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.