That howling you heard over the weekend was your humble scribe, I just had a bad feeling this weekend was going to be that weekend. You know that weekend, where almost every pick goes south. In total honesty, all the picks didn’t go south. I went 7-8, but I am kicking myself for switching my Chargers-Eagles pick right before I sent the picks out. Read the picks over again, I said I liked the Chargers and then I added the last part and switched (All together now… “You dummy!”) The week could have still be a winner if not for the abject genius of Bill Belichick. His puzzling decision to go for in on 4th and 2 inside his own 30 up six nearly made me shriek with rage. Giving Peyton Manning that short of a field to win a game, should have a coach brought up on charges. Anyhoo, the byes are in the rearview mirror and we will have six weeks of full docket football. There are still those Thursday games which Im not a big fan of, if there are any time changes for games I will document them as soon as I get word on them. The odds are provided by USA Today Sports Weekly and are for comparison and entertainment purposes only. If you put the turkey and stuffing money on a game and lose, don’t bring the family to my house. I can cook, but Im not feeding you. 

Sunday, November 22 

Falcons (5-4) @ NY Giants (5-4) 
Giants Stadium; E. Rutherford, NJ 1:00 (FOX) 
Favorite Giants by 6 
Fast Fact The visiting team has won each of the last twelve meetings 
The Falcons have been stumbling as of late after a fast start and have seemed to gone south offensively, but the G-Men are in an even worse funk, blowing a late lead to the Chargers to go into their bye at their lowest ebb. Im concerned that Michael Turner may not be at full strength and that bodes ill for Matt Ryan who does not need the big play Giant defense in his face any more than needed. Eli Manning continues his enigmatic play and the offense as whole has struggled in the red-zone. Though the number should say otherwise, I’ll give the slightest of edges to the home team. 
Pick-New York Giants 



Bills (3-6) @ Jaguars (5-4) 
Municipal Stadium, Jacksonville 1:00 (CBS) 
Favorite Jaguars by 8 
Fast Fact Don’t expect a lot of scoring in the 4th from the Bills they have been shutout in the last two game in the 4th and have only scored 40 points total in 9 4th quarters this year. 
The Jags rallied gamely to beat the Jets in Gotham and return home to face an imploding Bills team that may have packed it in. The expected TO meltdown is occurring and frankly no one really cares much. Dick Jauron got his walking papers on Tuesday and one has to feel that the Bills are going through the motions now. With a solid running game, the Jags can control the clock. The Bills despite having playmakers at WR are not really stretching the field. This will be a boring game, but the Jags are good at winning those. 
Pick-Jacksonville 

Browns (1-8 ) @ Lions(1-8 ) 
Ford Field, Detroit 1:00 (CBS) 
Favorite Lions by 3 
Fast Fact The Browns have scored 5 touchdowns on offense…all season. The Saints have scored 7 touchdowns on defense 
Call this the Stupor or Repus bowl, two teams that are the dredges of the NFL, The Browns sleptwalked through an atrocious performance on Monday Night and their offense is horribly anemic. The Lions are not much better, but to their credit have been playing all opponents tough and have been in pretty much every game. Matthew Stafford has some heart and has his team at least competitive , that will be more than enough for the Lions to play the rare role of favorite and make the ManGenius’ seat that much hotter. 
Pick-Detroit 

Colts (9-0) @ Ravens (5-4) 
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore 1:00 (CBS) 
Favorite Ravens by 1 
Fast Fact The Colts have won the last six meetings 
Call it the great escape, The Colts were the benefactor of Belichick’s lack of confidence in his defense and won a game that they really shouldn’t have. The Ravens didn’t need to do much more than show up to beat the sorry Browns on Monday. This screams trap game for the Colts who coming off the emotional win over their long time nemesis and facing a trip to divisional challenger Houston next week this game is the easy one to overlook. I think the Colts won’t play atrocious but their living on the edge finally catches up with them and I see Joe Flacco picking on a depleted Colts secondary to steal a tight win. 
Pick-Baltimore (Upset of the Week) 


Saints (9-0) @ Buccaneers (1-8 ) 
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa 1:00 (FOX) 
Favorite Saints by 12½ 
Fast Fact Bucs K Connor Barth became only the 4th kicker in NFL history to hit 3 50+ yard field goals in a game. 
The Saints got more of a fight than they expected out of the Rams last week and The Bucs gave the Dolphins all they could handle before losing late. Like the Colts-Ravens game this screams trap for the NFL’s other unbeaten with a sexy matchup with the Pats next Monday looming, that said I see the Saints playing sloppy but not sloppy enough to take a loss to the young Bucs. Drew Brees will again put up solid numbers and the Saints stay on the unbeaten path. 
Pick-New Orleans 

Steelers (6-3) @ Chiefs (2-7) 
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City 1:00 (CBS) 
Favorite Steelers by 9½ 
Fast Fact The Steelers have given up a punt, kickoff or interception return for a touchdown in each of their last 7 games. 
The Chiefs broke a losing skid with a stout running game, but are catching the Steelers at the absolute wrong time. Feeling heavily disrespected after taking a 2nd physical loss to the suddenly strong Bengals, they are looking to beat on someone. This game will not be pretty at all. Big Ben will have a pleasant afternoon picking on a weak Chiefs secondary and this game shouldn’t be close. 
Pick-Pittsburgh 

Seahawks (3-6) @ Vikings (8-1) 
Mall of America Field @ HHH Metrodome 1:00 (FOX) 
Favorite Vikings by 11 
Fast Fact Brett Favre has started an NFL record 300 consecutive games in his career 
The Vikings weren’t very sharp but had more than enough to beat the Lions while the Seahawks failed to back up the braggadocio as they got slapped around in Arizona. Justin Forcett looks now to be the Seahawks main ball carrier with the health of Julius Jones in question but the inconsistent Seattle offensive line will likely have fits against an athletic Vikes defense. Between “Pappy” Favre throwing darts to the breakout WR combo of Percy Harvin and Sidney Rice and the redoubtable Adrian Peterson pounding the ball on the ground, the Seahawks will wish that they went to the actual Mall of America 10 miles to the south of the dome. 
Pick-Minnesota 


49ers (4-5) @ Packers (5-4) 
Lambeau Field, Green Bay 1:00 (FOX) 
Favorite Packers by 5½ 
Fast Fact The Packers have won the last six meetings 
Just when you are writing off the Pack, they jump up and play a solid one, winning a gutty, gritty game against a good Cowboys team. The Niners didn’t play lights out against the Bears but they were took advantage of numerous interceptions to get the win. Considering the Niners pass rush is a mere rumor Aaron Rodgers shouldn’t have to worry about having time to throw and the Pack should be able to wear down a Niners team that is still trying to play a complete game on both sides of the ball. 
Pick-Green Bay 

Redskins (3-6) @ Cowboys (6-3) 
Cowboys Stadium; Arlington, TX 1:00 (FOX) 
Favorite Cowboys by 13 
Fast Fact The Redskins 27 points against the Broncos last week were a season high, the unbeaten New Orleans has scored as much or more in every game 
The Pokes were brought down to Earth with a bump in an anemic performance in Green Bay, they return home to face a Redskins team who dropped a stunning upset on the Broncos. The Redskins usually get up for their longtime rival, but they cant get that far up. Tony Romo doesn’t usually have back to back bad games and the Redskins offense despite its surprisingly robust offensive output last week wont be able to keep up. 
Pick-Dallas 

Cardinals (6-3) @ Rams (1-8 ) 
Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis 4:05 (FOX) 
Favorite Cardinals by 9½ 
Fast Fact The Rams have lost their last nine home games, the Cards have won their last 5 road games 
The Rams gave it a go and gave the Saints a tough game but couldn’t pull of the shocking upset. The Cards are fast reasserting themselves as NFC West kingpin and are not likely to take the woeful Rams lightly. Being bad guests seems to suit the Cards as they sport a perfect road record. The Rams have got to hope to control the clock with the running of Steven Jackson to keep the high scoring Cards offense off the field, if Kurt Warner is allowed to sit back in the pocket and get into a groove he will riddle the Rams dicey secondary. The Cards better balance helps them carry the day 
Pick-Arizona (Lock of the Week) 

Bengals (7-2) @ Raiders (2-7) 
Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland 4:15 (CBS) 
Favorite Bengals by 9½ 
Fast Fact The Bengals seek to win a club record 5th straight road game, but have never won in Oakland. 
This Bengals confidence hasn’t been this high in decades as they are quickly growing an elite shine to their longtime downtrodden rep. They are nasty on the defensive side of the ball and have become quietly efficient on the offensive side. The Raiders have been bad for quite a while now and where many people remember the Raiders bullying and beating the Bengals from back in the day, such isn’t the case here. JaMarcus Russell has been sent to the bench and Bruce Gradkowski gets the start but will have to contend with a big play ball-hawking roughhouse defense that likes to hit. The game should only be close only if the Bengals cannot establish the run with Cedric Benson still nursing a sore hip. In any case the Bengals will start affirming that they are an elite team. Dare I say it even though they have yet to ever win in the East Bay? 
Pick-Cincinnati 

NY Jets (4-5) @ Patriots (6-3) 
Gillette Stadium; Foxboro, MA 4:15 (CBS) 
Favorite Patriots by 10 
Fast Fact This is the teams 101st meeting with the Jets holding a slim 50-49-1 edge 
Stung by heavy criticism after their late fold against the Colts, the Pats have developed a bunker mentality. The Jets are just the type of punching bag that they need to face. Finding new and exciting ways to lose games the Jets are still learning how to close games. Its really gonna matter little against a Pats squad that is humming on offense. The Jets cant and wont keep up 
Pick-New England 

Chargers (6-3) @ Broncos (6-3) 
Invesco Field @ Mile High Stadium 4:15 (CBS) 
Favorite Chargers by 3 
Fast Fact The Broncos did not allow 100 yards rushing in winning 6 straight but have allowed 125 or more in each of their three losses. 
When we last saw these two teams, the Broncos were the early buzz pick for the Super Bowl. The Chargers looked like they were fighting off an imminent collapse. But the Broncos have suddenly crashed hard and the Chargers have fought back to the top of the division led by th steady play of Philip Rivers and the resurgent play of LaDainian Tomlinson. Meanwhile, if Broncos QB Kyle Orton cant go with a bum knee the start will go to Chris Simms (Is he still in this league?) which just foreshadows trouble. The harsh reality continues to come crashing in on would be wunderkind coach Josh McDaniels 
Pick-San Diego 



Eagles (5-4) @ Bears (4-5) 
Soldier Field, Chicago 8:20 (NBC) 
Favorite Eagles by 2½ 
Fast Fact The Eagles have not allowed a 100 yard rusher in 19 straight games. 
Both these teams are fading fast and need a win, but the Bears just seem to be figuring out different ways to lose and Jay Cutler has seemed to have regressed badly. The Eagles are a tough bird to figure, their inconsistent play in the running game has made Donovan McNabb’s job that much more burdensome. McNabb threw for 450 yards in a futile comeback effort but its doubtful that he will need to throw as much. The Bears soft secondary can be thrown on and the Eagles solid receiving corps should find the sledding much easier. I think the slow disintergration of Cutler continues painfully on a primetime stage. 
Pick-Philadelphia 



Monday, November 23 

Titans (3-6) @ Texans (5-4) 
Reliant Stadium, Houston 8:30 (ESPN) 
Favorite Texans by 3 
Fast Fact Titans QB Vince Young has been victorious in his past 7 starts 
Houston’s past and present teams close out the week. The Texans are coming off a tough loss to division standard bearer Indy before their bye while the Titans are make a steady rebound from their horrid 0-6 start. The Texans will miss the reliable hands of Owen Daniels and really need for either Ryan Moats or Steve Slaton to step up to being the featured back. The Titans have been playing steadily better under the surprisingly low-key play of Vince Young. The Texans thrashed the Titans earlier in the season with Matt Schaub strafing the Titans then weak secondary for nearly 400 yards in week 2. I cant see him doing that again, and the emergence of Chris Johnson as a dangerous runner makes this game too close to call. But again against my better judgement, I see the Texans finally looking like a team ready to make that next step to team that wins the bigger games. With a rematch against Indy up next the Texans prove they are ready for primetime 
Pick-Houston 

Last Week: 7-8 (Lock Correct, Upset Incorrect) 
Overall: 103-41 (Does not include Dolphins-Panthers result) 
Locks: 10-0 
Upsets: 7-3 

Cheers from the Cheap Seats!