One New York Life

Vikings +4.5 at Saints: With literally so many people making the assumption that the Saints are just going to walk out there and run up an insane score on the Vikings, this seems ripe for one of those disappointing opening games that are low scoring with two, fresh defenses that show up uninjured and ready to work. I know NFL teams change over about 98% of the roster from season to season, but let’s not forget the last meeting of these two teams came down to last minute Favre-Being-Favre, six Viking fumbles, and an overtime cointoss. These teams are much more closely matched than people are giving them credit for. 4.5 points are a gift. Vikings outright]

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To Be Continued…

This is the first, unedited draft of the post going up at Inside Pulse Sports tomorrow. Forgive typos.

Key Additions: An entire secondary anchored by Antrel Rolle, a draft class full of defensive linemen, Osi Umenyora’s fully-healed ACL, Justin Tuck, and hopefully’s Brand Jacobs’ power game.

Key Losses: Antonio Pierce, Domenik Hixon (IR), Chase Blackburn (carted off vs. Jets) Jeff Feagles, and, sadly, still Michael Strahan.

Vegas O/U: 8.5

Last Season

Last season, as you may recall, the Giants rushed out to a fast 5-3 start before crapping a big 3-5 down the stretch. This mostly occurred for two reasons. First, the Giants’ running game fell apart as Brandon Jacobs turned in a frustrating season where he went from “unfair 250 lb running back who barreled in to the line for 5 yards” to “250 lb back who tried to make LDT-like cuts.” Second, injuries to the Giants’ secondary started piling up until they reached the point where Drew Brees showed the world that you could pretty much slice the Giants up at 3rd and long on every single 3rd and long. Following that crap-fest against the Saints, the Giants gave up three or more touchdowns in nine of their last eleven games. It was ugly and the only saving grace down a truly ugly second half was taking down a flying-high Dallas team and sweeping the season series. If there was anything good about last season, it was the Giants going in to Dallas’ Temple To Excess and taking a big steaming dump on the carpet in the stadium’s inaugural game. But, hey, the Cowboys got a playoff win out of it bringing their total playoff wins in the last decade to, well, one.

The Giants have been snakebitten by injuries in the last few seasons. They continue to pay off the deal they made with Satan to defeat the Patriots in Super Bowl 42. This season has started off quite the same. The Giants have already lost Domenik Hixon to a season-ending injury when the new practice facility’s field turn hyper-extended his knee and tore his ACL. Chase Blackburn, second on the depth chart at all linebacker positions, was carted off the field during the first pre-season game. Eli Manning suffered a freak head gash when Brandon Jacobs bumped him in to a crushing head gash that may or may not lead to a mild concussion.

This Season

The Giants rebuilt their secondary essentially from scratch and spent half their draft picks on defensive line players. Osi Umenyora should be fully recovered from his ACL tear (a two-year injury, really) and Justin Tuck should be healed from Flozell “Cheatin Douchebag” Adams’ dirty play (which, for the record, I’m a proponent of not starting a single first-string player against the Steelers so Cheatin Douchebag can get dirty shots in). The defense got the bulk of the attention last year since they were almost entirely responsible for the team’s ineptness down the stretch. Lost in the pile of awful that was last season was Eli Manning turning in his finest statistical season to date as he was able to make use of the Giants’ complement of decent receivers. This season, the Giants grabbed undrafted free agents like Victor Cruz who have gotten a chance to shine with minor injuries to Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks. Victor Cruz put on a one-man show in the first preseason game (6 receptions for 145 yards an 3 TDs) vs. the Jets and with the help of Gartrelle Johnson (a running back getting a look) the Giants appear to have a few players to plug in as injury replacements. I imagine that Tom Coughlin’s patience with Brandon Jacobs will be short this season and, should Jacobs continue to disappoint, a guy like Johnson might be on the cusp of getting a real look.

Another sub-plot of this season, and I find this stunning, is going to be Tom Coughlan job-watch. It is absolutely stunning to me that a guy who pulled off one of the most unlikely Super Bowl victories in recent memory and the Giants are still not discussing extending Coughlin through 2011. Let’s keep in mind here, Coughlin has been the Giants’ coach for six seasons. In that time, he’s won the NFC East twice, gotten four playoff berths, and one Super Bowl. It’s utterly baffling to me that Coughlin has to sing for his supper again this season less than 5 years removed from a Super Bowl win but such is life — along with unconscionable PSLs and insane season ticket prices — in post-Wellington Mara Giant-land.

Schedule Breakdown
First Quarter — vs. Carolina, at Indianapolis (Sunday Night), vs. Tennessee, vs. Chicago (Sunday Night): The Giants’ schedule is bizarrely bottom-heavy this year. Save for this Week 2 game vs. Indianapolis and the Week 7 game at Dallas, the crushing part of the Giants’ schedule comes almost entirely in the second half. Carolina and Chicago should be wins. Chicago is still Chicago — a team with an aging defense, no receivers, and Jay Cutler. I’m reserving judgment on Indianapolis until I see how they perform in this new era, but let’s say I’m not pencilling in a win.

Second Quarter — at Houston, vs. Detroit, at Dallas (Monday Night), Bye, at Seattle: The Giants have to do some damage through this part of the schedule. Houston, Detroit, and Seattle should all be wins with the regular toss-up in Dallas. I will say, of all the teams in the East this season, Dallas scares me the least. We know what they are… and they’re them without Marion Barber. My bold prediction this season is Dallas doesn’t make the playoffs, finishing behind both the Giants and the Redskins and getting trounced on their trip through the AFC South.

Third Quarter — vs. Dallas, at Philly (Sunday Night), vs. Jacksonville, vs. Washington: Brutal second half with five of their six divisional bloodbaths coming in the last eight weeks and the likely top half of the NFC North filling out two of the other three. 2-2 would be an acceptable outcome through this stretch though if they’re a playoff team it should be 3-1. They should take one from a Philly team who still doesn’t know quite what it did when it got rid of Donovan McNabb and continue their ownership of the Redskins at the Meadowlands. I’m going to presume that Jacksonville is a should win. Asking them to sweep Dallas two years in a row is a bold claim.

Fourth Quarter — at Minnesota, vs Philly, at Green Bay, at Washington: Tough stretch to close the season, too. It’s very likely Favre will be back this season so I expect the Vikings to be in the hunt for the division or a Wildcard. Green Bay is likely still the second best team in the NFC North so they’ll be fighting with the Vikings for a spot. Besides that, Philly won’t be a lay-up and Washington will be right in the hunt. You know what makes me really sad? Facing McNabb the last week of the season with a playoff berth on the line. McNabb murders the Giants and I expect a change in laundry won’t change that.

Should Win: Philly(x2), Chicago, Detroit, Jacksonville, Houston, Carolina, Seattle (7-1)
Toss-Up: Dallas (x2), Washington (x2), Minny, Green Bay, Tennessee (4-3)
Should Lose: Indy (0-1)

Projected Record: 11-5, Over 8.5. 2-seed.

If you follow the Twitter feed, you may have seen that I’m currently 200 miles from my laptop and that it’s slowly killing me.

The more I thought this game during the week, the more I tried to make a case for the Saints. The problem is that if you have to try this hard to make a case then there’s no way you can really make the pick. Everything about this season has broke the Colts’ way. As much as my picking compatriots have goofed on it, should the Colts win, we’ll be talking for years about how they should be undefeated. How they laid down for the Jets “to prevent injury” before playing their starters in a snowy disaster in Buffalo. And somehow the Patriots have remained the heel team.

Anyway, the Colts have had a blessed season. Manning has just been too good and I simply don’t see how he doesn’t sweep the MVPs this season. Colts cover. Sorry Matt.

AFC — New York Jets +8 at Indianapolis Colts: I picked this game for the Pulse Sports Roundtable. I wrote on Monday: Here’s the weird thing: the Jets match up better with the Colts then they’re being credited for. Then, somewhere along the line, all the shows started picking the Jets. Is it possible that the Jets can no longer play the “No One Believed In Us” Card following their free pass in to the playoffs? Regardless, I can’t change now. I still see this game as the Jets annoying Peyton Manning by cutting off the field, totally destroying the run at the line, and recreating circa 2005 Happyfeet Playoff Manning. And besides, I can’t get over the idea of the Football Gods visiting karmic retribution on the Colts for forfeiting the Jets in to the playoffs. I said it last week and I say it now. Jets 24-Colts 20, Jets fans become insufferable for the next two weeks, Super Bowl tickets shoot to $11,000 for upper deck.

NFC — Minnesota Vikings +3.5 at New Orleans Saints: Confidential to Bootleg and Joe: There is no such thing as running up the score on the Cowboys — there is only beating them by more points. Besides, the Cowboys are not allowed to refer to any other player as “classless” while that cheating, dirty, leg-whipping piece of rat feces Flozell Adams is still drawing a paycheck from Jerry Jones. Maybe my Cowboys-hate just overrules the Favre-hate. I digress. I have a buddy who is the only Saints fan I know, and he’ll be impossible to deal with should the Saints win the Super Bowl. That’s not really the reason I can’t root for the Saints here. The culprit there is my lingering hatred of Jeremy Shockey. Besides, I do think the Vikings just have better personnel and, well, isn’t it about time for an Adrian Peterson playoff coming out party? As difficult of a time I’m having with picking both road teams in the Championship games… I have to do it. Vikings 38, Saints 31. Sorry, Matt. Favre, Jets, Media!

Stupid Blackberry didn’t publish yesterday…

Saints -7 over Cardinals
Ravens +6.5 outright over Colts
Vikings -2.5 over Cowboys
Jets +7 over Chargers

Totally forgot to do this… don’t even know the spreads but I’m assuming the Jets and Eagles are about 3 point dogs:

Jets outright over Bengals.
Eagles outright over Dallas
Cards outright over Packers
Patriots -3.5 over Ravens.

Straight Up: 8-8 (157-83)
Against The Spread: 6-10 (112-126-2)
Spreadery: Eliminated

Pretty short this week. I’ve been pretty much out of interest for this week because there’s almost nothing that means anything. The Cowboys/Eagles for the 2-seed will at least be fun to watch, I have a $50 collection riding on the Dolphins winning one-more game, and my friends have made their yearly trip to Vegas for the World Series of Beer Pong to give me some action on the Giants money line (+400). Tell me again why people argue that playoffs will make college football’s regular season more exciting?

Indianapolis Colts -3 at Buffalo Bills: Last week marks the 2nd time that Bill Polian has walked off a show when asked to explain himself to his fans. The first time was Chris “Mad Dog” Russo pressing him for answers during the Colts’ initial 12-0 run during this stretch… Polian simply hung up on the Mike & Mad Dog show and, to my knowledge, has never spoken to either of them since. The second time was this past week when he walked off an Indianapolis based show and left dead-air when the fans became (rightly) abusive toward him for his team forfeiting a win to the Jets and leaving an undefeated season (again) on the field. Hanging up on Russo and Francesa is forgivable. Hanging up on your local fans is not — and I’m glad that the local Indianapolis crowd crushed Polian for this and I look forward, once again, to the football Gods (and the fact the team won’t have played together in three weeks) punishing the Colts. The Colts fans wanted this to hold over the Patriots’ heads and f*ck Polian for not giving them the chance. Bills outright

New Orleans Saints +7 at Carolina Panthers: Oh, games like this must be the reason that the “college football needs a playoff” fanatics exist… because nothing says “exciting season” like a superior team being a touchdown dog to a team that has nothing to play for. Panthers cover

Jacksonville Jaguars +3 at Cleveland Browns: I’ll assume that the +3 spread means the Jags getting to 8-8 means they can’t get in regardless of what else happens. Even still, are we assuming that the Jags are just packing it in for the season and Mangini is going to keep the Browns motivated? I don’t think I agree with that. Jags outright

Chicago Bears (Pick) at Detroit Lions: Division game, the Bears will probably show up and Jay Cutler will leave the Chicago fans with a good taste in their mouths before crushing their souls next season. Bears

New England Patriots +7 at Houston Texans: Too many points considering Matt Cassel’s relative success in the Patriot system. Patriots +7

Pittsburgh Steelers (Pick) at Miami Dolphins: My hope here is that there’s just too much missing from the Steelers’ defense and the Gods want me to continue my streak of winning bets against Mike Hulse. Dolphins

New York Giants +4.5 at Minnesota Vikings: This line has moved all the way to Giants +9 on word that Brandon Jacobs has been shipped to the IR for the season. Regardless, Jacobs’ 3-yards per carry wouldn’t exactly be making the difference in this game. There is an outside chance the Giants’ defense is embarrassed enough about their pathetic showing last week that they want to stand up and show the country that they’re not soft. On the other hand, the Giants’ defense might just want to make sure Bill Sheridan gets fired. I took the +400 money line in this game so, I’m not going to bet against myself. Giants outright

San Francisco 49ers -7 at St. Louis Rams: Meh. Niners cover

Atlanta Falcons +1 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Meh 2. Bucs cover

Philadelphia Eagles +4 at Dallas Cowboys: Probably the game of the week. Dallas wins and they have a shot at the 2-seed. Philly wins and they get the 2-seed. The spread here is a joke. Eagles outright

Green Bay Packers +3 at Arizona Cardinals: I’m not sure how the tie-breakers work out here, but I’m pretty sure the Cards have a shot at the 2-seed. It doesn’t matter, I think the Cardinals are going to crush the Pack and Warner will be sitting by the 3rd quarter. Cardinals cover

Kansas City Chiefs +12 at Denver Broncos: There’s still a chance for the Chiefs line to allow their quarterback to die. Come on, craps! Broncos cover

Baltimore Ravens -10 at Oakland Raiders: I can’t imagine any way in which the Ravens don’t crush the souls of the Raiders. Ravens cover

Washington Redskins +7 at San Diego Chargers: I guess the Chargers are going to play the season out? Good. I’d like to say that means I hope they win the Super Bowl… but I don’t. Chargers cover

Tennessee Titans -5 at Seattle Seahawks: Time to rebuild, Seattle. Titans cover

Cincinnati Bengals +8.5 at New York Jets: In amusing news, the Jets have banned alcohol at this game. I’m assuming this is because they’re afraid of the fans dismantling the stadium following the stadium’s last game. The Jets are going to wind up being presented a playoff spot because of their schedule finishing against two teams that have clinched. I do hope Jets’ fans didn’t take Rex Ryan’s bluster at accepting the Colts’ forfeit last week seriously. Bengals +8.5

Spreadery

1) Giants +9 over Vikings
2) Bengals +10 over Jets
3) Patriots +8 over Texans

Friday

L/L – San Diego Chargers +3 at Tennessee Titans: I’m going to go ahead and assume that this “Philip Rivers is undefeated in December” angle, now that it’s officially a thing, is due to come to a crashing end. Probably now, in another great game that the NFL is holding hostage because they’re unreasonable douchebags. Titans cover

Sunday

Seattle Seahawks +13.5 at Green Bay Packers: This is my best chance at one of the three losses I need this week. That’s a tough day. Seahawks +13.5

Oakland Raiders +3 at Cleveland Browns: I’ll go with: “Neither of these teams can even figure out how to lose out correctly.” Browns cover

Kansas City Chiefs +13.5 at Cincinnati Bengals: I’m sure there were some folks who thought the Bengals would throw up the “we did this for Chris” game last week. For me, I usually expect it to be the first game at home. The only reason I’m even considering taking the Bengals to cover two touchdowns here. Bengals cover

Buffalo Bills +9 at Atlanta Falcons: I got nothin. Bills +9

Houston Texans +3 at Miami Dolphins: I’m presuming my hatred of the Texans will be escalated by the fact they will win and prevent me from collecting. Dolphins cover

Carolina Panthers +5 at New York Giants: The Giants have no answer for Steve Smith 1.0. The hope here is that the Giants offense can simply outscore the Panthers. Giants cover

Tampa Bay Bucs +15 at New Orleans Saints: I’d like to say “too many points for a division game” but I can’t see any good reason that this isn’t a repeat of the last drubbing. Saints cover

Jacksonville Jaguars +9 at New England Patriots: I know the Jags are in an absolute must-win here… but the whole warm weather team in a cold weather stadium along with the fact that I trust the Pats in this type of situation more than I do the Jags. Pretty sure the Patriots end the Jaguars season here and lock-up the division. Patriots cover

Baltimore Ravens +2 at Pittsburgh Steelers: So, either the Steelers turned the corner last week or they needed a miracle play to keep their hopes alive. Depends on how you look at it I guess. I expect neither the Ravens defense to allow near as many points as the Packers nor the Steelers to have another miracle. Ravens outright

Denver Broncos +9 at Philadelphia Eagles: This is actually my best case path. The Eagles lose to the Broncos this week and actually have something to play for against the Cowboys next weekend. I really want this to happen… but I can’t pick it that way. Broncos +9

St. Louis Rams +14 at Arizona Cardinals: Next up on “who’s going to get criminally negligent homicided by the Rams’s line” — Kyle Boller. Cardinals cover

Detroit Lions +10.5 at San Francisco 49ers: Meh. Niners cover

New York Jets +7 at Indianapolis Colts: The only question remaining is whether or not the Colts backups can beat the Jets. In a way, it floors me that the Colts have such disdain for this idea but, hey, whatever floats their boat. I hope they get knocked off in the Divisional playoffs. Jets +7

Dallas Cowboys -4 at Washington Redskins: So, the Giants did some damage to the Redskins last week and they’ve spent the entire week hearing about how they’re a sandlot squad. Even if the coach can’t keep them totally motivated, the questioning of their manhood has to do something, right? Am I completely crazy to think that the Cowboys have zero chance of covering Santana Moss? Anyone expecting two straight 30 point losses by the ‘Skins are insane. Redskins +4

Monday

Minnesota Vikings -7 at Chicago Bears: Everyone knows that last year, if Favre did what he did, he would have just been a “gutty competitor”, right? Are all reporters pre-teen girls? Vikings cover

Spreads

1) Jets +6 over COLTS
2) Redskins +6.5 over COWBOYS
3) CARDINALS -14 over Rams

Friday

San Diego Chargers +3 at Tennessee Titans: I’m going to go ahead and assume that this “Philip Rivers is undefeated in December” angle, now that it’s officially a thing, is due to come to a crashing end. Probably now, in another great game that the NFL is holding hostage because they’re unreasonable douchebags. Titans cover

Results

W/W – Colts +2.5 over Jaguars, 35-31, Colts outright: My ability to care about this win has been counteracted by the Colts being their usual, douchey selves, copping out of the undefeated season, and forcing me to root against them in the playoffs. Also — the fact the Colts played against the Jaguars now makes no sense… other than a shady, old-rich-white-guy favor getting called in for the good of the NFL Network.

L/W – Cowboys +7 over Saints, 24-17, Cowboys +7: I went out to watch this game at a local bar upstate and, as expected, it was full of Cowboy fans. They’re a tough crowd to watch a game with. Regardless, as I watched this game, for the first time I found myself wondering if Sean Payton watched one second of game film of the Cowboys season — or even anything going on this game. When Brees threw the ball down the field, they were TORCHING the Cowboys. There was no answer. But he kept running guys directly in to DeMarcus Ware. What? It made no sense to me and, as someone with a rooting interest, was infuriating.

L/T – Titans -3 over Dolphins, 27-24, Dolphins outright: The Dolphins make me wait another week before dancing the “I beat you again” dance to Mr. Hulse.

W/L – Cardinals -11 over Lions, 31-24, Cardinals cover: Nothing big here. The Lions covered because of an early Pick 6. Whatever.

L/L – Falcons +4.5 over Jets, 10-7, Jets cover: The Jets decided to mix it up this season and disappoint their fans two weeks early as to not mar the closing ceremonies of the stadium not named for them. Jets fans, being what they are, have jumped on the “sign a veteran quarterback to tutor Mark Sanchez next season” because, you know, the fanbase will be completely reasonable if the team starts 0-3 with Sanchez and Jeff Garcia is holding a clipboard. The “veteran caddy” thing only works if the veteran starts and the rookie stands on the sideline — then the veteran is bad and the fans clamor for the rookie. It doesn’t work the other way.

W/L – Texans -11 over Rams, 16-13, Texans cover: Die, Texans.

W/L – Ravens -10 over Bears, 31-7, Bears +10: I suck at spreads.

W/T – Patriots -7 over Bills, 17-10, Bills +7: Not shocked, really. The Pats are going to push toward the playoffs now. They’re going to be tough to beat.

W/W – Browns +2.5 over Chiefs, 41-34, Browns outright: If you had “Cleveland Brown runningback gains 300 yards in one game”, collect your 7,000,000-1 winnings at the pay window.

W/W – Eagles -7.5 over Niners, 27-13, Eagles cover: I’d like to thank Fox Albany for sticking us with this crap fest instead of Steelers/Packers. Because two teams relatively in it playing in a must-win game was far less interesting then a Niners team that hasn’t been relevant since the 80s.

L/W – Raiders +11 over Broncos, 20-19, Raiders +11: The Broncos want to keep it interesting, I guess.

W/L – Chargers -6.5 over Bengals, 27-24, Chargers cover: Simmons mentioned this on his podcast — Maybe Nate Kaeding could tone down the post-field goal celebration a touch. I’m pretty sure there’s some sort of rule about overcelebrating when a team is morning the freakish death of one of the team-mates. Stay classy, San Diego.

L/L – Bucs +7 over Seahawks, 24-7, Seahawks cover: Sure, why not.

L/W – Steelers -1.5 over Packers, 37-36, Packers outright: I’m curious how this is being called a “bounceback game” for the Steelers. The Steelers lost the game save for a bizarre, one-in-a-million pass and catch. It doesn’t make the fact their defense got flattened by the Pack for a solid sixty minutes.

W/W – Panthers +7 over Vikings, 26-7, Packers outright: I’m trying to not be semi-excited by the Favre meltdown… not really for any sort of anti-Favre reason, but the fact the Giants are probably going to need the week 17 game in Minny. Of course, they might not because the Cowboys are super-awesome and are clearly going to win out.

W/W – Giants -3 over Redskins, 45-12, Giants cover: I do hope that the Redskins decide to take out their anger on the Cowboys next week.

1) JETS -6 over Falcons – L
2) Giants -3 over REDSKINS – W
3) Bears +10.5 over RAVENS – L

Straight Up: 10-6 (149-75)
Against The Spread: 8-6-2 (106-116-2)

Thursday

Indianapolis Colts +2.5 at Jacksonville Jaguars: This must have been an opening spread before word came out that Peyton wanted to play and go for the undefeated season, essentially overruling the coach, ex-coach, GM, and owner. The spread as of this typing between Colts -3 and Colts -6.5 depending on where you look. Here’s the thing… Manning’s the best quarterback of this decade and he probably really hates that Tom Brady and the Patriots will end up getting most of the nods for best team. And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Manning’s sudden decision to stop sitting back and going for the Super Bowl is coming in 2009. If the Colts run the table and do what the Patriots couldn’t… and come up with a 19-0 undefeated season to close the decade… is there a solid argument against them? Not really. This is the game that will decide it. If they can take down the Jaguars, playing for a playoff slot, in their first sellout of the season, at home on a short week, then it’s down to either the Jets or the Bills to get it done. I… I can’t pick against them until they lose. If, however, I had to pick with a different spread, I’d have to say Jags +6.5. Colts outright

Results

L/W – Browns +10 over Steelers, 13-6, Browns +10: Ugly game… and aren’t you sad you didn’t get to see it? I should have picked this game as one of my spread picks because I was as confident in this as any game I’ve seen all year.

W/W – Colts -7.5 over Broncos, 28-16, Colts cover: Not a lot of surprise here.

L/L – Vikings -8 over Bengals, 30-10, Bengals outright: I spent the last two weeks talking myself in to the Vikings and then immediately talked myself out of them. I rule like that.

W/W – Jets -3.5 over Bucs, 26-3, Jets cover: Also not much of a shock here. Sorry Raheem Morris… see you again in a few years. I guess this goes on the list with Marty Schottenheimer to Norv Turner as the worst voluntary coaching change in history.

L/L – Bills +1 over Chiefs, 16-10, Chiefs cover: Or maybe the Bills really didn’t have to travel well to beat a team that’s not that good… at home… in a good stadium.

W/W – Packers -3 over Bears, 21-14, Packers cover: I had the benefit of watching Jay Cutler’s unconscionable pass to end the game for the Bears. Worst fleecing of the year, tradewise? In football anyway?

W/L – Saints -9.5 over Falcons, 26-23, Saints cover: Is it bad that I’m talking myself in to the Giants beating the the undefeated Saints and Colts in consecutive weeks? Too much?

W/W – Ravens -12.5 over Lions, 48-3, Ravens cover: Thank you, Lions. It’s better for us to be treated to the Daunte Culpepper retirement tour then the Matthew Stafford early retirement tour.

W/W – Dolphins +2 over Jaguars, 14-10, Dolphins outright: I can no longer lose the over/under bet. One more win.

W/L – Patriots -13 over Panthers, 20-10, Patriots cover: As much as I do like the Patriots I have to admit………. I’m kinda pullin for the Dolphins.

W/L – Texans -6 over Seahawks, 34-7, Seahawks +6: And I quote I hate them so much. Whatever. Seahawks +6

W/W – Titans -13 over Rams, 47-7, Titans cover: Damn you, Spagnuolo. You left the Giants in a defensive mess for THIS? FOR THIS???

L/L – Redskins (Pick) over Raiders, 34-13, Raiders: You can never plan for the back-up getting injured and a forcing a team to play its starter. It’s not even fair.

W/W – Chargers +3 over Cowboys, 20-17, Chargers outright: As much as I really hate to admit it — when the Cowboys finally get a new coach in there (like Shanahan) and clean house of their spineless defense — they’re going to be really good. Romo didn’t have a career day, but he had a solid one and looked really good for a consecutive week. I’m hoping that Jerry Jones throws a tantrum, fires Wade Phillips, cuts Romo, and keeps all his sulky stars. Would it take Mike Holmgren over or under 3 days to make him the starting quarterback for the Browns in that case? I’d take the under.

L/L – Eagles +1 over Giants, 45-38, Giants cover: Here’s what we know about the Giants… they’re probably going to back their way in to the playoffs. The only chance they have is to be able to outscore teams because their defense can not stop anyone. They haven’t stopped a 3rd and 10+ in two weeks and they have NO answer for a player like DeSean Jackson. When Jerry Reese sits down and looks at this season, I hope one thing punches him in the face: the desperate need for a linebacker.

L/L – Niners +1.5 over Cardinals, 24-9, Cardinals cover: Eh… one of THOSE GAMES for the Cardinals. Seven turnover games just don’t happen except for random snakebitten nights. I’m pretty sure the Cards will bounce back next weekend.

1) Dolphins +2 over JAGUARS – W
2) Bengals +8 over VIKINGS – L
3) Jets -3.5 over BUCS – W

Standings

Straight Up: 10-6 (139-69)
Against The Spread: 8-8 (98-110)
Spreadery: 2-1 4 points (17-24, 29)
– Joe: 38
– Aaron: 37
– Tom: 29