Posts About ‘vick’

Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game 2012: Week 13

Thursday, November 29th, 2012

It is week 13 in the NFL which means that we know damn well who the winners and losers are and who has an outside chance of rising up and making the playoffs. There is one team that I’m looking at (even going so far as to backing their players in fantasy football) that is going to rise up and steal a playoff spot. More on that in a second. Speaking about fantasy though, it is week 13 which means for many, it is the last week before playoffs begin.

This year, I have clinched the playoffs in one league on the back of Phil Dawson, Matt Ryan and AJ Green. The other league I have AJ Green and Ryan in is a defense plays league, and I did not make the playoffs there and actually just traded Green for Jimmy Graham and Cecil Shorts. The third league, I’m in fourth at the moment, but really need a win this week to clinch a playoff spot. That team is also led by Matt Ryan (who has not done me so well the last two weeks), with Calvin Johnson as the primary receiver. Not a lot of TD’s, but a lot of yards.

This week though, in the league I’ve already clinched, I’m going with Andy Dalton over Ryan and the Bengals Defense. While the Saints give up the most fantasy points to opposing QB’s, I’m liking the way Cincinnati is playing right now and I suggest that you do what you can to grab any Cincinnati players before the trade deadline. Also, my primary RB in all leagues is Green-Ellis. I’ve found that synching all my teams makes more a better fantasy season all around.

So in real football news, that’s the team that I think is going to rise up and steal a playoff spot – the Bengals. They are playing fast and strong and their schedule over the next few weeks puts their fate strongly in their hands. The playoffs is theirs to lose. As for the losers, the Eagles top that list. What a shit shack. Next on that list are the Jets, also a supreme disappointment. I’d put the Browns, Rams, Cardinals, etc., on that list, but we expected them to lose. So after skipping last week (turkey hangover bitches) lets get to picking some games.

New Orleans at Atlanta -3.0
Big game for the Saints if they hope to make a run for the playoffs. To their advantage, outside of Atlanta, the NFC is wide freaking open. Those wild card spots will be highly contested and probably come down to the last game. Even the Rams have an outside chance. Of course, the Saints are going to have to win out, and I don’t think they do that. Their defense is giving up too many points, and the offense just isn’t keeping up. Defenses are aware of Graham now, and Brees doesn’t seem to have the weapons he used to have, especially in the running game. While Ivory has impressed, it hasn’t been enough. Speaking about running game, the Falcons have made it to 10-1 pretty much without using Turner that much, sticking to more swing routes and pitches to the faster running Rodgers. Keep in mind the Saints handed the Falcons their only loss this season. Regardless, back at home, I’m taking the Falcons.

Jacksonville at Buffalo -7.0 UPSET SPECIAL!!
The AFC picture is a little bit clearer when it comes to the playoffs, and neither of these teams are in it. Henne has been better for the Jags than Gabbert, but it’s too little too late. The highlight here is watching rising stars Sheets and Blackmon make names for themselves, in the hopes they get to play somewhere else next season. The Bills can score points, but they can also turn the ball over a lot. I’m going out on a limb here and taking the Jags to win. Even at 2-9, they still have a shot at not completely looking like jackasses. Jags on the road to upset.

Seattle at Chicago -3.0
One second the Hawks look playoff caliber, the next second they look weak. Doesn’t really matter. Chicago is playing some inspired football. Tough too. Last week was great when Cutler got pushed out of bounds, then flipped the ball at a Vikings player. That’s the chippy Cutler that we all know and love. He got flagged for 15 yards, but it was totally worth it. The Bears aren’t going to lay down at home for a team like the Seahawks, they are going to pummel them. Bears to win.

Indianapolis at Detroit -3.5
I bet you want to pick an upset here don’t you? Well, the Lions are still having trouble closing out games, and with Johnson unable to find open space to run, they are having trouble scoring with the long ball as well. Losing three in a row hasn’t helped them rebound this season at all. Stafford is getting shoved, hurried and sacked way too often. That line has got to protect. The Indy pass rush isn’t much of a threat, but Luck and TY Hilton might be. Close game here, but I think the Lions edge out at home. I could be wrong though, this is one I see could go either way.

Minnesota at Green Bay -9.0
The Vikings are down Harvin, and seem to forget they have the leagues #1 rusher on their team. Field goals from 4th and one against the division leading Bears? Are you shitting me? Peterson averages like four yards a carry and you are taking pussy points? The Vikings have given up, I’d say that makes them dangerous, and against the Packers non-existent rushing defense that’d be even more true, but the Packers have that Rodgers guy. Protect him and win the game. Packers at home.

Houston at Tennessee +5.5
The Titans are 0-3 in the division and welcome division leader Houston to town. Yeah, Arian Foster is gonna be like “hey Chris Johnson, this is how it’s done now.” The Titans are going to get shredded. They’ll put up a valiant fight, but the Houston D-Line will crush Locker. Texans to win.

Carolina at Kansas City +2.5 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
Boy, here’s your who gives a shit game of the week. You’d think this would be on Monday Night Football the way those games have been. After beating the hapless Eagles, now the Panthers get the Chiefs. Too bad the Panthers are 3-8. Panthers to win. But no one will be watching.

San Francisco at St. Louis +6.5
The Niners have a rare QB problem. That is, both of them are winners. Alex Smith is probably the most dogged QB in the history of the franchise. My guess, he’s out at the end of the year, playing in KC or something. Which is a mistake. He’s got the arm and the game smarts to be great. Dunno why he can’t get his due in SF. Fuck ‘em. Kaepernik gives them just as much chance to win, though they could start Randy Moss at QB this week and win. Niners to win. Of course, keep in mind they did tie last time they played the Rams.

New England at Miami +9.0
Miami has an outside chance of getting to the playoffs, but this is the week to make that leap. This is a must win game, against a team that seems to just score and score and score but wait! No Gronk? Out with a broken arm thanks to an idiotic decision to keep him in the game, the Patriots are down their leading scorer. So, I suppose that’s a slight advantage for Miami. Tough game for the Fins, as they’ll fall behind quick and never seem to catch up. Patriots to win, but the Dolphins keep it close. Mostly cause the Pats secondary is non-existent.

Arizona at NY Jets -4.5
The Cardinals have Wells back, which should put some more depth in the running game, something the Jets can’t seem to stop. Sure the rookie QB in Arizona isn’t that great yet, and the Jets home crowd hates the Jets more than the visiting team, but the Cards have a chance here. The Jets are not going to even come close to the playoffs, and they are getting primed to clean house. Watch. Cards to win.

Tampa Bay at Denver -7.0
The Bucs are another NFC team that must win this week in order to make a run for the playoffs. Sadly, they travel to the thin air of Denver to face Peyton and the Broncos. While the Bucs gave the Falcons all they could handle, I don’t think they get that lucky against the Broncos, who are playing tighter and tighter every week. I’m sticking with the Denver Mannings to win this game and to continue into the playoffs.

Cleveland at Oakland -1.5
The Browns forced – get this – eight fucking turnovers against the Steelers. The Steelers! If the defense plays the same, they’ll win again this week easy, because Oakland doesn’t wait for forced turnovers, they just give the fucking ball away. Shurmer might be a shit coach, but even he can see that if he just keeps the pressure on Palmer, he’ll win. Browns to win.

Cincinnati at San Diego +2.0 GAME OF THE WEEK!!
This is it for both these teams. A win here and the Bengals will most likely pass the Steelers in the division, edging closer to a playoff spot. A loss for the Chargers likely means that at least Norv Turner is toast, as his poor decision making and clock management will have finally caught up to him. Additionally, Rivers is playing for his life right now, at 4-7, he’s not looking like the price they paid. Bengals to win.

Pittsburgh at Baltimore -0.0
The Steelers are hurting. Literally. charlie Batch was less than impressive against the Browns, the whole team looked like a mess. Without Big Ben, I’m writing them off. If he doesn’t slap on some Kevlar and come back, they are done. The Ravens are going to win this division, if they can beat the Steelers here and keep the Bengals at bay. The next few weeks should be interesting. Either way, Ravens win at home.

Philadelphia at Dallas -9.0
That sound is the sound of Eagles fans holding back the tears. Nick Foles is quickly cementing his place in the hall of perennial backups and he’s only a rookie. You gotta win son. You had your chance against the Panthers, now you are probably headed back to the bench so that Vick can come in and look just as shitty. Bryce Brown was impressive, but needs to learn how to carry the fucking ball. Did you see him swinging it out there? A good fantasy pick if you don’t get penalized for fumbles. Dallas isn’t that great of a team, but have a strong rushing attack going at times, and other times a coach who can’t seem to read the giant digital clock. Regardless, the Eagles aren’t going to win another game this year. Cowboys at home.

New York at Washington +2.5
And we come to the other half the NFC East. The surprisingly dominant Giants against the not to be underrated Redskins. The Skins keep showing that spark that winning teams have, which can mostly be attributed to RGIII. A win at home, against the Giants would be fucking huge for RGIII and the Redskins, who have won two in a row and have a good shot at the playoffs – if they can continue to win in the division. In consecutive weeks they’ve beaten the Eagles and Cowboys, yet lost to the Giants earlier this year. They have two more against the Eagles and Cowboys, so this game is huge for them. The Giants rolled Green Bay, and coming off that win are hard to discount or pick an upset against. Going with the numbers here and picking the Giants to win.

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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game 2012: NFC East Preview

Tuesday, August 14th, 2012

This week we’re going to take a look at the NFC East and NFC West, or North. We’ll see where I’m at on Thursday. Before we get to that though, did you see Andrew Luck the other day? I said it last year, this kid is going to be amazing. He’s a true passer and he’s got that star QB mentality needed to lead a team and get the wins. I would almost think about drafting him in my fantasy league, just in case I don’t get Eli.

This year I’m playing for the first time in a fantasy league that uses all defensive players, as well as coach. Coach! So I guess draft the coach who you think will have the winningnest season? I suppose so. Needless to say, I won’t be drafting Shanahan. I’m going with Mike Smith in Atlanta. Oh, and I’m totally drafting Tebow. And Josh Cribbs. Anyway, we’re talking about the NFC today, and not fantasy.

So what’s new in the NFC East? Not too much really. All four teams are smelling about the same except the addition of RG3 in Washington, that’s the biggie. Meanwhile, somehow that Vick guy is still in football. It’s only a matter of time before karma kicks him right the fuck out. On with the NFC East!

NFC East

New York Giants
What do I start off here with? The fact that the Giants have another Superbowl win under Eli? How about former receiver Amani Toomer saying that Romo is a better QB than Manning? Huh? How many rings does Romo have? Hell, how many rings does Peyton have, Brees? Matt Ryan? All these elite guys and Eli is sitting with two rings and there is no way he is done yet. And the thing is, on both those runs the Giants came in improbable underdogs and somehow pulled it off. A testament to coaching? Improbable luck? Who the hell knows.

This year, the defense is going to be better than ever. Jason Pierre-Paul is a monster, and Tuck is back from an injury as well. I expect that the linebackers will be at their best. The key is staying healthy, of course. And the thing is, there were no real big changes on defense or on offense. This is basically the same team as last year besides Jacobs, Manningham and Ballard taking the walk. I think Nicks and Cruz can easily fill the Manningham void, and Jacobs was just getting slow. Bradshaw could have a banner year, but I expect rookie David Wilson out of Va. Tech to get some good action.

The way I see it, there are only two teams in this division worth giving a shit about. The Eagles are saddled with continued bad karma (more on that in a second) and the Redskins are still saddled with Dan Synder. I don’t even want to write about them. Anyway, the Giants and Cowboys are going to be fighting for the division the whole year, but I think that Eli is going to deny Romo another shot at the NFC Conference championship. Giants and Packers or Falcons fighting for the Superbowl spot.

Projected Finish: 13-3

Washington Redskins
Finally stepping out of the GM role, Dan Synder was unable to make a shit ton of ridiculous decisions that would ultimately doom the Redskins. That’s not saying that every decision that has been made since are great ones, just that he’s not making as many stupid ones. The drafting of Robert Griffin III was the big deal and it’ll be interesting to see how the Redskins coaching staff handles him. You see, RG3 isn’t a Cam Newton type player, he’s more of an Aaron Rodgers type pocket passer. I think though, there is this misconception that he’s a tough runner, he just knows how to escape. If the Redskins offensive coaches put him on the run, it’ll backfire.

In other Redskins news, Shanahan continues to lead the team (11-21 over two seasons) and is joined by Raheem Morris as defensive backs coach. It’ll be one season before Morris is the head coach and Shanahan is out. I like the addition of Piere Garcon, and London Fletcher will still be trying to lead the defense to make up for a rookie QB’s mistakes, but the Redskins have their work cut out for them. They are still in one of the toughest divisions in football and they get the Steelers, Ravens and Panthers this year. The Browns should be a couple wins.

I think that in a pure and perfect environment, RG3 could succeed and lead his team to a winning season. In this environment, with a coach that only found success when Elway gave it to him, RG3 will face a lot of disappointment. Of course, I could be wrong and he could have a Cam Newton like breakout season, but I don’t think so. I’m predicting more sadness for the D.C. faithful.

Projected Finish: 4-12

Dallas Cowboys
Not too many changes here at all. The Cowboys are looking like pretty much the same team as last year, you know, all the offensive weapons and none of the heart. They seems to just go fucking limp in the lead-up to the playoffs, and if you are a Cowboys fan I don’t know how you can still put your Romo jersey on without feeling a tiny bit of shame. To me, Romo is one of the most overrated quarterbacks in the league today. Sure, he makes some great plays every once in a while, but his fuck-ups are epic and when it comes down to the wire, the high pressure situations, he’s mentally already in the fucking offseason banging blond chicks.

Which is why I’m already calling for Kyle Orton to get the start. Orton, has landed in Dallas, knowing full well that he isn’t done playing yet and still has something to prove. I think what the Cowboys have been missing the past couple years is a competent back-up QB that can step in, energize the team and get some wins. Maybe Romo will break a finger or something, nothing major, to give someone else a shot at putting some blood in the dick of this team.

The good news, especially for fantasy owners who saw a deal last year, is that DeMarco Murray will probably rush for well over 1,000 yards this year. Easily. Hell, he’ll probably do that against the Redskins and Eagles alone. And the NFC East plays the AFC North this year, so you can add another 1,000 yards against the Browns. Unless that ankle doesn’t hold up. In which case, nevermind. I’d like to predict good things for the Cowboys, but I just can’t see myself doing that. A winning season is all I can give them.

Projected Finish: 10-6

Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles remind me of that video with those girls, and that cup. It starts out innocently enough, you think this could be good, then everyone starts eating shit. That was the Eagles last year and that will be the Eagles this year. Andy Reid has lost his mojo and as long as he insists on starting Vick, hell, keeping him on the team, they will not find the success on the field as they should have. I am a strong believer in football karma and the Eagles are saddled with a shit ton of bad karma.

Thankfully for them, Vick was injured in pre-season, though it was a finger injury and he’ll be back on the field. Do they really want to start this guy at QB? Fucking put him at receiver, nah, he’d get snapped in half. He’s too fragile and the Eagles offensive line has not been able to protect him at all. Bam. Bam. Bam. Vick hasn’t played 16 games in a season since 2006. May as well just start that kid Nick Foles out of Arizona, give him an early shot and rebuild this team offensively.

Defensively, meh. They are saying that they have a fixed defense, but I highly doubt that. Their scheme should be about the same, give up five yards at a time and hope they don’t run for more. What a way to contain guys. Go Eagles. I’ll give them the extra wins just cause they are playing the Browns.

Projected Finish: 8-8

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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 15

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

Overrated.



Week 15 can be a very depressing week. That’s the week that I realize that I’ve been completely eliminated from all my fantasy football leagues, and in this case, I’ve got to pay out for the one that I’m running. Considering I already spent all their money, I’ve got to sell some plasma, sperm, blood, whatever to get the three hundred bucks. So there’s that.

I went 13-3 last week, which brings me to 134-74 (64%) on the season. That’s not too shabby. I’d like to finish above 65% so the next couple weeks are going to be paramount. I would have done better last week, but for some reason I forgot that the Chargers turn it on in December and the Bills suck right now. Meh, such is life. So this week we have a Thursday night game and a Saturday night game. Neither of which I’ll probably be watching. If it ain’t on RedZone then forget it. Except for the first time this season there is a Monday night game worth watching.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, this year this column will end the week after the Superbowl like previous years, but I’m going to do something different than “the Week in Sports” because frankly, I don’t give a shit about the NBA. Really, I don’t. Quit talking to me about it. On with the picks!

Featured Game

NY Jets at Philadelphia Line: -3.0
This weeks featured game was a tough one. Most of the match-ups are winners versus losers, save for the Monday night game and a couple others. Here’s the reason I chose to highlight this game – because I’m tired of the fucking Eagles. The Eagles, while winning last week, are terribly overrated and have pissed me off since day one. First, that dirtbag Vick gets a huge contract (and Tebow gets railed for running around) and then they start losing. Yet, they are still constantly in the playoff conversation. Why? Why are they still talking about the Eagles like they are going to make the playoffs? Even now, they are still in the conversation. I don’t want them to be in the conversation anymore. Last week the Jets put it on strong and layed down a whupping. I think they roll like that again this week. The key is going to be stopping the running game of the Eagles which isn’t that bad. So I’m taking the Jets to win on the road and for the love of all that is holy, take the Eagles out of any conversation except the biggest busts of the year.

Tailgate City (The Rest)

Jacksonville at Atlanta Line: -11.5
Don’t let the Jags domination over the Bucs lull you into a false sense of anything. The Bucs were unable to stop MJD and his four touchdowns. However, if he has a repeat performance you could be looking at a near upset here. It took all of four quarters for the Falcons to get control of the run defense against the Panthers, relying on the quick play of Matt Ryan and the offense to make up the deficit and pull off the win. Yes, the Falcons will probably jump out to an early lead here, nullifying a slow running game build-up on the Jags side. If the Jags can somehow get out in front first, perhaps they can compete and control the tempo. I don’t see that happening though. Atlanta to win at home.

Dallas at Tampa Bay Line: +7.0
Both these teams had laughable games last week. The Bucs because they totally got smoked by the inferior Jags, and the Cowboys because a week after icing their own kicker, he gets iced and blocked by the opposing team. Up until that point, the Cowboys were just getting lucky. The most overrated team in the league. Good thing they get to play the Bucs. The first and last time I went to a Bucs game it was a season opener against the Cowboys in which the Bucs got pistol whipped up and down the field. I don’t see this contest being any different. The Bucs have been a disappointment all season. What went wrong? Blount is having a good year, but the offense isn’t rallying around him. And the defense is not winning the takeaway game. Dallas to win on the road.

Miami at Buffalo Line: +1.5
Ah, this was always one of my favorite match-ups year in and year out. Recently, it’s been a little stale. The Dolphins surprised me last week – by losing. One of the three games I was wrong on. I really thought they could keep up their win streak. But perhaps Sporano already knew he was out. But it wasn’t coaching, it was mistake after mistake and really shoddy defense. They looked like the Bills look now, which should make this an interesting match-up this week. If the Dolphins come in hot, they can win easy. If the Bills get back to early season form, then perhaps they’ll win. This game could literally go either way. But then, so could every single game every single week. Buffalo to win just cause it’ll be cold out.

Seattle at Chicago Line: -3.5
In Barber’s defense, he was heading for a seam up the sideline and was pushed out. Momentum carried him out of bounds. Of course, he should have been running towards the middle of the field, but instinct took over. The fumble, can’t forgive that. Gotta protect the ball late in the game. Really though, neither Gould or Prater hit those field goals if the game had been in Chicago. The thin mountain air is what killed the Bears. Not to mention the early ground and pound. The scrappy Seahawks are riding in, coming in off another big win. Of course, the Bears are not the Rams and their defense can be stifling. Does Lynch still have it in him to push through the Chicago defense? The Chicago running game is dead, so they have to rely on Hanie since I don’t think Cutler is coming back yet. This should be a fun game, but this is the time of year the percentages really favor the home team. Bears to win at home.

Tennessee at Indianapolis Line: +6.5
Can the Colts rise up and play spoiler? The Titans are less than quietly rising up in the AFC wild-card chase, and still have a pretty good shot at nabbing a playoff spot. However, they still have some hurdles, eh, who am I kidding? The Colts run defense is non-existent and Chris Johnson is finally back up to speed. He’s going to tear apart the Colts on the ground. I bet he runs for 200+ yards easy. Jake Locker will be in at QB this week, wait, are the Titans still in it? I dunno. I don’t feel like pulling up the rankings. Either way, they’ll win. Titans on the road.

Green Bay at Kansas City Line: +14.0
Todd Hailey is out. Who cares? He had a terrible record in his short tenure at KC. This team is a mess. How much do I need to write here? Green Bay will be 18-1 this year, after Tebow beats them in the Superbowl with a last second jump pass at the goal line. This week, Green Bay to win. They could play their practice squad guys and still win.

Cincinnati at St. Louis Line: +7.0
The Bengals had the game well in hand last week, what happened? How did they let a rookie QB drive the length of the field to win the game with a wide open touchdown pass? Well, it’s all about defense. On that last drive, the Texans came right at the Bengals secondary, shooting the gap and taking advantage of the prevent defense. The prevent defense only prevents you from winning! The Bengals were rushing Yates, thinking he would make a mistake or take a sack – he didn’t. The Bengals failed on defense late in the game, when it mattered most. Which is why they haven’t beaten the Steelers or Ravens this year. They can’t compete at a high level. Thankfully for them, they’ll be competing at a low level this week when they visit the struggling Rams. But remember, the Rams throttled the Saints this year, and while that might have been a fluke, they can get it going on defense when they need to. But Dalton is a smart rookie QB with adequate protection. I think the Bengals win, but on the luck of a late field goal.

New Orleans at Minnesota Line: +7.0
The Saints, well, you can’t count them out of a game. That’s for sure. Brees got a bit flustered last week against the Titans, but prevailed late. It was interesting seeing the Saints playing from behind, but really not switching up their game plan. Sproles is a very explosive player and he’s going to tear up the field against the Vikings. The thing is, the Vikings don’t really suck. Ponder has done a great job this year, but had a bad game last week. He was relieved by Joe Webb who nearly led his team to a win. That last bullshit non-call on the facemask that caused the fumble is the only reason the Vikings didn’t pull out a win against the once great (this year at least) Lions. I’m trying to talk myself into picking an upset here, but I can’t realistically do that. The Saints have too much offensive power to lose to the Vikings. Unlike the Lions, who have one premier receiver (Megatron) and covering him mucks up the whole offensive plan. The Saints have too many weapons for that to work. Saints on the road.

Washington at NY Giants Line: -7.0
The word “elite” has been thrown around lately in the same sentence as the word “Eli.” Is Manning really an elite QB? His last minute comeback against Dallas (aided by a blocked field goal) would suggest to me that he is. This isn’t the first time he’s done that for sure. With Peyton out, probably forever, we only have one Manning to look forward to watching on Sundays, so he better fucking be elite. This isn’t the McCown family we’re talking about here. The Redskins are terrible. Seriously. They can find a way to lose a game like no other team and it all continuously comes down to shitty play calling and lapses on defense. They had the Patriots, but surely couldn’t close or hold the game. They play division rival Giants, they lose. Giants to win.

Carolina at Houston Line: -6.5
Wade Phillips is out for two games. I know that might not matter to you, but he’s brought this team from the 30th ranked defense to the 2nd ranked defense in the span of a season. That’s important, especially now that the Texans have made the playoffs for the first time ever. So do they need to keep winning? They certainly do. The Panthers roll in, hot after a loss to the Falcons. Again, too many mistakes and holes on defense kept the Panthers from the win. Newton looked good, but was chased the whole game. He’s gonna have to be wearing his running shoes against the Texans for sure. In fact, I think there is a whipping in the making here. Newton and his overconfidence will be shut down against the front of the Texans defense. No matter what week it is in the NFL, every team wants to win. I just don’t think the Panthers will this week. Houston at home.

Detroit at Oakland Line: +1.0
Detroit now, is a joke. I picked them and their dirty ass defense to win last week just cause they were at home. That late facemask should have given the Vikings another shot to pull off the win, but it wasn’t flagged. Lame. This week, they travel to Oakland, who got flogged by the Packers last week. But that was the Packers. The Raiders are falling apart however, everywhere from Carson Palmer on down. His play has been mediocre at best and the running game left with McFadden. The only highlight is a snippet of pass rush which was non-existent against Green Bay. So can the Raiders entertain the home crowd with a win against a dirty team? Since both teams are near the top of the most penalized list, this should be a nice, violent game. Oakland to win at home, just cause they are at home.

New England at Denver Line: +7.0 UPSET SPECIAL!!
You had to see this one coming right? I’ve been riding the Tebow train since it left the station and there is no way I’m going to stop now. Last week he stated in the after game press conference that it wasn’t “Tebow Time,” it was Bronco Time. He blamed his team for the win, taking little credit yet still has a large chunk of haters. I don’t get it. The guy is class act. He’s mind fucking the entire league. Now, if only he could play 4th quarter football the entire game. Actually, it’s not that. The Broncos pound opposing defenses with a constant running attack the first three quarters, so when the 4th comes around the defense is tired and worn out and that opens up the passing game. Hence Tebows amazing stats in the second half versus the first. Now they have one of the worst defenses rolling into town, with one of the best offenses. I fully expect coach Fox to have made the appropriate adjustments. I’d look for Tebow to be passing early, when the Patriots are expecting the run. I could be wrong, but as long as the Denver defense keeps up the pressure on Brady I see the Broncos prevailing here. The Patiots nearly gave the game away to the Redskins last week, because of the horrid defense. The Broncos are playing much better than the Skins. Doesn’t matter, Denver to win at home.

Cleveland at Arizona Line: -6.5 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
Meh. Who cares? Ok, fine. The Cardinals surprised pretty much everyone last week beating the Niners. I’m thinking that was more of a lapse on the Niners than the Cardinals (who are still inexplicably in the playoff hunt) stepping up. The fact is, Larry Fitzgerald is a beast. The dude was catching balls that should not have been caught by any normal human being. Without him, Arizona does not win that game or even compete. It’s not like Kolb or Skelton are throwing bullets like Rodgers. Especially Skelton, who still has issues with control. The Browns are terrible, which is unfortunate because at the beginning of the season they didn’t look that terrible, especially on defense. But you know what, considering that neither of these teams is especially good on either side of the ball, I’m taking my Browns to win. Just cause.

Baltimore at San Diego Line: +1.0
This is an interesting game. The Ravens are fighting with the Steelers for control of the division. Plus, Ray Lewis comes back this week, which should step up the defense of the Ravens. Meanwhile, the Chargers are playing like they should have been all season, once again busting out in December to make a run at the division. Well, they are two games behind the Broncos but winning. Rivers is nearly unstoppable in the month of December. Can he make the playoffs this year? Can he beat the Ravens? I say yes. I say at home, in December the Chargers will prevail in this game through sheer offensive prowess.

Pittsburgh at San Francisco Line: -2.5
Finally, a good Monday night game. Limpy McRapist (Big Ben) will be without his best (and dirtiest) defensive player – James Harrison. Harrison will be serving a one game suspension for his helmet to helmet hit on Colt McCoy last week. The Steelers struggled against the Browns, unable to really punch in a running game. The Browns were unable to stop the pass attack late in the game when Ben came back into the game. The Niners lost to the Cardinals, and I still haven’t figured out why. For what I can tell, it was because Fitzgerald was taller than everyone in the Niners secondary. That will be the case again against the Steelers secondary and while the Niners can stop the run, they might have some trouble against the passing attack of the Steelers. I know the Niners are favored in this game, but they might be a bit on the relax in the back of their heads due to already clinching the division. Steelers to win on the road.

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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 9

Thursday, November 3rd, 2011

Will the Bucs be celebrating against the Saints again?


So, I picked the Denver Tebows to beat the Lions. In my heart of hearts I knew it was wrong, I was wrong and I paid the price by losing a correct pick. It was a chance I was willing to take, just in case. The truth is, as bad as Tebow was, the rest of the team was just as shitty. So he doesn’t know how to throw away the ball and has terrible mechanics, okay. He’s got a spark, but that’s not enough. I’m still on the Tebow train, but the offensive line has got to get it together to give him an extra second. The Lions said they were coming for him, and they did. Of course, it was a good week to have the Lions defense in fantasy football, as I do. Heh.

Overall I went a dismal 8-5. When the blond chicks at work who pick at random get 10 right, you know you are doing something wrong. It’s like when you take a girl bowling and she does that under the legs thing and gets strikes, and here you are shooting from the right side with a spin on the ball and you come up short. Kind of proves chaos theory eh? I’m 76-40 on the season (66%) so that’s not too bad. I really want to stay at or above that percentage, so the next few weeks are going to be crucial. Which means second guessing my gut. Not smart, but gotta do what I gotta do.

I’m going to do something a little different this week. I’m going to immediately pick a winner, then do my analysis than either change the impromptu pick or stick with it. Either way, it should be clear at the end of each paragraph which team I’m going with. I just want to see how accurate my gut (first pick) is compared to my pick after analysis and second guessing. And instead of doing them one by one, I’m going to do all my gut picks at once, down the line. And… go!

Featured Game:

Tampa Bay at New Orleans Line: -7.5
Gut Pick: Tampa Bay The Bucs have not done me well this season, and now they come off a bye and travel to New Orleans to fight for the division. The Bucs got a little help last week as the Saints rolled over for the Rams, which tells me that they were over confident coming into the game, and looking past the game to this one. While I doubt the Saints will play as badly as they played against the Rams, I expect them to over compensate a little bit with some over aggressive play calling, which is sometimes the norm for them, but doesn’t always work against the Bucs. This should be a strong game on both sides of the ball, and it’s going to come down to trick goal line plays and special teams handling. I’d like to see the Bucs go after the Saints on punts and extra points. I think that’s where the difference in this game are going to be. So that being said, I’m taking the Saints to win. Look, I know they are both good teams in the NFC but the Saints at home have a clear advantage and splitting the series this year sounds like a good compromise. Saints at home.

Tailgate City (The Rest)

NY Jets at Buffalo Line: -1.5
Gut Pick: Buffalo The Jets talk a big game, but have yet to really show themselves. Their defense, and specifically Darell Revis have bailed them out when they needed them the most. Their win against San Diego was impressive, but came too late in the game. Especially if they want to contain the Bills, who have established quite a running game with Freddy Jackson. Not to mention the play of the defense, shutting down passing routes and pressuring QB’s left and right. I’m sticking with my gut on this one though, as the Bills are playing better all around football. Bills at home.

Seattle at Dallas Line: -12.5
Gut Pick: Dallas This season has not been easy for the Cowboys. Last week they were terrible. Their defense couldn’t keep up with the well prepared Eagles offense. They made McCoy look like a fucking god as he shredded their run defense and Romo couldn’t keep his feet under him. This team is less than inconsistent, they are bad. The Seahawks meanwhile seem to be coming around a little bit, now that they have Jackson back at QB but losing like they did to the Bungles hasn’t helped their game any. The defense is a strong point, but they don’t have the offensive weapons to get it done. I’d love to pick them to upset, but Cowboys to win at home.

Atlanta at Indianapolis Line: +8.0
Gut Pick: Atlanta Without a win and looking quite pathetic, the Colts are nothing without Peyton. Plenty of teams have injuries, and still play strong. What happened to the dubious Colts defensive front? What happened to the running game? What happened to this team besides the loss of Peyton? If he doesn’t get some MVP votes, then something is wrong in the universe. They need to win eventually right? I don’t think it’s going to be against the Falcons though. Matt Ryan likes playing in a dome, no matter where it is, Detroit or wherever. The Falcons run game is going to be too much for the Colts by themselves. And the rush will have Painter running for his life almost every snap. Falcons on the road.

Miami at Kansas City Line: -5.0
Gut Pick: Kansas City For the second week in a row the Dolphins held a lead, then gave it up like a discount hooker in an airport bathroom. While I said I won’t pick them to win at all this season (playing the odds) I do think they, unlike the Colts, are actually trying to win. There has got to be a breaking point though. It’s not only the offense having no longevity (all you need is an hour) but it’s bad coaching decisions too. The Chiefs on the other hand, looked to be having a bad season, then suddenly waking up and realizing that they are in a so-so division and have a serious chance at it. This is a win they really need if they want to stay in the race. Which is why it’s ripe for an upset. I’m not picking it though. KC at home.

San Francisco at Washington Line: +4.5
Gut Pick: San Francisco Wake up! You are not in an alternate reality! The Niners are 6-1. They haven’t been this good since Steve Young left. Not only that, but they will most likely win the division with a winning record. Quick, off the top of your head, when was the last time that happened in the NFC West? I don’t know, but it’s something to celebrate. Harbaugh is finally the coach that the Niners were looking for and they’ve turned Alex Smith into a franchise QB and somehow sparked Crabtree to start playing to his potential. The offense is clicking and I don’t see them slowing down, even on a long trip to the East coast to face the Redskins. The Redskins are a dismal 3-4, but so is everyone in the NFC East save for the Giants. However, after last weeks shut-out I don’t see them bouncing back against another strong team. Niners to win on the road.

Cleveland at Houston Line: -10.5
Gut Pick: Cleveland Of course my gut says the Browns. In my mind, they never lose. And this is a way I can pick them without actually picking them. The Browns entered the season with high expectations then the Madden curse took a hold of Peyton Hillis, the backup RB hasn’t done shit and Colt McCoy isn’t looking quite like Elway as he did last year. The bright spot is the defense, which is doing it’s job keeping games close, but that’s not enough if the offense isn’t doing shit. Heden is a beast out there in the secondary, but he can’t win games by himself. The Texans are much too good for that. They whipped up on the Titans last week and should be running away with the NFC South any day now. The Browns are just something they stepped in on the way. Texans to win.

Cincinnati at Tennessee Line: -3.0
Gut Pick: Cincinnati Shhh… don’t tell anyone. The Bengals are 5-2 and have the leagues #2 ranked defense. Last week special teams added to the fantastic ride of the Bengals season with two punts returned for TD’s. Dalton has looked like a 5 year veteran, making very few rookie mistakes. Still though, the Bengals still have to beat the Ravens and Steelers who they have to play twice yet this season. That could change everything. They need to rack up as many wins as possible before that point. The Titans, sigh, after getting a huge contract Chris Johnson has been shit, and the injury of Kenny Britt hurt this team even more. However, they aren’t out of it yet, and even after the drubbing at the hands of their division rival Texans, the Titans still have a shot, putting down the Colts last week. Johnson still didn’t get his run game going, as bad as the Colts are, so the problem is him. I’m still hoping each week that he’ll wake up, as long as I’m not playing against him in fantasy football. I’m sticking with my gut here, which I think is going to be a high scoring back and forth affair, with Cincy prevailing due to defensive play. Bengals on the road.

Denver at Oakland Line: -7.0
Gut Pick: Oakland You don’t need much of a gut to predict this after seeing how Tebow performed last week. I think I said what needed to be said in the opening paragraph. He’s getting ripped in the media but that loss was because of a complete failure as a team by the Denver Broncos. This week they roll to division rival Oakland who will be giving Palmer another go. Now, I’ve always liked Palmer, as much as I hate the Bengals. I’ve always thought he was a good QB with an accurate arm and good pocket presence, and he is. But the guy stepped away from the game, and I think that hurt him when it comes to developing a cadence with a new team. It’s been two weeks though, thanks to the bye and I think with that and working non-stop with receivers and this being a home game (cutting out travel time) Palmer will be much better this week. I’d like to see Tebow put up a fight though. Oakland to win at home.

New York at New England Line: -8.5 UPSET SPECIAL!!
Gut Pick: New England Was it a mistake to pick the Patriots to beat the Steelers last week? Maybe. I don’t think so, but everyone else seemed to pick the Steelers to win. Was there something I was missing? Either way, the Patriots offense was shut down for the most part, and they looked human. Now they are back at home, where Brady has lost what – once? Some crazy stat like that. Picking against them almost feels like playing the lottery. You smirk, but know that the odds are completely astronomical. While the Patriots are my gut pick here, I really want to pick the Giants to upset. The Giants seem to either sink down, or rise up to the level of their opponent and their defense has been pressuring QB’s all season and pretty boy Brady was certainly affected by the Steelers pass rush last week. This would be a tough, and huge win for the Giants if they pull it off. Brady was 6-1 against the Steelers and that stat got busted. I’m picking the Giants to upset and bust another stat.

St. Louis at Arizona Line: -0.0 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK
Gut Pick: St. Louis What do I need to say here that you don’t already know? The Rams finally got their first win, inexplicably upsetting the Saints with killer defense. If they play even marginally like that, the Cardinals will have a tough time keeping up. While neither of these teams are going to win the NFC West, they may as well battle it out for the bottom rung. Kolb has been a complete bust in Arizona, the guy is not a starting QB. Of course, he suffers from lack of protection, so it might not be all him. They did well against the Ravens, pulling at 24-6 lead at halftime but blew it. Coffee is only for closers! Rams to win on the road.

Green Bay at San Diego Line: +6.0
Gut Pick: Green Bay The opening line for this game was 5.5 in favor of the Chargers. I laughed, checked again and saw that it had quickly flipped. Turnovers, bad defense, Rivers fumbling the ball away at a crucial point in the game and throwing two interceptions contributed to their loss against the Chiefs on Monday night. What a debacle. The Chargers played about the same against the Jets, they let the other team beat them on defense, so what chance do they have against the Packers? The Packers are playing all around great football, they make the right decisions and adjustments. Do I expect the Chargers to put up a bit of a fight? Sure. Do I expect them to win? Hell no. Packers to win on the road.

Baltimore at Pittsburgh Line: -3.0
Gut Pick: Pittsburgh One of the best night games is the Ravens and Steelers. This week, they are at the Steelers, where the Patriots were sent home with their tails between their legs last week. As the season goes on, the Steelers get tougher and tougher. The Ravens staged an epic comeback against the Cardinals, but that was the Cardinals. Of course most teams don’t play the same week to week, but the Steelers are one team that is only getting better as the season progresses. The thing about them is, you can sack Ben like 60 times a game and he’ll just shake it off and keep throwing. Really, so will Flacco. He’s got the moves. The fight for the AFC North starts here (but watch the rear view for the Bengals.) Steelers to win at home.

Chicago at Philadelphia Line: -7.0
Gut Pick: Chicago The only reason the Bears are winning is because of the superior play of Matt Forte. The problem is that the Bears haven’t given Forte a new contract and they are running him ragged in the meantime. This wouldn’t be a problem if they gave him what he’s worth. Because it’s already in his head, which means at any time it could affect his game. Of course, it’s a catch-22 as if his play declines, his chances for a huge contract do too. So he’ll play hard. Philly’s LeSean McCoy had a huge running day against the Cowboys, but the Bears actually have a better run defense, when they are on. When they aren’t, they aren’t. It’s no secret I can’t stand Philly this year and want them to fail, but I don’t think I can justifiably pick them to lose at home this week after seeing what they did to the Cowboys last week. Philly to win at home.

In the Sauna (Bye Week Teams)

Bye Week at Carolina
Hey, not a bad first half of the season for Cam Newton. Can you tell this guy is a rookie? Cause I sure can’t. That being said, he can’t do it alone, which their latest loss kind of proves.

Bye Week at Detroit
Relax. Suh is meeting with the league to go over the rules, because he doens’t want to break them. The Lions D is playing dirty lately, and they need to knock that off before it ruins their perception. Not to mention getting the attention of the officials in-game.

Bye Week at Jacksonville
The Jags are about as fun to watch as a turtle getting run over by a cloud. BORING. Is Jack Del rio still the coach? Who cares?

Bye Week at Minnesota
The Vikings have to be feeling pretty good going into this bye week. Unlike the Broncos, the rest of the team has risen up to help transition Ponder to the big leagues, and he’s fared well. While we won’t see the Vikes in the playoffs, we may see them with a winning season after all.

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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 2

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

Can Collins lead the Colts to another ten win season?

So I started the season off a paltry 8-8. That’s pretty lame, but better than most experts. That’s not an excuse, I plan to do better. Being right is very important to me. I’m shooting for at least 65% in correct picks this year, not including the playoffs. We’ll see. In other news, all three of my fantasy teams lost, thanks to lousy QB and Defense choices. What the hell? Remember, all predictions right or they aren’t. Nothing on the island is real.

Featured Game

Cleveland at Indianapolis Line: +3.0
This game is my featured game not because I’m a total Cleveland Browns honk, but because of the Colts. The Colts have made the playoffs with 10 or more wins since 2002. It’s a streak that no team has matched. It’s a streak that will become Peyton’s legacy. It’s a streak that is in jeopardy. I know that I could be way off on this, but Doug Flutie isn’t waiting in the wings to save this team. Kerry Collins sure as shit ain’t gonna do it, not after the drubbing he took against the Texans last week. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that the Colts start Painter. The home fans are not going to like a fumbling Kerry Collins, I think they’ll be a bit more lenient with a rookie QB. Though it’s too bad that the Colts don’t really have much of a running game right now, because that’s where the Browns are showing they are lacking. The Browns let the Bungles get the best of them with two late game big plays as their front line seemed to tire. Losing to the hapless Bungles was not a good start for the Browns, but I think they can bounce back on the road this week assuming their defense steps the hell up. I can see either team winning this game, but I’m going to give it to Cleveland edging the Colts late.

Tailgate City (The Rest)

Oakland at Buffalo Line: -4.0
How about those Bills eh? Who the hell saw that coming? I attribute their win to the switch back to the classic red white and blue uniforms. That has to be it right, because KC was supposed to be this crazy offensive powerhouse? Right? Well, they were offensive all right and the Bills took full advantage, doing it on offense and defense. They actually looked good. This week, they welcome the Raiders to town, who squeaked by the Broncos in their home opener. A week earlier I might have picked the Raiders to win this game, but man, the Bills looked pretty damn good. Let’s see if they can do it at home. Bills with the points.

Kansas City at Detroit Line: -8.0
As mentioned above, the Chiefs had a complete breakdown on both sides of the ball. It was a terrible week for me to start both Matt Cassel and the Chiefs defense in Fantasy football. Really, who the hell saw that coming? They sucked. Now, it’s quite possible there was some rust to shake off as they got over the offseason troubles and it might take them a couple games to get back to form. I think they’ll do better against the Lions on the road, but it won’t be enough. The Lions dominated the Bucs last week, and even though the final score was close – the game wasn’t. The Bucs aren’t a bad team, they are a sleeper playoff pick for sure. The Lions offensive attack was too much for the Bucs secondary, and their defense was solid. Not a crazy good performance by the defense, but good enough to win. The keys to beating the Chiefs will be protecting Stafford and keeping the Chiefs run game contained. That being said, they’ll do that. Lions at home to win.

Baltimore at Tennessee Line: +4.0
Sometimes I watch games and totally regret picking a team, or thinking about picking a team at all. The Titans were that team. Are you kidding me? Hasselbeck was totally inconsistent and the Titans defense wasn’t even playing the same game as the Jags offense. They made the Jags look damn good, and gave Jones-Drew plenty of room to trash their defensive line. I don’t expect them to be able to hold off the Ravens, who smacked around the Raiders defense last week. There is no way the Titans will win this game, but hell – any given Sunday and what not. But I’m not picking against them. They are too strong. Ravens to win on the road, with the points.

Tampa Bay at Minnesota Line: -3.0 UPSET SPECIAL!!
I can understand how some people are favoring the Vikings in this game, they do have Adrian Peterson and the special teams play of Percy Harvin, but the Buccaneers are actually a good defensive team this year and slipped up a bit against the Lions. The key to this game is going to be special teams. The Bucs have never been strong on either side of the special teams coin, so the Vikings will have to take advantage with the runbacks, if there are any in the dome. Other than that, slam with the run and don’t put McNabb into too many pressure situations. However, the Vikings will still have to keep up with the young Bucs offense. I’m giving this one to the Bucs on the road, to upset the Vikings.

Chicago at New Orleans Line: -7.0
The Saints got whupped by Green Bay in the season opener. Yes, the game appeared close at the end, but I think that Sean Peyton has to realize that everyone is familiar with his bag of tricks now. He’s not tricky anymore. Brees is still a great QB, and their running game is amazing, but good defenses can see through that and around it and what not. And the Bears have a good defense. I’m not saying that the Bears are going to beat the Saints on defense alone, but this should be a good game to watch because it is the Saints offense vs. the Bears Defense. It’ll be interesting to see if the Saints can beat the spread, but I am taking them to rack up the most points and win.

Jacksonville at NY Jets Line: -10.0
So the Jets eke out a win against the Cowboys and are suddenly ten point favorites against the Jags? Give me a break. The Jets are a good team, but they have a lot of problems. Sanchez still doesn’t look confident in the pocket and it took the defense at least three and a half quarters to get moving and make some game changing, er, saving plays against the Cowboys. Whatever. I’m still not sold on this Jets team, so you won’t hear me chanting. However, I’m not sold on the Jags either, so I can see how the Jets are so well favored at home. I don’t really like saying this, but the Jets are going to win this game because, well, Luke McCown has yet to see what a real defense looks like.

Seattle at Pittsburgh Line: -12.5
Last year the Steelers defense was full of veteran players. This year, the Steelers defense is full of veteran players. What’s the difference? Well, it’s the difference between a grandparent and a great-grandparent. Their veteran status showed, in what will probably be their toughest loss this year. That won’t be the norm for this team, a team that adapts very well to changing situations, like prohibition. Either way, the weakest link against the Ravens last week was the offense. Seven turnovers. That’s just all kinds of pathetic. So this week they are at home and they get Tavaris “I still have a job” Jackson and the Seahawks. The NFC West sucks balls. Steelers to win easy.

Arizona at Washington Line: -4.0
This is probably one of the better matchups this week. You might not think so on paper, but the explosive play of Beanie Wells in the Arizona running game paired with their high falutin’ wide receivers and this could be a very high scoring game. On the other side, the Redskins got lucky last week against the Giants. I don’t think they beat them because they are a good team, I think it was because the Giants played like shit. The Redskins will compete this year, but they will struggle with it all season long. This week however, I think they pull off a win. The NFC West sucks balls.

Green Bay at Carolina Line: +10.0
Cam Newton had a record breaking rookie debut, and lost. Run that by me again. Cam Newton, throws for over 400 yards and two TD’s and lost? Oh yeah, that’s cause he plays for the Carolina Panthers. They have no running game, they have a defense made up of sticks and leftovers. They have Cam Newton. Whoopdie freaking doo. This line should be +30 for Carolina because Green Bay is going to use this team for target practice. And Newton was up against the Cardinals defense last week, which is like one of those cute little smart cars, where the Packers defense is like one of those two story bulldozers. Cam, meet Clay Matthews. Packers with the points.

Dallas at San Francisco Line: +3.0
Did the Niners open the season with a win? They sure did. Did the Cowboys blow a 14 point lead and suck big hairy nuts? They sure did. It appears to me that Romo spends the fourth quarter on the fucking golf course and not in the goddamn game. This pisses me off because I hate the Cowboys, so I want to see them get beat, but not throw the game away because they can’t hold on to the damn ball or punt properly at home with the giant TV screen. So now they travel to San Fran to meet the Niners, who I’d say are red hot but they are still the Niners and have tons of problems that are yet to be determined if they are fixed. But shit, they are in the NFC West, which sucks balls, but I’m taking the Niners to upset the Cowboys and upset Jerry Jones.

Cincinnati at Denver Line: -5.5
Oh man the Broncos were terrible Monday night. So this should be the perfect home opener. They welcome the Bungles to town, who with two monster plays against the tired Browns defense notched their first win of the season. It should be a rare win though, I don’t see the Bungles ratcheting up the wins with Andy Dalton, er, Bruce Gradkowski at the helm. Neither guy gives them a chance to win at this point. Carson Palmer would, but he’s still retired. Until the Colts find a way to hire him. Anyway, I’m getting tired so I’m taking Denver to win at home, but it’s going to come off a late field goal or something like that.

Houston at Miami Line: +3.0
Houston will win this game. Here’s why, their defense is good. Did you watch the Colts game? Yes, Collins made mistakes but that’s because the defense got to him and applied the pressure. Remember, that offensive line of the Colts is good, they protect Manning. So I credit that to the pass rush of the Texans. Miami won’t be able to fare much better against that pass rush, Henne is going to be running around like a headless chicken. Houston is going to make a strong push for the playoffs this year, and with Manning out of the way already, all they have to do is win. Defense wins games. Houston on the road.

San Diego at New England Line: -6.5
Tom Brady threw for what, 2 billion yards against Miami? Now at home against San Diego? I’m thinking he should throw for at least another 2 billion. If you have Brady as your fantasy QB, then you are probably going to win your league this year. I’m just going to say it now, the Patriots are going 16-0, or at least 15-1. This team is going to be close to unbeatable. Oh wait, I already said that in my AFC predictions. I think I predicted the Bills to be the lone upset. So since the Chargers aren’t the Bills, I’ll just save you all the trouble of having to read some babble about how the Chargers aren’t playing to their potential and never seem to be. Patriots to win at home. With the points.

Philadelphia at Atlanta Line: +1.0
Even though Vick and the Eagles found a way to beat the Rams, it wasn’t with Vicks arm. It was on defense. Vick still is not a good QB, I don’t care what anyone says about the guy. He’s too quick to go for the out, he doesn’t let plays develop and only shines on the deep pass. So what happens when he’s up against the Atlanta defense who likes to dive in with the crazy pass rush? He’s going to run out of the pocket and try to carry the game on his legs. So what happens when the Falcons put a dedicated LB on him and flush him out of the pocket? Is he going to look for his slant receiver or an outlet pass to the running back? Throw the ball away? No, he’s going to do something stupid. I can’t wait for him to be outed as a sub-par QB and everyone gets off the Vick Train. That being said, the Falcons are no slouches. They lost to Chicago, but it was a tough game on both sides, Ryan didn’t seem to be quite in form. So I’m looking for the Falcons to bounce back and take the Eagles at home. Falcons to win.

St. Louis at NY Giants Line: -4.5 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
Notice a trend forming here with the crapfest game? So far, both of them are Monday night match-ups. Take note ESPN, you need to start paying more for games. Look at the Sunday night match-up on NBC, it kicks ass. Because they know how to bargain a fucking contract. ESPN clearly thinks they can show any two teams playing and people will tune in. Both these teams played no where near their on paper potential last week, looking like high school junior varsity squads against two NFC East opponents who may or may not be legit contenders. Bradford and Jackson both appeared to have suffered injuries during the Eagles game, but most likely will be starting. That’s good, because without those two the Rams don’t have a rats chance in hell of competing. The Giants, well, they have a laundry list of problems to work out. Do they have an offensive line? I didn’t see one against Washington. Eli plays much better when protected from the pass rush. Whatever, I’m taking the Giants at home on a gut shot guess.

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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: One More Week

Thursday, September 1st, 2011

One more week. How about some snacks?

So last week I said that this week would be my week one picks. I lied. I totally forgot we still had another week to go, hell my fantasy drafts aren’t even all completed. Anyway, I’ve decided to fill this space with some random ramblings related to football. Or not related to football, but mostly related to football. You get the point. I’ll start off with a question, then my answer. My question is what are you looking forward to in week one of the NFL season?

My answer, is I’m looking forward to Michael Vick busting out and costing the Eagles a shit ton of money. Without even starting a game this season outside of a mediocre pre-season, they have signed him to a six year, $100 million dollar deal. That’s the second one of his career. As a side note, he’s broke and nearly all his income is going to debt collection. So he sure did need this deal. The thing is, from my perspective, he’s still not a good pocket passer and his gimmick of running around like a loose pitbull on chicken legs isn’t hard for good defenses to figure out. Cover the receivers, put a spotter on him and it’s game over for the Eagles. Teams figured it out late in the year last year, and Vick was mega human again. It might fool most of the teams on their schedule, but not the top ones and not the ones in the playoffs.

The other thing about Vick is he’s just one James Harrison hit away from getting another season stopping injury. The Eagles play the AFC East this year. You think the Jets (whom they start the season against) and the Patriots are going to go easy on him or be fooled by his antics? Both these teams have excellent secondary defenses and aren’t going to let him win the game by himself. Bottom line, I still think the guy is overrated just a bit. Yes, he can extend plays and help the offense, but he’s still not a true quarterback and I don’t think he ever will be.

Next question, why is Brady Quinn not starting at tight end? The guy is built like a tight end, not a quarterback, not to mention it might be his only chance to start in a NFL game. Otherwise, he could be out of football in a few short months. He’s third string behind a rookie (who is really no better than him) and a veteran that is yet to really prove he’s got the muster to lead a team. Denver should get their shit together and help this kid salvage his career while he’s still young. Move him to TE and let him play.

Colt McCoy. This kid is going to be awesome. He’s got killer poise and pocket presence and he can run too. Colt, aside from having an amazing football name, is going to be an MVP someday for sure. He reminds me of a young Tom Brady, or John Elway really.

I really don’t have much else to talk about this week. I’m hoping Oregon beats the crap out of LSU, considering that LSU can suffer a loss and still be in the thick of it in the SEC, where a one loss PAC-10 team is all but finished. So, that’s it. Next week, week one predictions for sure this time. I promise. Pinky swear and what not.

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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: The Free Agent Shuffle

Friday, August 5th, 2011

See ya next year Randy.

As the 2011 NFL Season finally approaches, you have no doubt been trying to keep up with all the moves taking place in the NFL. A lot of players have switched teams, some voluntarily, some being traded and some just getting lucky to be offered a job. Others are still in the wind, as many teams are struggling to fit their salaries under cap, and other players have simply decided it’s time to just hang up the cleats. Well, I’ve been trying to keep up with the moves as well, and there have been plenty of them. The question is, will any of these moves help the teams win games, or is it just all about the bottom line? I’ll take a look at some of the major moves and give my two cents.

We should probably start with the retirements. First, Brett Favre is still retired. There was only a hint of a rumor that a team was thinking of talking to him, but both camps quickly denied that happening. This is a good thing for football, as the lock-out drama was enough to contend with. The biggest new retiree is Randy Moss, which came as a bit of a surprise to many. It seemed the 34 year old veteran still had some gas in the tank left, even though he was way down in touches last year. I think a player like that, it’s hard for him to accept a position second or third on the depth chart, but that’s where he’ll be if he decided to stay in the league. From a different perspective, he’s retiring on a high note, not run out of the league and with certain hall of fame numbers. Chances are though, he won’t stay retired.

As for the other major name retiring after 11 NFL seasons, Mark Bulger. But no one really gives a shit. They didn’t seem to care when he was playing, and they don’t seem to care now. Sorry Mark. Also, Kerry Collins will be joining Mark on the retired QB list, though I can see Kerry Collins making an easy move to the booth, a la Rich Gannon. Now, let’s take a look at some of those free agency moves. This might be a little ADHD as I hop around the league, but it’s all there. I’ll try to go in order of *former team* by division. With a few exceptions. Whatever. Like you give a shit how it reads.

The Ravens gave guard Marshal Yanda a huge $32M deal, with took up a huge chunk of cap. So Gaither is gone to the Raiders, McClain has headed to Denver, Heap is gone to the Cardinals. Mason and McGahee are still in the wind, having been released but surprisingly no one has picked up either player yet. I can see Mason getting a starting job somewhere, but McGahee is washed up. The Ravens also franchised DT Haloti Ngata.

The Bengals re-signed Benson and the Browns dropped Delhomme like a bad cold. He’ll be lucky if he can find a clipboard holding job this year. The Steelers re-signed Ike Taylor, William Gay, Willie Colon & LaMarr Woodley was given the franchise tag. This ensures the Steelers will have another great defensive year.

Let’s see, the Titans cleaned house. Collins & Moss retired. Babin went to the Eagles, as did Vince Young. Bo Scaife, Chris Simms & Marques Douglas are all in the wind at this point, I imagine they’ll re-sign Scaife because they need a TE, but Simms is questionable. The kid certainly ain’t his father. I’m thinking they’ll keep him as a backup to Hasselbeck, who they just got for 3 years & $21M.

The Jags lost Durant to the Lions and Sims-Walker to the Rams. He’s getting a nice $3.7M 1-year deal, which considering he’s a 3rd down receiver, that’s not too bad. Expect him to get a bigger role there.

Not too much movement with the Colts, they predictably kept Addai and Vinatieri. They are yet to sign back-up RB Rhodes, but they should before pre-season starts. He’s probably going to be competing against some rookies for the #2 spot.  Speaking about #2 spots, the Texans re-signed Matt Leinart who would love to be starting, but it’s probably never going to happen again for him. No other huge outgoing moves for the Texans besides holding on to WR Jacoby Jones. Oh yeah, and getting Danieal Manning from the Bears for a 4-yr, $20 mil deal.

No word yet on Chad Pennington of the Dolphins, he’s not expected to return to the team though. The good news is that Jason Taylor is returning to the team. He left a huge gap in the emotional play of the defense, and even though this will probably be his last season, it’s good that he’s finishing out a stellar career with the Fins. Matt Moore is coming over from Carolina, likely to be the starter in Miami. As for Ronnie Brown, he’s gone. In his place, the Dolphins signed Reggie Bush. Though I think Brown is a much better RB when it comes to down after down play. It’s unknown at this point if Ricky will be there to back up Reggie.

Nothing substantial from the Bills, besides acquiring who-dat QB Tyler Thigpen from the Dolphins.
The Patriots made the most surprising moves, signing both Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocindo, two player notorious for their antics. Obviously, the Pats have done this before and both these players will either adapt or find themselves looking for a new team. They also re-signed Sammy Morris, Faulk and Matt Light, while cutting about 7 other veterans. The Jets also signed a troubled player in Plaxico Burress, but at the same time have left Braylon Edwards in the win. Due to them handing over $50M in a 5 year deal to Santonio Holmes, Edwards is probably as good as gone. Good news for kicking fans, Nick Folk is sticking around for at least another year.

Vincent Jackson signed the franchise tag with the Chargers, while Sproles heads to the Saints and Floyd is unknown. The Raiders lost Zach Miller to the Seahawks and Gradowski (who is only slightly better than Simms) to the Bengals. The big loss was Nnamdi Asomugha who signed a huge 5 year $60M deal with the Eagles. Massive. He’ll be deadly out there at the CB spot, tightening up an Eagles defense who certainly needs the help in the secondary No big crazy moves from the Chiefs or Broncos, as far as anyone getting the boot. The Chiefs did nab Steve Breaston from the Cards though.

Drew Stanton is coming back to Detroit for another year, which is nice for him I guess. Linebackers Bobby Carpenter and Julian Peterson are unsigned as of the moment, but they’ll probably be back on the team soon. Interesting news from the Packers, as they lose Nick Barnett to the Bills for a 3-yr $12M deal. Brandon Jackson is heading to the Browns, and Kuhn is unsigned. The good news is Crosby is coming back with a nice kicker’s deal, 5 years, $14.75M. The Vikings also resigned their kicker, Ryan Longwell. Other than that, they got cherry picked by Seattle with both Sidney Rice and Tavaris Jackson heading to the Northwest.

The Panthers spent some of that cap money. DE Charles Johnson for $76M, DeAngelo Williams at $43M, Ryan Kalil franchised and James Anderson & Thomas Davis resigned as well. Will this help the Panthers compete this year? Who the hell knows. We’ll see when the season starts. Aside from Michael Jenkins going to the Vikings, the offensive team of Snelling & Norwood are currently unsigned. The Falcons running game was second to none last year, and they’ll need these two behind the O-line to compete.  The Saints are sitting with a lot of unsigned free agents as well, but the big news out of the NFC south is the Bucs losing Barrett Rudd to the Titans. Rudd was the lynchpin of that defense since Brooks left. The Bucs are going to be a mess on defense this year.

Marion Barber, gone. Roy Williams, gone. Offensive Linemen Marc Colombo & Leonard Davis – gone. Kris Brown, gone. The Cowboys are in the middle of a huge cleanup. The Redskins, Giants, Cardinals, Niners & Seahawks don’t have much going on besides the whole Hasselbeck deal. As for the Eagles, Vick got the ‘ol franchise tag. They also picked up Vince Young. This should be interesting.

For a full list of moves, click over to this handy-dandy chart on CBS Sports.

Next week – I’ll talk rookies and new staff as we get into my annual AFC Predictions! Boo-ya!

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Digital Dads Week in Sports: The NBA is Still On?

Thursday, April 21st, 2011

The Sharks & Kings battle it out. (image: Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)

I missed last week. Did you miss me? Doubtful. I didn’t get any emails wondering where my column was except from my glorious editor Clarence. Either way, the biggest news that I missed reporting on was Barry Bonds being found guilty of perjury, which is freaking fantastic in my opinion. The guy deserves everything he gets from here on forward, and I hope it sucks. I know it won’t. If he actually serves any time, he’ll go to a nice white collar prison and be a freaking celebrity there. He also may as well forget the hall of fame, along with Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa. They were all juicers, they were all liars and they almost ruined the game of baseball. I think we have a pretty clean game going on now thanks to them, so at least there is some positive to come out of the steroid era of baseball. Moving on.

Who Will Get the Madden Curse?

This whole Madden 12 thing has been a shakedown. That’s what I’m guessing. The vote is rigged. If you aren’t aware, ESPN and EA Sports have teamed up to let the fans vote who will be on the cover of Madden 12. It’s a freaking joke that Michael Vick is in the final against Peyton Hillis. The guy is a dirtbag, a dog abuser and really – not that fantastic of a quarterback. I know that last bit is debatable, but there is a lot of guys coming out of the draft right now that are just as mobile as Vick. So now the “fans” have voted to give hims a 50% shot of being on the cover of the latest installment of the game.

There is another side of this of course – the infamous Madden curse. While of course the curse is basically bunk, because expectations are so high on a star player, the fans have a lot of faith in the curse. So based on that, perhaps the idea is that Vick will be subject to the curse if he happens to grace the cover of Madden 12. I’m on board with that idea, if it’s guaranteed. I wouldn’t mind if some crazy fan Nancy Kerrigans’ his ass. However, as a diehard card carrying member of the Browns Backers, I’m voting for Hillis because it’s been a long time since a Browns player was deemed good enough to be on the cover of anything besides the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

NBA & NHL Playoff Picks

The NBA and NHL Playoffs have started, which means it’s time for some crazy picks. I don’t really watch much of the NBA, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make crazy assumptions about who is going to win. As for the NHL, I am watching Vancouver at Chicago game four right now, and I’m a Lightning fan. So there’s that. I’m only going to go over the first round for both of them.

NBA picks:
Round One:
Pacers v. Bulls: The Bulls lead this series 2-0 at this point, and Jalen Rose has been unstopable according to Sportscenter. I have no idea. I’m taking the Bulls to finish it out.

Heat v. Sixers: The Hear are leading here also by two games. Should be easy for this superstar studded team to also wrap up the series in four games.

Hawks v. Magic: The Hawks are leading 1-0 at this point, but since I don’t know who plays for either team, I’m going with the Magic to win this series in the full seven game spread. Why not? That way the NBA is guaranteed to drag into July.

Knicks v. Celtics: The Celtics are leading this series by a game, but apparently they had to win in dramatic fashion to put away the Knicks in game one. I think this series should go at least six, even though I’m sure the Celtics will be in the finals again.

Grizzlies v. Spurs: I know this much about Basketball, the Spurs are one of the best all around
teams in the league. Based on that, and I’ve never been to Memphis, I’m going with the Spurs. Of course, I’ve never been to San Antonio either.

Hornets v. Lakers: So Kobe was a rapist, now he’s a homophobic racist? Whatever. I’m still taking the Lakers in this one. Cause they are the Lakers and I don’t know any better.

Trailblazers v. Mavericks: Um, I have no idea. I think Dallas is leading this series, but I really have no idea. I’ll take Dallas.

Nuggets v. Thunder: Oklahoma City has a team? When did that happen?

NHL Picks:
Round One:
Capitals v. Rangers: The Caps have been playing some lights out hockey, even without Alex O. in the game. However, they have given up one game to the Rangers, though I don’t think they should have any trouble closing out this series in five games.

Flyers v. Sabres: Putting Boucher in the game, and his 35 saves, helped the Flyers grab a 2-1 lead in this series. Don’t count the Sabres out though, this team can fire it up when they need to. I’m expecting this one to go the full seven, with the Flyers prevailing in the end.

Bruins v. Habs: The Habs lead this series 2-1, but they are by no means underestimating their opponent. The Bruins offense just needs to get a bit more together when they are heading towards the net. They aren’t leaving rebounds out, but they aren’t scoring enough. I’m taking the Habs to win this series in six.

Penguins v. Lightning: The Bolts left too many rebounds on the ice in game three, which attributed to their loss to go down 2-1 in the series. There was one point in the game when St. Louis ran into a stalled Stamkos. This team has too many superstars on offense to lose like they did and not get the rebounds. The Pens defense is good, but not good enough to stop St. Louis, Stamkos and Vinnie at full throttle. I’m taking the Lightning to rebound and take the Penguins in seven.

Canucks v. Blackhawks: Both of these teams have all star goal keepers and speed on offense, but the fact that they are so evenly matched means just the slightest edge is enough. And Vancouver has that edge, leading the series 3-1.

Sharks v. Kings: This series is tied 1-1 (as of this writing, but then the Sharks made it 2-1 before publication) but the defense of the Kings is going to be too good in the end against the offense of the Sharks. The Kings strength is on defense and I think this team is going to be heading to the quarterfinals for sure.

Red Wings v. Coyotes: The Coyotes really don’t stand a chance in this series, already down 3-0. I expect the Red Wings to put their boot on the throat and end this torture in game four.

Ducks v. Predators: The Predators took advantage of Jonas Hiller feeling not-so-great and took game three to go up 2-1 in the series. Of course, Hiller didn’t start, but that meant that Ellis and Emery got the starts. I don’t expect it to hold though, and I’m taking the Ducks to come back and win.

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Digital Dads Week in Sports: Pujols es El Regalo

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

(Image: Scott Rovak/Getty Images)

Albert Pujols Signs With…

Cualquier equipo consigue sus manos en Albert, si sea los cardenales u otro equipo, va a tener uno de los bateadores más grandes nunca de su formación. Er, I mean that Albert is going to be a huge asset to whatever team picks him up. So what’s the delay? That’s easy, he wants a cool $200 million dollars to play and the Cardinals aren’t going to give it to him. In fact, they low-balled him, almost asking him to reject the offer so that they can at least say that they tried. So who around the league can afford that kind of bill. Not just afford, but have room on their roster without displacing another huge star?

So far, the biggest rumors are the Blue Jays and the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs would be a great fit for Pujols, his bat adding a much needed lift to the lethargic Cubs lineup. Though they will have to beef up the starting pitching if they hope to make it worth the money, but how can they do that with the money they’d be spending on Pujols? Though the Cubs v. Cardinals series would be that much more interesting to watch. The Blue Jays on the other hand have the starting pitching in place, and while their lineup is generally on the younger side, a strong hitting veteran who is nowhere near finished would make a great addition to any team.

It’s still going to come down to the Cardinals. I think Pujols wants to stay there and would probably accept a small concession on his offer. He let his pretend deadline pass without entertaining any offers, so it’s really up to the Cardinals now if they want to fork over the cash or let him walk.

Vick Disses Oprah

Michael Vick was slated to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show but canceled. Why is this significant? Because the subject matter was going to be about his time in prison, his work with the Humane Society and his return to the NFL. Let me run all that down for you. First off, Vick probably doesn’t want to dredge all that shit up again. He’s probably just gotten to the point where he can walk down the street without being labeled a monster. Second, I have no doubts that he was a fucking hero in prison, but would never admit to that. He’d say that it was terrible and what not, but you know damn well that he was a god there. Once again rubbing in the fact that no matter what – celebrities are treated differently than the rest of us.

To continue, his “work” with the Humane Society is nothing more than half-ass community service to make himself look better in the public eye. He’s still getting paid millions of dollars to play football. Am I missing something or is there some weird double standard in the NFL? Why do they continue to allow convicted criminals to get paid millions of dollars to play when there are thousands of talented players out there who are not criminals? Plaxico Burress shoots himself in the leg and is out, Vick tortures and murders dogs and he’s got the starting job. Explain to me why the NFL, a professional organization, continues to employ him. Name me another professional organization that would.

Bill Russell Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom

I watched this ceremony, at least what the showed on Sportscenter, and President Obama looked like a kid sitting courtside for the first time. He was in awe of Bill Russell. The look on his face was one of admiration and respect. I thought that was a great moment for Obama. Here he is, the President of the United States, looking up to Bill Russell, not just up at him. What a great moment.

Russell played on two NCAA basketball championship teams at San Francisco, an Olympic gold-medal-winning team and 11 NBA championship teams with the Boston Celtics. He also was the first black coach in the NBA. Also among the 15 recipients of the medal of freedom was Stan Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals. Now, I don’t know what either of them did for freedom, but I can say that they were great people on and off the playing field. So whether or not they helped negotiate world peace, they are a solid part of American history.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Goes From First to Last

Yes, Nascar is a sport so it counts for the purpose of this column. After winning pole position for the upcoming Daytona 500, Dale Jr. crashed his car during a practice run which means that he automatically has to start last in the qualifying race on Thursday. Which means uh, he can’t win the pole again unless he wins the race, or something like that. It’s really quite a mess, and you’d think for something as simple as driving in a circle the rules would be kind of cut and dry. But get a load of this lunacy:

The driver who wins the first qualifying race will essentially earn the pole for the 500, unless Earnhardt wins it. Then the man who finishes second earns the pole.

Here’s why: When a car goes to the back before the green flag of a race, the cars move up by lines. The man who wins the first qualifier Thursday would have started third (the inside on Row 2) in the 500. Now he will move up to the pole position at the green flag.

I suppose after a case of Keystone light and several hours in the sun, it really doesn’t matter to the fans in the end does it?

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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 13

Thursday, December 2nd, 2010

Will the Jets be celebrating this Monday night? (image: NFL)

Last week was another good week for my picks as I went 11-5 (103-74 on the season,) but like I said – this late in the season it only gets easier to make the right predictions. Want to know my secret? Pick the team with the best record, don’t pick the Cowboys, Bucs or Bungles. Or the Lions. Or the Bills or Vikings. Or the Cardinals or Niners.

So this week brings us back to a lot of divisional play, which is going to make the difference in a lot of teams making the run for the playoffs or not. Ouch, I just got a shoulder stinger there. That’s from typing the word “playoffs.” Playoffs? Playoffs? Yeah, right around the corner. Frankly, I think it’s going to be a great discussion when an 8-8 team from the NFC West gets into the playoffs yet a possible 10-6 team or 11-5 team from another division gets left out. The top 12 teams should get in, not just cause you were the cream of the crap in a shitty division.

Anyway, that’s a discussion that the players union can have with the owners after they sign a new contract next year. That is – if they sign a new contract next year. That whole strike thing is looming once again in the background, no one is talking about it much, but it’s there. On a side note, my soundtrack for writing this post today is The Vitrolum Republic. Groovy. Now, how about some picks! Let’s get it on!

Featured Game:

NY Jets at New England Line: -3.5
The battle for AFC supremacy starts and ends with these two teams. While the Ravens and Steelers may pose a threat in the playoffs, the AFC Championship game is going to feature one of these two teams (or possibly both since one will most likely get the Wild-Card and the other win the division.) So much to @bigguyd’s chagrin, I can’t automatically pick the Patriots in this match-up. I think there is more to it than just Tom Brady and the killer offense and competent defense of the Patriots. The Jets seem to eke out a win week after week, usually staying in the game with strong defense. This is going to be the real test of Mark Sanchez’s resolve this year. Their last meeting ended in a huge win for the Jets at home, but this time they are visiting the Patriots and have changed a bit since Week 2. They seemed dominant then, and now just seem like they are good enough to hang in there, but not win. So, I’m going to pick the Patriots to take this game at home and shore up the top spot in the AFC East.

Tailgate City (The Rest:)

Houston at Philadelphia Line: -9.0
The Texans pulled off the win at home against the struggling Titans to stay in the playoff race. That’s right, even at a paltry 5-6 they still have quite a good chance at competing for the AFC South crown. Go figure. This has more to do with the Colts losing than them winning. This week, they are surely watching tape of the Bears win over the Eagles to learn about that Vick fellow. Can they contain? I think they’ll try, but the hostile Philly crowd noise and the cool weather may stifle the offensive communication, whether or not they contain Vick. Plus, the Philly D ain’t half bad. Philly to win at home.

New Orleans at Cincinnati Line: +7.0
The Saints need to win this game, that’s all there is to it. If they hope to somehow inexplicably steal the division from the Falcons they need to keep up by not getting upset by crappy teams. The Bungles could upset, I don’t think they will – but it’s possible. They have all the weapons to upset, oh wait, they don’t have a defense. Forgot about that. I suppose you’d need one of those to win. Saints on the road.

Chicago at Detroit Line: +3.5
Da Bears are back. Frankly, I’m loving it. I’m not a Bears fan but this team is looking good lately. I picked them to beat the Eagles last week and they didn’t dissapoint in one of the best games of the weekend. They found a way to contain Vick by generally keeping a three man front and giving him no where to throw, then he got shut down on the run because they had a free safety or corner coming in when he started to leave the pocket as the three and/or an additional linebacker came on the rush. It was good football. The Lions can’t compete with good football right now. They put a couple points on the Patriots, but in the end couldn’t keep up. Bears on the road.

San Francisco at Green Bay Line: -9.5
The Packers loss last week really sets them back in the division. In order to gain ground on the Bears (since the wild card will most likely go to the Saints) they are going to have to win the rest of their games in dominant Packer fashion. While the Niners pulled off a win against the Cardinals last week, Troy Smith still had a rough game and didn’t look confident in the pocket. This is daunting for this team that really needs a boost since Steve Young left. I’m looking for the Niners to come out shooting, but miss the target by a couple touchdowns. I just don’t think their defense has a chance against Rodgers. Packers to win at home.

Jacksonville at Tennessee Line: -0.0
Oddly enough, this is the battle for the division – this week at least. Every team in this division has a valid shot at winning it – maybe even with a paltry 9-7 record. Which is going to suck for teams with a better record in a better division. The Jags are the surprise team of the AFC, even with their record. They have been pulling off some surprise wins, but fell back down to Earth against the Giants last week. They needed that win, but thankfully the Titans dropped to the Texans. Should be interesting going down the next couple of weeks. I’m taking the Jags to win this week, just because the Titans are still having trouble running the ball and passing the ball. Ouch.

Denver at Kansas City Line: -9.0
The Chiefs are on a roll this season. Another big win last week is pushing them further up the Power Rankings and closer to the playoffs. They need to keep an eye out for the Chargers though, who are only a game behind and looking to be heating up. Thankfully, the Chiefs get the Broncos at home this week. This should be a cake game for them, since the Broncos have apparently forgotten how to play football. The KC offense will be too much for the water thin Broncos defense. KC at home.

Cleveland at Miami Line: -4.5
The Dolphins pulled off a kind of upset last week against the Raiders. Both Henne and Thigpen got playing time, but it didn’t seem to matter because all they had to do was hand the ball to Ricky. I’m still undecided if that was good play by the Dolphins, or crappy play by the Raiders who have been strong against the run most of the season. However, a win is a win. The same can be said about the Browns. They won against the Panthers, but Delhomme nearly threw the game away – literally. The Browns can not win with him going forward. They need Colt McCoy back. He’s missed practice thus far this week, but should be back on Sunday. With his rocket arm and the running power of Hillis, I’m taking the Browns to upset on the road.

Buffalo at Minnesota Line: -5.5 UPSET SPECIAL!!
Buffalo might be far out of it when it comes to playoffs, or even a winning season, but they are not out of it when it comes to competing for the win. Their ultra competitive game against the Steelers came after a killer win against the Bungles. That’s the way they are playing right now. Only a late dropped TD pass killed them against the Steelers. So as they travel to the comfy dome of Minnesota, one has to think they stand a pretty damn good chance of winning. Especially with the Vikings coming off a win at Washington. Usually that would pump a team up, and it will, but the Vikings have been anything but consistent. I’m taking the Bills to upset on the road.

Washington at NY Giants Line: -7.0
The Redskins took a tough loss at home to the struggling Vikings. This was a turning point for the Redskins as it dropped them to 5-6. They’ll be lucky if they get to 8-8 on the year, but I’m thinking it’s going to be more like 6-10 the way they are going right now. They travel to New York to face off against their division rival Giants. The Giants are looking hot at the moment – at the moment. Again, this is another inconsistent team – especially on defense. However, this week should be a good one for them as the Redskins offense still isn’t clicking with McNabb. Just shut down Santana Moss and you can control the game. Taking the Giants to win at home.

Oakland at San Diego Line: -13.0
The Chargers proved that they should not be underestimated with that huge beat down of the Colts. Hell, even if they had won by one point it still would have been a beat down. They controlled Manning, they covered the receivers well and their offense exploded into the end zone. They looked like the Chargers look on paper, which is a good thing. Meanwhile, the Raiders are back to being what we expect from the Raiders – losers. Which is why I’m taking the Chargers at home, just cause the Raiders are well, the Raiders.

Dallas at Indianapolis Line: -5.5
The Colts looked hurt and sad after that loss to the Chargers. But remember, this is Peyton Manning’s team. Do you think he’s going to let them lose two weeks in a row? I don’t think so. The Cowboys at the moment are Jon Kitna’s team and while that did them well one week, it won’t do them well against the Colts at home. The Colts are too good at home with the crowd to lose this game to the nearly coach-less Cowboys. Colts at home.

St. Louis at Arizona Line: +3.5
No way the Rams lose this game. Not now, not after the season they’ve been having. Bradford has been playing awesome rookie football, and their defense has been keeping up with even the best offenses. The Cardinals started off looking like they could compete, but they quickly proved that they really couldn’t. It all boils down to quarterback problems with this team. Neither QB that has started this year has done a lick of shit. Andersen looks rattled almost all the time, having no pocket protection hasn’t helped him a bit. Rams to win on the road.

Carolina at Seattle Line: -6.0
Every week I seem to be looking at one game and can’t think of anything good to say. This is that game. The Seahawks are a so-so team at best, and haven’t really proven anything on offense or defense. The thing is, they could still win the division – with a losing record! The NFC West is just shit. Thankfully for the Hawks, the much, much worse Panthers come to town. Should be an easy win for the Seahawks, but you never really know do you? I’m taking the Hawks, but leaving open the possibility that the Panthers might upset.

Atlanta at Tampa Bay Line: +3.0
The Bucs proved last week that they can’t win against a team with a winning record, and now the best team in the NFC comes to Tampa Bay. Forget it. The Bucs don’t stand a chance against the Falcons this year. Deluded bandwagoning Bucs fans might think so, but they don’t. Falcons to win easy on the road.

Pittsburgh at Baltimore Line: -3.0
Only one of these teams is going to make the playoffs. That’s a sad reality based on how well they are both playing. Well, how well the Ravens are playing. They haven’t faltered much at all this season, but the Steelers near loss to the Bills last week kind of gave me some pause in picking this team to win the division. I think the Steelers are the Jets of the AFC North. They have been winning, but honestly their wins have been fairly close and there is a lot of luck involved. You know, like a coin toss. The Ravens have all the cards in this match-up, it’s their game to lose and I don’t think that they will. Ravens at home.

That’s all folks. Week 13 in a nutshell. A 2000 word nutshell. Whatever. You’ll notice that there was no crapfest of the week this week because frankly, they are all good match-ups. Even the Thursday night game, which usually is sub-par at best. Hell, I’d even watch the Bucs game just to see them get worked by the Falcons. All good shit. Stay tuned next week, when I talk more football. If you haven’t figured out the theme with this column by now, perhaps it’s time for a nap.

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