Danny's Week 16 NFL Selections

Detroit Lions (+3) @ Miami Dolphins - PICK: LIONS 24 - 23

Washington Redskins (+6.5) @ Jacksonville Jaguars - PICK: JAGUARS 20 - 17

San Francisco 49ers (+3) @ St. Louis Rams - PICK: 49ERS 24 - 20

New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills (+7.5) - PICK: PATRIOTS 31 - 24

New York Jets @ Chicago Bears (-2.5) - PICK: BEARS 20 - 16

Baltimore Ravens (-3) @ Cleveland Browns - PICK: RAVENS 24 - 20

Seattle Seahawks (+6.5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers - PICK: BUCCANEERS 27 - 24

Tennessee Titans @ Kansas City Chiefs (-4.5) - PICK: CHIEFS 28 - 20

Indianapolis Colts (-2.5) @ Oakland Raiders - PICK: Colts 30 - 24

Houston Texans (-3) @ Denver Broncos - PICK: Texans 30 - Broncos 20

New York Giants @ Green Bay Packers (-3) - PICK: PACKERS 31 - 24

San Diego Chargers (-8) @ Cincinnati Bengals - PICK: CHARGERS 34 - 23

Minnesota Vikings @ Philadelphia Eagles (-14) - PICK: EAGLES 27 - 10

New Orleans Saints (+2.5) @ Atlanta Falcons - PICK: SAINTS 27 - 24

Eric's Locks of Week 16

Baltimore Ravens (-4) @ Cleveland Browns

The Ravens have established themselves among the 2^nd tier elite in the NFL this season. Last week’s win over New Orleans ranks as one of their most impressive to date. New Orleans sports an offense keenly designed to exploit Baltimore’s weak secondary. In their first meeting of the year, Joe Flacco lit up the Browns for 3 TDs and over 250 yards. Ray Rice broke out last week have the type of game we thought we’d see week in and week out. The Ravens could make a statement by running roughshod over the Browns tomorrow. Anquan Boldin has a great game and Baltimore’s offense puts up a lot of points. Defensively, the Ravens must focus on stopping Peyton Hillis. Hillis puts up most of his numbers early in games. He slows down a great deal by the 4^th quarter. The Browns will likely have to rely at least in part on a solid throwing day from Colt McCoy to keep pace with Baltimore. McCoy became a nice surprise for the Browns organization this year and an even better one for the Browns fans. The Jake Delhomme era was brief and uneventful. A huge day from Josh Cribbs in the return game is the only way I see the Ravens not covering this one. The Ravens roll and get the cover.

PICK: RAVENS -4

Indianapolis Colts (-2.5) @ Oakland Raiders

The Colts control their own destiny and I doubt that facts been lost on Manning. Anytime the playoffs are on the line, I’m betting on Manning. He’s one of the most consistent regular season players ever. The Raiders, on the other hand, have been somewhat schizophrenic this season. I am leery to trust Jason Campbell and company just yet. Manning should have Joe Addai back giving the team at least a semblance of a ground attack, taking some pressure off Manning by giving the play action pass back.

McFadden puts up a couple of touchdowns but the Raiders struggle to find production through the passing game. The colts win, not in a route, but by more than enough to get the cover.

PICK: COLTS -2.5

Christmas Day NFL Football

Dallas @ Arizona

Cowboys are rolling since the Wade Phillips departure. Things won't change this week.

Pick: Dallas 30 - Zona 16

Thursday Night Football:

Pittsburgh -14.5 @ home against the lowly Panthers. J Stew won't get anything done on the ground. Steelers bounce back.

Pitt 26 - 6

Danny's Week 15 Selections - NFL

Kansas City Chiefs (off) @ St. Louis Rams - PICK: Chiefs 24 - Rams 17

Houston Texans @ Tennessee Titans (-1) - PICK: Titans 27 - Texans 23

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts (-5) - PICK: Colts 27 - Jaguars 17

Arizona Cardinals @ Carolina Panthers (-3) - PICK: Panthers 31 - Cardinals 23

Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals (-1) - PICK: Bengals 20 - Browns 13

Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins (-5) - PICK: Dolphins 27 - Bills 17

Philadelphia Eagles (+3) @ New York Giants - PICK: Eagles 24 - Giants 23

Washington Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys (-7) - PICK: Cowboys 31 - Redskins 13

Detroit Lions (+5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers - PICK: Buccaneers 20 - Lions 17

New Orleans Saints (+1) @ Baltimore Ravens - PICK: Saints 31 - Ravens 27

Atlanta Falcons @ Seattle Seahawks (+7) - PICK: Seattle 24 - Atlanta 20

New York Jets (+6) @ Pittsburgh Steelers - PICK: Steelers 20 - Jets 17

Denver Broncos (+7) @ Oakland Raiders - PICK: Broncos 27 - Raiders 24

Green Bay Packers @ New England Patriots (0ff) - PICK: Patriots 27 - Packers 10

Chicago Bears (off) @ Minnesota Vikings - PICK: Bears 13 - Vikings 3

Eric's Locks of Week 15 NFL

Washington Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys (-7)

Shanahan really has a way with his players. No doubt free agents will come a runnin’ to Washington after witnessing Shanahan’s professional and courteous touch. Haynesworth probably deserved some of the treatment, but McNabb surely does not. McNabb struggled this season but the Redskins gave him a long term deal. However, the Skins added a caveat allowing them an out after this season if they should decide to part ways with McNabb. The benching announced today makes that look like a psychological ploy to get McNabb comfortable and see what happens. Shanahan dropped McNabb to third on the depth chart behind Rex Grossman and John Beck. That’s an attack on McNabb, he’s still got a couple of decent years left in him and could provide a franchise some stability while developing a future starter. After all, he isn’t Derek Anderson. McNabb once faced Jake Delhomme in a NFC championship game- that seems like a life time ago. The Redskins are throwing in the towel and unless they can get Ryan Torain rolling they’re getting their doors blown off.

I attended the Dallas game last Sunday night and I’ve got to say, the crowd was very lively for a seemingly meaningless game. The fans appreciate how the team has played since Jason Garrett took over. Despite injuries and an atrocious record, the team continues to work hard. DeSean Jackson is the fastest human being I’ve ever seen in person, but fortunately for Dallas, the Skins do not have anyone that can match his speed. Jason Garrett hasn’t locked up the head coaching position yet and Jon Kitna knows this might be his last year in the sun. Many of the other players are playing for their roster spots next year as it appears the Cowboys will have a high draft pick and almost every position is a need.

Dallas get a big win (big for them- it’s all they have left) in a route.

PICK: DALLAS -7

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts (-5)

It would seem Vegas has little faith in the Jaguars. The Jags have played very well as of late and Jones-Drew has been unstoppable. Manning played well last week but I can’t shake the image of him throwing pick after pick in the 2 weeks prior. The team is still missing a number of key players and they can’t seem to stop the run against anyone they play. The Jags can’t stop the pass and the Colts have the number one passing team in the league. That’s partially due to their having the worst running game in the league. They rank 29^th against the run and face a Jags team with the second best rushing attack in the NFL.

Look for Jacksonville to play keep away from Manning and limit his chances to score. The Colts will do their best to get after Gerard and force him into a few poor choices. The Colts will do just enough to pull this one out but the Jags cover and the AFC South picture gets muddier.

PICK: JACKSONVILLE +5

Thursday Night Football - Week 15

San Francisco 49ers @ San Diego Chargers (-10)

Chargers are in must win mode, and rarely do they lose in December. Phillip Rivers is money in the bank and the fact that Frank Gore isn't even in the picture tonight is a huge disadvantage for the 49ers offense. Alex Smith will be back to his old form. Don't be surprised by another shutout by the Chargers defense.

PICK: SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 27 - San Francisco 49ers 3

Danny's Week 14 Selections

Oakland Raiders (+4) @ Jacksonville Jaguars - PICK: JAGUARS 24 - Raiders 21

Cincinnati Bengals (+9) @ Pittsburgh Steelers - PICK: STEELERS 20 - Bengals 17

Cleveland Browns (PK) @ Buffalo Bills - PICK: BROWNS 27 - Bills 13

New York Giants (-3) @ Minnesota Vikings - PICK: Giants 24 - Vikings 16

Green Bay Packers (-7) @ Detroit Lions - PICK: PACKERS 31 - Lions 20

Atlanta Falcons (-8) @ Carolina Panthers - PICK: FALCONS 24 - Panthers 10

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Washington Redskins (+3) - PICK: REDSKINS 24 - Buccaneers 20

St. Louis Rams @ New Orleans Saints (-9) - PICK: SAINTS 31 - Rams 17

Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers (-5) - PICK: 49ers 24 - Seahawks 16

New England Patriots (-3) @ Chicago Bears - PICK: PATRIOTS 14 - Bears 7

Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets (-6) - PICK: JETS 20 - Dolphins 10

Denver Broncos (-4.5) @ Arizona Cardinals - PICK: BRONCOS 34 - Cardinals 17

Kansas City Chiefs @ San Diego Chargers (-9) - PICK: CHARGERS 31 - Chiefs 17

Philadelphia Eagles (-3.5) @ Dallas Cowboys - PICK: EAGLES 34 - Cowboys 27

Baltimore Ravens @ Houston Texans (+3) - PICK: TEXANS 31 - Ravens 30

Eric's Locks of Week 14

New England Patriots (-3) @ Chicago Bears

Does Tom Brady have hair plugs? My girlfriend says he does and the Sports Guy mention something to that effect? I am certainly not a patriots fan but in a time when America is constantly questioned, doesn’t he seem like the appropriate ambassador? He’s not effeminate like Euro soccer guys and always gives an air of I don’t care to the media. I’ve seen him play and hair plugs aside, its beautiful thing. Jay Cutler dates Laguna Beach has-beens, Brady dates (marries) girls who are too good for Victoria’s Secret. Three points? Nope- give em seven and I still take the Pats. New England wins big in a route.

PICK: NEW ENGLAND -3

Kansas City @ San Diego (-9)

Phillip Rivers is an easy player to hate. On the field, he often comes across as an arrogant jerk to the casual Charger’s observer. However, what Rivers has accomplished thus far is nothing short of great. General Manager AJ Smith, made a big miscalculation. The Chargers cast aside LaDanian (French for the The Danian) Tomlinson and drafted running back Ryan Matthews in the first round. As it turns out, Tomlinson isn’t dead and Ryan Matthews isn’t good. To be fair, Matthews has struggled with injuries and Tomlinson appeared washed up last year. To make matters worse, two of the team’s best players left tackle Marcus McNeil and receiver Vincent Jackson were both embroiled in public contract disputes. McNeil resigned to a long term deal with the Chargers and Jackson returned to obtain a vested year in order to gain unrestricted status after the season. Further exacerbating the team’s personnel troubles, top receivers Malcolm Floyd, Legadu Nanee and All Pro Antonio Gates have become fixtures on the team’s injury report. Despite all of this, Rivers continues to put up Pro Bowl numbers. You may loathe Philip Rivers on a personal level, but he’s a baller on par with any of the top QB’s in the league.

I love seeing Kansas City relevant again. Growing up, I was married to the NFC. Those games mattered and AFC games didn’t. There was a period when the NFC dominated. Beginning with ’84 49ers and ending with the ’96 Packers, the NFC won every single Super Bowl. The AFC was like a mistress for me- just a little fun on the side. The Steve DeBerg-Marty Schottenheimer days are long gone but it appears Todd Haley and his big name staff has a little something going. Matt Cassel’s play has flown slightly under the radar. He’s developed a nice rapport with Dwayne Bowe and the combination of Thomas Jones and Jamal Charles gives them enough to grind out games.

San Diego needs a win here to keep pace with KC. I think they win easy with the recent news of Matt Cassel being ruled OUT due to his Wednesday appendectomy. Brodie Croyle will get the start for the Chiefs, Jamaal Charles will be running hard after being awarded a nice new contract this week, but the fact of the matter is the Chargers rarely lose in November and December. They took a nasty loss last week at home against Oakland, no chance they lose two in a row in San Diego in December.

PICK: CHARGERS -9

Thursday Night Football - Week 14

Danny's Selection

Indianapolis Colts (-3.5) @ Tennessee Titans

Peyton will not lose his third straight game, but the Titans offensive struggles will continue and they will be down too much too earlier to make a comeback. Peyton will get some help from his ground game, but once again it will be his arm that carries the Colts past the Titans.

PICK: COLTS 27 - Titans 17

Power Rankings

Entering Week 14 in the NFL - Power Rankings

1. New England Patriots
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
3. Atlanta Falcons
4. Baltimore Ravens
5. Philadelphia Eagles
6. New Orleans Saints
7. New York Jets
8. New York Giants
9. Chicago Bears
10. Kansas City Chiefs
11. Green Bay Packers
12. Jacksonville Jaguars
13. Indianapolis Colts
14. San Diego Chargers
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16. St. Louis Rams
17. Minnesota Vikings
18. Cleveland Browns
19. Miami Dolphins
20. Seattle Seahawks
21. Houston Texans
22. Tennessee Titans
23. Dallas Cowboys
24. Oakland Raiders
25. Washington Redskins
26. San Francisco 49ers
27. Denver Broncos
28. Buffalo Bills
29. Detroit Lions
30. Cincinnati Bengals
31. Arizona Cardinals
32. Carolina Panthers

Danny's Week 13 Selections

Buffalo Bills @ Minnesota Vikings (-6) - PICK: VIKINGS 27 - Bills 17

Cleveland Browns (+5) @ Miami Dolphins - PICK: DOLPHINS 24 - Browns 20

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans (-3) - PICK: TITANS 30 - Jaguars 24

Denver Broncos (+9) @ Kansas City Chiefs - PICK: CHIEFS 34 - Broncos 27

Washington Redskins @ New York Giants (-7) - PICK: GIANTS 24 - Redskins 13

Chicago Bears (-6) @ Detroit Lions - PICK: CHICAGO 30 - Lions 17

San Francisco 49ers @ Green Bay Packers (-10) - PICK: PACKERS 27 - 49ers 16

New Orleans Saints @ Cincinnati Bengals (+7) - PICK: SAINTS 17 - Bengals 16

Oakland Raiders @ San Diego Chargers (-13) - PICK: CHARGERS 38 - Raiders 14

Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3) - PICK: FALCONS 24 - Buccaneers 23

Dallas Cowboys @ Indianapolis Colts (6) - PICK: COLTS 30 - Cowboys 20

Carolina Panthers @ Seattle Seahawks (5) - PICK: SEAHAWKS 24 - Panthers 16

St. Louis Rams @ Arizona Cardinals (+3.5) - PICK: ARIZONA 27 - Rams 20

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens (-3) - PICK: RAVENS 23 - Steelers 20

New York Jets (+4) @ New England Patriots - PICK: PATRIOTS 24 - Jets 21

Eric's Locks of Week 13

Buffalo Bills (+5.5) @ Minnesota Vikings

Favre and new coach Leslie Frazier take on the perpetually exciting Bills. In case you haven’t noticed, the Bills have played in some of the most enjoyable games this year. Of course, they rarely end up on top in those games but they’re entertaining nonetheless. Steve Johnson and Lee Evans have given the Bills some pop in the passing game. As long as God doesn’t decide to continue his vendetta against Johnson, he and Harvard’s own Ryan Fitzpatrick will have a nice day against the porous Viking secondary. Brett Favre did enough to not lose last week against the Redskins. Toby Gerhart did his Mike Alstott impression last week trucking into the end zone carrying 2 ‘Skins with him last week. Gerhart’s a nice change of pace back but if Adrian Peterson (game time decision) doesn’t play, the Vikings likely lose the game. Either way the Bills cover and we may have Tavaris Jackson sighting by the end of the day.

PICK: BUFFALO +5.5

Washington @ New York Giants (-7)

Two schizophrenic teams that are wildly inconsistent from week to week. The Giants did everything they could to lose to Jacksonville last week and the Redskins reaffirmed that Brad Childress was the problem in Minnesota. Who knows who the Redskins will have in the backfield, word on the street is that they picked up a day laborer from Home Depot to take handoffs. New York is in the middle of a struggle to remain atop the NFC East. This is a pivotal game for the Giants, dropping one here would put them in a difficult position behind the streaking Eagles. Manning steps up the challenge and does just enough to get the win, but the Skins cover in a tight one.

PICK: WASHINGTON +7

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens (-3)

Big Ben’s foot seems to be the biggest headline heading into this game. The Bills had Pittsburgh on the ropes last Sunday and if it were for God’s interference, Steve Johnson wins the game for the Bills. The Ravens, however, look as solid as ever. They remain my Super Bowl favorite and take a strangle hold on the NFC North. Look for Ray Rice to catch a few balls for big yardage and a score out of the backfield. He’ll only get 50-60 rushing yards but he’ll have a great overall game. Mike Wallace comes up big but Mendenhall struggles and the Ravens get the win and the cover.

PICK: BALTIMORE -3

Week 13 - Danny's Thursday Night Selection

Houston Texans (+8) @ Philadelphia Eagles - I think it is easy to see that the Eagles are the clear cut better team here, but the Texans are coming off a very nice shutout win against the quarterback-less Tennessee Titans. The Eagles are playing their 4th game in 18 days and they are without Asante Samuel again this week. Last week against the Bears, Samuel was missed dearly as Jay Cutler threw four touchdowns in a 31-26 Bears win. Due to Samuel's absence and the Eagles plays so many games in so few days, I like the Texans to keep it close in this matchup on Broad & Pattison. Michael Vick will have a strong game to put himself in serious MVP talks, and the Eagles will get the home victory tonight.

PICK: PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 35 - Houston Texans 28

Good, Bad, Ugly

Week 12

The Good

Chicago Bears - With a big game win against a big time NFC opponent, the Bears defense showed up to slow down Michael Vick and the explosive Eagles offense. Also worth noting was a 4 TD performance by Jay Cutler and the tremendous running game of Matt Forte. The Bears didn't have many believers going into the Eagles game, but its easy to say they have a few after the big win.


The Bad

Oakland Raiders - After all of the pre-season talks about the Raiders potential for this season it all seems to be going down hill. The inconsistencies of this offense have been well documented, but the lack of fight that this team showed throughout the week 12 matchup vs Miami just illustrated the decline of the Raiders this season. They are all but done, and now have to face the red-hot Chargers.


The Ugly

Cincinnati Bengals - Carson Palmer has had an awful season, the Bengals only have 2 wins, and they got beat up against the "human" Jets. Let's see how the Bengals rally the troops this week against the Saints in Cincy. A loss would lead me to believe that Marvin Lewis is definitely out after this season.

Power Rankings

Power Rankings entering Week 13 in the NFL

1. New England Patriots
2. New York Jets
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
5. Atlanta Falcons
6. Green Bay Packers
7. New York Giants
8. Chicago Bears
9. San Diego Chargers
10. Philadelphia Eagles
11. New Orleans Saints
12. Kansas City Chiefs
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
14. Indianapolis Colts
15. Jacksonville Jaguars
16. St. Louis Rams
17. Miami Dolphins
18. Houston Texans
19. Minnesota Vikings
20. Washington Redskins
21. Dallas Cowboys
22. Tennessee Titans
23. Cleveland Browns
24. Seattle Seahawks
25. San Francisco
26. Buffalo Bills
27. Oakland Raiders
28. Denver Broncos
29. Cincinnati Bengals
30. Detroit Lions
31. Arizona Cardinals
32. Carolina Panthers

Eric's Sunday Lock of the Week

Minnesota (-2.5) @ Washington

The Vikings’ disappointing season led to the firing of Brad Childress. I think the team won in spite of Childress last season. Favre breathed life into the team and publicly battled with his coach over play calling. Injuries and Favre’s decline exposed Childress. He never connected with his players but winning covers those flaws up and keeps people happy. When the team began to lose, players grumbled, and Childress lost their confidence. They signed a wide range of receivers in an attempt to replace Sidney Rice’s production. The Randy Moss trade stunk of desperation and his subsequent release was simply embarrassing. Similar to the Cowboys, Minnesota fired the coach and brought up their top coordinator. Interim Head Coach Leslie Frazier will find employment elsewhere the Vikings elect not to retain his services. I think we see a reinvigorated Vikings team committed to running the ball and playing good defense.

The Redskins have fooled me several times this season. After an embarrassing loss to the Eagles, they bounced back with a solid win against the Titans. Of course, Rusty Smith was under center for the Titans. Washington released the corpse of Joey Galloway this week. Shanahan’s affinity for veteran players led to the signing and releasing of Willie Parker, Larry Johnson, and Joey Galloway this year. How could everyone else in the world know these guys were washed up other than the Redskins brass? The Redskins continue their roller-coaster season with another low. The Vikings get the win by keeping the ball in Adrian Peterson’s hands and harassing McNabb.

PICK: Vikings -2.5

Danny's Week 12 Selections

Record: (98-63 SU / 82-75-1 ATS)

Minnesota Vikings (-1) @ Washington Redskins - Pick: Vikings 24 - 17

Pittsburgh Steelers (-7) @ Buffalo Bills - Pick: Steelers 27 - 10

Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans (-6.5) - Pick: Texans 31 - 17

Jacksonville Jaguars @ New York Giants (-7) - Pick: Giants 24 - 16

Carolina Panthers @ Cleveland Browns (-10) - Pick: Browns 27 - 9

Green Bay Packers (+2) @ Atlanta Falcons - Pick: Packers 31 - 28

Miami Dolphins (+2.5) @ Oakland Raiders - Pick: Dolphins 17 - 13

Kansas City Chiefs (-2) @ Seattle Seahawks - Pick: Chiefs 30 - 20

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Baltimore Ravens (-7.5) - Pick: Ravens 27 - 10

Philadelphia Eagles (-3) @ Chicago Bears - Pick: Eagles 24 - 13

St. Louis Rams @ Denver Broncos (-3.5) - Pick: Broncos 24 - 20

San Diego Chargers (+3) @ Indianapolis Colts - Pick: Chargers 27 - 24

San Francisco 49ers (-1) @ Arizona Cardinals - Pick: 49ers 20 - 17

Eric's Locks of Week 12

Eric's Locks of Thanksgiving Day NFL Games

Record: 12-6-2

PICK: SAINTS -4 vs Dallas, Brees and Company will put to rest this "Dallas comeback".

PICK: PATRIOTS -7.5 vs Detroit, Brady will come off the short week and exploit the Lions defense that typically plays well at home.

PICK: JETS -9 vs Cincinnati, Palmer will throw INT after INT if he targets TO, Revis shuts down Bengals and probably gets a TD of his own.

Danny's Thanksgiving Day Selections

New England Patriots @ Detroit Lions (+7.5) - The Lions play considerably better at home, this is their Super Bowl game, and this is nationally televised so you know they will play their hearts out in the effort to show the nation that the Lions are a team on the rise and has some potential in upcoming seasons. That being said, they are playing Brady and Belichick so you know its a tough game, but this has back door cover written all over it. Lions cover on a late big play to Megatron.

PICK: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 27 - DETROIT LIONS 21


New Orleans Saints (-4) @ Dallas Cowboys - What happens today if the Cowboys get behind by two scores? We'll find out today. I think the return of Reggie Bush will spark new life in the Saints huddle, a Saints huddle that has been rollin' as of late. Drew Brees has answered the questions about his inconsistent start with very strong play in his last three starts. Kitna and the Cowboys have played well in their last two games, both under interim Head Coach Jason Garrett, but the road hits an obstacle this week at home. The Boys beat the Giants due in large part to two turnovers in the first 5 minutes, then they go and beat the Lions last week (the Lions haven't won a road game during Obama's presidency). Cowboys get a tough test against the Saints this week and they do not pass it.

PICK: NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 34 - DALLAS COWBOYS 24


Cincinnati Bengals @ New York Jets (-9) - The Bengals come into New Jersey as a 9-point road dog against the Jets and its a short week after Sunday's brutal loss to the Bills. Jets have played close game after close game, donning them the nickname "Cardiac Jets". Today will be different. Bengals have serious locker room issues and once the Jets put up quick scores the Bengals will throw in the towel. I can seriously see either TO or Ochocinco get benched today due to sideline behavior, and I also anticipate seeing Jesse Palmer getting a few snaps today. Jets win a blowout.

PICK: NEW YORK JETS 30 - CINCINNATI BENGALS 13

Power Rankings

Power Rankings following Week 11 in the NFL

1. New England Patriots
2. New York Jets
3. Green Bay Packers
4. Philadelphia Eagles
5. Pittsburgh Steelers
6. Baltimore Ravens
7. Atlanta Falcons
8. New Orleans Saints
9. Indianapolis Colts
10. New York Giants
11. Kansas City Chiefs
12. San Diego Chargers
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
14. Chicago Bears
15. Jacksonville Jaguars
16. Oakland Raiders
17. Miami Dolphins
18. Tennessee Titans
19. Washington Redskins
20. St. Louis Rams
21. Houston Texans
22. Minnesota Vikings
23. Denver Broncos
24. Cleveland Browns
25. Seattle Seahawks
26. San Francisco 49ers
27. Buffalo Bills
28. Dallas Cowboys
29. Detroit Lions
30. Cincinnati Bengals
31. Arizona Cardinals
32. Carolina Panthers

Week 11 Good, Bad, Ugly

Good:

Raheem Morris. The Bucs had a tremendous draft but I thought they were a few years off from the type of season they’ve put together. Raheem Morris appeared overwhelmed at times last season and perhaps he was. However, he learned form last year and has his team hitting on all cylinders thus far. Quarterback John Freeman looks like the real deal, Mike Williams was a draft day steal and rookie free agent Legarrette Blount went from angry-punching-maniac to starting NFL running back. Blount’s play allows Cadillac Williams to stay fresh and contribute. The Bucs pitched an impressive shutout on the road in San Fran and put the Saints and Falcons on notice that the NFC South is a 3 horse race. Somewhere an effeminate orange pirate is smiling.

Bad:

The Houston Texans Secondary. In consecutive weeks the Texans secondary cost the team wins and likely the playoffs in the process. The Jaguars defeated the Texans on a fluky Hail Mary followed by Sanchez throwing consecutive passes down the field resulting in the win. Perhaps the entire defense should take the blame but the secondary must make a stop with the game on the line. Kubiak may not suffer the same early demise as Wade Phillips and Brad Childress, but he’s destined for the unemployment line.

Ugly:

Brett Favre. Brett could have ridden off into the sunset after overachieving last season but he got greedy and decided to tempt fate. It looks like Brett settled himself back into what a 40 something year old quarterback should. He leads the league in turnovers and perhaps the most ominous sign of all, has the Minnesota faithful calling for Tavaris Jackson. That’s right- T-Jack- that’s how bad things have gotten. The may take the crown of “most disappointing” from Dallas before this season is all over with.

Eric's Locks of Week 11

Lions (-7) @ Cowboys

The Cowboys played outstanding last week. Dez Bryant has emerged into an absolute beast. This bodes well for Miles Austin, who will reap the benefits of defenses gradually shifting coverage over top of Dez. The Lions secondary cannot keep pace with the Cowboys but I have serious doubts over Dallas’ ability to keep Suh and Vanden Bosch at bay. Jon Kitna made a few plays with his feet last week, but the Giants looked lost on defense all day. Kitna’s tough as they come, but he may revert back into captain check down if Suh has his way with the interior linemen. Don’t forget, this is the same line that nearly got Romo killed and these aren’t the Lions of old. The record may not show it, but they have a lot of fight in them. Dallas will struggle to get anything deep going so look for Jason Garrett to bring out the bubble screens that he loves so dearly. They’ve rarely worked this season and I have no reason to believe they will this week.

The departure of Wade Phillips marked a departure of man-coverage-blitz approach. The Cowboys played more zone coverage last week and stayed away from blitzing every down. Keith Brooking didn’t break down and the secondary made some huge plays. The secondary did not have the personnel to play man coverage- as evidenced by every game up until the Phillips firing. The Cowboys have no answer for Calvin Johnson, but who does? As long as Ware puts enough pressure on Lions QB Shaun Hill, who likes to dink and dunk anyway, Johnson will be limited to an over the middle threat. The Cowboys win this one but it isn’t pretty and the Lions cover.

PICK: LIONS +7

Redskins (-7) @ Titans

The Redskins overachieved early in the season but take a step back and look at this team. They have no receiving threats. Santana Moss isn’t the Santana Moss of old. He would do well as the second or even third/slot option but he’s simply not a number 1 anymore. Joey Galloway was born in 1971 (not a joke). Anthony Anderson was a nice surprise but he’s got a ways to go. They produced a fairly good running game considering the injuries incurred but that had to be expected when you go into a season with veteran washed up backs. The line, although improved, remains suspect. McNabb plays well considering the dearth of weapons. However, he’s on the backside of his career and can’t carry a team any longer. Did you know the Redskins have the oldest average roster in the NFL? Not exactly what you want to see in a rebuilding team.

Tennessee plays good defense, runs the ball well, and seems to find a few deep passes every now and again. They struggled mightily against the Chargers, a pass happy offense with a quietly effective defense. The Redskins rank 25^th in the NFL against the run and 31^st against the pass. Chris Johnson will have one of those 2009 like performances and Randy Moss gets his first touchdown in a Titans uniform. The Titans win and cover. My only fear in this pick is a garbage time TD by the Skins, but I feel the Titans take a lead, eat up the clock and win by at least 10.

PICK: TITANS -7

Danny's Week 11 Selections

Oakland Raiders @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-7) - Pick: Steelers 24 - 10

Houston Texans @ New York Jets (-7) - Pick: Jets 27 - 17

Baltimore Ravens (-11) @ Carolina Panthers - Pick: Ravens 34 - 7

Washington Redskins @ Tennessee Titans (-7) - Pick: Titans 28 - Redskins 20

Detroit Lions @ Dallas Cowboys (-7) - Pick: Cowboys 34 - Lions 24

Green Bay Packers (-3) @ Minnesota Vikings - Pick: Packers 24 - Vikings 20

Buffalo Bills @ Cincinnati Bengals (-6) - Pick: Bengals 42 - Bills 24

Cleveland Browns (+1.5) @ Jacksonville Jaguars - Pick: Browns 27- Jaguars 17

Arizona Cardinals @ Kansas City Chiefs (-8) - Pick: Chiefs 31 - Cardinals 14

Seattle Seahawks @ New Orleans Saints (-11.5) - Pick: Saints 38 - Seahawks 17

Atlanta Falcons (-3) @ St. Louis Rams - Pick: Falcons 24 - Rams 17

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ San Francisco 49ers - Pick: 49ers 20 - 7

Indianapolis Colts @ New England Patriots (-4) - Pick: Patriots 31 - Colts 24

New York Giants @ Philadelphia (-3.5) - Pick: Eagles 28 - Giants 24

Denver Broncos @ San Diego Chargers (-10) - Pick: Chargers 27 - 17

Thursday Night Football

Chicago Bears (+1.5) @ Miami Dolphins:

The Dolphins start Tyler Thigpen behind center tonight, a guy that hasn't received any reps in practice prior to this short week. Going against the #2 run defense in the league in Chicago, Thigpen will have to make plays with his arm. I am going with the hot quarterback in this matchup that is poised to get his team their third consecutive win.

Pick: Chicago Bears 20 - Dolphins 17

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly Week 10

The Good:

Michael Vick. How could we go with anyone else? The man looked like Randall Cunningham (QB Eagles) in Tecmo Super Bowl. The Eagles have the most athletic kill players in the league. Vick’s emergence as a passer makes their offense near unstoppable. If their defense can keep pace, this franchise may finally get its first Super Bowl. Kevin Kolb’s tenure in Philadelphia ended before it began.

The Bad:

Daniel Snyder/Washington Redskins: Anytime you can lock down an aging quarterback 2 years past his prime for $78 million, you’ve got to pull the trigger. The contract allows the Redskins some flexibility if they should release McNabb after this season. However, on Monday night Daniel Snyder saw first hand how signing the right free agent can reinvigorate a team- a sight rarely witnessed in Washington.

The Ugly:

Todd Haley, Head Coach, Kansas City Chiefs. Haley refused to shake Broncos’ head coach, Josh McDaniels, and went so far as to wag a finger in his face. Haley felt McDaniels ran the score up against the Chiefs. This isn’t Alabama versus William & Mary. Todd Haley’s pouting act came across as juvenile and unprofessional. If Haley doesn’t want the Broncos to run up the score, stop them. No scholarships here, these guys are professionals paid to do just what Denver did.

Danny's Week 10 Selections

Cincinnati Bengals @ Indianapolis Colts (-7) - Colts 31 - Bengals 20

Houston Texans (+1) @ Jacksonville Jaguars - Texans 28 - Jaguars 17

Tennessee Titans (-1) @ Miami Dolphins - Titans 24 - Dolphins 20

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears (+1.5) - Bears 20 - Vikings 17

Detroit Lions (+3) @ Buffalo Bills - Lions 35 - Bills 30

New York Jets (+3) @ Cleveland Browns - Jets 20 - Browns 6

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-7) - Buccaneers 24 - Panthers 10

Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos (+1) - Broncos 20 - Chiefs 16

St. Louis Rams @ San Francisco 49ers (-6) - 49ers 17 - Rams 3

Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals (-3) - Cardinals 27 - Seahawks 20

Dallas Cowboys (+14) @ New York Giants - Giants 34 - Cowboys 24

New England Patriots (+4.5) @ Pittsburgh Steelers - Steelers 24 - Patriots 20

Philadelphia Eagles (-3) @ Washington Redskins - Eagles 27 - Redskins 17

Eric's Lock of the Week

Eric's Record (11-4-2 ATS)

The Monday Night Special:

Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Redskins (+3)

The Redskins took Michael Vick out of the game early in game 1. Vick returns to avenge the loss, and he will do just that. The Redskins have overachieved this year with new management as well as a new quarterback. However, part of that new management team (Mike Shanahan) undermined the quarterback last week and had the audacity to claim McNabb’s benching resulted from poor conditioning. Perhaps Shanahan wanted to give McNabb something to think about other than his pending Eagles rematch. He surely doesn’t think Rex Grossman gives them a better chance to win, I mean, he has seen Grossman play, hasn’t he? The Redskins have found a place for Albert Haynesworth in their modified 3-4 scheme making it difficult for teams up the middle. DeAngelo Hall came into the league overrated, was exposed in Oakland and summarily released, and now finds himself once again considered among the upper tier of cornerbacks in the league. Washington plays enough defense to win games (2 home losses this season both by 3 points), but I don’t think they can account for Vick’s mobility. In round 1, they did so by breaking a few of his ribs, but that’s unlikely to occur again. The Eagles have too many weapons, Maclin, Jackson, McCoy and Celek are as good as they get at the skill positions. And Vick's relationship with DeSean Jackson is phenomenal as he is 21-31 for 400+yards and 3 TD's. Throw in a freakish athlete like Vick at quarterback and you’ve got enough to go all the way. I’ve been waiting for Vick to revert back into his Atlanta form, making poor choices, looking to run too early but that simply hasn’t happened. In game 1, the Eagles turned into a different team when Kolb came in. It threw the pace and timing of the offense off and they never rebounded. Despite the poor showing, they still had a chance to win it at the game’s close. McNabb loses round 2 and the Eagles cover.

PICK: EAGLES -3

POWER RANKINGS

Here are my overdue power rankings entering Week 10 in the NFL
*this does not take into consideration the Thursday night win for Atlanta over Baltimore.


1. Pittsburgh
2. Baltimore
3. New York Giants
4. New York Jets
5. New England Patriots
6. Atlanta Falcons
7. Green Bay Packers
8. Philadelphia Eagles
9. New Orleans Saints
10. Indianapolis Colts
11. Tennessee Titans
12. San Diego Chargers
13. Kansas City Chiefs
14. Miami Dolphins
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16. Oakland Raiders
17. Houston Texans
18. St. Louis Rams
19. Minnesota Vikings
20. San Francisco 49ers
21. Chicago Bears
22. Denver Broncos
23. Jacksonville Jaguars
24. Cleveland Browns
25. Washington Redskins
26. Seattle Seahawks
27. Arizona Cardinals
28. Cincinnati Bengals
29. Detroit Lions
30. Dallas Cowboys
31. Buffalo Bills
32. Carolina Panthers

Thursday Night Football - NFL Week 10

Thursday Night Football opens up this week in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons taking on the Baltimore Ravens. This is a great matchup of two of the young-superstar quarterbacks that came out of the 2008 NFL Draft.

Baltimore Ravens @ Atlanta Falcons (PICK) - Matt Ryan is 17-1 in 18 career starts in the Georgia Dome. That is an absolutely outstanding statistic to point out for tonight's game. The Falcons clearly "get-up" more for home games and the record shows. It is a short week for both teams, I give the advantage to the Ravens here as the veteran team can handle the short week much better than I would expect the Falcons to. However, this is a game the Falcons have to treat as the regular season Super Bowl. A win over a top 3 team in the NFL would solidify the fact that the Falcons are a legit contender this season. Matty Ice and Roddy White will show up big tonight and the Falcons get it done at home in a high scoring affair.

PICK: ATLANTA 27 - BALTIMORE 24

Thank You For Participating - Dallas Cowboys

Monday, Jerry Jones fired Wade Phillips. A move the club should have made after the 2008 season. It will do little to help at this point and fails to address the real problem that Jones will remain the General Manager of the club.

Much to the delight of Cowboys haters across the nation, the season in which Dallas will host the Super Bowl will go down as one of the worst in the franchise’s storied history. As a child, I sat with my grandfather and watched Dallas go 1-15. Jerry Jones had just bought the team and summarily fired Tom Landry. Many fans of America’s Team hated the move. Of course, 3 Super Bowls in 4 years rightfully gave Jerry a long grace period. By the end of the 90’s, the triplets were old, the talent base had eroded and a series of Jones’ puppet coaches failed to bring the team back to glory.

Jones, frustrated with futility, relinquished much of his influence and control to Bill Parcels. Parcels filled the team with good young talent and a few trusted veterans. Of course, Jones could not stop himself from bringing in T.O. Owens had a few solid statistical years, but his arrival sealed the deal for Parcels. Parcels left for Miami, and took with him many of the ancillary players and coaching staff. Jones had a stocked cupboard of coaching talent ( ex. Sean Payton, Todd Haley, Tony Sparano) but looked outside the Parcels regime. He brought in inexperienced Dolphins QB coach Jason Garrett to head up the offense. (whenever you can go out a sign the QB coach of a 1-15 team, you have to pull the trigger) Jones then set out to find his next puppet. Jones found his Huckleberry in Wade Phillips, a respected defensive coordinator but failed in two prior head coaching stints.

Phillips’ easy going style, Jones’ ineptitude along with the insufferable offense of Garrett mixed like a frat party cocktail, and in 2010, the roofies kicked in.

Entering this season, the biggest question marks on this team were the aging offensive line, the aging inside linebackers, and the safety position. Jones stood pat with the offensive line resulting in Jon Kitna now taking snaps and no running game. Jones traded Bobby Carpenter for Alex Barron. Carpenter is not great but he played well in nickel packages and on special teams. The result: 35-year-old Keith Brooking playing every snap, Alex Barron holding onto anything within 3 feet, terrible special teams, and Carpenter playing a contributing role with the Dolphins. Jones cut the corpse of Ken Hamlin prior to the season after giving him a 39 million dollar extension 2 unproductive years earlier, leaving Dallas with no viable option on the roster. The team converted Alan Ball from corner to Safety. The result: Alan Ball plays like Roy Williams (former Dallas Safety) without the ability to hit hard. Jones elected to cut ties with established veterans such as Safety Pat Watkins and Reciver Patrick Crayton. Both served as very good special team’s players and starters as needed. The result: terrible special teams and no viable Safety candidates. You cannot make these types of moves if you fail to draft adequate replacements. Dez Bryant is the only draft pick of the last few years making any real contribution to this team.

Jones’ firing Phillips represents yet another personnel mistake. Every GM makes mistakes, but Jones has done so repeatedly for years with no repercussions. Jones brought Jason Garrett to this team, he signed Ken Hamlin to a huge deal after 1 decent season, he gave Barber a big time contract after 1 good season as a complimentary back, he traded away 1^st and 3^rd round picks for Roy Williams, he decided to go on the cheap and release proven vets for undrafted rookies, brought in T.O. essentially poisoning the team. This is a man who once traded 2 first round draft picks for Joey Galloway, a man who thought it wise to give Ryan Leaf another chance, and a man who made Barry Switzer a NFL head coach

The failure of this Cowboys team begins and ends with Jerry Jones. He revels in the thrill of victory, yet refuses to share in the agony of defeat. It has been 15 years since Dallas last hoisted the Lombardy and the grace period is over.

Danny's Week 9 Selections

Record: Danny (68-49 SU / 59-53-4 ATS)

Chicago (-3) @ Buffalo *(in Toronto) - Bears 27 - Bills 17

San Diego @ Houston (+3) - Texans 34 - Chargers 30

New Orleans @ Carolina (+7) - Saints 20 - Panthers 16

Arizona @ Minnesota (-8) - Vikings 31 - Cardinals 17

Tampa Bay @ Atlanta (-8.5) - Falcons 30 - Buccaneers 13

New York Jets (-4) @ Detroit - Jets 24 - Lions 17

Miami @ Baltimore (-5) - Ravens 30 - Dolphins 20

New England (-5.5) @ Cleveland - Patriots 28 - Browns 14

New York Giants (-7) @ Seattle - Giants 31 - Seahawks 10

Kansas City @ Oakland (-1) - Raiders 20 - Chiefs 17

Indianapolis (+3) @ Philadelphia - Eagles 30 - Colts 28

Dallas (+8) @ Green Bay - Packers 24 - Cowboys 20

Pittsburgh (-5) @ Cincinnati - Steelers 23 - Bengals 13

Eric's Locks of Week 9

Record: 10-4-1

Tampa Bay (+8.5) @ Atlanta

The NFC is wide open and Atlanta looks like they have as good a chance as anyone to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. They’ve got a steady QB, a top flight running back, an aging but still effective tight end and a very good receiving corps. Defensively, they have some questions, especially in the secondary. They’ve well enough to pull out wins and with the exception of the Eagles game, have looked like the better team. For some reason though, I’m simply not sold. I can’t trust Matty Ice to deliver a game winning drive under pressure and Michael Turner has had some durability issues. Sure, Atlanta will go to the playoffs and may win a game but no way they reach the Super Bowl.

Tampa Bay, on the other hand, looks bad on paper. Statistically, they rank in the middle for every major category except for opponents rushing yards, which they come in at 30^th. Again, on paper, this would appear to play right into the hands of Atlanta. Josh Freeman looks confident and better than most thought at his early point in his career. Mike Williams provides him with a reliable target and Lagarrette (French for “The Garrette") Blount just had a breakout game last week against Arizona. Defensively, this team loaded up with young talent. They’re more than a year away from becoming serious contenders for the division crown but they’ve got a friskiness to them I like.

Atlanta will win this one. They’re the better team, I just don’t think they’re more than 8 points better. Mike Williams and Lagarrette Blount both have solid games and keep the Bucs in this one. I like Tampa Bay to cover but the Falcons to win.

PICK: TAMPA BAY +8.5

Kansas City (+3) @ Oakland

Odds makers must have put a lot of stock into these past two weeks by Oakland. Oakland has looked like a premier team. Darren McFadden, Jason Campbell, and Darrius Heyward-Bey played to their first round draft pick pedigree resulting in some of the best offensive output in franchise history. However, let’s add a little perspective. Yes, the Raiders got very very hot but they also played against two teams that were reeling. The Broncos have looked absolutely terrible over the past few weeks and Seattle overachieves at home and bombs on the road. Oakland may be playing its best football in a decade but that doesn’t say a whole lot.

Kansas City has benefited from an easy schedule. You could argue they’ve lost to the only quality teams they’ve played (Indy and Houston). However, the Chiefs play steady and make the most of what they have. Kansas City runs the ball well, makes just enough throws and plays solid defense. I like Chiefs’ Defensive Coordinator, Romeo Crennel, against Jason Campbell. No way Heyward-Bey has a repeat performance. Raider's corner Nnamdi Asomugha is listed as Questionable and may not play. Without him, the Raiders will lose the flexibility he brings. The Chiefs are 3 point dogs but I see them winning outright and cooling the Raiders off.

PICK: KANSAS CITY +3

Week 9 - Start 'Em / Sit 'Em

START 'EM

QB's
1. Joe Flacco (BAL) - Coming off of the bye week, the Ravens have a good matchup at home against the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins have been tremendous on the road this season, but after a big win in Cincinnati last week, I think the Ravens come out firing and catch them off guard.
2. Michael Vick (PHI) - Vick is an absolute mis-match for the Colts defense. Freeney and Mathis will penetrate the Eagles offensive line, but Vick's quickness will out do the Colts defense and be able to extend the plays. Vick could have a huge day in what should be a high scoring affair.

---Sit 'Em
1. Josh Freeman (TAM)
2. Chad Henne (MIA)


START 'EM

RB's
1. Lesean McCoy (PHI) - Vick is going to be too much for the Colts defense, they will be on their heels. Tosses and draws will gain huge yards for McCoy, I expect big things from him Sunday.
2. Brandon Jacobs (NYG) - Goal line machine. If you need a fill-in RB this week or need an option guy at a flex spot, Jacobs is a great option. The Seahawks will be overmatched by the larger and well rested Giants offensive line.

---Sit 'Em
1. Beanie Wells (ARI)
2. Cedric Benson (CIN)


START 'EM

WR's
1. Steve Smith (NYG) - The Giants are coming off the bye week and the Seahawks lost their quarterback in a bad loss. I smell a blow out and you know Eli will be slingin' the ball all over the field.
2. Mike Wallace (PITT) - The downfield threat for the Steelers should have a big day against a beaten up and disgruntled Bengals defense. Wallace should have a big score this weekend.

---Sit 'Em
1. Percy Harvin (MINN)
2. Dez Bryant (DAL)

Week 9 - POWER RANKINGS

Here are my Power Rankings heading into Week 9

1. Baltimore Ravens
2. New England Patriots
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
4. Indianapolis Colts
5. New York Giants
6. New York Jets
7. Atlanta Falcons
8. New Orleans Saints
9. Philadelphia Eagles
10. Kansas City Chiefs
11. Green Bay Packers
12. Houston Texans
13. Miami Dolphins
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
15. Tennessee Titans
16. San Diego Chargers
17. Oakland Raiders
18. St. Louis Rams
19. Seattle Seahawks
20. Minnesota Vikings
21. San Francisco 49ers
22. Jacksonville Jaguars
23. Chicago Bears
24. Washington Redskins
25. Arizona Cardinals
26. Denver Broncos
27. Cincinnati Bengals
28. Cleveland Browns
29. Detroit Lions
30. Dallas Cowboys
31. Buffalo Bills
32. Carolina Panthers

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly - Week 8

The Good:

The Colts. Normally, I reserve praise for Manning and Company simply because it’s a given. However, they’re proved especially resilient this season. GM Bill Polian did a phenomenal job stocking this team with talent. The Colts offense featured Mike Hart and Jacob Tammie in the starting lineup last night and didn’t miss a beat against the Texans. Peyton Manning receives so much praise that it’s become cliché to do so but when key members of the offense go down and the he doesn’t miss a beat, he deserves every word of it. If the Colts defense keeps opposing offenses to a dull roar, Indy could find itself in Dallas come February.

The Bad:

The Washington Redskins. Losing to the Lions isn’t as bad as it seems. The Raiders and Lions have both shown us this year that if you get top 10 draft picks for a decade, you will improve. The Lions have a lively offense and a few nice defensive pieces. However, the Redskins showed zero faith in McNabb by benching him in favor of Rex Grossman. McNabb is a streaky player. He always has been. Shanahan pulled him and likely created some tension in his relationship with his quarterback. Reid benched McNabb once before, but they had many years together along with the requisite trust. At this stage in his career, McNabb knows he isn’t a part of the team’s long term plan. I think Shanahan gave McNabb reason to look over his shoulder, which could result in poor decisions from McNabb trying to make plays that aren’t there.

The Ugly

I’d go with the Cowboys but I don’t want to waste perfectly good internet on them. However, the Vikings looked the ugliest coming off another loss but the true ugly stems from the release of Randy Moss. The Moss acquisition created a lot of buzz and should have given Brett Favre the downfield threat Sidney Rice’s injury created. However, the Vikings failed to see that New England’s willingness to part with their big name receiver in the middle of a playoff push represented a huge ominous red flag. Randy’s skill set no longer appears to justify the troubles he brings along. The Vikings took a shot and missed badly. Moss will surely find another team and another paycheck but the Vikings will not get back the 3^rd rounder they dealt away.

START 'EM / SIT 'EM WEEK 8

Week 8 Fantasy Analysis

Quarterbacks - START 'EM

1. Matthew Stafford DET - Facing the NFC's worst pass defense, arm is healthy, and they have had two weeks to prepare for this game, I smell a HUGE day out of Stafford.
2. Jon Kitna DAL - Great chance for Kitna to make use of the play action pass as the Jaguars defense ranks 3rd worst in the NFL.
3. Ryan Fitzpatrick BUF - Coming off a huge week against Baltimore, look for Fitzy to continue the success against a week secondary in Kansas City. Chances are this game is a high scoring affair, so look for Fitzy to have a big day with Evans and Johnson.

SIT 'EM
1. Vince Young TEN- Young is going against the NFL's best pass defense and I believe this is a let down game for the Titans.
2. Matt Hasselbeck SEA- Seahawks will have to run the ball in Oakland as the Raiders secondary has shut down quarterbacks this season (other than that Rivers guy).

RUNNING BACKS - START 'EM

1. Beanie Wells ARI - Wells will see more carries as Hightower has a case of the fumbles. Wells should have plenty of success against a very poor run defense in Tampa Bay.
2. Ryan Torain WAS - Washington will HAVE to run the ball to keep this game close. Detroit has fresh legs and explosive wide receivers going up against a bad pass defense. Torain is a critical part of the Redskins game plan this week.
3. Jonathan Stewart CAR - Looks like D Will is out this week, which means Stewart will be the guy against St. Louis. In Stewart's career he has played in 13 games where he has had 15 or more rushing attempts, and in those games he has 15 total touchdowns. Expect a big day out of J Stew.

SIT 'EM
1. Chris Ivory/Ladell Betts NO - Saints ground game has no chance against the Steelers run defense.
2. Ryan Matthews SD - Matthews cannot block for Phillip Rivers, and now his touches are being limited, expect a minimally productive day out of Matthews as he will share touches with Sproles, and Tolbert at the goal line.

WIDE RECEIVERS - START 'EM

1. Blair White IND- Houston is the NFL's worst pass defense, and with Collie out and Houston focusing on Wayne and Garcon, White could be very productive.
2. Dez Bryant DAL - Jacksonville's defense is bad overall, Kitna will target Bryant frequently during this game and expect big things from the young rookie.

SIT 'EM
1. Kenny Britt TEN - Last week was a big time game for Britt, not happening this week against a Chargers secondary that held Tom Brady to 159 yards passing last week.
2. Mike Williams SEA - Williams has been a go-to target for Hasselbeck, but he is overmatched this week against the Raiders stout secondary.

Danny's Week 8 Selections

Denver +1.5 @ San Francisco *(game played in London) - DENVER 27 - 49ers 20

Jacksonville @ Dallas -6.5 - DALLAS 31 - Jacksonville 20

Washington @ Detroit -3 - DETROIT 34 - Washington 24

Carolina +3 @ St. Louis - CAROLINA 20 - St. Louis 17

Miami @ Cincinnati -1 - CINCINNATI 24 - Miami 16

Buffalo +7.5 @ Kansas City - KANSAS CITY 30 - Buffalo 27

Tennessee @ San Diego -3.5 - SAN DIEGO 27 - Tennessee 20

Tampa Bay @ Arizona -3 - ARIZONA 20 - Tampa 9

Seattle @ Oakland -3 - OAKLAND 24 - Seattle 10

Minnesota @ New England (off) - NEW ENGLAND 31 - Minnesota 24

Pittsburgh (pick) @ New Orleans - PITTSBURGH 26 - New Orleans 20

Houston +5.5 @ Indianapolis - Houston 27 - Indianapolis 24

Eric's Week 8 Locks

Miami Dolphins +2 @ Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals remain a mystery. Carson Palmer does not look good this year. He’s coming off his best game of the season. Last week he put up over 400 yards w three touchdowns on 50 attempts. I don’t trust him to put up those type of numbers in back to back weeks. Cincy has put up big passing yard numbers, but that’s only because they often have to play from behind. Last year, the Bengals were a defensive team that ran the ball well. This year, they have to appease Ochocinco and Owens and do it with a significantly downgraded version of Carson Palmer. Marvin Lewis will make a great defensive coordinator for some team next year.

Miami is coming off one of the all time screw jobs. I think it helps the Dolphins play the “us against the world” card. Tony Sparano does a fantastic job preparing his team and they have a relatively talented roster. With the exception of the blowout Miami suffered at the hands of the Patriots, they’ve been in every game. Unfortunately, the Dolphins play in the AFC East where no win comes easy (Just ask the Ravens about the Bills). Both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams average over 4 yards per carry, but they have just 1 touchdown between them. Brandon Marshal puts up the yards but not the touchdowns. Chad Henne has not reached the point in his career where he will win a team games on his own. I don’t think this Miami team will make a playoff run, but they’re certainly more than a field goal better than the Bengals. Take Miami to win and cover.

PICK: MIAMI +2

Tennessee Titans +3.5 @ San Diego Chargers

Instead of the Pro Bowl the week before the Super Bowl, maybe the NFL should have the Chargers and Cowboys play in the disappointment bowl. San Diego may have both Floyd and Naanee back in the lineup (both listed as questionable but Floyd is a long shot) but a full compliment of receivers all at 75% will do them very little. With so many disappointing aspects to the Chargers season thus far, it is difficult to single out any one aspect. However, the failure of Ryan Matthews to emerge as a viable workhorse running back should have a place at the top of that list. San Diego fans hope his ineffectiveness results from nagging injuries but fear that he may just not be that good. Chargers GM A.J. Smith elected to play hardball with his left tackle and starting wide receiver, and got what he deserved. Both Marcus McNeil and Vincent Jackson will play at some point this year, but Smith’s conceit did its damage. With all that said, the stats for this team are great. San Diego ranks #1 in passing yards and in opponent passing yards and #4 in opponent rushing yards. The team showed some friskiness in their late game comeback against the Pats. If it were not for a false start penalty, which made a 45 yards field goal in a 50 yard one, the Chargers may have pulled out the W.

Tennessee’s defensive line will put pressure on Rivers all day. Without a viable running attack, the Titans can bring the heat. Safety, Michael Griffin, leads the secondary with 4 of the team’s 12 total interceptions. Jeff Fisher’s defense, steady running game, and ball protection has led the Titans to the top of the AFC South. I don’t trust this Chargers team. Rivers may break records this season, but that is not necessarily a good thing. Those numbers will be indicative of how one-sided the offense has become. The Chargers do not protect the ball and are penalty prone. They are the direct opposite of the Titans. The Titans will in San Diego and cover.

PICK: TENNESSEE +3.5

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly - -Week 7

Good

The Oakland Raiders. Who saw this coming? The Raiders came out and destroyed the Denver Broncos on Sunday. Oakland posted 59 points and Darren McFadden led the way with 4 touchdowns in the route. The Raiders are 3-4 with have put themselves in a good spot to make a run at the division. Can they keep this going? Probably not, but this type of win should do wonders for their confidence.

Bad

New Orleans Saints: The Superbowl hangover is in full swing. Lowly Cleveland did its part to affirm AFC supremacy by shocking the Saints in New Orleans. The Saints need a running game ASAP. The talented Drew Brees simply cannot do it all on his own. The Saints used to cause headaches with the backfield of the versatile Bush and the capable Thomas, but injuries have forced them into a one-dimensional offense. Chris Ivory is now their lead back but he’s been relatively ineffective and New Orleans brought in noted smoker Julius Jones to help the running game. He had 1 carry for 6 yards in Sunday’s loss. The Saints have big questions to answer if they want to keep Tampa and Atlanta from taking the top spots in the division.

Ugly

Jay Cutler QB Chicago Bears. The Bears are who we thought they are. Chicago thought its ills would disappear with the appearance of Jay Cutler. When that didn’t work out, the team brought in offensive guru Mike Martz. The Redskins do not have a lot of talent, but they’re a much better coached and disciplined team than Chicago. Cutler threw a slew of interceptions to DeAngelo Hall and then had the audacity to disparage Hall after the game by saying he’d throw at him all day if they played again. Hall has had a lot of ups and downs in his career but he destroyed Cutler on Sunday. Cutler’s bravado appears less like confidence and more like arrogance. A little humility may do the Bears’ QB well. He’s got an electric arm but he’s also an interception machine with a penchant for holding the ball too long. Maybe the Bears should consider benching him to bring him back to reality.

Sweet Hair Cut Joey

For a Halloween Charity Event, Joe Flacco went as "Joey", a jersey shore stud.

Power Rankings

Power Rankings following Week 7

1. Pittsburgh Steelers
2. New York Jets
3. New England Patriots
4. Baltimore Ravens
5. New York Giants
6. Tennessee Titans
7. Houston Texans
8. Kansas City Chiefs
9. Green Bay Packers
10. Indianapolis Colts
11. Atlanta Falcons
12. New Orleans Saints
13. Philadelphia Eagles
14. Washington Redskins
15. Seattle Seahawks
16. San Diego Chargers
17. Chicago Bears
18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
19. Miami Dolphins
20. Oakland Raiders
21. Denver Broncos
22. Minnesota Vikings
23. Cincinnati Bengals
24. St. Louis Rams
25. Dallas Cowboys
26. Detroit Lions
27. San Francisco 49ers
28. Cleveland Browns
29. Carolina Panthers
30. Arizona Cardinals
31. Jacksonville Jaguars
32. Buffalo Bills

MONDAY NIGHT LOCK

New York Giants take on the Dallas Cowboys tonight in Dallas, Texas.

Both teams have efficient offenses and Dallas is in must win mode. The explosiveness coming from both teams, combined with week secondaries will lead to a high scoring affair tonight.

Take the OVER 45 tonight and cash in with SUNDAY PICKS

Danny's Week 7 Selections

Pittsburgh -3 @ Miami - Steelers 26 - Dolphins 20

Cincinnati +3.5 @ Atlanta - Bengals 20 - Falcons 17

Jacksonville @ Kansas City -9 - Chiefs 27 - Jaguars 7

Philadelphia +3 @ Tennessee - Eagles 24 - Titans 20

Washington @ Chicago -3 - Bears 27 - Redskins 17

Cleveland @ New Orleans -14 - Saints 31 - Browns 13

Buffalo +14 @ Baltimore - Ravens 27 - Bills 17

San Francisco -3 @ Carolina - 49ers 24 - Panthers 20

St. Louis @ Tampa Bay -3 - Buccaneers 27 - Rams 16

Arizona @ Seattle -6.5 - Seahawks 30 - Cardinals 17

New England @ San Diego -3 - Chargers 31 - Patriots 24

Oakland @ Denver -8 - Broncos 24 - Raiders 12

Minnesota +3 @ Green Bay - Vikings 24 - Packers 23

New York Giants @ Dallas -3.5 - Cowboys 34 - Giants 27

Eric's Week 7 LOCKS

ERIC'S RECORD - 7-3-1 ATS

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Kansas City Chiefs (-9)

Todd Bouman is the expected starter for this game. Bouman, 38 years young, last played in 2005 for the Saints where he amassed 7 picks and just 2 touchdowns. Not that David Garrard strikes fear in the hearts of defensive coordinators, but he's markedly better than Bouman. Romeo Crennel's defense will load the line to limit Jones-Drew and force Bouman to beat them. The Chiefs have the number 1 rushing offense entering this week and face a Jags D that ranks 20th against the run. I don't think they will ask Matt Cassel to do anything but hand the ball off and play it safe in the passing game. Rookie tight end Tony Moeaki continues to develop as a player in this league. The combination of Moeaki and Dwayne Bowe give the passing game just enough to be effective. Look for a big day out of Jammal Charles and a solid win for the Chiefs.

PICK: KANSAS CITY -9


New England (+3) @ San Diego Chargers

San Diego lost a lot last week. The Chargers lost Malcolm Floyd, Antonio Gates and Legedu Naanee to injury. Floyd will not play and the other 2 are game time decisions. Patrick Crayton filled in nicely last week. Crayton was the Cowboys' most consistent receiver over the past 3 years and despite being a bit older is a great route runner and a consummate professional. He will not provide Phillip Rivers with the deep threat he normally has, but he'll give him an option in the mid range passing game. Chargers' running back Ryan Matthews did not become the work horse head coach Norv Turner claimed he'd be prior to the season. Mike Tolbert has been just as effective and a much better red zone option. Matthews continues to struggle with a high ankle sprain and despite Rivers putting up good numbers, this offense will not have a good day.

The Patriots, on the other hand, enter the game with a rejuvenated Deion Branch headlining a no name receiving crew that appears to be hitting its stride. The Chargers have the number 1 defense against the pass, but Brady looks like he's in mid season form. The Patriots beat a very good Baltimore team and I think they keep rolling. The Chargers are (-3) underdogs and if they were at full strength, I'd take them in a moment. However, injuries will put more pressure on Rivers as well as the running game, and as a Ryan Matthews fantasy owner, I know the rushing attack isn't very good.

PICK: NEW ENGLAND +3