2012 MLB Playoff Predictions

2012 MLB Playoff Predictions

October baseball is arguably the best month of one sport that we have in America, along with March Madness for college basketball and the four weeks of playoff football. It is the climax of America’s pastime, when one team will rise up and win a gauntlet of short series to reach the ultimate goal of winning the World Series. Baseball is truly a game of inches and in the randomness and chaos of playoff baseball, nothing is truly surprising. Sure, there are miraculous individual performances and unlikely comebacks, but in baseball there is never a sure thing, and we would not be surprised if any of these ten teams would go on to win the World Series. After all, last year’s Cardinals were dead to rights after August but got hot, made the playoffs in Game 162, and the rest is history. This year there are two teams with magic on their side: the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland Athletics. We’ll see if either of these franchises will shock the world. My preseason predictions on playoff teams were pretty respectable in my opinion. I nailed four of the six division winners (Yankees, Tigers, Reds, and Giants), with the two I got wrong both winning wild cards and making the playoffs anyway (Rangers, Braves). My ALCS and NLCS picks were Yankees over Tigers and Giants over Braves, respectively. All these teams made the playoffs and with how the match-ups are set up, both of these scenarios can still happen. I am going to keep my preseason World Series pick the same, but I’ll get to that later. October is simply a magical month for baseball fans, when heroes are born and history is written. There will be screams, cheers, curses, tears, excitement, devastation, and finally, the thrill of being crowned champions of the world. And of course, if we’re lucky, we will get to experience the two most intriguing words in all of sports: Game Seven. So, without further ado, here are my picks for the 2012 Major League Baseball playoffs. It’s impossible to predict, but I’ll do my best.

American League Wild Card Game: BAL vs TEX

This is an incredibly interesting game for many reasons. It’s the classic David vs Goliath story, except with the drama of a one-game loser-goes-home setting. The Orioles are the team with fate and destiny on their side; they just completed their first winning season since 1997 and did so without any true stars. Everyone kept waiting for this team to fall back to Earth, but they just kept winning, to the tune of a 93-69 record. Meanwhile, the Rangers have been the AL representative in the World Series in each of the last two seasons but have nothing to show for it. They controlled the AL West all season long, and spectacularly found a way to choke it away on the last day of the season, putting themselves in this win-or-go-home setting. Experience and talent are both on Texas’s side. But momentum and a sense of fate favor the O’s. All the pressure is on the Rangers while the Orioles are young, confident, and ready to fly. So I’m going to go against conventional wisdom in this one and call the upset. Baltimore 6, Texas 4. Jim Johnson nails down the save, and the O’s get a date with the mighty Yankees.

National League Wild Card Game: STL vs ATL

This is a revenge game for the Braves. They faltered down the stretch of 2011 and had their wild card spot stolen from them by the Cardinals, who promptly went on to win the World Series. If last year’s rules were still in place, the Braves would already be in with no worries; but with the rule change, they still have to win one game to officially make the NLDS, and who do they have to play? That’s right, St. Louis. The Cards are incredibly good in games like this and have the experience to stay calm and prepared. Kyle Lohse is a big game pitcher and even though St. Louis lost their best player and their manager this offseason, they have not missed a beat. Meanwhile, the Braves send out Kris Medlen, and his record 23 straight starts without a loss for Atlanta. Can this streak hold up? Atlanta seems to have a clear advantage in this game; they were a better team all season long, have dominant pitching, and a good-enough offense. But the Cardinals know how to win when they have to, and they can get big hits with runners in scoring position, they make the right fundamental plays, and they do not beat themselves. With all that said...I’m going with the Braves. While the Cards have surprised me this year, I had the Braves winning the NL East and being in the NLCS and I do not think that their time to be knocked out is here. They will not let St. Louis beat them two years in a row. At least I hope not. I’m putting my money on Atlanta to close this deal at home, with Kimbrel closing the door on the Cardinals. I’ve got a pitcher’s duel in this one, with Jason Heyward coming through with a big hit late. But how great would it be if the big hit was made by Chipper? It will be St. Louis 3, Atlanta 5. Max. Could be 3-2 as well. But the Braves win a close one and will advance to play their division rival, the Washington Nationals.

ALDS - NYY vs BAL:

While I love the new wild card rule, I do not understand the new home-field playoff format in the Division Series, with the 2-3 format. Why should the better team during the season play the first two games on the road and risk going down 0-2? The one compliment I will give to it is that it makes sure that if an underdog is going to win the Division Series, they have to close out on the road, no matter what. We’ll see how it plays out. Anyway, this match-up is great because these two teams battled down the stretch for the AL East crown, and the Yankees won that race. Now, Baltimore gets another chance not only to beat the Yankees, but to send them home and get that much closer to the World Series. It’s one of those “lose the battle but win the war” kind of things. New York, obviously, prides itself on the long ball, which becomes less of a factor in October because of the cold weather and better pitching. Are the Orioles’ pitchers good enough to tame the Yankee bats? Baltimore does have a distinct advantage in one area: getting big hits. The O’s were a miraculous 29-9 in one-run games this season, which seems impossible and somewhat flukey, but it shows that they are able to win tough, close games. They also won 16 straight extra-inning games this year, so the Yankees better close this team out in 9. New York, meanwhile, is absolutely dreadful in clutch situations, outside of Derek Jeter and Raul Ibanez. Going down the line-up, everyone sucked this year in big moments: Swisher, A-Rod, Teixeira, Granderson, Martin...who do you trust? As a lifelong Yankee fan, I’ll answer that question for you...no one. You close your eyes and pray to whatever you believe in. In order to win the World Series this year, the Yankees are going to have to win close games and get clutch hits when they matter most. Which means that I have all the expectations of winning but zero confidence. This series would be a dog fight from beginning to end, with teams scratching and clawing for any advantage they can get. However, when it’s all said and done, I feel that the Yankees will just be too much for Baltimore to handle. They had a fantastic season and exceeded all expectations, but the time has come for them to bow out, because they just don’t have the talent to compete with the Evil Empire in a playoff series. I’ll take the Yankees to advance in 4 games.

ALDS - OAK vs DET:

I think everyone outside of the Motor City wants the A’s to win this series. They are a classic underdog, even more so than the O’s. This team starts 5 rookie pitchers and have no dominant offensive players outside Cuban Yoenis Cespedes. Yet somehow they won the AL West over the mighty Rangers and Angels and have three home games against Detroit. Whoever wins Game One will win this series. I think Oakland needs to win one game in Detroit, and if they can steal Game One on the road against Verlander, then they will demoralize this Tigers team. However, I don’t see it. The A’s don’t have the firepower, and I think Miguel Cabrera is good enough to power the Tigers through this series. It will be a great test for the Athletics to see if they truly belong as an elite team in 2012. As much as I would love for this team to win, I don’t think they have it in the tank. I think a lot of their emotional energy went into topping the Rangers. However, there is no doubt that they are hot, and I think this series will go the distance. Final verdict: Tigers advance in 5 games and use Verlander in the close-out game, meaning that he will not be ready to go for the beginning of the ALCS against the Yanks.

NLDS - ATL vs WAS:

Shutting down Strasburg is going to backfire. The Nationals have put up an extraordinary 2012 campaign, jumping from the gutter to the best record in all of baseball. The Braves will win the first two games at home before the Nats know what happened. Washington takes Game Three but it’s too little too late. I think that the Atlanta pitchers will perform better than Washington’s because the Braves are simply on a mission to be great this year, while Washington is still very young and I don’t think they are as hungry as the Braves will be in this series. No disrespect to the Nationals, who I think are the frontrunners to win the division again next year, but I just think that they will be outplayed by a veteran, more determined team. I’ll take the over on 1.5 rampage outbursts by Bryce Harper in this series. I’m just not sold yet on this team, especially not with Strasburg spearheading that rotation. Atlanta advances in 4.

NLDS - CIN vs SF:

How is it that this series seems to not be talked about even though it is probably the most even and competitive match-up out of the four? I think that this series has to go 5 games. These teams are just that good. The pitching edge has to go to San Francisco, especially if they can get contributions from Lincecum and Zito. Even with Melky being suspended, the Giant offense has still been productive, with players like Pence, Scutaro, Posey of course, and the Panda (who would definitely be on an all-sports nickname team). The Reds were quietly only one game behind the Nationals for best record in the major leagues, even with Joey Votto missing extended time. This team has the leadership and the poise to make a run deep into this playoffs. I would have had them beating Washington if that was the match-up. I really like this team but I picked the Giants to make the World Series this season and I’m not backing down. I have Matt Cain winning Game 5 on the road for San Francisco to advance.

ALCS - DET vs NYY:

This is a match-up of superstars: Verlander, Cabrera, and Fielder facing Sabathia, Jeter, and Cano. The Yankees line-up is deeper than Detroit’s is top to bottom, and I think their rotation is as well. New York just has a superior roster to Detroit, but the game isn’t played on paper. I thought the same thing last year when these two teams faced off in the ALDS, but the Tigers were able to win a Game 5 in Yankee Stadium. That scares me. But I have the Yankees win. They will not be defeated twice by the Tigers. Again, the fate of the Yankees in these playoffs depends on their situational hitting. They have not gotten the job done this year. If New York can make the winning plays and get clutch hits along with their usual power and pitching ability, they will walk to the title. But if they keep continuing their trend of coming up short in those situations, then they will fall short of their goal. I think the comeback of Brett Gardner and the trade for Ichiro will be huge for them in this series; it gives them an element of speed that they have lacked for so long. This series goes 6 games. The Yanks will lead 3-2, and they won’t let this series get to 7 games. Because they have a very good chance of losing a Game 7. The New York Yankees will get enough clutch hits to get by, and advance to another World Series, where they are usually dominant. I picked the Tigers before the year to have the best record in baseball during the regular season so I have high regard for them. But October is when champions are born, or in the Yankees’ case, when they return. The Bombers will have fire in their eyes, and will not settle for losing, because the Bronx is starving for another championship. It’s been three years for heaven’s sake! 6 games for this series, and the Yankees are going back to the promised land.

NLCS - ATL vs SF:

My preseason pick for this series was an old-fashioned 7 game war, and I’m sticking with that. Both these teams sport great pitching and underrated offenses. The tipping point of this series will be the postseason experience for the Giants from winning the World Series two years ago, coupled with the fact that Game 7 would be in San Francisco. I think that this is the postseason of Matt Cain, and he will be dominant. I liked the Braves this year to get to this point, but all great things have to come to an end, meaning their season along with the Hall of Fame career of Chipper Jones. I think the Atlanta hitters will struggle in this series, and the Giants hitters will get the job done when it counts. There will be no easy wins in this series, and I expect a lot of hard-fought 4-3 type of games. This battle will go the distance, but the San Francisco soldiers will stand victorious on their way to their second World Series in three years.

World Series - NYY vs SF:

Here we go! There’s nothing like watching the Fall Classic, especially if your favorite team is involved. What could be better than eating hot dogs and wings, etc. with friends and family wondering if your team will be crowned champion? I’ll tell you what: not having to listen to the droning of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, but that’s first world problems for you. This series is a battle of two different dynamics: The power of the Yankees against the pitching and manufacturing offense of the Giants. Unfortunately for me, the style of San Francisco tends to win more titles than just trying to out-muscle your opponent, because pitching wins championships. Also unfortunately, the National League won the All-Star Game this year, so the Giants will have home-field advantage, meaning that the middle three games in the Bronx are crucial. However, the last time the Yankees were in the World Series and did not have home-field advantage, what resulted was my favorite moments in sports history. If you’ve never seen the clips of the 2001 Games 4 and 5, find them. However, New York did lose that series, but this time they will not have to face Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson twice. My preseason pick was the Yankees over the Giants in 6 games, which would be awesome, except that we wouldn’t be able to win in front of the greatest fans in the world at home. So I’m sticking with that pick. New York will get their heads out of their asses in crunch time and step up. If Curtis Granderson can get one clutch hit I will be so happy. But really, did you expect I wouldn’t pick my Yankees? Some say I’m unbiased, but when your team is in the playoffs every year but one since 1995, I’d say they have a pretty good chance of winning every year, so it justifies me picking them. In what has already been a wild season, the playoffs will end how they are supposed to end: with the New York Yankees storming the field and lifting the championship trophy above their heads with World Series Championship number 28. Enjoy the playoffs everyone. I live for this.

2012 MLB Season Review

2012 MLB Regular Season Review

That sound you hear is me giving Bud Selig a standing ovation for adding that second wild card to the playoff picture this year. That rule change led to an incredibly exciting finish to the season. There wasn’t the craze of Game 162 from 2011, but the entire month of September had a similar feel, with every game feeling like a must-win and division races coming down to the absolute last day. 2012 was filled with spectacular stories, from surprising teams making huge leaps, to individuals making history, to some massive disappointments and lost seasons (Red Sox fans nodding sadly). With all the hoopla from football and the Summer Olympics, it seems as a lot of these baseball stories haven’t been appreciated; this tends to happen when ESPN lives up the Jets’ ass, right next door to Skip Bayless’s apartment on Tebow Avenue. Whether you are a casual fan or a hardcore aficionado, everybody has to be aware of the greatness that we witnessed in 2012. Baseball may be rapidly dropping down to the third most popular sport behind football and basketball, but this season had everything that we could have hoped for, and hopefully the playoffs will have more in store for us.

The 2012 season brought more shocks in terms of surprising team success than any year in recent memory. Raise your hand if you had Baltimore, Oakland, and Washington all making the playoffs. That sentence might as well have read, “raise your hand if you’re a liar”, because there’s no way anyone predicted that one. The National League was pretty simple to navigate all year, because there wasn’t really a race that was in jeopardy down the stretch, but there will still some pleasant surprises. I thought the Washington Nationals were one year away from success but they proved me wrong. Not only did the Nats take the next step forward as a team, but they took the MLB by storm and finished the season with the best record in all of baseball, even with Steven Strasburg being shut down for the last month of the year. They had a 21-game winner in breakout star Gio Gonzalez and had a potent offense led by Ryan Zimmerman, Michael Morse, and Ian Desmond. This team is young, and ready to win right now, but we’ll see if the decision to shut down Strasburg will backfire or not. Either way, they ride into their first postseason in forever with home field advantage throughout the playoffs and in the World Series as well, if they make it there. Washington will play the winner of the playoff game between wild cards Atlanta and St. Louis, and we’ll see how they perform. 

Now to the American League surprise teams, and I’ll start with a question: How do you decide who wins AL Coach of the Year between Bob Melvin and Buck Showalter? They both coached their asses off and led projected last-place teams into the playoffs on magical runs that never struck midnight. The Orioles play in the gauntlet that is the AL East, with perennial contenders in New York, Tampa Bay, and Boston. If either of the other two teams were going to take a leap forward, I thought it would be Toronto. Either way, the Orioles were supposed to finish in last place, but they defied the odds. Baltimore finished with 93 wins, taking the chase for the AL East crown down to the final game of the season with the Yankees. The Rays, winners of 90 games, didn’t even get one of the two wild cards. The O’s still don’t even have that great of starting pitching, but they had a horse closing out games in Jim Johnson, who finished with 51 saves in 54 opportunities. Baltimore was able to win so many games because of their offense, led by Adam Jones. They had an incredible amount of luck as well, winning 16 straight extra-inning games (what?!) which shows that while being very fortunate, they absolutely have the clutch gene as a team that you need to win in October. The Orioles will play in the wild card play-in game against the Texas Rangers on the road, which is no small task, but if any team can pull off a miracle this year, why not the O’s?

Maybe even MORE surprising than the O’s, if that’s possible, is the A’s, the other vowel of the MLB. The Oakland Athletics had no business competing in the AL West this year, in a division with the two-time defending AL champ Texas Rangers, and the completely reloaded Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (still the worst name in sports besides anything named “Cleveland”). I picked Oakland to finish in last place in that division and expected nothing from them. Their two best offensive players were Yoenis Cespedes, an unproven free agent from Cuba and Josh Reddick, a first-time starting outfielder acquired from Boston in a trade. Their starting pitching was mediocre at best to begin the year, and by the end of the year they had a rotation made up of five rookies. Five rookies??? Somehow they made things work, and after being 13 games back on June 30th, Oakland went 68-33 to end the season and steal the division from the mighty Rangers on the final day of the season. They finished the year 94-68, the second best record in the American League, and clinched their first playoff berth since 2006. My first thought when Cespedes signed with the A’s was: why would he CHOOSE to play with Oakland and never win anything in his life? It turns out that he became the leader of the team, hitting .292 with 23 home runs and also had 16 stolen bases while playing a great center field, all in only 129 games. This team also got several other unforeseen contributions, such as 32 homers from Reddick and 21 more from Brandon Moss along with a .291 average in only 84 games. Coco Crisp had 39 steals, and although only two players hit over .270 during the whole season, five players hit at least .280 in the second half. Those rookie pitchers I mentioned were fantastic, all of whom posted ERAs under 4.00 and showed composure beyond their years. They ended the season 8-1 while Texas finished 2-7, wiping out a 5-game deficit in the final week and a half. This 2012 Oakland club will always be remembered in the bay area for the heart that they displayed. They will face the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS, and if they can somehow beat Verlander in Game 1, then the Athletics could find themselves in the ALCS. These three organizations shocked the world in 2012 and hopefully their stories will continue. After all, legends are born in October. (Note: The White Sox and the Pirates would have been on this list as well if they didn’t self-destruct in the second half).

Lost in the wildness of the 2012 Major League Baseball regular season were some spectacular individual seasons put up by some surprising players. I think 2012 might have been the year of the closer, because there were some amazing performances. Jim Johnson was a bulldog for Baltimore with 51 saves, and he was probably only the 4th best closer in the league. Third best was Aroldis Chapman of the Reds, who started maximizing on his talent this year. The flamethrower had 38 saves with a minuscule 1.51 ERA, and 71.2 innings, had a whopping 122 strikeouts. In my opinion, the second best finisher was Atlanta’s Craig Kimbrel, who almost put up what could have been the best season ever for a closer. Kimbrel saved 42 games in 45 opportunities, and had only 14 walks to an amazing 116 strikeouts, while putting up only a 1.01 ERA. He faced a total of 233 batters this year, which means that he struck out half of the hitters he faced this season, and had a record 0.65 WHIP. He could very well win the NL Cy Young this year, and his performance out of the bullpen could only be topped by the heroics of Fernando Rodney down in Tampa Bay. Rodney set an all-time record with a sparkling ERA of 0.60. In 75 innings of work he only allowed 5 earned runs and converted 48 out of his 50 save opportunities. He was simply automatic, and it’s a shame he couldn’t continue his run through the postseason as well. 

As for the non-closers...how about Edwin Encarnacion for the lowly Blue Jays? Even though he had a weak finish to the season, he had to carry this team with the absence of Jose Bautista, and he delivered with 42 home runs, 110 RBIs, and finished with a solid .280 batting average. Meanwhile, we have a Padres sighting! Chase Headley led the entire NL in RBI this year with 115. He also had 31 HR, 17 SB, and a .286 batting average. Headley was absolutely a top 5 National League hitter. As for breakout pitchers, I picked Jered Weaver to win the AL Cy Young this year, and while he probably won’t, he did finish 20-5 to prove that he does belong among the game’s elite. Kris Medlen for the Braves was 10-1 with a 1.57 ERA. Atlanta has won a record 23 consecutive games started by Medlen, so this wild card game seems to be a lock, right? I also have to bring up RA Dickey, the soon-to-be 38-year-old knuckleballer put together a season for the ages, and I honestly hope that it ends in a Cy Young award. He finished the season 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA, three shutouts, a 1.05 WHIP, and a National-League-leading 230 strikeouts. He showed the world that a knuckleball can get the job done, and he had a season for the ages.

Now, for the three big splashes of the 2012 season, beginning with Bryce Harper. The 19-year-old phenom had his struggles in his first season but for the most part looked like a star-in-making. His stats for this season were respectable; in 139 games, he hit .270, 22 HR, 59 RBI, and 18 SB, while displaying one of the strongest arms in the league. There are reasons to love and hate Harper, besides his talent. He is already infamous for being a hothead, and proved it, yelling at umps and throwing helmets down, etc. One thing he should be commended for, however, is hustling on every play, giving 110% of his heart on the field. He’s kind of like the extremes of Robinson Cano, who rarely shows bad emotions but also doesn’t know how to bust his ass down the first base line, either. Harper has a bright future, and is the offensive face of the franchise to go along with Strasburg’s pitching. 

The other incredible rookie has a chance to win the AL MVP, the Fish himself, Mr. Mike Trout. Trout has exploded onto the scene in his first year, and is already regarded as the best player in the game at only 21 years old. He put up historic numbers, including a .326 batting average, 30 home runs, 83 RBI, and 49 stolen bases. He had a .399 OBP and scored 129 runs, which is 20 more than any other player in the MLB and he did all this in 139 games. He became the first rookie ever with 30 home runs and 40 stolen bases and almost made that number 30-50. Trout also made an impact defensively, robbing three home runs while scaling the fences like one of those flying monkeys from the Wizard of Oz. For all the saber-metric freaks out there, Trout also led the MLB with a 10.7 WAR this season, the highest by far, ahead of Robinson Cano who finished second with an 8.3 WAR. He is already drawing comparisons to Mickey Mantle, who many consider the greatest all-around baseball player who ever lived. We don’t know where Mike Trout will end up in the future, but he will undoubtedly be the best player in the league sooner rather than later.

Finally, the biggest year of them all, goes to my MVP pick of last year, Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera made history this season being the first player to win the Triple Crown award since 1967. Miggy led the American League with a .330 batting average and led the world with 44 home runs and 139 RBI as well, accomplishing one of the rarest feats in all of sports. He simply put up one of the most prolific offensive seasons ever, and better get the AL MVP award because of that. I know Trout is the new Prom King of the league and can run and play defense, but Cabrera carried the Tigers down the stretch and led them to a division title, while Trout was surrounded by superstars and couldn’t lead his team to even a wild card. Cabrera gets rubbed because of his lack of great defense, but remember, he did sacrifice for the team and moved over to third base with the signing of Prince Fielder, and played pretty decently this year anyway. He was absolutely the best player in the game this year, and we’ll see if he can lead his Detroit Tigers to the promised land this year and get himself a second ring.

Now the sad part of the review, to the disappointments. First, the Boston Red Sox. Their team got ripped apart in every way possible, and they had their worst winning percentage since 1965. Bobby Valentine was a one-year wonder, as in everyone will wonder how this team could have possibly been this bad. They gave Bobby V the boot, finally, and will begin looking for a new manager ASAP. To be fair, though, everyone on this team was hurt. I think they had more people on the DL at least once than not on the DL at all this season. The Red Sox gave up toward the end of the season, and traded away Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, and other pieces to the Dodgers to cut away $250 million in salary. Which brings us to our next disappointment, the LA team who doesn’t have Mike Trout. They made trades for Hanley Ramirez, Shane Victorino, and Adrian Gonzalez to add to Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier in that line-up, and from that day on got worse, and completely fell out of the NL West picture as the Giants rode on to victory. They could have won the second wild card, but didn’t play well enough to catch the Cardinals, and missed the playoffs altogether, except now with over $250 million in salary to deal with. What the hell happened to them? They were supposed to be the superpower of the West coast, mirroring the Yankees and Red Sox. The Dodgers were an embarrassment down the stretch, but hopefully they will be able to turn things around next year. The Phillies and the Marlins were projected by many to be the top two teams in the NL East...they weren’t. Then there is the atrocity that is the lower part of the NL Central. This division had not one but TWO teams finish with over 100 losses: the Chicago Cubs (61-101) and the Houston Astros (55-107). The Astros are simply awful. As for Cubs fans...does anyone suffer more then them? The draught is at 104 years and judging by the Cubs’ performance this year, that streak will last quite a bit longer. There were plenty of disappointments this year, but hopefully they will all improve next year to get back on track. Everyone except the Red Sox, anyway.

The 2012 Major League Baseball season was one that contained many wild rides and stories that kept huge fans like me enthralled until the end. From the team success of the Orioles and Athletics to individual history of Trout and Cabrera, 2012 will be remembered for several reasons. As far as I’m concerned, these playoffs should be just as memorable as well. Whoever wins the World Series will be a deserved champion, which is only fitting after such another fantastic season of our national pastime. Playoff preview coming up tomorrow, hope you enjoyed everything!

NFL Week 5 Preview

Week 5 Preview

Week 4 of the NFL season came and went, without much controversy under the regular referees (they did dodge a bullet on the missed Darren Sproles fumble in the Saints-Packers game, though). There weren’t really any true upsets but there were plenty of exciting close games that were decided in the final minute (congratulations Falcons and Eagles). There are some more intriguing match-ups this week again including the battle for Pennsylvania, the Manning-Brady bowl (Broncos edition), and a battle of two explosive offenses in the Falcons and Redskins. There is not a single game between two teams with losing records which means that there will be good match-ups and possible playoff implications. Let’s see what’s in store.

ARI vs STL (+1.5) - How about those Cardinals? A very surprising 4-0 start has them among only two other undefeated teams in the entire NFL. They have not necessarily looked that impressive on offense but Kevin Kolb has made the plays when he has had to which has led to three of their four wins being decided in the fourth quarter or later. Meanwhile, the Rams have been up and down but they are 2-0 at home and they might be able to sneak in an upset on a Thursday night game. This game will be close, and if the spread was +3.5 then I might have gone with the Rams, but at only +1.5 I’ll take the Cards to cover and win by a field goal. Arizona 20, St. Louis 17.

MIA vs CIN (-4.5) - Ryan Tannehill has looked much more impressive than I thought he would, but has only one win to show for his efforts. His time will come, but for now he is facing a tough Bengals team on the road, and I think it will be too much for him to overcome. No way Hartline goes for 253 again. Meanwhile, I’m not high on Cincy either but I think they make enough plays to squeak out a one-possession win. Two words: AJ Green. Two more words: barely cover. Miami 23, Cincinnati 28.

GB vs IND (+7.5) - The Packers have looked less than stellar this year, although they should obviously be 1-3. Their defense is much-improved which is a good sign, but the bad news is that Aaron Rodgers has shown weakness. They are a better team than the Colts and should be able to take care of a rookie quarterback, but I think Indy will put up more of a fight than expected. They are coming off a bye and are playing a vulnerable team at home. The spread says its a two-score game, but I don’t think so. I can’t go upset special on this game, but look out. Green Bay 31, Indianapolis 24.

BAL vs KC (+4.5) - I picked the Chiefs to win this game before the season started, even though I have the Ravens winning the Super Bowl. Baltimore has looked great, which is no surprise to me. The Chiefs, meanwhile, have looked like garbage. 6 turnovers against the Chargers??? What are you doing??? I will be rooting for the Ravens to win this game, but I’m going to back up my pick from preseason and put this down as the upset game of the week. Ravens will recover from it. But the Chiefs are desperate for a win and they’ll get it. Flacco 50+ throws. Baltimore 24, Kansas City 27.

CLE vs NYG (-9.5) - This is one of those classic games in which the Giants struggle, kind of like the Seattle game last year: going up against an inferior opponent at home. The odds should be on the Browns’ side to at least beat the spread. However, these are circumstances; the G-men have holiness on their side. Remember folks, God hates Cleveland. Weeden has been ok, but this isn’t the game for their first win. I’ll take Big Blue covering up the Browns. Cleveland 16, New York 31.

PHI vs PIT (-3.5) - When will the Eagles freaking lose a close game? The Browns, Ravens, and Giants all have not been able to seal the deal against Philly. Their three wins have been by a combined four points. They will not be able to keep this up, and I’m not saying that because I hate the Eagles. This week they run into a rested, angry, hungry 1-2 Steelers team, and although I’m also down on Pittsburgh this year, I think Big Ben plays his heart out. This is a huge game for them, and they will get it done against a tough team at home. Close, but coverable. Philadelphia 20, Pittsburgh 24.

ATL vs WAS (+3.5) - God damn Atlanta Falcons. Leave it to the Panthers to not be able to close the deal and finally give the Falcons their first loss. But Atlanta keeps winning, and are still undefeated. They bring their 4-0 record into Washington, land of the RGIII. There are a lot of home underdogs this week, and the Redskins are probably in the best position to pull off the upset. However, I made my upset pick already, and that means I do have the Falcons winning this game. I have a new philosophy: I want them to win as much as possible; that way, when they lose their first playoff game again, the loss will sting all the more. Atlanta 31, Washington 26. Close cover.

SEA vs CAR (-3.5) - What are you doing Carolina??????? How do you blow a game that you had the winning first down then lost it then stuck Atlanta on their own 1 yard line with under a minute and no time outs then give up a huge play and some other pass plays that set up the winning field goal then give up said field goal to a division rival resulting in being 1-3 and three games back after only four games of the season which is really four counting the tiebreaker....(hold on, gotta catch my breath). Meanwhile, the Seahawks have a great defense, no offense, and can’t win on the road yet. That said...Panthers win and cover (he said with no confidence). Seattle 16, Carolina 21.

CHI vs JAC (+5.5) - How about those Bears? I had them topping the Cowboys on Monday night, but I didn’t see that beatdown coming. They looked like the dominant team that I envisioned they would be at the end of the year. I feel confident. On the other hand, I do not feel confident in the Jaguars. Chicago 27, Jacksonville 13.

TEN vs MIN (-5.5) - Two pieces of good news: First, we have a Chris Johnson sighting! Second, I completely nailed that Viking win over Detroit last week. Just a little bit of self-promoting there. Anyway, to the game...Tennessee has no defense and no passing game and until very recently no running game. Minnesota has all of those things. Tennessee 17, Minnesota 27. Over/Under .5 return TDs for the Vikes?

DEN vs NE (-6.5) - Why couldn’t this game be in Denver? The Broncos would have more of a chance. I love those Peyton-Brady annual battles. Favorite player against least favorite player. Unfortunately, I don’t know if this Denver team is good enough to go into Foxborough and take on the Pats. One bright spot is that Aaron Hernandez, who imposed his will in that playoff game last year, will not be able to torch this Denver D again. The odds point to the Patriots winning this game by a touchdown. I want the Broncos to win. I’ll go halfway. Pats win, but don’t cover. That way if Denver can somehow pull off the upset, you’ll still win the match-up. Let’s see if Peyton Manning is truly back, and if he can once again take down his nemesis. Denver 24, New England 27.

BUF vs SF (-9.5) - How about that Buffalo defense in the second half last week? How about that 49ers defense giving up 48 points fewer to the Jets than the Bills allowed to them? No-brainer here. Buffalo 17, San Francisco 31.

SD vs NO (-3.5) - Is this it? Will the Saints finally get their first win of the season? I say YES! Geaux Saints! Who Dat? Woooo! 1-4! All the ingredients are there: Superdome, primetime game, “us against the world”, coming off a tough road loss, Brees and Sproles going against former team, this team is 3-1 but is notorious for taking naps and not living up to potential...San Diego 20, New Orleans 34. Dropping hammers.

HOU vs NYJ (+7.5) - The fact that this is only a 7.5 point spread is embarrassing to the Texans. They are the best team in the league right now. The Jets...are not. How are they supposed to score? They won’t. The Tebow chants will rain down in Metlife Stadium. Cover city all day, coming from a very ashamed New Yorker. Houston 27, New York 6. And it really won’t be that close. The Texans will virtually be able to take knees for the entire fourth quarter. Let’s see what Mark Sanchez is made of.

NFL Week 4 Preview

Week 4 Preview

THE REAL REFS ARE BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, now that we have this insane crisis over with, we can concentrate, once again, on the actual games. The first three weeks of the NFL season were full of chaos and controversial calls, with the climax being this past Monday Night game in which the referees blew the game for the Green Bay Packers and handed a win to the Seattle Seahawks on a silver platter. There were also plenty of crazy injuries, from would-be-a-break-out-star-if-he-was-healthy CJ Spiller, to Darrelle Revis tearing his ACL and being done for the season (cue Jets fans sobbing uncontrollably), to Matt Schaub losing a piece of his ear on a gruesome hit. It was a truly wild weekend in the NFL last week, and we’ll see how much more controlled it will be now that the real referees are back in business. Hopefully now there will be a much better product on the field, and we can concentrate on the actual games. Let’s see what’s in store for us this weekend with the spreads.

CLE vs BAL (-12.5) - The Browns still look awful. Right now I’m on pace to be right about Cleveland having the number one pick in the draft next year. The Ravens are coming off an incredible comeback against the rival Patriots which is a huge emotional win for them. They are now 2-1 and sitting on top of the AFC North. They will win tonight (or at least, they better), but there’s just something about these division games that end up being closer than they should be. I’m taking the Browns with the points on the road. Cleveland 13, Baltimore 23.

CAR vs ATL (-7.5) - I missed on Atlanta. I’ll admit it. I don’t like this team, and I showed that by picking them to miss the playoffs. Now already, it seems that they are the early favorites to be number one seed in the NFC. So here’s a new prediction: they will be this year’s version of the Green Bay Packers. Not that they will go 15-1, but they will be the number one seed and once again lose their first playoff game, continuing Matt Ryan and the Falcons’ playoff woes. I would love the Panthers to win this game, but I don’t see it. Falcons comfortably, cover. Carolina 20, Atlanta 34.

NE vs BUF (+3.5) - The Bills won this game last year, and if they were at full strength at running back with Jackson and Spiller, I would have picked them again. However, they are banged up and the Patriots have lost two in a row. That rarely happens. They will not lose three in a row. I have a feeling that the Pats will drop hammers onto the Bills in this game. Thunder will rain down from the heavens and New England will cover. But I will be rooting for the Bills. New England 31, Buffalo 21.

MIN vs DET (-6.5) - If there was one upset pick that I would put my money on, it would be this game. The Vikes are coming off an incredible win against the 49ers and the Lions have been struggling (as predicted by yours truly). Stafford is a little banged up and if Minnesota can control the clock, they have a great chance of starting 3-1. Even if the Vikings don’t win, they will beat the spread. Minnesota 24, Detroit 23.

SD vs KC (+0.5) - For a second there, I was really embarrassed about my pick of the Chiefs winning the AFC West. Now, after pulling off an upset in New Orleans last week, Kansas City has a great chance of beating the Chargers and getting back to 2-2, and sitting atop the division. San Diego has struggled to a 2-1 record except for a blowout of Tennessee, and this Chiefs team is ready to break loose. Chiefs at home to get back on track. San Diego 19, Kansas City 27.

SEA vs STL (+2.5) - So, how about those 2-1 Seattle Seahawks, who obviously deserve their winning record? I won’t poke fun at them, because I am a Seattle fan and I am rooting for Russell Wilson to succeed. So, therefore, cover alert! The Seahawks get their first road win by a field goal over an underrated Rams team, even though they got lit up in Chicago last week. Seattle 20, St. Louis 17.

SF vs NYJ (+3.5) - This game is really interesting for me. I originally had the Jets winning this game, and that pick would have been even more certain after San Fran lost in Minnesota last week. However, since the injury to Darrelle Revis for the season...yeah...49ers cover. San Francisco 24, New York 16.

TEN vs HOU (-12.5) - The Houston Texans are absolutely the number one team in football, at least for this week. However, as with the Ravens, this line scares me. It’s just a lot to ask to beat a team by two touchdowns who just put up 44 points last week (still without any contribution whatsoever from Chris Johnson). I think the Texans will improve to 4-0 and continue running away with this division, but the Titans beat the spread. Tennessee 22, Houston 30.

OAK vs DEN (-6.5) - Although the Raiders are coming off a huge win against Pittsburgh last week (which I loved! Down with the Steelers!), they have not been clicking right for the entire season so far. Do I think that Peyton Manning can beat a horrendous Raider defense by a touchdown at home? Yes. Cover city all day in the other Big D. Oakland 20, Denver 30.

MIA vs ARI (-6.5) - Another point spread that makes me happy because it can be beaten by a touchdown margin. How about those Cardinals? In three games, they have beaten the Seahawks (a win that looks much better now), the Patriots on the road, and the Eagles (which I had pegged as an upset before the season). Talk about having an impressive season. Now they face their easiest test of the season at home against the Dolphins who are a functional right foot away from being 2-1. Do they win? Yes. Do they win by a touchdown? Yes. Miami 13, Arizona 20.

CIN vs JAC (+1.5) - This game makes me nervous. The Bengals should win, especially after a very impressive win in Washington last week. However, this game just has one of those upset feels to it. But I hate the Jags and I don’t want them to win so I’m not picking it. I’m relying on Andy Dalton’s efficiency at beating inferior teams on this one. They cover, barely. Watch out for this game though. MJD has a chance to run wild. The more I type, the more nervous I get. Cincinnati 

23, Jacksonville 21.

NO vs GB (-7.5) - This line is scary. Nothing like a desperate team with its pride on the line playing well against all odds. This game would have been a nice upset pick. That is, until Monday happened. You know how I talked about how the Pats were going to come out on a rampage this Sunday? Multiply that times 100 for how the Pack are going to feel. They were the victims of the busted replacement refs experiment and should be 2-1 right now, instead of sitting at 1-2 and a losing record. That call had huge playoff implications. I would have had the Saints beating the points...but this Packer team is going to want the blood of everyone. More bad luck for the Saints. I’m predicting a cover here. New Orleans 27, Green Bay 38.

WAS vs TB (-2.5) - What a matchup this is. An underrated game featuring two underrated 1-2 teams that should probably both be 2-1. The loser of this game will be 1-3 and be on the outside looking in for a playoff spot. It’s the most exciting young player in the league (RGIII) against one of the most improved teams with a new identity in the league. So who wins? Bucs at home. They shut down Tony Romo last week and will play well enough to win. Tampa by a field goal. Washington 23, Tampa Bay 26.

NYG vs PHI (-2.5) - Just when you think I couldn’t be more excited for a Sunday Night game than I was last week, we have the Giants against the Eagles in Philly. What a matchup. Both teams 2-1, but only one will get to 3-1 and have an inside track at the division title (because Dallas won’t last). What do I think? 12 turnovers in 3 games for the Eagles worry me. I think McCoy will back up his big talk against Osi and have 150 total yards. However, I think that the Giants D-line is ready to wreak havoc against the punching bag that is Michael Vick. Over/under 2.5 sacks for JPP? Also, Eli has just been on a different planet recently. The G-men are road warriors. And they get this one done on the road in an incredibly entertaining match-up. New York 27, Philadelphia 23.

CHI vs DAL (-3.5) - Finally, you have the Monday Night game. Don’t expect the same fireworks as last week. However, this is a great match-up. Two teams that are 2-1 and could easily be fighting for playoff seeding later in the season. I’ve been high on Chicago for months now, and I won’t back down here. The Bears will find a way to escape with this win. The defense will come to play. The Cowboys crash in the biggest moments, and primetime is no exception. This game is huge for Big D, because after their bye in Week 5, they go TO Baltimore, TO Carolina, home against the Giants who have owned them in their own house, TO Atlanta, and TO Philadelphia. Where are the wins in there? If Dallas loses to fall to 2-2, they could be quickly looking at a 3-6 record. Either way, I’m taking the Bears, but I’m not feeling super confident about that pick right now. Chicago 23, Dallas 19.

NFL Week 3 Preview

Week 3 Preview

Week 2 of the NFL season was full of excitement, big upsets, and controversial referee calls that resulted in a record 20 teams spotting a 1-1 record after two games. This fact leads to some intriguing match-ups this weekend, as the loser of some of these games will be playoff contenders starting off with 1-2 records. Last week, the Bears, Jets, and Redskins fell back to earth while the Bills, Colts, and Seahawks showed signs of life. There were teams who proved they could contend for playoff spots (Falcons, Chargers, and CARDINALS!!!!), and also powerhouses who disappointed (Ravens, Patriots, Broncos). And who can forget, the “dangerous kneel-down heard around the world that completely overshadowed a miraculous comeback by Eli Manning and his 510 yards”? Can Week 3 bring the same surprises and drama?

New York vs Carolina (+1.5) - This is the first huge game of the week between 1-1 teams who have a chance of contending. The Giants have a lot of momentum coming off 25 points in the fourth quarter against the Bucs and are notoriously good on the road. However, the Panthers are on a roll as well, coming off a big win over the Saints. My thinking is, the Giants sometimes play sloppy games, and on a short week without Hakeem Nicks against a fired-up opponent, they might run into some problems with this one. Especially against a home underdog. G-Men 23, Carolina 27.

St. Louis vs Chicago (-7.5) - The Bears should win this game; they are a superior team and they are at home. They are coming off a long week because of playing on Thursday night and are dealing with adversity right now with the Cutler-blame controversy. It’s all set up for a big win. However...the Rams have been sneaky-tough this year, coming within 10 seconds of beating the Lions and beating the Redskins outright. They could easily be 2-0! The Rams are not getting enough credit for their play this year, much of which has to go to Jeff Fisher. I see the Bears winning this game, but I like the Rams with the points. It’ll be a one possession game. St. Louis 20, Chicago 26.

Buffalo vs Cleveland (+2.5) - The Browns played surprisingly well against Cincy last week, a game in which rookies Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson looked much improved. Cleveland has lost two one-possession games so far and will host a Bills team coming off a much-needed win against the Chiefs. CJ Spiller looks unstoppable and their defense is starting to come together. This is a telling game for both teams, and I think the Bills will establish themselves as a possible playoff contender with a nice road win to improve to 2-1. Buffalo 27, Cleveland 19

Tampa Bay vs Dallas (-7.5) - I almost want to call the upset on this one. But I’m not quite feeling it. The Bucs will get a week of bad karma for rushing Eli while he knelt down to end the game last week. However, I think the Bucs will beat the spread. Tampa has shown some strides from last year and could easily be 2-0. Dallas looked very unimpressive in Seattle last week but should bounce back in their home opener. Tight game, but Romo wins it in the end. Tampa Bay 20, Dallas 24.

Detroit vs Tennessee (+3.5) - *Sigh*. I had such high hopes for the Titans this year. I even drafted Chris Johnson for my fantasy football team. I could have rushed for more yards than him in the first two games. 21 yards would be good...for one possession. As for Jake Locker...work in progress. They look bad. Detroit hasn’t looked so hot either, with a late touchdown against the Rams away from being 0-2. I picked them to win this game and cover, but...ugly on all levels. Detroit 31, Tennessee 20.

Jacksonville vs Indianapolis (-3.5) - Luck is on the board! The Colts had a last second victory against Minnesota and is now even at 1-1. Now they are favored against the Jags to get over .500, at 2-1. I think they will, too. Jacksonville has looked bad to start this season and I think that Andrew Luck has already taken smooth strides and can definitely beat an inferior team at home. Jacksonville 16, Indianapolis 20.

New York vs Miami (+3.5) - So who are the real Jets? Is it the team that dropped hammers on the Buffalo Bills to open the season, or is it the team that got lit up by Pittsburgh? We’ll find out this week, when they travel to play a division rival on the road coming off Ryan Tannehill’s first win. I have the Jets covering on the road, but this game scares me, because the Jets have been known to lose in Miami, but I thought before the season that they would go 1-1 in Weeks 2 and 3, and since they lost last week, I have the Jets winning again, but watch out for the 3.5 point spread, this game could easily come down to a field goal. New York 26, Miami 21.

San Francisco vs Minnesota (+7.5) - Has any team looked more impressive than the 49ers? I’ll make this one quick: they cover. San Francisco 31, Minnesota 19.

Kansas City vs New Orleans (-8.5) - These may be the two most disappointing teams in the league so far this year, and it’s not going to get any easier for one of them. 0-3 is basically a death sentence. Things are looking much bleaker for the Chiefs, who have to travel to a riled-up Saints team itching for something positive to cling on to. Who Dat nation will get on the board in this one, but I’m taking the points for KC in this one; a nine point victory is a big ask for a team who’s given up 75 points so far this season. Kansas City 22, New Orleans 28.

Cincinnati vs Washington (-3.5) - Both of these teams has had its ups and downs so far this year, but one of them will be 2-1 and have an early postseason track. The Bengals will want to show that they can win on the road and prove that their playoff team last year was no fluke. Meanwhile, the Washington crowd will be in an uproar during the home opener for RGIII, and I think that will be the difference. I’m not a big believer in Cincy this year, but I love what RGIII brings to the table, and this game is set up to be a lot of fun for the Redskins. Cover alert! Cincinnati 17, Washington 30.

Philadelphia vs Arizona (+4.5) - Somehow, the Eagles keep winning, even with 9 turnovers and a total win margin of 2. At some point, this reckless play is going to come back to bite them in the ass, and that day...is Sunday. I was not a fan of the Cardinals before the season, and I thought they got lucky against Seattle in Week 1. However, going to Foxborough and beating the New England Patriots is no joke, and this team can play. They have a dynamic defense and if the offense can click, then this team will be a force with the 49ers in the NFC West. The Cardinals went to Philly last year and beat the Eagles, so why can’t they do it at home? Upset special, baby. The Eagles were the dominant birds against the Ravens last week, but the Cards will fly high on Sunday to the tune of 3-0. And book it, Vick turns it over late. Philadelphia 20, Arizona 26.

Atlanta vs San Diego (-2.5) - This game was meant to toy with my emotions. I don’t like either of these teams. One of them has to be 3-0. I like Atlanta less. San Diego is at home. The Falcons are playing on a short week. The Chargers are favored. I’m picking the Chargers. But they won’t win. This is a classic San Diego trap game. Just when you think they are going to maximize their potential, they let you down. But I’m too proud to give in. Atlanta 28, San Diego 31.

Houston vs Denver (+1.5) - This game makes me uneasy. On one hand, the Texans look like a dominating force, and on the other, the Broncos look beatable. 18 is mortal after all. However, there’s just something crazy about Peyton Manning as a home underdog that makes you think. Sure, he might be rusty, but Peyton cannot be underestimated, because that’s when he strikes. I picked Denver to win this game before the season, and I switched my pick after last week. But you know what? I’m sucking it up. Broncos in a mild upset. But for the long run, give me the Texans; they’re allowed one off-week. Houston 24, Denver 28.

Pittsburgh vs Oakland (+4.5) - This game has the makings of an upset, too. But Oakland has looked too bad to expect anything like that. I’m down on the Steelers, but I think they will be able to control this game and win by a touchdown. The Raiders just can’t seem to do anything right. Pittsburgh 24, Oakland 17.

New England vs Baltimore (-2.5) - Oh, boy. Here we go. There’s nothing like revenge, is there? I hate the Patriots. I picked Baltimore to win the Super Bowl. Payback. Primetime. In Baltimore. Both teams coming off a loss and the loser of this one will be 1-2. The stage is set. And I can’t wait. The goosebumps are already coming. The Ravens are going to put on a show. Fuck the Patriots. Let’s go. New England 20, Baltimore 30.

Green Bay vs Seattle (+3.5) - This is an intriguing Monday Night matchup. The Seahawks are coming off a big win and show lots of promise. The Packers are looking to show America that they are indeed a powerhouse, and that Week 1 was a fluke. Time for my very specific prediction: Pack win, but by a field goal so I’m taking the Seahawks and the points. Green Bay 26, Seattle 23. Not quite yet, Russell Wilson.

May all your favorite teams have luck in Week 3! Except you, New Englanders.

NFL Week 2 Preview

Week 2 Preview

Week 1 of the NFL season was filled with excitement and had plenty of near-upsets and last-minute scores. While there was some rust and sloppy play, which is expected in the opening week, the games as a whole were just as riveting as usual. As we look towards Week 2, it’s already a make-or-break week for several teams. There are playoff hopefuls that started out 0-1 facing off against each other (Chiefs-Bills, Saints-Panthers); a couple of match-ups that we could see again in January or beyond (Bears-Packers, Ravens-Eagles, Broncos-Falcons); and a couple of potential-upset games that could cause chaos in the standings early on (Cowboys-Seahawks, Jets-Steelers). Everywhere you look, there are interesting storylines, which should make for a great Week 2. Let’s take a look at what’s in store.

CHI vs GB (-5) - The Green Bay Packers, after being dominant all last year before running into Big Blue, is facing a potential dangerous start. They were stomped on by the 49ers at home last week physically, and they might be facing the same situation this week against the Bears. Chicago is tough and well-rounded, with a stifling defense and a new powerful offense. Green Bay, as San Francisco exposed last week, can only go as far as Aaron Rodgers can throw them. They have no running game and no defense (which Chicago has), and Greg Jennings could be out, which would affect the passing attack. The Chicago Bears have talent everywhere on the field, and although Rodgers is terrifying, we could see a similar situation to this past Sunday, when the 49ers controlled the pitch. I think that Chicago will win this game outright tonight, but in terms of the line, Chicago over Green Bay, 27-23. The Pack will be 0-2, but their schedule is extremely easy that they won’t have any problems making the playoffs.

TB vs NYG (-7) - Tampa played a good-enough game last week to beat the Carolina Panthers, and even though they were not fantastic, the bottom-line is they started 1-0 and are off to a good start under Greg Schiano. Unfortunately, in Week 2 they go up against the defending champs, who will be hungry after being embarrassed against the Cowboys on Opening Night. While the point spread is kind of big for me to be comfortable with it (-7), I still think that the Giants will be able to get themselves together. No way they start out 0-2. New York will win, and I think they will cover Tampa Bay 17, New York 27.

ARI vs NE (-13.5) - This preview will be short and sweet. Patriots win big. New England over Arizona, 34-17.

MIN vs IND (+1.5) - The Vikings are actually favored on the road, even following a dreadful season and an incredibly lucky win last week against the lowly Jags. It is a huge upset tot Andrew Luck in his first home start, and I think the Colts will come out strong and unrelenting. Indy pulls even at 1-1, 24-19.

NO vs CAR (+2.5) - Like with the last game, the road team is favored. This is an intriguing game for many reasons. After this game one of these teams will be 0-2, and it will be interesting to see which quarterback plays better, Brees or Newton. The Saints were simply outplayed at home last week by a rookie QB, and now they have to go on the road to a division rival. I don’t think they should be favored, and I don’t think they will win, either. New Orleans 23, Carolina 29.

KC vs BUF (-3) - This is a tough game for me, because I had each of these teams in the playoffs before the season started. However, both teams lost their first game, so after this contest, one of them will be 0-2 and is unlikely to make the playoffs. The Chiefs started out well against the Falcons but couldn’t keep their success moving, while Buffalo never had a chance from the start against the Jets. These teams each disappointed to start the season, but in this game, I have to take Buffalo at home to cover, to see what they are made of. Kansas City 16, Buffalo 20.

BAL vs PHI (-2.5) - Although both of these teams won their first game, they looked very different in the process. The Ravens looked great on Monday Night against the Bengals, while the Eagles were incredibly lucky to get out of Cleveland with a late win. If Philly struggled against the Browns, you can be damn sure they will have a hard time against the Ravens. Baltimore looks in midseason form while Philadelphia is still shaking off the rust. I’ll take Flacco and the no-huddle in this one. Baltimore 27, Philadelphia 20.

OAK vs MIA (+2.5) - This looks like an ugly match-up on paper, and that’s because it is. These offenses aren’t very good, and it should be a low-scoring game. The Raiders should be the better team this season, but there’s just something about West Coast teams traveling to the East Coast, especially one that is playing on a short week, and really especially one that is self-destructive like Oakland. That said...Dolphin power this week. Oakland 16, Miami 17.

CLE vs CIN (-6.5) - Another ugly match-up. Cleveland stinks. The Bengals don’t stink as much, which is why they will win this game. The line is six and a half points which is nice because Cincy only has to win by a touchdown. I think they cover at home and get their first win of the season. Cleveland 13, Cincinnati 20.

HOU vs JAC (+7) - Jacksonville stinks. Houston doesn’t. The Texans put a beat-down on Miami to begin the season, while the Jags snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, taking the lead with 20 seconds left and still managing to lose the game. This game is going to be in the double digits in terms of the Texans’ margin of victory. Houston 31, Jacksonville 17.

DAL vs SEA (+3) - I want to call an upset on this game so badly. I picked this as an upset game before the season. But given how each of these teams looked during their first game, it would be tough not to take the Cowboys in this one. That being said, I’m going to take the easy way out: Dallas wins, but the Seahawks get the points. Very close game, but Seattle is a tough place to play. Dallas 24, Seattle 23.

WAS vs STL (+3) - How about RGIII? He looked like a seasoned vet in his first game, in New Orleans no less. He’ll be on the road again against a very inferior opponent, and while I think this game will be closer than people think because of how the Rams played last week, I still think the Redskins cover and move to 2-0. First place in the NFC East early on! Washington 24, St. Louis 16.

NYJ vs PIT (-5.5) - This is another game that I had as an upset before the season, and one I’m inclined to keep that way. The Jets exploded in Week 1 with 48 points, while the Steelers fell short once again to the Broncos in the return of Peyton Manning. Even if the J-E-T-S don’t pull off a win, I still would take the points in this case; it is going to be a tight game. Whether or not the Jets win will depend on the health of Revis Island. If he plays, they win, and if he doesn’t, they lose. I’m assuming he’s out there. New York 22, Pittsburgh 19.

TEN vs SD (-6) - I picked both of these teams to finish 8-8 before the season started, and if I would make a change to that, it would be to drop the Titans down a little bit. They looked horrible in their opening game. I know it was against New England, but 4 rushing yards for Chris Johnson? Really? The Chargers are in the driver’s seat here at home, and they cover, and win by a touchdown. Tennessee 17, San Diego 24.

DET vs SF (-6.5) - The Lions made progress last year but struggled in Week 1 in a win. I don’t expect them to have the same luck against the dominating 49er defense on Sunday night. I think that San Fran will impose their will on this Detroit team and it won’t be close. In their home opener coming off a huge win, the 49ers will be ready to go, and I think they will be a force on the field that the Lions won’t be able to match up with. Big win for San Francisco, even if the score doesn’t indicate a huge blowout. Detroit 20, San Francisco 34.

DEN vs ATL (-3) - Finally, we have the Monday Night game, which is one that could be a track meet. Peyton and Matty Ice will face off in Atlanta, where the Falcons are stupendous, in Manning’s first road test since returning. They are favored by three, which is a relatively small margin when you think about how dynamic this offense is with Julio Jones and Roddy White on the outside. With these two offenses presumably running the no-huddle most of the night, whichever team gets to 40 points will win this thriller of a game. I’m taking Peyton and the Broncos to upset the Falcons with a late touchdown. Denver 41, Atlanta 35.

Those are my Week 2 predictions, and I will stand by them no matter what the outcomes are. The games start tonight, a showdown between two bitter division rivals, which is a fitting way to start the second week of the NFL season.

Week 1 Review

Week 1 Review

The NFL season officially got underway last week, with hundreds of storylines swirling on and off the field of play. Out of the 32 teams in the league, I would say that at least 26 teams feasibly have chances to make the playoffs this year. There seems to be great parity this year more than any other, which should make for some great games and various upsets. Week One was full of excitement, and the games did not disappoint. There were multiple games decided in the final minute; some teams shined while others looked rusty; the replacement referees were ok, but they missed several minor calls that add up over the course of games; there were five rookie quarterbacks starting, and the return of an old veteran simply known as “18”. Nothing like football to kick off the fall.

Cowboys 24, Giants 17 - Dallas went on the road to open the season and picked up a huge win over a division rival against the defending champs. Romo looked fantastic as did wide out Kevin Ogletree, while the G-Men were stifled on offense. The Giants should get better, but this game was vital for the Cowboys, and they delivered. The biggest story of all was probably the new corners for Dallas, who played huge, and made the Dallas secondary vastly improved. They showed signs of life for the future this season, which they will need because they play a brutal early schedule.

Colts 21, Bears 41 - Indianapolis did not get too Lucky in Andrew’s first start in the NFL. He threw three interceptions but did throw for 300 yards and a touchdown. The main thing that I took away from this game was the supreme talent of the Chicago Bears. Cutler started out awful but got it together and threw for over 300 yards and hooked up with his stud wide out Brandon Marshall for 9 catches and a TD. They ran the ball very well, with both their backs. Matt Forte and Michael Bush were each productive which makes this offense multi-dimensional. The Chicago defense forced turnovers and played as they usual do. I have this team going to the NFC Championship Game and this was a good start for them.

Falcons 40, Chiefs 24 - This game was very competitive early and was a three point game at the half. But the Atlanta offense was too much and pulled away in the second half. Matt Ryan was spectacular, as was his star-in-the-making receiver Julio Jones. They lost Brent Grimes for the season which will hurt the defense, but the offense has a chance to be explosive. As for the Chiefs, I liked them before the season, and the offense played well in the first half, but the second half was ugly on both sides of the ball. They still have room for improvement.

Eagles 17, Browns 16 - Philly was lucky to make it out of this game. They should have lost. It took a Michael Vick touchdown with under 30 seconds left to get the Eagles a one point win, over a much inferior opponent, one play after Cleveland dropped what would have been the game-ending interception. Vick threw four interceptions and looked horrible, which is a bad sign when you have to line up against Baltimore in Week 2. The bottom line is they got the win and their defense looked really good, which they will need to rely on if the offense doesn’t get it together. As for the Browns...Brandon Weeden was even worse than Vick and Joe Haden will be suspended for four games. The lesson, as always, is...God hates Cleveland.

Redskins 40, Saints 32 - RGIII is the real deal. He was remarkable. They put up 40 points in Griffin’s first start, in the Superdome. Watch out for them. Enough said. The Saints did not look good, and even though they scored 32, Brees threw for under a 50% completion percentage. The defense looked horrible, and there weren’t many positives for New Orleans in this one. They have a tough test next week in Cam-land.

Rams 23, Lions 27 - Good for Jeff Fisher and the St. Louis Rams. I don’t know anyone who gave them a shot, and they were winning this game with 10 seconds left, on the road, against a playoff team last year. They look better than expected. As for the Lions, they showed why I did not pick them to make the playoffs again this year. They put everything into the passing game, and that’s all they have. When the quarterback throws 3 picks, then you might lose to an inferior opponent at home. Unless that QB is Stafford, who pulled a touchdown out of his ass to avoid a major upset.

Patriots 34, Titans 13 - Tennessee looked awful. Chris Johnson sucks. 4 yards for my fantasy team. Welker sucked for me too. 3 catches for 14 yards, get out of here. It’s no secret that this probably will be Welker’s last season in New England, but does that mean Belichick might limit his production this year? As for the rest of the offense for the Pats, they were clicking. Brady to the tight ends is unstoppable. The defense was improved too, with the rookie first-rounders making impacts and scoring a touchdown. The Titans looked bad, and I thought they could be good. Oy vey.

Jaguars 23, Vikings 26 - I will say one thing about Jacksonville: how the hell did they let this game slip away? I guess any time you have the chance to score the go-ahead touchdown with 20 seconds left and then go on to blow the game in overtime, you have to take it. I mean, it’s not like the Jaguars are going to suck and be scrapping for wins, are they? Oh wait, yes they will. And they blew an early chance for one on the road. As for Minnesota, Ponder looked decent, but the real story is the return of Adrian Peterson, who had two touchdowns. His playing will have a major impact on this club.

Bills 28, Jets 48 - Son of a bitch. I was all ready to proclaim the Jets as the worst offense of all time after that preseason, and they drop a 48 spot on us Week One. Great performance from the start. Three touchdowns for Sanchez, two going to the rookie Stephen Hill, a punt return touchdown, and three picks with one going in for a score as well. They played a great all-around game. We’ll see if they can repeat that in the Steel City. As for Buffalo...my, uh, wild card team...they looked like crap. Fitzpatrick looked uncomfortable, and the defense this team was supposed to have didn’t show up. Fred Jackson also hurt his leg and will be out for at least three weeks. At least CJ Spiller looked great, and will be a very good substitute in his place. This team does not look good, but still has an incredibly easy second half schedule, so if they can turn it around, then they can get hot late in the season and still possibly make the postseason.

Dolphins 10, Texans 30 - Miami: not a good start for Tannehill. Or for any aspect of the team. Houston: Great start. Schaub good, Foster great, Andre being Andre, ferocious D. Simple.

Seahawks 16, Cardinals 20 - Ahhhh, I wanted Seattle to win so bad! I am a Russell Wilson fan, and he won them the game, but Braylon Edwards couldn’t keep the game-winning touchdown in his hands. They didn’t look very good, but also didn’t stink up the joint either, and there’s definitely room for improvement. The Cardinals played ok, and it was a good sign that Kevin Kolb stepped in for the injured John Skelton and threw the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. I just didn’t want them to win. Neither of these teams are playoff caliber, but one of them can possibly go over .500.

49ers 30, Packers 22 - This game wasn’t that close. San Francisco dominated. Their defense looked as fierce as ever, and even went into Lambeau and stifled the league’s best offense. They confused Aaron Rodgers and pressured him. This team is an absolute force and has to be the favorite in the NFC. The Packers, however, got exposed in my opinion. They’ve become like the Lions, in that they only rely on the passing game. They can be beaten. Green Bay will still make the playoffs due to an easy schedule, but I still think that Chicago will win the NFC North, and maybe on Thursday as well.

Panthers 10, Buccaneers 16 - Cam, what happened? Carolina did not look like a quality team in Week 1. They could have beaten Tampa Bay, who also didn’t play very well. However, this was a big win for the Bucs, who started off the Greg Schiano era with a win over a division rival. They are a possible surprise team in the NFC South.

Steelers 19, Broncos 31 - Welcome back, Peyton! He looked in midseason form even though he’s missed a year of time, and picked apart the NFL’s most vaunted defense. This team looked impressive, and is probably the team to beat in the AFC West. The Steelers meanwhile, showed some good signs and bad ones going forward. The defense was not great, and the offense was driven by Big Ben but didn’t put up too many points. This game was more about Denver, and 18 looked fantastic.

Bengals 13, Ravens 44 - I’m feeling really good about my Super Bowl pick today baby. They blew out Cincinnati and looked great in every aspect of the game. I can’t wait to watch Baltimore this year. Cincy struggled but they are still a young team and should grow more during the season. I’m not putting too much stock into this game for the Bengals. The Ravens, though, look like they can attack you for all kinds of angles.

Chargers 22, Raiders 14 - *Sigh*. Just when you think Oakland has lost in every way, the game comes when the backup long snapper comes in and does not get the job done, and it gave San Diego nine points. Oh, look at that! The Raiders only lost by eight. They find ways to lose, and I don’t think that will change this year. As for San Diego, they looked good but not special. They will have some strong performances, and rack up some wins, but at the end of the day, this is the Chargers we’re talking about, led by Norv Turner, and sooner or later they will take a nap and lose games inexplicably.

There’s my review of Week 1, and although there wasn’t anything too much out of the ordinary, there were some teams that impressed me and let me down (see the Bills-Jets game; you’ll know which one is which). Overall, it was a nice start to the season, but the tough match-ups are still yet to be seen. I can’t wait for Week 2!