nfl-general
We spend about 45 minutes complaining about the NBA but eventually get to the NFL picks.
The featured games this week are: Bucs @ Falcons, Steelers @ Ravens, Broncos @ Panthers, and Giants @ Cowboys.
You can download the podcast directly (running time 90 mins) or subscribe to the feed.
If you use iTunes, just click here and then click subscribe and iTunes will take care of the rest.
Every week it feels like we’re getting a little closer to truly discovering which teams are for real, and which ones are slowly falling apart.
We still don’t know what’s going on in New Orleans, and quite frankly, it’s possible we never will.
We have no idea what to make of the AFC East. We know the Jets, Patriots, and Dolphins are good, but how good? And more importantly, are any of those teams great?
The Patriots are the team that is supposed to win the division, a favorite to hold home-field advantage, and a good bet to reach the Super Bowl. Even without Tom Brady, a trophy-less end to their season will leave every head in the house hanging.
The Jets don’t have it much better. The anointed one, Brett Favre, was landed in a block buster trade, and is supposed to save the day. The same can be said for Jets’ management and their other pricey off-season additions. At 8-5, they’ve already made huge strides, but what would a collapse do to this team? And would reaching the playoffs, only to lose in the AFC championship game, somehow be worse?
Then you have Miami, a former winless season candidate, with seemingly no chance of being in this equation at the beginning of the season, yet here they are. Some Miami fan who dropped 10 grand on them reaching the playoffs is trying his damndest to not wet his pants in his parents basement, while he kicks his ankles together in his race car bed. Yeah, it’s that serious.
When you’ve got big names, big contracts, and big expectations, the worst fear in the back of your mind (If you’re the Jets or Patriots) is not losing-it’s the Miami Dolphins.
These Dolphins are not your dad’s Dolphins. They couldn’t have done what they’re doing with Jason Taylor or Zach Thomas, or heck, even Dan Marino.
This is the no-name squad, the relentless bastards that won’t go away even if you waive a million dollar check in their face. No sir, they’re here to stay. Well, at least until the final game of the season, when the Jets beat them 31-10.
Like usual, until the season ends and we see our collection of 12 teams who DO have a chance at completing this puzzle, it will remain a guessing game. One that, for now, I will step away from.
Here’s a look at this week’s power rankings:
Last week, Trevor won the week by picking 13 out of 16 games correctly and hitting his lock of the week. This week we’ll see if anyone can overtake BostonMac for the overall picks lead. On the podcast, we talk some baseball free agency, Plaxico, and Sean Avery’s sloppy seconds.
The featured games this week are: Falcons @ Saints, Eagles @ Giants, Cowboys @ Steelers, and Bucs @ Panthers.
You can download the podcast directly (running time 90 mins) or subscribe to the feed.
If you use iTunes, just click here and then click subscribe and iTunes will take care of the rest.
Just when you think you have it all figured out, the surging Jets lose, the Packers blow another chance, and the Panthers and Buccaneers keep winning.
Just what exactly, in this ridiculous NFL season makes sense anymore?
The Chiefs are as competitive as any other team, yet have two wins, and the Lions, much the same, are still looking for their first.
The truth is, last season we had two 10-1 teams (Dallas and Green Bay) in the NFC, with neither representing their conference in the Super Bowl. And in the AFC, the team that went undefeated couldn’t take home the crown, either.
What does this tell us?
Probably nothing. But if we’re going on pure speculation, (which we kind of have to by now) then we can start betting against the Titans and Giants right now.
If the gods were as good to us as we’d love them to be, we’d see the Packers emerge from their division to face the Jets. And maybe it will happen.
But that’s not where my money is.
If I had to dumb this season down to a crazy prediction right now, I’d go with Pittsburgh against Dallas. And in a warped season like this one, that just might be what’s going to happen.
Happy Thanksgiving folks! The featured games this week (picked Against the Spread) are: Broncos @ Jets, Giants @ Redskins, Steelers @ Patriots, and Bears @ Vikings.
You can download the podcast directly (running time 90 mins) or subscribe to the feed.
If you use iTunes, just click here and then click subscribe and iTunes will take care of the rest.
Oh, how the might have fallen. With the undefeated Titans joining the Giants as the only teams with one loss, they fall to second this week, as the Giants prove once again that they just might be the team to beat.
However, if the Jets can do this much damage to the previously assumed “best” team in the league, what does that mean for them? And more importantly, what does this mean for the rest of the league?
As much as I hate to say it, my guess is it means nothing. Not right now, anyways.
Sure, Brett Favre is playing good football, the Jets are solid on both side of the ball, and the Giants and Titans both can clearly be had. But that doesn’t mean the Browns are headed for a turn around, or that the Packers are going to the post-season, simply because they took Tennessee to over time.
In fact, their embarrassing loss to the Saints this Monday night showed us they’re not quite ready for playoffs without Favre, and they’re likely headed to a finish no better than 9-7.
So, then, what do we know? Again, I firmly stand on the guessing game plateau, shouting to the top of lungs; Nothing!
Until the Jets have more than a one game lead in their division, or anyone other than the Giants truly scares me in the NFC, we’re still looking at a Tennessee vs. New York title game. Well, probably.
That doesn’t mean a little Favre magic can’t mix things up in the playoffs though, does it?
BostonMac won the week last week with 13-2-1 but missed his lock of the week. Trevor and Vegas Vinny both hit their locks for big money. RJ is missing and won’t return his bookie’s phone calls since the refs screwed him out of his Steelers lock with some ridiculous illegal forward pass ruling.
The featured games this week (picked Against the Spread) are: Jets @ Titans, Panthers @ Falcons, Giants @ Cardinals, and Packers @ Saints.
You can download the podcast directly (running time 90 mins) or subscribe to the feed.
If you use iTunes, just click here and then click subscribe and iTunes will take care of the rest.
Another week is in the books, and outside of the Titans and Giants, we’re still unsure of how this season will play out.
Most analysts are positive we’ll be seeing the Titans and Giants square off in the final game of the season, and maybe I’m just seeing things differently, but I’m not completely sold on either team.
The Jets win over New England proves their relevancy, and a win over Tennessee would definitely garner some more national attention. And how about the Giants? Well, with two 6-4 teams in their division, as well as the Buccaneers and Panthers in their conference, they aren’t as safe as a lock as we once thought.
Ok, so where do we go from here?
I think the winner of the NFC North might do some damage in the post-season, but who that will be might not be decided until the final week of the season (the same could be said for the AFC East, as well).
But the most important thing to look at this season is the teams (other than Tennessee) that have come out of nowhere to request to be listed among the contenders.
Yes, whether we like it or not, we may have to start realizing the potential of the Cardinals and Dolphins, and possibly even the Falcons.
One thing is for sure, even after 11 weeks, we still have no idea how this will unfold. That is, unless you’re Merril Hoge, who is still backing the Steelers (and always will), or unless you’re Mike Ditka, who still believes it’s 1985 and the Bears will realize how good they really are.
But it’s too early for predictions, folks. So, for now, here’s where the teams stand. You’ll have to wait a few more weeks before I unleash my post-season predictions. But judging by the way the season has gone, I’m sure I will fall short.
Vegas Vinny wins week 10 with a 12-2 record and hit his Lock of the Week. Vegas is now only 1 game behind BostonMac in the straight up picks. Trevor still leads everyone in the money game.
The featured games this week (picked Against the Spread) are: Jets @ Patriots, Bears @ Vikings, Ravens @ Giants, and Cowboys @ Redskins.
You can download the podcast directly (running time 90 mins) or subscribe to the feed.
If you use iTunes, just click here and then click subscribe and iTunes will take care of the rest.
It’s a weird feeling. We knew we’d be here, but we were positive we’d never get here.
On one side, you have Brett Favre and his Jets going up against the Patriots for first place. The new guy with his new girlfriend, and he’s already gearing up for marriage? Nah.
Forget about the Jets winning the game, the playoffs, the Super Bowl, whether or not Favre comes back next season. No, none of that matters.
The main thing is what this off-season led up to. Was Ted Thompson right?
Well, Aaron Rodgers has performed well, but a closer look at the games and his stats show that while he hasn’t really been winning games, he hasn’t exactly been losing them, either.
So, while everyone watches the Jets and Patriots on Thursday night, in the back of their minds, whether they like it or not, they’re continuing to watch the beautiful play that is Favre vs Rodgers.
If you ask me, it’s just a guy playing on a new team, and if they win their next game, they just might be a shoe-in for the Super Bowl.
The way this season has gone, though, there are no guarantees. Unless you count the Lions losing every week. That’s almost a lock. But no, for almost every other team and player in the league, you can’t assume anything. You just have to keep watching…