Blitzing this Week's NFL Games: The Best Picks, Week 3

Here we are yet again, reader(s); another Sunday is fast approaching and that can mean only one thing: it’s time to make the best, most sophisticated weekly picks on the entire interwebs. Last week upsets were plentiful, and many of the so-called “experts” were lucky to have gone 8-8. Well, not this buckaroo; I managed a 10-6 overall record… roughly the equivalent of going 13-3 over the course of a “normal” NFL weekend. Or the equivalent of me banging your somewhat hot girlfriend and getting away with it scott-free. Not that I did, brah.

So, the king has returned to leave another indelible, startling mark on the history of the inter-highway. Rejoice. And for heaven’s sake don’t disagree; that would just be buffoonery! To the picks!

Cincinnati at Carolina

Boy, the Matt Moore experiment sure didn’t last very long… and to make matters worse, the Carolina Panthers aren’t running the ball nearly as well as they had in years gone by. Good thing I only drafted BOTH OF THEM in my two fantasy football leagues… good thing. While I question the logic of going with Jimmy Clausen so early on in his career, it’s undeniably more exciting to see what flashes Clausen might show us over the course of the season, because let’s get real-the Panthers aren’t gonna do much winning this year regardless. As for Clausen, just because he may be the most NFL ready QB from last year’s draft doesn’t mean he’ll be the best; just ask Mr. A.J. Hawk how that can be. Still, as a fan I would much rather watch Clausen lose than Matt Moore. This weekend will be the first of many times we fans get to see exactly that. Cincinnati 23-19 and one wilted Jimmy Clausen flat top.

San Francisco at Kansas City

San Francisco showed flashes of becoming the darling the media made them into during the offseason last week, but they still found a way to pry defeat from the jaws of victory in a hotly contested Monday night game. Despite playing sloppy, turnover prone football, the 49ers still managed to show that they have a talented defense and a top tier running game at the core of their offensive scheme. They will look to emphasize these assets and minimize the mistakes moving forward this season, and will find success in doing so, at least for one game, against the surprising 2-0 Chiefs. San Francisco 27-21 and one pass thrown all game.

Buffalo at New England

Picks don’t really get easier than this one. Buffalo might be the worst team in the NFL, and they have to play this game IN New England. Brutal. The Patriots aren’t the dynasty Pats of the mid-00s, but they are still legit contenders in a stacked AFC. Also, if someone wanted to tell me the name of the bum the Patriots are starting at RB these days that would be great. New England 38-13 and one thousand people in the stands at Foxboro who could start at HB for the Pats.

Tennessee at NY Giants

Here we are the first interesting matchup of the weekend. These two teams are extraordinarily even when you compare their overall talent and long term aspirations for this season. Both are teams that should compete for a playoff spot, but are not even a lock to go .500 this year. Each had their respective hands full last week, with the Giants being trounced by a far better Colts squad, and the Titans getting stifled by the ever-terrifying Pittsburgh defense. Things seem to be more out of sync in Tennessee, however, with the questionable benching of late game all-pro Vince Young for a guy who played against Reggie White 100 years ago. Chris Johnson was embarrassed last week, and is probably due for a big rebound game against the Giants, but New York’s Eli Manning is gonna be the deciding factor in this one. The Giants, no longer a running team, will lean on Eli and he will not disappoint. New York 24-21 and two teams still unsure about their playoff chances.

Cleveland at Baltimore

Ah, the old Browns vs. the new Browns, otherwise known as the most humiliating loss Cleveland can more-or-less pencil in twice every season. I’m an unabashed Packers fan, and I think Mike Holmgren is eventually gonna do some good things for the Browns organization… but that’s big picture stuff. This year is gonna be like practically every year before it for the Browns; filled with disappointment and another loss to the Ravens. Baltimore 24-13 and only one Ray Lewis bear related incident.

Dallas at Houston

This may be the biggest matchup of the weekend. Texas’s undisputed number one against the red hot, red headed stepchild of the lone star state, and at this early of a juncture in the season the stakes could not be higher.  Not since Wade Phillips’s daddy Bum Phillips was coaching in Houston with the Oilers have both Texas teams been considered real contenders. Of course, if the Cowboys lose this game that contender title goes right out the window. The Texans just have that look too, don’t they? They are the real deal, and if Matt Schaub stays healthy, they are a team that can go deep in the playoffs. The Cowboys are a unit so bloated with talent that it seems to be sinking them right to the bottom of the briny deep. I have no clue what to make of the Cowboys at this point; my gut says one thing and my head another, but for now I’m going to pretend I’m George W. Bush and let my gut do the talking. I think the Cowboys are still going to make the playoffs, and in spite of every logical reason why the Cowboys will lose Sunday… I’m taking the Cowboys. Dallas 28-24 and one disappointed blogger when he finds out he’s not “the decider”.

Detroit at Minnesota

Maybe in another world, in some fantastical place where American manufacturing was never murdered by outsourcing and the evil in the heart of every CEO, the Detroit Lions would be 2-0 right now. Brett Favre would be relegated to a tractor in Cootersville, Mississippi, and the once mighty Vikings would be handed their third straight loss at the hands of Matthew Stafford and a cybernetic Barry Sanders. This is not that world… Minnesota 27-17 and one more season of tragedy set to the backdrop of abject poverty.

Atlanta at New Orleans

I’m not as down on the Falcons as Mr. Troy Lightner is, but they are gonna have to do a lot more to live up to the expectations placed on them as a supposed playoff caliber team. This is not a good match up for the Falcons in which to do that. The Saints have looked a bit flat over the first two weeks, but they are still finding ways to win, and they are still more chock full of talent than all but a handful of NFL teams. It’s unfortunate the Falcons have to play this game in the Superdome; otherwise, they’d have a real shot at winning. New Orleans 28-23 and one last chance for Matt Ryan to show me he’s better than Joe Flacco.

Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay

You know what would be ridiculously funny. If the Buccaneers somehow turned out to be a legit 2-0 and beat the Steelers just to tell us so. Unfortunately, for an improved Tampa team, the Pittsburgh Steelers look to be genuine contenders-and that is without Ben Roethlisberger. Maybe Troy Polamalu is that big of a catalyst in the team being great. Pittsburgh 19-13 and one spectacular head of hair.

Philadelphia at Jacksonville

This is another game where my head is telling me one thing, and me heart is telling me something completely different. I think Reid’s decision to start Mike Vick was absolutely 100% the right decision to have made, and I think the Eagles are hands down a better team than the Jacksonville Jaguars. Michael Vick gives the Eagles the best chance at winning right now and making the playoffs, there is no question about that fact. Yet, something holds me back from making the smart decision here and going with the marginally favored Eagles. I’m not gonna start listening to my head now, however, and in fact haven’t consulted with my brain once during the writing of this entire article. Jacksonville 21-20 and one hundred Vick rushing yards seen by all two hundred Jaguars fan.

Washington at St. Louis

Listening to Bob and Tom do their picks on Friday morning, some random old lady who knows nothing about football picked St. Louis to beat the Redskins. It was her most emphatic pick. The Redskins look so good, but I’m hitching myself to granny’s wagon, baby. St Louis 16-14 and two fools disappointed that they picked wrong come Monday morning.

Oakland at Arizona

I was just as big on Jason Campbell as anyone was. I thought he was gonna come to Oakland and give the Raiders something they haven’t had since the days of Rich Gannon, a talented QB capable of leading his team to winning seasons. Now some Polish journeyman QB is at the helm, squaring off with another team hopping wonder-Derek “remember 2007, fellers?!” Anderson. Who’s the better journeyman? The real question is who the hell outside of these two respective cities care. These are two teams going in opposite directions, with Oakland getting a little better and the Cardinals getting markedly worse. I predict that that trend will carry over and manifest itself in this game with a Raiders’ victory. Oakland 20-17 and one can still listen closely to hear the ghostly sobs of Matt Leinart faintly escaping from the Cardinals locker room.

San Diego at Seattle

Last week I went on about how well I think Pete Carroll will do in his return to professional coaching, and about how much I like the way the future looks for the Seahawks. I stand by all of that. Disastrously enough for Seattle… we live life in the present. Currently the San Diego Super Chargers are as talented as the Seahawks are mediocre and unimpressive. That spells trouble this week for King Rah-Rah and his old, bald QB Matt Hasselbeck. San Diego 28-14 and one too many Pete Carroll butt slaps for comfort.

Indianapolis at Denver

Wow, what happened last week, Troy? Manning Bowl II was a ridiculously one-sided affair that you came out on the losing end of in every single way. I liked the boldness of such a pick, after all, we both went out on limbs for New York last week (me for the Jets, Troy for the Giants) and I could have just as easily ended up looking every bit the moron, but I’ll take it where I can get it. Indianapolis handled the Giants exactly as I said they would, after coming off a terrible showing against the sensational Texans. This week Indy’s priority is gonna be getting the show on the road, as in doing what the Colts do best; rack up consistent victories and prepare themselves for crushing disappointment in the post season. It certainly doesn’t help that the Denver Broncos are going to be without Knowshon Moreno for this game. Indianapolis 31-17 and one Tim Tebow run around the right tackle… for no gain.

NY Jets at Miami

How about them New York Jets, ladies and gentlemen? Aside from making me look like a football pickin’ genius, the New York Jets showed last week that perhaps all that talk about being serious contenders wasn’t completely hot air. They not only beat a superbly talented Patriots team, they did it mostly without the help of Cornerback extraordinaire Darrell Revis. Mark Sanchez played as well as he ever has and the Jets offense got moving for the first time all year (preseason included). That was last week, however; and one great game does not a season make. A good bit has changed for the Jets since then; the Braylon Edwards controversy has to be a distraction, not to mention they are facing off with a Miami team who look to keep winning all year. And don’t forget, if the Jets are going to make it two in a row they are going to have to do it without Revis again this week. Like last season, I believe it’s gonna be another up and down, back and forth sort of year for New York, ending with either a playoff run or narrowly missing the playoffs. After an enormous victory last week, the NY Jets are ripe for disappointment. Miami 20-16 and three post game eff bombs from Rex Ryan.

Green Bay at Chicago

Yet another matchup that has me torn. The Green Bay Packers are hands down the better team, sure, but the most storied rivalry in NFL history can always go either way. In the Lovie Smith era, the Packers have only beaten the Bears 3 or 4 times (google it yourself dammit!). In addition, I have no clue what to make of Chicago. Are they a good, playoff caliber team, or are they a squad that has overachieved for two straight weeks (including stealing a win from Detroit) and due for a hard fall against a superior Packer team? It is incredibly hard to say either way at this point. This pick is the only one where I’m going to go with my head over my gut. All obvious signs point to a Green Bay victory, and in this case, I am going to heed those signs. But I do so reluctantly; it’s only my extreme love for the Packers that will allow me to go against my instincts on this one. The Bears are a dangerous team, Mike Martz is working magic he hasn’t worked since his days in St. Louis, and Cutler has come alive like Peter Frampton… Chicago has more going for it than it has since 06. The Bears do not have Clay Matthews however… and this is quite unfortunate for them and Jay Cutler’s bladder control. Green Bay 24-21 and two Clay Matthews sacks closer to seeing an NFL QB die on the field.

My methods may seem questionable at best, and they are, for instance; how does one go so strongly with their heart and their gut over their head and then, suddenly, change that formula for the last pick you might ask. You might. And if you do, please let me know. Until then, you’ll do fine acknowledging my inherent brilliance. Because like I said last week… there is absolutely no way I’m just some small time blogger/crack pot who has no real method to picking games short of making educated guesses. No way at all. -Blake Broussard

A Prelude to an Article or: Hulkamania Wins Again!

Alright, I’ll level with you reader(s), I was gonna write a point by point blog post of my own about what’s been happening in the world of sports since last Sunday. I was. I mean, there is a tremendous amount of things to talk about. Have you heard the one where Mike Vick threatened to sick his dogs on Andy Reid if he wasn’t made the starter? (womp womp)

What about Vince Young being benched in favor of Vinny Testaverde impersonator Kerry Collins? Was that really a good move in light of Vince Young being a) a proven leader late in games and b) Young being as unstable and as sensitive as I am after a few Rob Roy’s?

Certainly I would be remised if I didn’t talk at length about the demise of the Cowboys and the Vikings (and the great exaggeration there of). Two supposed contenders in a slump, Wade Phillips on the hot seat, and Brett Favre looking like a shell of the ageless hero that walked onto the field game after game last season… it’s a veritable perfect storm unfolding before our eyes and it has to be talked about (just ask ESPN-I mean, cheese and crackers). 

Indeed, I intend to talk about all of that with gusto… tomorrow. Yes, in addition to my rock solid picks, which I’m tired of Troy apologizing for because I came out with a convincing record in a ridiculous week of upsets and because I’m the greatest, I will cover each of those topics with my trademarked brand of genius. For now, however, I would like to talk about the most important thing to ever happen in the history of mankind… ever: HULKAMANIA!

Because, frankly brother… has it not run wild on you? Hulk Hogan not only body slammed Andre the Giant into the void and sold Rick Flair’s heart medicine on the street as ecstasy to keep a charity children's hospitial from being closed down and turned into a acid factory, but also he wrote perhaps the greatest album in music history; simply titled Hulk Rules.

And boy does he ever. This album is full of gems, from terrible rap (because every asshole, even Rodney Dangerfield, rapped in the late 80s) to terrible ballads, this masterpiece has it all. Just check out the wonderfully crooned "Hulkster in Heaven" about a little boy who dies of cancer and, years later, gets to tag team wrestle with Hulk Hogan in the hereafter. Yes, it’s something all of us children of the 80s dreamed about doing: dying of cancer, having hulk Hogan write a song about it, and then finally getting a chance to tag the Hulkster in for a finishing leg drop on that bastard Macho Man Randy Savage… in heaven... with Jesus and John the Baptist and Lot (and his sexy, sassy daughters) all watching approvingly. Never mind that the lyrics, music, and singing are bad enough to raise that little cancer stricken boy back from the grave… the Hulkster does it again, baby!

Anyhow, check back tomorrow for all that cool stuff I promised. Trust me, you’ll want to witness for yourself how badly I trounce the main proprietor of this blog in the weekly pick win/loss column again. It’s gonna be a, ahem, “blizzard” of fun!

Oh, and NWO FOR LIFE! -Blake Broussard

The First Ever R.A.T. Random Angry Thoughts - Braylon Edwards does 3 things well, Drinking, Driving and growing massive Beards, the Jets are Cowards, but the NFL is to blame (Allow me to re-introduce myself)

  Trizz : 8-8 win/loss record  6-9-1 against the spread ! Blake : 10-6 win/loss record  8-8 against the spread.



              That's right, we're men, we can deal with our awful prediction results from the previous week.  Procrastination may have ensued but we're here and I am personally ready, willing and able to accept responsibility in failure.  I refused to go down without a fight by boldly predicting the Patriots would slaughter the Jets, and going out on a very weak limb, picking the Giants to beat the Colts.  If I lose, if I'm wrong, I want to be crushed and devastated as opposed to not standing by my convictions.  Of course now that the Jets have won a division game, the Cowboys don't want to make the playoffs, the Patriots defense came back down to earth, and the Jets are who we thought they were...good?  In admitting defeat for the week and in praising my partner Blake Broussard (good job Blake for having a winning record although the underdog won a majority of the games), I will also do the unthinkable in giving some slight respect for those clever folks over at ESPN.  Almost every expert had at least an 8-8 record (like myself) while others finished 9-7 and 10-6.  Also respect to fellow local sports bloggers for undoubtedly being smarter than me regarding week two of the 2010-11 NFL season.  Thus ends complimenting everyone else, now to refute their sports knowledge and explain why I will inevitably become the king of NFL predictions as this season progresses...(Also be sure to check out why everybody's wrong about everything they think about the Jets and Braylon Edwards in general in the last paragraph.  Braylon Edwards should not be playing this sunday, but we are all hypocrites and the Jets should not be getting destroyed in the press)



Skip Bayless, Jamele Hill, and the ESPN power rankings agree that the NFC east is one of, if not the worst division in the NFL this season.  Not only are the way off, but they're also completely wrong.  When seeking some sort of lousy evidence for their weak arguments, ESPN analysts refer to their own company's ratings of a league that made the sunday night game on NBC most prevelant and important.  The Eagles may have traded a very good quarterback, but they traded him within the division.  Before last year the Giants were not just a good team, but one of the best teams for two consecutive seasons, and despite horrible performances they still finished 8-8.  The Redskins already had a great defense that has built up its credibility for years, and now they have a quarterback who knows how to win games (Look at how badly Jason Campbell has still been).  On the other hand, the Eagles may have lost their franchise QB, but Vick and Kolb are two quarterbacks with tremendous potential.  Vick has already proven how amazing he can perform when he's back near the top of his game.  The Eagles defense is always above averages, and though they couldn't block my grandma, they have incredible talent at the skills positions (Lesean Mccoy whom I told you would be great last week, Desean Jackson, and Jeremy Maclin).  Furthermore the Giants lost ONE game to the best team in the NFL for the last 10 years.  The Colts don't lose two games at home, they don't lose coming off of a division loss, and Peyton Manning is by far the third greatest quarterback of all time.  One terrible performance does not warrant critisicm to an excessive degree along with a call for the removal of a great coach in Tom Coughlin.  I may have predicted the Giants make the playoffs this year, who knows, but I do know they have more talent then they're given credit for, their O-line isn't as bad as it looked against the Colts incredible pass rushers, their quarterback is a top 10 talent, and they WERE STILL 13-3 two years ago.  For ESPN's experts, Skip & Jamele to write off the NFC East and the Giants after two weeks is absurd, especially since the basis for the argument concerning the Cowboys making the playoffs is that their division is so bad, that they'll have to win it.  The Eagles almost came back against a super Green Bay Packer team and defense in the first game, the Redskins lost an overtime game to a fantastic team, a team that had just beaten the Colts, who know how good they are, and how irrelevant that game will be to a Giants team looking to have a spectacular season.  The Cowboys might still bounce back and make the playoffs because they do have talent, but it's definitely not because they play in a weak division.  The Seahawks showed how stupid anyone (namely Colin Cowherd) would be to jump on THEIR particular bandwagon just because they beat a decent niners team in a bad division.  The 49ers showed they could compete with the big boys on monday night, and Alex Smith is NOT the worst quarterback ever.



Over in the AFC, I picked the Jaguars to beat the Chargers, fully aware of how inconsistent the Jags have been for seasons, consistently.  I just figured Rivers would continue to miss LT and Vincent Jackson, along with his left tackle, Marcus Mcneil.  Now the owner wouldn't even listen to reasonable offers for Vincent, and so it's become obvious he wants his former star receiver to sit out the season out of spite.  The Jaguars are still good enough to beat anyone at any time, and bad enough the following week, to lose to the worst in the league.  I was listening to Glenn Orway, Steve Deossi, and Lou Merloni on the local WEEI Boston sports radio talk show, and they almost drove me as crazy as ESPN's lack of respect for the NFC East and even Mike Francesa's obsession with vengeance upon the Jets.  They were talking about how Tom Brady can no longer perform well in the second half, how he's forcing the ball to Moss (perhaps), how awful he was last season (upon returning from injury), and how he's lost his mental toughness if not his ability to throw the deep ball.  So many sports writers will attempt to remind you that it's only two weeks into the season, and most of these teams have only had ONE awful game, but it doesn't seem as though anybody is rational enough to believe in reason.  Brady had ONE bad second half against a great Jets defense, trying to force it in where Revis was no longer playing, unfortunately for him, Moss has always been overrated and Cromartie owned him.  The Jets are good, any of those 3 AFC east teams could win the division, but I will not attack the Patriots, especially their offense.  To think Tom Brady has lost ability or given into some type of pressure so early on in the season is so ridiculous, he was against an amazing defense, they lost one road game, GET OVER IT, people.  I know the Pats have struggled against good teams on the road for the past couple seasons, but this is the first time their offense has been entirely intact.  The fact that the local Bostonites weren't talking about how badly they misjudged their defense after week one, how their defense couldn't step up against an unproven quarterback or how bad Darius Butler played and instead were voicing their worries about the offense, is INSANE.  Just like the Jets and Colts are still good teams, and I have to go more with teams I know to be consistently good over the last several seasons, the Patriots and Giants will bounce back, I promise.



In baseball, the Colorado Rockies have been so good for the last three septembers it has honestly become a trend.  The Rockies won something like 22 games in a row heading into the playoffs before losing to the Red Sox in the World Series 4 years ago.  What's even more impressive is that they're doing it all without the help of one of the best pitchers in the game, Ubaldo Jimenez, who has lost his control in his starts after the all-star break.  Joba Chamberlain still has better stuff, but Kerry Wood has been so special, such a perfect 8th inning pitcher, that the Yankees need to go with Wood more often during must-win game scenarios.  The Rays continue to have another great late-season surge in spite of their pitchers, James Shields and Matt Garza having the worst draughts of their careers in terms of winning percentage and E.R.A.  The Braves are still ahead in the wild card because no one in the National League knows how to hit a baseball.  Manny Ramirez couldn't save the White Sox.  The Red Sox almost have no choice but to pick up Big Papi's 12 million dollar option for next season, and the Anaheim Angels are going to come back stronger than ever after such a dissappointing season this year.







   Like the prospect of a virgin's first bedroom conquest, allow me to keep this short and sweet, and hopefully satisfying for all parties involved.   BREAKING NEWS:  Braylon Edwards, wide receiver for the New York Jets, is a moron!  When Plaxico Buress brought a gun into a NYC club and shot himself in the leg, got arrested, convicted on gun possession charges, sentenced to prison, and cost himself a few of his prime athletic years in the NFL, some fans felt sorry for him.  I thought about it for awhile, seeing as how he had just helped my team, the New York Giants, win the Super Bowl in one of the greatest upset victories in the history of any sport, I, myself, felt sorry for him a short time.  There were even times when I defended his decision to myself in a classic battle of self-mutilation....or self-actualization?  Steve Smith, now the best receiver on the team, had recently been robbed before Plaxico made the poor choice of carrying a weapon on him when going out to experience the night life of the city.  I told myself, my friends & family, and random strangers who were oblivious to my ignorant arrogance that Plaxico was scared, he was only trying to protect himself, he was depressed, lost, he wasn't aware of the strict New York gun laws after living in Florida (notoriously weak gun control/restriction laws).  Some time later, when the Giants lost in the first round of the playoffs and I realized it was mostly Plaxico's fault, I contemplated the situation a bit more, and I also thought about my reasoning for defending the superstar.  The truth is that everyone can relate to people who give into their own fears, sadness, insecurities, and he was a sympathetic figure.  I still believe he made a mistake, one that he regrets, and that every human being, along with every superstar professional athlete deserves a second or third chance.  A certain amount of time has to have passed, lessons have had to be learned and attitudes shifted, but everyone is entitled to a stupid, horrible mistake ONCE in their life.  Plaxico knew he had to register his gun in New York if he was going to carry it on himself, he obviously should've been smart enough to know how to put the safety on or at least not have the gun accidently go off, he should've had a bodyguard or friend hold the gun, and he shouldn't have even had a gun in the first place...  If he wanted to keep an unloaded one in order to scare away threatining people that would've been understandable, but what was he going to do...shoot an unruly fan?  Shoot a druggie gangster in a dark alley?  Obviously, he didn't think that through.



Meanwhile my anti-New York Jetisism is officially over.  Rex Ryan's smug facial expressions still have the tendency to sicken me almost as much as the radically bold claims that spew forth from his mouth.  Perhaps that's a bit extreme, but as with the rest of America, Rex Ryan's Jets' comments and actions have gotten old fast.  So many media members back on the bandwagon after a great win over the Pats last weekend certainly didn't make the Jets haters very happy, knowing their arrogant ways would be back on track.  The Jets were fun at first, Rex Ryan brought an attitude, an aura, and an excitement to New York.  The Jets have finally become a media darling, stealing more headlines than do the Giants.  Not to mention, making the AFC championship game last year really brought credibility to this new Jets era.  The Ines Sainz situation was clearly overblown by a less than respected reporter, The Jets "Animal House" atmosphere is obviously a work of fiction, and they most likely put in as much work as every other NFL franchise.  However, the "fun" came to a screeching halt early tuesday morning when Braylon Edwards was pulled over and found to be driving intoxicated.  I am not a wishy washy, iffy, both sides of the fence, one foot in, type of journalist or person, so this topic has been conflicting with my usually strong opinions on controversy in the world of sports.  So instead of saying that everybody's partially right, it's time to rip everyone's wrong opinion to shreds.  Where do I begin?...  I have watched Mike Francesa (WFAN sports show host also appearing on the YES network, one of the more respected voices in the NYC) become desperate, often raising his voice disrespectfully to his own colleagues over the last few days in an effort to assault the New York Jets' integrity.  Over the last year, perhaps few months or so, Mike has been on the outs with the Jets organization, due to his verbal bashing of the team on its' handling of various situations.  Though I have agreed with Mike more than not, though there's no way the Jets should be letting Braylon Edwards play this sunday, and though the Jets seem to come up with more excuses and falsehoods trying to justify their own questionable decision-making, Francesa is insulting his audience's inteligence in his own right.  Obviously Francesa has a biased view of the situation, and to not admit that may be affecting his judgement of the team.  He certainly would not be this hard, or critical of the Giants...but the Giants, much like the Steelers (and their handling of the Santonio Holmes marijuana use), and Tom Coughlin would probably not have made the mistakes that the Jets have.  Forget that though, most organizations would be trying to find a way to get their best reciever on the field in an important division game (as well as hiding behind the players association), most workers in most jobs would NOT be suspended or fired for getting a DWI (and could show up to work the next day), and the precedent has not yet been set, Ronnie Brown and Joey Porter are two examples of other players on other teams who weren't suspended for their arrests.  Hell, Dante Stallworth and Leonard Little murdered people when they drove under the influence and they were still allowed back on the field (Though Stallworth was suspended for a season by Goddell).  The Jets offer a service to the players in which any player who has been drinking can get a ride from where they are back to their home.  On top of that, the Jets are trying to win a Super Bowl, who knows if Edwards not playing against the Dolphins this sunday could cost them a chance to even make the playoffs, in such a tough division.  It's unfair for one player's stupid actions to cost the entire team, to mess up the gameplan, and reduce his team's chances of winning the game. 



With that said, other sports radio guys (Mike Greenberg of ESPN's Mike & Mike in the Morning) are as equally wrong in their opinions and assessment of the situation.  Greeny wants the Edwards to play, the Jets are his and he wants to win.  Greeny says, much like steroids in baseball, that fans dont have to be supportive of an individual player's terrible exploits off the field while rooting for their favorite team.  The only problem with that being the New York Jets franchise is a public entity, different jobs in society require different consequences, and public figures are subject to higher standards.  Also, drinking & driving is a serious offense, that not enough people in this country take seriously, causing massive amounts of injury & death to innocent, unsuspecting victims and families.  The most horrific part of this story is that Braylon Edwards was drinking with Dante Stallworth before Stallworth committed manslaughter, Edwards, also while intoxicated, punched a man half his size (Lebron Jame's friend).   Along with being inconsistent on the field, and dropping more big passes than he catches, Braylon has had a troubled past, and a history of alcoholic encounters, finding that his potential talent outweighs the consequences of his absurd behaviour (and the Jets thought they fleeced Mangini's Browns when trading for the crappy reciever last season).  The Jets should have set the precedent, the circumstances are unique, New York is extremely susceptible to such vile, pathetic individuals thinking they're above the law.  You'd figure the Jets owner would be more outraged, his daughter died of substance abuse this year.  Though Woody and Rex have said some of the right things, they're also liars.  To first say that they had to play Edwards this sunday (they only have to pay him), to then suggest the players association would not let them sit Edwards (very untrue, the association were not even willing to file a grievance had the Jets chosen not to dress Braylon Edwards for the game), then to continue the dishonesty by back-tracking, now saying they've been unfairly criticized because the NFL itself has not handed down a punishment and no other teams have suspended players merely based on DUI/DWI arrests before convictions.  That's fine, but to give Francesa so much fuel to pour on this fire over the last few days has proven how badly the Jets have mishandled this situation, from the beginning they should've stated "Though we completely disapprove of the crime Braylon has been accused of, we as an organization have decided not to start Edwards as punishment, the NFL has not suspended him and we want to give our team the best chance to win this sunday, period." ... or something to that affect. 



By fumbling and bumbling over their own words and statements, they've seemed to incompetent and weak in character.  Sometimes you have to sell a piece of your soul in order to put yourself in the best position to win a championship, many teams would be doing the same thing the Jets have decided to (Would they have not suspended him had Holmes already returned from his suspension?).  Unfortunately, the kind of players the Jets have recently let go (Alan Faneca, Thomas Jones) seemed to be good character guys, while the Jets knew they were bringing in some players with questionable ethics (Antonio Cromartie, Santonio Holmes), including Braylon Edwards, seemingly the most troubled of their players and proving to have the least integrity.  The NFL makes almost pure profit on their $8 beers that they serve at the stadium, many beer and other alcohol related companies sponser many of the games on the networks, the teams, and the stadiums.  Could that have something to do with Goddell's lack of response considering how hard he's come down on players like Ben Rothliesberger, a player who HAS NOT and NEVER will be convicted of a crime?  At the same time,  I do not condemn the Jets for trying to win, and they are not responsible for what happened.  Goddell is wrong, Greenberg is wrong, Francesa is wrong, Woody Johnson is wrong, Rex Ryan is wrong, sympathizers are wrong, Jet despisers are wrong and lastly, not leastly, Braylon Edwards was so wrong and pathetic.



Our picks for next week will magically appear tomorrow, the 10 best quarterbacks will be proclaimed, discussed, and disagreed upon by all of us over the next few days.  Blake will be declaring his own R.A.T. rant blog post into the wee hours of the morning, and we will continue to know more about sports than you do.  Our psychic ability regarding our future predictions will be 50% stronger, according to our resident psychic, the magic 8-ball.  Until then sports fans, the American George Clooney wishes you Good night and Good luck, Tom Brady needs to cut his hair and put his model girlfriend in her place (though she makes more money than he does), Space Jam is still a better sports movie than Hoosiers or Remember the Titans (as factual as the fact that the Fugees were always better than the Wu-tang Clan), and Madden 11's team ratings will be the most inaccurate in the history of the game (Jason Campbell is better than Mark Sanchez and Matthew Sanford)    (Not to mention the new running game does nothing to negate the lack of defense)  PEACE -  Trizz

Mid-day Updates & Apologies : We still rock!

              It's sunday, we're all sitting at home relaxing and watching football so why not update you on how things are going in the world of analysis, opinion and prediction.  Before we focus on all the positive aspects of reading the opinions of the Sports Masterminds, it is time for us to put aside our arrogance and introduce a new thing that we recommend to sports writers everywhere.  The ability to be humble, admit when we're wrong, and apologize for our errors in judgement.  Blake Broussard may not want to apologize for his record against the spread, but I apologize on his behalf.   In terms of win-loss record, I went 4-5, Blake went 5-4.  In terms of betting odds/scoring accuracy,  I went 5-4, Blake went 4-5.  We are sorry for our idiocy, we are both off to very mediocre starts, mainly due to the fact we liked the same favored teams.  However, in an effort to encourage you to keep read and believing in our blog, based on so many arguments regarding the rest of the games, one of us is bound to turn it around and have a pretty good day, or we will both finish near .500 in all categories & assumptions.

           

             Either way, if you actually read the descriptions and previews within our prediction statements, we made some good points, that proved to be true (see Dez Bryant, Desean Jackson, and the Packers) and although we have had an average day guessing and honing our psychic skills...  the mainstream media is lame.  Go ahead and check out the results of the guys on ESPN, CBSsports, Yahoo Sports and anywhere else, we are off to a GOOD start comparitively.  SEVEN of the NINE underdogs in today's 1 pm games won their games, All smart predictions made by smart people feature around 2/3rds of the favorites winning their games, that's just how it works.  What we're mostly sorry for, is listening to the hype, watching too much ESPN, believing in Las Vegas's odds, and not doing enough of the ONE thing that sets up apart... making reasonable predictions in contradiction to the GARBAGE the mainstream media tells you to believe.  In relation to the fact that most of the underdogs have won today, our predictions have been fairly solid.  But from now on, we promise to believe in our instincts more than our television sets.  Blake has a winning record and he picked the chiefs, so give him props on his opinions (though the Browns were in control for most of the game)  I knew and stated the Bears would be better, obviously I didn't think they would be this good as the Cowboys are already choking, but so did all of us who predicted a Cowboys victory.  Mike Martz deserves tremendous amount of praise.  The Steelers didn't even have their back-up QB, but their defense has proven to be as dominant as when they won Super Bowls.  We all knew this one would be close, and everyone thought the Titans would win.  I knew the Dolphins were still great and I should've went with my gut, but I figured the Vikings simply had too much talent.  Unfortunately, Brad Childress is the worst coach of all time, give Favre a CHANCE to win you the damn game.   Tampa Bay isn't good, and they shouldn't be winning games, but we all over-estimated the Carolina Panthers.  They might have the worst quarterback situation in the league.





               Most importantly in terms of OUR predictions, while we failed on all the games that everyone else also got wrong, I gave you three best bets and was SURE of one other game as well.   The Bengals did, in fact, beat the Ravens as Blake and I told you they would, the one thing we are most proud of because so many people think the Ravens are going to win the Super Bowl, and so many people have already hopped off of the Bengals bandwagon.  Blake and I both told you that the Packers would destroy the Bills and the points spread, mad props to my brother Mr. Blizzard on that one. (I told you Brandon Jackson would be irrelevant)  And finally, Despite my lack of faith in the Atlanta Falcons and Michael Turner, I guaranteed, and staked this entire blog's reputation on the fact that the Falcons would CRUSH the awful Arizona Cardinals. Check, check, and check, we are good.  





               And thus, if you bet on the games you were told to, you'd be 2 of 2 or 3 for 3 so far, luckily Blake has me covered if the Patriots lose or win by less than 3.  Smart thinking.  However, I am shocked at the Patriots struggling offense in the first half, I knew the Jets defense was good, but this game is so critical in determing how we view these two teams for the rest of this season...I really thought the Pats offense would reach a pretty incredible level again this year (not the best ever, but not too far off) so let's all watch in astonishment!   Meanwhile look for my upset pick tonight, Giants over the Colts, but I am anti-guarantee proofing that particular prediction.  If you bet actual money on the Giants, you must be some crazed nutcase of a fan....or a genius like me?  Anyway, it's been fun, keep watching football ladies and gentleman!  The moral of today being :  Stop listening to everyone else, and trust that we'll keep improving (and that we'll stop listening to them too)





              Also, IP address people who often check out our updates, we just came up with the idea for this blog in August, we just started adding pictures last week, and we are continously getting better and more entertaining with each passing day, so don't be afraid to follow the instructions at the top of the page and become loyal followers of Sports Mastermind.  We appreciate your support, and we're keeping track of our original fans, we THANK you guys and gals, stay tuned...





At Half-time the Patriots are making me look good, by not looking that good and still leading by 4 points (1 point above the spread, and 5 points ahead of losing).   Continued good luck football fans!

Trizz's NFL Week Two Picks: The Greatest Picks and NFL Game Previews on the morning of Sept. 19th, 2010, ever

Procrastination almost got the best of me this week (and this morning), as well as the fact that I've been so busy working on my list of the top ten quarterbacks of all time (and spending vast amounts or research, writing, and explaining my pick for the number one quarterback) that I almost decided to let Blake's picks speak on behalf of Sports Mastermind.  However, I saw how wrong he was, and how easy and sensible it would be to copy his format...So, I’ve decided that Blake's style, font and ability to smell like the body wash Ray Lewis promotes by blowing up planets and talking to bears is fantastic, and thus Sports Mastermind's creator and genius lead writer will sincerely flatter by marking this as the way to do it.   Phil Simms is my favorite quarterback of all time, and a good announcer but he has some crazy predictions of incorrectishness (new word).  Calvin Johnson is a moron for not 100% making sure that it was a touchdown before letting go of the football, but he's young and the referrees are still at fault for misinterpreting an unnecessary rule. We will predict the winners and scores, then compare our brilliance to the betting spread in USA Today, and our ability to predict winners as compared to that of the mainstream media's so-called experts at ESPN or CBSsports, or Yahoo Sports, etc. Let's face it, no one currently places bets because of something we've said, not until we've built up our credibility.  Speaking of which, Blake was doing a great job picking the games until later on in the post where he clearly got tired.  Not to disagree with fellow Mastermind Blake Blizzard, or Dugie Sports, shout out, but although you guys are right about a majority of the games, some picks are doomed for failure.  So without further adue, whilst we wait for Calvin Johnson's touchdown to count, Michigan State's play clock to expire, and the Red Sox to be mathematically eliminated, here are my picks:

Chicago at Dallas:

The Cowboys are going to win, and we're all aware of this.  There's no way that they are going to start the season 0-2 and then go on to face an extremely tough part of their schedule, starting with the Texans next week.  I picked the Cowboys to win the division, and though I like what I've seen from the Giants and 'Skins, the Cowboys, at the very least, are still going to matter.  The Bears offense is underrated, and their defense hasn't been great in a few years.   Wade Phillips needs to assert his authority, Romo needs to stop making mental errors, and somebody on that team needs to step up, accept blame, and stop making excuses.  Dallas wins in a more offensive game than one would think, Romo and Dez Bryant hook-up for a 33-21 victory 

Buffalo Bills at Green Bay Packers

It's true Blake, Donald Kuhn is the greatest white running full-back in the history of the NFL this season.  Unfortunately for you and your poorly constructed fantasy team, Brandon Jackson is not Ryan Grant, in fact, he's not even Donald Kuhn.  Look for the Packers to get a veteran free agent running back or to make a less than exciting trade soon.  Meanwhile the Bills supposedly have three good running backs, too bad no one told their offensive line.  Lee Evans and C.J. Spiller will continue to sit on the bench of my undefeated fantasy teams...  The Bills defense is better than you would think, and that matters in Buffalo, but certainly not when they play in the Frozen Tundra filled with cheeseheads.  The only difference I'll say I've noticed is that people are severely under-valuing the Packers defense after a great comeback effort from Michael Vick.  Green Bay dominates in an easy 31-9 win.  BEST BET = bet on this game, I dont care if the pack is favored by 20 by the time you make your bet.  They're actually favored by 13 1/2. 

                                            

Pittsburgh at Tennessee

Sadly, I agree yet again, as impressive as the Steelers defense looked last week, and as bad as the Raiders were against these Titans last week, I have always loved these Titans.  I considered picking them to win the division and then as a wildcard, but the Texans and Colts are too good in their own right.  I can't name one guy on the Titans defensive line, but Jeff Fisher is like a poor man's Bill Belichick.  You would think this would be a defensive battle, but while the Steelers load up the box against the best running back in the game, Vince Young proves once again that he can play, and that he's a winner.  Jamarcus Russell should sit back and take notes as the Tennessee Titans win 24-13

Tampa Bay at Carolina

Matt Moore does not suck as bad as one would think, the Bucs do though.  The Giants new safeties are interception fiends and Matt Moore isn't entirely to blame for Carolina's pitiful performance.  Don't concussions mean Jimmy Clausen has to start, I'd stick with Matt Moore, Clausen is a classic Leinart (new term for good college quarterback who won't succeed in the NFL),  so the Panthers shouldn't bother unless they have no choice.  I picked the Bucs against a superior Browns team for no good reason, but I didnt regret the results.  Should I go for it one more time?  No.  Carolina wins 18-3 and the Bucs offense looks disgusting.

Kansas City at Cleveland

Here's where it helps to be a sports genius ( a Mastermind if you will?), games like this that no one else cares about, everyone glances over, quickly shuffles through, and assumes whoever's favored or whoever looked better last week is going to win... The Browns fought surprisingly hard to make sure Mangini was able to keep his job at the end of last season, and Cleveland sports writers have strangely high hopes coming into this season (maybe that has something to do with Lebron ruining the only good franchise left in Cleveland)  Regardless... Eric Mangini's team roughs up the suddenly bandwagon heavy Chiefs.  21-12 (what? I'm not saying the Browns will score a lot) Browns over Chiefs.

Philadelphia at Detroit

Just last year this was one of the easiest games to predict, the Eagles still had Mcnabb and Westbrook and the Lions were starting a rookie Quarterback.  Oh how times have changed, one of the reasons the Eagles traded Mcnabb (other than being racist idiots (just kidding, I know the fans hated him)) is because they knew they had two quarterbacks who could play.  Kevin Kolb is not Aaron Rodgers though, and Vick is the most exciting player in the NFL once again. (if not the fastest)  The Lions are better than they have been, I said so if you read some older posts, but are they good enough to win this game at home?  People don't know that the Lions defensive line is about to have a spectacular season pressuring the quarterback, not only with their rookie DT, but they have a very good Kyle Vanden Bosch.  Calvin Johnson is finally going to produce in fantasy football, but this isn't a fantasy game and the Lions are cursed.  The Eagles are destined to have a quarterback controversy with the absence of Mcnabb, along with a worse season than the Redskins, so Vick increases the intensity of the debate around the country.  Michael Vick will be able to avoid the Lions pass rush, Lesean Mccoy will look much better and Desean Jackson will do something great.   Vick's Eagles take this one, 31-24. The Lions will somehow get screwed again.  Eagles over Lions. 

Miami at Minnesota

Dugie Sports is entirely correct in their assessment of the Dolphins, they're still good.  Only beating the Bills by 5 points has nothing to do with anything, this isn't college football (the stupidest part of college football being that SCORE MATTERS, which is why Michigan won't rise in the rankings and Boise State will wind up in a silly BCS bowl against a bad team.) and the Dolphins won the game, and THAT is what counts.  In fact, many people were concerned, seeing as how the Bills can be tough to beat in Buffalo by division rivals (just ask the Patriots), I know it's hard to judge how good the Dolphins defense could potentially be based on how poor the Bills offense definitely will be.  I like Minnesota though, they still have tons of talent on both sides of the ball, but they did look kind of slow and lackadaisical in their opening game.  If this was in Miami, the Dolphins would win, because they WILL be a wildcard team and Favre really misses Sidney Rice, but they're playing in Minnesota.  So let's be real.  I wouldn't be shocked if the Vikings missed the playoffs this year, and the AFC is clearly the better conference but  Minnesota takes this one, 24-20 Vikings beat the Dolphins, in a better offensive effort by both teams.  The betting line of 5 1/2 means you should therefore bet on the dolphins, but stay away from this game in general.

Arizona at Atlanta

Um...wow.  In a match-up of two teams I despise (not always, just for this particular season), I'm actually not sure who to pick.  After last week, I've learned my lesson and everyone else should be able to tell that the Falcons are still a mediocre, fringe playoff team.  They win games they shouldn't, and lose games they shouldn't.  Their offense isn't as good as it's talent should dictate, and their defense is equally frustrating.  I have hated the Cardinals chances to do anything good this year, they've lost so much talent, but they still have a great head coach for once.  However, based purely on talent and ability, and home-field advantage, the Falcons have to win this game.  I'm going to stupidly go with the Falcons just ONE more time only because they are facing such a mediocre team, and insanely,  I'm going to say they bounce back in a HUGE way.   Atlanta dominates 38-17 and you know what.  BEST BET =  Once again the spread (6 1/2) is irrelevant because the Falcons will win by such a large margin, I stake my reputation on it.

Baltimore at Cincinnati

This is as tough to pick as you would think, everyone is split as they should be.  Obviously, after the first game, it appears I was too high on the Bengals mainly because I believed in the defense's rankings last year, not in Terrell Owens.  I no longer think they are going to be the number one seed in the AFC but they are still going to the playoffs (Making the Pats win ever more impressive).  Baltimore's defense looked PUMPED, and was out to prove that they are still one of the best units in the NFL.  The Ravens secondary is still not very good though (watch the tape against the Jets), and Flacco, though solid, is mildly overrated as is the Ravens offense.  Ray Rice is great, don't get me wrong, but the Bengals rush defense is going to show up for this one.  The Bengals looked sloppy in the preseason and the opener but the Ravens brought their "A" game against the Jets, Their "B" game isn't good enough against Cincy, Carson Palmer and those old receivers will light it up.  Terrell Owens and Ochocinco will score, and the Ravens offense won't be able to keep up.  The Bengals will prove how good the Patriots really are... and our blog Sports Mastermind (Troy & Blake) will prove that we are simply smarter than other sports blogs.  Blake and I may have our disagreements but Cincinnati wins at home. 31-17 and although I'm saving my last BEST BET for a more anticipated game, Baltimore is favored by 2 1/2 points IN CINCINNATI, pick the Bengals.

St. Louis at Oakland

Newsflash Mr. Blizzard, Darelle Revis is the best cornerback in football.  Even if Oakland's guy with the unpronouncable impossible to spell name had the most talent, a tree doesn't make noise when it falls down in a lonely, unpopulated forest, if you catch my drift.  This game is terrible, the Raiders showed everyone that they're still the Raiders last week, while the Rams weren't as completely humiliated in their opening game.  At least St. Louis has a quarterback of the future, Jason Campbell's ability has yet to be determined.  The Rams defense didn't look too good against Derek Anderson though, and Bradford is taking his inexperience on the road.  Oakland destroys the Rams 27-12 at home because nothing beats the intensity of a drunk Raiders fan. 

Seattle at Denver

I don't completely disagree with the "Blizzard" on Pete Carroll's future as an NFL head coach, he brings enthusiasm and he's off to a nice start.  On the other hand, he is a coward, and I bet Reggie Bush and Pete Carroll spend hours talking on their cellies about how funny it is to see their school be punished for their indiscretions.  Roger "God"ell as I like to call him, has got to be jealous of the NCAA's power, the NCAA gets to penalize programs, schools and students for something people who have nothing to do with the current program, school, and students did several years ago, it's a joke.  Make Bush admit what he did, and financially compensate the school and a charity, Make Carroll be held responsible for being dishonest... Aaaahhhh.  And now to end my political talking point, digress, and get back to this game, I'm mad as hell.  Everyone and Anyone picked the 49ers to win the NFC west and all of a sudden, after one game, many analysts and fans have jumped on Seattle's bandwagon.  Jump off before it crashes, jerks.  I don't care what fluke took place in game one, the Broncos looked alright against a stubborn Jacksonville team.  The Broncos and Seahawks will both be lucky to end the season at 8-8, therefore the law of averages suggests that the Broncos will win this game.  I think the Broncos are flat-out more talented.  The weak AFC west will prove how crappy the awful NFC west division is in this game.  BTW, Tim Tebow will be a bigger and better version of Doug Flutie, he might be banished to the Canadian Football League, or he might have a few pretty good years at the helm of the Bronco's offense.  I think he thinks too highly of his own morality, as do his fans, as does his lost virginity, but that is completely irrelevant.  The Denver Broncos will win 28-23 against the Seahawks in Denver.  They are favored by 3, I pick them, but certainly don't bet on it.

New England at New York Jets

AFC east divisional games are hard-fought, and great theater.  The New York Jets are still a good team with a great defense.  This game is being played in New York.  So as I have stated a thousand times over the last few weeks,  the Jets were being extremely overrated by all, but for the Patriots to only be favored by 3 in this one is quite expected.  If this was the opening game (and last week didn't happen) the Jets might be favored by a touchdown, it's amazing how things can change so quickly in the NFL.  I am a New Yorker at heart, I have never had anything against the Jets (I actually rooted for them as my second favorite team until this year), so the only reason I've been so down on them is because they do so much talking for a team that hasn't won a damn thing.  They are currently the most entertaining team with the most controversial story lines, but those headlines will dissipate as they continue to lose, struggling offensively.  Blake knows what he saw in week one, Blake knows the truth about these two teams and this game, but he didn't want to pick all the favorites so he went out on a limb and picked the Jets.  If they win, he looks pretty damn good, so I don't blame him for this pick or his strategy to gain credibility.  However, I know he knows that the Patriots are going to win this game, everything he's said in contrast to that can ONLY be found in this particular paragraph.  Mr. Blizzard will learn that it's better to be right, and go with your gut than to pick against the favorite, but at least he's made this more interesting.  Now I look even better when this happens.  BESTEST BEST BET = The New England Patriots defeat the New York Jets by more than 3 points.  That's all that matters but I think they'll win by a whole lot more.  37-13 in a dominant performance by the Pats.  Not only are the Jets left reeling from an 0-2 start, but the Patriots prove that Tom Brady is back, and that they have one of (if not) the best offense(s) in the NFL this season.

Jacksonville at San Diego

San Diego has gotten off to some terrible starts over the last several seasons, overtaking the Broncos in the end, but not always convincingly.  LT was old, and Ryan Matthews can easily replace old man's production, as Darren Sproles continues to be a nuisance to defenses.  The Chargers offense can't be as bad as it looked last week, but Jacksonville is consistently good, but not good enough to get into the playoffs.  Ironically though, I think the Jaguars might make the postseason if they were an AFC west team, but they're not, and somebody has to win the AFC west when the chiefs go back to failing miserably.   Phillip Rivers was starving for a receiver as big as Vincent Jackson in the red zone in week one, while the Chargers rush defense was pathetic.  Speaking of which, Mo-Jo-Drew can run the ball, the Jags QB isn't awful, and their respective offensive and defensive lines have always been nasty.  Perhaps I'm angry at the Chargers for making me look bad after I correctly picked the Ravens to beat the Jets, or maybe I just want to be contradictory, or possibly I dont want to worry about the odds or spread so I'm picking the underdog.  Or maybe I'm just smarter than everyone else who predicts games, we'll see.  The Jacksonville Jaguars defeat the San diego Chargers, 24-23.

Houston at Washington

How can everyone love and respect the Texans and then pick against them in week two?  Houston is only favored by 2 1/2 points after beating ESPN's top ranked Indianapolis Colts team in week one.  Granted the game will be played in D.C., and the 'Skins have some beasts on defense, but give me a break.  I picked the Houston Texans to have a SUPERb year, I looked brilliant in week one, and I am still riding this wave of awesome momentum.  Everyone thinks Washington could be a playoff team, but probably not considering the Vikings will steal one of those wildcard spots.  So let's see, a pretty good team (that went 4-12 last year) with a quarterback trying to adjust to a new offense and new coach against a very good team (9-7 last year) with a very good quarterback (Matt Schaub), the best wide receiver in football (Andre Johnson, sorry Fitz), and a solid defense (even without Brian Cushing).  Maybe I'm not giving the Redskins enough credit, or giving too much credit to the Texans but this game was easy for me to pick.  Sure, the Texas may have made too much of one great game against a struggling Colts defense, but they got the monkey off their back.  People are looking at this entirely the wrong way, the 'Skins are going to let up after getting a great division victory against their ARCH rival Dallas Cowboys.  The 'Boys offense did a great job of making the 'Skins defense look good, but it was obvious to us all that the Cowboys were a more talented, superior team.  Wade Phillips needs to assert his authority, Romo needs to stop making mental errors, and somebody on that team needs to step up, accept blame, and stop making excuses.  I feel like I've read that somewhere before, oh well.. the Houston Texans beat the Redskins by a score of 23-17. (yes, it should still be pretty close, respect to Mcnabb)

New York Giants at Indianapolis

To imply that the Giants have no chance of reaching the Super Bowl, while the always disappointing Colts do, is absurd.  I'm not too high on the Giants, but the Colts are NOT winning 12 games in the regular season this year, they might not even win their division, and Peyton Manning is nothing more than a mediocre quarterback once the postseason begins.  At the opposite end of the spectrum, Eli Manning is merely an above average quarterback for a majority of the time, but he is exceptional when the game or the season is on the line (or in the 2 minute drill).  Yes, he got lucky in the Super Bowl against the Pats, but some quarterbacks get a few breaks only to wind up losing anyway.  Eli is a less talented, Stewie clone of his brother, no question, and Peyton can certainly carry his offense and his team to victories throughout the regular season.  I'm sick of hearing about Eli's mediocrity though,  I have never been a big fan, never respected him very much, but he has won me over by being a winner.  I didn't trust Eli Manning as recently as last season, but he continues to improve, he is absolutely a top 10 quarterback in the league now (perhaps number 10, but nonetheless).  The Colts have been too good each and every season since Peyton Manning became the best regular season quarterback in football, in spite of a sometimes iffy defense.  I think the Colts should win, they were probably the best team in the NFL last season (don't tell the Saints that), but my doubts about the Colts and my hopes for the Giants has clouded my judgement.  Last year's Colts team would've beat last year's New York Giants, and no one expects the Colts to fall from grace this season, except me.  The Giants safeties will prevent big plays, the giants receivers will make some big plays (Steve Smith will come up huge), but Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs will dominate the ball, the clock, and the game.  The team formerly known as the Indianapolis Colts would not have gone 0-2, but then again, the prior Colts teams would have beaten the Texans last week.  The offense will not be a problem, but the Colts defense will be worse than ever this season.  The Giants have nothing to lose, no one expects them to win this game (you hear me, Mike Francesa!), in spite of some silly writers and analysts picking the G-men in this one.  Consider me one of them.  The Giants will beat the Colts 33-27.  Fun Fact:  Eli Manning won a Super Bowl ring before Peyton Manning, despite a disadvantage in years, experience, and talented teammates.  Look for Eli to play great in the second of three Manning Bowls. (That's right, another prediction)

New Orleans at San Francisco

(Yes, that's Carlton from Fresh Prince)

Why would the Saints have a Super Bowl slump (resident Saints fan, Blake?)?   The Super Bowl loser is the team that always fails the next season (perhaps why I'm so down on the Colts).  Regardless, the Saints looked fairly mediocre in last week's marquee match up against the very talented Vikings (in spite of what Blake may have seen with his biased eyes). The 49ers, another off season media darling that might not quite live up to the hype, will still win the NFC west division (which was pretty much the only hype, no one thinks they're great), looked completely lost and out of sync on offense. They will play better this week, at least, but Alex Smith is still gonna be playing QB.  Meanwhile, the Saints have some gentleman named Drew Brees, whom I used to love and respect as a member of the Chargers ( in spite of my hatred for the chargers).  However, though I certainly don't dispute his ability, nor him being one of the top 5 quarterbacks in the league currently, Drew Brees has developed an aura of self-righteousness.  It seems like he feels like he single-handedly has salvaged the city of New Orleans, and he basically makes me sick.  Sean Payton isn’t half bad either; but he's no Mike Singletary.  I am quite tempted to pick the niners but I can't pick against the Saints out of spite for other sports writers and fans. So... New Orleans wins this one 24-17 over the 49ers.  Blame Alex Smith.  

And so there you have it; some of the most brilliant football picks in history again.  Although, that claim was already claimed in our last post, we are somehow both correct in our level of arrogance regarding our brilliance.  Good luck, sports fans! - Troy Lightner (Trizz)

Blitzing this week's NFL games: The Best Picks

So, I’ve decided to make my first article writing for the Sports Jerk (or whatever we’re calling this blog) as mediocre as possible. I’m talking lackluster and unimaginative here people… that’s right everyone, weekly picks! Now, without further ado, let’s spread this weak sauce all over a bagel and get down to brass tacks here. Hopefully it won’t be so lengthy as to make our eyes get abortions (hint, hint, Troy).

Chicago at Dallas:

Fresh off stealing a victory in a game that was responsible for more broken hearts in Detroit than the death of the auto-industry, Chicago looks to make it 2-0; while the Cowboys look to make up for offensive production that only the Buccaneers from 20 years ago could envy. Dallas, a perpetual media darling, was many people’s pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, and their loss to an even more offensively inept Washington team has many of those same people questioning the hype. But you’d have to believe the Jets were really contenders to think this talented, if overrated, Dallas squad is gonna start the season 0-2. Take the ‘Boys. Dallas 24-14 and one Jay Cutler emasculation on live television.

Buffalo at Green Bay

Do you think the Green Bay Packers are worried that Ryan Grant is out for the year? If having the backup FB also play backup HB is any indication: no. And based on the type of running games cranked out by recent Super Bowl teams like the Colts, Cardinals, and Pats, perhaps there is very little reason to worry. They are certainly not better off for having lost Grant but Jackson isn’t that big of a downgrade (if he stays healthy), and the rest of the team is stacked. On the other hand, the Bills are in year 11 of rebuilding. Name three players on the Bills team right now, go ahead-do it, I’ll wait… yeah. Good luck Buffalo, at least you still have frigid winters and urban decay! Green Bay 31-17 and one ghost of Bruce Smith weeping in the bleachers.

                                            Not pictured: Jim Kelly - All-Pro, non-snowman

Pittsburgh at Tennessee

This is an interesting matchup. If the Steelers had Roethlisberger, it would be an easy pick, but they have some guy named “Dandy” Dennis Dixon playing at QB. They looked convincing in a win last week against a pretty good Falcons team, but an anemic offense lead by a 3^rd string QB is still as bad as it sounds. It’s gonna be a low scoring slugfest, but the Titans have fantasy pipe layer Chris Johnson. Apparently he’s gonna run 2500 yards Into the future and bring the AIDs vaccine on his way back… or something, I don’t follow sports myself. Tennessee 16-14 and one Big Ben sighting in the ladies bathroom.

Tampa Bay at Carolina

A game between two real contenders… from 7 years ago. Unless the Bucs don the cream sickle uniforms of yesteryear, the most exciting part of this game will be seeing if Panthers QB Matt Moore bleeds from the ears after coming back from a concussion last week. WE WANT CLAUSEN! Carolina 23-10 and two cities that don’t even care.

Kansas City at Cleveland

Oh, Cleveland, if only I would have saved that earlier joke about “at least having frigid winters and urban decay” for you. You deserve it fella, and it certainly applies to you as well. But hey! you’re favored to win this game for some reason… Cleveland rocks! I just don’t think so… Kansas City 21-13 and one big cloud of dust.

Philadelphia at Detroit

Keeping with our “frigid winters and urban decay” theme that keeps popping up, we have none other than the Detroit Lions, fresh off a loss in the Common Sense Bowl, facing off against the heavily concussed Philadelphia Eagles. It’s obvious that the Lions are an improved team; gone are the days of being the absolute worst team in NFL history and the future is bright with promise of 4-6 glorious, glorious wins (in one season!). Yet, how can anyone possibly expect them to construct a successful game plan for stopping Mike Vick? They better brush up on those tapes of Vick from 2006, because it certainly looks like that is the guy they will be facing. Philadelphia 27-17 and one shot fired, two males seen fleeing from the scene. (See, decided not to go with a dog fighting joke there. Hooray for me. Although Vick from 06 would also be on top of his dog fighting game.)

Miami at Minnesota

At the beginning of this year, I really, really liked Miami. I believe I even named them as one of my two AFC wildcard teams, but I was given great pause just before the start of the season when Bill Parcells suddenly stepped down-setting himself up for the broadcast booth and a run on early bird specials. You know what else can give one pause? Seeing what you consider a good team outscore the Buffalo Bills 15-10. Wowee. Furthermore, despite my personal belief that the Vikings are as poised for a fall as any contender is from last year, I really don’t see them letting another game get away. Brett Favre will play better, the defense will actually show up, and the Dolphins won’t have an answer on offense. Minnesota 28-10 and one Metrodome electrical fire unnoticed by fans at home.

Arizona at Atlanta

CAWWWW! Atlanta 17-14 and one too many NFL teams named after birds.

Baltimore at Cincinnati

Baltimore looked sharp against the trash talking, ever hate-able New York Jets. The Bengals did… not. But the Jets are a fraud, and the Bengals played the flippin’ Patriots. Why the hell was everyone so low on the Pats and so high on the Jets a few weeks ago? I’ll tell you why: fluoridation. Cincinnati 20-14 and one instance of Terrell Owens feeling sorry for himself in a win.  

St. Louis at Oakland

Bo Jackson used to play for Oakland, so did Darth Vader. Presently someone named Namdi  Asomugah plays for them… and he might be the best CB in football. Not like St. Louis can pass a football anyway. Oakland 23-16 and sixty tools dressed up like they’re from the movie Road Warrior.  

Seattle at Denver

I think Pete Carroll is gonna have a good go as a head coach this time around. I don’t think Tim Tebow will ever be any good. Neither of those things really matter at this point and time, and neither do either of these teams. Seattle 20-14 and one disgraced college university.

New England at New York Jets

Just when I thought everyone had cooled their jets (hahaha) on supporting the New York bandwagon, the Patriots are only favored in this game by 3 points. Did everyone sleep through Tom Brady and Wes Welker making sweet magic on the field last weekend? Because I did. The Jets are my upset pick of the week, for absolutely no good reason! New York Jets 19-17 and one definitively blown pick by yours truly.

Jacksonville at San Diego

The Jaguars will probably have just as many fans at the SD game as they do when they play in Jacksonville. They will definitely have the same amount of talent and coaching ability; this is bad news for a team that over achieved last week. San Diego is going to be hungry coming off that upset loss. San Diego 27-14 and one less fan than in Jacksonville.

Houston at Washington

Here’s another match up that I like for a potential upset. Obviously, the red hot Texans are favored, and even though Washington got the win last week they did it in rather unconvincing fashion. However, I think Houston’s win last week was more a perfect storm of success than it was proof positive that the Texans are a real contender. Don’t get me wrong, I like the Texans, I even like them to make the playoffs and maybe even to make some noise once in… but they are due for a quick stumble after a similarly exhilarating start to the regular season. So, you’ve heard it here first… three people that actually read this; it’s gonna be Washington 23-20 and one more surprising win for McNabb’s Redskins.

New York Giants at Indianapolis

Finally, after nearly four years of waiting, Manning Bowl 2 is here. The last one was a forerunner to back to back Super Bowl wins by the Manning brothers. One has to think the winner of this years’ Manning Bowl could repeat history and be a champion again by the end of the season (…if they’re Peyton Manning anyhow). The Giants are better than a lot of people think, their defense looks back up to snuff, and Eli Manning plus his WRs pose a truly dangerous threat to the opposition. Yes sir, they are gonna compete hard for a playoff spot this year. Too bad the Colts aren’t gonna lose 2 in a row. No way and no how… Indianapolis 34-24 and one Manning brother hurt playing high school football and never heard from again.

New Orleans at San Francisco

So much for a Super Bowl slump, well, at least for one high profile game. Regardless, the Saints looked razor sharp in last weeks marquee match up against the very talented Vikings. The 49ers, another off season media darling that is doomed to underachieve, looked completely lost and out of sync, however. They will play better this week, at least, the play calling on offense won’t be so disjointed, but Alex Smith is still gonna be playing QB. Meanwhile, the Saints have some gentleman named Drew Brees, and he is setting the NFL ablaze while barely seeing over the top of his offensive linemen. Sean Payton isn’t half bad either; perhaps Mike Singletary should stand back and learn a thing or two. New Orleans 31-17 and one ex49er feeling remorse for what he said about his former teammate Rudy.

And so there you have it; some of the most brilliant football picks in history. Because certainly, I cannot be just as hackneyed and clueless as every other sports talking head… certainly. To find out more information about all my greatness, look for my next article on the top 10 QBs of all time (its gonna be waaay better than that other hack’s list). Until then, here’s more information on how to pronounce Raiders CB Namdi Asoahmuhohahays name. Good luck, sports fans! -Blake Broussard