Weekly NFL picks

It went so well last week, I am going to make my harebrained picks public again. Sooner or later I might become the object of scorn and ridicule. Might be, just because no one may read this.

I had planned on another post this past week after I reviewed last weeks picks, but I guess nothing caught my fancy enough to have a thought about. Not even the new plans for my beloved A's to move to Fremont (where?), or my beloved Niners to move to Santa Clara. Since I moved to where its a two hour drive to see either team, I haven't gone to the games much. Okay, I've never gone to a Niner game at Candlestick, but I went to see them in L.A. against the Raiders once. But the A's once were a regular thing for me. Moving another 30 minutes away is not really going to make a difference to me. Except for one thing. Since I moved far away, I've always driven to the nearest BART station and hopped the train to the Coliseum. Not going to happen now. I am not going to DRIVE to Fremont to pay for parking. The train was cheaper than parking, not to mention more fun than driving, and wildly more entertaining all the way around. Unless one was to tailgate. Solution... find a nearby watering hole and drink before the train ride. Makes that part even more entertaining.

So there you go. The reason I have not posted about the A's or Niners impending moves. Except I just did. And I likely will again when something more concrete is afoot. Or the hopes of Oakland and S.F. are like feet encased in concrete and dumped into the bay.

Okay, time for picks. Here's how I roll. I am entered in two pick em "groups" on line. One is a straight pick, and one is by the spread. I try not to pick the two groups right after each other, that way if I think differently about a game later, I can debate myself when I compare the picks. So this will be my debate space if needed, and I might not agree with either of my selves here. Should be fun reading about me debating myself about...who is going to win a football game... and by how much, and why I just changed my mind. ENJOY.

Now on to the picks:

Green Bay at Minnesota
Like I said last week, Green Bay is not that good this year. But Minnesota just lost to the Niners, and the Niners didn't even need a touchdown do do it. That is sad. Very sad. My thought about Bears, who played the Niners the week before, was that they were rested after not needing to put out the effort. The Bears were rested right into losing. My analogy and how it plays regarding Minnesota? Minnesota at least knows humiliation, and they will not lose to a second lousy team in a row (I have no idea what that had to do with the Bears last week). But they aren't really very good either, so Green Bay covers with the gift of 5 1/2 points.

Baltimore at Tennessee
Baltimore is on the road but this is the kind of mismatch that matters not where it is played. Play it on the moon and the Ravens win. Tennessee is that bad. Baltimore even covers the 7 1/2 they are giving the Titans.

Houston at Jacksonville
My instinct says Jacksonville for some reason. I even agree with myself on that note. Now for some reason, this game stands out as one of those "close to major upset" games. Top level team, big favorite at home against perennial, unproven, weakling. JAX wins it, but I think it'll be close enough for Houston to cover with the 10 1/2 they are getting.

Kansas City at Miami
This is looking like a week where each game has at least one sucky team in it. That reeks of upsets everywhere. K.C. has been the better team, and all Miami really has going for it is last weeks upset of the Bears. I hope Miami doesn't think they are that good. K.C. will show them, Miami comes back to earth. I agree with myself, and K.C. is a 1 1/2 point road favorite. That is too few points to stress over. K.C. covers it.

NY Jets at New England
(Upset game?) Something tells me that the Jets could win this. New England was hot, then got rolled at home by Indy. I smell a downward trend for New England. This is one where I don't even agree with the other half of myself, but I certainly don't see New England covering 10 1/2 points. Not this week. But I gotta pick it..... New York Jets to win.

San Diego at Cinci
Cinci loses to a tough D last week, and again this week. They just are not last years Bengals anymore. San Diego is 1 1/2 point road favorite...ditto what I said above about 1 1/2 points. Chargers cover.

San Francisco at Detroit
Yikes. Are they actually going to play this one and call it the NFL? Time for a second division and make this a battle to avoid relegation. Heck, the Niners are going to move anyway, to a less than major league city. Detroit is NOT IN DETROIT. Or they weren't, but now they are. I think. I don't care who wins, and I'm a long time Niner fan. The loser? Anyone who watches this game, and pro football in general. This should be a close game, just don't judge the winner too favorably. In Detroit (or wherever the stadium is this year) I gotta go with the Lions. The Niners play like a water polo team on the road. But I'm thinking that getting 6 1/2 points, the Niners can cover, since its not likely that a touchdown will be scored (by an offense anyway).

Washington at Philly
I nailed the Washington "not loss" last week. This week they will lose. Philly, at home, no problem, give Washington 6 1/2 points and Philly still covers.

Buffalo at Indy
So Indy, the best team in the league, at home, weak opponent, Indy just relatively easily beat their nemesis on the road, Indy 12 1/2 point favorites, 5 games better than Buffalo in the standings... Everything says INDY. Except me. This is the game this week that has everyone scratching their heads saying, "I did not see that happening". Call me after the game, I want to hear how amazing this pick was. Buffalo wins it.

Cleveland at Atlanta
I'm getting tired. Atlanta wins this one. At home, giving 9 1/2 points, they cover. Its Cleveland, yo.

Denver at Oakland
I'm not falling for any tricks this time. Upsets are when a team that most, or all people think won't win, does win. Does that mean that technically, Oakland can win? Well, not really. Because LESS than no one really gives the Raiders a chance against Denver. This would not be just an upset. The person most responsible for a Raider victory would be looked at closely for either Sainthood, or Satanhood, depending. Denver carries the 8 1/2 points in a rousing victory.

New Orleans at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh keeps getting worse and worse. They are Worser. After this week (weak?) they will be worserer. They are very nearly the sauce. Saints to win. And for the joke of the year so far, the Steelers (at 2-6) are actually FAVORED to win over the 6-2 Saints. Go figure.

St. Louis at Seattle
Didn't they play last week? I swear, these are two very generic teams. Middle of the road records, no real excitement on the rosters. Even their stars are boring. Its hard to pick a game that is so boring. I have to check the standings to see how they are doing because they do nothing to make anyone notice them. So lets see, which game am I picking? Oh, them. Uh, Simply put, home team wins. That's Seattle. Even the gift of 4 1/2 points won't help the other team.

Dallas at Arizona
Dallas. I hate them. See last weeks picks for details. Arizona is not a good team. I so WANT Arizona to win, that I will even pick them to win. Its not confidence. Its hope. Or hatred. Arizona to win, and they are the underdog. Now its going to get old picking AGAINST Dallas every week, so I will make it interesting. I will pick beyond the game when it comes to Dallas. This week, I pick...Tony Romo gets hurt, and Drew Bledsoe has to come off the bench to rally the Cowboys to the loss.

Chicago at NY Giants
Chicago's dream season ended last week. Oh how the mighty will fall, like this week to the Giants. Bears QB Grossman is leveling off after a hot start, and the Giants D will eat him up. Eli may not be the best QB in the land, but he and Tiki are enough this week, yes they are. Giants give 2 1/2 at home as home favorites, and they cover it.

Tampa Bay at Carolina
Yeah! Last game to pick. I should turn to a guest picker for this one. In fact, I think I will. Its a monday night game, so its a biggie. I will find a Carolina or a Tampa fan to pick this one for me. Maybe a trend will start of a guest picker for one game a week. Stay tuned for the actual pick.

Enjoy your football!