JC's Take: Stars, Goats & Notes From Week 14 of the NFL

Team of the Week: Dallas Cowboys
-For the second week in a row, a NFL team had to deal with a horrible tragedy less than 48 hours before their game on Sunday. And for the second week in a row, that team went on the field Sunday and pulled out an emotional victory. The Cowboys came back from down 9 midway through the 4th quarter to pull off a 20-19 win in Cincinnati. It was a game the Cowboys needed to stay alive in the Playoff race. You could see the emotion from the Cowboys players before, during, and after the game. Cameras caught players crying just going through sprints and runs in the early pre-game. But Dallas came up with a strong defensive effort, shutting down a good Bengals offense. And the Cowboys did just enough on offense to get them the win.

NFL Week 10 Picks

Can I ride my hot streak into another week? Damn right I can!

Last Week: 12-2
Year to Date: 85-46

Indianapolis Colts vs Jacksonville Jaguars
The Colts continue to play like a team motivated by losing their coach. Indianapolis pulled out a big win against Miami last week at home and put themselves in a great position to grab a Playoff spot in the AFC. There is still a lot of season left, and the Colts do have a difficult schedule, but all they need to do is keep playing as well as they have been. Andrew Luck is not playing like a rookie and the way he is leading this team on the field is incredible. But the Colts play on the road needs to improve. Their offensive performances struggles. The good news is that they have a chance to improve on that at Jacksonville. The Jaguars are a giant mess of a team right now. They are without their top offensive weapon, Maurice Jones Drew. And the offense is struggling to do anything with Blaine Gabbert under center. Jacksonville will be in position to draft a QB next year, one Mike Mularkey can hand pick himself and make his QB. It is clear Gabbert is not the answer. Similar to the Chiefs, I don't pick the Jaguars to win. They may keep it close, but the Colts win here.

Indianapolis 24  Jacksonville 13

JC's Take: Stars, Goats & Notes From Week 8 Of The NFL

Team of the Week: Denver Broncos
Denver took control of the AFC West this week with a very convincing win over the Saints. Denver's defense has had some problems stopping good offenses this year but they did a good job of shutting down Drew Brees and the Saints offense. And Peyton Manning looked like the Peyton Manning of old the entire game. Yes it was against the Saints defense, but it was still a very impressive performance. Denver has established themselves as the top dogs in the AFC West. They've shown they can put teams away early and also come from behind late like they did two weeks ago against San Diego. Denver is the most stable team in that division. If their defense can keep putting up performances like they did Sunday night, then they could be a threat in the AFC. That will be the key for Denver going forward.

NFL Off-Season Preview: NFC East Addition

And so here we are. The last of my off-season previews. For are last stop, we take a look at the division of the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants.The Giants played the best football in the last month of the regular season and rode that momentum to a great post-season and eventually a Super Bowl win. The Giants have a couple key free agents this off-season, but they should be geared up for another run. The Philadelphia Eagles were billed the "Dream Team" heading into the season, but they struggled early on and couldn't come back late. The Dallas Cowboys? They had high hopes coming into the year, but two losses to the Giants in December kept them from making the Playoffs. And the Washington Redskins just traded away three 1st round Draft Picks for one player. This division usually gets the most talk from the national media because of the big time players in it, and they usually don't disappoint when it comes to making buzz.

New York Giants

2011 Record: 9-7

I sang the praise of the Giants for the last month of the season. Other than that stinker at home against Washington, they played very well. I didn't think, however, that the Giants would carry that momentum all the way to the Super Bowl. I thought the Packers would get the better of them. I thought the Giants could score an upset, but I didn't think it would happen. But the Giants shut down the Packers offense, got some good breaks against San Francisco, and scored late again against the Patriots to win the Super Bowl. Eli Manning in the process cemented his claim as an elite quarterback in the NFL. The Giants defense is what stepped up towards the end of the season. Once the pass rush was finally healthy, they were difficult to stop. Jason Pierre-Paul grew into one of the best pass rushers in the league. If the core group of the Giants can stay together, then there is no reason to think a repeat isn't possible.

NFL Week 17 Picks

Last week of regular season picks. I will do a preview for each round of the Playoffs as well, then more than likely an off-season preview in March and April, along with a Draft preview as well.

Last Week's Record: 10-6
Year to Date Record: 153-87

Carolina Panthers vs New Orleans Saints
This is a match-up of two offenses that are fun to watch for different reasons. For Carolina, they have the always entertaining Cam Newton for them at QB. Newton's big arm and play making abilities on the ground make him a duel threat under center. Along with Johnathan Stewart and DeAngleo Williams, the Panthers have one of the best running attacks in the league. The Panthers are going to be a popular playoff pick next year, and this match-up could be a bigger game next year for both teams. The Panthers need to get healthy on defense and if they do that, watch out. The Saints offense is fun to watch because they have Drew Brees at QB. Brees has one of the best football minds in the game. He finds his open WR every play. It doesn't matter if it is his first option or fourth option, Brees finds him. Brees just broke Dan Marino's single season passing record, so he doesn't have that to play for this game. But the Saints are still fighting for a 1st round bye, but that seems unlikely with the 49ers easy match-up. But the Saints will play hard here. The Panthers almost knocked off the Saints earlier in the season, but a late Saints TD drive stopped that. I think the Saints pull out a close one here. Brees will pick apart a weak Panthers secondary.

New Orleans 35  Carolina 24

NFL Week 16 Review

It is almost Playoff time. Lets take a look at Week 16 action first!

Team of the Week: Detroit Lions
-The Lions get this spot for clinching their first playoff berth since 1999. There were high hopes for the Lions at the start of the season, and they lived up to that hype with a 5-0 start. The Lions encountered some road bumps in the middle of the season but have won three in a row, and they dominated the red hot San Diego Chargers on Saturday to secure their Wild Card berth. Matthew Stafford has turned into a promising franchise QB, and the Lions have found ways to make their offense work when teams shut down Calvin Johnson. The defense is still a bit shaky, but if the Lions passing game keeps playing as well as they are, they can give teams fits in the playoffs. The Lions would be a tough out for the Giants or Cowboys.

Game of the Week: Indianapolis Colts 19  Houston Texans 16
-Not a lot of good choices this week. Nothing really stood out. So I'm giving the nod to this game. The Colts drove down the field on the Texans and Reggie Wayne caught the game winning TD pass with under one minute left to win their second straight game and put their chances at Andrew Luck in jeopardy. The Colts face a bad Jaguars team next week, and with the Rams facing a good 49ers team, the Rams could steal the #1 pick. And the Rams could get a boatload in return for that pick. The Texans have lost two in a row and the offense has sputtered a bit in recent weeks. The Texans defense also shouldn't let Dan Orlovsky drive down the field like he did on Thursday. The Texans have some kinks to work out before the Playoffs start, otherwise they could be one and done.

Dog of the Week: Rex Ryan, NY Jets Coach
-I'm sorry Rex, but it is time to shut that yap of yours and only open it when you are able to back what comes out of it up. Ryan talked a big game heading into the big Giants/Jets showdown in the Big Apple, and his Jets didn't show up. Apparently, Giants RB Brandon Jacobs told him to shut his mouth after the game, and it is about time someone else did. Even if the Jets find a way to sneak into the Playoffs, they won't have the success they have had the last few years. The team regressed badly this year, especially QB Mark Sanchez. Why is he throwing the ball 40+ times in a game. He isn't that good of a QB to do that. Ryan's mouth hasn't backed up anything yet, and until he gets a ring of his own, he will always be second fiddle in New York.

Other Week 16 Notes
-I think it is safe to say that the luster is finally off of Tim Tebow. Tebow's Denver Broncos were blown out again, this time by a Buffalo Bills team that had lost seven in a row headed into this week. The Bills defense used a four man front and forced Tebow to stay in the pocket and throw. And watching Tebow in person, he does not have a very good arm. If Tebow can't run and make plays, he isn't a very good QB. Now the Broncos face a must win situation this week against Kansas City. Win and the Broncos are in the Playoffs. But you know Kyle Orton, the man Tebow replaced, is dying to help keep his former team out of the Playoffs. The Chiefs defense has been playing very well as of late. Even in defeat, the Chiefs have only allowed one team since Week 12, the Jets in Week 14, to score more than 16 points. Tebow might need all of the magic he has left to help his Broncos win the AFC West.

-If I look back at my AFC Preview, I'm pretty sure I said the Bengals would be the worst team in the AFC this year. Well, it looks like I was completely wrong. The Bengals are one win away from getting the last Wild Card Spot in the AFC. Beat Baltimore at home this week and the Bengals are in. The Bengals got lucky against the Cardinals. Had Cardinals WR Early Doucet not tripped over the goal line, that game would have been going to overtime. But the Bengals control their own destiny, and that is all you can ask for heading into Week 17. The question is: Can a young Bengals team rise up to the challenge and beat a very good Ravens team that will be fighting for the AFC North Title? With the Steelers playing the Browns, the Ravens know they are going to have to win this game to clinch the AFC North and get a first round bye. The AFC North may be the best division in all of football.

-Watching Drew Brees and the Saints offense on Monday night, you have to wonder if they are the actual favorites to win the NFC. The Saints offense with Brees under center is almost unstoppable. They put up 41 points against a good Falcons defense. With the Packers heading into the Playoffs, you have to worry about their defense and if it can stop Brees for even one possession. Brees broke Dan Marino's NFL single season passing yards record last night and deserves some consideration for MVP this year. I know Aaron Rodgers had his team undefeated all year, but the Saints would be absolutely nowhere without Brees. I don't see anything preventing a Saints/Packers rematch for the NFC Championship, and I think these two are the heavy favorites to win the Super Bowl again.

Hey I'm Just Sayin...
-Good thing it isn't up to Raheem Morris if he has to fire himself or not.

-Do the Rams take Andrew Luck and trade Sam Bradford? Or vice versa?

-Can T.J. Yates get the Texans out of the 1st round?

-The only way the 49ers are winning in the Playoffs is if the defense shuts down everyone.

-How did the AFC South become the worst division in football?

-Watch out for the Panthers next year.

AFC PLAYOFF PICTURE
1. New England Patriots  12-3  vs Buffalo
2. Baltimore Ravens  11-4  at Cincinnati
3. Houston Texans  10-5  vs Tennessee
4. Denver Broncos  8-7  vs Kansas City
5. Pittsburgh Steelers  11-4  at Cleveland
6. Cincinnati Bengals  9-6  vs Baltimore
--------------------------------------------------------
7. Oakland Raiders  8-7  at San Diego
8. Tennessee Titans  8-7  at Houston
9. New York Jets  8-7  at Miami

The Wild Card Scenarios for all of the 8-7 teams are a bit complicated, so let me just tell you what I think happens. I think every team in the Wild Card race loses except the Titans. In that scenario, the Bengals and Titans both finish 9-7, and the Bengals would get in because they beat the Titans earlier in the year. I also think the Broncos beat the Chiefs and win the AFC West. The Pats clinch home field, and the Ravens win the AFC North, leaving the playoffs like this in the AFC.

1. New England
2. Baltimore
6. Cincinnati Bengals vs 3. Houston Texans
5. Pittsburgh Steelers vs 4. Denver Broncos

NFC PLAYOFF PICTURE
1. Green Bay Packers  14-1  vs Detroit
2. San Francisco 49ers  12-3  at St. Louis
3. New Orleans Saints  12-3  vs Carolina
4. New York Giants  8-7  vs Dallas
5. Detroit Lions  10-5  at Green Bay
6. Atlanta Falcons  9-6  vs Tampa Bay
--------------------------------------------------------
7. Dallas Cowboys  8-7  at NY Giants

Everything spot wise is set in the NFC besides the NFC East crown. Seeding is still up for grabs. I think the Giants beat the Cowboys in the finale. I also think the Lions beat the Packers in Lambeau. The Lions will play for the 5 seed because it means not going to New Orleans or San Francisco in Round 1. I think the seeds stay exactly as they are now in the NFC.

Three Games I'd Like to See Next Week
Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants: The team that makes the least amount of dumb mistakes wins.
Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals: Can the Bengals cap a surprise season in front of 45,000 "fans."
Kansas City Chiefs vs Denver Broncos: Can TEBOWMANIA rebound after two bad performances.

Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka

NFL Week 15 Picks

Only 3 weeks to go!

Last Week's Record: 11-5
Year to Date Record: 136-72

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Atlanta Falcons
I guess Jacksonville just needed to face a team in worse shape then they were to get going. The Jaguars scored 41 points last week against Tampa Bay. Now two of those TDs were from the defense, but the offense still put up respectable numbers. Maurice Jones-Drew had one of his best games of the year. That helped take the pressure off of Blaine Gabbert. Jones-Drew won't find the goings as easy though against the Falcons. The Falcons came back from 16 down in the 3rd quarter to beat Carolina and stay ahead in the NFC Wild Card Race. Matt Ryan has had a solid last two outings, and he's needed them due to the groin injury that RB Michael Turner is dealing with. Turner has struggled the last 3 weeks. I thought he would break out against Carolina, but that didn't happen. The Jags defense has struggled against the run in the last month of the season, so if Turner can't get going here, something might really be wrong. This is a game the Falcons should easily win. They have more talent everywhere and are actually playing for something.

Atlanta 31  Jacksonville 13

NFL Week 14 Review

I'm sorry to disappoint those of you who want a 3,000 page report on Tim Tebow. It isn't in the cards. Instead, it is our weekly review of NFL Action.

Team of the Week: New York Giants
-The Giants had many doubters heading into this week, with me being one of them. I just didn't see how the Giants went into Dallas on Sunday night and pull off a win. Well, I shouldn't have doubted Eli Manning. Eli lead another 4th quarter comeback that gave the Giants the lead. Then Jason Pierre-Paul, who has been a beast for the Giants all year, blocked a potential game tying field goal by Dan Bailey that sealed the victory for the Giants. The win gave the Giants 1st place in the NFC East. They now control their own destiny in the NFC East. Win out and the Giants are in the playoffs. After the Redskins at home this week, the Giants have the Jets "on the road" even though the game is in New York, then host the Cowboys to end the year. Even if the Giants lose to the Jets, they can still get in with a home win against Dallas. The Giants still have some flaws, specifically in their secondary, but this was a much needed win for a team that was losers of four straight heading into Sunday night.

NFL Week 14 Picks

NFL Picks? Woo Woo Woo! You Know It!

Last Week's Record: 13-3
Year to Date Record: 125-67

Cleveland Browns vs Pittsburgh Steelers
This isn't too much of a rivalry in recent years. The Steelers have dominated the Browns. The Steelers continue to win while the Browns continue to float in mediocrity. Cleveland has definitely taken a step back this year. The distraction that Peyton Hillis has caused isn't helping matters. Colt McCoy has also regressed a bit, but it doesn' help when you have no real threats at WR. And the run defense is just getting gashed on a weekly basis. The most recent is Ray Rice's 200+ yard rushing performance last week. The Browns can't seem to find a winning way and stick to it. Pittsburgh continues their winning ways as they look destined for another playoff appearance. The Steelers have looked streaky at times this year. The offense has struggled in various games, but they had a good showing against Cincinnati last week. Their smash mouth football style helps them win in the winter months though, and that shouldn't be any different this week. Expect Pittsburgh to pound the ball with Rashard Mendenhall, which will open up the play action pass with Big Ben, Mike Wallace, and Antonio Brown. Steelers win rather easily.

Pittsburgh 24  Cleveland 9

Kansas City Chiefs vs New York Jets
Congrats to Tyler Palko on winning his first game last week. Sure, it was against a depleted Bears team. And sure, Palko was pulled at one point in the game, but he still got the win. But the Chiefs still looked terrible on offense. There only TD came on a hail mary pass at the end of the first half. Otherwise, it is the same Chiefs teams that hadn't scored a TD in their last two games. The defense shut down the Bears, but it was a Bears team that didn't have their star QB or RB. The Jets pulled away late against Washington, but the offense struggled early on. Mark Sanchez again looked off on multiple throws. The defense was also burned by the run early on. This, however, should be a cake walk for the Jets as long as they are focused. The Chiefs have no weapons on offense and should struggle against a tough Jets pass rush.

NY Jets 27  Kansas City 6

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Jacksonville Jaguars
This is the battle to not be considered the worst team in Florida. The Bucs are 4-8 and it looks like Raheem Morris is losing control of his players. The offense has looked stagnant and terrible continually. They were blown out by Carolina last week, which cements their status as the worst team in the NFC South. I would be surprised if Morris isn't fired at the end of the year. The Tampa job is semi-attractive, there is a lo of young talent on the team to build around. But they are in a tough division and need quick improvements if they want to compete in the coming years. The Jagaurs already fired their coach. And they still look terrible on offense. I know it is only his first year, but Blaine Gabbert is struggling mightily. With the success of Cam Newton and Andy Dalton, the pressure on him increases. But Gabbert can't handle pressure and often times makes bad decisions even without pressure. You have to feel bad for Maurice Jones-Drew. He's being a team player but you know the losing and struggles have to be eating at him on the inside. A new coach needs to decide if Gabbert has a future in the NFL, and also get some playmakers for him at the WR position. I've told you these teams suck already. So who wins? If you are one of these teams 25 fans and care, I'm picking Tampa. More talent.

Tampa Bay 23  Jacksonville 19

New England Patriots vs Washington Redskins
The Patriots are quietly putting together another typical Patriots season. Remember when we were questioning if this team was a legit playoff team? They still struggle a bit on defense and don't have too much of a running game, but they keep winning and that is all that matters in the end. But if Tom Brady keeps throwing to Rob Gronkowski at will, then this team will be tough to beat. Gronkowski is such a huge target and runs his routes so well that it makes him difficult to cover, especially in the red zone. You need a quick, physical safety to even just keep up with him. Even if Gronkowski gets shut down, you still have that pesky Wes Welker to deal with. The Redskins have given the Cowboys and Jets fights in recent weeks, but they can't find a way to close out games. The defense keeps the Redskins in it, but the offense fails to convert come late in the game. That is partly do to Rex Grossman's inability to perform in the clutch. The one bright spot for Washington has been Roy Helu, who had a good game against the Jets. Helu should have another good game against the soft Patriots defense, and Grossman should do ok as well. But the Patriots offense wins out here. Grossman and Co. can't keep up.

New England 31  Washington 20

Atlanta Falcons vs Carolina Panthers
This has all the makings of a trap game for Atlanta. The Falcons offense struggled last week against the Texans. They only managed 10 points and couldn't get anything going, especially the run game. That should be different this week. Michael Turner should take advantage of a weak Panthers run game. Matt Ryan should also be able to burn the Panthers secondary with some deep plays. The Falcons have the talent to burn the Panthers that the Bucs don't have. The Falcons defense played well, but they will be without Corner Brett Grimes this week, which could hurt. The Panthers could struggle with their running attack here as the Falcons are pretty good at stopping it. Cam Newton might need to rely on his arm more here, and that should wake up the sleeping giant known as Steve Smith. You have to like all of the progress the Panthers are showing this year. They are a fun team to watch, and when they get healthy next year on defense, could be the Lions of this year's NFL. A young team that has the potential to make the playoffs. And that is why I'm picking the Panthers to get the upset win here.

Carolina 24  Atlanta 21

Indianapolis Colts vs Baltimore Ravens
It's a revenge game for Baltimore. Indy stole their franchise years ago and they want revenge! The Colts tried to make a comeback against New England last week but couldn't. But their offense woke up last week under Dan Orlovsky, which is a weird thing to say. Problem for Indy is that their defense is still terrible, and Ray Rice should expose that. He's coming off a 200 yard performance against Cleveland, and could easily top 200 yards again this week. Joe Flacco might have a good game too. Again, I don't see anyway the Colts compete here. The countdown to 0-16 continues. Baltimore wins.

Baltimore 35  Indianapolis 17

Philadelphia Eagles vs Miami Dolphins
Both of these teams are 4-8, but they are heading in completely opposite directions. The Eagles appear to have already packed their bags in for the season. DeSean Jackson looks to have quite on the team. The players seem to have given up on Andy Reid. And the much hyped defense has been torn apart for most of the season. The Eagles will probably get Mike Vick back this week, but that won't so much for them. If the team isn't going to give their effort, then Vick's comeback means nothing. The Dolphins are 4-8 but have been playing some of the best football in the NFL the last 5 weeks. The Dolphins are making it mighty hard for ownership to fire coach Tony Sparano at the end of the year. For some reason, the Dolphins have decided to get going right now rather than the whole season. Nothing changed in Miami, other than the fact that they started trying after 0-7. Reggie Bush should take advantage of the weak Eagles linebackers. The Dolphins improved defense will pressure Mike Vick, and the Dolphins will continue to roll and make the Eagles Dream Season one to forget.

Miami 26  Philadelphia 20

Minnesota Vikings vs Detroit Lions
Can the Lions stop shooting themselves in the foot? They continue to take dumb penalties and cost themselves games. They've gone 2-5 after starting 5-0. The offense hasn't been the problem for the most part. The defense for some reason cannot stop anything in recent weeks. The Lions have been plagued with injuries in the secondary. And they will be without Ndamukong Suh again for this game as he sits out his two game suspension. The good news for the Lions is that it looks like Adrian Peterson will also be out for the Vikings, so the Vikings offense looks a little less threatening. Christian Ponder made a terrible throw last week that lead to an interception and set-up the Broncos game winning field goal. The Vikings defense is also depleted with injuries in the secondary. Expect a big game from Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson. The Lions should rebound here with a nice win against a down Vikings team.

Detroit 34  Minnesota 21

New Orleans Saints vs Tennessee Titans
The Titans are the least talked about team in the AFC Playoff Picture, but they may be the team no one wants to play in the Playoffs when it is all set and done. Chris Johnson has regained his 2011 form, and that is bad news for his opponents down the stretch. Johnson is hiding the ineffectiveness of Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck isn't playing bad, but he isn't doing enough to help get his team into the playoffs. The defense has been in shut down mode in recent weeks which also helps. But that defense faces a daunting task of trying to shut down the high powered Saints offense this week. But the Saints have struggled on the road this season. They are only 3-3 on the road, and there only double digit win came against lowly Jacksonville. But Drew Brees and the Saints offense should take the momentum they've had after winning two big games and carry it to the road. You know the Saints defense main task will be to shut down Chris Johnson and force Matt Hasselbeck to win the game for Tennessee. I expect a close one here, but in the end I have to go with the Saints and there array of weapons on offense.

New Orleans 28  Tennessee 23

Houston Texans vs Cincinnati Bengals
How can this game not sell out in Cincinnati? Bengals fans should be ashamed. Sure the Bengals have struggled recently, but they are still right in the thick of the AFC Wild Card Race. Plus, they are getting a wounded Houston team coming to town. With no Andre Johnson for Houston again, expect a heavy dose of Arian Foster and Ben Tate. But you know the Bengals will be expecting that, so expect a lot of eight man fronts from the defense. That means this game is on T.J. Yates shoulders. Yates performed all right last week against Atlanta, but he will need to do better in his first road start. The Bengals will also have a tough time against a very good Texans defense that shut down the Falcons last week. Andy Dalton will rely heavily on A.J. Green, but he will more than likely face constant double teams all day. This will definitely be a defensive battle, so expect a low scoring affair. If the Bengals are successful in shutting down the Texans run game, then I find it hard to believe T.J. Yates scan win the game for them. I'm giving a slight edge to the Bengals here, and think they pull out a mild upset at home.

Cincinnati 16  Houston 13

Chicago Bears vs Denver Broncos
This is a bad time for the Chicago Bears to come up against TEBOWMANIA. The Bears are down Jay Cutler for the rest of the season and Matt Forte for at least two weeks. And the offense looked terrible without both of them last week against Kansas City. The Bears only managed 3 points verses the lowly Kansas City Chiefs. Marion Barber becomes the feature back in Chicago, but he isn't an every down back. Caleb Hanie hasn't played well, and he doesn't have any weapons at WR that would scare the Broncos defense. If the Bears want to win this game, they will have to rely on their run defense to shut down the running game of the Broncos. The Vikings shut down Tim Tebow last week, but they failed to stop Willis McGahee, who ran for 111 yards and a touchdown. Tebow showed last week that he isn't afraid to throw the ball. It still isn't pretty, but he can avoid pressure and allow his WRs to scramble and get open. The Broncos defense isn't bad either, as they have defensive scores in their last two games. This one has low scoring, defensive struggle all over it. But it is too hard to bet against Tebow and the Broncos here, and they continue their winning ways.

Denver 17  Chicago 13

San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals
The 49ers may have already wrapped up their division, but don't expect them to take their foot off the pedal quite yet. The 49ers still want that 1st round bye and still only have a one game lead over the Saints for that in the NFC. The defense looked dominant in their win over the Rams last week. Sure it was the Rams, but it still takes an all around team effort to shut out a team. If there is one person the 49ers may rest, it might be Frank Gore who has been a bit banged up all year. But Kendall Hunter is a good enough back to handle the work load for the 49ers the rest of the way. The Cardinals won again last week, this time in over time over the Dallas Cowboys. The Cardinals have been playing in recent weeks like I thought they would all year. Similar to the Dolphins, if the Cardinals played like this all year maybe they would be in the hunt for a playoff spot right now. The offense has looked better in recent weeks and the team's overall play is probably saving Ken Wisenhunt's job. This is a dangerous spot for the 49ers. Coming off a big game last week they may suffer a bit of a let down. The Cardinals are a dangerous team right now and I think they pull off the upset here at home.

Arizona 20  San Francisco 19

Buffalo Bills vs San Diego Chargers
These are two of the more disappointing teams this year for different reasons. First the Bills. They started the season 5-2 and appeared on the verge of making the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. But the Bills have lost five in a row. They have been decimated by injuries. Teams have also found out how to shut down the Bills spread offense. And the defense is still getting shredded. Expect defensive coordinator George Edwards gone at the end of the year. The Bills have a tendency to abandon the run like they did last week. They were only down seven at the half, but only ran the ball FOUR times in the second half. C.J. Spiller has shown promise in recent weeks, but Ryan Fitzpatrick has regressed. The Chargers, meanwhile, are the constant favorites in the AFC West. But after starting 4-1, the Chargers lost six in a row before winning last week in Jacksonville. Philip Rivers looked like the old Philip Rivers last week. The defense has struggled to stop anyone as well, which hasn't helped the Chargers offense. The Chargers don't consider them out of the AFC West race, especially with the tough schedule the Broncos and Raiders have ahead. Being two games out with four games left, the Chargers pretty much have to win out if they have a chance. They start here with a win over the Bills in a shootout.

San Diego 38  Buffalo 31

Oakland Raiders vs Green Bay Packers
Last week's performance is something the Raiders absolutely had to avoid. They were blown out on the road in Miami and gave up the lead in the AFC West via tiebreaker to the Broncos. Now the Raiders have to go into Lambeau and try to hand the Green Bay Packers their first loss. The Raiders running attack was finally stopped last week by the Dolphins. Don't expect it to get going again against the Packers. That means Carson Palmer will have to win this game with his arm. But Palmer isn't Aaron Rodgers. Despite the Packers shaky pass defense, Palmer isn't a good enough QB to win the game for the Raiders. Aaron Rodgers should have a field day taking advantage of a weak Raiders secondary. He makes playing QB so simple in the NFL. His 1 minute drive to get into field goal range last week at the end of regulation against the Giants was a thing of beauty. There is no reason to think that won't continue here. The Packers are the better overall team, and with the 49ers losing (in my opinion), they get one step closer to winning home field throughout the NFC Playoffs with another win here.

Green Bay 35  Oakland 23

New York Giants vs Dallas Cowboys
Huge showdown in the NFC East. These two teams play each other twice in the final four weeks, so the loser isn't necessarily out of the NFC Playoff Race. Both teams are coming off of bad losses last week. The Giants stood toe-to-toe with the Packers last week, but the defense couldn't stop the Packers in the end to force overtime. The Giants are a better team with Ahmad Bradshaw in the backfield. That helps them mightily. Eli Manning is having a good season, but the problem is the defense has struggled to stop teams at times. That has been evident the last two weeks against the Saints and Packers. If the Giants front four on defense is silenced, it exposes holes in the secondary. The Cowboys lost to the Cardinals in Arizona after horrible clock management at the end of the 4th quarter. With two timeouts left, Tony Romo wasted about 20 seconds getting his team set up for a spike that brought the clock down to seven seconds left. Then, Coach Jason Garrett called a timeout before a made field goal by Dan Bailey. Bailey missed the next kick, and the Cowboys lost in overtime. Both of these teams will have their moments on offense and defense. I expect it to be close throughout. They key will be which ever team gets their run game going. That opens up the play action pass for both teams. I think in the end, I like the Cowboys here. I expect Jason Witten to have a big game here, just like the Jermichael Finley did last week for the Packers. A close one throughout that goes to the Cowboys, with a late field goal.

Dallas 27  NY Giants 24

St. Louis Rams vs Seattle Seahawks
I bet ESPN wishes they could flex games to Monday night. The second straight game between bad teams on Monday night. Even if ESPN was going off last year's successes of teams, they still should have thought that both of these teams could be awful this year. The Seahawks have played better in recent weeks. They throttled the Eagles last week. Marshawn Lynch has been in full beast mode the last month of the season. Expect another big game from him here against the Rams. The Rams are down to Tom Brandster at QB, which is all you need to know about their offensive struggles. Steven Jackson should have a decent game, but the Seahawks win here thanks to Lynch.

Seattle 28  St. Louis 10

My Vegas $$$ Picks
Last Week's Record: 3-1
Year to Date Record: 31-20-1

I hope no one tries a four team parlay with my bets, because I always get one wrong.

Seattle -5.5 vs St. Louis: Tom Brandster at QB for St. Louis, enough said.

Cleveland +14 at Pittsburgh: I'm still expecting a low scoring affair here.

Carolina +2.5 vs Atlanta: Panthers are a dangerous team.

NY Jets -9 vs Kansas City: Tyler Palko hasn't shown much in recent weeks.

Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka

NFL Week 13 Review

NFL Review time? You bet!

Team of the Week: San Francisco 49ers
-I think this may be the third time the 49ers won this award in the season. But the 49ers won the NFC West on Sunday with a great all around performance against the lowly St. Louis Rams. The 49ers shutout the Rams and had a great game offensively, taking the Rams to the wood shed. Alex Smith continues his career resurrection under Jim Harbaugh, which comes as a complete surprise to a lot of people. The defense is going to make this team a real threat come January. One under-rated guy on this team? Kicker David Akers. Akers has been pretty spot on this year, and he hit another four field goals on Sunday. I don't think Jim Harbaugh rests any players yet. Frank Gore may see a slightly lighter work load, but I don't know if anyone else rests considering the 49ers are still fighting for a 1st round bye. I predicted the 49ers to finish last in the NFC West. I will eat crow here, Congrats to the 49ers on a great season.

Game of the Week: Green Bay Packers 38  New York Giants 35
-This one really isn't close. The Giants were blown out at New Orleans on Sunday night, so you were kind of expecting something similar here. But the Giants stood toe-to-toe with the Packers on Sunday. They drove down the field with less than 5 minutes remaining to tie the game with a touchdown and 2 point conversion. Problem is, they left time on the clock for Aaron Rodgers to go 4 plays down the field to get into field goal position. It reminded me a lot of the Giants/Patriots game from the Patriots undefeated season. The Giants hung with the Pats the entire game before Tom Brady & Co. pulled it out in the end. The Giants fell to 6-6, but the Cowboys also lost so it wasn't a season-ender. The Packers just continue to roll and have already clinched the NFC North. The Packers are showing some flaws on defense, and I wouldn't consider them a lock to roll to the Super Bowl in the NFC.

Dog of the Week: Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys
-Come on man, really? That was some terrible clock management by the Dallas Cowboys at the end of their game against the Arizona Cardinals. They wasted 20 seconds getting lined up to spike the ball when they still had two timeouts in their pocket. Then, Garrett called a timeout right before kicker Dan Bailey booted the kick right through the uprights. So what happened on Bailey's next attempt? He was short and to the left. Garrett said after the game he thought the play clock was getting low. It wasn't low enough to prevent Bailey from getting the kick off on time. If you think the kick isn't going to get off on time, call the timeout before your kicker gets set. The Cowboys went on to lose the game in overtime and blew the chance to take a two game lead on the Giants.

Other Week 13 Notes
-Did you know that all Tim Tebow does is win? He did it again on Sunday, and this time he did it with his arm. Tebow had 2 TD passes in Denver's win over Minnesota. The Broncos are now 6-1 this year under Tebow, and that is all that matters when it comes down to it. Tebow won one of those games by only completing two passes, and he won another by scoring all of the team's points in the final 3 minutes. The Broncos now sit on top of the AFC West thanks to Tebow, and some much better play by their defense. The next two games are huge for the Broncos, home against the Bears and Patriots. If the Broncos can win those two, especially against the Patriots, then there's no reason to think they won't make the playoffs.

-At what point do you just start feeling bad for the Bears and Texans? Lets start with the Bears. First they lose Jay Cutler for what looks like the rest of the regular season. Then, they lose Matt Forte for 2-6 weeks with a sprained MCL. Now who do the Bears turn to on offense? Caleb Hanie has not done well his first two games, and Marion Barber is not an every down back. The Bears remain in a 3 way tie with the Falcons and Lions for the last 2 Wild Card spots, and it won't be easy. The Texans lost Andre Johnson again for another couple weeks after injuring his other hamstring. So the Texans lost Mario Williams, Andre Johnson and Matt Schaub. They get Johnson back then lose him again. They still pulled out a good win at home against Atlanta. The defense stepped up big time, holding the Falcons to only 10 points. It was big because it doesn't look like the Titans are going away. Being up 2 games with 4 games left is a huge advantage.

-The last Wild Card spot in the AFC may very well come down to the final week of the season. The Bengals, Jets, Titans, and Broncos/Raiders are all 7-5 and all have difficult schedules ahead. The Bengals looked particularly bad this past week against Pittsburgh. They went from being competitive against the Steelers at home to getting blown out on the road. Youth may be catching up to Cincinnati. The Jets pulled away late against Washington but looked shaky for 3 quarters. The Raiders were blown out in Miami and now go to Green Bay next week. Tennessee has won three of their last four but go to New Orleans next week. The Broncos are playing the best football, but they will win the AFC West in my opinion. If I'm a betting man, I'm going with the Jets to get the last Wild Card spot. They always find a way to sneak into the playoffs and I think they will again.

-I think it is finally to the point where this dysfunction in Philadelphia will cost Any Reid his job. The Eagles look like they have given up on Reid, and you don't need any more evidence than Thursday nights game against Seattle. That team just doesn't care anymore. They were suppose to be Super Bowl contenders but now they are contenders for a Top 10 pick. If Reid is back, DeSean Jackson won't be. I doubt Jackson will be back anyway. The defense, specifically the linebackers, look like a joke. I guess that is what happens when you make your offensive line coach your defensive coordinator. At this point, I wouldn't even  risk further injury to Mike Vick. Finishing 4-12 isn't out of the realm of possibility if this team really has quit, but I think they win their final game against Washington to get to 5-11.

Hey I'm Just Sayin...
-Are you happy you gave Jacksonville two home MNF games now, ESPN?

-Is it really just Ndamukong Suh that is dirty in Detroit?

-I would still take all of this Tebow talk over a potential Brett Favre return.

-Is the NFC West actually better than the NFC East?

-Can I play QB for the Rams this week?

-Hey Donovan McNabb, take all of this as a sign that it is time to retire.

AFC PLAYOFF PICTURE
1. New England Patriots  9-3  at Washington
2. Baltimore Ravens  9-3  vs Indianapolis
3. Houston Texans  9-3  at Cincinnati
4. Denver Broncos  7-5  vs Chicago
5. Pittsburgh Steelers  9-3  vs Cleveland
6. Cincinnati Bengals  7-5  vs Houston
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7. Tennessee Titans  7-5  vs New Orleans
8. Oakland Raiders  7-5  at Green Bay
9. New York Jets  7-5  vs Kansas City

This week would be the perfect opportunity for the Jets to grab the #6 Wild Card spot. They get a bad Kansas City team coming into their building. The Titans and Bengals both have tough home games, while the Raiders travel to undefeated Green Bay. If the Jets can win this week, they may be all alone in the #6 Wild Card spot come weeks end.

NFC PLAYOFF PICTURE
1. Green Bay Packers  12-0  vs Oakland
2. San Francisco 49ers  10-2  at Arizona
3. New Orleans Saints  9-3  at Tennessee
4. Dallas Cowboys  7-5  vs NY Giants
5. Chicago Bears  7-5  at Denver
6. Atlanta Falcons  7-5  at Carolina
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7. Detroit Lions  7-5  vs Minnesota
8. New York Giants  6-6  at Dallas

Obviously the big game this week is Giants/Cowboys. Winner takes the lead in the NFC East race. Atlanta and Chicago have tough road tests. That gives the Lions the opportunity to take advantage with a win against a bad Vikings team.

Three Games I'd Like to See Next Week
New Orleans Saints vs Tennessee Titans: If the Titans want some attention, a win here would help.
Houston Texans vs Cincinnati Bengals: Can the Bengals stop their apparent downfall?
Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants: Hopefully Jason Garrett freezes the other kicker this week.

Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka

NFL Week 12 Picks

I will be occupied all day tomorrow and with NFL games starting early on Thursday, I figured I would get my picks done while I have the time today and very early tomorrow. There are a lot of big games this week with many playoff implications.

Last Week's Record: 9-5
Year to Date Record: 100-60

Green Bay Packers vs Detroit Lions
For the first time in a very long time, the Lions are playing a relevant game on Thanksgiving. The Lions host the undefeated Packers in a huge NFC showdown. A win by the Lions here might give them hope for a division title, but I think that might be stretching it a bit too much. A win here would help a lot because of the loss of Jay Cutler for the Bears. The Lions offense came back to life last week against Carolina. The Packers defense isn't the greatest, so expect a big game from Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson. Now with that being said, the Lions pass defense is nothing to write home about, so expect Aaron Rodgers to throw at will. All of this leads to one word: SHOOTOUT. This game features two of the best passing offenses in the league. Aaron Rodgers seems unstoppable, although he did get a good test last week from Tampa Bay. If the Lions can LIMIT Rodgers and not let him throw at will they may have a chance. Detroit's front seven needs to pressure Rodgers and make him throw it early. For the Lions, Matthew Stafford needs to limit his mistakes and not force throws to Calvin Johnson. But I think the Packers front seven is better than the Lions, and their added pressure give the Packers a win.

Green Bay 38  Detroit 34

Miami Dolphins vs Dallas Cowboys
These may be the two teams playing the best football in the last 3 weeks. The Dolphins have won 3 in a row after starting the season 0-7. Reggie Bush is running like a number one back for the first time in his career. Matt Moore is making people forget about Andrew Luck in Miami. And the Dolphins defense is shutting down the run and pressuring the QB into bad mistakes. If this Dolphins team had shown up earlier in the year, they may at least be .500 and in the hunt for a playoff spot. Tony Sparano may be saving his job. I still think its unlikely, but its possible. The team is playing hard for him, but they are also still playing in front of half empty stadiums. The Cowboys have won three in a row as well as their offense has come to life in recent weeks. Tony Romo has thrown at least 3 TDs in the last two games, and has put the Cowboys in a tie for first in the NFC East. With the Cowboys easy schedule in the coming weeks they have no excuses for a let down. But the Dolphins will be a tough out here. They will play just as hard as they have been in recent weeks and will look to spoil the Cowboys run at the playoffs. Unfortunately, the Cowboys are the more talented team and will win a close one.

Dallas 27  Miami 22

San Francisco 49ers vs Baltimore Ravens
It's Harbaugh vs Harbaugh. I'm sure it is the exact way the Harbaugh family envisioned spending their Thanksgiving. On the 49ers side, Jim Harbaugh has the 49ers at 9-1 and within one game of clinching the NFC West. If the 49ers win this week and Seattle losses, the division goes to San Francisco. Now, that doesn't mean a let up from the 49ers. They are still within a game of Green Bay for the top spot in the NFC. The Packers could slip up in the coming weeks, they have some difficult match-ups. Second, I don't think let up is in Jim Harbaugh's vocabulary. He will have his team playing hard every week because that is how he coaches. No let up whatsoever. On the Baltimore side, John Harbaugh has his team in a good spot. At 7-3, they are tied with Pittsburgh atop the AFC North. They have had let downs against lesser teams this year, but I wouldn't expect that against San Francisco. But the 49ers defense is very stingy and will shut down Ray Rice, or at least attempt too. If Joe Flacco can get time, he should find Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith open. The 49ers secondary isn't the greatest. But I like the 49ers here. They play a similar game to Baltimore: smash mouth, grind it out, run stuffing defense. But the likely loss of Ray Lewis will hurt the Ravens defense in the end. San Francisco wins a low scoring affair.

San Francisco 20  Baltimore 17

Houston Texans vs Jacksonville Jaguars
Let the Matt Leinart Era begin in Houston. This is a good first test for him. Leinart isn't being thrown to a top team, he's being thrown to a Jacksonville team that couldn't beat Cleveland last week. Leinart will more than likely have stud WR Andre Johnson back, which is a huge help. Even with Johnson back, expect a heavy dose of RBs Arian Foster and Ben Tate from the Texans. That will help take the pressure off of Leinart early on. The Jaguars continue to struggle offensively with Blaine Gabbert under center. But with teams focusing on Maurice Jones-Drew, Gabbert will eventually have to win a game himself. That will be tough to do against an improved Houston defense. Jones-Drew will get his touches and yards, but Gabbert still isn't good enough to win a game like this. Jack Del Rio's clock continues to tick as the Texans win here.

Houston 24  Jacksonville 13

Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets
Talk about two teams that are heading in the wrong directions. Three weeks ago the Bills were 5-2, but that seems like an eternity ago. The Bills have lost 3 straight, including an embarrassing home loss to the Jets. The offense has scored a combined 26 points the last three weeks. They didn't even get into the end zone last week against Miami. Ryan Fitzpatrick has looked terrible, and the defense is getting burned deep by anything that moves. Injuries are also mounting for the Bills. RB Fred Jackson has a bruised right calf that may keep him out. WR Donald Jones and C Eric Wood are out for the year, and both WRs Stevie Johnson and David Nelson are banged up. The Jets have lost two in a row after winning three straight. Mark Sanchez has looked terrible in both losses. They have injuries at RB with Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson both banged up. And the hyped defense couldn't stop Tim Tebow from driving 95 yards on them at the end of the game last week. The Jets, however, are still in better shape than the Bills overall. They are healthier, have a better coaching scheme, and are playing at home. That gives the Jets the win this week.

NY Jets 21  Buffalo 13

Cleveland Browns vs Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals were brought down to Earth the last two weeks after back-to-back losses against Pittsburgh and Baltimore. They only lost by a touchdown both games, but they were also in position to win both of those games in the end. But Andy Dalton threw a bad interception at the end of the game against Pittsburgh, and he had no time to throw against Baltimore in the closing seconds. That's not to take anything away from Cincinnati. The Bengals are still holding on to the last Wild Card spot, and are still playing better football than everyone below them in the AFC. The Bengals should get WR A.J. Green back this week, which will help open up the offense more. The Browns finally won a game last week against Jacksonville, and they will have revenge on their mind after a bad opening week loss at home against Cincinnati. Expect the Browns to be motivated for their cross state rivals. If Colt McCoy can get time to throw they might have a chance. But I don't see that happening. The Bengals rebound here and take care of the Browns in a low scoring affair.

Cincinnati 23  Cleveland 16

Minnesota Vikings vs Atlanta Falcons
The only reason to really watch the Vikings is out for a few weeks. RB Adrian Peterson suffered an ankle sprain last week and will likely miss this week's game. Toby Gerhart replaces AP, but he may not be half the running back Peterson is. Expect a lot of Percy Harvin in the backfield to try and throw off the Falcons. The Falcons will be able to drop a few more people back in the secondary, which should cause problems with Christian Ponder. The Falcons got a nice win last week at home against Tennessee. Expect Matt Ryan to have a big day against a bad Vikings secondary. If he gets Julio Jones back, then it will be a big day for them. Michael Turner should have a nice game as well. The Falcons are the all-around better team and should dispose of the Vikings rather easily here.

Atlanta 31  Minnesota 17

Arizona Cardinals vs St. Louis Rams
Um, does anyone care about this game? The Rams and Cardinals have both had equally disappointing seasons. The Cardinals acquisition of Kevin Kolb has been a colossal bust for them. The team is playing better under 2nd year QB John Skelton than Kolb. At least he remembers who Larry Fitzgerald is. The defense that was suppose to be improved has disappointed mightily. The Rams were beat up by injuries and a brutal early schedule. Sam Bradford has been injured, and injuries on the offensive line haven't helped him. The defense has finally come around. The acquisition of Brandon Lloyd has helped Bradford a lot, and the Rams should do everything possible to try and re-sign him in the off-season. Expect a big game from Steven Jackson, which leads to a win for the Rams.

St. Louis 28  Arizona 23

Carolina Panthers vs Indianapolis Colts
The Colts are one lucky franchise. After years of glory under Peyton Manning, they have one bad year and now will soon have years of glory under Andrew Luck. The Colts will take Luck if they get the 1st overall pick, no questions asked. And I think they will. The Colts have nothing going for them on offense or defense. And the defense will struggle against Cam Newton this week. Expect Newton, Johnathan Stewart, and DeAngelo Williams to run wild on the Colts poor run defense. If the Colts can get their run game going they might have a chance, but the Panthers offense can put up points in bunches, and they should have no problem doing that against Indianapolis. The Panthers rebound after a bad couple of weeks and pick up a win.

Carolina 31  Indianapolis 21

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Tennessee Titans
Hey, give Tampa Bay credit. They gave Green Bay one of their toughest games of the year last week. Josh Freeman was able to find open WRs and LaGarrette Blount found holes and just ran over the Packers defense. It may be too little too late for Tampa Bay. At 4-6, their playoff chances are all but down the drain. They are two games back of the last NFC Wild Card Spot. The Bucs may finally be putting everything together, but I don't think it will help them make the playoffs. Coach Raheem Morris blamed Tampa's struggles on the lockout, but that is not an excuse. Tampa showed last year they are good enough to win now, but they failed to live up to the hype this year. Tennessee failed to win a big game against Atlanta last week. They lost Matt Hasselbeck with an elbow injury, but he may be able to return this week because there was no structural damage to the elbow. Chris Johnson couldn't get going again, but against a bad Tampa defense he should be able to find holes. Tampa will give Tennessee a fight, but the Titans have more to play for and pull out a win here.

Tennessee 24  Tampa Bay 21

Chicago Bears vs Oakland Raiders
Well, let the Caleb Hanie Era begin in Chicago. It is his team for pretty much the rest of the regular season. The good thing is Hanie knows the system so he should be able to step right in with no problem. The bad news is he is still unproven for the most part in the league. He stepped in well during the NFC Championship, but that was it. Expect a heavy dose of Matt Forte from the Bears. But if the defense keeps playing well, the Bears shouldn't have a problem staying in all their games. The Raiders just keep winning under Carson Palmer. Palmer should have time to throw here against the Bears secondary. Palmer has to love the help he is getting from Michael Bush at running back, and if Darren McFadden returns this week, it gives the Raiders a dangerous two headed attack at running back. Before Cutler's injury, I would have picked the Bears. Now? I think the Raiders take this one and continue their stranglehold on the AFC West.

Oakland 27  Chicago 24

Washington Redskins vs Seattle Seahawks
Another game I don't know if anyone really cares about. The Redskins finally played a good game last week against Dallas. They showed signs of life on offense against Dallas. Problem is, their field goal kicker let them down again. Graham Gano missed a 52 yard field goal in OT, allowing the Cowboys to come back and win. Seattle, meanwhile, has played some good football in recent weeks and have won two in a row on the back of Marshawn Lynch, who finally looks like a #1 running back. Expect Lynch to have a good game again this week, and carry Seattle to their third win in a row.

Seattle 23  Washington 14

Denver Broncos vs San Diego Chargers
The Chargers are just in an absolute free fall. They've lost 5 in a row, and haven't won a game since they beat Denver in Week 5. Philip Rivers isn't playing like Philip Rivers. He doesn't have time to throw in the pocket and is making some bad decisions in the pocket. Injuries to different offensive playmakers throughout the year hasn't helped either. The defense also is getting picked apart rather easily. Meanwhile, the Broncos have won 4 out of 5 with Tim Tebow and have adopted their offense to fit his skill set. Oh, and the defense is playing lights out football. Von Miller is a beast at linebacker for the Broncos, and Champ Bailey is playing like the shut down corner he used to be. Tim Tebow should be able to make big plays against the Chargers, and I think he does to help them win here.

Denver 31  San Diego 27

New England Patriots vs Philadelphia Eagles
This is an interesting game. The Patriots look like they may have finally come together as a whole team. The defense has looked respectable in the last couple weeks. The Patriots have also been trying to get some kind of run game going, but that still hasn't happened yet. Tom Brady won't win them every game, even though having TE Rob Gronkowski and WR Wes Welker helps out matters. But it will be interesting to see Brady match-up with the Eagles secondary, who seem to have finally come around in Philadelphia. They shut down the Giants offense last week. If they can do the same thing to Tom Brady, it could mean trouble for the Patriots. No matter who starts for the Eagles, Vince Young or Mike Vick, both men should be able to make plays against the Patriots defense. It may be a mild upset, but I like the Eagles to shut down the Patriots and win here. They will be motivated after last week's win.

Philadelphia 28  New England 24

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Kansas City Chiefs
Why was this game not flexed out of the Sunday night slot? Even two weeks ago, the Chiefs still looked like a bad football team. Now they are even worse without Matt Cassel under center. Tyler Palko did not look good at all against New England. What do you expect from him against a good Steelers defense? The Chiefs defense might be able to contain the Steelers for a little bit, but they can't score points for them. I expect a Steelers win, and a rather easy one too with them coming off the bye.

Pittsburgh 35  Kansas City 14

New York Giants vs New Orleans Saints
Is this the beginning of the Giants collapse? It may very well. They shouldn't have gotten shut down so easily against Philadelphia. Eli Manning is better than that. The Giants really have missed Ahmad Bradshaw, who gives them a good running attack on offense. The Saints have had a bye week to prepare for the Giants. The Saints should rely on quick passes to avoid the Giants pass rush. If they do that, Drew Brees should be able to make plays with all of his offensive weapons. I would think Darren Sproles might be in for a good game out of the backfield for the Saints. With the game in New Orleans, I think the Saints win and make Tom Coughlin's seat even hotter than it was already.

New Orleans 24  NY Giants 23

My Vegas $$$ Picks
Last Week's Record: 2-2
Year To Date Record: 25-18-1

Miami +7 at Dallas: Dolphins will put up a fight til the end.

Atlanta -9.5 vs Minnesota: No AP means no chance for the Vikings.

Denver +6.5 at San Diego: Even if the Broncos lose, it will still be a close game.

Pittsburgh -10.5 at Kansas City: Chiefs have pretty much no chance.

Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka

NFL Week 6 Picks

A little early with picks this week, but I have a busy weekend ahead. So you all get an early treat!

Last Week's Record: 8-5
Year to Date Record: 51-26

San Francisco 49ers vs Detroit Lions
Of course, everyone knew when looking at the schedule that this would be the Game of the Week in Week 6. Two rejuvenated franchises both looking to show they are the better team in this one. In San Fran, new coach Jim Harbaugh has given a breath of fresh air to a 49ers team that has been down in the dumps in recent years. He has brought Alex Smith back from the dead. The defense dismantled a good young Tampa Bay offense last week, holding them to only 3 points. The Lions, meanwhile, are the darlings of the NFL so far this season. They have remained healthy, and are finally showing their potential. Calvin Johnson has turned into the best WR in the NFL, and Matthew Stafford is showing that he deserved all the praise coming out of college when he was the #1 pick. They don't quit and the two times they were down this year they fought back to win. The 49ers will be a tough test for Detroit, as they have already beaten Philly on the road as well as a tough Cincinnati team. Both team's weaknesses are their secondary, and I like the Matthew Stafford/Calvin Johnson combo better than Alex Smith here. Give me the Lions in a close one.

Detroit 31  San Francisco 27

St. Louis Rams vs Green Bay Packers
The Rams have had a full two weeks for this slaughtering. They used it to get healthy too I guess. The Rams had high hopes coming into this year, but injuries and a brutal early schedule have decimated this team's confidence. Sam Bradford's weapons are either hurt or turning into major busts. The offense isn't scoring points, and that is bad news when you have to face a red hot Packers offense. I'm pretty sure the Packers just kept playing throughout the off-season and the lock out, because they look like they haven't missed a beat since the playoffs. Aaron Rodgers and Company aren't losing to the winless Rams here. They're just too good for that.

Green Bay 45  St. Louis 17

Carolina Panthers vs Atlanta Falcons
I'm really intrigued by this match-up. Carolina almost pulled off a huge upset last week against New Orleans, losing on a last second Drew Brees TD pass. Had Panthers coach Ron Rivera not called a timeout at the end of the first half, the game would have gone to overtime. But Rivera's timeout, which allowed the Saints to set up for a field goal, came back to haunt them. But the offense under Cam Newton is showing promise, and they finally got their running game with DeAngelo Williams going last week. That is bad news for opponents the rest of the way, including the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons have struggled early at 2-3, and they better be on their best game here. Matt Ryan has struggled mightily early on, and he will be without one of his favorite weapons in rookie WR Julio Jones this week. Expect Ryan to look for Tony Gonzalez a lot in this game. The Falcons defense needs to be weary of the big play ability of the Panthers offense. This really is a toss up to me. I think the Panthers could easily walk into Atlanta and win, mostly because they are a team playing without any fear and with a ton of confidence. And you know what? I think they will. The Falcons are starting to panic and they aren't living up to the hype from last year. Panthers by a field goal.

Carolina 24  Atlanta 21

Indianapolis Colts vs Cincinnati Bengals
The Colts cam close to winning their first game last week. They blew a 10 point lead against Kansas City and ran their record up to 0-5. If there is any good news for the Colts, its that Curits Painter doesn't look too shabby at QB and will at least keep this season interesting for them. He has a good connection with Pierre Garcon and they should continue to perform well. The Colts problem, however, is that their defense is terrible and decimated with injuries. Teams are both passing and running the ball at will on them. And you can bet the Bengals are salivating at that. At 3-2, the Bengals are showing they are no pushovers like many thought they would be this year. The rookie to rookie connection of Andy Dalton to A.J. Green looks promising, and that combination should torch the Colts secondary. The defense is one of the better ones in the league, with Nate Clements specifically rejuvenating his career in Cincinnati. The Bengals continue to surprise everyone and go 4-2 heading into their bye.

Cincinnati 30  Indianapolis 24

Buffalo Bills vs New York Giants
The Bills probably feel a lot like Rodney Dangerfield: What do they have to do to get a little respect around here? Despite beating Philadelphia and going 4-1, everyone is talking about the Eagles mistakes. But what the national pundits are failing to realize is that the Bills defense forced all of those Philly turnovers. They made the plays to get the ball. The defense is giving up large chunks of yards and points, but this is a team built to win shootouts. The offense is carried, literally, by Fred Jackson and his never go down attitude. The man breaks tackles at will. Their hurting at WR, so expect to see C.J. Spiller lined up in the slot a bit. The Giants are coming off a humiliating home loss to Seattle, which knocked a lot of people out of Survivor leagues, except this guy. Bad Eli Manning showed up, and Victor Cruz had some of the shine taken off of his Cinderella story with two bad mistakes leading to turnovers. The Giants pass rush needs to get to Ryan Fitzpatrick here and allow him to find his open receivers. I like the Bills here to pull off a close one, mainly because I trust Ryan Fitzpatrick more than I would Eli Manning if I was a betting man.

Buffalo 26  NY Giants 20

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Poor Blaine Gabbert. He is not playing terrible, but he jut can't find a way to win his first game. And it doesn't get any easier this week up against a tough Pittsburgh Steelers defense. Expect a heavy blitz look from the Steelers, with Troy Polomalu hawking to the ball and making plays. They'll stack 8 guys in the box to stop Maurice Jones-Drew and make Blaine Gabbert throw. Ben Roethlisberger, meanwhile, shut up all of his critics by putting on a great game against Tennessee last week on a sprained foot. He did it without his two top running backs as well. Just when you think the Steelers will begin to struggle, they play their best game of the year. No reason to think there will be a let down here. Steelers win easily.

Pittsburgh 35  Jacksonville 13

Philadelphia Eagles vs Washington Redskins
The pitch forks, torches, and riot police are ready in Philadelphia. At 1-4, the Eagles are in panic mode. Everyone expected that record to be flip-flopped at this point. But the Eagles are showing that it takes more than flashy playmakers to make a good team. They have to gel as a team in order to succeed. Andy Reid deserves blame too, especially for making your offensive line coach your defensive coordinator. Mike Vick is playing alright, but he is also making some bad throws. Some of those turnovers last week were his fault, but some were also on his WRs. Oh, and the defense is playing awful. The Redskins have had two weeks to prepare for the Eagles. Rex Grossman needs to start playing better. He had two bad outings before the bye and if that doesn't change, Mike Shanahan won't be afraid to give the reigns to John Beck. But expect a heavy dose of Ryan Torain and Tim Hightower after the Eagles run defense was exposed last week. The Eagles know this is as close to must win as it can be. At 1-5, they could pretty much kiss the playoffs good bye, and I think they will be thinking about that after Sunday. The Redskins win here and are still surprisingly on top of the NFC East.

Washington 28  Philadelphia 23

Houston Texans vs Baltimore Ravens
The Texans lost a game they probably should have won last week. They let Oakland come into Houston and win. Matt Schaub made a bad throw at the end of the game, and let Oakland get an interception with only 10 guys on defense. And now, they lost Mario Williams for what is likely the rest of the year on defense with a torn pectoral muscle. With Andre Johnson still out on offense, it is a bad time for the Texans. The good news is that the AFC South is down this year, and the Texans are probably still the favorites in the division. They still have Arian Foster running the ball and probably have the best QB in the division. But the defense has given up some big plays in recent weeks, and that has to concern the Texans after they thought it was much improved. The Ravens used their bye week to rest up. They really aren't all that banged up. But hopefully Joe Flacco used the bye to shake off that ugly game he had against the Jets. Flacco should be able to find open WRs here, especially Torrey Smith with some big plays downfield. The defense will stack the box against Arian Foster and make Matt Schaub find his WRs. I don't like the Texans chances here without Andre Johnson and Mario Williams. The Ravens were already the better team, and those injuries just make them that much better.

Baltimore 27  Houston 23

Cleveland Browns vs Oakland Raiders
How about them Raiders? After a rough week that saw them lose to the Patriots then lose their owner Al Davis, the Raiders went into Houston, never quit, and won a big game. And with three straight homes games ahead, the Raiders could be right there in the AFC West with the Chargers in the end. Darren McFadden is playing the best football of his career, and the defense is showing that they don't miss Nnamdi Asomaugha too much. Hue Jackson has breathed a breath of fresh air into this team. The Browns changed some things around during their bye after getting decimated by Tennessee. But Peyton Hillis is causing a distraction for the Browns with his contract situation. Colt McCoy has also regressed a bit after showing some promise last year. The defense will look to stop McFadden, but the problem is the Raiders young WRs are stepping up big time and could beat single coverage. The Raiders are playing with heavy hearts right now, and I expect them to win here.

Oakland 21  Cleveland 19

Dallas Cowboys vs New England Patriots
This game should be high scoring for one big reason: Both of these teams secondaries are terrible. Tom Brady is just a scoring machine at this point, putting up points almost at will. The defense played a bit better last week and is improving, but still has a ways to go before it stops giving up 20+ points a game. The Cowboys had a bye week to get things right after blowing a big lead against Detroit. Tony Romo threw two bad interceptions that were returned for scores and there are questions about whether or no he is the right man for the job in Dallas. But if Romo makes some bad plays here against a weak Patriots defense, then those questions may be justified. The Cowboys also get Miles Austin back this week and a healthy Dez Bryant, which should help them expose the Patriots defense. I think the Cowboys will put up a fight here, but the Patriots pull it out in the end because Tom Brady finds a way to make the plays Tony Romo can't.

New England 38  Dallas 34

New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Big battle in the NFC South. The Bucs looked like a young promising team and still are, but they were thrashed last week against San Francisco. And this week, they will probably be without star RB LaGarrette Blount. That's not good for a young Bucs team. And if the defense got torched by Alex Smith, what do you think Drew Brees will do to them. Last week might have been a wake up call for the Saints. Their talent won't just win them football games. They have to play a full 60 minute game all of the time. Expect Drew Brees to pick apart the secondary of Tampa Bay. Josh Freeman might have to make some big plays with his legs because he can expect a heavy pass rush from the New Orleans defense. The Saints could take a commanding lead in the NFC South race with a win here. Expect Tampa to keep it close after such an embarrassing performance last week, but the Saints offense wins out in the end. Too many weapons for a young Tampa Bay defense to stop.

New Orleans 33  Tampa Bay 23

Minnesota Vikings vs Chicago Bears
What a horrible week for prime time games. This is actually the better of the two games. These two teams are the "B" teams of the NFC South. They are clearly behind the Packers and Lions, and neither of them have a real shot of winning the division. The Bears were beaten by the Lions last week and looked terrible in the process. The defense had one of its worst games of the year and the secondary was exposed by Calvin Johnson. The good news is that the secondary shouldn't worry about too much that here, as the Vikings pass game is atrocious. Donovan McNabb is playig terrible. The team finally seems to be relying heavily on Adrian Peterson as the focal point of the offense. The defense shut down what was suppose to be a decent team in Arizona last week. Expect a lot of blitzing by the Vikings as the Bears offensive line is terrible. The Bears have done a decent job of shutting down running attacks this year, but you have to wonder if they can do the same with Adrian Peterson. I think the Bears have too many questions surrounding them heading into this one, and I like the Vikings in a bit of an upset.

Minnesota 23  Chicago 21

Miami Dolphins vs New York Jets
Why did the NFL decide to put Miami on two Monday night games? Did they not know they were going to be terrible this year? I didn't think they showed any promise last year at the end of the season. And with Chad Henne now out for the year, it is the Matt Moore show in Miami. Remember, the Matt Moore who was benched by the terrible Carolina Panthers last year. Yeah, things aren't looking good for the future. They have to be the early favorites for Andrew Luck. The Jets have had their own struggles as well. The offense is in disarray, and they traded disgruntled WR Derrick Mason to Houston this week after complaining about his role in the offense. The Jets need to be pounding the ball on the ground more then they are, and I would expect them to do that here with Shonn Greene. Expect an ugly affair here, with the Jets defense shutting down Matt Moore and giving them the win.

NY Jets 20  Miami 9

My Vegas $$$ Picks
Last Week: 3-1
Year to Date Record: 12-7-1

Kids I don't encourage gambling, but here are my Week 6 Vegas Picks:
Green Bay -14.5 vs St. Louis: The poor Rams just can't catch a break.

Dallas +7 at New England: Cowboys are good enough to keep this game within a touchdown.

Carolina +4 at Atlanta: Even if they don't pull off an upset, it will be a close game.

New Orleans -4.5 at Tampa Bay: Drew Brees is a touchdown better than Josh Freeman.

That's all from me today.

Until next time,
Justin C
Follow Me on Twitter @JCWonka

NFL Week 4 Review

Another crazy week of comebacks in the NFL. It is getting to the point where you can't turn off a game at halftime if your team is down by double digits. Lots of teams made a statement this week. Some for the better, some for the worse. Lets get into the Review. And at the end, POWER RANKINGS!!!

Team of the Week: San Francisco 49ers
-At 3-1, the 49ers may have already clinched the NFC West. Seattle and Arizona each have one win. St. Louis has none. I thought the 49ers were the worst team in that division before the season. Now they have a two game advantage. The team has a poor offensive line, but Frank Gore found holes and was able to gash a weak Eagles front seven. Alex Smith still isn't a good QB, but if the team relies on Frank Gore heavily then it can hide Smith's inabilities to play QB in the NFL. The 49ers defense made some key plays in this game to contain Mike Vick and the Eagles. It's a big win for a franchise that has been down in recent years. The 49ers have two big games coming up, hosting Tampa Bay then going to Detroit, so it will be interesting to see how they perform against two top teams in the NFC.

Game of the Week: NY Giants 31  Arizona 27
-It was tough for me to pick a Game of the Week this week as I didn't think any one game really stood out. But this one was pretty good and close before the Cardinals went up 10, but then the Giants came back and took the lead, albeit on a controversial call. Victor Cruz "gave himself up" on a first down catch even though he was apparently never touched down. The referees ruled that the play was not challengeable, but I think it was a bad call. The whistle was blown way too quickly. The Cardinals blew a golden opportunity to make a statement in the NFC West, while the Giants took a big step to staying on top in the NFC East. It may be the Giants division to lose with both the Eagles and Cowboys struggling. Good Eli Manning has shown up two weeks in a row, and that is a good sign for Giants fans.

Goat of the Week: Tony Romo
-Congratulations go out to Tony Romo for winning this award twice in the first four weeks. The Cowboys were up big in this one, but Romo threw two bad picks that were returned for touchdowns, and it took all of the momentum out of the Cowboys sails. The Boys are now 2-2, but they could just as easily be 0-4. Romo better get things right and quickly. They beat the Redskins on all field goals, and they barely beat the 49ers in overtime. This was suppose to be a better team with everyone back healthy this year, but there may be more questions then they wished they have.

Other Week 4 Notes
-Lots of injuries in Week 4. The most significant? The Patriots losing LB Jerrod Mayo for 4-6 weeks. The Pats defense was already weak, and losing their best player will not help matters. The Patriots are already a one dimensional team on offense, and they will pretty much have absolutely no defense for the next few weeks with Mayo gone. The Pats did a surprisingly good job holding the Raiders to 19 points, but they need to hope that more teams don't take advantage of their poor secondary. The Patriots worked on improving their run game against Oakland, now they need to get their defense on the right track.

-If I'm Pittsburgh, I'm worried about my lack of productivity on offense the last few weeks. They have one big play TD against Indianapolis, and this week against Houston they were only able to score ten points. Now both Ben Roethlisberger and Rashard Mendenhall are facing injury concerns. The defense was the concern in Week One, but they have played better since then. If Big Ben and/or Mendenhall are out extended periods of time, it could mean trouble for the Steelers already slow offense. And having no offensive line doesn't help matters.

-Hopefully, that was more of a wake up call than a reality check for the Bills. The Bills weren't going to win every game, but this Cincinnati one was one they were supposed to win. The Bengals just out muscled them on both sides of the ball. Being 3-1 is still a great thing for Buffalo. I was thinking 2-2 at best through the first four games. The offense needs to get back to form and the defense can't give up big plays against rookies like A.J. Green, or give up a drive like they did that allowed Cincinnati to win the game. The Bills have two tough games coming up, home against Philadelphia and at the NY Giants. A split in those two games would be just what they need.

-The star is clearly off of Mark Sanchez in New York. He looked dreadful last night against Baltimore. I was never a believer in Sanchez, even after the Jets playoff run last year. I didn't think he could lead a team to a Super Bowl, and he is proving that point right now. The Jets need to get back to what they are good at: running the football. Give the ball to Shonn Greene and LaDanian Tomlinson and let them gain yards on the ground. Mark Sanchez hasn't shown he can win a football game if he is being leaned on yet. The Jets may be in more trouble than they realize this year. A trip to New England next week will not make matters any easier.

Hey, I'm Just Sayin...
-Could even The Avengers stop the Packers offense?

-Is it the Rams schedule or are they just not as good as people thought?

-I told you Matt Hasselbeck still had something left. Didn't I? No? Are you sure?

-Are the Chiefs really happy they won this week? Now they fall behind in the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes.

-Christian Ponder, come on down! You're the next contestant on: Give the Vikings fans a reason to still watch this season!

-Will the Lions star fade in prime time next week?

POWER RANKINGS!!!!
1. Green Bay Packers (4-0)- If you look up unstoppable in the dictionary, a picture of Aaron Rodgers may indeed be in there.

2. Detroit Lions (4-0)- They may have stolen the title of "America's Team" from Dallas this week. They are currently America's Sweethearts. Calvin Johnson is a beast.

3. New Orleans Saints (3-1)- The Saints could easily be 4-0. The offense is playing great and the defense is putting pressure on the QB.

4. Baltimore Ravens (3-1)- They had a hicc-up at Tennessee, but otherwise the defense has shown up and the offense hasn't done anything to cost them any games yet.

5. Houston Texans (3-1)- That was a big win for Houston against Pittsburgh, but now they need to hope Andre Johnson isn't hurt too seriously.

6. San Diego Chargers (3-1)- The Chargers have done a good job of avoiding their typical September slow start. Now they need to hold off a talented Raiders team.

7. Tennessee Titans (3-1)- The Titans have surprised me, and many others this year. There next two games are huge tests: at Pittsburgh and home to Houston with a bye week in between.

8. Buffalo Bills (3-1): The Bengals were simply more physical. This team still has the tools on offense to hang with anyone. They just won't surprise others anymore.

9. New England Patriots (3-1)- I may have them low, but their defense will be a huge liability in the coming weeks with the loss of Jerrod Mayo.

10. New York Giants (3-1)- The good Eli Manning has shown up the last few weeks. Maybe Bad Eli has finally been put to rest?

11. Washington Redskins (3-1)- You have to be concerned about Rex Grossman's play the last two games. The Skins won't be here long if he continues to play this bad.

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1)- They're winning ugly, but they are still wins. If the Bucs played a team with a better defense Monday, then they would have gotten destroyed.

13. San Francisco 49ers (3-1)- They pretty much control their own destiny now in the NFC West. Jim Harbaugh has these guys playing some decent football. If only they had a decent QB.

14. Atlanta Falcons (2-2)- The offense finally played a good game this week, but the defense was beaten by a bad Seahawks team. That has to be a concern.

15. Chicago Bears (2-2)- They've lost to 2 of the best teams in the NFC, and both weren't close. Now they have to go to a red hot Detroit team on Monday night.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2)- The offense is a major concern for this team, especially the line. You have to wonder if Big Ben can make it through the hole season healthy.

17. Oakland Raiders (2-2)- Fans probably wish they showed more of a fight against New England. They can't keep kicking themselves with stupid penalties.

18. Cincinnati Bengals (2-2)- The defense is playing really tough. If the offense plays like they did in the 2nd half against Buffalo, they could be dangerous.

19. New York Jets (2-2)- I had questions about this team before the season started. Mark Sanchez is proving me right, he's not a franchise QB.

20. Dallas Cowboys (2-2)- They have a bye week to recover from Tony Romo Collapse Part 2. And get healthy. This ship needs to get righted quickly.

21. Cleveland Browns (2-2)- They disappeared in what should have been a statement game against Tennessee. The offense is struggling.

22. Philadelphia Eagles (1-3)- The Miami Heat struggled early on, but they play an 82 game season. These guys only have 12 games left.

23. Carolina Panthers (1-3)- They're fighting, showing promise, and keeping games interesting. That's all you could ask for from such a young team.

24. Seattle Seahawks (1-3)- They almost pulled off a huge upset against Atlanta. Their home field advantage will keep them in most home games.

25. Arizona Cardinals (1-3)- This team is better than their record shows. Now the defense needs to start playing up to par.

26. Denver Broncos (1-3)- Are the Tim Tebow murmurs getting to this team? You would have to think that they are a distraction.

27. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3)- They've only scored 39 points in four games. That's the struggles you go through with a rookie QB.

28. Kansas City Chiefs (1-3)- They finally won a game, but there appears to be some problems growing between Todd Haley and Matt Cassel.

29. Indianapolis Colts (0-4)- The Colts have been competitive the last couple games. The defense was gashed late on Monday night, which is one of the main problems.

30. St. Louis Rams (0-4)- Injuries and a brutal schedule have crippled this team, and things don't appear to be getting any better.

31. Minnesota Vikings (0-4)- Look at the positive: At least they didn't blow a double digit second half lead against Kansas City.

32. Miami Dolphins (0-4)- Gut call: Next year, this team will be run by Bill Cowher and quarterbacked by Andrew Luck.

Three Games I'd Like to See Next Week
Green Bay vs Atlanta: Falcons haven't forgotten the Divisional Round Playoffs from last year
NY Jets vs New England: Patriots haven't forgotten the Divisional Round Playoffs from last year
Philadelphia vs Buffalo: Bills can't lose two in a row, but the Eagles can't fall to 1-4. What gives?

That's all from me today.

Until next time,
Justin C
Follow Me on Twitter @JCWonka

NFL Week 3 Picks

Its Saturday. That means NFL Picks! Lets get to it!

Last Week's Record: 12-4
Year to Date Record: 23-9

Houston Texans vs New Orleans Saints
If the Texans win this game, there is no doubt that they are for real. The Texans have looked good during this 2-0 start. The offense is clicking without star RB Arian Foster. They've avoided major injuries other than the Foster one. The defense is much improved under Wade Phillips. The Saints rebounded from their loss at Green Bay by destroying the Bears. Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams cranked up the pressure and took advantage of the Bears poor offensive line. Williams will have to do the same thing this week if he plans on stopping Matt Schaub. This game will be a chess match. It's going to come down to who makes the right move to stop the other. I'll take the Saints and Sean Payton here. Payton isn't afraid to go for the big play, and I expect him to take some calculated risks in this one.

New Orleans 27  Houston 23

New York Giants vs Philadelphia Eagles
The last time these two teams played it was the "Miracle at the Meadowlands Part 2." The Eagles were down 24-3 late in the game before they went on a monstrous rally, capped off by DeSean Jackson's punt return for a touchdown with under 10 seconds left to give the Eagles the victory. The big question in this one is whether or not Mike Vick will play this week. He suffered a concussion last week against the Falcons and needs to past some test in order to play this week. He practiced Thursday and Friday, so I don't see why Vick doesn't play. The Giants took care of the Rams Monday night, but not without facing some questions. Rams players were questioning some of the Giants injuries, claiming they were faking them to slow down the Rams No-Huddle offense. If the Giants couldn't hang with the Rams No Huddle, what makes me think they could hang with Mike Vick, even at less than 100%. I think even if Vick doesn't play that the Eagles still win here. Mike Kafka played well in relief last week, he will be better if given a full week to prepare.

Philadelphia 24  NY Giants 16

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Carolina Panthers
It's the Battle of Rookie QBs. Cam Newton is just lighting it up in his first two starts as a NFL starter. Newton threw for over 400 yards last week against a very good Packers defense. He plays a Jaguars defense this week that isn't really the greatest. I expect Newton to put up very good numbers again. The Jags roll out rookie QB Blaine Gabbert for the first time after Luke McCown's abominable performance against the Jets. I thought Gabbert should have started the whole year after David Garrard's release, but coach Jack Del Rio didn't think so. Now Gabbert has the reigns for the rest of the year, and there could be some growing pains. The Panthers are going to be fun to watch the rest of the year, and I think they win their first game of the year in a shootout.

Carolina 35  Jacksonville 27

New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills
Well, it's gut check time for the Bills. They've lost 15 straight against the Patriots, and this may be the best opportunity the Bills have had to finally win one. Both of these teams offenses have been very effective in the first two games. Tom Brady is on pace to shatter the NFL's passing yards in a season record. The Bills are lighting up the scoreboard with Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm. Both team's defenses have played well at times, but also have been torched for big plays. The Bills secondary had a rough go of it last week, and they will have to play much better in order to get the Patriots off the field. The Pats are also banged up in the secondary, with safety Patrick Chung reportedly out and both starting corners game time decisions. This has shootout written all over it, but in the end, the Patriots squeak one out in a close one in Buffalo.

New England 42  Buffalo 38

Miami Dolphins vs Cleveland Browns
The Dolphins must be ecstatic. They are finally going out on the road to play a football game. Given their recent struggles and poor attendance at home, going on the road might be what the Dolphins need. The offense struggled last week against Houston. The Browns won on the road against Indy after pounding it out on the ground with Peyton Hillis. The Browns are a better team and should use Peyton Hillis to run all over the Dolphins defense.

Cleveland 20  Miami 17

San Francisco 49ers vs Cincinnati Bengals
Despite the 1-1 record, the Bengals have been playing some surprisingly good football the first two weeks of the season. Rookie WR A.J. Green looks right at home on the NFL turf, scoring a TD in each of his first two games. The Bengals offense has been good, but they may be without WR Jerome Simpson, who is the subject of a drug investigation. The 49ers almost beat the Cowboys last week but fell short in overtime. The offense didn't look to good again, and you have to wonder how much longer Alex Smith has left as the team's starting QB. I expect another high scoring game here, with the Bengals pulling it out in front of whatever kind of crowd they have at Paul Brown Stadium.

Cincinnati 31  San Francisco 21

Denver Broncos vs Tennessee Titans
The Titans are coming off a very surprising upset of the Baltimore Ravens last week. The Titans shut down the Ravens offense, and the offense found holes in the Ravens secondary. Kenny Britt has had an outstanding first two games. The Broncos struggled again last week before finally putting away the Bengals. If the Broncos were looking for a week to finally get the run game going, this could be it. Willis McGahee and Knowshon Moreno should be able to find some holes in the Titans run defense, but Chris Johnson should be able to find just as many in the Broncos defense. Johnson finally has a breakout game and the Titans move to 2-1 and remain competitive in the AFC South.

Tennessee 26  Denver 21

Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings
Everybody seems to he hopping on the Lions bandwagon. I was on it before the season started, so I'm sitting near the front while watching everyone else jump on in the back. The offense is scary good. There's nothing else I can say about it. They wiped the floor with the Chiefs last week. The Vikings blew a 17-0 halftime lead last week against Tampa. Donovan McNabb has looked old and sluggish in his first two starts. The Vikes need to rely on Adrian Peterson in this game, and for the rest of the season. But Matthew Stafford should find some holes in the Vikings secondary, which is performed poorly this year. I expect a close game here, but the Lions move to 3-0 in the end while Vikings fans begin to call for rookie QB Christian Ponder.

Detroit 24  Minnesota 19

Baltimore Ravens vs St. Louis Rams
You have to wonder if the NFL had it out for the Rams or something. Starting with the Eagles, then at the Giants on Monday night, and now they get a pissed off Ravens team. The Rams are still banged up, with Steven Jackson a game time decision. If Sam Bradford watches the tape from last week's Ravens game, he should find the same holes Matt Hasselbeck found last week. Expect a heavy dose of Ray Rice from the Ravens. Lee Evans is out for Baltimore, which means Anquan Boldin will likely face some double coverage from the Rams secondary. The Rams will be playing with a sense of desperation in this game. Even in the NFC West, starting at 0-3 is never a good thing. I think the Rams pull of a surprising upset here.

St. Louis 20  Baltimore 17

New York Jets vs Oakland Raiders
The Raiders offense didn't cost them the game last week against Buffalo. Jason Campbell tore apart the Bills secondary and Darren McFadden found holes in the Bills front 7. The Raiders are no slouches this year. The offense is holding up its end, now the defense has to do its part. If the Raiders front 7 can put pressure on Mark Sanchez, that should help out the secondary. The Jets dismantled a terrible Jaguars team last week and now finally go on the road to face a challenge. The Raiders won't be afraid to take chances against the Jets defense. The home crowd should help the Raiders out here, and I expect them to play just as well as they did last week. The Raiders win by a field goal.

Oakland 24  NY Jets 21

Kansas City Chiefs vs San Diego Chargers
The Chiefs have lost Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry. The offense has scored 10 points in two games. The Chargers have looked good on offense despite some struggles last week against the Patriots. The defense should pressure Matt Cassel into some mistakes and Philip Rivers should be able to pick apart the Chiefs secondary for an easy win.

San Diego 35  Kansas City 13

Arizona Cardinals vs Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks have to be happy to be heading home. After going scoreless against Pittsburgh and losing in San Francisco, the home crowd in Seattle should give the Seahawks a boost. The Seahawks will also have WR Sidney Rice back, which is bad news for an already weak Cardinals secondary. The Cardinals almost pulled out a win in Washington last week. Larry Fitzgerald has a terrific track record against the Seahawks, and there's no reason to not see him do the same thing here. I expect the Cardinals to put up points, but I think Seattle does the same in their first home game of the year. Seattle knows they can't start 0-3 either, and play with desperation to pull out a win here.

Seattle 30  Arizona 28

Atlanta Falcons vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
These two teams played a pretty good game in Tampa last year that saw the Falcons come back late and pull out a win. I expect another close game here. The Falcons defense shut down Mike Vick for the most part last week. A heavy dose of Michael Turner should be expected in this one. Adrian Peterson ran all over the Bucs defense last week, no reason to expect Michael Turner can't do the same. The Bucs showed a lot of poise in their comeback over the Vikes last week. Even with the Vikings shutting down Mike Williams, the Bucs found a way to win. But Tampa needs to rely more on LaGarrette Blount to take some pressure off of Josh Freeman. I like the Falcons here with Michael Turner shouldering the load.

Atlanta 27  Tampa Bay 23

Green Bay Packers vs Chicago Bears
A rematch of last year's NFC Championship game. I expect Jay Cutler to have a chip on his shoulder heading into this game. After leaving last year's game early, he will want to go out and prove something. The Packers defense, while good, has been torched in the secondary the first two games of the year. Jay Cutler needs to take advantage of that. But the Packers will also put pressure on Cutler because of a weak Bears offensive line. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense will probably not be as smooth as they have been in the first couple weeks. The Bears defense will get in Rodgers face more than the Panthers and Saints did. But in the end, Aaron Rodgers finds a way to put a few more points on the board for the Pack.

Green Bay 21  Chicago 20

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Indianapolis Colts
This game has lost a whole lot of intrigue without Peyton Manning huh? The Colts have looked lost without their star QB this year. The offense just can't get anything going. The run game has been stopped, and Kerry Collins looks like he should have stayed retired. The Steelers dominated a much weaker Seahawks team last week, but Big Ben didn't look like the normal Ben. The Steelers heavily relied on Rashard Mendenhall, and they should do the same thing again this week. Expect a heavy pass rush from the Steelers front seven as well. With the game being in prime time, I think the Colts will keep it close early before the Steelers find a way to pull away in the end.

Pittsburgh 27  Indianapolis 17

Washington Redskins vs Dallas Cowboys
The Redskins are a surprise at 2-0 this year. Mike Shanahan has Rex Grossman looking like a relevant NFL QB again, and Tim Hightower is the next running back to benefit from being in Shanahan's offense. The Cowboys are banged up on offense. Miles Austin is out, and Felix Jones, Dez Bryant, and Tony Romo are all listed as questionable. The Cowboys secondary is still struggling, and Rex Grossman should expose that in this match-up. You have to wonder if injuries will haunt the Cowboys here, especially Tony Romo's. Playing with a punctured lung is not an easy thing. I think the Redskins surprise people here and upset the Cowboys in Jerry Jones palace.

Washington 24  Dallas 23

My Vegas $$$ Picks
Last Week: 1-2-1
Year to Date: 3-4-1

Kids, I don't endorse gambling. But if you feel the need to bet on some games this week, here are my picks:

Buffalo +9.5 vs New England: This one will be a shootout, but a close shootout.

San Francisco vs Cincinnati OVER 40.5: Both offenses should be able to put up points

Washington +6 vs Dallas: Redskins should hang with an injured Cowboys team

San Diego -13 vs Kansas City: Chiefs offense is almost non-existent

That's all from me this week.

Until next time,
Justin C
Follow Me on Twitter @JCWonka