As someone with at least a modest connection to Philadelphia I was sad to see two things happen yesterday. McNabb clearing the waiver wire and the Eagles giving up on Andy Reid. I know that there is at least an outside chance that Reid survives the off-season and returns as coach based on how much the Eagles would still have to pay him but I've got to believe last nights game officially signaled the end of the Reid era. The McNabb era ended about four games into last season with the Redskins but I have a feeling that Donovan is just now getting the memo. Sad day for Philly fans. Especially my Mother who has been astoundingly loyal to McNabb despite his rapidly diminishing skills. There is something to be said for fan loyalty that extends beyond team affiliation or ability. My Mom is loyal but I already knew that. I hope that the rest of the NFL remembers both McNabb's and Reid's careers in Philly as fondly as I know my Mother will.
Onto this weeks picks.
Tennessee +3 over BUFFALO - I'm starting to believe that Tennessee is not half bad and Buffalo is now all bad. This makes me sad because I've always hated the Titans and always secretly supported the Bills. I'm not a fan of the Bills but I feel so bad for the good people of Buffalo that I always hope they succeed. Assuming it's not in a game against Pittsburgh. Hang in there Buffalo-ians, it could always be worse you could live in Cleveland, Cincy, St. Louis, Kansas City or worst of all - Baltimore.
CHICAGO -7 over Kansas City - Two teams without their starting QB but at least Chicago still has a great running game, special teams and defense. KC has basically none of it at this point.
MIAMI -2.5 over Oakland - On a neutral field and without the 10am start time for a west coast team I'd take Oakland but since neither of those things are happening I'll take Miami in a tight one.
Denver +1 over MINNESOTA - Tim Tebow is easily the most confounding person not just in football but in all of sports. He's a sub .200 hitter but he's also the guy you most want up to bat with men on, down by a run in the bottom of the ninth. He's a 30% shooter who does nothing but drain threes in the final two minutes. A boxer that takes it in the face all night only to throw that brutal uppercut to end the fight while down on all the judges scorecards entering the 12th round. What I'm getting at is he just plain wins and until I see somebody figure out how to stop him on a regular basis I'll take any points I can get on him.
NEW ENGLAND -20 over Indy - So the answer to Indy's losing streak is to start Orlovky at QB - the same guy who lead Detroit to an 0-16 record? Makes sense to me. Congrats to Jim Caldwell for being the first head coach ever to lose both a Super Bowl and an entire season of NFL games.
Cincy +7.5 over PITTSBURGH - I hate to make this pick but I've got to believe this game is going to be even closer than the last. I can't talk any more about this, I'm already starting to worry.
Carolina +3.5 over TAMPA - Bucs are getting worse by the week. Panthers are getting better. I had to look at this spread twice just to make sure I wasn't reading it wrong and the Panthers were laying the points.
WASHINGTON +3.5 over NY Jets - Looks to me like Rex Ryan is having trouble keeping his team and the Redskins are (surprisingly) halfway competent at home. Also, is Sanchez playing his way out of the starting job? Seems like the Jets fans have already given up on him. Will they be drafting a QB this April in an attempt to motivate him?
Atlanta -2.5 over HOUSTON - Vegas must LUUUUV Tj Yates otherwise how could this spread be under 3 points? How the hell could it be under 7? All Houston can do is run the ball with any real strength and Atlanta is in the top five in the league against the run. I'm going to assume this is one of those games where Vegas knows something no one else does and this pick will blow up in my face come 1pm Pacific Time on Sunday.
Baltimore -6 over CLEVELAND - The Ravens have an incredible knack of playing to the level of their competition but I'm not sure anyone can play to that low of a level.
NY GIANTS +7.5 over Green Bay - I'm about 99% certain this pick won't work out but Fuck The Green Bay Packers.
DALLAS -4 over Arizona - Some of you savvy fans may be saying to yourself - this isn't a Cowboys home game. To that I say - just watch the game and listen to the crowd. Arizona is Dallas's home away from home.
SAN FRAN -13 over St. Louis - I never like to give up so many points on a team that I'm still not convinced is that good but man, oh, man are the Rams terrible. Even with a nearly certain number two seed, a bye week and a home playoff game I still believe the Niners don't make it past a single playoff game. I don't yet know who they will lose to in the second round but I know they will lose.
NEW ORLEANS -8 over Detroit - Feel like it's a bit of too much too soon for the Lions at this point. Maybe they bought into their own hype or maybe they are starting to fall apart a bit under Schwartz's crazy intensity. Either way, Saints are rolling right now and Detroit is experiencing some growing pains.
San Diego -3 over JACKSONVILLE - The Countdown to the LA Jaguars begins! The Chargers are bad but not Jags Bad. Not even Norv Turner, on the other side of the country, can screw this up. I'd say there is the chance of the Jags rebounding on Del Rio's firing to trounce some unsuspecting team but with the recent sale of the team thrown in I'm gonna rely on the fact that most of the squad has been too busy pricing homes in Malibu all week to pay attention to this weeks playbook. Also, what a shit game for us on Monday Night! What the hell? I thought they came up with some rule a few years back to prevent a game like this from eye-raping the general football watching public. Poor form, NFL. Poor form.
Last week - 7-8-1
Conference Championship Picks
Georgia +14 over LSU
HOUSTON -13 over Southern Methodist
VaTech -6.5 over CLEMSON
Michigan St +11 over WISCONSIN
Last week 2-2
Onto this weeks picks.
Tennessee +3 over BUFFALO - I'm starting to believe that Tennessee is not half bad and Buffalo is now all bad. This makes me sad because I've always hated the Titans and always secretly supported the Bills. I'm not a fan of the Bills but I feel so bad for the good people of Buffalo that I always hope they succeed. Assuming it's not in a game against Pittsburgh. Hang in there Buffalo-ians, it could always be worse you could live in Cleveland, Cincy, St. Louis, Kansas City or worst of all - Baltimore.
CHICAGO -7 over Kansas City - Two teams without their starting QB but at least Chicago still has a great running game, special teams and defense. KC has basically none of it at this point.
MIAMI -2.5 over Oakland - On a neutral field and without the 10am start time for a west coast team I'd take Oakland but since neither of those things are happening I'll take Miami in a tight one.
Denver +1 over MINNESOTA - Tim Tebow is easily the most confounding person not just in football but in all of sports. He's a sub .200 hitter but he's also the guy you most want up to bat with men on, down by a run in the bottom of the ninth. He's a 30% shooter who does nothing but drain threes in the final two minutes. A boxer that takes it in the face all night only to throw that brutal uppercut to end the fight while down on all the judges scorecards entering the 12th round. What I'm getting at is he just plain wins and until I see somebody figure out how to stop him on a regular basis I'll take any points I can get on him.
NEW ENGLAND -20 over Indy - So the answer to Indy's losing streak is to start Orlovky at QB - the same guy who lead Detroit to an 0-16 record? Makes sense to me. Congrats to Jim Caldwell for being the first head coach ever to lose both a Super Bowl and an entire season of NFL games.
Cincy +7.5 over PITTSBURGH - I hate to make this pick but I've got to believe this game is going to be even closer than the last. I can't talk any more about this, I'm already starting to worry.
Carolina +3.5 over TAMPA - Bucs are getting worse by the week. Panthers are getting better. I had to look at this spread twice just to make sure I wasn't reading it wrong and the Panthers were laying the points.
WASHINGTON +3.5 over NY Jets - Looks to me like Rex Ryan is having trouble keeping his team and the Redskins are (surprisingly) halfway competent at home. Also, is Sanchez playing his way out of the starting job? Seems like the Jets fans have already given up on him. Will they be drafting a QB this April in an attempt to motivate him?
Atlanta -2.5 over HOUSTON - Vegas must LUUUUV Tj Yates otherwise how could this spread be under 3 points? How the hell could it be under 7? All Houston can do is run the ball with any real strength and Atlanta is in the top five in the league against the run. I'm going to assume this is one of those games where Vegas knows something no one else does and this pick will blow up in my face come 1pm Pacific Time on Sunday.
Baltimore -6 over CLEVELAND - The Ravens have an incredible knack of playing to the level of their competition but I'm not sure anyone can play to that low of a level.
NY GIANTS +7.5 over Green Bay - I'm about 99% certain this pick won't work out but Fuck The Green Bay Packers.
DALLAS -4 over Arizona - Some of you savvy fans may be saying to yourself - this isn't a Cowboys home game. To that I say - just watch the game and listen to the crowd. Arizona is Dallas's home away from home.
SAN FRAN -13 over St. Louis - I never like to give up so many points on a team that I'm still not convinced is that good but man, oh, man are the Rams terrible. Even with a nearly certain number two seed, a bye week and a home playoff game I still believe the Niners don't make it past a single playoff game. I don't yet know who they will lose to in the second round but I know they will lose.
NEW ORLEANS -8 over Detroit - Feel like it's a bit of too much too soon for the Lions at this point. Maybe they bought into their own hype or maybe they are starting to fall apart a bit under Schwartz's crazy intensity. Either way, Saints are rolling right now and Detroit is experiencing some growing pains.
San Diego -3 over JACKSONVILLE - The Countdown to the LA Jaguars begins! The Chargers are bad but not Jags Bad. Not even Norv Turner, on the other side of the country, can screw this up. I'd say there is the chance of the Jags rebounding on Del Rio's firing to trounce some unsuspecting team but with the recent sale of the team thrown in I'm gonna rely on the fact that most of the squad has been too busy pricing homes in Malibu all week to pay attention to this weeks playbook. Also, what a shit game for us on Monday Night! What the hell? I thought they came up with some rule a few years back to prevent a game like this from eye-raping the general football watching public. Poor form, NFL. Poor form.
Last week - 7-8-1
Conference Championship Picks
Georgia +14 over LSU
HOUSTON -13 over Southern Methodist
VaTech -6.5 over CLEMSON
Michigan St +11 over WISCONSIN
Last week 2-2
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