NFL Week 8 picks

For the first week this season I'm ahead in the overall standings. I went 4-2 last week while Loren dropped 4 games, leaving our records at 25-17 and 24-18. I don't know if it'll last long but I'm hoping to put some distance between us this week.

Minnesota at Carolina

Derek - Carolina. Ponder played well last week, but do you really think he can do it again? Heck McNabb played well the week before and they still got crushed. The Vikings have to hope to control the clock, but even then can the control Newton and the deep pass to Smith? I don't think so.

Loren – Minnesota. Loved the way Ponder played last week and they nearly gave Green Bay more than they could handle. In this game, it comes down to the Panthers giving up the most rushing yards per game. AP will have a huge day, Minnesota will control the clock, and Carolina picks up another loss.

New England at Pittsburgh

Derek - New England. When was the last time the Pats lost at home in the regular season? Yeah I have no idea either. Pittsburgh is playing better but they won't be able to keep up with the Pats. Biggest surprise this year? The Steelers only have 1 turnover on defense, aint gonna get it done against the Pats.

Loren - Pittsburgh. Just a hunch here. New England gives up a lot of yards through the air and a lot of points. That won't cut it against Pittsburgh's defense which, while not as spry as they once were, still comes after you like a freight train. This is the perfect opportunity for Pitt to reassert themselves in the AFC.

Dallas at Philadelphia

Derek - Dallas. Did I really pick Dallas? I went back and forth on this and it came down to Dallas front line being able to get to Vick and the Eagles front line looking like a broken sieve, just letting the running yardage pile up.

Loren – Philadelphia. Philly is coming off a bye, playing at home, and should be largely healthy. Meanwhile, a lot of people are making a big deal out of DeMarco Murray. Give it a week for defenses to plan for him and he'll look mortal again. He'll have to play like Superman, though, for Dallas to win because the Eagles will shut down the Cowboys' passing game.

Indianapolis at Tennessee

Derek - Tennessee. The Colts are bad, maybe not 62-7 bad but bad, in fact we could have seen that team just give up this past week. But you can't pick the Colts to win any games until they show you something.

Loren - Tennessee. I don't think this is a gimme for the Titans. Painter, despite Monday's embarrassment, has proven capable. The Titans are just going to throw too much at the Colts, both offensively and defensively. Here's the big question, though: if the Colts end up with the first pick, do they take Luck?

Washington at Buffalo

Derek - Buffalo. Washington surprised some folks out of the gate but now they have a QB controversy and their best WR is out for 5 weeks. Doesn't look good going against the Bills who can pound it with the best of them. Oh yeah don't forget about Stevie Johnson over the top.

Loren – Buffalo. Quick, name the team that's fourth in the league in passing yards per game. Nope, Buffalo is only 15th, though with all the hype Fitzpatrick has received you'd think they were in the top 5. Buffalo is, however, fourth in the league in rushing yards per game. Regardless, Washington won't be able to do enough to keep up.

San Diego at Kansas City

Derek - San Diego. I could see the Charges crushing the Chiefs but I could also see a close game. The Chiefs look better lately but they are a running team that can't run. That's not good.

Loren – San Diego. KC has won three in a row and looks like a much improved team. Unfortunately, they just don't have enough D to contain the Chargers. This might be the game that gets Philip Rivers back on track. At least, his fantasy football owners sure hope so.

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NFL Week 7 picks

Try as we might to pick games differently last week we both went 3-3 keeping me one off the pace. Loren is sitting at 22-14 and I'm at 21-15. On to the picks!

Houston @ Tennessee
Loren – Tennessee. Tennessee is coming off a bye week while Houston is coming off a bruising loss against the Ravens. The bye week gives CJ more time to get back in game shape. Meanwhile, Houston’s defense is looking leakier and leakier. Tennessee convincingly at home.
Derek - Houston. I say they have too many injuries for me to pick them right now. The Titans could continue their surprising passing game against a bad pass defense.

Denver @ Miami
Loren – Denver. Really, let’s flip a coin here. I almost picked the Dolphins after Brandon Lloyd was traded from Denver to St. Louis for a pack of pudding pops and a scratch and sniff book. But I figure Tebow is good for three rushing touchdowns against two INTs, while Matt Moore is good for five INTs against 7 bewildered sideline looks. Plus, Brandon Marshall will probably kill a few people on the sidelines because he’s not the center of attention this week.
Derek - Miami. Not that I'm rooting for my team to do well. I mean a loss hear would put us one step closer to getting Luck in the draft, but that doesn't mean I won't be happy if the Dolphins win a home game for the first time in 17 years and beat Tebow in the process.

San Diego @ NY Jets
Loren – San Diego. Yes, Revis is a monster, but Rivers has been around the block a couple of times and won’t be throwing jump balls his way. I like SD’s defense against the Jets’ anemic offense and I like SD’s ground game against the Jets (who are currently giving up almost 135 YPG).
Derek - San Diego. Again I don't like taking teams traveling across the country but the Charges did it once already so lets say their somewhat prepared for it. I just don't think the Jets are that good, the in-fighting will be much worse after this loss and this is the beginning of the Jets missing the playoffs.

Chicago @ Tampa Bay
Loren – Tampa Bay. Which Bucs team shows up, the one shellacked by the 49ers or the one that pushed the Saints around early and controlled enough of the game to hang on? Everyone now knows the secret to beating the Bears is to throw the kitchen sink at Cutler. The Bucs will do that, Freeman will continue to get his groove back, and the Bucs quietly improve to 5-2.
Derek - Chicago. The Bears D is getting their game back and the Bucs are without Blount for the second week in a row, perhaps this will help Freeman's numbers but I see the Bears scoring on D and with Hester they might score on special teams. Cutler and his O line looked 10 times better last week, I think it holds up and Forte scores the winning TD on a goal line leap.

Seattle @ Cleveland
Loren – Cleveland. It’s the first full start of the season for Charlie Whitehurst and Cleveland isn’t going to make it a happy one. The Browns’ defensive front is licking their chops right now, anticipating a shot to be in the top 10 in total sacks by the end of the day. Seattle’s best shot is to run it all day, and they just might do that. It’s still going to be tough to pick up a win in the Dog Pound.
Derek - Cleveland. I think the NY Giants game was a fluke for the Seahawks and again they have to travel the majority of the way across the country. I'll take a good Browns D over a bad Seahawks O.

Atlanta @ Detroit
Loren – Detroit. It’s strength against weakness on both sides of the ball. Detroit’s superhuman aerial attack versus Atlanta’s puke inducing pass defense, and Atlanta’s locomotive ground game against Detroit’s wet paper towel run defense. It comes down to Detroit scoring faster and more frequently than the Falcons.
Derek - Atlanta. I think the Falcons will be able to control the clock and thus limit the number of jump balls Stafford can throw to Megatron. Couple that with no running game for Detroit unless Morris comes out like it's the Fiesta Bowl and you can see the Dirty Birds coming out with a win.

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NFL Week 6 picks

Looks like I caught up a bit to Loren last week going 4-2 while he went down 2-4. I'm down one game overall now.

San Francisco @ Detroit

Loren – Detroit. While San Francisco can be proud of their 4-1 record, it’s a little deceiving. They have yet to play a team with the aerial firepower of the Lions, yet their D is ranked 23^rd against passing offenses. Detroit seems to be putting all the pieces together with Best looking spry, Megatron unstoppable, and the defense refusing to give up big plays.

Derek - Detroit. This is a tough one for me. I think the Lions have been living on the edge for awhile and are due for a loss. But the 49ers traveling more than 2/3s the way across the country. Plus I can't think Alex Smith will have a big day versus Suh and company.

Philadelphia @ Washington

Loren – Washington. Washington’s D is getting a lot of credit, but they haven’t exactly faced the toughest competition. I made this pick before DeAngelo Hall hurt his knee in practice, but I’ll stick with the Redskins here. The Eagle’s line is banged up, Vick is banged up, there are questions and doubts throughout the team. Shanahan’s infuriating (at least to fantasy owners) running-back-by-committee approach is working; whoever has the freshest legs gets the most carries. Aside from all that, I’ve learned not to pick against Shanahan coming off a bye week.

Derek - Philadelphia. The Eagle is a strong bird a proud bird and a predator. These Eagles however are the most dangerous animal there is, an animal backed in to a corner. They know they have to win. Expect many attempts at big plays and some are going to payoff. The skins won't be able to keep up.

Carolina @ Atlanta

Loren – Atlanta. Close call for me. Everyone has made a big deal about the Falcons’ poor numbers through the air, but their poor numbers against opposing passers are even scarier. The Panthers will come out throwing, and Atlanta will have to score in bunches to keep up.

Derek - Carolina. Close one for me too. I originally landed on the Falcons but mainly because they were playing the Panthers. I mean the Panthers suck right? But then I started to think about all the points the Falcons have given up threw the air and then I thought Steve Smith sure is fast, I wonder how fast he can be in a dome. Then I thought hey the Cam Newton guy sure can throw the ball deep. I'm thinking Smith reels in 3 TD catches and the Panthers win a high scoring game.

Buffalo @ NY Giants

Loren – NY Giants. I got killed last week picking road teams and I’m not making the same mistake this week. Yes, it’s a short trip, but it’s worlds apart. The Giants are stinging from an unexpected loss at Seattle and will be on a mission. Buffalo’s defensive numbers are a horror show and I have a feeling they’re going to turn Eli loose. That could be bad or good, but I think it’s worth a win this week.

Derek - Buffalo. Raise your hand if you trust the Giants? I said raise...oh you heard me, I was confused since no one raised their hand. The Giants DB's are banged up and have been that way for awhile now, I expect the Bills to get going through the air and then finish the G Men off on the ground with Jackson.

Houston @ Baltimore

Loren – Baltimore. Baltimore’s D > Houston’s O. That about sums up this pick. Ray Rice will have plenty of room to run and Flacco just needs to manage the game effectively.

Derek - Baltimore. Houston is not looking good on D and Johnson is out and...well they just don't look good. While Baltimore looks like they could be the team to contend with. Ravens big.

Minnesota @ Chicago

Loren – Minnesota. Jahvid Best carved up the Bears’ D like a Thanksgiving turkey. If the Beast could do that, what kind of day will AP have? Chicago’s once vaunted defense currently is 27^th and 28^th in total passing and rushing yards, respectively. Cutler probably has PTSD after scrambling for his life on Monday and it’s a short week for them. Minnesota is going to throw the kitchen sink at him. This could get ugly.

Derek - Chicago. This should be a ground and pound game. Sue AP could make short work of the bears but who thinks Forte can't do the same against the Viks. And I'll take Cutler over McNabb any day.

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NFL week 5 picks

So, Derek has apparently tapped in to my superior brain waves because the last two weeks he’s been picking games the way I would. While I’m flattered and all, that just doesn’t make it very interesting for you.

We’re going to switch it up.

During weeks on which we can’t seem to disagree on games, we’ll select a six pack of close matchups and take turns selecting a victor. Once Derek selects a game, for instance he selected Indianapolis over KC, I have to go with the other team and justify why they should win. Then I get to pick the next game which, in this case, was Philadelphia over Buffalo.

This adds another element to the game in that we are also selecting the games in the order of confidence we have in the outcome. Should be completely confusing and darn near unmanageable. Sounds like fun!

We’ll put an asterisk next to the name of the person who got first pick on the game. Here are the picks:

Kansas City @ Indianapolis
*Derek – Indianapolis. The Colts have been right in their last two games. and Painter looked 100 times better that I've seen him play before. They have a home game against a terrible KC team and their due.
Loren – Kansas City. I actually feel good about this pick. The Chiefs have to win some time, and what better team than the Colts to give them that first victory. Painter will be making his second start and I predict a steady diet of stunts and blitzes to keep him on his toes. If he doesn’t get rid of the ball faster, he’s going to have a miserable day.

Philadelphia @ Buffalo
Derek – Buffalo. I would have leaned to Philly on this one but I do get a home team that's been playing great on the offensive side of the ball, if they can eliminate the Eagles big plays then they have a good chance.
*Loren – Philadelphia. I know Buffalo is on a hot streak, but the Eagles are better than they’ve been playing. Last week was a wake up call and I expect their offense to find a groove against a Buffalo defense with the consistency of a wet paper towel.

Tampa Bay @ San Francisco
*Derek – San Francisco. I always lean heavily to the home team when their playing a cross country opponent plus the Bucs are playing on a short week. The 49ers have been impressing me lately with their D. Expect a grind it out football game.
Loren – Tampa Bay. Well, I’m not thrilled about getting stuck with this pick. Tampa is heading across three time zones to play a decent team that just got a morale boost with a big comeback against Philly. Tampa has a quality win over Atlanta and that 27-20 loss to Detroit in the opening week is looking better all the time. LeGarrette Blount looks to be getting on track, now Mike Williams just has to step up and do his best Megatron impression.

Tennessee @ Pittsburgh
Derek – Pittsburgh. Again a home game for a fading/ageing team. I have a feeling the Steelers are against the wall but I don't see them going down easy. Big Ben can sling it with a bad foot and the D will step up.
*Loren – Tennessee. “For some strange reason it had to be, it was all a dream about Tennessee.” This one is just a hunch, but I have a feeling that the Titans’ monstrous D and multi-pronged offense will be enough to handle the Steelers. Roethlisberger is hobbling and is facing a vicious squad. Also, who would have thought that the struggling Titans rushing attack would see Pittsburgh as an opportunity to get going, but the Steelers are giving up almost 120 yards on the ground.

Arizona @ Minnesota
*Derek – Minnesota. A modified cross country trip. The Vikings are not as bad as they should be and expect a huge game from AP and McNabb's best game this year. The Cards D is terrible and the Vikings aren't going to let another half time lead slip away.
Loren – Arizona. Though they are 1-3, the Cardinals’ three losses are via a combined 8 points. They have to be better against the pass and they really need to figure out how to move the ball on the ground, but the teams is a lot better than people think. This game hinges on whether or not the Cardinals can contain AP. Keep him below 120 yards and they’ll be right in it.

Cincinnati @ Jacksonville
Derek – Jacksonville. Hmm, why do I think the Jags will win...Lets go with a decent RB a decent D that will score the game winning TD with under 4 mins left in the game. Oh yeah home team too.
*Loren – Cincinnati. Raise your hand if you thought the Bengals D would be what’s holding the team together. Liar. Same thing if you thought Cedric Benson would re-emerge as a decent running option. Jacksonville just won’t be able to move the ball against the Bengals, on the ground or in the air, and the Bengals will do just enough to win.

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NFL Week 4 picks

Loren and I split our picks last week, he called the 49ers over the Bengals and I had the Cowboys of the Redskins. That leaves Loren two games ahead with a record of 11-7 while I'm at 9-9. On to the picks.

NY Jets at Baltimore

Loren - Baltimore. I just don't think the Jets offense has what it takes to go in to Baltimore and stay mistake free. It doesn't help that they are the second worst defense against the rush so far this year. Ray Rice is going to have a huge day.

Derek - Baltimore. This is a close one for me. But so far you have to look at the way both teams have played and realize that the Jets have not played well especially against the run and with the emergence of a second WR for the Ravens Revis can only cover one guy.

New England at Oakland

Loren - New England. This one is a lot tougher to call than at first glance. The Pats secondary has been ceding territory like Napoleon, giving up big chunks of land for cheap. Fortunately for them, their run D has been better than average which gives them a chance at containing McFadden. If the Raiders had any kind of passing attack, I'd be taking them in this match up.

Derek - New England. This should be a high scoring game but the Pats have too much fire power in the passing game to lose. The Raiders could win if the score is low but I don't see it happening. I hate picking a team traveling across country but I've got to in this case.

Pittsburgh at Houston

Loren - Houston. The Steelers once vaunted run defense has allowed nearly 100 yards per game. Their only game this year against a team that can stretch the field with a legitimate passing attack, Baltimore, they got slaughtered. Schaub and Co. will put the Steelers on their heels and should hold on in a relatively high scoring game.

Derek - Houston. I have a feeling the Steelers will pick it up soon but I'm not sure this is the game to do it. Their O line is in shambles and they will have to score plenty to keep up with the Texans.

Detroit at Dallas

Loren - Detroit. Lions are Super Bowl bound!!! Okay, just kidding. but with all the media adoration you'd think this team was looking to 3-peat, not simply 3-0 to start the season. The Lions are 39-124 since 2001, and have won exactly one post-season game since 1958, so I guess I can forgive folks for being giddy about their start. Well, expectations are only going to get higher after embarrass Dallas in week 4.

Derek - Detroit. The Lions are one of the hottest teams in the league and Megatron is having a huge year, 2 TD's a game is not a surprise. Dallas will have a hard time stopping the Lions high scoring offense and won't be able to match it with a banged up QB who couldn't manage a TD in the last game.

Carolina at Chicago

Loren - Chicago. Much as I'd love to watch the expression on the faces of Bears fans should the Panthers march into town and notch a win, I don't see it happening. Though the Bears have been mediocre to awful on defense, and even worse on offense (53 rushing ypg!), they should have enough to take care of the inconsistent and mistake prone Panthers.

Derek - Chicago. Lots of passing yards in this one since Mike Martz won't give the ball to Forte, but the Bears D should be good enough to contain Newton and win fairly easily.

Tennessee at Cleveland

Loren - Tennessee. I really wanted to take Cleveland here. Really. Even though their run defense has been atrocious, the Titans haven't been able to get CJ on track and may not make the Browns pay on the ground. But the Titans' defense is too good, second against the pass and 8th against the run with a quality win over Baltimore. Tennessee will be 3-1 and, if our predictions hold true, in an interesting fight with Houston for control of the NFC South.

Derek - Cleveland. I'm going out on a limb here, I'm picking the home team, I've watched both of these teams play once and I don't think either is very good. The Titans would seem to be the safe pick but I have Johnson isn't going to run will on the Browns and Hasselbeck will come back down to earth. The Browns held a bad offense down last week and will do it again.

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NFL Week 3 picks

OK folks I lost another game to Loren so now I'm down two. Stinking Eagles!

Redskins at Cowboys

Derek - Cowboys. I'm hoping Romo starts. But I still don't have too much faith in the Skins, plus I get the bonus of having a home game on a big stage, exactly were Washington hasn't been in years, of course Dallas doesn't preform well on those stages either

Loren - Redskins. The Redskins are playing with more pride this year after an unexpectedly decent start. Meanwhile, the Cowboys are banged up and you already have Washington players asking for blitzes and the chance to put a shoulder on Romo's ribs. I think this game surprises a lot of people.

Texans at Saints

Derek - Saints. This should be a great game. Two offenses that can put up some big numbers. I'll be surprised if either team doesn't score in the mid to high 20's. But the Dolphins showed how to slow down the Texans and I think the Saints will win by double digits. Sorry Byron.

Loren - Saints. The Texans are going to be a tough team all year but Brees is dialed in and pissed off after the week 1 loss. Saints win at home in the dome.

San Francisco at Cincinnati

Derek - Cincinnati. I wouldn't be surprised if the 49ers won this game but I"m thinking they Bengals can take one at home against an anemic offense. We'll see if AJ Green can have another great game.

Loren - Niners. Too many question marks for the Bengals. They have no receiving corps to speak of which is a shame because the secondary is the weakest spot on the Niner's defense. The Bengals won't be able to capitalize and Frank Gore will keep the Bengals on their heels all day.

Broncos at Titans

Derek - Titans. Will this be a fall off game for the Titans? That's the only way the Broncos can win it. I think this is the game Chris Jonson gets back on track. Look for a big one.

Loren - Titans. Tennessee looked really sharp last week. I don't think anyone expected them to handle the Ravens that way. The big question is if this is the sign of a talented team coming together or just a flash in the pan. Probably won't matter against the Broncos.

Giants at Eagles

Derek - Eagles. The Giants look bad, even in their win and if they are going to win this one they'll have to make it ugly. But the Eagles team speed is going to be way too much for the G-men.

Loren - Eagles. If Vick is able to play, there's no question you take the Eagles with how poorly the Giants' secondary has played. Things get a lot more interesting if Vick is out, but they still have to be the favorites.

Jets at Raiders

Derek - Jets. I'd like to pick the Raiders here being a west coast team hosting an east coast team but the Jets are just to dominant in the run game for the Raiders. This could be ugly or close either way the Jets take it.

Loren - Jets. The Raiders have given up 627 yards against two mediocre passing offenses. Think they miss Asomugha? I don't see their secondary making the leap this week. The Jets D is light years ahead of Oakland's competition so far this year. Jets big.

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NFL week 2 picks

Well that didn't turn out well. Loren went 3/6 and I went 2/6. We suck. And I suck more that Loren, that's not good since I'm competing with him. Don't forget if you need an ego boost play along in the comments section.

Cleveland @ Indianapolis
Loren – Indianapolis. One more week. Each week that Collins gets with the offense increases comfort and knowledge of the system and routes. The Browns aren’t a great team so this is the perfect opportunity for Indy’s offense to take some positive steps. The Browns are gamers, but they’re young and will lose some games a more seasoned team wouldn’t, like this one.

Derek - Indianapolis. If it was a better team I'd go against the Colts here but the Browns are the Browns and I don't expect much. Hillis could make it tough for the Colts inside, but I think Indy has the skill and too much pride to lose this one.

Chicago @ New Orleans
Loren – New Orleans. Even though Chicago put a thumping on Atlanta last week (and I think the Falcons could be better than the Saints by season’s end), I’m going with NO. The Saints were a play away from victory against an incredible Green Bay team. I don’t see Chicago being able to shut down the Saints’ O, even without Colston.

Derek - New Orleans. I had a Saints fan get mad at me last week for jinxing the Saint's, he later admitted that it might have been their D and not my pick that cost them that game. I think the home turf advantage will be enough to let Brees throw for a few TD's and I can't trust the Bears O.

Arizona @ Washington
Loren – Washington. Was the Cardinals’ secondary even on the field last week? If they gave up a game like that to Cam Newton, imagine what a more disciplined and talented offense in Washington will do. Obviously, the Redskins aren’t even close to an elite scoring machine, but I think Grossman will have a field day and the Cardinals will get their wings clipped.

Derek - Washington. I don't like picking crappy teams that travel all the way across the country. Grossman should be ok since the Cards don't seem to defend the pass, and the Redskins D should be good enough to stop anything on the ground.

San Diego @ New England
Loren – New England. The Chargers will get better throughout the season. Unfortunately for them, so will the Pats, and they’re already scary good. The Chargers look to be slow starters again and that won’t cut it against New England who look to come out and carve up opponents.

Derek - New England. I'm sticking with the Pats all year. Did you see their no huddle O, the Fins D which is good looked like a highschool kid trying to get a bra off. Brady had a big game and 12 players for NE catch passes.

Houston @ Miami
Loren – Houston. With Foster back, Miami will be forced to play 6 and 7 up front. This will open things up even more for Schaub and AJ. Henne looked better than expected last week, but they were embarrassed defensively against the Pats, and things don’t get much easier for them this week. Ask yourself which team has more confidence coming in to this game.

Derek - Houston. Miami has issues with big recievers. Johnson is a big reciever, he'll score minimum of 1 TD most likley two. That might be enought to beat the Dolphins.

Philadelphia @ Atlanta
Loren – Atlanta. The Eagles certainly didn’t run away from the Rams last week. Atlanta, meanwhile, has to figure out what went wrong against Chicago. Atlanta’s D hits harder and is faster than that of the Rams. On the other side of the ball, Asomugha will be blanketing Roddy White, so Julio Jones could have his first game with double digit catches. Falcons get back on track against a team they haven’t beaten since 2005 (0-4 in that span).

Derek - Philadelphia. Seems strange that this game almost is a must win for the Falcons, that being said they did not look like a team that was just about to put it together last week. The Eagles D is not what the Bears is but should be good enough to stop Ryan and force Turner to beat them. Philly will make one or two explosive plays on the offensive/special teams side of the ball to win it.

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NFL week 1 picks

Well, folks it's that time of year again. Football season!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes we here at Portland Men on Sports are excited. We'll kick off our 3rd season of NFL picks right now.

New Orleans @ Green Bay
Loren - Green Bay. The Saints seem to be a trendy pick but I still have concerns about their running game and the Packers are celebrating their Super Bowl win in front of the home crowd. I just don't see them dropping this one.

Derek - New Orleans. Can you say high scoring? All fantasy owners will be glued to this one. I'm taking the Saints since I think they'll be able to spread the ball around enough to make the Pack pay. Remember the Packers went 10-6 last year and the home field advatange does really kick in until the cold weather appears.

Atlanta @ Chicago
Loren - Atlanta. The Falcons are going to be good this year. Really, really good. Meanwhile, though Chicago won their division last year, they don't have consistent talent on both sides of the ball. Atlanta should handle this one comfortably.

Derek - Atlanta. Yeah the Falcons should be able to handle this one ok. Chicago seemed to be one of the teams that got worse in the off season.

Pittsburgh @ Baltimore
Loren - Baltimore. Flacco has two dependable starting quality receivers now, so he can spread the field and give Ray Rice more room to find holes. That was the difference in their divisional playoff loss last year, which Pittsburgh barely won after being down 21-7 early. Statement game early in the season, and the home team is going to take this one.

Derek - Pittsburgh. Until the Ravens can dethrone the Steelers in the division I've got to go with Pitt. They'll score in the air, on the ground and on D.

Dallas @ NY Jets
Loren - NY Jets. Say what you want about the Jets, but they beat Indy and New England in the playoffs last year before losing a close game to the Steelers. Their only 2010 loss to a non-playoff team was a hangover loss to Miami after getting pasted by New England in week 13. Dallas lost 7 of their first 8 games last year and had exactly one win streak...of 2 games. The Cowboys have to prove they can win against a good team before I'd even consider picking them.

Derek - NY Jets. I think Dallas will be better this year, but not good enough out of hte gate to beat the Jets. And you should know my feelings about the Jets by now. H A T E HATE HATE HATE them.

Oakland @ Denver
Loren - Denver. Well, this is nothing but a homer pick. Denver has lost the last three meetings, including 59-14 and 39-23 shellackings last year. If they can't do better against the run, they have no chance. On the plus side, they're playing at home and their overall defense should be better with a 4-3 scheme and Elvis Dumervil coming off the end. But still, homer pick.

Derek - Oakland. Oakland has one of if not the worst owner in sports, perahps other buinsess as well. They have a new QB who noone expects anything out of, I'm not sure if I could name a WR on the team...nope can't. And yet they'll take Denver down easily. That should tell you how far the Broncos have gone down since the firing of Shanahan.

Tennessee @ Jacksonville
Loren - Tennessee. I was all set to take the Jags, but after this Garrard business I'm can't do it. McCown is an 8 year veteran with 9 TDs and 10 INTs. There's a reason he's never been a starting QB. The Titans can put enough pressure on McCown to force mistakes and Hasselbeck can manage the game well enough to get the win.

Derek - Tennessee. My plan to tick Loren into taking the Jags didn't pan out, oh well.

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2011 RFA Cup recap

Guest host Carlos and I recap the 2011 RFA Cup.

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2011 RFA Cup Preview

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Nike Clash of the Champions

Tonight I was able to attend the Nike Clash of the Champions tennis exhibition event held at the new Matthew Knight Arena. This including watching Victoria Azarenka vs Maria Sharapova in Woman's singles and Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer in Men's singles. The men and women also joined forces to play a lively game of mixed doubles.

Of course you could tell this was an exhibition as sometimes the players took points off, but this also led to the players going for certain shots you'd rarely see in an actual match. Federer must have tried 4 of the 6 between the leg shots during the course of the evening.

A pair of former UO quarterbacks also made their debuts as line judges in Joey Harrington and Dennis Dixon. Phil Knight seemed to be the toast of the event, which makes sense, since he built the arena and was obviously the force that drew these Nike athletes to Eugene.

The players played to the crowd often talking to court side viewers and even turning down multiple marriage proposals and kegger invites. But the crowd favorite had to be John McEnroe, who not played up his image as a rebel but also jumped in the judges chair for the mixed doubles match before taking Federer's spot for two points.

It was a fantastically fun time and I can only hope more events like this come to Oregon in the future.

Results
Azarenka over Sharapova 4-4 tie breaker 5-0
Nadal over Federer 7-5
Federer/Sharapova over Nadal/Azarenka 6-3

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March Madness

It's time for our second annual March Madness tournement. Compete against the hosts and last years winner Clint, trust me he's already talking smack. Winner gets a prize. It's a yahoo league you can enter here. No password needed.

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2010 Roofball Cards

Here is a montage video of the 2010 Roofball Legend Series.

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2011 Roofball World Championship review

Both Loren and I recap the 2011 Roofball World Championship.

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Wait...The Blazers did what?

I've been planning on writing Blazers trade blog for the last couple of days, but I figured I'd go something like this.

Blazers fail, again, to use their "assets" to pull off a meaningful trade.

Honestly after the Wallace trade seemed to fall through yesterday I was PO'd. But I've got a big Blazer smile on my face today. Now will this trade bump the Blazers into title contender status? No, but it is a step in the right direction. The Blazers were able to acquire the best player off a team for their own spare parts. Let's break it down.

Blazers get:
Gerald Wallace. A starting small forward and an upgrade at the position. Yes I know most Blazer fans think Batum is the next Jesus Shuttlesworth but will never be much more than a third option on a team and he's not there yet. Wallace has proved he can score rebound and defend in this league. He was even on the All NBA defensive team last year along with averaging a double double.

Wallace's style of play should have a great positive affect on the stale Portland offense. The team is constructed of jump shooters and Wallace is a take it to the rack kinda player. Couple this with the now constant double teams LaMarcus is facing and he should have plenty of assists to the new guy.

Blazers lose:
Joel Przybilla. At this stage of Joel's career he's a back up and looking at him play recently he's a hurt back up. Sure the guy brought toughness and a take no crap attitude. But when all is said and done he was on the last year of a contract that was paying him $7.4 million a year and that's a trade chip that cannot go unused.

Dante Cunningham. A cheap role player. Sure good teams have players like Cunningham on their roster, but you can find these guys everywhere. Dante was also on his last year of a second round draft contract which means he was due for a raise if the Blazers wanted to keep him after this year they'd need to go deeper into the luxury tax and this is not the type of player teams do that for. Sure he brought a toughness and go get'em attitude but Portland got that back in Wallace.

Sean Marks. I was surprised a found a player profile on Marks on NBA.com. Some say he might be the worst player in the league but he's got a big body and that can be enough to keep a job in the NBA. Reports indicate the Bobcats will waive him.

New Orleans #1 pick in 2011. This is the pick Portland acquired in the Bayless trade at the beginning of the year. So Cho was right when he said he was accumulating assets. This pick should be in the early 20's this year much like the Blazers own pick.

Portland's 2013 first round pick. This is a couple of years off so the Blazer obviously feel they won't be a lottery team then and I'm inclined to agree. If the Blazers think they need a mid to late fist rounder in 2013 they have time to complete a trade or just flat our buy one, which they've done twice in the past 3 years.

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The 2011 Roofball World Championship preview

Tomorrow, February 20th, the 13th annual Roofball World Championships will be played, and if you pay attention to our show, blog, facebook page or twitter feed, you know that Loren and I love us some roofball.

The WCs should see a full 24 player field with many of the usual suspects. Adam Willis, Casey Campbell and Buddy Emmons have 4 Roofball titles each. Steve Stupey has played in 5 tournaments and has finished in the top 3 all but once. There will also be a some players such as Travis Demers and Matt Azar who've come close to winning before but just can't make it over the hump...yet.

But this is a PMS blog so I wanted to concentrate on Loren and I.

Loren has played in 3 tournaments making it to the second round twice. With one more game he'll have the minimum number of games played to be listed on the record page. Loren hasn't gone deep in a tournament but he does have 3 Roofball Games Gold medals.

I've had the pleasure of winning two tournaments and finishing in the semifinals 3 times. I really have two goals entering this tournament.
1. To win, of course, is one of them, but this tournament means something more. Ask any long standing roofballer and they'll tell you this is the big one. It's also the one tournament I haven't won. A win here and I'll be the first roofball player to win all three tournaments.
2. I'm also looking to become the 7th roofball player to score 1000 career points. I sit 78 points away.

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Episode 71

Our most recent episode, 02.11.11 ran long so we had to remove some of the content. Below you can find our 2011 NBA All Star predictions which didn't make the cut, you can also find a review of the new MLS Portland Timbers Jerseys which did make it in to the show.

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Super Bowl picks

Well the outcome doesn't matter as far as the NFL pick duel between Loren and myself goes, but I guess it's a big game or whatever.

Green Bay vs. Pittsburgh
Loren – Green Bay. Since I don’t have to worry about being right, I’m going with my heart over my head. It’s hard not to see the Steelers as the favorite with more experience, veteran leadership, consistent ground game, and consistent defense. But I’ll take Green Bay because I’d love to see the Packers usher in a new era and sever any lingering nostalgic ties to Favre.

Derek - Pittsburgh. And I'll take the Steelers for all the comments Loren made. Basically they can play with anyone and can beat anyone any day of the week, including a super Sunday. Rodgers might be the better QB but he hasn't played like it 3 out of the 4 last weeks. I expect a great game and I hope we get it.

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NFL Pick 'Em - Conference Championships

Well...it's a little elementary at this point since I'm up five with three games to go, but no one will ever be able to say we don't follow through! Still, for there to only be a difference of five games is a testament to either how good we both are or how much be both suck. You be the judge.

AFC Championship

NY Jets @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Loren - Pittsburgh. Why go against them now? They have the experience, they have the better coaches, and they're playing at home. Steelers emphatically.

Derek - Pittsburgh. Since I can't catch up I won't just pick against Loren to pick against him, I'll try to do my best...wait is that what I should have been doing this whole time? Anyway I'll take the home team that's been there before. I'm not a huge Big Ben fan but I think he's head and shoulders better at leading his team.

NFC Championship

Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears

Loren - Green Bay. All the talk is about how well Rodgers has been playing. I like Green Bay's D to win this game. I think they'll pressure Cutler, and Cutler gets a little squirrely when he's pressured. Turnovers will be the difference in this game.

Derek - Green Bay. I think this game comes down to Cutler, and I don't think Cutler is going to have the kind of game that he'll need to have. I expect a low scoring game but with GB controlling it throughout.

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NFL Playoffs Round 2

Well the Eagles cost me another game, I'm now down 3. Desperation sinks in.

Baltimore at Pittsburgh
Loren - Pittsburgh. They're rested, they're at home, and they are going to throw the kitchen sink at Flacco. I expect this to be a good game, but I expect the Steelers to win.
Derek – Baltimore. I’m down so I might as well go against Loren when there’s a chance. This should be a good game first one to 21 wins, but it might not take that much.

NY Jets at New England
Loren - New England. Revis and Cromartie won't be enough to slow Brady down. The Jets think the 45-3 loss a few weeks ago stung, wait till the Pats hang 'em out to dry in the playoffs.
Derek – New England. Yeah I think they’re going to win it all.

Green Bay at Atlanta
Loren - Green Bay. This game was the hardest to pick. I like the Falcons ability to control clock, but I don't know if their secondary can handle Rodgers for a full 60 minutes. Odds are against the number 1 seed losing in the divisional round, but the Packers have essentially pulled out three win-or-go-home games in a row.
Derek – Atlanta. Home team that plays well in a dome. Number 1 seed on rest. Sound like the way to go for me, they can run it and keep the ball away from Rodgers.

Seattle at Chicago
Loren - Chicago. Last time I made fun of the Seahawks they destroyed the Saints. So I won't make fun of them, but I still don't think they'll win. Frankly, they are not as talented as the other playoff teams and that will catch up to them sooner or later.
Derek – Chicago. Seattle had a lot of advantages last week with the home game. But they are the ones that have to travel this week.

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