NFL Week 6 Picks

Yes I went 7-7 again. (Leaving me at 39-37 for the season) This week will hopefully be better.

MIA vs. GB

                                This game is really difficult for me to pin down. Under normal circumstances, it would be easy to select Green Bay to win. However, I have seen too many quarterbacks play very poorly after suffering a concussion, to confidently select the Packers. Ultimately I think this game comes down to who can run the ball better, in which case, the Dolphins have the advantage. I am going with Miami on the basis of this advantage.

                SD vs. STL  

                                 While San Diego GM AJ Smith does seem determined to deconstruct the great team San Diego had some years ago, they are still talented enough to beat down the Rams.

               

                BAL vs. NE *Game of the Week*

               

                                                 This game could be either a tight, defensive battle, or a major blowout. New England now has to play without their best wide receiver and need to rely on the combined efforts of the receivers to keep pressure off of Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. You see, Randy Moss was always the receiver defenses feared the most and would draw coverage away from the other receivers. With him gone, these receivers now have to deal with the complete attention of the defense. While Baltimore’s secondary is not the best in the NFL, they are more than capable enough to hold down the Patriots passing game. I’m picking the Ravens to win, because they can punish the Patriots on the ground and contain the Pats offense enough to win the game.

                CLE vs. PIT

                                 In spite of the major upset that the Browns pulled last year, they are starting a rookie quarterback against one of the toughest defenses in the NFL right now. Pittsburgh wins.

                KC vs. HOU

                                 This game could be a major shootout, assuming that both teams can get their offense going. While Kansas City was defeated by Indianapolis, they were able to stay in the game and the defense was able to keep Peyton Manning and the Indy offense contained (relatively). Houston’s defeat at the hands of New York may have given the NFL the blue print for beating the Texans, but a lot of what the Giants’ defense did was reliant on the ability of the defensive line to win the individual battles against the Texans offensive line. I don’t think that the Chiefs will be able to do that, mostly because they run 3-4, and rely on those 3 defensive linemen to take up blocks. It really doesn’t work against the zone running scheme that the Texans run, at least in my opinion. Texans win.

                DET vs. NYG

                                 If the Giants defense has really returned to form, then they should win easily. But if not, then they should win in in a tight shootout. Note that either way, the Giants win.

                ATL vs. PHI

                                 Michael Vick returns to Atlanta again. However this time, he will be on the bench. Kevin Kolb gets another start, however he will be facing the team that is the best in the NFL at intercepting passes. I think Kolb will play fairly well, but I doubt he’ll be able to hang with arguably the best team in the NFC. Atlanta wins.

                SEA vs. CHI

                                 Since surprising us in week 1, Seattle seems to have fallen back into the mediocrity that they have been stuck in since losing the Super Bowl. I doubt they’ll be able to handle the offensively explosive and defensively tough Bears. Chi-town wins.

                NO vs. TB

                                 This will be the ultimate test of how good Tampa Bay is. While New Orleans allowed themselves to be beaten by the mediocre Cardinals, they are still a dangerous team and cannot be underestimated while they are still lead by Drew Brees. Tampa Bay has a surprising string of victories and may even challenge for a playoff spot later in the season. I’m going with New Orleans because of the strength of Drew Brees, but it may be a tight game.

                NYJ vs. DEN

                                 Denver has been surprising this season, but only in the fact that they have been able to beat middle of the road teams. They still won’t be able to compete with a strong Jets defense. Jets win.

                                               

                OAK vs. SF

                                Umm, I really have no idea how to call this. If I had to pick the best team, I would say the 49ers. Regardless of record when you watch the 49ers, they look like a playoff caliber team. But the Raiders are coming off a major win over San Diego and the Niners have had a lot of bad luck this season. I’m picking the Raiders, because of that bad luck, but I have very little confidence in that pick.

                DAL vs. MIN

                                 This is another one I might have had a hard time with, but then Brett Favre revealed that he would be willing to sit out a game because his elbow hurts so much. He wasn’t playing well before that, then letting it out to the world, I think, has severely hurt his team’s confidence in him. I’m picking Dallas on the basis of this lost confidence and on the basis of Favre’s play the past few weeks.

                IND vs. WAS

                                 A battle of the best quarterback of a generation against a surprisingly good defense. I could try to break a lot of this down into individual matchups and explain how those matchups would affect the game. But, ultimately I’m picking Indy to win, because they have Peyton Manning, and I am not of the opinion that the Washington defense will be able to overcome the veteran superstar.

                TEN vs. JAC

                                 This is going to be interesting. Jacksonville is starting toll a little bit after winning two games in a row, while Tennessee is coming off a huge win over Dallas. The key to this game is going to be the pass rush. Jacksonville is getting to the quarterback better than they have in previous years, but nowhere near the way Tennessee has. I know that the Titans don’t seem to have a dominant pass rusher, but they haven’t needed one. Their entire defense has been able to put pressure on the QB and a different defensive lineman has starred each week. I’m picking the Titans to win because of this. 

College Football Week 7 Preview

Uggh, the quality of my NFL picks is starting to invade the quality of my College Picks. I went 16-8 last week, putting me at 106-28 for the season. I'm hoping i can do better with these week's selection. 

       #1 Ohio State @ #18 Wisconsin *Game of the Week*

                                                 I really thought (and still to a degree do) think that this was going to be the game that determined the Big Ten champion. While Wisconsin’s loss to the still undefeated Michigan State leaves me a little disillusioned, I still believe these are two of the top three teams in the conference. There are two questions that Wisconsin will have to answer in order to prove that they can beat Ohio State. One is whether to not their defense can stop Ohio State’s offense and the other is whether or not the Wisconsin offense can score in big enough bunches to keep pace with the Ohio State offense if their defense is not up to the task. Wisconsin has been using a very ground based offense, which chew up clock and wears down a defense, but it also is rarely explosive and requires a lot of time to be effective. Ohio State has shown the ability to be explosive, which will make it difficult for Wisconsin to keep pace. I’m going with Ohio State for these reasons, but I am really hoping that Wisconsin wins and allows Boise State some amount of recognition. (Though we know they won’t get it.)

                                #2 Oregon: Bye

                                                 

                                #3 Boise State @ San Jose State

                                                 I will give San Jose State this much, they tried to give themselves the best chance they could to make a BCS bowl game this season. Think about it; if San Jose State was undefeated at this point in the season, they would have defeated Alabama, Wisconsin, Nevada and Utah coming into this week. However, they aren’t, and they aren’t leaving this week with a win. Boise State rolls.

                                BYU @ #4 TCU 

                                                 Coming into this year I would have selected this as game of the week. However, replacing Max Hall at quarterback has not been as seamless as BYU thought it would be. TCU has been great, but most not underestimate the potential offensive explosion that BYU’s offensive scheme represents. The potential for an upset is there, but I doubt it will happen. TCU wins.

                                Texas @ #5 Nebraska 

                                                 Ugh, this is a tough game for me to pick. I’ve seen Nebraska a couple of time this year, and each time I’m amazed that they are able to do what they do. Their defense has been very good and they have gotten amazing play from Taylor Martinez, their quarterback. He has opened up their running game in much the same way that Pat White opened up the West Virginia running game. Texas, on the other hand, has looked about as good as would expect them to look with a new quarterback under center. I think Nebraska has a huge advantage with arguably the best cornerback prospect in the country, Prince Amukamara, facing off against first year starter Garrett Gilbert. I think Nebraska wins because this match-up highlights the mismatch of the strong, experienced defense of the Cornhuskers against the inexperience of Garrett Gilbert. Turning the ball over is going to kill the Longhorns chances of winning this game.

                                Iowa State @ #6 Oklahoma

                                                 While Iowa State is taking some good steps forward, those are not enough to match the high flying offense of the Oklahoma Sooners.

                                #12 Arkansas @ #7 Auburn

                                                 If you peel away the meaning behind the Ohio State/Wisconsin, this is probably the better matchup. The high-flying Ryan Mallett versus the clutch Cam Newton, which could lead to high scoring game. Ultimately though, I think that the team with the superior defense will ultimately win this game. While Arkansas has the better defense based on points allowed, I think that Auburn has looked better and they should be able to make the key turnovers when it counts the most. I’m calling for Auburn to win.

                                Mississippi @ #8 Alabama 

                                                 Poor Mississippi. They now have to deal with an angry Alabama team, which is coming off of their first loss in 19 games. I highly doubt that they’re going to be able to hang with Alabama in this game. Roll Tide.

                                McNeese State @ #9 LSU  

                                                  ……Yeah, LSU wins.

                                #10 South Carolina @ Kentucky

                                                 Well South Carolina, you’ve defeated the number one ranked team in the country for the first time in your school’s history, what are you going to do now? Well, since Disney World is out of the question, how about showing up to defeat your next opponent? Ok, let me be fair, South Carolina is the better team and under normal circumstances should have no problem defeating a team like Kentucky. However, these are far from normal circumstances. South Carolina just had their proverbial “Pandemonium in Piscataway” moment. I really think there will be a certain amount of hangover from that win. So solely on the basis of that, and completely ignoring the fact that Kentucky is winless in the SEC, I am picking Kentucky for the win.

                                #11 Utah @ Wyoming

                                                 I guess I was wrong about Wyoming. They just haven’t put everything together enough for them to really compete consistently in the Mountain West, at least not yet. Utah is going to win.

                                Illinois @ #13 Michigan State                        

                                                Michigan State has been surprisingly successful this season and I doubt that they are going to be derailed by the mediocre (at best) Illinois team. Spartans win.

                                #14 Stanford: Bye  

                                                 

                                #15 Iowa @ Michigan   

                                                 This is an interesting match-up. Michigan is looking to regain some momentum following their crushing loss to Michigan State, while Iowa is fighting to maintain their standing in the Big Ten. I know Arizona was able to defeat Iowa, but Arizona relied on big plays from Nick Foles at the end of the game to win. I think that the Iowa defense is athletic enough, and strong enough at the edges to prevent Denard Robinson from having a big game. Iowa wins.

                               

                                Boston College @ #16 Florida State 

                                                 Boston College has been very disappointing this season and is a program clearly on the decline. I doubt they’ll be able to keep pace with the high flying Florida State offense. Seminoles win.

                                #17 Arizona @ Washington State

                                                 Arizona is going to be angry after their defeat at the hands of Oregon State and poor Washington State is going to be the victim of that ire. Arizona wins.

                                #19 Nevada @ Hawaii

                                                 Hawaii surprised me with their big victory against Fresno State last week. They might surprise in this game, however, I am not betting against Nevada in a game this big. Wolfpack wins.

                                #20 Oklahoma State @ Texas Tech

                                                 Another game that should be high scoring, I’m not so sure that this game will be as good as some of the others that these teams have been involved with. While Oklahoma State’s defense has shown the ability to take the ball away, their offense has shown the ability to give the ball up just as much. I’m not necessarily of the opinion that the Texas Tech defense will be able to force those turnovers; it’s more a matter of the Oklahoma State offense giving them up. I’m picking the upset and saying that Texas Tech wins.

                                #21 Missouri @ Texas A&M

                                                 I think this game plays out a lot like the last game, with the minor exception that Missouri will win and not turn the ball over as much. Texas A&M’s Jerrod Johnson has shown all the talent to be a top notch quarterback, but also the tendency to try to force the ball into tight coverage that just won’t do.

                                Mississippi State @ #22 Florida  

                                                 I think this is the game where Florida’s offense returns to form against a Mississippi State team that has played well, just not so well in the SEC.

                                #23 Air Force @ San Diego State  

                                                 There’s an interesting contrast in style here. Air Force has had a dominant running game while San Diego State relies heavily on the spread passing game. I’m going with Air Force in this one, because I think they’ll be able to control the clock very well and because I don’t think San Diego State is ready for an upset of this magnitude just yet.

                                #24 Oregon State @ Washington

                                                 Washington seems to have taken a step back from their successes last year. I think they have the talent to upset Oregon State, but I just don’t think they have the confidence to do so right now. Oregon State wins.

                                South Florida @ #25 West Virginia 

                                                 Up until a week ago, I would have taken South Florida in this game. West Virginia has looked like a very up and down team and simply doesn’t look like a team that would be able to handle tough battle against a conference opponent. But, then South Florida was beaten by Syracuse. Granted, Syracuse is a better team this year than they were in years previous, it still didn’t inspire enough confidence in me to pick them over West Virginia tonight.

                Other Games of Note

               

                                 North Carolina State @ East Carolina

                                                I know I’m giving a great selection, however this is the only one that gains my interest. This is a “Show-me” game for East Carolina. If they are the real deal, they will be able to pull this enormous upset. However, I think North Carolina State is having a season to remember and will win this game. 

Top 10 Heisman Candidates

1.       Kellen Moore – Another week at the top.

2.       Terrelle Pryor – Recovering from his injury rather well, Pryor had an excellent game.  

3.       Colin Kaepernick – Another excellent game keep him at number three. 

4.       John Clay – He recovered well from the lost against Michigan State, having a three touchdown game. He keeps his spot because of this, but another bad game will drop him off the list entirely.   

5.       Andrew Luck – Beating down USC always gets points in my book.  

6.       Nick Foles – Played very well in spite of the loss. Great underrated player.   

7.       Matt Barkley – As much as I hate to admit it, Barkley also had a really good game and shouldn’t lose points for the loss.   

8.       Ryan Mallett – Recovered well from the loss and kept himself in contention.  

9.       LaMichael James – Astonishingly, James has been able to overcome the missed game to fight his way into contention for the Heisman.

10.   Justin Blackmon – Another surprise on this list, Blackmon has seamlessly transitioned into the big play role that Dez Bryant occupied when he was with the Cowboys. If he can continue this kind of production, he may find his way to NYC for the Heisman presentation. 

NFL Week 5 Picks

Alright, another 7-7 week last week, leaving me at 32-30 for the season. I think that speaks to how much parity has been in effect this season. Let's see here it takes me this week.

JAX vs. BUF

As much as you can question how legitimate Jacksonville is after their win against Indy, it’s difficult to pick against them when their facing the Bills. The strong running game of Jacksonville should be able to pull out this win. However, the Bills do play tough defense football, in spite of last week’s performance. This could be one of their few chances to win this season.

DEN vs. BAL

I am very surprised at how well Kyle Orton has been playing and at how good the Broncos look. However, that hardly means that are going to be able to compete with one of the elite teams in NFL right now. I think Baltimore is going to pummel Kyle Orton and I have no faith in that Denver defense. Odd isn’t it? The very thing that got Mike Shanahan fired didn’t improve after hiring another offensive minded head coach. Who could have seen this coming? Baltimore rolls.

KC vs. IND

Who would have honestly guessed that the Chiefs were going to find themselves 3-0 at this point in the season? They could even come out of this game 4-0, given how bad the Colts run defense has been. Not mention the fact that the Colts lost current starting Safety Melvin Bullett for the season and Bob Sanders is still out, they could have a very hard time containing Thomas Jones and the speedy Jamal Charles. I’d be more worried about Jones since the majority of the Colts defense is fast and athletic enough to keep up with Charles. If it wasn’t for Peyton Manning, I would actually be picking the Chiefs to win this one. However, I am a coward and I don’t think that this defense is quite at the level to compete against the mind of Peyton Manning. Colts win in a shootout.

GB vs. WAS

This should be a good game. While Green Bay has suffered somewhat from the loss of Ryan Grant, they have found a way to keep their offense on track and their defense is deadly on the edge. Washington has been surprising and knows how to punch a team in the mouth. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Redskins won, however I don’t think they’ll be able to match their nickel and dime corners well with James Jones or Jordy Nelson, not to mention how deadly Jermichael Finley has been the past few weeks. Packers win.

STL vs. DET

While this would seem like a pretty even matchup or even an easy win for St. Louis, the truth is that this should be an easy game for the Lions. In watching the Lions week after week against far better competition than the Rams have been facing, the Lions have been consistently more competitive and have only lost by small margins. I think that the Lions are going to be able to shred the Rams defense and be able pressure Sam Bradford enough to shut down the Rams passing offense. Lions get their first win of the season.

CHI vs. CAR

I know a lot of people would have selected the Bears to win up until Jay Cutler was officially ruled out of the game, but I wasn’t one of them. I’ve seen too many players try to rush back from a concussion, only to perform like garbage the next game because they simply weren’t ready. I’m still picking the Bears to win because of their veteran defense taking on a rookie quarterback.

TB vs. CIN

This is an unusual matchup. Cincy has looked both extremely good and very bad. It’s strange, they have shown the ability to be explosive offensively and hard hitting defensively; but they also have shown to be porous defensively and vanilla offensively. Tampa Bay on the other hand has been surprisingly strong defensively and has shown growth offensively. I’m picking Cincy, just because I think they are better when they are mediocre than Tampa Bay is when they’re good.

ATL vs. CLE

Atlanta should win this game handily, though Cleveland has given them problems in the past.

NYG vs. HOU

In spite of their success, the Texans have had continued problems defending the pass, while the Giants have been throwing the ball well. If the Giants do not turn the ball over, they have a good chance in this game. However, I don’t faith enough faith in the Giants offensive line to be able to contain Mario Williams and that athletic Texans defensive line. I think the Texans win.

NO vs. ARI

I hope Max Hall is tough mentally, because he is going to have a very difficult time in this game. New Orleans wins.

TEN vs. DAL

Tennessee suffered a bad loss against the Broncos, even though they are the better team and played like it for the majority of the game. They’re probably going to have a hard time against the rested Cowboys, but I am still going to pick them for the win. Just a gut feeling.

SD vs. OAK

Oakland was supposed to be ready to break out this year. They were supposed to have a better passing game with the addition of Jason Campbell. However, the Raiders remain the Raiders. San Diego should win.

PHI vs. SF

Kevin Kolb looked far from ready to assume the role of franchise quarterback. But I guess that’s what happens after building him up over the course of an offseason then benching him at the first sign of trouble. I’m going with San Fran in this one, because I think their defense will be able to take advantage of this lack of confidence in Kolb.

MIN vs. NYJ *Game of the Week*

This game has a lot of interesting storylines in it. None of which involve Brett Favre. No, mostly I’m referring to the Randy Moss trade. Even if he wasn;t playing this week, he still would have a big impact on the game since he played the Jets earlier in the year and has been studying them on film for the past few years. He would know more about their current defensive schemes and the tendencies of their defensive backs than anyone else on the roster. With Moss playing, he gives the Viking a deep option that fits well with what Brett Favre wants to do and should help open up the underneath routes much like he did for the Patriots when he was there. Overall, his addition helps the Viking offense on all levels. The Jets, I think, will have problems covering him just because I am not 100% convinced that Darelle Revis is healthy enough to compete with him on the field right now. If he is, then the Jets stand a good chance. As it stands however, I’m picking the Vikings to win this game.

College Football Week 6 Preview

Alright I went 16-4last week, putting me at 90-20 for the season. I am much better at this college thing than I am with the pros. I'm taking a little break from the Heisman list this week. They'll be back next week.

                                                               

                                #1 Alabama @ #19 South Carolina  

                                                 I really want to pick South Carolina. I love what they have been able to do this season and how they have finally grown into an offense that can support the defense that has been putting the Gamecocks into bowl games for the past few years. However, in spite of this, Alabama has dropped off very little from last year and their defense should be able to shut down Marcus Lattimore. I wouldn’t trust Stephen Garcia to fare any better than Ryan Mallett did against this team. Alabama wins, sadly.

                                Indiana @ #2 Ohio State

                                                  Man, Indiana is just the whipping boy for the Big Ten this year aren’t they? I am aware that they are having a good year and that they lead the Big Ten in passing yards,but still following their first loss against Michigan by playing the best team in the Big Ten? That’s rough. I doubt their going to pull this game out. Buckeyes win.

                                #3 Oregon @ Washington State

                                                 Oregon has no business being above Boise State. But that’s the AP and BCS, no merit for success just name. Oh yeah, Oregon wins big.

                                Toledo @ #4 Boise State 

                                                 Toledo got their big win against Purdue. Boise State is not Purdue. Boise State would beat Purdue by a solid 20 points. Therefore Boise state wins. But Toledo is still better than most people give them credit for. Not top 25 good, but I think you get my point.  

                                Wyoming @ #5 TCU

                                                 I really do like where Wyoming is going. They look like their beginning to build their way out of the doldrums of college football. But they aren’t there yet. TCU wins.

                                #6 Oklahoma: Bye

                                                 

                                #7 Nebraska @ Kansas State

                                                 Tonight’s game should be a down and dirty running affair. Between the option attack of Nebraska and Kansas State’s Daniel Thomas, this game could see a ton of big, highlight reel runs. But, Nebraska is ranked this high for a reason, that being their talented defense. I’m taking the Cornhuskers.

                                #8 Auburn @ Kentucky

                                                 The Auburn Tigers should continue their winning ways against an average Kentucky team.

                                Oregon State @ #9 Arizona 

                                                 Another game I really wanted to pick as game of the week. In spite of Oregon State losing two of their games, they also faced the two best teams in the country (in my opinion). I’m still sticking by my pick of Oregon State to win the Pac-10 so I think they’ll win this game in the upset of the week. However, if Arizona wins I wouldn’t be surprised or saddened. Arizona my final be on the path to their first Rose Bowl.

                                #10 Utah @ Iowa State

                                                 While Iowa State has had a nice start to the season, I don’t think they’ll be able to hold it together against the dominant Utes of Utah.

                                #11 Arkansas @ Texas A&M

                                                As interception prone as Ryan Mallett looked against Alabama, Jerrod Johnson looked even worse against Oklahoma State. For this reason, I am selecting Arkansas to win, though it will be interesting to watch, since Texas A&M’s defense looked very good last Thursday.

                                #12 LSU @ #14 Florida  

                                                Another tight looking game. In spite of Jordan Jefferson not performing well last week, LSU was able to pull out the victory. On the other side, Florida realized just how far they have fallen when they ran into the buzz saw that is the Alabama defense. While I certainly think LSU can pull out the victory, I’m going to go with Florida. I just got a gut feeling on this one.

                                #23 Florida State @ #13 Miami (Fl.) *Game of the Week*

                                                 Why is this one game of the week? This game is not only laden with history, but these two teams are also closely matched and both are going to be in the hunt for the ACC title until then end. These could even be the two best teams in the ACC. While the opinion of Miami may be lower because they were beat down on national television, they’re no team to underestimate. While Christian Ponder had more build-up going into the season, I’m going to say that Jacory Harris has grown enough to overcome the Florida State defense. Miami wins by a field goal, again.

                                #15 Iowa: Bye

                                                 

                                USC @ #16 Stanford 

                                                 While Stanford suffered a bad defeat at the hands of the Oregon, USC is no Oregon. Honestly this will be a test for Stanford, mostly to see if they can handle being ranked again. If they choke in this game, then they clearly aren’t quite ready for the big game. That being said I’m picking Stanford since USC is being coached by Monte Kiffin’s son and he is far from a quality head coach.

                               

                                #17 Michigan State @ #18 Michigan 

                                                 I know a lot of people would expect this game to be the game of the week, but honestly, there just isn’t as much history here as there is with the Florida State-Miami game. That lack of history is mostly due to the lack of success of Michigan State relative to Michigan’s success. And that trend is likely to continue in this game. Maybe I’m just underestimating Michigan State, but I’m just not ready to pick them over the rolling Michigan Wolverines. ‘Mazing blue win again.

                                Minnesota @ #20 Wisconsin

                                                 Wisconsin suffered a bad loss against Michigan State. I think they won’t suffer a second straight bad defeat. I think they destroy Minnesota.

                                San Jose State @ #21 Nevada 

                                                 San Jose State just can’t catch a break can they? Colin Kaepernick gets a chance to further build on his impressive statistics.

                                #22 Oklahoma State @ Louisiana-Lafayette

                                                                 Why exactly is this game going to be televised nationally? A middle of the road team in the Sun Belt isn’t going to pose much a challenge to Oklahoma State. Oh well. Okie Doke State wins.

                                Colorado @ #24 Missouri

                                                 Colorado is faring much better than I thought they would, making this game a lot better than most thought it would be looking at it in the preseason. There could be an upset pulled, if this game was in Boulder. But it’s not. So I’m going with Blaine Gabbert and the better team. Missouri wins.

                                Colorado State @ #25 Air Force

                                                 Air Force pulled their big win over Navy last week and clawed their way into the national rankings. Now they get the weak Colorado State Rams, a virtual warm up game. Falcons fly.

                Other Games of Note

               

                                 Syracuse @ South Florida

                                                WOW! I am so surprised that I am finding Syracuse somewhere on my list of notable games. I thought the only reason that they would appear on one of my previews was because they were playing a ranked team. Well, four games into the season, Syracuse has lost only one and now faces South Florida who has also lost only one game. I am picking South Florida to win; mostly on the basis of one stat. South Florida is undefeated at home this season while the one loss that Syracuse has suffered came on the road. I think that trend continues and the Bulls beat the Orangemen.

                                Baylor @ Texas Tech

                                                I think this game will be a big proving ground game for the Baylor Bears. They are facing a Texas tech team that recovered from the loss of their coach surprisingly quick and have looked like they have not lost a step in the offensive production department. On the other side, Baylor QB Robert Griffith has been sensational and I look for him to continue his run. I’m going with the big upset and picking Baylor to win. Go Bears.

                                East Carolina @ Southern Mississippi

                                                One of two pivotal games in conference USA this week, we find the surprising Pirates of East Carolina facing the traditional powerhouse of Southern Mississippi. While I like the experience of the Golden Eagles, I think they get way too clever with their offense at times and try to force plays where there aren’t any to be made. I’m picking East Carolina to win.

                               

                                Tulsa @ SMU

                                                Both teams have suffered difficult losses and both teams like to use an up-tempo spread offense. I look for a lot of points to be put up in this game, but for the experience G.J. Kinne to come out on top. Tulsa wins.

                                Hawaii @ Fresno State

                                                     This game will go a long way to determining who will get bowl berths coming out of the WAC. In spite of Fresno State’s embarrassing loss at the hands of Ole Miss, I think they are still one of the most dangerous teams in college football and they will run Hawaii back to the islands. Fresno Wins. 

NFL Week 4 Picks

Damn, I just can't get myself going this season an I? I went 8-8 last week pulling me to 25-23 for the season. Dear god I need a good week or a good bottle of scotch. Here we go. 

     NYJ vs. BUF

                                 The Bills offense seemed to finally wake up last week, only frothier defense to go to sleep. Even if their D is awake for this game, I don’t think the mistake prone Ryan Fitzpatrick will be able to match wits with Rex Ryan’s defense. Jets win.

                CIN vs. CLE

                                 Cincinnati is maintaining their status has one of the better teams in the NFL, while Cleveland remains quite rudderless. Cincy wins.

               

                BAL vs. PIT *Game of the Week*

               

                                                 While it would seem at the surface that this game should be a blowout due to Ben Roethlisberger’s absence from the Steelers, I beg to differ. There are two things that make me say that this will be a great game. One: Joe Flacco has not had a great deal of success against good defenses this season; note the sub-par performances against the Bengals and Jets. Two: Charlie Batch is not as bad as some would make you think. While he isn’t by any means a franchise quarterback, nor is he the kind of player you want leading your offense for a season; in a few (3-5) games, playing in that Steelers offensive system, he has been quite good. He knows what throw to make and what throw not to make and can generally avoid making the big mistake. Ultimately though, this game is going to come down to who can stuff the run better, thus controlling the play-action passing of their opponents. For that, I’m going with the Steelers. Their athletic and experienced interior linebackers have given their team a huge boost and should be able to keep Ray Rice contained. This will be a good one though and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Ravens win.

                DEN vs. TEN

                                I don’t know how many more ways I can say that I think the Broncos suck. I’ll admit they surprised me when they beat the Seahawks, but I’m not of the opinion that they will be able to contain Chris Johnson. Tennessee wins.

                DET vs. GB

                                 Green Bay will win, but take solace in this Detroit fans, your team is playing much better than they have been in years.

                SF vs. ATL

                                 I thought this was going to be a great game going into the season. I thought San Fran was ready to return to the playoffs this season. Well, I was wrong. Atlanta wins.

                CAR vs. NO

                                 Carolina is clearly in transition. While they still have some very good players, they just aren’t with it as a team right now. New Orleans may have proved why they aren’t as good as advertised, but they still are good enough to win this game.

                SEA vs. STL

                                 I’ll admit it. St. Louis surprised me with their win last week. They might even be able to win another game or two. I’m not picking it though, at least not till Sam Bradford proves something to me. Seattle wins.

                IND vs. JAC

                                 If Jacksonville can take advantage of the less than stellar run defense of the Colts, then they could pullout the victory. However, I am not going to be the one calling Peyton Manning out on divisional game. Colts win.

                HOU vs. OAK

                                 Houston had an uncharacteristically bad game last week. This week, they get back on track. Texans win.

                             

                  

                WAS vs. PHI

                                 This game will get a lot of hype because of the Donovan McNabb trade; and while it will be a good game, I don’t think it will be as good as the Steelers/Ravens game. This is game will be hard to pick because of how well Michael Vick is playing. Also, while DeAngelo Hall is familiar with Vick from their days in Atlanta, I think that he and the other Washington corners won’t be able to contain Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson enough to keep Washington in it. Eagles squeak by.

                ARI vs. SD

                                 I have so little faith in Derek Anderson that I am picking the exceptionally disappointing Chargers over the Cardinals.  

                CHI vs. NYG

                                 The surprising Bears facing the stumbling Giants. It would be way too obvious to select the Bears strictly on the basis of the momentum. I am still picking the Bears to win, but it has more to do with the way the Bears have been able to isolate matchups against weak coverage defenders. In that regard, I’d beware Greg Olsen is I were a Giants fan. That matchup against Jonathan Goff has Mike Martz’s eyes sparkling.

                NE vs. MIA

                                New England’s offense seemed to wake up last week while Miami lost in almost crushing fashion to the Jets. I’m not sure Miami will be able to get themselves together for this game. But at the same time, I’d always take Brandon Marshall over Devin McCourty and Darius Butler. That won’t be enough for Miami to win, but it’ll keep the game close.