Week 6 of the NFL season is upon, and some interesting things to watch. How will Ben Roethlisberger perform in his first game back from suspension? Is the already terrific Pittsburgh team even better now with his return? How will Baltimore play in their returns to Foxboro since their domination of the Pats in last season's wild card matchup? Are the Bucs for real? Is the NFC really so weak that the Bucs and the Bears could end up starting the season 4-1 and 5-1 respectively? And what about that Cowboys/Vikings game? Which team stays alive in the playoff chase and which team will most likely be out of it with the loss and the 1-4 start to the season?
All those questions should be answered in a matter by Monday. Until then, here are the picks from mj50 and myself to keep you distracted. Last week was another poor week for the two of us. Once again, I finished .500 in the week going 7-7 while mj50 did even worse then last week's 5-9 record, going 4-10. Hopefully, this week will be the one in which our luck changes.
Let's begin (note: all game times are based on the Central time zone):
Seattle Seahawks vs. Chicago Bears (-6.5): Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Chicago
I'm starting to believe that my Chicago Bears will be a playoff team following the end of the regular. Yes, their offensive line is garbage. Yes, they have no chance of succeeding with a QB other than Cutler this season. Yes, you could argue that they should have lost two of the games they won this season. But they win games, gosh darnit! Take last week's game for example. Todd Collins was awful, throwing for 4 INTS and having a QB rating of 6.4, yet they still found a way to win (in this case, scoring a bunch of points early, and making Jimmy Clausen play as horrible, if not worse, as Collins). And in the NFL, that's really all that matter. That, and whether or not a team has a franchise QB, which they have as well with Cutler (who is going to play this week, by the way)
mj50's pick: Chicago
Miami Dolphins vs. Green Bay Packers (-3): Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Miami
The injuries have piled up on the Packers this season. This week, according to their NFL.com page, they have Jermichael Finley out for the game, NFL sack leader Clay Matthews and tackle Mark Tauscher listed as doubtful, and a whole lot of good players listed as either questionable to probable, from Aaron Rodgers and Donald Driver to Charles Woodson and Nick Collins. And that doesn't even include Ryan Grant and Nick Barnett being out for the rest of the season! Expect that to have a big negative impact for the Packers much like it was last week in the Redskins OT loss. Meanwhile, Miami is coming off a bye week, so expect them to be well rested heading into the game as well as well prepared, and they are also 2-0 on the road (the only times they have managed to win any time this season). It was a pretty tough decision to make, but in the end I've decided to go with the Dolphins in this won.
mj50's pick: Green Bay
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans (-4.5): Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Houston
Todd Haley is now my most despised head coach in the NFL. I mean, how could you have Jamaal Charles, a RB that has averaged 6.5 (6.5!) yards per carry this season and think to himself "Screw Charles! I'm just gonna keep pitching it to Thomas Jones for two yard losses over and over again." It just doesn't make sense. Also, what was up with that onside kick to start last week's game against the Colts? Just because your team started off to a fluke-like 3-0 start, Mr. Haley, does not make you Sean Payton! Asshole.
mj50's pick: Houston
Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (-13.5): Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Pittsburgh
Cleveland has no chance. Pittsburgh is 3-1 this season without Ben Roethlisberger. Now they have one of the ten best QBs in league back playing for them for the first time since his four game suspension, who by the way has only lost once in his career to the Browns. I don't see anything short of a domination in this game.
mj50s's pick: Pittsburgh
New Orleans Saints (-4) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Tampa Bay
The Saints, like the Packers, have been deeply affected with the injury bug as of late. Also, in the past two weeks they have been outscored by two teams with Jimmy Clausen and Max Hall as their quarterbacks, respectively. This is not good considering that they are up against Josh Freeman, who has been pretty impressive thus far and has a better QB rating this season than either Eli Manning, Donovan McNabb, Carson Palmer or Joe Flacco. In conclusion, I see the Bucs pulling this week's top upset over the defending champs.
mj50's pick: Tampa Bay
Detroit Lions vs. New York Giants (-10): Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: New York
Other than the possibility of Eli Manning putting up another horrendous game, there's nothing else that worries me about the Giants heading into this football game. They have outscored opponents 58-13 in the past two games, their defense is ranked #1 overall, and Ahmad Bradshaw has emerged as a star in that offense. I do admire the fact that Detroit had its first win in which they outscored their opponents by more than 10 points for the first time since 2007 last week, but I still see the Giants winning their third game in a row when all is said in done.
mj50's pick: New York
Atlanta Falcons vs. Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5): Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Atlanta
Had Michael Vick been named the starter for this game, I might have gone with the Eagles. Instead, it appears that Kevin Kolb will take his place for the second game in a row, so I'm going with the 4-1 Falcons. After all, they're running game has been terrific so far (ranked 2nd in the league behind the Jets) and don't think for a second that Matt Ryan will try to do his best to prove to Falcons fans everywhere just why Atlanta made him the successor to Vick.
mj50's pick: Philadelphia
HALFTIME! Who's up for some Robin Williams? I know I am! Here is the first ten minutes of his 2009 HBO stand-up special, Weapons of Self Destruction. If you want to watch the rest, just go on YouTube and watch it. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy.
San Diego Chargers (-8) vs. St. Louis Rams: Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: San Diego
You know the whole West Coast team playing a 10 a.m./PT game theory that I have used for the past two years? Well, San Diego (for now) is one of those exceptions, especially when they have an offense ranked #1 in overall offense and passing offense and are taking on a Rams team in the bottom fifteen in overall defense and passing defense.
mj50's pick: St. Louis
Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots (-2.5): Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Baltimore
When we last saw these two teams play each other in Foxboro, it was a Baltimore domination as the Ravens crushed the Patriots 33-14 to advance to the Divisional Playoffs last season. This time? Well, I think that the end result will once again be a Baltimore victory. Last time I checked, New England did not do anything to improve their 28th ranked defense, so expect to see big games from Ray Rice and Anquan Boldin. Furthermore, while Tom Brady has played terrific in the first five games of the season (ranked #1 in QB rating and in the top five in completion percentage and TDs) I see him having some problems against one of the best defenses in the league and without Randy Moss as his #1 receiver and potential deep threat.
mj50's pick: New England
New York Jets (-3) vs. Denver Broncos: Sunday- 3:05 p.m.
mj15's pick: New York
I would give you reasons why, but they would be just the same ones I gave both teams for the past two weeks. Instead, look at these stats put up by Kyle Orton and Brandon Lloyd respectively:
-Kyle Orton: 66.2 completion percentage, 97.8 QB rating, 1733 yards (2nd in the league), 8 TDs
-Brandon Lloyd: 30 receptions for 589 yards (league leader) and 3 TDs.
Either the Denver offense has really suited both players well, or Ron Turner was a even bigger dumbass as Bears offensive coordinator then I thought. I'm starting to lean toward the latter.
Oh, and before I forget...LDT had a season high 20 carries and 94 yards rushing last week. Looks like his final two years in San Diego weren't the beginning of the end for him after all. Hit it!
mj50's pick: New York
Oakland Raiders vs. San Fransisco 49ers (-6.5): Sunday- 3:05 p.m.
mj15's pick: Oakland
This is the 4th time this season that Vegas has the 49ers as the odds-on favorites. Why? I have no idea. Anyways, if San Fransisco loses this one, then that means that next week's 49ers/Panthers matchup will possibly be the only time this season we see two teams 0-5 or worse playing this season. It will be like the time the undefeated Patriots met the undefeated Colts in the so-called "Super Bowl 41-and-a-half" back in 2007, only the complete opposite and the loser being the real victor since they now have the early edge at grabbing Jake Locker or Prince Amukamara with the #1 pick in the draft. I very much want that possibility to happen.
mj50's pick: San Fransisco
Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings (-1.5) Sunday- 3:15 p.m.
mj15's pick: Minnesota
This is a win-win situation for haters of both the Cowboys and Brett Favre. Whoever loses this game will be 1-4 (and its hard to imagine that they will rebound from that start). Meanwhile, if the winner of this game loses two out of next three games, then they are out of playoff contention as well. Personally, I have the Vikings in this one. Randy Moss has been breathtaking on many occasions against the Cowboys, and with both Mike Jenkins defending him in this game and Brett Favre as the Vikings QB I see another breathtaking Moss performance against Dallas to happen yet again. Besides, the Vikings have only lost once at Mall of America Field (or whatever they call the Metrodome these days) with Favre as his QB.
mj50's pick: Minnesota
Indianapolis Colts (-3) vs. Washington Redskins: Sunday- 7:20 p.m.
mj15's pick: Indianapolis
I can't go against Peyton Manning in a regular season night game. Last time I checked, he hasn't lost one since week 12 of the 2008 season. That alone was enough to make me pick the Colts.
mj50's pick: Indianapolis
Tennessee Titans (-3) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: Monday- 7:30 p.m.
mj15's pick: Tennessee
Because of Chris Johnson, of course. In his career, he has averaged nearly 100 yards per game against Jack Del Rio's squad. Expect history to repeat itself this Monday night and for the Titans coming out of the game 4-2, not Jacksonville.
mj50's pick: Jacksonville
RECAP
The Undertaker at WrestleMania Lock of the Week: Pittsburgh over Cleveland
The Holy Cross over Boston College in 1942 Upset of the Week: Tampa Bay over New Orleans
The Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning "I'm Not Sure" Pick: Tennessee over Jacksonville
I hope to see you back next week for my week 6 pick results and for my week picks for the week 7 games. Now, enjoy the games, won't ya!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
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