I have too much homework to do this weekend, so I've gotta go through these really quick. For those of you who feel betrayed, don't worry. There will be a huge college football column coming in a week or so. For now, here are the quick picks.
FALCONS OVER COLTS The Falcons are beginning to find their stride after a poor showing early in the season. There is nothing to be said for a team as sucky as the Colts right now, but it does show how much of an impact Peyton Manning had. 11-5 and division champs with him to candidate for 0-16 without him? Geez.
JETS OVER BILLS I am definitely being a homer here, but I actually believe that the Jets can pull this one off. The Jets are coming off the bye playing a team that has thrived on turnovers and big plays. The problem with thriving on turnovers and big plays is that there are games where you don't get them. So far this season, the Bills haven't done so well when they don't get turnovers. As long as Mark Sanchez does not do anything stupid, this is absolutely a winnable game for the Jets.
TEXANS OVER BROWNS Both the Texans and the Browns rank among the top seven in both scoring defenses and total defenses. Did we ever think that would happen? Ever? In a million years? Just nod your head no. The only difference is, the Texans offense is competent. The Browns offense, well, um, Colt McCoy speaks for himself.
CHIEFS OVER DOLPHINS Ugh, the Chiefs have lucked in to some garbage victories this year. Carson Palmer's first game in Oakland, Phillip Rivers dropping the ball on the final kneel down (no joke), and the comeback win over the Colts. This is going to be another one of those years where everything breaks just right for the Chiefs (I would say the Raiders instead, but nothing good ever happens to the Raiders) and just wrong for the Chargers. Get ready for win number five in a row for the Chiefs over a tanking Dolphins team.
BUCS OVER SAINTS This is one of the reasons that I'm only in the 75 percentile on ESPN.com. I overreact waaaay too much to the past week's performance. I know it shouldn't be this way, but I'm a fervent believer that a team is only as good as their last week's performance, and the Saints crapped their pants last week (especially the defense, who might have given up by the end of the game). Also, never underestimate a team coming off the bye. Bucs win.
NINERS OVER REDSKINS The Niners are exactly the type of team that I would want if I were a head coach. These guys always do just enough to win, get their yards 4 or 5 at a time, never let up a big play, and control time of possession. And the Redskins are exactly the team that would give me a heart attack if I were a coach. Then again, Dan Snyder would give me a stroke before I even saw the team. Niners win big.
BENGALS OVER TITANS I'm finally sold on the Bengals. It took some time, but the Bengals are finally being recognized as a legitimate team. I never thought I'd say this, but the defense (who would have thought?) is coming on strong, also in the top five in total defense. As for the Titans, they are a slightly better than average team that can't beat contenders. I'm not quite sure that the Bengals are contenders yet, but I'm willing to consider them semi-contenders if they can beat the Titans (it's a tougher game than you might think). And I never thought I'd say that about the Bengals.
RAIDERS OVER BRONCOS Get ready for the worst game of the week! Also, get ready for the two "really terrible quarterbacks that get way more media coverage than they should because they were big names at one time" guys. This seems like one of those games where Tebow suddenly catches fire in the fourth quarter and starts spewing out lucky throws that somehow hit the target every time. However, I don't think that will be this game. I bought in to Tebow Mania a little bit (OK, that's a lie, it was a lot. It led me to ideas like "Hey, I think Denver could upset Detroit this week". Undoubtedly one of my most embarassing moments in my history of NFL Picks), but now I'm buying out. The Raiders win big.
PACKERS OVER CHARGERS Does anything ever go right for the Chargers? Ever? I thought it was bad enough that Tebow and the Broncos almost beat them, but a fumbled snap on a kneel down? That just stuck a fork in the Chargers for the next few weeks. Let's just say that I don't like their chances going up against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.
RAMS OVER CARDINALS Rams win. Let's just move on from this game before I collapse on my keyboard.
GIANTS OVER PATRIOTS Yes, I'm a homer. Don't judge me. However, I do actually have a reasonable explanation for this one. It boils down to the simple fact that the Patriots' pass defense is awful. I can't even express how terrible it is. It seemed like every single play, a different wide receiver was open for the Steelers. It was honestly the most terrible performance from a single unit on offense or defense since the Jets' travesty of a line in Baltimore. Also, Eli Manning's been having a pretty good year. No, really. He has. I'm not kidding anybody. Since Ahmad Bradshaw went down, the Giants are going to be forced to throw a lot. I say the Giants win a shootout 45-42.
STEELERS OVER RAVENS Two teams going in opposite directions meet in a divisional clash. The Ravens lost to the Jags and nearly lost to the Cardinals. That's more than a little alarming. Again, I'm not jumping off the Ravens bandwagon quite yet. I do, however, have renewed confidence in the Steelers. This goes back to my Week 1 column about not bailing on your picks too early. Well, I was half right (I can be occasionally). The Steelers' defense stymies Joe Flacco as Pittsburgh gets a crucial division win.
EAGLES OVER BEARS Don't look now, but the Eagles are starting to turn things around. I didn't really count their win over the Redskins, but a thrashing of Dallas last week was somewhat impressive. It will be a crucial test for the Eagles, a team with some fragile momentum, to take on the Bears. How the Eagles handle Matt Forte will be the key to the game. I don't think the Eagles can handle Forte, but they'll do everything else (running, and pass defense namely) just good enough to eke out a win and get back to .500. Eagles 24-23.
RAIDERS OVER BRONCOS Get ready for the worst game of the week! Also, get ready for the two "really terrible quarterbacks that get way more media coverage than they should because they were big names at one time" guys. This seems like one of those games where Tebow suddenly catches fire in the fourth quarter and starts spewing out lucky throws that somehow hit the target every time. However, I don't think that will be this game. I bought in to Tebow Mania a little bit (OK, that's a lie, it was a lot. It led me to ideas like "Hey, I think Denver could upset Detroit this week". Undoubtedly one of my most embarassing moments in my history of NFL Picks), but now I'm buying out. The Raiders win big.
PACKERS OVER CHARGERS Does anything ever go right for the Chargers? Ever? I thought it was bad enough that Tebow and the Broncos almost beat them, but a fumbled snap on a kneel down? That just stuck a fork in the Chargers for the next few weeks. Let's just say that I don't like their chances going up against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.
RAMS OVER CARDINALS Rams win. Let's just move on from this game before I collapse on my keyboard.
GIANTS OVER PATRIOTS Yes, I'm a homer. Don't judge me. However, I do actually have a reasonable explanation for this one. It boils down to the simple fact that the Patriots' pass defense is awful. I can't even express how terrible it is. It seemed like every single play, a different wide receiver was open for the Steelers. It was honestly the most terrible performance from a single unit on offense or defense since the Jets' travesty of a line in Baltimore. Also, Eli Manning's been having a pretty good year. No, really. He has. I'm not kidding anybody. Since Ahmad Bradshaw went down, the Giants are going to be forced to throw a lot. I say the Giants win a shootout 45-42.
STEELERS OVER RAVENS Two teams going in opposite directions meet in a divisional clash. The Ravens lost to the Jags and nearly lost to the Cardinals. That's more than a little alarming. Again, I'm not jumping off the Ravens bandwagon quite yet. I do, however, have renewed confidence in the Steelers. This goes back to my Week 1 column about not bailing on your picks too early. Well, I was half right (I can be occasionally). The Steelers' defense stymies Joe Flacco as Pittsburgh gets a crucial division win.
EAGLES OVER BEARS Don't look now, but the Eagles are starting to turn things around. I didn't really count their win over the Redskins, but a thrashing of Dallas last week was somewhat impressive. It will be a crucial test for the Eagles, a team with some fragile momentum, to take on the Bears. How the Eagles handle Matt Forte will be the key to the game. I don't think the Eagles can handle Forte, but they'll do everything else (running, and pass defense namely) just good enough to eke out a win and get back to .500. Eagles 24-23.
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