(With a combined four Super Bowl rings and six Super Bowl appearances, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady meet again this Sunday in Foxboro in a possible AFC playoff preview)
mj15 last week: 6-8 (81-63 total this season)
mj50 last week: 7-7 (75-69 total this season)
This is the first time in a while in which I have lost to the old man in picks this season. If that isn't a symbol for how crazy, unpredictable and even parody full NFL season has been, then I don't know what is. Anyways, week 11 (the first without bye teams since week 4! Woohoo!) is in our rear view mirrors. The Patriots and Colts (but most importantly Peyton Manning and Tom Brady) are set to renew their rivalry in Foxboro, where they will play in Gillette Stadium for the first time since 2006. Six days after brutally pulverizing the Redskins, MVP contender Mike Vick and the Eagles face the Giants in a matchup for first place in the NFC East. In the Twin Cities, Brett Favre is taking on his former team in what should be (with an emphasis on the should be part) his final game against them. Them you have the Bears of all teams trying to go 7-3, McNabb trying to redeem himself and the Redskins for giving him a $78 million contract against Young and the Titans, Oakland trying to continue their amazing run against the Steelers and Gus Johnson possibly calling another great game this season with Buffalo and Cincinnati among other storylines.
All of this week's storylines, questions and concerns should be played out by the time this week is over. Until then, here are the week 11 picks of mj15 and myself to keep you distracted. As always, the game time are based on the Central standard time zone.
Let's begin:
Chicago Bears vs. Miami Dolphins (-1.5): Thursday- 7:20 p.m.
mj15's pick: Chicago
Because this Bears team kind of sort of have their groove back (at least until they play The Greatest Quarterback in the History of the Whole World next week)! Screw the team's two game losing streak against Miami and Tyler Thigpen with his great games that he had as Chiefs quarterback in the '08 season! In all seriousness, though, if Cutler can get two or more TD passes and his O-line can avoid getting him sacked less than 4 times, then I am pretty confident that Chicago will be the victor after this game.
mj50's pick: Chicago
Detroit Lions vs. Dallas Cowboys (-6.5): Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Dallas
There's a reason why the then 2-6 Lions were underdogs against the then 0-8 Bills last week and are underdogs again this week against fellow their fellow 2-7 Cowboys: they have yet to win a road game in their last 25 games and counting, an NFL record. And since they are going up against a Cowboys team that is suddenly trying now that they have a coach with some dissaprine like the graceful flag thrower that is Jason Garett, I fully expect this losing streak to extend by the end of this game.
mj50's pick: Dallas
Arizona Cardinals vs. Kansas City Chiefs (-8): Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Kansas City
West Coast Team Playing Noon/CT Game Theory (I have seriously got to create a shorter name for this!). This Kansas City Chiefs team can't possibly lose two in a row to teams like the Broncos and the Cardinals after such a terrific start, can they?
mj50's pick: Kansas City
Green Bay Packers (-3) vs. Minnesota Vikings: Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Minnesota
Because I need a true upset pick! Besides, Minnesota has only lost once in the Metrodome in the Brett Favre era (including a 30-23 victory against Green Bay last season) and since I'm going to be rooting for a Bears victory and a Packers loss to have Chicago on top of the NFC North, I might as well pick the team that I will be rooting for to win. Expect to see the game where the Vikings have their last hurrah before fading away to the sunset during the rest of the season.
mj50's pick: Green Bay
Baltimore Ravens (-10) vs. Carolina Panthers: Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Baltimore
I'm surprised that Carolina coach John Fox has yet to let someone else ride the 2010 Panthers Carousel of Quarterback Starts other than Matt Moore and Jimmy Clausen. I mean, I understand that Matt Moore is the guy they chose in favor of Jake Delholmme and that Clausen is supposed to be the future star of this team and, because of that are probably starting him just to gain him NFL playing experience for next season and beyond. But after a 1-8 start and a passing offense ranked dead last in the league with a pitiful 156.8 yards per game, what's wrong with trying out Tony Pike at this point? Who knows, maybe the team can get a winning streak going for all we know.
(UPDATE (11/19): The Panthers have actually named a new starter for this week's game, but it's not Tony Pike. It's Brian St. Pierre. In his seven year career in the NFL, Brian St. Pierre has throw only five times, completing only 40% of them, for 12 yards total and has a career rushing record of -1 yards. If you have the Ravens defense on your fantasy team, I strongly suggest that you start them this week.)
mj50's pick: Baltimore
Cleveland Browns vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (-1.5): Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Cleveland
Ah, what the hell! Here's last week's game winning Hail Mary for old times sake!
I feel so bad for Glover Quin. The guy did what his coaches have always preached in this situation: to bat the ball down instead of being selfish and trying to go for the interception which could end very badly. He just happened to spike it to Mike Thomas who was at the perfect place at the perfect time.
Anyways, can you say emotional letdown? Because I think that is what the Jaguars will have while playing this game after such an exciting and improbable way to win last week's game. Also, the Browns are on fire right now, coming off a win over the Saints, a win over the Patriots and a near tie to the Jets with Peyton Hillis simultaneously playing like one of the league's ten best RBs right now. How can I possibly go against them?
mj50's pick: Jacksonville
Oakland Raiders vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (-7): Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Pittsburgh
See the Arizona/Kansas City game. Besides, Pittsburgh is coming off a tough loss to New England and will desperately try to redeem themselves against a team that stole a victory from them last season and the bye week that the Raiders had last week should have ruined their offensive rhythm that they had in their last three games in a manner similar to when the Jets came off their bye week earlier in the season. Should have.
mj50's pick: Pittsburgh
Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals (-5.5.): Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Cincinnati
The Bills are another team that I expect to see have an emotional letdown this week after coming off a very close win that also turned out to be their first win in eleven months. Besides, for all the crap that Carson Palmer and the Bengals have been deservedly taking for their poor start this season, the team has played well against other mediocre teams this season with wins against the 1-8 Panthers and the pre-Colt McCoy Browns (coincidentally the only bad teams that they have played this season, which kind of makes me wonder how much their worse-than-this-year schedule from last year helped in their division title run last season). And..that's all I got for this one. Gus Johnson is calling the game, so for all I know this game could have another wild and crazy finish that will give the win to Buffalo and I could be dead wrong.
mj50's pick: Buffalo
Washington Redskins vs. Tennessee Titans (-7): Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Tennessee
I actually had trouble in making a final decision for this game. But then the McNabb $78 million contract extension, the Redskins' 59-28 loss Monday night and the news that Vince Young is coming back to start this game happened. Now, I have no second thoughts in picking Tennessee.
mj50's pick: Tennessee
HALFTIME! It has come to my attention that through the first ten weeks since introducing this halftime segment of the column that I have yet to show one clip of Richard Pryor's famous stand-ups. Well, my friend, that is about to change right now. Here's his famous bit about the time he got actually got rid on fire. This is a great sign of a great comedian: when you can turn something as serious as get burned alive and turning it into comedy gold. Not many people can do that, but Pryor was able to do it beautifully. Well done, Richard!
Houston Texans vs. New York Jets (-7): Sunday- 12:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: New York
Because I don't think that a team can comeback with such an awful way to lose as the Texans had last week with a win against one of the NFL's best teams, simple as that.
mj50's pick: Houston
Atlanta Falcons (-3) vs. St. Louis Rams: Sunday- 3:05 p.m.
mj15's pick: Atlanta
St. Louis is a good team at home, the setting for all of their four wins this season. However, against Matt Ryan and Michael Turner I do think that this young and talented Rams team should have some problems stopping the Falcons who are coming to this game much more rested having played last week on a Thursday instead late Sunday afternoon like St. Louis did.
mj50's pick: St. Louis
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. San Fransisco 49ers (-3): Sunday- 3:05 p.m.
mj15's pick: San Fransisco
Normally, I would go with Tampa Bay since they are unbeatable against under.500 teams. But that was before Troy Smith's performance last week against the Rams, proving that he is not a bust just yet! 17 for 28, 356 yards, one TD and a QB rating of 116.6, leading the 49ers to their third win of the season and two games away from first place (the awful NFC West, everybody!). Now, the former Heisman trophy winner leads this San Fransisco team to a matchup against the league's 22nd ranked defense, so expect him to develop from last week's performance with another solid showing. Speaking of the Niners offense, let's not forget about Frank Gore! He's fifth in the league this season in rushing yards, and now gets to take on a Bucs defense ranked 31st in all of the NFL. If it's not Smith who will have a good game, then it should be the two time Pro Bowler who will.
mj50's pick: San Fransisco
Seattle Seahawks vs. New Orleans Saints (-11.5): Sunday- 3:05 p.m.
mj15's pick: New Orleans
Do I really need an explanation?
mj50's pick: New Orleans
Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots (-3.5): Sunday- 3:15 p.m.
mj15's pick: New England
And so, after nine matchups in seven seasons (three in the AFC Championship Game) that featured two teams with the two best winning percentages since 2001, a combined four Super Bowl wins and six combined Super Bowl appearances since 2002 as well as two of the best QBs of not just this decade but of all-time, the best rivalry of the '00s is back this Sunday afternoon in Foxboro with both teams entering the game 6-3 and 7-2 respectively. Both teams enter the game fairly even in many ways, so for me to decide this game I had to go with the home team, which in this case is New England. Since 2003 (when this rivalry began), the home team has the majority of these matchups. Also, Peyton Manning is 1-3 in Gillette Stadium and the 2010 Colts are a combined 2-3 in road games, which is a problem since the Patriots are undefeated at home this season. Now, I understand that some of you might consider this to be a lazy explanation. But if it worked with the Ravens/Falcons game last week, then why can't it work for this game?
mj50's pick: New England
New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles (-3): Sunday- 7:20 p.m.
mj15's pick: Philadelphia
Michael Vick, plain and simple. He's 4-0 and as a starter this season with a league leading 115.1 passer rating, an average of 225 yards and 2.75 TDs per game, a TD to INT ratio of 11:0 and he just came off a game in which he became only the third person in the 40 year history of Monday Night Football to throw 4 TDs and rush for 2 TDs. He's also showing outstanding leadership, with his teammates actually trying to win some football games for him. With him playing as good as he has been, it would seem pretty silly of me to go against the Eagles, even if the Giants are as good, if not better, than the Eagles in almost all other areas of the game.
mj50's pick: New York
Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers (-10): Monday- 7:30 p.m.
mj15's pick: San Diego
Denver is allowing 23o yards passing per game. Phillip Rivers leads the league in passing yards. San Diego has won seven November games in a row. Denver is 1-3 on the road this season. San Diego is ranked fourth in rushing defense. Denver is dead last in rushing defense. The only thing Denver has going for them is Kyle Orton and the passing game, but San Diego is ranked third in passing defense so they should be just fine in preventing that part of Denver's game from being a big factor. Do you need any more reasons?
mj50's pick: Denver
RECAP
The Undertaker at WrestleMania Lock of the Week: San Diego over Denver
The Christine O'Donell winning the 2010 Delaware Senate Republican Primary Upset of the Week: Minnesota over Green Bay
The Lee Westwood vs. Martin Kaymer "I'm Not Sure" Pick: New England over Indianapolis
Week 11 results as well as week 12 (Thanksgiving weekend!) picks to come next Wednesday. Until then, enjoy the great weekend of football games!
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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