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.

Giants "Luck" Runs Out Against Colts With 40-24 Loss

Andrew Luck completed 25 of 46 passes for 354 yards and 4 TDs against the Giants as the Colts beat the Giants 40-24. Eli Manning was 27 of 52 for 359 yards and 2 TDs in the losing cause.

This was the 1st game in Monday Night Football history when both quarterbacks threw for over 350 yards with no interceptions. The difference in this game may have been that Eli Manning overthrew his receivers, who appeared to have beaten the coverage in several instances, 11 times. The receivers can't help you when you are unable to get the ball close to them.

The Colt's Luck threw for 354 yards, his 5th consecutive road game with at least 350 yards, an NFL record. The NFL record book is at least as thick as the IRS instruction manual. The things they keep track of are amazing. Luck has also thrown for 300+ yards in seven straight games tying him for third place in NFL history with Peyton Manning. It was also Luck's 17th NFL game with over 300 yards in just 2 1/2 years of play.

The run game for both teams was average at best, just enough runs to keep the defense honest. Ahmad Bradshaw, ex Giants running back, led the Colt's with 50 yards on just 7 carries while the Giants could muster only 89 yards on the ground on 20 carries by 5 different backs, including Manning's 18 yards on 1 carry.

Tight End Coby Fleener caught a 32 yard TD from Luck. WR T.Y. Hilton (31 yards), WR Reggie Wayne (40 yards) and TE Dwayne Allen also caught TD passes from Luck. Corey Washington and Larry Donnell were on the receiving end of Manning's 2 TD passes.

Manning and Luck both fumbled twice but Eli lost one. Jonathan Newsome sacked Manning, causing a fumble that Sergio Brown returned to the Giants 4 yard line. Luck then threw his 4th TD pass, a 2 yard toss to TE Dwayne Allen.

The Colts sit atop the AFC South Division at 6-3, two games ahead of the much improved Houston Texans while the Giants fall to 3-5 in the NFC East, three games behind the Eagles and just 1/2 game in front of the hapless Redskins.

Kansas City Shuts Out Giants 10-0 Force Game 7

The Kansas City Royals broke open game 6 of the 2014 World Series in the bottom of the 2nd inning as they went on to shut out the Giants 10-0 and force a game 7 tomorrow night.

Yordano Ventura was the benificiary of the scoring outburst as he picked up the win while Jake Peavy took the loss for the Giants. Peavy lasted just 1 1/3 innings and gave up 5 runs on 6 hits. Yusmeiro Petit didn't fare much better against the Royals bats lasting just 2/3 of an inning and giving up 2 runs on 3 hits. Hunter Strickland went 2 innings and gave up a solo home run to Mike Moustakas.

The 7, 8 and 9 hitters in the Royals lineup, Salvador Perez, Mike Moustakas and Omar Infante went 6 for 12 on the night with 2 RBIs and 5 runs scored.

Check out the ESPN wrap up here and get ready for a game 7 tomorrow night. The first game 7 since 2011.

The Kansas City Royals defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in a 7 game World Series in 1985, the Royal's last appearance in the playoffs.

Giants Take 3-2 Series Lead On Bumgarner's Shutout

The San Francisco Giants head to Kansas City with a 3-2 lead in the World Series. Madison Bumgarner threw a beauty of a game, a complete game 4 hit shutout.

This was the first World Series complete game shutout since Josh Beckett, pitching for the Florida Marlins in 2003, shutout the NY Yankees in the series clinching 6th game.

Hunter Pence got things going for the Giants in the bottom of the 2nd with a lead off single. Brandon Belt's sacrifice bunt got past James Shields for an infield single that put runners at first and second with no outs. Travis Ishakawa flew out to center to move the runners up a base. Brandon Crawford grounded out to second as Pence scored. The Giants had all the runs they would need with Bumgarner on the mound, a 1-0 lead.

With Shields still pitching for the Royals in the 4th, Pablo Sandoval singled to lead off the inning. Hunter Pence and Brandon Belt both struck out, but Travis Ishakawa singled to get Sandoval to second and Brandon Crawford singled to drive in Sandoval for the 2-0 Giants lead.

The Giants broke the game open in the bottom of the 8th. Kelvin Herrera, on in relief, gave up consecutive singles to Pablo Sandoval and Hunter Pence. Wade Davis relieved Herrera. Juan Perez greeted Davis with a full count double that scored Sandoval and Pence. Perez went to third on a throwing error by Alcides Escobar. Brandon Crawford's single plated Perez and the Giants' lead grew to 5-0.

Bumgarner set the Royals down in order in the top of the 9th to pick up his second win of this World Series. In his last 4 World Series starts, Bumgarner is 4-0 with a 0.29 ERA.

The number 7 and 8 hitters in the San Francisco lineup went 5 for 8 with 5 RBIs and a run scored last night.

Game 6 of the 2014 will be in Kansas City on Tuesday night.

Giants Take Game 4, 11-4 Even Series at 2

The Kansas City relievers failed Ned Yost last night as the San Francisco Giants evened the series at 2 games apiece with an 11-4 victory over the Royals.

Read the ESPN recap here.

Royals Down Giants 7-2 in Game 2

The Kansas City Royals answered the Giants' offensive outburst in game 1 of the World Series with one of their own in game 2.

Game 2 looked as though it might be a continuation of game 1 when Gregor Blanco sent a 3-2 pitch from Yorlando Ventura over the wall in right to lead off the game and give the Giants a quick 1-0 lead. Ventura settled down and got the next three outs to get out of the inning.

The Royals responded in their half of the 1st inning. Alcides Escobar reached on a ball hit deep in the hole to short. Norichika Aoki flied out to center. Escobar was caught trying to steal second for the second out. Lorenzo Cain then doubled to left center and Eric Hosmer walked. Billy Butler followed with a single to score Cain and the Royals had tied the game at 1.

Kansas City scored another run in the 2nd on doubles by Omar Infante and Alcides Escobar that gave the Royals a 2-1 lead.

The Giants would tie the score in the top of the 4th on a double by Pablo Sandoval to lead off the inning, and a double by Brandon Belt one out later that scored Sandoval.

Jake Peavy started the bottom of the 6th for the Giants and gave up a single to Lorenzo Cain and walked Eric Hosmer. Jean Machi relieved Peavy and gave up a 2-0 single to Billy Butler that scored Cain with Hosmer stopping at second. Kansas City had retaken the lead 3-2. Terrance Gore ran for Butler. Javier Lopez relieved Machi and got Alex Gordon to fly out to left for the first out. Hunter Strickland relieved Lopez and threw a wild pitch that moved both runners into scoring position. Hosmer and Gore scored on a double by Salvador Perez. Perez came around to score on a 2 run home run by Omar Infante and the Royals led 7-2. Neither team would score again and the Royals had taken game 2.

Billy Butler was 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs for the Royals while Omar Infante went 2 for 3 with the home run, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Lorenzo Cain was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored.

Gregor Blanco was 1 for 4 with the home run and a run scored for the Giants and Brandon Belt was 1 for 4 with the other RBI.

Jake Peavy was saddled with the loss allowing 4 earned runs on 6 hits with 2 walks while striking out 1 in 5 innings of work. Kelvin Herrera picked up the win in relief of Yorlando Ventura.

The series now shifts to San Francisco on Friday with games 3, 4 and 5 to be played at AT&T Park. Games 6 and 7, if necessary will be played in Kansas City.

Giants Swat 'Nats with 3-2 Win To Advance to NLCS

The San Francisco Giants are moving on to face the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2014 NLCS Series. The winning run in last night's game, that gave the Giants the series win against the Nationals 3-2, scored on a wild pitch. Fitting that the wild card Giants advance on a wild pitch.

As a result of that pitch, thrown by rookie Aaron Barrett, the Giants start their quest for another even-year World Series win. They became the fourth team in MLB postseason history to win a post season series game on a wild pitch. The '27 Yankees, '72 Reds and the '04 Yankees were the other teams to accomplish this. Only the '27 Yankees won the World Series.

Giants pitchers held the Nationals hitters not named Anthony Rendon or Bryce Harper, to a paltry .113 batting average with just 14 hits in 123 at bats. Harper, by the way, joins Miguel Cabrera as the only players to hit 3 playoff series home runs before the age of 22.

Although the final score was 3-2, the Giants could have, and should have, scored more runs. They left 10 men on base and had the bases loaded twice with one out and failed to score.

The Giants scored the first runs of the game in the bottom of the second. With one out, Brandon Crawford singled. Juan Perez followed with a hard hit ball back to the pitcher that Gio Gonzalez misplayed for an error. Ryan Vogelsong then laid down a bunt toward third that Gonzalez overran and Anthony Rendon couldn't get to. Gonzalez walked Gregor Blanco to force in Crawford and Perez scored when Joe Panik hit a slow roller to first.

The Nationals scored a run in the 5th on a single by Ian Desmond and a double by Bryce Harper to narrow the gap to 2-1.

San Francisco loaded the bases again in the bottom of the 5th when, with runners on 1st and 3rd, Hunter Pence hit a ground ball to first. Adam Laroche fielded the ball and threw home in an attempt to cut down the runner from third. But, Gregor Blanco had taken two or three steps towards home and retreated to third. All runners were safe. Fortunately for the Nationals, Pablo Sandoval popped up to first and Brandon Belt struck out to end the inning with no damage.

Bryce Harper launched 3-1 pitch for a home run to right off of Hunter Strickland in the top of the 7th that landed in McCovey Cove and tied the score at two all. Wilson Ramos followed with a single but the Nationals would not score again.

The bottom of the 7th was a wild one. With one out, Joe Panik singled. Buster Posey, who would hit .389 for the series, singled and Hunter Pence worked an 8 pitch walk to load the bases. Aaron Barrett, in relief of Matt Thornton, uncorked a wild pitch to Pablo Sandoval that scored Panik. With a 3-1 count to Sandoval, the Nationals decided to walk him. The pitch went over the head of catcher Wilson Ramos but Posey was out at the plate. Giants manager, Bruce Bochy, challenged the play claiming Barrett blocked the plate. The call on the field was upheld and after Brandon Belt flew out to left the inning was over.

The Nationals would threaten no more and the Giants won the game 3-2 and the NLDS Series 3 games to 1.

San Francisco will travel to St. Louis on Saturday the 11th of October to take on the Cardinals in the 2014 NLCS, with the winner of that series taking on the winner of the Royals/Orioles ALCS Championship in the 2014 World Series.

Here are the top 10 videos of the NLDS final games from Gordon Dixon at Larry Brown sports.