I can’t wait for the weekend. I’m pumped. Teams are starting to play in top form and you can already start to tell who the contenders will be at the end. Well, I’ve never really been a gambling man, other than small change office pools. However, I’m going to try something new and give my picks for the weekend. I figure if I ever hope to be a legit sportswriter, I have to give my readers an easy way to blow their paychecks.
Winners are in bold. Favorites are on the left.
10/8 1:00 ET At Indianapolis -18.5 Tennessee
Indy will win the game no doubt, but as bad as the Titans are, can you really spot 18.5 points? I think Indy will play soft and Vince Young will have a chance to score some points.
10/8 1:00 ET At NY Giants -4 Washington
Giants are due for a serious meltdown. They are no doubt looking ahead to two tough games on the road and probably already giving up on this season.
10/8 1:00 ET At Minnesota -6.5 Detroit
Will Detroit win a game this year?
10/8 1:00 ET At New Orleans -6.5 Tampa Bay
What happened to Tampa? The O-Line has to wake up. Far too many guys who drafted Cadillac early in the 2nd round have their seasons depending on it. I think Tampa turns it around. It just has to happen.
10/8 1:00 ET St. Louis -3 At Green Bay
Sorry Packers. The defensive line hasn’t been able to stop the run, that looks good for Stephen Jackson. The rest of the defense hasn’t stopped the pass, that looks good for Marc Bulger. All of this looks bad for the Pack.
10/8 1:00 ET At New England -10 Miami
How bad has Duante Culpepper looked this year? Everyone keeps saying that he is still coming back from a horrible injury, which is true, but people keep forgetting how terrible he was last year BEFORE the injury. Pats D is waking up. Culpepper is going to have that “I crapped myself†look for most of the afternoon.
10/8 1:00 ET At Chicago -11 Buffalo
All signs point to da Bears dominating. They just have to shut down McGahee, knock around Losman, beat up the receivers, get Thomas Jones going early, keep Grossman from making any foolish throws and it should be a blowout. Almost too easy… (cue triumphant music and a cameo of Garth with a donut in hand)
10/8 1:00 ET At Carolina -9 Cleveland
Time for the Panthers to get the running game going against a Browns D that has let a lot of yards go on the ground.
10/8 4:05 ET At Jacksonville -7 NY Jets
I don’t like picking this game after what the Jets did to Indy last week… but the Jags are just too big and tough to let this one get by them.
10/8 4:05 ET Kansas City -3.5 At Arizona
Damon Huard has a 106.9 passer rating. The Chiefs D is 3rd best in the NFL. Oh yeah, Larry Johnson will be playing too. Looks like a bad debut for Leinert as a starter.
10/8 4:05 ET At San Francisco -3.5 Oakland
The 49ers aren’t that good… but you could put them at -35 against the Raiders and they still might cover the spread. Beyond that, I think a 3 hour loop of the Gap commercial with dancing Audrey Hepburn might have better ratings than this game.
10/8 4:15 ET At Philadelphia -2 Dallas
Andy Reid was so confident about beating the Packers that he rested some of his best players. All the better to beat the snot out of TO and company in his return to Philly.
10/8 8:15 ET At San Diego -3.5 Pittsburgh
Two great defenses, but the Chargers have the advantage in offense.
10/9 8:30 ET At Denver -4 Baltimore
I don’t like the Ravens. I just don’t. I really like the Broncos… but you just can’t win with Jake the Snake leading your offense. I swear Shannahan lets Culter shout obscenities into Plummer’s headset during plays. This guy is going to develop a drinking problem before he develops an offensive rhythm.