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

Power Rankings

Power Rankings following Week 6

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

Week 6 - The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Good:

Deion Branch, New England Patriots. Branch proved Bill Belichick right and me wrong. Branch put up solid numbers and gave Tom Brady a versatile passing option. Randy Moss is certainly one of the all time greats, but he evolved (or aged) into a deep threat and not much more. Branch caught nine passes for 98 yards and a touchdown on Sunday against Baltimore. Typically, receivers are not able to jump into the lineup with such ease, but Branch’s rapport with Brady was obviously still there. New England held Ray Rice to 88 yards and no touchdowns. Not too shabby for a Pats D that ranks among the worst against. Deion Branch helped the Pats keep pace on offense to pull out the win in overtime.

Bad:

The San Diego Chargers. Prior to the season almost everyone gave the AFC West to the Chargers. At 2-4, San Diego may still win the division but that speaks to how weak the division is and not how strong the Chargers are. San Diego lost Sunday to the St. Louis Rams. The Rams were coming off a drubbing at the hands of the Lions the week prior, game in which the team lost their top receiver, Michael Clayton, for the year. The Chargers submitted 7 sacks to the Rams. They also lost Antonia Gates and Malcolm Floyd to injury. If the Chargers lose either of those guys for an extended period, it will place even more pressure on QB Phillip Rivers and could place their playoff hopes in jeopardy.

Ugly:

The Dallas Cowboys. The team has as much talent as anyone else in the league. They’ve outplayed each one of their opponents with the possible exception of the Bears but Dallas cannot get out of their own way. Every time this team does something good, it’s nullified by a moronic penalty or a turnover. The problems start with Jerry Jones. His only successes as an owner have come when he relinquishes his hold on the team. The talent base of the current team was largely put together under the Parcell's regime. He went cheap before the season letting veterans who played large roles on special teams and doing the little things go for league minimum un-drafted rookies. Jones failed to address the lack of a Free Safety and opted to go with Alan Ball, an undersized converted corner at the position. Ball is an absolute abomination. Jones allows Phillips to continue as head coach because Phillips allows him to do all those Jerry things, show up in the locker room, take credit, and run the show. On the sideline, Phillips always looks clueless. Offensive coordinator, Jason Garrett fell in love with screen and swing passes against the Vikings. It wasn’t all the long ago Garrett was being courted by many NFL teams. The easy wins are over. Other than Jacksonville and Detroit, it’s hard to say who this team can beat. Colts, Giants (x2), Eagles (x2), and the Saints…America’s Team looks good on paper but does nothing a winning team needs to. I have a feeling that the Giants defensive front will have Romo running for his life come Monday night.

Danny's Week 6 Selections

Seattle @ Chicago (-6.5) - Bears 28 - Seattle 13

San Diego (-8) @ St. Louis - Chargers 34 - Rams 20

Kansas City @ Houston (-5) - Texans 27 - Chiefs 17

Baltimore @ New England (-3) - Patriots 27 - Ravens 24

New Orleans @ Tampa Bay (+5) - Saints 20 - Buccaneers 17

Atlanta @ Philadelphia (-3) - Eagles 24 - Falcons 20

Detroit (+10) @ New York Giants - Giants 27 - Lions 23

Miami (+3.5) @ Green Bay - Dolphins 27 - 20

Cleveland @ Pittsburgh (-14) - Steelers 31 - Browns 6

New York Jets (-3.5) @ Denver - Jets 24 - Broncos 17

Oakland (+7) @ San Francisco - 49ers 17 - Raiders 16

Dallas @ Minnesota (-1.5) - Vikings 24 - Cowboys 20

Indianapolis @ Washington (+3.5) - Colts 27 - Redskins 26

Tennessee (-3) @ Jacksonville - Titans 28 - Jaguars 17

Eric's Locks of Week 6

Baltimore Ravens (+3) @ New England Patriots

The Patriots surprised many football fans when they traded Randy Moss. We all know Moss had reverted into his natural state of being a pain in the ass but his absence leaves the Pats without a deep threat to take pressure from their possession receivers. Special teams ace Ben Tate must have truly impressed Belichick enough to provide the confidence to let Moss go. The Pats look like they are planning for bigger things in the years to come. They have acquired 7 picks in the first 4 rounds (actually 8 but they traded a 4^th rounder for the corpse of Deon Branch). Deep down, Belichick knows 2010 will not be a championship season for New England and letting Moss go was an admission of that. The Patriots cannot run the ball. Period. Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris will not strike fear into the hearts of any defensive unit, let alone the vaunted Baltimore Raven front seven. The Patriots will attempt to spread the Ravens out and throw against their secondary all day. This Ravens unit is too good to have a great deal of success being one-dimensional.

Belichick will have some trick up his hoodie for Flacco. Joe Flacco looked great the past two weeks, including a very impressive drive to defeat the Steelers. However, Flacco still makes mistakes and I think he’ll make a couple in this game. However, I think the combination of Ray Rice and Anquan Boldin will overwhelm the Pats’ D. The Ravens pull out another impressive victory on the road.

PICK: RAVENS +3

New Orleans Saints (-4.5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

New Orleans inexplicably lost to the Cardinals last weekend. The Super Bowl hangover is in full swing and the Saints may lose the division to the Falcons. The loss of running backs Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush means the loss of their rushing attack. Thomas may come back this week but his status is far from certain. Bush did not put up great stats but he added a dimension opposing defenses had to plan and account for. The Bucs have been a little frisky this year, Josh Johnson has put together a few surprising victories without a viable running game. Did you know Cadillac Williams was still alive? The Bus have a solid young foundation but their not on the same level as the Saints. I think the Saints bounce back and win this one by at least a touchdown. Johnson has a lot of promise, but I’ll take Brees and his corps of receivers to put up a nice score down in Tampa.

PICK: SAINTS -4.5

Power Rankings Week 5

NFL Power Rankings - following Week 5

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

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly - Week 5

Good:

The Detroit Lions. Sure they played the Rams, but the Lions put on a show. The Lions have hung tough against each opponent thus far and should have beaten the Bears in week 1. The Lions poured on 44 points in the win. Back-up QB Shaun Hill threw for 3 TD’s and no interceptions and did a nice job of spreading the wealth. Detroit also scored on a kick return and interception return. The Lions may only be 1-4, but no one in the NFL should take them lightly.

Bad:

The Dallas Cowboys. Once again, the Cowboys outplayed their opponents but could not get out of their own way. Over 130 yards in penalties and 3 turnovers offset Romo’s 400 passing yards and 3 TD, Austin’s 166 receiving yards and Jones’ 100 rushing yards. The Cowboys’ failed to address their aging offensive line, Free Safety, and coaching issues in the off-season and the chickens have come home to roost. The Cowboys have had their biggest successes when Jerry Jones takes a back seat to real football minds, until he earnestly realizes this, the team will wallow in mediocrity. Home Super Bowl? Don’t kid yourself. Let’s focus on being .500 for the time being.

Ugly:

Jake Delhomme. Delhomme replaced the injured Seneca Wallace and reaffirmed his washed up status. Delhomme was 12 of 23 for 97 yards 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. One of those interceptions was taken back for a touchdown (good to see Jake hasn’t lost his touch). In a gesture of mercy towards the good fans of Cleveland, Delhomme re-injured his ankle. The Browns signed Delhomme as a place holder for the QB position until McCoy was ready to take the helm. Thus far, Jake’s 33 of 60 for 324 yards with 1 touchdown and 4 interceptions. In the last 2 years, Browns fans have seen Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace under center. Seneca has been the best of the group and he’s a career back up. Not exactly a tough act to follow for the rookie McCoy, he’s like the bizarre-o Steve Young.

Eric's Locks of Week 5

Kansas City Chiefs (-7.5) @ Indianapolis Colts

Did you know the Chiefs are the last undefeated team in the NFL? Unless you’ve sworn off ESPN, you have been made well aware of this fact. Odds makers set this line based on reputation over actual play in 2010. Indianapolis’ struggles against the run have been well-documented over the years. Once again, the Colts can’t seem to find an answer to establishing a respected run defense. The team hoped that Bob Sanders could make it through a season unscathed only to discover his body is made of papier-mâché. To make matters worse, the team placed Sanders’ replacement, Melvin Bullitt, on injured reserve after losing to the Jaguars in week 4. Last week the Colts’ porous defense surrendered 174 yards rushing and 31 points to the Jags. Manning put up great numbers (as usual) and the time of possession was almost equal but the Colts presented little resistance for an offense that consists of Maurice Jones-Drew and little else.

The Chiefs have surprised most football fans with their fast start. However, their wins have come against 3 teams that have a combined 3 wins between them. Matt Cassel’s numbers look rather pedestrian (4 TDs 3 INTS 494 YDS) and the Chiefs have allowed their opponents to out gain them by 300 yards in the air thus far. That doesn’t matter. This team will not win games throwing the ball. The Chiefs have 2 top tier running backs in Jammal Charles and Thomas Jones and a versatile special teamer/receiver in Dexter McCluster. Their offensive strength plays well to Indianapolis’ defensive weakness.

Romeo Crennel knows manning well from his days in New England. The Patriots were the hump Manning could not get over and Romeo Crennel played a large part in that. Crennel now holds the same position with Kansas City. Manning will get his, but Crennel should have enough up his sleeve to delay the Colts’ offensive onslaught. The Colts will win this game, but the Chiefs should keep things interesting for most of this game. I’ll take the Chiefs to cover (-7.5) and the Colts to win.

ERIC'S PICK: CHIEFS +7.5

New Orleans Saints (-7) @ Arizona Cardinals

The Saints have not looked like the defending Super Bowl Champs thus far in 2010. They have beaten San Fran, Carolina and Minnesota by a combined total of 10 points. The Saints rank 30^th in rushing, lost Reggie Bush to injury and have a hobbled Pierre Thomas. We just have not seen the same offensive fire for an entire game out of this team. Luckily, the Arizona Cardinals are on the menu.

The Cardinals benched perpetual disappointment, Derek Anderson, last week in favor of a rookie, Max Hall. I don’t think this was the situation Coach Ken Wisenhunt had in mind entering preseason with an open quarterback competition. The Cardinals have a few offensive pieces in Tim Hightower and Larry Fitzgerald. Hightower is a solid situational back and Fitzgerald needs a QB that can get him the ball so their talent goes mostly wasted on this squad. Former first round pick Beanie Wells only has 19 carries this season, but he is averaging a shade under 5 yards per carry. So there is a bright spot in the ground game.

The Cardinals are coming off of a 41-10 beat down at the hands of San Diego last week. I see another obliteration coming down the pike on Sunday. The Cardinals hit rock bottom and the Saints’ offense finds its mojo again. The Saints are due for a breakout performance and I don’t think a rookie QB on a struggling team will answer the challenge. The Saints cover (-7) and roll the Cards.

PICK: NEW ORLEANS -7

Week 5 Selections

Denver @ Baltimore (-7) - Flacco impressed last week, Broncos coming back to the East Coast for a second straight road game, Ravens 24 - Broncos 13.

Jacksonville @ Buffalo (+1.5) - Huge victory against Peyton and the Colts last week, let down for the Jags here. Bills 31 - Jaguars 24

Kansas City @ Indianapolis (-7) - Peyton wins in Indy, Chiefs had two weeks to prepare, but the trick plays won't work in Indy. Colts 30 - Chiefs 20

Atlanta (-3) @ Cleveland - Browns aren't winning two in a row. If the Falcons are an elite team they will take care of business. Falcons 27 - Browns 16

St. Louis @ Detroit (-3) - Rams are getting three points here after winning two in a row? Vegas is letting you know that the Lions are a big favorite. Calvin Johnson goes off this week and Bradford comes back to reality. Lions 30 - Rams 20

Tampa Bay @ Cincinnati (-7) - Bengals are in must-win mode after a pathetic loss at Cleveland last week. The Bucs are feisty, but inferior, and Cincy should pound the football with Cedric Benson all game long. Bengals 20 - Buccaneers 9

Chicago @ Carolina (-1.5) - Steve Smith is out for the Panthers, but Jay Cutler is out for the Bears. The Bears offensive line was destroyed by the Giants last week and I do not like a team going on the road for the second straight week. Panthers 13 - 10.

Green Bays (-3) @ Washington - Rodgers and McNabb should have big games statistically, but Clay Matthews should dominate the Redskin putrid offensive line. Packers 34 - Redskins 27

New York Giants (+3) @ Houston - The Texans get Brian Cushing back, the Giants defensive line appears to be back in action after a ferocious performance last week against Chicago. Eli will dominate the NFL's worst passing defense and I like an upset in this game. High scoring game, road team wins. Giants 31 - Texans 27

New Orleans (-7) @ Arizona - Cardinals are going with Max Hall this week, and the Saints defense will be licking their chops. Blow out potential in this one as the Saints will be blitzing and disguising coverage all game. Drew Brees will silence the haters in this one as he will be on fire. Saints 44 - Cardinals 17

San Diego (-6.5) @ Oakland - Oakland has played competitive football all season and things won't change this week. Gradkowski has been playing well enough to get W's for this team, but they continue to fall just short. I think this game is close but Phillip Rivers, A TOP 5 NFL QUARTERBACK, gets it done in the end. Chargers 30 - Raiders 20.

Tennessee (+7) @ Dallas - Hook 'em Horns, Vince Young will be playing in front of an entire hoopla of fans, but Dallas will look sharp coming off a bye week. I have to think Wade Phillips and the Boys righted the ship and they get down to business this week against a Titans team that plays out all 60 minutes of every game. Dallas 24 - Titans 20

Philadelphia (+3.5) @ San Francisco - 49ers nation will have to wait another week for a win. Kevin Kolb will show his poise and will perform Sunday night against the 49ers. Gore has a big opportunity for a very productive game, but as much as the 49ers need this win, the Eagles desperately need it as well or else Reid & Co. will look like flabbergasted idiots for trading McNabb to allow Kevin Kolb to under perform. Eagles get it done. Eagles 20 - 49ers 17.

Minnesota @ New York Jets (-4) - This game has all the spotlight on the arrival of Randy Moss and how he and Brett Farve are able to connect, but lost in the spotlight is the excellent start to the season that Mark Sanchez is having. 0 interceptions through four weeks, and he and Braylon Edwards have been connecting for big yard plays on a weekly basis. This game also features the new vs the old; Adrian Peterson vs LT. Great matchups, prime time television, and the entire nation to enjoy the NFL on Monday night. Jets 16 - Vikings 10

START EM/ SIT EM - Week 5

START 'EM

QB's
-Bye Week QB's - Brady, Henne, Hasselbeck, Batch

1. Eli Manning NYG - Playing at Houston this week, Manning takes on a Texans defense that is dead last against the pass (338 yards per game). With the return of Brian Cushing, the Texans will have more "pep" in their step, but this matchup is too favorable for Manning and for fantasy owners that can start him.

2. Ryan Fitzpatrick BUFF - Playing a home game against the Jaguars, one that many think will be the Bills first win of the season, Fitzpatrick has a favorable matchup with the Jaguars secondary that is allowing 304 yards per game (30th in NFL). I like this opportunity for Fitzpatrick as the Bills need this game badly, and the Jaguars are coming off a huge win last week against Indianapolis. If you are in a 2 QB league, or missed the waiver wire this week, Fitzpatrick is a good pickup.

Sit 'Em

1. Kyle Orton DEN - He is going against the Ravens defense in Baltimore that is only allowing 120 passing yards per game! I would be extremely cautious in using Orton this week, this is a bad game for the Broncos.


START 'EM

RB's

1. CJ Spiller/ Fred Jackson BUFF - The Jaguars are coming off a big win against Indianapolis last week and they won't be prepared for a desperate home team with big time energy going for their first win. I love Jackson and Spiller, I think Jackson will get teh most touches, but Spiller will be incorporated into the offense with screens, dump-offs, and tosses.

2. Cedric Benson CIN - He has been USELESS this season, under performing, and a let down. Not this week. Huge week for CED BENZ. START HIM, and expect a big game as the Bengals are in must-win mode at home following a very disappointing divisional loss to the Browns last week. The Buccaneers won't be ready for Ced.

Sit 'Em

1. DeAngelo Williams CAR - Williams will be going against the Bears stout run defense, and expect eight guys in the box at all times to prevent the Panthers ground attack from having any success against the Bears run-defense.

START 'EM

WR's

1. Hakeem Nicks NYG - The Texans pass defense is the worst in the NFL, Eli will be passing a lot in this one and he will be taking shots down the field. Nicks hands seem like they have glue on them this season, start him and look for a very productive performance out of him.

2. Lee Evans BUFF - This is Buffalo's week. I am expecting a big let down performance from Jacksonville, and Evans and Fitzpatrick always hook up with deep passes when they play in front of the Buffalo faithful. If you need a #2-3 receiver / Flex guy, Evans is your man.

Sit 'Em
1. Brandon Lloyd DEN - Against the best pass defense in the league, Orton will struggle to complete passes to his main target, and this will be his let down week of what has been a terrific start to the season.

Week 5 picks posted tonight

Eric's Locks of Week 5 available tonight

Start 'Em, Sit 'Em tonight

Fred Jackson. Fred Jackson. Fred Jackson

Power Rankings - Week 4

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

RANDY MOSS IS OFFICIALLY A MINNESOTA VIKING

Early reports show that Moss has been traded from New England for a 2011 3rd round draft pick.
Winner: Vikings, now Farve has a downfield threat, a slot receiver in Harvin, and the best north/south running back in the NFL. The Vikings just significantly upgraded their offence.
Loser: Patriots, everyone picks the Pats to lose when Welker doesn't play because he make the offense go. Now with Moss gone, Welker will see double coverage on every passing down, leading me to believe two things: 1, The Patriots have their eye on a mid season pickup or 2, Ben Tate and Julian Edelman better grow up FAST.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly - Week 4

Good:

The Giants Defense: With their backs against the wall, the Giants D came out swinging. They put relentless pressure on the Bears’ triumvirate of QB’s. Cutler left the game with a concussion, Todd Collins regretted his decision to not stay retired, and some guy named Hanie was taking snaps by the end of the game. This defense showed its potential Sunday night, they won this game. Bradshaw aside, the offense looked rather pedestrian. Kolb, McNabb, and Romo should take note: if you hold onto the ball against this D, you may end up seeing stars on the sidelines too.

Bad:

The Seattle Seahawks. Matt Hasselbeck posted a 58 QB rating and the team ran for a total of 64 yards. The bright spot for the offense came in the form of Brandon Stokley. The recently signed receiver led the team with 64 yards off 4 receptions. (So much for the Mike-Williams-as-a-fantasy-sleeper pick) Defensively, Seattle fared better. They managed 4 sacks and a pick but gave up 20 points against a Rams offense that lacks a true receiving threat and has a banged up Steven Jackson. Seattle overachieved early. They’ve settled back into their expected futility.

The Ugly:

Derek Anderson, QB, Arizona Cardinals: Are we sure this guy didn’t sell his soul to the devil for his 2007 season? Based upon his lone productive year (3,700 yds, 29 TD’s), Anderson manages to convince teams to keep taking a chance on him in hopes that he will recapture that glory. The Cardinals released Matt Leinart prior to the season solidifying Anderson’s place as the starter. Sunday, the Cards benched Anderson after a lackluster 7 of 14 for 64 yards with 2 picks effort in favor of Max Hall. Hall replaced Anderson to throw for a paltry 82 yards and was sacked 6 times. Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Smith (Carolina) should start some sort of support group for victimized wide-receivers.

Rumor has it:

It appears very likely, after speculation began last night, that Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss is on his way out in a trade to Minnesota

Eric's Picks - Week 4

Baltimore Ravens (+2) @ Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh love fest is in full swing. If this game were on Monday night, I’d set the over/under on the use of the phrase “smashmouth football” at 5,000. Everyone will talk about the defenses in this game but the integral aspect to either team’s success lies with the quarterbacks.

The Steelers destroyed a 2-0 Tampa team last week. Charlie Batch was fantastic. Why was the battle for the opening day QB between Dennis Dixon and Byron Leftwich? Rashard Mendenhall is a beast. Willie Parker did not suit this team. The Steelers need a powerful workhorse back for their style of play. Mendenhall fits that bill perfectly. The emergence of Mike Wallace as a deep threat compliment to the always-reliable Hines Ward gives Pittsburgh a well-rounded offense that keeps the defense fresh. The key to this game is Charlie Batch. If he can deliver the deep ball accurately, the Ravens spotty secondary will flounder. Mendenhall met Ray Lewis in the 2 gap his rookie year. The meeting Mendenhall with a shattered collar bone. I see a yeoman’s effort from Mendenhall. He will get the carries and may rack up a TD, but the yards will not pile up. The Ravens will have to respect the run, and that’s the point.

We all know about Ray Lewis and company. The defense will do its part, it always does in spite of a lackluster secondary. The defense won the opener over the Jets thanks in large part due to their ability to force Sanchez into poor decisions. They will attempt to do the same against Charlie Batch. The real question for this Ravens team: Who is Joe Flacco? Is he the guy who threw for 3 TD’s with a 128 QB rating in week 3 or is he the guy who threw for 150 yards, 4 picks, with a 23.8 rating in week 2? The physical tools are obviously there, the Ravens have put solid weapons around him and the star of the movie “The Blind Side” protects his blind side. Flacco lies somewhere in between the two extremes. The defense is not good enough to win games as they did a decade ago. Flacco has to be more than a Trent Dilfer. However, in three games thus far his numbers were great against a bad Cleveland defense, atrocious against a good Cincinnati D, and uninspiring versus an excellent Jets squad. The Steelers D is either on the same level or better than the Jets.

According to my Baltimore source, the Ravens have lost 10 of their last 14 games at Heinz Field, including the last 4. The Ravens last won in Pittsburgh with the late Steve McNair at the helm. Taking Troy Polamalu and the terrible towels over the Ravens looks like the smart bet. I’m not a smart man. The Ravens pull off the upset thanks in large part to consistent pressure on Charlie Batch and just enough offense to squeak out a W.

PICK: Ravens 17 - Steelers 16

Chicago Bears @ New York Giants (-3.5)

Last week in my Dallas/Texans pick I made two fatal flaws. 1.) I went against my team, the Cowboys, in an emotional fit thinking they may never win again and 2.) I discounted the fact the Texans were coming off two emotional wins while the Cowboys were playing a back-against-the-wall-nobody-believes-in-us game. The Giants fall directly in the latter category. The Giants have outgained their opponents so far this year but turnovers and mental mistakes have plagued the team. Eli is not Peyton but when he’s on, he’s very good. The Bears have struggled to cover and the Giants have a nice set of receivers in Nicks, Smith and Manningham. Eli will be able to move the ball through the air, but must protect the ball. Manning has 6 interceptions thus far (only had 14 in 2009). The Giants running game was known as Earth, Wind, and Fire a couple of years ago. However, Wind (Derrick Ward) committed grand larceny in Tampa Bay and Earth(Brandon Jacobs) became Mars (lifeless). Fire (Amahad Bradshaw) remains frisky but will surely struggle against the stout front seven of the Bears. However, Bradshaw will do just enough to keep the offense balanced and force the Bears to back off the blitz.

The Cutler and Martz combination has been a success so far despite struggling with protection at times. Martz successfully adjusts the drops and routes to counter the defense, which opens up the deep game. Matt Forte, a poor man’s Marshall Faulk, is the key to this offense. He plays a vital role in establishing the run game but his importance to the team is in his versatility as a receiver. Look for Martz to use Forte to counter the pass rush of Mathias Kiwanunka (4 sack in ’10) and Justin Tuck.

The Jay Cutler roller-coaster is riding high right now but what goes up must come down. Cutler's number will reflect a better game than he actually has. Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin win this back-against-the-wall-nobody-believes-in-us game.

PICK: New York Giants 27 - Chicago Bears 20