NFL Duel - Week 9

Another football filled Sunday is almost upon us and with that brings our picks. Both Loren and myself continue to struggle both going 2-3 last week leaving us tied at 14 correct picks.

Derek

Baltimore @ Cleveland
Baltimore. Cleveland is terrible, Derek Anderson will be benched in the next three weeks and this game will have a lot to do with it. Flacco plays under control and the Ravens D will score. 21-10

New England @ Indianapolis
New England. Just like last week and I can’t pick the Colts right now versus a decent team. The Pats have enough players on their team to make up for Brady’s absence and they will continue to do so. Manning is just a few inches off this year. 24-17

Pittsburgh @ Washington
Pittsburgh. The Steelers D will keep Portis at bay this game, holding him below 100 yards rushing for the first time in what seems like forever. Without that threat Campbell will not be nearly as effective and the Steelers will run them over. 31-14

Houston @ Minnesota
Houston. Unlike Loren I realize that Ahman Green was back last week, but it’s Slaton’s versatility out of the back field that is going to tear up the Viks D. Sure Peterson will have his yards, but that’s about it. 24-14

Miami @ Denver
Miami. Call this a true homer pick. I’ve been going with what I think will happen this entire time, but when it comes to my team versus Loren’s team I have to stand up. Denver’s great O coming off a bye week, please I’ll take a bunch of WR you’ve never heard of. 35-31

Loren

Baltimore @ Cleveland
Browns. The Browns have been playing better as of late and get Winslow back on the field for this one. The Ravens can beat any team if they play without turnovers and mistakes, but that doesn’t happen often with a rookie QB. It’s true they have a very solid D, but it’s an aging D that has started gambling more and playing less fundamentally sound. 31-13.

New England @ Indy
Patriots. Indy’s D is porous as usual, and the offense isn’t firing every week. The Pats are a respectable 5-2 on a semi-soft schedule, but they’re playing with a chip on their shoulder. They want to prove to everyone that Brady isn’t the sole reason for their success and they are playing smash-mouth football every week. Indy wont’ be able to get their pass attack going without some semblance of a running game, and this won’t be the week they pull it together. 35-23.

Pitt @ Washington
Redskins. Washington is still being overlooked, even at this point in the season. Campbell is better than people think, Portis may be the most under-hyped and under-rated RB in the league, they have a decent D, and their offense can grind it out or go for the quick strike. The Steelers are good, too, but playing at Washington this week they will be overwhelmed. 27-17.

Houston @ Minnesota
Texans. Seriously, I can’t stand either of the teams from Texas. The Cowboys have the most obnoxious band-wagon fans in the league, and the Texans have the dumbest name in all of pro sports. So I’d like to pick Minnesota here…but I just can’t do it. Houston is vastly improved even if their record doesn’t reflect it. They have a ground game that is on the verge of getting a lot of air time on sports shows and Schaub is holding his own and being effective. Playing against Detroit last week likely gave them some confidence they can take into Minnesota. Plus, they’re getting Ahman Green back this week. 24-16.

Miami @ Denver
Broncos. They’ve had a bye week to get healthy after the butt-whooping the Patriots gave them. They’re getting their prize rookie RB out of ASU, Torain, on the field the first time this year and the rumor is TE Tony Scheffler might be out there, too. Unfortunately, this doesn’t help their terrible run defense, but maybe it will keep the Dolphins offense off the field for long stretches. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them put 8 in the box and dare Pennington to beat them through the air. 35-23.

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NFL Duel - Week 8

Well we set a record for getting our picks up here faster than ever before. Last week did not count based on my cohort’s lack of posting so we are currently tied with 12 correct picks. And I’m not sure why we don’t have San Diego @ New Orleans, but hey what can you do.

Derek

Tampa @ Dallas
Tampa. I think this is the first time I have picked against Dallas this year. That being said I’m not sure you can pick Dallas right now. With out Romo or a decent person in the secondary this team is a mess. Sure Brad Johnson can throw it 121 yards in the air but that’s not going to help out the Cowboys D. 28-17

Buffalo @ Miami
Buffalo. Sure the fins are my favorite team but I have to go with Buffalo here. They are too good of offense for the Dolphins. Lynch is going to run for over 120 and at least one TD. Now the Dolphins will have a good running game but this will be Ricky’s day and not Brown’s. 24-13

St Louis @ New England
New England. Say what you will about Cassell (I have) but I think he is coming around. This will be a close game but Jackson is the only player on the rams who can do anything. 21-13

NY Giants @ Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh. I really think Pittsburgh is the best team in the AFC. Of course the same thing could be said about the Giants and the NFC. So this comes down to home field advantage and turnovers. Manning will have two picks and the Steelers will stop Jacobs. 31-14

Indianapolis @ Tennessee
Tennessee. I’ll go with the team that has not lost yet. The Colts are killing me on this pick’em thing. Payton needs to throw to his guys and turn this thing around, unfortunately for him this is not the week for it to happen.

Loren

Tampa @ Dallas
Tampa. The cowboys are a mess and the Bucs are playing with new life.
Garcia is getting a chance to show his talent again (how does the league
keep forgetting that he's a good QB?) and the Bucs D is as stingy as
ever. This may be the nail in the coffin of the Cowboys' season. 24-13.

Buffalo @ Miami
Miami. Who would have that that these two teams would be playing in week
8 with serious playoff considerations? I think Buffalo is good, but the
majority of their talent is on the offensive side of the ball. Miami
isn't great by any means, but they have a hard-nosed D and new life on
offense. Plus they're playing at home. 31-21.

St Louis @ New England
St Louis. I know they're the Pats, and I know they just put a licking on
the my Broncos, but that win was more about the Broncos imploding than
it was about the Pats playing great. St Louis has finally figure out
that they need to go more verticle and get Steven Jackson heavily
involved in the game. Their win over the Cowboys was due in large part
to Dallas self-destructing, too, but the Rams will have the ground and
air game going against a banged up Pats team. 35-24.

Giants @ Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh. This was probably the toughest game for me to call this
week. Ultimately it came down to these three things. 1) Playing in steel
town. 2) The Steelers offense has been clicking, allowing their D to
catch their breath on the sidelines. 3) Their defense will play the run
well, forcing Manning to air it out. This is exactly what the Steelers'
opportunistic secondary wants. 27-17.

Indy @ Tennessee
Tennessee. Until they lose, how can you pick against them? It doesn't
hurt that Indy has been vulnerable this year. It looks like the Titans
can run them into the ground, bang up their defense for 4 quarters,
control the ball and the clock, and remain the only unbeaten team in the
NFL. 26-17.

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Missing picks?

Ok I know we suck, we missed week 6 all together and we did not post for this past week (week 7). I blame that fully on Loren, heck I emailed him my picks Saturday night at 9:30. What’s his problem? Any way I’ll post my picks, even though they were terrible.

San Diego at Buffalo
San Diego. I'll make this easy San Diego is better than they have been playing and Buffalo is not as good. So this one is San Diego but the trip to the east coast will be tough but... 24-16

New Orleans at Carolina
Carolina. Last week was an aberration for Carolina, they are better than that and will run for 4 TD. New Orleans will keep it close but Carolina D will slow down Bush for the first time this year. Oh yeah they want punt to him at all. 31-24

Indianapolis at Green Bay
Indianapolis. Indy took a few games to warm up but they seem to be rolling now. 31-17

Denver at New England
Denver. Even Denver's D will stop Cassel. Cutler keeps showing up in big games and Denver survives a trip east. 24-10

Baltimore at Miami
Miami. Wildcat formation gets another TD and Pennington controls the ball. Flacco commits a big turnover and the Fins capitalize. 17-10

As you can see I only got one out of four right, still one to go. Why did I pick two west coast teams to win on the east coast?

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NFL Duel - Week 5

Uh-oh. Not a great week for either of us.

I said the Washington/Dallas game would be close, but we both ended up on the wrong side of that one, likewise with the Chicago/Philadelphia game. I took Cleveland's match up while Derek won with Tampa.

The end result is an ugly 2-3 week for both of us and still a tied game at 10 correct picks apiece.

On to week 5.

Derek

Washington @ Philadelphia
Philadelphia. I don't think Washington is has good as they are playing, Campbell will have a tough time versus the Philly D, and McNabb will have a huge game. 28-10

Tennessee @ Baltimore
Baltimore. The Titans luck is over versus the Ravens D. The rookie QB takes another step for the Ravens and play turnover free ball. 17-15

Tampa Bay @ Denver.
Denver. Can any D slow down Denver? Please note I don't think KC has a defense. I think it's more of a case where Denver beats them selves. That said I think Denver gets back on track at home. 27-13

New England @ San Francisco
New England. Normally I put a home team hosting a team across the country at an advantage. But the Pats had a week off to think about their humiliating loss to Miami and I think they will be prepared. 31-20

Pittsburgh @ Jacksonville
Pittsburgh. I really want to go with the Jags here but I don't seem them keeping up with the Steelers on offense. 24-13

Loren

Washington at Philadelphia
Philly. Contrary to Derek, I think Washington is a very good team. I also wouldn't be surprised to see them finish second in their division. But I also think Philly is better than they are playing, and they're at home. 31-17

Tennessee at Baltimore
Tennessee. T's D will throw some things at Flacco that he hasn't yet seen this year. Flacco is still developing and, while I think he will be a great QB, he's too green to stand up to the pressure Tennessee will bring. 21-9

Tampa Bay at Denver
Denver. My Broncos looked pretty weak against a horrible, and I mean horrible, KC team. That embarrassment should be enough to get them to play a little tougher this week. Plus they're at home and TB doesn't have anywhere near as good a back at LJ on their squad. 35-20.

New England at San Francisco
Pats. I'm not taking the Pats here without a little bit of uncertainty. They look silly against the Dolphins two weeks ago. But Belichick always devises great schemes off their bye weeks, and two weeks of practice to get Cassel in sync with the offense will do them wonders. Look for more down-field passing to get Moss involved, and the Pats take it relatively easily. 30-13.

Pitt at Jacksonville
Jacksonville. I think the Steelers are banged up, they have yet to really get the passing game going, and their D has been bending uncharacteristically. That gives the Jags ground game hope, and all Garrard has to do is not lose the game for them. 20-17.

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