Photo Credit: Aristide Economopoulos/US Presswire
The NFL journeys across the pond again this week. The Bills and the Jaguars have already taken the field. If you’re like me you forgot this and left injured players in your starting lineup. The Bills and the Jags had a 9:30 EST kick-off. Side note Jacksonville you might want to quit letting the NFL send your team across the pond. I’m just saying, the people in England are really fond of those jolly cats and the car company Jaguar would be the perfect title sponsor. You’ll look up one night and England will have your team. Don’t think it could happen ask Indianapolis whatever happened to the Baltimore Colts. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Here are my picks for the rest of week 7. Considering my record on the season is: 38-40 I guess you already know this is for entertainment purposes only.
Atlanta Falcons (-6) at Tennessee Titans: Marcus Mariota is out for the Titans and Atlanta is coming off their first loss of the season. I told you all the undefeated weren’t going to survive last week, but I digress. If the Falcons are who we think they are they have to get it done in Tennessee today.
Pick: Falcons -6
Houston Texans at Miami Dolphins (-5): Do the Texans have a real QB yet or are they still auto-drafting from fantasy? Either way this is a snooze of a game. Hmm my Bears are on bye this week so I don’t have an extra opt out handy, but I will stand in the face of danger, throw caution to the wind and proudly proclaim to take the Dolphins at home. They beat the Titans last week and the Texans aren’t any better than the Titans. But then again five is a lot for the Dolphins. Take the Dolphins straight up and the Texans to cover the five.
Pick: Texans +5
Cleveland Browns at St. Louis Rams (-7.5): The Rams are coming off their bye. Alec Ogletree is out. Ogletree suffered a leg injury in week 4 and underwent surgery during the bye week. The Browns took the Broncos to OT last week and may have gained some confidence. Cleveland is a little better and a lot grittier than Vegas gives them credit for. I think the Browns Dawg Pound keep this close.
Pick: Browns +7.5
New Orleans Saints at Indianapolis Colts (-5.5): The Saints are a terrible road team, maybe not terrible, but not good either. The Colts love to self sabotage. The Saints may still be riding high after knocking the Falcons down a peg last week. The Colts have to prove that stupid special teams play was a fluke. The Colts do play in a dome maybe Drew Brees and the Saints will feel right at home. I don’t trust the Saints on the road enough to win out right but they can cover.
Pick: Saints +5.5
Minnesota Vikings (-3) at Detroit Lions: Can we just agree that the team from Wisconsin is the NFC North Champ and ignore the rest of the division? The Lions had to go into OT to get their first win of the season. Considering that OT was needed to beat my hapless Bears, I’m not convinced. This division is horrid. Still the Vikings are better than my Bears and better than the Lions. So Teddy Bridgewater gets the nod here.
Pick: Vikings -3
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Washington Redskins (-3.5): The NFC East is another horrible division. They aren’t as bad as the North, but it’s a tight second. The only reason to bet on this game is if you’re one of those people that feel like they have to have action in every game. Washington is at home so if it means that much to you, sure go ahead and pick them.
Pick: Washington -3.5
New York Jets at New England Patriots (-7.5): The Patriots didn’t do as well against the Deflate-gate whistle blowers as I thought. Surprisingly, the Jets are a really good team. I don’t know how but they are. Who would’ve thought Ryan Fitzpatrick could do such wondrous things. Initially I was all in on J-E-T-S this week, then Marcus Gilchrist said he prepares for Tom Brady the same way he prepares for Kirk Cousins. Sigh. I get what you meant in theory Marcus, but never never never ever give Brady and Bill Belichick bulletin board material or a reason to get chippy. It never works out for you in the end. The Patriots are at home and I’m afraid the Jets are in for a long day at the office.
Pick: Patriots -8
Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs (-3): Having played in the Big 12 Landry Jones is no stranger to Kansas. Big Ben is still out despite being listed as questionable, but somehow in Ben’s absence they have managed to stay afloat. My brother is convinced it’s because of the magical jersey he makes the dog Gracie wear, and maybe it is. Fingers crossed I didn’t just jinx the Steelers. I don’t exactly have a ton of confidence in Landry Jones and his debut as a starter, but the Chiefs are the walking wounded right about now. They may not win another game.
Pick: Steelers +3
Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers (-4): This is a grudge match. They hate each other. Take the nice “sophisticated” Chargers with their nice suburban fans mix in the Raiders and their unconventional fans and things almost never go as planned. The gurus say smart money is on the Chargers. Smart money never comes into play in this rivalry.
Pick: Raiders +4
Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants (-3): Seems kind of early in the season to already be playing the second Cowboys Giants game. Seems like a setup for Eli and the G-men. They have to take on their division rival on a short week coming off a loss Monday night to another division rival. Meanwhile, the Cowboys ride into NY after their bye week. Sounds kind of fishy. The first time they played I jinxed the Giants by picking them to win. So maybe the jinx will work again, only in reverse.
Pick: Dallas +3
Philadelphia Eagles at Carolina Panthers (-3): The Panthers are still undefeated. Both the Panthers and Eagles have strong defensive units. This could be a frustrating defensive struggle, but in the end the Panthers have Cam Newton and the Eagles have Sam Bradford.
Pick: Panthers -3
Baltimore Ravens at Arizona Cardinals (-9): The Cardinals have a great defense despite having problems with Michael Vick and Landry Jones in Pittsburgh last week. It’s doubtful the Ravens can pull off a win here but they can definitely cover. The Ravens are a lot like the Steelers. If the Cardinals are half stepping tomorrow night they may be in trouble. The Cardinals should win heads up but nine points is too many. Take the Cardinals straight up and the Ravens to cover the spread. The Ravens haven’t lost by more than six all year.
Pick: Ravens +9
