NFL Week 3 Picks

BAD WEEK LAST WEEK 7-8-1   AFTER 2 WEEKS 17-13-2

Packers and Vikings was a loss because of the Clay Matthews penalty. I've looked at that play from all angles and that was not a penalty hit. The NFL stands by the ruling on the field but this bad call cost the Packers a game and me breaking even.

The Jets didn't look good against the Dolphins. Is that more of a reflection on how far the Jets need to go or are the Dolphins this good?

What can I say about my Eagles...they looked listless and almost uncaring. Of course, they did run across the Bucs and Fitzmagic!

The 'Skins also didn't look very good! Is Luck back and can he carry the Colts. Alex Smith can't carry the Redskins.

The Patriots lost to a very good Jaguar team. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised but I am.

So...let's regroup and tackle Week 3:

Thursday

Jets @ BROWNS (-3)(WIN)     Browns are favored...think about that! Gotta go with the Browns

Sunday

Saints (-1) @ FALCONS (LOSS)     Saints have looked bad while Falcons are better that they look
49ers @ CHIEFS (-5.5)(WIN)     Media building up Mahomes...hope it continues
Raiders @ DOLPHINS (-2.5)(WIN)     Raiders will win but not this week
Bills @ VIKINGS (-16.5)(LOSS)     Don't like the point spread but I like the Vikings
Colts @ EAGLES (-6)(LOSS)     Why the Eagles give 7 I don't know but #flyeaglesfly
PACKERS (-2) @ Redskins(LOSS)     Pack fine offensively need to work on the defense
BENGALS @ Panthers (-3)(WIN)     Dalton don't let me down watch the naked bootleg right
Titans  @ JAGUARS (-10)(LOSS)   Bortles for MVP erhh Jags defense for MVP
Broncos @ RAVENS (-5.5)(WIN)     Hate taking the Ravens and points but today they make it right
Giants @ TEXANS (-6.5)(LOSS)     Look up inept in the dict. and you see a picture of the Giants
Chargers @ RAMS (-7)     Gurley and Goff they're my boys
BEARS (-5) @ Cardinals     When was the last time da Bears were a 7 point favorite
COWBOYS (-1) @ Seahawks     Tossup but I'll take Dak and Zeke over Carroll's Comedy
PATRIOTS (-6) @ Lions     Belichick vs Patricia NO! It's Brady et al vs Stafford et al

Monday

Steelers (-1) @ BUCCANEERS     Oo Oo Oo it's Fitzmagic!

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NFL Week 1 Picks with Odds

Here we are again entering another NFL season. There are some interesting matchups with some interesting betting odds.

For example: Last years Superbowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles are only a 2 point favorite playing the Falcons at home. It used to be that the home team enjoyed a 3 point advantage. Nick Foles, who engineered the SB win will start because Carson Wentz hasn't been cleared to play.

The odds makers are putting a lot of faith in Andrew Luck's return with the Colts a prohibitive favorite over the visiting Bengals.

The Saints are a 10 1/2 point favorite playing at home against the Jamies Winston less Buccaneers. Good pick here but 10 1/2 points in the 1st game of the season is tricky.

Jimmy Garoppolo vs. Kirk Cousins and the Vikings with the Vikes a 7 point favorite.

And last, but not least, Jon Gruden and the Raiders are a 4 point dog to the visiting LA Rams. How much will the loss of Kalil Mack hurt Gruden's spread offense?

Here are my picks for Week 1. Remember...if you bet, legally this year, based on my picks...you're crazy! My picks are in CAPITOL letters.

Thursday

(WIN)Falcons @ EAGLES -2     The run in 2018 continues...Fly Eagles Fly.

Sunday

(LOSS) STEELERS (-4) @ Browns     The Browns will win, just not this week.
(WIN) BENGALS @ Colts (-3)     Colts need more than "Luck" to win this one.
(LOSS) TITANS (-1.5) @ Dolphins     This really is a "pick'em"
(WIN) 49ers @ VIKINGS (-6)     Honeymoon over for Garoppolo.
(WIN) Texans @ PATRIOTS (-6.5)     Going against a 40 year old Brady is crazy!
(LOSS) Buccaneers @ SAINTS (-9.5)     Brees breezes...Get it?
(WIN) JAGUARS @ Giants (-3)     Jags win despite Bortles.
(WIN) Bills @ RAVENS (-7)     We might even see RGIII in this rout.
(WIN) CHIEFS @ Chargers (-3)     Chiefs win...it's the regular season.
(PUSH) Seahawks @ BRONCOS (-3)     Legion of Boom becomes Legion on Gloom.
(WIN) REDSKINS @ Cardinals (even)     Steady Alex Smiths guides the 'Skins.
(WIN) Cowboys @ PANTHERS (-3)     Take the Panthers at home.
(LOSS) Bears @ PACKERS(-7.5)     The 'Pack is back!

Monday

(LOSS) Jets @ LIONS (-7)     J-E-T-S...Forget it Jet Fans...Rookie QB
(WIN) RAMS (-6) @ Raiders     As much as I am rooting for Gruden...I don't see it!

So there you have it...Week 1 is a lock...I see a 16-0 week...What do you think?

The experts and I disagree on 8 of the 16 games this week. The so-called experts prefer
the Falcons, Texans, Browns, Chargers, Cardinals, Seahawks, bears and Jets. We'll just see!

NFL Picks Week 4

Well...the Cowboys didn't have enough adrenaline to hold off the Falcons, the Ravens defense couldn't stop the juggernaut that are the Bengals and the Colts recovered from their 0-2 record to top the Titans. I went 13-3 to improve my overall record to 27-21.

This week the Patriots and the Titans have the week off so I only get to pick 15 games.

Here they are:

Baltimore @ Pittsburgh   (W)Ravens 21-10   It'll be a dog fight against Vick and the Steelers "D"
NY Jets @ Miami   (W)Jets 28-24   Dolphins are not very good offensively
Houston @ Atlanta   (W)Falcons 24-10   Atlanta outruns the Texan's "D"
NY Giants @ Buffalo  (L) Bills 31-30   Ryan needs this win to stay relevant
Oakland @ Chicago   (L)Raiders 28-17   "I'm a Believer"
Kansas City @ Cincinnati   (W)Bengals 21-10   Bengals have a very good "D" and can score
Jacksonville @ Indianapolis   (W)Colts 28-20 Luck vs Bortles at home...revitalized
Carolina @ Tampa Bay   (W)Panthers 24-17   Cam is old enough to win this one
Philadelphia @ Washington   (L)Eagles 21-19   Kelly's heroes pick up steam
Cleveland @ San Diego  (W) Chargers 35-21   Who is "Da Man" in Cleveland?
Minnesota @ Denver   (L)Vikings 29-24   Vikes roll...Manning stumbles
St. Louis @ Arizona   (L)Cardinals 24-12   Offense too much for Rams
Green Bay @ San Francisco   (W)Packers 35-17   Maybe 5 more TDs for Rodgers
Dallas @ New Orleans   (L)Cowboys 24-20   Battle of QB backups
Detroit @ Seattle   (W)Seahawks 31-21   The 'Hawks already know the plays

Check back late Monday for the results. I should be 42-21 after then.

9-6 for the week. It took an overtime win by the Colts and a fumble at the 1 yard line by Calvin Johnson to get me to that. Of course the Eagles and Raiders didn't help.

36-27 overall. 4 teams with a by next week. Jets, Miami, Minnesota and Carolina all get to relax.

NFL Picks This Week

Here are my NFL picks for this week. I did fine last week until the last three games where I totally screwed up.

Browns @ Bengals  -  Browns 24-3     Just Kidding!!
Chiefs @ Bills  -  Chiefs 27-17     Alex Smith controls the game. Bills have no RBs
Cowboys v Jaguar  -  Cowboys 35-13     A shame Londoners have to see the Jaguars
49ers @ Saints  -  Saints 28-27     Saints don't lose in the dome
Titans @ Ravens  -  Ravens 30-13     Raven's defense is too much for Titans offense
Steelers @ Jets  -  Steelers 28-6     Big Ben held to just 4 TD passes this week
Falcons @ Buccaneers  -  Falcons 24-14     Buc's say wait'll next year
Broncos @ Raiders  -  Broncos 28-10      Oakland's defense is better but Manning is Manning
Rams @ Cardinals  -  Cardinals 24-10     No trick plays here and no Ram offense
Giants @ Seahawks  -  Seahawks 27-13     After all Eli is Eli
Bears @ Packers  -  Packers 30-20     Rogers is still saying "relax"
Panthers @ Eagles  -  Eagles 17-14     Cowboys win so Eagles must, please no butt fumbles

If you don't believe me, read what Phil Sheridan and David Newton of ESPN.com have to say and see if my picks aren't better.

Upsets on Sunday 10/26

The Arizona Cardinals' rookie John Brown caught a touchdown pass from Carson Palmer with 1:21 to play and the Cardinals defense stopped the Eagles at the Cardinal 16 yard line as time expired to beat the Eagles 24-20.

Read the ESPN Recap  here.

Andy Dalton, of the Cincinnati Bengals worked a quarterback sneak from 1 yard out to perfection as the Bengals beat the Ravens 27-24 and remain in the hunt for a playoff spot.

The ESPN story is here.

Anthony Barr, Minnesota Viking LB, stripped the ball from Tampa Bay TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins and returmed the fumble 27 yards for the score as the Vikings beat the Buccaneers 19-13.

ESPN has the story here.

So much for the vaunted Colts defense that shut out the Bengals 27-0 last week. Big Ben and the Pittsburgh dismantled the Colts as Roethlisberger threww for 522 yards and 6 touchdowns in a 51-34 thrashing of the Colts.

Here is the ESPN story.