an NFL Franchise. The Titan defense will force David Carr in to his customary mistakes, leaving room for McNair to put early points on the board. Take the Titans by a couple in this minor upset.
Game Date: 10/09/05 13:00 ET

Indianapolis (-14.5) @ San Francisco – The Colts weren’t bashful when showing the Titans that their offense is still quite powerful. Don’t expect them to take it easy on the banged up 49er defense that gave up nearly 400 yards to Joshy Woshy McCowen in Mexico on Sunday Night. Petyon Manning… Josh McCowen… Hmmmm… I’m sure the 49ers are excited to throw their crazy blitz packages at Peyton. The Colts might take the over by themselves. I wonder if the Niners will wait until next year to let Alex Smith meat Dwight Freeney? The Colts might very well match the Falcons nine sacks against Minnesota. Either way, there will be plenty of room for both Peyton’s offense and Dwight Freeney’s defense to showcase their talents as the Colts will upend the Niners in epic proportions.
Game Date: 10/09/05 16:05 ET

Carolina (-2.5) @ Arizona – The Panther’s almost let a very important victory slip away to the Second-Half-Packers on Monday night. Luckily for them they pulled it out by the gray hairs on Brett’s chinny, chin, chin. That should have been a wake up call to John Fox and his club. Whether the Panthers like it or not, they need to get the ball to Deshaun Foster more. Steven Davis gets tough yards, but there were too many instances when Davis was just a touch to slow to get the big gain. Look for Jake Delhomme to do what the Niners couldn’t and exploit Arizona’s young secondary.
Game Date: 10/09/05 16:15 ET

Philadelphia (-3.5) @ Dallas – The Eagles are much better than the tumbling Cowboys. Dallas hasn’t done jack after beating the Chargers in week 2. That’s right, I barely count that win over the 49ers. This week Terrell Owens will make the Dallas Cowboy secondary look like a flock of JP Losman’s wounded ducks. Donovan McNabb should have another huge night against a Dallas defense that has a hard time stopping their scout team. Brian Westbrook will find room to run when the Cowboys drop their linebackers to defend McNabb. Julius Jones might have himself a good first half, but being down by two touchdowns at half never helps a running back’s numbers. This game won’t be close. Take the Eagles in an easy one.
Game Date: 10/09/05 16:15 ET

Washington (+7.5) @ Denver – The Redskins played well at home against the Hawks last week. This week they go into Denver to play the Lucky-screwing Broncos. I have to be honest, Denver is overachieving. Mark Brunell was efficient last week against Seattle. He’ll continue in Denver. This week the Redskins will make Jake Plummer beat them, and that won’t happen. Shawn Springs and the Redskin rookie, Rogers, are both solid on the corner. With old-man Rod Smith and drop-it-often Ashley Lelie at wide receiver, the Broncos will be sledding uphill in Mile High. Take the Redskins and all those points in Denver. Game Date: 10/09/05 16:15 ET

Cincinnati (+2.5) @ Jacksonville – The Bengals are a good team that is riding the wave of confidence coming out of Cincinnati. The Jaguars were humiliated by the Broncos in Jacksonville last week. This is a hard one for me, because I love what Byron Leftwich brings to the quarterback position. But his team’s inability to run the ball will catch up to them again when the tough Bengal defense comes to Jacksonville. Look for Carson Palmer to have a big day through the air with Donovan Darius out of the Jaguar lineup. This will be a tight one, but the Bengals will pull out a minor upset in Jacksonville.
Game Date: 10/09/05 20:35 ET

Pittsburgh (+3) @ San Diego – I’m taking the away team in this Monday Night Showdown. The Steelers had two weeks to prepare for the best running back the NFL has to offer. They won’t shut Ladainian Tomlinson down, but they’ll make him work harder than the Patriots did a week ago. Don’t be surprised if LT goes Week 5 without a touchdown. The Steelers are very tough on Defense, and they’ll be out to prove something after a big loss at home to New England in Week 3. Big Ben Roethlisberger will have a better day in San Diego, tossing touchdowns to Hines Ward while pulling off a minor upset against the streaking Chargers. Game Date: 10/10/05 21:05 ET

A NUMBERS BET
Seattle (+3) @ St. Louis – The Rams have lost to the spread in 8 of the last 11 games they’ve been favored. Seattle has lost their last three games against the Rams. Who will win out? Take the Hawks. They’ve proved to be a more balanced team this year, and they’ll out-dual the Rams in St. Louis.

Big Bet of the Week
Washington (To Win) (+280) @ Denver – The Broncos are overachieving as are the Redskins. The Redskins have a decent rushing attack and a decent passing attack. The Broncos have a decent rushing attack and Jake Plummer at quarterback. That’s the difference. The Broncos won’t be able to throw all their marbles into stopping the run like the Redskins will. Denver will fall from their 3-1 pedestal. Take the big money!
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Lucky Lester – Free Football Picks