Official 2013-2014 NBA Predictions

Official 2013-2014 NBA Predictions

The newest edition of the National Basketball Association kicks off tonight, coming off an incredible season with a dramatic ending. Although the Spurs and Heat are my two LEAST favorite teams in the league, their seven game series was undoubtedly the best Finals I have ever seen. This was basketball at its finest, with two historically great teams battling for seven grueling games, each of which more nerve-wracking than the last. The Finals peaked in Game 6, with Ray Allen hitting one of the most clutch shots in NBA history. Those final 30 seconds of missed free throws and uncontrolled rebounds for the Spurs, along with that Allen three (although admittedly beautiful) will live on in the special section of my memories reserved for sports nightmares. This season, however, has the chance to be even more thrilling. With the much raved-about 2014 NBA Draft looming, many teams who know they cannot win a title this year are bottoming out, trying to secure a chance for as good a pick as possible. This means that the Association will be noticeably top-heavy in a league that has more superstars than ever before. The Eastern Conference Semifinals and beyond could very well yield series between the Heat, Bulls, Pacers, and Nets, and any matchup you care you select would probably go seven games. Meanwhile, the deep and talented Western Conference has never been more wide open, with as many as six teams realistically having a shot to get to the Finals. Unfortunately, I don’t have that much free time, so this prediction piece won’t be as long or detailed as I would normally like, but I’m still going to hit all the key areas, including standings, some bold predictions, and playoff previews. Buckle up, and get ready for another exciting season of the NBA.

Standings

For the standings section, I’m going to start in the West and then make my way to the East, but I’m only going to include full previews of the eight teams in each conference that I think will make the playoffs. Here we go.

West

1. San Antonio Spurs: 61-21; the Spurs came excruciatingly close to raising their fifth Larry O’Brien trophy last summer, and are now another year older. However, I still think Tony Parker can carry this team, and I am among those who are in love with Kawhi Leonard; I think Kawhi will average about a 14-9-4 this year (for those unfamiliar, that would be points-rebounds-assists per game). With no truly dominant team in the conference, give me the most consistent and fundamentally sound team to take the top seed.
2. LA Clippers: 59-23; this is an immensely talented team that just made its biggest weakness (Vinny Del Negro) into arguably their biggest strength (Doc Rivers). They finally have a championship-caliber coach leading the way, and have a stacked lineup led by CP3 and Blake Griffin. JJ Redick and Jared Dudley will provide wing scoring, while Matt Barnes is a utility player that is probably the most likely player in the league who would punch you in the face if you looked at him wrong. Big questions remain though, such as how Doc will handle the big men in crunch time.
3. Houston Rockets: 57-25; Obviously the big move of the offseason was Houston bringing in Dwight Howard at center, pairing him up with the explosive James Harden, who burst onto the scene last year (as a starter). The Rockets have speed and shooting, and now also have a presence down low who can wreak havoc on defense and create lots of offensive rebounds as well. If they can get anything productive out of their point guard position, and can turn Omer Asik into one more asset, this team could be the scariest in the West.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder: 56-26; I’m down a bit on the Thunder; the only reason I have them ranked this high is because Russell Westbrook is going to come back eventually, and the combination of him and Kevin Durant is lethal. This team, though, has no depth. Serge Ibaka is a very solid player, but he’s not a carry-your-offense-with-Durant-out-of-the-game type of guy. They really blew their title chance by letting Harden go. Stock down on them.
5. Memphis Grizzlies: 54-28; Grit and Grind is what this team does better than anyone. They have great team balance and chemistry, but they still have one major ingredient missing to be a championship contender, and it’s the same one they’ve been lacking for years: outside shooting.
6. Dallas Mavericks: 52-30; This team still has at least one more playoff season in them, especially now that Dirk Nowitzki is healthy again. With Jose Calderon and Monta Ellis injected into the backcourt along with him, this team will be able to score a ton, but defend nobody. They, like, Memphis, have one clear issue, however: a true big man. They need someone better than Samuel Dalembert to play in the low post. But Dirk could and should average about 24-9 if this team wants to contend.
7. Golden State Warriors: 51-31; I know this ranking doesn’t really reflect what I’m about to say, but I love this team. It’s impossible not to. We all knew that Stephen Curry was a star, but last season he established himself as can’t miss TV. To use an example from Bill Simmons, if you get a text from a friend saying that Steph Curry is heating up, you stop what you’re doing and find a remote. The addition of Andre Iguodala makes them even more terrifying, and Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes should continue to develop. David Lee was a big loss for them last postseason, but Draymond Green is a really solid guy off the bench. But of course, with Andrew Bogut it’s always a matter of “when”, not “if”, he gets injured. So why are they down at number seven? I think they’ll have a little bit of bad luck during the year; it’s what happens when there is a team that the public love heading into the season. Curry will probably miss some time with an ankle injury, and they’ll go cold for some inexplicable reason in a few winnable games. But this team can light up the scoreboard with anyone, and they’re a terrifying matchup in the postseason.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves: 48-34; this race for the 8 seed in the West will be fascinating, and Minnesota is one of many teams including Denver, Portland, and New Orleans, who can snatch it. So why take the T-Wolves? First, I think the Nuggets, after I loved them last year, will fall back; no more 38-3 at home again. Second, and more importantly, if Minnesota makes the playoffs it means that Rubio and Love will finally have a full season together, and everyone wants to see that, right? They can be special, if only the entire team can manage to not be injured.

As for the rest of the West, good luck to you in the lottery. The Pelicans (although I love their name) will fall short of their expectations after making a splash this offseason. I’m not a believer in the Blazers or Nuggets either, and let’s not even talk about the Lakers. The Suns are my favorite team but they are terrible, so for this season I’m hoping that they are the worst team in the league. Let’s go Andrew Wiggins!

East

1. Chicago Bulls: 64-18; I love the Bulls. I picked them to win the championship two years ago, which is when they were the number one seed in the East, but Derrick Rose tore his ACL in the first round and the rest is history. I love basically their entire starting five, and I really hope that management keeps this group together to make a run at the title instead of trading away Luol Deng to cut salary. Derrick Rose is going to come back with a vengeance, and if this team can please finally stay healthy, they are in perfect position to take down the Heat. One thing I love about the East is that they guys on the top teams really hate Miami. All these teams have such history against each other the last few years; look at guys like Joakim Noah, Deng, West and Hibbert, and especially Pierce and Garnett who are now in Brooklyn. In a world where all the superstars are friends and get along, the top teams in the East are tough, physical, and want to break you down mentally and physically. With the return of their star, this team will play with even more intensity and take back the top seed in the East.
2. Miami Heat: 62-20; If you’ve read anything I’ve written before, you know I hate this team. But even I had to respect what they did last year to win their second title. They got the best effort from a beat-up Bulls team, was pushed to the limit by Indiana in the Conference Finals, and then were literally dead to rights before a miracle pushed them over the Spurs in the Finals. It took a herculean effort from LeBron James to especially lead this team through those last two series, each of which were seven grueling, punishing games. They don’t need to be the best team in the East this year; they will just take care of business and turn it up come playoff time.
3. Indiana Pacers: 59-23; We knew the Pacers were talented and tough, but they really put the world on notice by taking the Heat to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals last year. They were mature beyond their years, with Roy Hibbert playing the best basketball of his life, and Paul George elevating his game to another stratosphere. They will not take anybody by surprise this time around, but they won’t have to; their starting five is among the best lineups in the entire NBA, and they tremendously upgraded their bench. If Indiana makes the Finals, it would still be surprising, but definitely not shocking. Paul George will continue to improve and score 20 points a game this year. Mark it down.
4. Brooklyn Nets: 57-25; Health, and a pecking order; those are the two issues that the Nets have to navigate if they want to make a title run. There is not doubt that they are as talented as anyone; their starting five is Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Brook Lopez. Whoa! However, they have a rookie head coach in Jason Kidd who will need to learn fast how to manage the minutes of his aging veterans. The other question I have about this team: Who gets the ball in the final five minutes of games? Who takes the final shot down by one with five seconds left? Personally, I’ll still take Paul Pierce, but maybe D-Will and Joe Johnson won’t like that so much...
5. New York Knicks: 52-30; Big dropoff from the top four to the rest of the conference. I think they Knicks have already reached their ceiling. They needed to seize their opportunity when Carmelo was making shots from the moon, and while Rose was out, the Pacers were inexperienced, and the Nets were flukes. Now, they are no better than the fifth best team in the East, and I don’t think they will win a playoff series this year. That hurts me to say, but they just don’t have the talent or the composure of the four teams in front of them. One great thing about watching the Knicks, though: I love watching the plays where they are in transition, and they get the ball to a trailing Melo who drains a three with that quick release. It’s a thing of beauty, and really gets the crowd pumping in Madison Square Garden.
6. Detroit Pistons: 46-36; The Pistons were the team in the East that made the biggest splashes this offseason, landing both Brandon Jennings and Josh Smith in free agency. Combine them with Greg Monroe and a potential breakout candidate in Andre Drummond down low, and you basically have the equivalent of the Grizzlies-East: a pretty good lefty point guard, a really big frontcourt, and a distinguishable lack of outside shooting. They drafted Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the first round this past draft, who has a chance to get big minutes at the shooting guard position, and if he can break out, then Detroit will have a pretty scary starting five. It’s hard to put them above the six slot at this point in time, though.
7. Washington Wizards: 43-39; Hey look at this, the Wizards are back in the playoffs! The last two East spots are up for grabs, and the Wiz played really well towards the end of last season when John Wall was quietly fantastic. They’ll hopefully get a full season out of him, Bradley Beal, and newly acquired center Marcin Gortat; the backcourt especially has a chance to already be one of the best duos in the NBA. I say they combine to average 35 points, 12 assists, and 12 rebounds a game this year.
8. Atlanta Hawks: 41-41; There will most likely be a bunch of trades over the course of the year for this team, but unless they try to tank, they still have enough overall talent to make the postseason. Al Horford is one of the most underrated players in the NBA.

As for the rest of the East, I have Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Toronto falling short of the playoffs. The rest of the teams are awful, although Orlando has some nice building blocks in place for the future. Kyrie will get there in time, but for now I think he’s the best player on a still developing team. The bottom of this conference is in one big tanking contest, but the wars that will be fought by the teams on top will be epic.

Awards

MVP: Derrick Rose, as long as the Bulls win the East. If the Heat do, LeBron wins again.

Coach of the Year: Frank Vogel, IND deserves a lot of credit for his work with the Pacers.

Rookie of the Year: I mean, you have to go with Victor Oladipo until proven otherwise.

Most Improved Player: I like to go with dark horses for this category. I had Evan Turner last year, who actually had a really good first half before struggling...this year, give me another Evan: Evan Fournier of the Denver Nuggets!

Defensive Player of the Year: Tie. Joakim Noah and Roy Hibbert.

Scoring Title: 1) KD 2) Melo 3) Rose 4) Harden 5) Bryant 6) LeBron 7) Kyrie 8) Curry

Bold Predictions

1. Give me the OVER on 5 Stephen Curry games over 40 points.
2. I have a sneaking suspicion that the Orlando Magic will win the draft lottery.
3. The Phoenix Suns will have the number two overall draft pick.
4. The two leading scorers for the Boston Celtics will be Jeff Green and...Kelly Olynyk.
5. Derrick Favors and/or Enes Kanter will become top 10 at his position.
6. Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love each play at least 60 games.
7. DeAndre Jordan will win one game by hitting two FTs with under five seconds left.
8. Jeff Teague will have a critical playoff moment, good or bad, and not necessarily for the Atlanta Hawks.
9. Chris Bosh either averages at least 18 points per game, or less than 14.
10. Durant averages 33 points per game before Russell Westbrook comes back.

Playoffs

West

SA def MIN 4-1

GS def LAC 4-2 ... CURRY!!!!!!!!!!

HOU def DAL 4-2

OKC def MEM 4-1

SA def OKC 4-2

GS def HOU 4-3 ... CURRY!!!!!!!!!!

SA def GS 4-3

East

CHI def ATL 4-1

MIA def WAS 4-1

IND def DET 4-2

BRK def NYK 4-1

CHI def BRK 4-2

MIA def IND 4-3

CHI def MIA 4-3

NBA Finals

CHI def SA 4-3

Well, there you have it. Those are my playoff predictions. Come June, the 2013-2014 NBA Champions will be Chicago Bulls! I feel like this will be a redemption year all the way around for Chicago. They were robbed of a chance to win a title two years ago when Derrick Rose went down, but I think he made a good decision in not rushing back to the court. I think he will be better than ever and win the NBA MVP. They will have an epic seven game series with the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals which will be better than even last year’s NBA Finals, followed by another seven gamer against the Spurs, who will lose their second straight NBA Finals in seven games. In the Finals, Derrick Rose will win MVP by averaging 28 points per game, to go along with 7 assists. This Chicago Bulls team is ferocious, tenacious, and intense, and I think they finally take down the Heat, who will be just tired enough after a grueling seven game series against the Pacers. Other playoff notes: the Warriors will go on a crazy hot streak to come within one game of the NBA Finals. The Eastern Conference Semifinals and Eastern Conference Finals are going to be legendary with those four teams matching up against each other. In the end, though, there can only be one champion, and I think that it is Derrick Rose’s year from beginning to end, to go along with Joakim Noah and co. I wish good luck to all your favorite teams, whoever they might be, and I just hope that the NBA season will be another classic. Tonight, for the first time in a while, is a BALL NIGHT!!!!!!!!!! Let’s go Bulls, baby.

2013 NFL Week 8 Preview

Week 8 Preview

Week 8 looks terrible, with six pretty good teams on bye. There are so many bad matchups that I’m actually glad that I’ll be working all day. What’s the most competitive game, Dallas vs Detroit? Before I get to the week’s contests, let me take a week to congratulate the Indianapolis Colts on an incredible win last Sunday against the Broncos in Peyton Manning’s homecoming. They played a brilliant complete game in every phase, and rattled Manning in the pocket. The loss of Ryan Clady reared its head for the first time when Robert Mathis was creating pressure at will, and Andrew Luck officially established himself as the future star of the NFL. Unfortunately, the victory came with an even bigger loss, as we learned that Reggie Wayne tore his ACL on a freak play in the fourth quarter, and will miss the rest of the season. Indy established itself as a legitimate Super Bowl contender since they have beaten Seattle, San Francisco, and Denver, but the loss of their star receiver might cost them a chance at a title this year. We’ll see how they move on without him, but the Colts deserve all the credit in the world for arguably the best 60 minutes of football all season.

CAR (-6.5) vs TB - Look at that, I finally got a Thursday game right! The Panthers are on a roll and they are much better than a Bucs team without Doug Martin. Cam played a great game, and suddenly Carolina is 4-3 with a shot at the playoffs! Remember as well, the Panthers were leading late in the fourth quarters of Weeks 1 and 2 against Seattle and in Buffalo, respectively. They could easily be as good as 6-1 right now, and maybe they will continue to improve under the suddenly incredibly aggressive Ron Rivera! As for Tampa Bay...get your resume ready, Greg Schiano.

SF (-15.5) vs JAC - Just stay in London, Jags. San Francisco 34, Jacksonville 6

DAL vs DET (+3) - Two infuriatingly frustrating teams. I don’t know why, I just have more faith in Romo to Dez in this game than Stafford to Megatron. The difference in this one will probably be how dynamic Reggie Bush can be. Dallas 27, Detroit 24

NYG (+5) vs PHI - The Eagles shouldn’t be favored by five over anyone at home. What is it now, nine straight home losses? Make it ten. UPSET ALERT! It’s amazing how Giants fans can think like this, but did you know if the Giants win and the Cowboys lose, the G-Men will only be two games back in the division? New York 23, Philadelphia 20

CLE vs KC (-7.5) - I mean, I love Cleveland this year and I’m rooting for them...but this is a nightmare. Cleveland 10, Kansas City 23

BUF (+11.5) vs NO - The questionable health of Jimmy Graham is important in this pick. The rule is never take a double digit favorite unless you’re absolutely sure, and I’m just not. I’m probably going to look stupid with this one though, when you have Thad Lewis playing Drew Brees and the Saints in the Superdome coming off a bye. Buffalo 20, New Orleans 30

MIA (+6.5) vs NE - You just can’t take the Patriots as a favorite right now. I hate the Pats as much as everybody, but this is just...weird. I mean, New England has suffered some major injuries on both sides of the ball, but we’ve never seen them look so...beatable. Tom Brady is missing a lot of open throws, and even when he’s on target, a lot of these new receivers aren’t hauling them in. Brady is barely taking any shots downfield, which means that every drive is a struggle to score points. Defensively, they have lost Vince Wilfork, Tommy Kelly, Jerod Mayo, and Aqib Talib among others, with a couple of those injuries season-ending. I still think they win this game because the Dolphins aren’t ready for the big time yet, but it will be fascinating to watch New England moving forward. Gronk scores twice. Miami 20, New England 24

NYJ (+5) vs CIN - Yes, the Bengals got a huge road win last week in Detroit. But they are inconsistent and I don’t like them. Unfortunately, I also think Geno Smith is going to be swallowed whole by Cincy’s defensive front. This will be a shield-your-eyes kind of game. New York 9, Cincinnati 13

PIT vs OAK (+2.5) - The Steelers aren’t the same team they have been in previous years, but they still always seem to shockingly blow a game in ridiculous fashion. This time against the Raiders? A fourth quarter fumble returned for a touchdown. You heard it here first. Pittsburgh 16, Oakland 20

WAS (+11.5) vs DEN - Another case of not taking a double digit favorite without being 100% confident. I just think that Washington will be able to score enough points to keep up. Washington 24, Denver 34

ATL vs ARI (-2) - The Falcons aren’t as good as people think they are. And how many times have we seen the Cardinals mowing average to below-average teams at home? Their defense just plays on another level. Atlanta 20, Arizona 23

GB (-9) vs MIN - Too much Rodgers. Lacy goes for 100 and a touchdown. Plus a defensive touchdown. Green Bay 31, Minnesota 16

SEA (-12) vs STL - We talked about the rule for double digit favorites...I’m confident. Seattle 27, St. Louis 10

Lock of the Week: SF (-15.5), ARI (-2)

Performance of the Week: Victor Cruz, Andre Ellington (surprise!)

Surprise of the Week: After Sunday, the Cardinals will be up 3-1 on the Red Sox.

2013 NFL Week 7 Preview

Week 7 Preview

Before diving into the Week 7 games, I just want to say that I have been very busy with school, but as soon as possible I am going to try to get out an NBA preview column, and a major piece about Mariano Rivera’s career. Bare with me on those. As for football, Week 6 was another less than stellar week for my picks, and for the overall quality of games in general. There were not too many fireworks last weekend, except for Tom Brady doing Brady things to the New Orleans Saints. The one bright spot for me the past couple of weeks is that even though many of my picks have been off, I did have another solid upset pick. Although Dallas and Buffalo did not win outright like I thought they would in Weeks 5 and 6, respectively, if you listened to me and bet them to cover then you would have been very satisfied. The Bills miraculously forced overtime with the Bengals on Sunday, and even though they lost, showed some spirit with Thad Lewis throwing two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. I’m just going to jump right into this week’s slate of games, which includes my personal Game of the Year. But more on that later.

SEA vs ARI (+5.5) - Yes, I did not get my picks out in time for Thursday’s game, but it doesn’t matter because I was wrong anyway. I thought the Cardinals would stand a chance at home on a short week against an only average road team in Seattle. However, it looks like the Seahawks are just head and shoulders above everyone else in this tough division. The Cardinals, had they scored a garbage time touchdown on their final drive, would have had a hilariously bogus cover at 34-29, and would have given me a win for this game. However, it was not meant to be, and the Seahawks will have a nice long week to get ready for their next game. By the way: keep your ears open for these Percy Harvin comeback rumors; apparently he’s getting close.

NE vs NYJ (+4) - The big story here is the expected return of Rob Gronkowski to the Patriots, which would give Tom Brady a much-needed familiar face to throw to. Although New England deserves much credit for beating the Saints in the final seconds last week, it does have to be said that New Orleans really screwed up those last couple of minutes. They had the ball like three times in the final minutes and couldn’t get one first down to ice the game. Meanwhile, the Jets played like garbage last week against the Steelers, which is why this line is so high. Remember, the last time these two teams played, the Pats won 13-10 at home, only because Geno Smith threw three interceptions in the fourth quarter. This time, New England has no Wilfork, Jerod Mayo or stud corner Aqib Talib, meaning that Gang Green will be able to pound the ball down the middle of the Patriots’ defense and have some success through the air as well. The Jets also play Tom Brady freakishly well, although it seems they can never just seal the deal to beat him. But Gronk or not, I’m still taking the Jets, because I think that right now everything favors them. If the J-E-T-S cannot get the job done on Sunday, then I believe they can no longer be taken seriously until they prove otherwise. You can’t lose two winnable games in a row at home and expect to make the playoffs. New England 16, New York 20

SD vs JAC (+8) - The decision I made for this game absolutely terrifies me, so let me get it out of the way as soon as possible: UPSET ALERT!!!! My last two upset picks have been successful at least against the spread, and I just feel like the time is now for the Jaguars. Chad Henne is still starting over the incompetent Blaine Gabbert, and he can put points on the board as long as he’s throwing to Justin Blackmon. San Diego, in recent years, has followed up great wins with stupefying losses, and right now they have to go across the country on a short week with all the pressure in the world on them to not lose. Just close your eyes and pray. San Diego 13, Jacksonville 19

CIN vs DET (-2.5) - One team is explosive with their young talent on offense, the other is not. Cincinnati 20, Detroit 30

BUF (+7.5) vs MIA - This is a tough matchup for the Bills, especially if the putrid Matt Flynn is starting for them. I think the Dolphins win this game, but I don’t know if they have the juice to run away from the Bills, so I’m taking the points and trusting that Buffalo can keep it at one possession. Buffalo 23, Miami 27

CHI (+1) vs WAS - How are the Bears not favored in this game? What exactly was Washington shown us this year that would make someone confident in picking them? I’m not saying that they can’t win this game, I just think that they won’t. Who is going to stop Forte, Marshall, and Jeffrey? Chicago 31, Washington 20

DAL (+2.5) vs PHI - Pure gut call here that Tony Romo will be able to outscore Nick Foles. Foles has looked good so far this year, but I think this game gets decided by something fluky, like a dropped fourth down pass or a batted ball that gets intercepted, or a shady penalty call. Dallas 34, Philadelphia 28

STL vs CAR (-7) - Last week’s Rams’ win was more than a bit misleading. Give me Cam, DeAngelo Williams, and the Panthers’ front seven at home. We’ll just say that the Cardinals are St. Louis’ team right now. St. Louis 14, Carolina 24

TB (+6.5) vs ATL - Tampa Bay is awful, but who is going to score enough for Atlanta to win by at least a touchdown? Tampa Bay 20, Atlanta 24

SF vs TEN (+3.5) - Apparently Jake Locker is going to be back in the starting lineup this week! This is another gut call. The Titans’ defense is for real, and they stayed competitive in Ryan Fitzpatrick’s time against the Chiefs and Seahawks. The Niners have been clicking, but I think they run into some trouble in this game. The Titans will win the turnover battle by at least two, and take down a powerhouse. San Francisco 19, Tennessee 23

HOU vs KC (-6.5) - How is this spread still less than a touchdown? Case Keenum is starting for the Texans. In Arrowhead Stadium. Houston 13, Kansas City 27

CLE (+10) vs GB - This is my least favorite line of the week. On the one hand, the Packers are without Randall Cobb and most likely James Jones, while Jordy Nelson will be blanketed by Joe Haden. Will they be able to score enough points to pull away from a very good Cleveland defense? However, on the other hand, are you really taking points with Brandon Weeden in Green Bay? Only take double digit spreads if you’re incredibly confident in it. I say the Browns force a lot of field goals. Cleveland 14, Green Bay 23

BAL (+1.5) vs PIT - It may not be the rivalry it was two or three years ago, but this game will still be as hard-hitting as ever. And right now, even though the Ravens are not playing good football, they always come back with wins when they need to. This Sunday, I think they grind out a tough win against the Steelers to right the ship. The Steelers just don’t have the horses right now to power through. Baltimore 20, Pittsburgh 13

DEN (-6.5) vs IND - Here it is. The Game of the Year. I am not going to miss a single second of Peyton’s return to Indianapolis. All season long, I planned on taking the Colts with the points because I thought it would be a classic shootout. Two things changed my mind. First, the playcalling for the Colts on Monday Night was just atrocious. Against the 31st ranked pass defense in the league and with Andrew Luck at quarterback, I think they took two shots downfield all night. They were ultra-conservative, even as they watched San Diego controlling the clock, and it resulted in them only scoring nine points. I don’t think they have the balls to try to go toe-to-toe with Peyton Manning. Second, this might be a road game for the Broncos, but it is a home game for Peyton. He is going to be fired up. So, naturally, the Colts’ owner, Jim Irsay, took it upon himself to light the fuse! In comments he made earlier this week, he stated (note: this is paraphrased) how he was disappointed that the Peyton-Dungy-Polian era only yielded one Super Bowl and was bounced in their first playoff game seven times in eleven years, and that hopefully this new Andrew Luck era would be more successful. Now, it’s perfectly within his right to say this, and he has a point: it is kind of shocking that the Colts only won one ring with number 18. However, everyone has heard the expression “don’t poke the bear”. Peyton, when asked about these comments from Irsay, of course had no comment, but it had to have frustrated him on the inside to be disrespected publicly after all he gave that city. If I was Peyton, I would want to put up 50 on Indy to wipe his former owner’s nose in it. On a lighter note, I am really excited to see him return to his old stomping grounds, the city where he is basically a god. There is only one team in the NFL that Peyton hasn’t beaten; come Sunday night, he’ll have all 32. I’m getting chills just thinking about this game. Let’s go. Peyton Manning 48, Indianapolis 31

MIN vs NYG (-3.5) - Vikings fans, get ready for the Josh Freeman era! The free agent pickup will make his first start with his new team, on Monday Night against a desperate Giants team. Big Blue has reached the lowest of the low. They now have a home game on Monday Night when everyone will be watching them. They are facing a very beatable team without the best player in their secondary (Harrison Smith). This is the final stand for the G-Men. If they fall in this primetime game, heads will roll. It’s go time, Eli. Minnesota 17, New York 27

Lock of the Week: KC (-6.5), CHI (+1)

Performance of the Week: Peyton. Enough said.

Surprise of the Week: Jacksonville wins a game!!!

2013 NFL Week 6 Preview

Week 6 Preview

Week 5 looked like it was going to be a fantastic weekend of football, and it did not disappoint. The Saints and Chiefs kept rolling with impressive road wins, Indianapolis had a HUGE win over a great Seattle team, and I correctly predicted Cincinnati to come up with a major upset of the Patriots (they even broke Brady’s streak of 52 games with a touchdown pass!). Two games that really stood out to me, though, were the Monday Night game in which the Jets shocked the Falcons, and, of course, the Cowboys coming oh so close. I’ll start quickly by congratulating Geno Smith and the Jets on an incredibly hard-fought win. I watched this whole game, and I really didn’t think that Gang Green stood a chance--how could Atlanta lose twice in a row at home, right? But Geno had, unquestionably, his best game as a pro, throwing three touchdowns, not turning the ball over at all, and, even after the Falcons retook the lead with under two minutes to go, took his team down the field to set up the game-winning field goal. Their defense is legitimate, and it looks like their recent first round draft picks of Quentin Coples, Sheldon Richardson, and Muhammad Wilkerson are quietly forming a beast of a defensive line. I’ll talk more about them later, because I have to mention the Falcons here quickly. Yes, I picked them to make the Super Bowl, but to call them a disappointment would be an understatement. Matt Ryan never loses at home, and even after a 1-2 start, they have now lost back-t0-back primetime games in Atlanta to New England and the Jets. They now sit at 1-4, going into a bye week, with injuries all over the field. Steven Jackson has been out, Roddy White is a shell of himself, and if the reports coming out are true, then Julio Jones could be done for the year. If that happens, just put the Falcons down for a top ten pick in the draft, just one year after barely missing out on the Super Bowl. Now, to the heartbreak of the weekend...Tony Romo and the Cowboys. I picked Dallas to upset the Broncos (and at the very least cover their nine-point spread, which they did). They obviously lost, but I still think that pick was one of the best I’ve ever had. Romo went toe to toe with Peyton Manning, and in my opinion, outplayed him straight up. He threw for 500 yards and five touchdowns, responding to every score that Denver put on the board. With two and a half minutes left, the Cowboys got the ball back with the score tied at 48 (what?!?!?), all three timeouts and the two minute warning at their disposal. So what happens? What HAS TO HAPPEN after this wild ride? Interception. After running out the clock, Peyton and the Broncos improve to 5-0, winning the game 51-48. I really thought Dallas was going to take this one and shock the world. On Monday, Romo, as usual, got a world of criticism for throwing that pick, because it’s not how many you throw, it’s when you throw them; and after Tony’s monster, record-setting afternoon, he faltered when the game was right in the balance. I cannot defend throwing the interception, but I don’t understand how everyone on TV simply focuses on that one play while disregarding the previous 58 minutes of action. They were in that game, with 48 points on the board, solely because of Romo’s brilliance! Why not get on the defense for failing to make a single stop down the stretch after Dallas had retaken the lead? This criticism was remarkably unfair, although it cannot be denied that his interception did, directly, play a huge role in the outcome of the game. Sunday’s shootout between Denver and Dallas will be one of the three best games we’ll see all regular season, and it’s a shame that all everyone will remember it by is Romo’s single miscue. Nice try, Big D, but now you’re just 2-3. Now on to Week 6, which is infinitely less exciting than last week.

NYG vs CHI (-8) - This is the last straw for the New York Football Giants. It’s just amazing that a team so accomplished could be right there at the bottom of power rankings around the country. They are already 0-5, giving up over 30 points per game and committing at least three to four turnovers every week. Now they are being asked to travel to Chicago on a short week. I’ll take the OVER on 3.5 NYG turnovers, and I think the Bears roll in this one. It kills me to say that. New York 14, Chicago 31

OAK (+9) vs KC - The Chiefs are 5-0, although they haven’t played a quality opponent yet, a trend which will continue on Sunday when they host the Raiders. However, Oakland was really good in the-game-that-no-one-including-me-on-the-East-Coast-saw against the Chargers! Terrelle Pryor has some legit raw talent, and although I’m not predicting an upset, I think he can make enough plays to keep it within nine. It’s not like the Chiefs are blowing too many teams out. Oakland 17, Kansas City 24

PHI (-1.5) vs TB - Nick Foles looked pretty good last week, albeit against the Giants. Mike Glennon did not look good last time we saw him. The pace wins this game. The matchup to watch: DeSean Jackson vs Revis. Philadelphia 27, Tampa Bay 16

GB vs BAL (+3) - Every time we count the Ravens out, they miraculously pull a win out of nowhere to stay relevant and remind the world that they are still a team to be reckoned with. The Packers looked less than impressive against the Lions last week, and now Clay Matthews is out for a month. Baltimore’s defense has been very underrated this season, as Suggs and Dumervil have really cranked up the pass rush. Give me the Ravens as home underdogs against a beatable Packers team, outright! Green Bay 20, Baltimore 24

DET vs CLE (+3) - Hmmm...another AFC North team that I’m rooting for this season getting three points at home against an NFC North team who really struggled to score last week. Even if Megatron comes back, the Browns have a top-notch defense (I’ve been telling you that for three months!), and if Brandon Weeden can do ANYTHING AT ALL TO NOT BE BRANDON WEEDEN, then I believe the Browns can improve to 4-2, before they hit the nasty part of their schedule. Detroit 20, Cleveland 24

CIN vs BUF (+7.5) - The Bengals looked fantastic defensively last week, absolutely shutting down the Patriots, and holding them without a touchdown! Really impressive stuff right there. But here’s the thing: they stink on the road, and weird things happen in Buffalo. They had the Pats dead to rights before losing, they knocked off Carolina on the final play of the game, and they picked off Joe Flacco five times a couple of weeks ago. The Bengals still struggle to score with Andy Dalton, but here’s the biggest thing going for the Bills: we saw Brian Hoyer come in out of nowhere and win not one but TWO games. He’s out for the season, and I believe this week that magic will be transferred to...Thad Lewis! Lewis’s athletic ability will help him avoid a suffocating defensive line, and he will lead the Bills to victory! UPSET ALERT IN WESTERN NEW YORK! Note: this has nothing to do that I go to school here. Cincinnati 16, Buffalo 20

CAR (+2.5) vs MIN - Look, I know the Panthers were surprisingly destroyed by Arizona and their suffocating defense. For some reason the Cardinals are just really good at home, and a performance like that from Cam Newton and the offensive line coming off a bye week is inexcusable. But I still think they can bounce back, because the Vikings aren’t very scary, and I’d rather ride it out with Cam then put my faith in Matt Cassel or Christian Ponder against Carolina’s front seven. Carolina 27, Minnesota 20

STL vs HOU (-7.5) - If you asked me whether I would take the over or under on .5 interceptions by Matt Schaub returned for a touchdown, I’d genuinely have to sit and think about it for a little bit. That’s how bad he is. However, the Rams are dreadful, even if they did just beat the Jags by two touchdowns. In every road game with Sam Bradford this year, the Rams have fallen behind by multiple scores. As bad as Houston has looked, they are really good at home and they will be able to move the ball on St. Louis. This line is way too low because of the circus surrounding Schaub recently, but I think that the Texans are due for a big bounce back game. St. Louis 13, Houston 34

PIT vs NYJ (-2.5) - Geno! Smith was great on Monday night under the bright lights, which is especially impressive considering it has been historically tough to win in Atlanta. The Jets find themselves at 3-2, and have a home game against the winless Steelers before another home game versus their rival Patriots, who really struggled last week. Don’t look now, but after seven weeks, Gang Green could be 5-2 and in first place in the East! But that’s way down the road. For now, I say the better team in New York (how is that possible?) will take care of business in a sloppy game, and the key will be their young, ferocious defensive line mauling what’s left of the Steelers’ front. Pittsburgh 16, New York 22

TEN (+13.5) vs SEA - Yes, Seattle lost last week but they are still a dangerous team, and they still dominate people at home. And even though Ryan Fitzpatrick is starting, he played decent enough against the very good Chiefs defense to make me think that two touchdowns is too big of a line for this one. I mean, Tennessee’s defense has been great so far this year! So I’ll close my eyes and pick for the Titans to cover in Seattle, although the Seahawks should still win by about ten. Tennessee 17, Seattle 27

JAC vs DEN (-28) - Yes, I’m using the -28 line no matter where it goes. And I’m still taking the Broncos. This is hysterical. The Jaguars are just atrocious, which everyone and their mother knows. But look at this excerpt from ESPN’s power rankings, describing Denver’s offense in a nutshell: “The Broncos scored 51 points. Peyton Manning completed 78.6 percent of 42 attempts for 414 yards and four touchdowns Sunday. Broncos receivers amassed 205 yards after catches. None of those are season highs”. WHAT??? You’ve probably seen the twitter war between these two programs, which initiated by Denver’s PR staff not-so-subtly mentioning that the Broncos just put up 51 points against Dallas, which is the same amount of points that Jacksonville has scored ALL SEASON. Peyton is putting up 46 a game this season...unless he just sits the entire second half, how is it that they wouldn’t put up 50 again? And how many points is it fair to spot the Jags? 10? 13? Even if you give them 20, the Broncos would only need 48 to cover...and like I said, they are AVERAGING 46. Just close your eyes, enjoy the mediocrity, and admire the greatness. Jacksonville 13, Denver 47

ARI (+12) vs SF - This line is way too high; the NFC West battles are usually very close, and the Cardinals have a really quality defense, especially now that Daryl Washington has returned from suspension. I know the 49ers just crushed Houston on national television, but Kaepernick was underwhelming, and they really didn’t need to do anything offensively to have a huge lead besides run the ball. I’m taking the points here. Arizona 20, San Francisco 28

NO vs NE (-1) - I feel bad, because I want to acknowledge how great the Saints have been, but I end up picking against them all the time. I know the Pats lost last week, but how is New England only favored by one at home, on a Sunday late afternoon game? I think they’ll be out to prove a point to all these critics, and they will have their first F U game of the season. But seriously, I know the Saints have been phenomenal. Best team in the NFC right now as long as Brees and Graham keep hooking up and their defense keeps getting mass pressure. New Orleans 24, New England 27

WAS (+6.5) vs DAL - The Cowboys really blew a golden opportunity on Sunday; taking down the Broncos really would have put the league on notice. They should be able to take care of business on Sunday Night, but you know how Dallas is; as soon as people think they are impressive, they underwhelm. Washington should be able to move the ball, especially since they have had two weeks to prepare for this game. I’ll take the Cowboys in a close game, but Washington covers. Washington 24, Dallas 27

IND (-2) vs SD - I’m all in on the Colts, at least at home so far. I’ve been in love with Andrew Luck since he came into the league, but I was still a little weary of the team as a whole. After a really impressive win over the Seahawks on Sunday, they are now 4-1 and in firm control of the AFC South. However, they have to face Denver next week (a probable loss), so they really need a win here to maintain their position as division favorites. The Chargers were knocked down a peg last week by losing to Oakland, and I think Luck has his way with their secondary. Indianapolis 27, San Diego 17

Lock of the Week: NE and WAS, although I want to say DEN (-28)

Performance of the Week: Arian Foster, Torrey Smith

Surprise of the Week: Buffalo over Cincy. Thad Nation!

2013 NFL Week 5 Preview

Week 5 Preview

Sorry for the delay, everyone, I’ve had a lot going on so I wasn’t able to get my picks out before Thursday night’s game. However, I did make a pick for the Bills and Browns, and I think that after you read it, it will be obvious that I did not cheat and change my pick after seeing the results (note: I will NEVER do that, for any reason, if I am backed up on my post again). I had another pretty solid weekend of selecting winners in Week 4, with nine correct games with the spread out of only 15 contests because of bye weeks. There weren’t really any surprises last Sunday, unless you count a surprise being Buffalo and Cleveland winning their respective home games against defending playoff teams. However, Week 5 is loaded with fantastic matchups , thanks to the fact that the Steelers, Vikings, Redskins, and Buccaneers are all on bye. These are four of the six or seven worst teams in the league, meaning that this week will consist of fourteen matchups, ten of which have playoff implications. Mane postseason candidates will square off with one another, which could lead to some tiebreaker advantages or lack thereof down the road. One thing is certain: you do NOT want to lose your Week 5 game. Let’s dive right into the picks, starting with Thursday’s surprisingly exciting game.

BUF (+4.5) vs CLE - Good news, bad news, and possibly more good news came out of the Thursday night matchup between the Bills and Browns. The good: THE CLEVELAND BROWNS ARE IN SOLE POSSESSION OF FIRST PLACE IN THE AFC NORTH AS OF THIS MOMENT. You read that right. After their third straight victory, the Browns are sporting a winning record at 3-2 and are currently leading the mediocre AFC North. Right on schedule for my “Cleveland in the playoffs” prediction. Now, to the bad: both starting quarterbacks were injured in this game, with EJ Manuel sidelined a few weeks with a sprained LCL, and the savior Brian Hoyer tearing his ACL, ending his season. NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Why must this happen to Brian Hoyer? Just when the Browns and their fans had hope for this season, he goes down, leaving Cleveland with the dreadful Brandon Weeden at starting quarterback. Quick, Cleveland management, someone find Josh Freeman’s phone number! Now, to the possibly good news: Brandon Weeden, bad as he is, came into the game in the first quarter, meaning that he did play almost the entire game. Cleveland, obviously, won the game with a great all-around performance, with Brandon Weeden under center. He did look much more comfortable with Josh Gordon being back on the outside (Gordon was suspended while Weeden started the first two games of the season), so maybe a deep threat to spread the field was just what he needed. Now, in addition to a stout defense, the Browns have a nice young combination in Gordon and Cameron to spark the passing game. If Weeden plays like he did last night, he could win an impressive amount of games this year. However, I did think that this game would be closer, hence my pick of the Bills with the points. The Browns won much more convincingly, but the score I had originally predicted was...Buffalo 24, Cleveland 27

KC (-3) vs TEN - Now on to Sunday’s slate. While Tennessee has really impressed this season, especially on defense, the loss of Jake Locker will hurt them. I was one year too early on the Titans; last season I had predicted them to jump back to 8-8. The Chiefs, meanwhile, have started incredibly hot, and show no signs of slowing down. They are running the ball successfully and their defense has been spectacular. Alex Smith continues to be a perfect quarterback for Andy Reid’s west coast offense, and I think that the Kansas City Chiefs will keep on winning to get to 5-0. They should be able to eat Ryan Fitzpatrick alive. Here’s the one problem with the Chiefs: they should make the playoffs, but once they get there, how high is their ceiling? Are they at the same level as the Broncos and Patriots? We’ll see in time, especially in their two Denver games, but all they can do for right now is beat the teams on their schedule, and right now they are doing that effectively. Kansas City 26, Tennessee 14

BAL vs MIA (-3) - The Dolphins lost for the first time last Monday in New Orleans, but they were able to hold their own for most of the game. A few costly turnovers and penalties here and there combined with the Saints being an absolute powerhouse at home on Monday Night Football made that result slightly predictable. But Miami is a legitimate playoff contender, even though I don’t think they can challenge the Patriots yet in the East. Ryan Tannehill is the young quarterback that always seems to get looked over, and although I don’t think he will ever put up Brees-like numbers, I do think he can turn into a better version of Matt Schaub or Jay Cutler. The Ravens have really struggled so far, but I still have faith that they will turn things around, especially when they start getting into the easiest part of their schedule in a couple of weeks. But right now, the Dolphins are the better team. Baltimore 19, Miami 24

JAC vs STL (-11.5) - I can’t believe I’m doing this. The fact that Sam Bradford and the Rams could be double digit favorites over ANYBODY is astounding. The Jaguars, though are just unfathomably bad. They have scored 31 points the ENTIRE SEASON. In four games. 31 points. Two of those came on defense via safety, and plenty more of those came in garbage time against the Seahawks when they were already down 35. If you spot the Jags ten points, that means that the Rams, at home, with all their supposedly talented weapons, would only need to score 22 points. There’s a good chance at least seven of those could come on defense from a pick-six. I actually picked the Jags to cover last week against the Colts at home and they promptly lost by over thirty. Never again. And I’ll tell you what: next week when the Jaguars head to Denver as 26.5 point underdogs, I’m still going to take the Broncos. Jacksonville 9, St. Louis 27

NE vs CIN (+2) - When this line first opened up, the Bengals were favored by three; this tells you how much the public is on the Pats this Sunday. But I like the Bengals straight up here, for multiple reasons. Cincy just plays better at home for whatever reason, and they have enough talent offensively to bounce back from their dud against the Browns. The loss of Vince Wilfork for New England will come into play, as the Bengals might be able to establish the running game with the Law Firm and the exciting Giovani Bernard. Aqib Talib is a solid corner, but I think AJ Green will get loose for at least one huge play downfield. Here’s the point I feel most confident about: even though the Patriots presumably get Danny Amendola back, Tom Brady will be forced to make short, quick throws, and I think that the Cincy defensive line will not only put pressure on Brady, but get their arms up and knock down a bunch of those quick passes. The Bengals win a tight game, giving the Pats their first loss. New England 20, Cincinnati 23

SEA (-3) vs IND - This is probably the most exciting game of the weekend. The dominant Seahawks with Russell Wilson taking on the resilient Colts and Andrew Luck. I nearly changed my mind about this game a hundred times in the past two days. The Seahawks under Russell Wilson have really struggled on the road; we saw them barely escape both Carolina and Houston with wins. The Colts are clicking, are getting three points, have the most talented young signal caller in the league, and proved that they can win physical battles when they manhandled the 49ers in San Francisco. In the end, I think that this point spread is perfect; the ’Hawks are going win by exactly three. Seattle 24, Indianapolis 21

DET (+7.5) vs GB - A lot of people are on Green Bay here, and I don’t blame them. The Pack are at home, coming off a bye, and face a porous Detroit defense. They should be able to put up 35 points without blinking. My thinking, though, is that the Lions sport an explosive offense of their own, ignited by Reggie Bush’s knack for big plays. They have Calvin Johnson on the outside, a quarterback who is willing and able to sling the ball around the yard, and are getting over a touchdown. Do people really think that the Lions are not going to score? What about the garbage time touchdown potential staring you in the face? Green Bay, in my opinion, should not be this high of a favorite against a team they are a game and a half behind in the standings. The Packers win a shootout by one possession. Detroit 31, Green Bay 35 (Note: Just saw Megatron is questionable in this game? If he’s out or limited, give me GB)

NO vs CHI (+1.5) - The Saints continued their great start to the season by lighting up the Dolphins on Monday night to improve to 4-0. They have taken control of this division, and I think the only way they lose it is if the Panthers suddenly click and become elite. I do have them losing this game, but that is less about them, and more about them having to play the Bears in Chicago. The Bears defense will force three turnovers and make life hard for Drew Brees, while I think Matt Forte runs wild over a vastly improved Saints D. Martellus Bennett scores a touchdown, as does Alshon Jeffrey, and the Bears come up with a big time win over the Saints. New Orleans 24, Chicago 27

PHI vs NYG (-1.5) - I mean, this is getting embarrassing. Can they really go 0-5? Philadelphia 21, New York 24

CAR (-2.5) vs ARI - It’s always dangerous taken an unproven road favorite, especially against a pretty good home team in Arizona. However, I think the Panthers figured something out while clobbering the Giants in Week 3: TURN CAM LOOSE. They need to be more aggressive with Cam running and throwing, which will open up more opportunities for DeAngelo Williams as well. Carolina’s defense is very good, especially up front, and I don’t think the Cardinals will be able to expose the Panthers’ secondary. They’ve had a full two weeks to prepare for this one, and I think that Cam and company will get back to 2-2. Carolina 31, Arizona 16

DEN vs DAL (+9) - Peyton Manning and the Broncos have been nothing short of breathtaking. This offense is simply unstoppable, scoring 49, 41, 37, and 52 points in their first four games. Manning has been surgical, and has put up an unheard of 16 TDs and 0 INTs to start this season. There’s nothing more to say about them that has not already been said. The two best teams in the NFL right now are Denver and Seattle, and if that ends up being our Super Bowl matchup, I think everyone would be happy with that. BUT WAIT ONE SECOND. Who is the team that loses every game we think they should win? THE COWBOYS. And who is the team that wins every game we think they should lose, just to keep setting us up for future disappointment? THE COWBOYS. The Broncos have only played once on the road, and beat up on the lowly Giants. They haven’t had to deal with an offense like Tony Romo, DeMarco Murray, Jason Witten, and Dez Bryant. Ryan Clady, Denver’s left tackle, is out for the year, unable to block DeMarcus Ware off the edge. The Cowboys lost last week to the Chargers, a classic defeat against an inferior (on paper) opponent that makes everyone turn their noses up at them. It’s time for a rebound. Nine points is entirely too high, especially if Miles Austin can suit up. And you know what? Nine points is NINE POINTS TOO HIGH. That’s right, America! This is an UPSET ALERT FOR THE AGES. The Cowboys stun the world and take down the immortal Broncos, only to most likely lose Week 6. But we’ll worry about that next week. Denver 27, Dallas 34

HOU (+6) vs SF - Houston, we have a problem. Just when you think, “Holy crap, maybe the Texans are really good!”, they find some way to let you down. This time, it was bursting out to a 20-3 halftime lead over the Seahawks, only to be outscored 17-0 in the second half before losing the game in overtime. Matt Schaub, late in the fourth quarter, had an absolutely egregious interception that Richard Sherman returned for a touchdown. An off-balance, cross-field lob to a covered receiver? YOLO! I guess Matt Schaub was celebrating Halloween a little early and channeling his inner Mark Sanchez. Here’s the thing about the Texans, that I’ve stated before: they can’t win a Super Bowl with Matt Schaub. They can win one playoff game, then have to face either a Baltimore, a New England, or a Denver on the road in round two, and they would get beat down. That’s who they are. But they sure are competitive in the regular season, and that really impressive first half that nobody will remember against Seattle proves that. The 49ers are more talented than the Texans, and I think they win a tight battle off some other hideous mistake by Matt Schaub. Houston 19, San Francisco 20

SD (-5) vs OAK - One of these teams is talented. One of these teams is not. San Diego 28, Oakland 13

NYJ vs ATL (-10) - The Falcons, needless to say, have been incredibly underwhelming this season. But I think they will have their best game of the season on Monday. I would have taken the Jets and the points had they not gone to Tennessee on Sunday and completely wet the bed. In the two road games of his career, Geno Smith as thrown for three interceptions in the fourth quarter in a three point game at New England, and was sack-fumbled resulting in a Titans’ touchdown because he was trying to bring the ball behind is back (note: a move that directly resulted in me losing in my money fantasy league)...(note about note: I just want to clarify, that this was because I was facing the Titans defense, NOT starting Geno Smith, in case anyone thought I was an idiot). Geno Smith cannot play on the road yet, and I’m expecting he won’t be able to play under the bright lights of Monday night either. The Falcons are much better at home, and I think they will have some of the Saints’ Monday Night magic of their own. New York 13, Atlanta 27

Lock of the Week: Why do I even do these? I’ve had a few great weeks, but all my locks seem to be wrong. Anyway...KC (-3) is the easy way to go, so to spice things up a little...I really do think CIN (+2) will be a good bet.

Performance of the Week: Anyone from GB/DET, Matt Forte, Romo/Dez

Surprise of the Week: Dallas!, obviously. But another prediction, from off the board...Northwestern over Ohio State!

Happy football everybody, and get ready for Week 5!