Week 15 Picks

It is already week 15 in the NFL. This year has flown by, and with playoffs quickly approaching, do not expect for it to slow. This week has 2 games that are worth watching. These games are Pittsburgh visiting Baltimore and the New York Giants visiting the Dallas Cowboys.

The first of the two games is the Steelers strolling into the Ravens nest. This battle is for the top of the AFC North. Currently the 10-3 Steelers stand on top of this division but the Ravens are only a game back and have the chance to even it out this week. Although Pittsburg has the 20th ranked offense, they do posses the number 1 defense. Pittsburgh has allowed an average of 14 points per game this season and allowed the leagues best 241 yards per game. This will be a tought challenge for the rookie that is disguised as a seasoned veteran, Joe Flacco. Flacco is in charge of the 11th ranked offense of Baltimore and being at home should be able to get the crowd on his side and the points on the board. Look for Baltimore to come out with the close victory, 24-21.

The second game worth watching is the New York Giants heading to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. Once again the Big D is infested with drama. Owens is acting his norm and accusing Romo of favoring tight end Jason Witten over Owens. The soap opera in Dallas seems to have no end. Dallas is 3 games back in the NFC East and can no longer win the division but must win out to tie with the Giants. If the Cowboys come out and fly around the field like Dallas is known for, the Giants will have troubles but if this soap opera in Dallas has the players minds off of the game and more in the drama then we will see the Giants run over the Cowboys. Watch for the G-men to roll over the Boys, 31-17.

The Rundown:
Tampa Bay @ Atlanta: Atlanta
Washington @ Cincinnati: Washington
Tennessee @ Houston: Tennessee
Green Bay @ Jacksonville: Green Bay
San Francisco @ Miami: Miami
Seattle @ St. Louis: St. Louis
Buffalo @ New York Jets: New York Jets
San Diego @ Kansa City: San Diego
Detroit @ Indianapolis: Indianapolis
Minnesota @ Arizona: Arizona
Pittsburgh @ Baltimore: Balitmore
Denver @ Carolina: Carolina
New England @ Oakland: New England
New York Giants @ Dallas: New York Giants
Clevland @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia

Week 14 Picks

This week should be just as exciting as last. The Philadelphia Eagles are heading into New York to take on the Giants in, what should be, a great game. The Eagles are at the bottom of the NFC East while the Giants are on the top but it will still be good when the 10th ranked Eagles defense faces the number 1 offense in the league. The Giants will win, 38-17. Another big game is for the top of the NFC South. It is the monday night match-up where Tampa Bay is visiting the Carolina Panthers. The winner of this game will walk away with a 1 game lead in the NFC South which is crucial since the season is winding down. The Buc's 4th ranked defense should be able to handle the Panther's 14th ranked offense. This game will be a shootout and under the national spotlight of Monday Night Football. Carolina does have homefield advantage and this game is so hard to call. I say that Carolina sneaks out with a 3 point win, 31-24. Here are the rundown of winners this week:

Jacksonville @ Chicago: Chicago
Minnesota @ Detroit: Minnesota
Cincinnati @ Indianapolis: Indianapolis
Philadelphia @ New York Giants: New York Giants
Clevland @ Tennessee: Tennessee
Atlanta @ New Orleans: New Orleans
Houston @ Green Bay: Green Bay
Miami @ Buffalo (Toronto): Miami
New York Jets @ San Franciso: New York Jets
New England @ Seattle: New England
Kansas City @ Denver: Denver
St. Louis @ Arizona: Arizona
Dallas @ Pittsburgh: Dallas
Washington @ Baltimore: Baltimore
Tampa Bay @ Carolina: Carolina

Are You A True Fan?

Now that the Miami Dolphins are doing well, many people in South Florida have decided to jump off of their bandwagon of choice and start placing their attention back on the Dolphins. This got me thinking about who really is a fan of their team. Miami pulled of an incredible 1-15 record last season, but after every loss I was still a Dolphin fan. So how do you judge a true fan? I would say that one must be a fan of a team through the thick and thin, not just when they are doing well. Another quality of a true fan is knowledge of their team. If you can not name 5 of your starting players on both offense and defense than you are not a true fan. Also a little bit of pride dosen't hurt. Wear your team colors or represent your favorite team, even if they are the Detroit Lions this year. Do not worry about it, just like the Dolphins they can not be bad for long, they are a professional team. So be proud of your team no matter who they are.

Plaxico Burress

Plaxico Burress, the star reciever for the New York Giants, was charged with 2 felony counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. Burress was at a Manhattan club last friday night when he shot himself in the thigh with his .40 caliber Glock. What was Burress doing with a gun? That is actually a great question. Why would an allstar NFL reciever be carrying a gun with him at a club? Burress just signed a 5 year $35 million dollar contract that, if convicted, could go down the drain. The minimum sentence for these charges is a total of 3.5 years in jail with a maximum sentence of 15 years. I really hope shooting a hole through your thigh is worth $35 million and 3.5 years in jail. If you are an NFL superstar dosen't it make sence to stay away form clubs that require you to carry a weapon? Even if you decide to go to such clubs, hire a bodyguard. The average cost for a bodyguard is $500 per night which would be, if you go out once per week, $26,000 per year. With his new contract, Burress would have had to pay $26,000 of his $7 million per year to have a bodyguard with him whenever he goes to these clubs that obviously force him to carry a gun illegaly with him. Burress just made the dumbest decision of his life and will now pay for it. If convicted he will actually pay $35 million for that decision. I do not see the need for such an illustrious figure to go out on the club scene during the middle of his season. It really can not wait until the season is over? There is plenty of time to go clubing with your illegal weapons after the NFL season is over. Now that Burress decided to play gangster for the night, he is done for the 2008 NFL season and possibly done in the NFL for the rest of his life. Way to go Plaxico!

The 13th Week in the NFL

Week 13 has already had 3 games pass on Thanksgiving but there are still 13 to go. There will be many tight games this week and with the year winding down the games become that much more intense. The best matchup of the week will be the New York Giants visiting the Washington Redskins. With the 5th ranked defense of the Redskins going up against the 1st ranked offense of the Giants, who will be without the club-going, gun-wielding, superstar wideout named Plaxico Burress who suffered a gunshot wound, this game should be close. The Redskins do have home field advantage but also have the 26th ranked offense going up against the 6th ranked defense of the Giants. Should be a great game but the G-Men will roll, 28-17. Now the winners this week:

Miami @ St. Louis: Miami
San Francisco @ Buffalo: Buffalo
Indianapolis @ Clevland: Indianapolis
Carolina @ Green Bay: Carolina
Baltimore @ Cincinnati: Baltimore
New Orleans @ Tampa Bay: New Orleans
New York Giants @ Washington: New York Giants
Atlanta @ San Diego: Atlanta
Denver @ New York Jets: New York Jets
Pittsburgh @ New England: New England
Kansas City @ Oakland: Kansas City
Chicago @ Minnesota: Minnesota
Jacksonville @ Houston: Jacksonville

*The credibility of these picks follow. My record, including this weeks thursday games, is up to 39-20. This is 19 games above .500 and after watching Sportscenter this morning I learned that Boomer himself is only 6 games above .500.*

Holiday Special

One thing that alot of people know is tomorow is Thanksgiving. This is the holiday where we get to be extra thankful for all of the blessings in our lives and appreciate these blessings over a huge plate of turkey. One thing that some people do not know is the NFL is having 3 games throughout the day, 12:30, 4:15, and 8:00 pm. Here is a breakdown of each of the games.

First we have the no longer undefeated Tennessee Titans visiting the still winless Detroit Lions. This seems to be an early Christmas present and is defintly a game that all of the Titans players are thankful for. Detroit has the worst defense in the league, while Tennesse has an offense that is putting up and average of 23 points per game. Tomorow will result in this average climbing when Tennessee beats Detroit, 38-17.
The next game to be thankful for is in Dallas, where the Seahawks are playing the Cowboys. With Mr. Romo returning to the lineup for Dallas and the opposing quarterback Mr. Hasselbeck playing less than average football, Dallas should stomp Seattle. Seattle is 2-9 and has no shot at the playoffs while Dallas is 7-4 and is contending for the Wild Card spot. Dallas win, 27-17.
Finally, when dinner is in it's prime and many families start to pray and tell that they are tahnkful for eachother, the Titans win, the Cowboys win, well then they can say that they are thankful that the 8:00 game might actually be a good one between Arizona and Philadelphia. Arizona is in control of the NFC West but visiting Philadelphia will be a great game. Arizona has the 3rd ranked offense in the league yet they are 3-3 on the road this year. Philadelphia has the 10th ranked defnese but the Eagles are playing horid football currently. 2 weeks ago the Eagles tied with the so-called professional football team in Cincinnati and got beat by 29 points last week in Baltimore. Arizona should get the victory this week when they visit the Eagles, score 38-13.

More importantly, tomorow be sure to recognize what you are thankful for in life and realize how blessed you are to be living. Also be sure to sit back, relax, and don't worry about the typtophan in the turkey, it is a great reason to take a nap when the Titans are rolling over the Lions. Happy Thanksgiving!

Monday Night Madness

The Green Bay Packers are visiting the New Orleans Saints tonight and this should be an interesting one. The Saint's defense is ranked 24th in the nation and the Packer's offense is ranked 4th. This has been the story all year for the Saints. Their offense has plenty of fire power and can keep them in games but when it comes to defense New Orleans is lacking, to say the least. The Saints are giving up an average of 25 points per game, giving up 235 yards per game through the air and 111 on the ground. Looking at Green Bay you see a balanced attack led by the running power of Ryan Grant who is back from injury this week and to balance this great runner there is the Aaron Rodgers and Greg Jennings connection. These 2 are playing they have been playing together for their entire lives and seem to be on the same page throughout every game. New Orleans' only chance in walking out with a win tonight is if the offense can outscore the Green Bay balanced attack because the Saint's defense is that bad. They also have one of the most motivating pregame speeches comming from quarterback Drew Brees, so maybe the Saints do have a chance. Actually maybe not, check out this video of Brees' pregame speech to pump up the Saints. The Saints can be pumped up so much that they pop and still will not win, that is why the final will be Green Bay by a score of 34-24.

Week 12 Fantasy Numbers

This week there are plenty of evenly matched teams up against each other, but there are also the teams that are highly favored. These highly favored teams are where the fantasy numbers will be high so look for Tampa Bay players to excell along with Buffalo and Denver players. Of course there will be the evenly matched games that have players performing at a high level but the three leaders this week will be:

QB: This weeks top performing quarterback will be Jay Cutler who is up against the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders have the 23rd ranked defense and Jay Cutler has been playing great football this year with 2832 yards and 19 touchdowns. Cutler will have a great week this week playing at home with 330 yards and 3 touchdowns.

RB: This weeks top performing running back will be Clinton Portis. Portis is up against the porus Seattle defense and will be the main character in Washington's offense this week. Portis will have a great game with 120 yards and 2 touchdowns, but also look for Matt Forte to perform well. He is up against the 29th ranked rush defense in the St.Louis Rams and will have a great week.

WR: Although Cutler will be throwing all over the Oakland defense, the top reciever this week will be in New Orleans. Greg Jennings will be visiting the New Orleans Saint's 26th ranked pass defense and Aaron Rodgers will feed Jennings the ball throughout the night. This matchup on monday night will be a great one and look for Jennings to step up in the spotlight. Jennings, 103 yards and 2 touchdowns.


Injury Notes:

-WR, Plaxico Burress is expected to play after having problems with his hamstring.
-RB, Clinton Portis is expected to play after his knee injury has slowed him down.
-RB, Brian Westbrook will play against Baltimore this week after his knee problems.
-WR, Laverneus Coles will play in Tennessee this week after thigh problems. Coles is a key part to the offense and will contribute greatly in abrogating the Titans undefeated record this week.

Week 12 in the NFL

With the season running down, the playoff hopefuls have alot to prove. This week is a crucial week in the AFC East where the New England Patriots are visiting the Miami Dolphins. Both teams are 6-3 and tied for 2nd in the division. The last meeting between these teams was interesting to say the least. The Dolphins debuted their Wildcat offense and Ronnie Brown had 4 rushing touchdowns and 1 passing touchdown. This week do not expect such a great performance from Brown, in fact do not expect much performance at all. The Patriots have the 9th ranked defense in the league giving up only 19 points per game. Miami's last 2 games have come down to the last drive of the game, and this was up against the Seahawks and Raiders, whose records are 2-8. Miami's defense must have a flawless game to pull off a win this week. Look for the Patriots to win 17-13.

Another great divisional game is taking place in the NFC South this week. The Carolina Panthers are traveling to Atlanta to take on the Falcons. Carolina is comming in at 8-2 while Atlanta is 6-4. This is a crucial game for Atlanta because the 2nd place team in the NFC South, Tampa Bay, is 7-3 and are facing the winless Detroit Lions. The Falcons defense has a great challenge this week in trying to stop Carolina's running duo, DeAngelo Williams and rookie Jonathan Stewart. Together these 2 running backs have 1295 yards and 12 touchdowns on the year, and going up against the 22nd rank run defense of Atlanta they are hungry for more. Atlanta's balanced offense will be pressured to keep them in the game but Carolina's 3rd ranked defense will prove to be to strong. Carolina will come out with the win and stay in control of the NFC South. Carolina 24-17.

Week 12 rundown:

Philadelphia @ Baltimore: Baltimore
Houston @ Clevland: Houston
Tampa Bay @ Detroit: Tampa Bay
Buffalo @ Kansas City: Buffalo
Chicago @ St. Louis: Chicago
New York Jets @ Tennessee: New York Jets
New England @ Miami: New England
Minnesota @ Jacksonville: Minnesota
San Franciso @ Dallas: Dallas
Oakland @ Denver: Denver
Carolina @ Atlanta: Carolina
New York Giants @ Arizona: Arizona
Washington @ Seattle: Washington
Indianapolis @ San Diego: Indianapolis
Green Bay @ New Orleans: Green Bay

The NFL on Thursday Night

The NFL has now added a thursday night game every week. The only problem with this game is it is brodcasted only on the NFL network. Being that I only have advanced cable means that I do not recieve the NFL network and I can not watch the thursday night games. I have a problem with this and believe that these thrusday night games should either be brodcasted on a normal network or be abrogated. How do you feel about the thursday night football games that are broadcasted on only the NFL network?

My Greatest Appologies

I would like to appologize upfront for missing this week in the NFL. I had to attend my brothers wedding and could not find internet in Tampa. My greatest appologies go out to all individuals who were looking for my picks and fantasy updates. This week I will make it up to you by informing you of every correct pick and every fantasy stud.

Although I missed the week it does not mean that I will miss the recap. This past week, week 11, was interesting to say the least. The Miami Dolphins once again showcased their last drive of the game scoring tactics to beat the Oakland Raiders 17-15. Another close game was the San Diego Chargers at the Pittsburg Steelers. With 5 points in the 2nd quarter, yes 5 and no it was not a baseball game, the Pittsburg Steelers kicked a field goal in each of the final 2 quarters to win 11-10. Although both of these games were close no one will ever get closer at the end than the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnatti Bengals. This is because the final score was 13-13, yes a tie. Neither team could find a way to put up any points in the 15 minute overtime and ended in a tie, the first since 2002.

The leaders of week 11 were:

-QB: Matt Cassel with 400 yards and 3 touchdown passes.
-RB: DeAngelo Williams with 120 yards and 2 touchdown runs.
-WR: Justin Gage with 147 yards and 2 touchdowns.

A Truly Inspiring Story....Adam Bender

I know this blog is about football but while watching the show E:60 on ESPN this evening, I saw a truly inspiring story about a boy named Adam Bender. I am warning you now that this video is extremly touching and I am man enough to say while watching this video I became teary eyed. Watch this video, one of the most inspiring ever.

Week 10 Recap

One more week, one more win. The Tennessee Titans are still undefeated and there are no signs that they will stop some time soon. The 1972 Dolphins will be watching week after week to see when the undefeated streak ends but the best chance is in 2 week against the Jets or in week 16 when the Titans play the Steelers. Enough with the unappreciated Titans though, here is a recap of week 10.

Rookie Matt Ryan is still flying high in Atlanta. Ryan threw for 248 yards and 2 touchdowns to help the Falcons get to a (6-3) record and now only 1 game behind the divisional leading Panthers. Another player that just got their own spotlight in the NFL is Aaron Rodgers. He played in Minnesota and came up one point short when Mason Crosby missed a 52-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the game. Rodgers is still the leader of the (4-5) Packers but they will need to start winning if they want to make it to the playoffs. In the divisional matchup of the week, the Patriots took care of the Bills with a 20-10 win. Now the AFC East is lead by the Pariots and Jets tied at (6-3) but the Dolphins and Bills are both (5-4) and the division is up for grabs. The upset of the week was...well there were no upsets but the Chargers had a close call against the Chiefs. The now (1-8) Chiefs had a 13-6 lead going into the half but it all came down to the end. Following a 3-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Thigpen to Tony Gonzalez, the Chiefs went for 2 rather than tieing it with the extra point. The pass was knocked down from the Chargers secondary and the Chargers snuck out a 1 point win.

This week I went 9-4 and 2 of the 4 losses were on the last plays of the games, with a missed field goal and a missed 2 point conversion. This puts me at 26-15 on the season and with no more bye weeks that win total will be sky rocketing. The top performers of the week were Jay Cutler with 447 yards and 3 touchdowns, followed by Kurt Warner who had 328 yards and 3 touchdowns (that pretty close to 350 and 3 touchdowns like I predicted). The top runningback of the week was Thomas Jones with 149 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Rams. This was not a big shocker due to the Rams lack of run defense and Jones' abundence of talent. The top wide reciever was Eddie Royal with 164 yards and 1 touchdown, followed by Anquan Boldin who had 92 yards and 2 touchdowns.

This past week was full of close games, no thanks to the Jet's 47-3 spanking of the St. Louis Rams, and with no more bye weeks it is officially crunch time. All of the playoff hopefuls will be playing with their hair on fire so strap down the chin straps and tie your shoes tight because it's time for the big hits and the remarkable plays.

Week 10 Fantasy Numbers

This week we have already seen a quarterback throw for 447 yards and 3 touchdowns, Mr. Jay Cutler. Although this great perfomance was put up on Thursday night, I can not see any other numbers of this magnitude showing up this week. So fantasy owners do not get down on yourself if your quarterback does not put up numbers like this, just make sure you check your matchups at least twice because its almost crunch time in the fantasy football leagues.

Week 10 Fantasy Studs:

QB: With disregards to Jay Cutler, this weeks stud at the quarterback position is Kurt Warner. He is up against San Francisco's 19th ranked pass defense. This is also the 30th ranked defense in the league when it comes to points against. Watch for Warner to have a 350 yard game with 3 touchdowns.

RB: This weeks fatasy running back will be Ronnie Brown. Going up against the 21st ranked rushing defense of Seattle Brown will be able to generate another great running game. Brown will go for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns.

WR: Laveranues Coles will have a fantastic fantasy week. Matched up against St. Louis' 28th pass defense Brett Favre will be able to throw to the touchdown man Coles all afternoon. Look for Coles to be lighting up that scoreboard today with 135 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Week 10 in the NFL

With the last bye weeks of the NFL season finally here, this week is the last week where there will be any type of rest for teams. The rest of the season will be full desperate times for many of the teams so do not be surprised when the desperate measures come out, the 4th and 6 conversions or the fake punts. For the last subtle week in the NFL 2 of the major matchups are Buffalo visiting New England and the New York Giants visiting the Philadelphia Eagles.

The first of these games is the battle for the AFC East. With 3 of the 4 teams in this division being 5-3 and the 4th being 4-4 this division is tight, to say the least. The Bills and the Patriots are both 5-3 and sitting tied at the top of the division but not after this week. This week the bills are comming of back to back losses and the Patriots are comming off of a loss to the Colts. Both teams have a lot to play for this week but with the home field advantage and the 9th ranked defense look for the Patriots to win in a close battle at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots should win by 3 in this divisional rivalry game.

The second game, the Giants vs the Eagles should also be a shootout. The Giants have the 2nd ranked offense and the 4th ranked defense but that will not be a problem for the pass happy Eagles. The Giants secondary is a bit banged up with Dockery and Butler both out. If the Eagles come out passing, which it looks like they will, and the crowd gets into the game, the Eagles can pull of the upset. In this game I have the Eagles by 6.

Week 10 Picks:

New Orleans @ Atlanta: Atlanta
Tennessee @ Chicago: Tennessee
Jacksonville @ Detroit: Jacksonville
Baltimore @ Houston: Baltimore
Seattle @ Miami: Miami
Green Bay @ Minnesota: Green Bay
Buffalo @ New England: New England
St. Louis @ New York Jets: New York Jets
Carolina @ Oakland: Carolina
Indianapolis @ Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh
Kansas City @ San Diego: Kansas City
New York Giants @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia
San Francisco @ Arizona: Arizona

The NFL...Too Much Protection?

I have watched a countless number of NFL games in my time and it seems to me that the NFL is starting to protect its players too much. Just 10 years ago football was such a furious game that was full of hard hits and nasty collisons. Now it seems that the NFL is becoming a game that the average Joe could play without reciving one bruise.

Yes, there are still those big hitters such as Ray Lewis but how long with players like this last? The referees seem to be flag happy, throwing a flag if a quarterback is touched after he throws the ball or if a "defensless reciever" is hit. The NFL needs to stop being so "soft" and the players need to butch up a little and bring back the hard hitting defenses such as the Steel Curtain from Pittsburg. Although there is a safety issue involved here, the pads that the professionals are playing with are of course top of the line and helmets are so much more protective now.

Please do not get me wrong here though. I do not agree with cheap shots, hits that are clearly leading with the helmet, or hits that are overly agressive on a defenseless reciever or quarterback after the pass. This hit on Anquan Boldin is an example of a hit that should recieve a penalty flag for unnecesary roughness because the defender does lead with the helmet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWDA67sdfPg

That deserves a penalty flag for sure, but many penalties that are called for unnecessary roughness are not good calls and the NFL should allow more contact into the game.

Week 9 Recap

After 2 overtime games and 2 drama filled comebacks, week 9 was nothing less than astonishing. One of the 2 overtime games involved the unbeaten Tennessee Titans who stayed unbeaten after a Rob Bironas 41 yard field goal in overtime for the win over Green Bay. One of the most impressive comebacks took place in Chicago where the Bears played against the winless Lions. The Lions put up all 23 of their points in the second quarter to scare the Bears who lost their starting quarterback Kyle Orton. The Bears did pull off the comeback but now play the Titans this week and are looking at a loss. After going 9-5 this week, overall I am 17-11 and going to win big this week! Although off with my studs for this past week, look for next week to be much better, you have my word. Stay tuned throught this week for injury updates, fantasy picks, and key matchups for week 10.

Week 9 Picks

This blog is titled "Brock Sick's Picks", how could I forget to include the weekly picks? Well here they are for week 9.

New York Jets @ Buffalo Bills: Buffalo
Detroit @ Chicago: Chicago
Jacksonville @ Cincinnati: Jacksonville
Baltimore @ Clevland: Baltimore
Tampa Bay @ Kansas City: Tampa Bay
Houston @ Minnesota: Houston
Arizona @ St. Louis: Arizona
Green Bay @ Tennessee: Tennessee
Miami @ Denver: Denver
Dallas @ New York Giants: New York Giants
Atlanta @ Oakland: Atlanta
Philadelphia @ Seattle: Philadelphia
New England @ Indianapolis: New England
Pittsburg @ Washington: Pittsburg

Week 9 in the NFL

Hey football fans, guess who is not going to be bored on sunday night again, us! After not having a sunday night game last weekend the NFL has placed the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots in the spotlight of SNF, sunday night football. Although it is not prime time like monday night football is, it will at least give football fans something worth watching on sunday night this week. Not only will we get to enjoy football but we will get to enjoy a great game between the Colts and Patriots. So many people have counted the Patriots out just because of Tom Brady's knee injury, which by the way has been giving him problems due to an infection and he will most likely miss the remainder of the season. The Patriots are 5-2 and tied for the lead of the AFC Eastern division but for some reason the NFL community has forgot about them. Their presence will be shown tonight when they face the 3-4 Colts. The Colts have given up an average of 23 points per game thanks to their run defense which ranks 26th in the NFL. This plays perfect into New Englands hand's because of their tendency to run the football and their inability to throw the football. Althought this game is in the beautiful, new Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, the New England Patriots will come out with the win.

Injury Updates:

-PIT Willie Parker (knee) has been practicing and is listed as probable after missing 4 straight games.
-NE Sammy Morris (knee) is out for this weeks game against Indianapolis.
-IND Reggie Wayne (knee) is listed as questionable and a game-time decision.
-DAL Jason Witten (ribs) is questionable but did make the trip to New York with the team.
-DAL Tony Romo (finger) is still out and should return in week 11.

Week 9 Studs:

QB- Donovan McNabb: Facing the 30th rank pass defense of Seattle, McNabb should have a great week especially due to the return of one of his favorite targets, Kevin Curtis. McNabb is the quarterback of the week and will throw for 3 touchdowns along with 255 yards.

RB- Rookie Matt Forte is going to show the league why he should have been picked in the first round of last years draft when he plays this week. Forte is up against the winless Detroit Lions defense who is 31st in the league when it comes to run defense. Forte will have 2 touchdowns and his second 100 yard rushing game when he puts up 115 yards of rushing.

WR- This week im going out on a limb and saying that Houston's Andre Johnson will be the leading reciever. He is playing against Minnesota who has had a rough time stoping the pass. Look for Johnson to have a breakout game with 2 touchdowns and 130 yards.

Don't Hate...Appreciate

The year was 1972 and the team was the Miami Dolphins. Yes, I am talking about the Perfect Season. Well now there is another team in the 2008 season that has a chance to repeat history. Altough it is unlikely, the Tennessee Titans have the possiblity of going undefeated and winning the Superbowl. One of the main reasons that it is unlikely for the Titans to do so is because of the NFL fans throughout the league. All the way up to the week 8 Titans vs. Colts showdown the NFL community was constantly saying that,"the Titans had not played a good team yet, but week 8 they finally had a tough game." The final result of the Titans vs. Colts game was 31-21 in favor of the Titans, but for some odd reason the people saying that the Titans had a tough game against the Colts are still saying that the Titans have not proved themselves. What? How can one say that the Titans have not proved themselves even tho the week before they said that the Titans finally had a tough game? I was astonished when I heard that. The Titans have won by an average margin of 13 points per game yet their performance still is not good enough for some fans. The '72 Dolphin's win margin through their first 7 games was 12 points per game. The last time I looked at a number line, the number 13, the Titan's average win margin, was greater than the number 12, the '72 Dolphin's average win margin. So until the Titans actaully do lose a game, do not say that they have not proved themselves because a perfect season is a perfect season, no matter what kind of scheduele you have or if you have "proved yourself" or not.

Weekly Recap

Week 8 was another great week in the NFL. Once again in London, England there was rain, and a lot of it. Although the weather was gloomy, the field that is used to support on average a 150 pound soccer player actually held up when the 350 pound monsters stepped on the field. The final in London was 37-32 in favor of the New Orleans Saints. Although I did not predict this outcome I did go 8-6 this week and was 2 for 3 on my fantasy studs.

One of my wins this week was in the monday night football game between the Colts and Titans. This was a great game in Tennessee where the Titans were trailing 7-6 going into the half, then came back fired up in the second half scoring 25 points to win 31-21.

If you look back at "Monday Night Match-Up" you will see that I made a correct call on Manning having 2 passing touchdowns along with LenDale White racking up 2 touchdowns and Chris Johnson 1 touchdown. It was an excellent week of football and week 9 looks to be a good follow-up week with a few key matchups being the divisional game between the Jets and the Bills, along with New England at Indianapolis and of course the Green Bay Packers visiting the still undefeated Tennessee Titans. Week 9 looks to be fantastic so stay tuned for fantasy updates and predictions on week 9 games.

Monday Night Match-Up

Tonight the (3-3) Indianapolis Colts are heading down south to play the (6-0) Tennessee Titans. This should be a great game in that it is a AFC South divisional game, between the Titans who are number 1 in the AFC South and the Colts who are number 2. There is sure to be some big hits to go along with big plays, but both of these seem to be comming from the Titans. The Titans have the number 1 defense in the league, allowing on average 11 points per game and only giving up 269 yards per game, third in the NFL. The Titans defense has allowed most of these yards via the run which is a huge problem for the Colts. The Colts will not have their starting running back, Joseph Addai, and will have to rely on Dominic Rhodes to carry the ball against the Titans brick wall defense. Being that the game is in Tennessee will also play into the Titans hands and we can all expect a Titans victory of at least 10 points tonight.

Fantasy Wise, expect big numbers from Titans pair of running backs Chris Johnson and LenDale White. Johnson should have his average 18 touches for 95 yards and 1 touchdown, while the beast in the redzone, White, will have 10 touches for 56 yards and 2 touchdowns. On the Indianapolis side of the ball do not expect any large numbers from Manning, Wayne, or Harrison being that the Titan's defense is so great. Expect 2 touchdowns from Manning, 1 to Wayne and 1 to TE Dallas Clark, the Colts leading reciever when playing on grass surfaces like Tennessee. Good luck on your last minute wins fantasy owners and for the betting fan, over the age of 18 of course, look to take the Titans minus 4 tonight.

Week 8 in the NFL

Week 8 should be a heck of a week in the NFL. From a tough divisional rivalry in Miami to an evenly matched game in The Big D, and don't forget the game across the pond between San Diego and New Orleans. Here is a rundown of injury updates and fantasy studs and duds:

Injury Update:

-PIT Willie Parker (Knee) did not practice friday and most likely will not play.
-PIT Santonio Holmes (Marijuana Possesion Charge) is deactivated for game against NYG.
-IND Joseph Addai (Hamstring) is out against the Titans monday night.
-CIN Carson Palmer (Elbow) is unlikely to play.
-CLE Kellen Winslow (Verbal Altercations With Team) will not play this week but should return in week 9.
-PHI Brian Westbrook (Ribs, Ankle) is listed as probable and will play.
-STL Steven Jackson (Thigh) is a game-time decision.
-NYJ Laverneus Coles (Concussion) is a game-time decision.

Fantasy Studs:

STUDS:

QB: This weeks top quarter back will be Drew Brees (NO). Despite having no Reggie Bush, aka a run game, Brees is matched up against the porus San Diego secondary who give up 255 passing yards per game. Along with this, Brees' talent will help him outperform the Chargers' defense.

RB: This weeks top running back will be Thomas Jones (NYJ). Jones is going up against the Kansas City defense that has averaged the worst rushing defense in the league giving up 207 rush yards per game. After having a great week against the Oakland Raiders, Jones will return with THE BEST week of any running back this week agianst the Chiefs.

WR: This weeks top wide reciever will be Santana Moss (WAS). Moss has had a good season thus far with 518 reciving yards and 4 touchdowns but watchout this week. Going against the Lions secondary I see Moss comming out of Detroit with 107 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Week 8 Preview

Week 8 looks to be a very evenly matched week. The average spread in Vegas for this week is 6 points, one touchdown, without the extra-point of course. This is a particullary low average spread and forcasts a very tight week in the NFL.
One of this week's best games is going to be the (5-2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers playing at the (4-3) Dallas Cowboys. The Buccaneers have been playing superb defense averaging 15 points against per game this season, while the offense has been averaging 23 points per game. With and injured Tony Romo and Felix Jones, the Cowboy's offense looks down but don't give up on veteran Brad Johnson who's expierence should keep the Cowboys in the game. Johnson did perform poor in last weeks game against the St. Louis Rams, but after not starting a game since his 2006 season with Minnesota, we have to give the man some time to chip off all the rust. Along with this the Cowboys still have Marion "The Barbarian" Barber in the backfield. Barber will recieve most of the touches with Felix Jones being injured, but fantasy owners you can only look for Barber to have an average week due to Tampa's stingy run defense. Because the game is in Dallas we have to give the home field points to Dallas and I am predicting a final score of 23-17 in favor of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Another great match-up this week is the (5-1) Buffalo Bills visiting the (2-4) Miami Dolphins. Looking at the team's records it looks as if the Bills will destroy the Dolphins this week but I have one word, wildcat. The wildcat offense is the new offense implemented into the Dolphins offense, which seems to be effective for Miami. This game is a divisional game making it all the more interesting. The Dolphins defense has given up and average of 22 points per game, mostly through the air. This plays into the Bills hand's, who have averaged 222 yards of passing offense per game. This game should be close but I am predicting the final score to be, sorry dol-fans, 31-21 in favor of the Buffalo Bills.
Now here is a quick rundown of who is going to pull of the W's this week in the NFL:
Oakland @ Baltimore- Baltimore
Arizona @ Carolina- Carolina
Tampa Bay @ Dallas- Tampa Bay
Washington @ Detroit- Washington
Buffalo @ Miami- Buffalo
St. Louis @ New England- New England
San Diego @ New Orleans (In London)- San Diego
Kansa City @ New York Jets- New York Jets
Atlanta @ Philadelphia- Atlanta
Clevland @ Jacksonville- Jacksonville
Cincinnati @ Houston- Houston
New York Giants @ Pittsburg- Pittsburg
Seattle @ San Francisco- Seattle
Indianapolis @ Tennessee- Tennessee

***FANTASY UPDATES: Saturday (Injury Updates) and Sunday (Studs and Duds)***

The Big D in Dallas

As soon as one says "The Big D" any true football fan immediatly thinks Dallas Cowboys. Well "The Big D" may have a new meaning. Many are now associating "The Big D" to DRAMA, but no worries Cowboy fans this drama is at home in Dallas.
Starting off lightly, there is the story from this past week of Tony Romo's broken pinky. This injury came on his throwing hand in the overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals in week 6. Tony Romo was not going to play due to this injury but after talking to a man that knows something about playing injured, Brett Favre himself, Romo decided he would play. Jerry Jones had other thoughts and set Romo as the week 7 backup quarterback. This one injury stir up a lot of drama in "The Big D" over the past 2 weeks. So stay tuned and see what happens this week on, The Tony Romo soap opera.
Here is another drama packed name in Dallas. Adam "Pacman" Jones. How can one man cause so much drama? Jones was just recently handed down a suspension of at least 4 games from Roger Goodell, the NFL Commissioner, for an alcohol related fight with his own bodyguard. I thought people hire bodyguards to protect them, but hey I could be wrong. Just before this 4 game suspension, Jones was reinstated from a 17 month suspension for continuous legal troubles.
Why does the owner of the Cowboys, Jerry Jones, view this behavior as acceptable? Is he just attempting to carry on the "rebelious" nature of the Cowboys? If you look to Dallas' past you will see how troubled their team always was. There was always drama in "The Big D", from Michael Irvin to Adam "Pacman" Jones. Jerry Jones needs to take control of his team and save the Dallas Cowboy's reputation, or at least what is left of it.

Week 7 Recap

Week 7 in the NFL was full of surprises. In Buffalo’s Ralph Wilson Stadium we saw a power outage in the first quarter which seemed to filter to both Buffalo and San Diego’s offenses for the remainder of the game. We were also privileged enough to actually see an OFFENSIVE game between Minnesota and Chicago for once. Finally we saw St. Louis jump on the bandwagon with Arizona by upsetting the Dallas Cowboys in consecutive weeks.

Fantasy wise, Week 7 had some twists. Drew Brees realized that just because people say you might, eventually, break the all-mighty Dan Marino’s record for passing yards doesn’t mean that you will have a good week. Brett Favre also had a realization. He saw that just because you influence a young quarterback like Tony Romo to play despite an injury does not mean that the coach Wade Phillips, or in this case Jerry Jones, will actually play them. Speaking of Brett Favre, is anyone still keeping track of whether Favre or Rodgers is doing better? Well Week 7 showed that the youth in this league may just outplay the elder when Green Bay stomped the Colts 34-14 and the Jets lost in overtime 13-16 to the, now 2-4, Oakland Raiders. Favre went 21 for 38 with 197 yards and 2 interceptions while Rodgers had 10 less attempts yet still threw a touchdown.

Week 7 Top Performers:

Passing:
- Kyle Orton (Chicago Bears): 21/32, 283 YDS, 2 TD, and 0 INT
- Matt Cassel (New England Patriots): 18/24, 185 YDS, 3 TD, and 0 INT
- Jeff Garcia (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): 27/36, 310 YDS, 1 TD, and 0 INT

Rushing:
- Steve Jackson (St. Louis Rams): 25 ATT, 160 YDS, and 3 TD
- LenDale White (Tennessee Titans): 17 ATT, 149 YDS, and 3 TD
- Mewelde Moore (Pittsburg Steelers): 20 ATT, 120 YDS, and 2 TD

Receiving:
- Calvin Johnson (Detroit Lions): 2 REC, 154 YDS, and 1 TD
- Antonio Bryant (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): 6 REC, 115 YDS, and 1 TD
- Randy Moss (New England Patriots): 5 REC, 69 YDS, and 2 TD