NFL Week 5 Picks October 9 2005

Once again, Teri Berg takes the top slot with 11 out of 14 correct last week. Overall, the Sportscolumn experts went 37-19 or 66% right. After a slow start, we are back on track. Here are the week 5 picks served piping hot.

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Week 5 Picks

Locks of the Week

Vegas Vinny: The Cowboys tried to stop Randy Moss by dropping safeties into double coverage and they almost won the game. You can’t do this to the Eagles who have LJ Smith and Westbrook tearing it up if you focus too much on TO. McNabb is playing as well as he’s played his entire career and he’ll carve up the Cowboys secondary. Meanwhile, the Eagles defense stumbled out of the blocks last week against KC but made enough adjustments to shut them out the rest of the way (not counting the last minute TD KC scored.) No adjustments will be needed against the statue known as Drew Bledsoe. The Eagles blitz defense will make Drew more unglued than Kate Moss after two days off the coke. The Eagles (-3) will easily cover.

Teri Berg: Is there a more pathetic pick for an upset than giving Baltimore, at -1, the nod over Detroit? The Lions looked their strongest versus TB last week, and Harrington’s negated TD pass might have been out of line. Does that mean Joey’s coming into his own? I don’t think so — and definitely not against the Ravens’ aggressive front four. Also, Detroit’s losing underachiever WR Charles Rogers for four games, upsetting what might have been a delicate balance on offense to begin with. The Ravens’ D is not as good this year — not really in Tampa Bay’s league. (Exactly where has Ed Reed disappeared to?) But I think Detroit’s push against the Bucs last week was an aberration. Baltimore hasn’t got the strongest offense, but Anthony Wright has settled down in the pocket — his completion percentage jumped last week and he didn’t get sacked, after being laid out eight times in the previous two games. The scouting report has it that his teammates actually prefer Wright to Boller. Still, it would be nice if Wright could get some help from Jamal Lewis. The Ravens will beat Detroit, but it would make me feel a lot safer if Lewis would rev his engine for this game.

BostonMac: Maybe I’m a shameless homer for picking the team that thoroughly dismantled the champs in Foxboro last week to lose at home. But I see a letdown game for the Bolts. The Steelers are coming off a disappointing loss vs the Pats two weeks ago, and have had an extra week to prepare for San Diego, including watching their opponent play against New England. Even though Willie Parker is starting to wear down, Pittsburgh should be fine on offense with Roethlisbuger having a big day vs. a very mediocre Chargers secondary. Troy Polamalu is a run-supporting weapon in the secondary that the Patriots did not have last week with the absence of Rodney Harrison that will keep Tomlinson in relative check. Pitt bounces back on the road against an inconsistent SD. Take PITTSBURGH (+3) vs San Diego.

Trevor F: Oklahoma covers that 13 1/2 against Texas. That line is absolutely absurd
considering the magnitude of this rivalry and the fact that Bobby Stoops
has Mack Brown’s number. Adrian Peterson plays and the Sooners keep this
close and possibly even pull the upset.

……………..Oops wrong level….I’m taking the Nati to beat
Jacksonville. The Bengals are getting three in this game and I like them
to win outright. The Jags just got slapped by Denver in Jacksonville and
the Bengals are a much better team than the Broncos.

BTW, if you’re into the word “teaser” examine the two previous paragraphs.