Friday, October 27, 2006

NFL Week 8 Preview and Picks

Broncos over Colts: Game of the Week! My gut reaction was to take Indy, but the game's in Denver and the Colts are due for their first L.

Bears over 49ers: There will be no need for any sort of Monday Night Miracle.

Bengals over Falcons: If Chad Johnson -- sorry "Ocho Cinco" (his insistence) -- isn't entertaining in the end-zone, maybe he'll just put his post-win head-shaving on YouTube.

Cardinals over Packers: Would Packers fans trade their entire roster, straight up (Favre included) for the entire Cards roster? I would.

Titans over Texans: If I had to choose between Mario Williams and Vince Young to have a rookie break-out week, I'm picking DeMeco Ryans.

Chiefs over Seahawks: Seneca Wallace vs. Brodie Croyle is the most intriguing QB MATCHUP OF THE YEAR. No, seriously, who is playing QB?

Saints over Ravens: Call this the "Legitimacy Bowl," where the winner can actually be put in the column under "playoff contenders."

Giants over Bucs: Have you heard about these Barber twins? I guess you wouldn't have; they're NEVER featured on TV or anything.

Eagles over Jaguars: My Jags are 0-3 on the road and have a QB controversy brewing that won't be fixed, even with a Garrard-led loss.

Chargers over Rams: Considering the oblivion he's facing, think Shawne Merriman will lead the San Diego D with a bit of urgency?

Jets over Browns: Who had the Jets at 5-3 at the season's halfway point? That should qualify Mangini for AFC Midseason Coach of the Year.

Steelers over Raiders: Why would Pittsburgh risk further head injury to Big Ben by playing him against a shoddy opponent like Oakland?

Panthers over Cowboys: Carolina's D will confuse Tony Romo enough that the new controversy is Jerry Jones vs. Bill Parcells over QBs.

Pats over Vikings (MNF): I'm trying to guess which celebrities will visit the TV booth. Maybe Prince? How about Bat-Girl or Aaron Gleeman?

Comment Question: Leave your pithy one-liner about the games you find most (or least) intriguing.

Last Week: 3-10 (Worst Week YET!)
Season: 57-43 (Good grief...)

24 comments:

Worldwide Reader said...

3-10 ... straight up. Yikes.

I like a tease of HOU +9 @ TENN with TB +15 @ NYG for the 1 pm games.

And STL + 15.5 @ SD with IND +9 @ DEN for the late games.

All road teams. A recipe for disaster, probably.

rukrusher said...

Last week was brutal on the suicide pools, I was all set with Chicago this week and then Hasselback goes down and the pool ends with the Vikings win.


My favorite storyline

Does Cutler play if Plummer has a Bledsoe like first half?

Kevin said...

Us Packer fans would never trade Favre. Plus we love AJ Hawk, Donal Driver, Greg Jennings, and William Henderson (even if he doesn't play much anymore). We've got a lot of young talent that can make a very good team in 2 years.

To make a fair point though, take the "Arizona Cardinals" name away from that team and they will automatically win 2-3 more games per year.

JoeBB said...

And take Denny Green away and they automatically win 2-3 more games.

Jake C said...

Colts in Denver as everyone is expecting the Indy loss (Plummer is still the QB remember and Indy will put up at least 2 TDs)

Texans over Titans with Mario not getting to Young

Bucs scare me as a trap game

Jags get 1st win on the road with Garrard playing well starting a bigger controversy when Leftwich gets healthy

Pats steamroll Vikes forcing us to watch hours of studio interviews...maybe Theisman will run out of things to say...wait, that will never happen, oh well

Generik said...

I think this weekend we see Indy expose Denver's D.

Shaggy said...

BIg Ben out, Charlei batch in ..Steelers ride Charie's arm and Ward's cathes to superbowl and lose...

nyc-steelers fan said...

I agree with ya' Dan. Big Ben could use a week off. But don't blame Ben, for it. Of course the guy wants to play.

I think this might be the hardest week of the year so far to make picks; a lot of bad teams playing each other (really, who's worse, houston or tenn; at least we get to find out this week) and good teams playing each other (indy and NE actually have real games this weekend).

And just so you know, rukrusher, unless Shanahan remembers he's an undercover Al Davis operative sent to undermine the Denver organization, Cutler won't sniff the field. A rookie can have success against some defenses, but not Tony Dungy's.

Politics Blogger said...

KG doesn't play until Wednesday, so he's a good bet. If Mauer is still in town though, he's a lock, right?

Anonymous said...

The only reason I can figure the Steelers want to play Roethlisberger is that they think they can jump out to a big lead. If they go up by 21 by halftime I think they take out Ben and put in Batch to finish up. Otherwise if the game turns out to be closer, then they're putting their franchise at risk. It doesn't make much sense to me. I don't like a game plan that hinges on scoring lots of points early. Though they are playing the Raiders, so this could be the only week they'll have this chance to rest Ben in the 2nd half.

Does this make sense to anyone else?

MJL said...

Redskins: 17
Bye: 19

Clinton Portis plays another great first-half game, netting 78 yards and a TD, and Brunell finally connects with Santana Moss for their first score since the Jacksonville game.

3 carries for Portis and no throws to Moss in the second half and a complete defensive breakdown, however, end their chances at getting back on track. A deep route in which Carlos Rogers, Adam Archuleta and Sean Taylor collide at the 10 yard-line allows The Bye to score a TD in the closing seconds to squeak by the struggling Skins.

Gibbs describes The Bye as a "very good team" and exclaims that, despite going 14-29 and netting a measly 123 yards passing, Brunell "fought his guts out" and is "a heck of a quarterback."

Chris said...

Yeah, everyone is a doctor so Ben shouldn't play. As an FYI, the doctors who developed the concussion tests used throughout the NFL (and in wide use throughout the world in testing for the severity/after effects of concussions) work in the same complex as the Steelers. If they clear him to play, why shouldn't he? There are only 16 games and the Steelers can't afford to lose any more than 1 or 2 more and have a realistic shot at the playoffs. If the doctors clear him, he feels good, and he is your best shot to win (and he is despite how well Charlie Batch has played this year), you play him. If he isn't cleared by the doctors, you don't. Simple as that. I would think he would be admired for wanting to get back in the saddle so soon after taking that wicked shot he took last week (not to mention everything else he has had to endure in the last 5 months). It is a trait I'm sure is admired by his teammates and one of the reasons Farve is so respected among players. He answers the bell every week.

manninghamheisman said...

Let's get Dan a business plan to tapi into the visitors and monetrize the traffic. You wouldn't eat for free at a restaurant. Why do it here huh? Monthly enrollment fee? ANYONE? Paid RSS? ANYONE? Tip bucket for NFL picks he does right? ANYONE? Free "Whitest White Player hambones and wifebeaters"? ANYONE?

manninghamheisman said...

mwp you look constipated in that picture. You gotta smile, kid

Pete said...

The good thing about this week is that at least the Bills can't lose

manninghamheisman said...

blackcapricorn,

SHUT THE FUCK UP

mark said...

Colts over Broncos: When has a 6-0 team ever been this far under the radar?

Tyler said...

mwp, I'm right there with you. Pathetic, aren't they?

Jingoist said...

Indianapolis over Denver- Denver can't score. But, that "D"! They can't score. But that home field! Read my lips... THEY CAN'T SCORE.

kmv9 said...

since there was no topic for it... holy crap, the cards won the world series. now me and all the other mets fans will spend all winter thinking "what if beltran decided to swing at that pitch instead of staring at it?"

Ma4tt (the 4 is silent) said...

I think the appropriate feeling is, "What? Baseball was still going on?"

Gary said...

I think it's a bad sign that in my office pool I picked every game exactly the same as Dan...I guess I just threw away my 10 bucks

Then again, I've already won twice this year, so maybe it's a good sign for Dan...hmmm

Matt T said...

Bengals/Falcons is the game of the week.

Both teams have looked good at times, shaky most of the time. Both had have high hopes for the season.

Whoever wins will get a ton of momentum, the Falcons can't fall further back of the Saints.

plus, Chad is back, and it will be fun to see him and D Hall go against each other.

Mega said...

Bears 31 Niners 0 through just a quarter and a half.

Ouch.