My picks for Week 8 of the NFL season (based on my thoughts, my research and what I think ONLY!):
Disclamer: These are my picks and opinions only. If you make picks and/or bet money, favors or whatever based on what is listed below with whomever or wherever, that is on you. If you win, great! Let me know (or even send me a small cut of the profits...lol!) If not, don't bitch. These picks does have 50/50 odds. Better than the lottery. If some team chokes a game due to..whatever...not my fault. I will be mad too. Maybe!
Disclaimer done: Let the games begin!
Week 5 of bye weeks begin. Fantasy football players, be sure to double check your leagues so that all of your spots are covered!
First, let me send my family’s condolences to the family of Titans/Oilers founder and president Bud Adams, who passed away on Monday at the age of 90 and the family of former Oilers coach, Bum Phillips who passed last week. They will be missed.
Second, there have been a lot of major (and ongoing) injuries from last week’s games, not counting lingering stuff with New Orleans and Oakland, who were on bye last week. All of these things will change the overall landscape of things as we are reaching the midpoint of the season. But, that is the nature of the game.
My picks were MUCH better this week! Let’s see if I can keep it going!
Bye teams (6 teams (really?), don’t ask me why):
Indianapolis (5-2): The 2013 Colts look good, especially after an upset home win over the undefeated Broncos and should make the playoffs in a depleted AFC South, barring injury and/or collapse. Their trade for RB Trent Richardson from Cleveland is not looking good so far, but the true results of this trade won’t be seen until next year at least. This team will be a hard out in the playoffs as long as no one that matters gets hurt in the next 9 weeks. Good luck with that. QB Andrew Luck is the real deal, but does he have enough help to get the Colts back to the Super Bowl (especially more than once or twice, like with Peyton)? Time will tell, but as of right now? Not enough consistent help.
Houston (2-5): The Texans are doomed. Injuries and major mistakes week after week after week has crushed them after a 2-0 start, much like the Bears (see below). The Texans have too few weapons and what they have is OLD. They need to realize that they need a lot of youth to be factors again, starting at QB, and going on to WR, TE and across their defense other than DE JJ Watt and LB Brian Cushing (just lost for the season with multiple injuries). Houston has a great young stadium that will one day host another Super Bowl, but the team that plays there won’t be in one until they get a LOT of younger playmakers on both sides of the ball and a new franchise QB. They are a lot closer to being like the Jaguars than the Colts or the Titans right now! Rebuilding needs to begin now and fast before even Jacksonville passes this team too!
Chicago: (4-3): Once again, injuries has decimated the Bears at the worst time. QB Jay Cutler is out for at least a month, as is LB Lance Briggs. They still have WR Brandon Marshall and RB Matt Forte, but these Bears are not nearly as fierce away from home and if their D isn’t dominating. I see a bad finish here, but miracles do happen. Right? I don't see one happening here. Sorry.
Tennessee (3-4): The Titans have had their moments. Unfortunately, the rest of the season will be under a cloud with the passing of beloved former coach Bum Phillips last week and founder/owner Bud Adams on Monday. Fortunately, the Titans will have this week off to mourn and recover (some) before returning to action next week. Also, injured QB Jake Locker is already back from injury, though the Titans lost on Sunday. Bottom line, this team is dangerous with him under center. I cannot see them catching the Colts in the AFC South, but a wild-card is still a possibility, since they will be under the radar the rest of the way. We will see.
San Diego (4-3): The Chargers are still in the playoff race, though catching the undefeated Chiefs seems unlikely. Right now (and for the rest of the year), that Week One collapse on MNF at home to the Texans will loom big. QB Phillip Rivers is looking hot again, but injuries and bad luck have hurt. The bye may have come at a perfect time to heal and see if the Chiefs can steal another win or two before they go on bye. Denver’s loss on Sunday night helps too, but the Chargers really need more stumbling by the Broncos sandwiched around Denver’s bye (which I think is next week) to really help. The Chargers has to just take care of their own business and hope for help elsewhere. That also means they must beat KC and Denver when they play them again. With a number of teams right behind them for the second wild-card (assuming either KC or Denver will get one of them), SD had better be hitting the ground running next week and never stop. Houston and maybe Tennessee may not recover and catch them from behind, but the Ravens (assuming they don’t find a way to win the AFC North) might do just that.
Baltimore: (3-4): Once again, Baltimore is struggling. However, the defending champs are resilient. But can they rally enough to win the AFC North or win a wild-card berth. Down two games to Cincinnati will be hard to overcome but not impossible. Wild-card? Not so likely. Denver or KC figure to get one wild-card berth, barring a collapse by one or both. But then, no one outside of Baltimore believed in them last year and look what happened. Having no Ed Reed or Ray Lewis anymore hurts, but QB Joe Flacco, RB Ray Rice and LBs Terrelle Suggs and Elvis Dumerville may be able to take up the slack in leadership, but they need wins more right now. Don’t count the champs out yet, but this time, they cannot blow any more games like the OT loss to the Bengals last week for sure.
Week 8 Games:
Carolina at Tampa Bay: Thursday night on NFL Network: This game is basically a dud. We thought at least one of these teams would be better but for different reasons, that did not happen. It all seems to be a moot point since the Saints are running away with the division anyway. Still, a pick must be made. One has to hope that Tampa Bay is not about to be the second 0-16 team, which would really suck considering the records for futility (as an expansion team years ago) they have already set with their old uniforms (which were cool in a way). They have also lost just about every decent player they had to injury or other things…and even if they were present, I have my doubts they could stop Cam Newton anyway. Carolina wins and keeps their mathematical chances at a wild card berth intact…for at least one more week.
Carolina 27 Tampa Bay 17
San Francisco at Jacksonville from Wembley Stadium in London:
It is kind of unfortunate to force this kind of (apparent) mismatch upon the good people of England, but hey, we did not expect this when the schedule came out! They already had Minnesota versus Pittsburgh. What can you do? People may say similar things next year when the Raiders go to London (against a unknown opponent sometime next season). Anyway, the Niners need a win to stay close to Seattle and need to beat their common opponents, for tiebreaker purposes (Seattle already beat the Jags in Seattle). Jacksonville, like Tampa, just wants to win and avoid a possible 0-16 season. Since the Giants won on Monday, these two teams are the leaders for the coveted 1st selection in a (allegedly) rich 2014 draft. Unfortunately, Jacksonville needs a lot more than what one good player can offer, regardless of position. But so does Tampa. Niners will win, but if the major upset occurs, the Jags could pick worse places to celebrate with the fans, especially having their bye next week…like, say…in Jacksonville.
San Francisco 34 Jacksonville 23
Cleveland at Kansas City: These Chiefs are good...good and lucky. Half the games they won, they won because of the other team making critical mistakes while trying to drive for the winning or tying score late in the game. But 7-0 is 7-0. The Chiefs' luck has to run out sometime, even if it is at home, one of the harder places to win for a visiting team. Cleveland is fighting hard but inconsistent QB play, among other things, has hurt. This week, former Redskins and Raiders starter Jason Campbell gets his shot to lead this team....a shot he should have got weeks ago. Campbell is a veteran and may be better equipped to handle goofiness and tough issues with a offense than QBs Weeden and Hoyer are. Campbell may have been still the Raiders' starter if he had not gotten hurt in 2011 when Oakland was driving for a division title that ultimately went to Tim Tebow and the Broncos on a tie-breaker. Campbell has the talent, and more importantly, the experience, in a hard-luck kind of way to win. Can he carry the Browns to the playoffs? Probably not, but Campbell will get them a lot closer than those other guys. Browns in a upset, so the undefeated 1972 Dolphins can pop that champagne on Sunday night.
Cleveland 24 Kansas City 23
Miami at New England: This game will be weird. Miami has been better than in recent years, but now they are getting into the heart of their schedule. New England is still shaky, but they have the Gronk back. Miami is getting lucky that they are coming north before things get really cold (but it may not be warm this weekend). New England will not be in a happy mood after their overtime loss to the Jets, but if Miami really wants to win this division, they need two wins over New England, and may be run the table starting now. I will take the road team in a upset.
Miami 28 New England 27
Buffalo at New Orleans: This is another of those games that we thought would be a good one in April. Again, this is an example of what looks good on paper may not come out that way during the season. Buffalo is better than some think, but without rookie QB EJ Manuel, these Bills look more like last year’s weak version now. Worse yet, they get to face Drew Brees and the Saints. In the Superdome. And they are coming off a bye. Even if All-Pro TE Jimmy Graham can’t play after getting hurt two weeks ago, Brees and this offense will be too much for the Bills in the dome. Sorry.
New Orleans 32 Buffalo 21
New York Jets at Cincinnati: New York is on fire! No, not the Giants, the Jets! The Jets are flying high after upsetting New England in OT last week, but that was at home. Cincinnati is tougher than some think, especially at home. QB Andy Dalton has more experience than rookie QB Geno Smith but Smith is dangerous and more athletic. Honestly, with the strange twist this season has already taken, this one is too close to call. The Bengals are two games of idle Baltimore and Cleveland in the AFC North, so they can afford to lose this one, but really need to keep winning. The Jets are trying to steal the AFC East from the Patriots and now have that split against them, but trail by one game. Winning games like this may be that difference that they need later. I have to take the Bengals at home, but barely. A tie here would not surprise me.
Cincinnati 35 New York Jets 34
New York Giants at Philadelphia: Now, let’s talk about the other New York team, the Giants. This team has been getting beat down, both on the field and in the media. Thankfully, they finally won over Minnesota at home on Monday night, but this was far from a convincing win. After a strong first half in Washington in Week One, the Eagles have floundered, but even with their ugly loss at home versus Dallas last week, the Eagles are still in the hunt in the pathetic NFC East. They cannot afford another division , however. QB Michael Vick is apparently back from (another!!!) injury, which is good since backup Nick Foles suffered a concussion last week (which did not have to happen) and third string rookie Eric Barkley looked like a BAD rookie QB. Both teams have injury issues and just plain issues, but someone has to win. I am hoping the Eagles get it done, but few results would surprise me here.
Philadelphia 31 New York Giants 30
Atlanta at Arizona: BIRD WAR!!!! Atlanta is decimated with injury, but they did get by Tampa Bay, who is even worse. Arizona is trying to be a player, but they don’t have the horses to hang with San Francisco nor Seattle or maybe even St. Louis in the AFC West. Injured Atlanta RB Stephen Jackson might actually play this week. Whatever. The Cardinals have a puncher’s chance at home, so let’s give them this one. Even if Atlanta wins, barring a miracle, such a win won’t matter much in the NFC South race, much less the wildcard race. Sorry.
Arizona 24 Atlanta 23
Dallas at Detroit: This is the matchup that you will NEVER see on Thanksgiving because both teams are traditional hosts for the (traditional) daytime Thanksgiving Day games. So here you go. This game (unlike most of Detroit’s Thanksgiving Day games, except probably THIS year) means a lot to Detroit as well as their opponent! Dallas may well win the NFC Least by default, but such is far from assured. Dallas won in Philly last week, but winning in Detroit (outside of Thanksgiving lately) is another matter. Dallas has some offense and defense but errors and injuries have eroded both, and Dallas is not as tough away from AT&T Stadium. The Lions know their only path to the playoffs (and winning there) is with the NFC North crown and Green Bay is on coming fast, who Detroit will face at home on Thanksgiving (again), while Chicago watches on their bye and their promising season continues to crumble. Better win this one and the next 3, Detroit, or your season will be done before Thanksgiving.
Detroit 33 Dallas 31
Pittsburgh at Oakland: Historically, this is a big deal game between two old-time rival teams. This year, neither team looks good. But they both have a chance to rally. The Steelers have won two straight and may be coming back, but Oakland, with major offensive line injuries have had their bye to get healthier. This team is stronger and more dangerous than most think with a schedule that could allow a big comeback in the standings and maybe steal a wild-card playoff berth. I am taking Oakland at home. Remember what happened when these teams played last time? That may happen again.
Oakland 24 Pittsburgh 23
Washington at Denver: This is the must-watch game of the week. Washington has had a tough year so far, but even after a crushing loss to Dallas, the one-win Redskins are STILL only two games out of first, but need to start winning NOW and cannot afford any more conference (4) or division, much less home losses (2 each already). RGIII is improving as is the rest of the team. The Broncos are reeling after their first loss and they are trailing…undefeated Kansas City in the AFC West. Denver needs this win since Denver is on bye next week and KC still has a game or two to go before their bye, and their two meetings (twice in three weeks, I believe) are coming up SOON! Sorry, Peyton, your team’s weak D is not your fault, but last week, a team finally shut you down and took advantage of that D and your offense's turnovers in crunch time. That will continue this week. Redskins can run the ball (besides Griffin III), can control the clock and the defense can return mistakes for TDs on anyone. KC's luck will run out soon. Unfortunately, Denver, your luck has already run out. Redskins in a major upset at the gun.
Washington 38 Denver 37
Green Bay at Minnesota: Sunday Night Football on NBC: Well, this is an interesting one. Green Bay looked dead earlier on, but are coming on now, even with injuries mounting. Minnesota got beat down early with a tough schedule and has never recovered with inconsistent QB play and more. I hear Josh Freeman may be out with a concussion, so Christian Ponder may be back in at QB. Doesn't matter. Minnesota is looking almost as bad with former Tampa Bay QB Josh Freeman at the helm as the team he got cut from. Minnesota, even at home, cannot stop Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers and whatever skill players he has left to throw to unless he himself gets hurt. If a brutally bad Giants team can hold down the Vikings AND Peterson, what do you think a 2/3 healthy Green Bay team will do? This will be a runaway. Sorry.
Green Bay 30 Minnesota 15
Monday Night Football on ESPN. Note the 830pm start time.
Seattle at St. Louis: When the schedule came out in April, we all thought that this would be a great game. Not now. St. Louis just lost their weak franchise QB Sam Bradford for the year due to a knee injury. This team has no chance without a decent QB to throw to the interesting young set of receivers here. Bradford would have gave the Rams a slight chance. They now have none. And no, Brett Favre is NOT coming to help (Why would Favre delay his enshrinement in Canton to come play and help out a weak team who has no playoff shot anyway and risk major injury? Seriously?). Seattle knows this and is running on all 8 cylinders right now. This will not be pretty. This will be the beat-down the Niners couldn’t give St. Louis on Thursday Night football a few weeks ago. Seattle in a laugher. The NFL needs to start putting a flex schedule on Monday Night Football, instead of Sunday night!
Seattle 28 St. Louis 13
Bonus picks:
2013 World Series: AL won home-field at All-Star Game
St. Louis (NL top seed) versus Boston (AL top seed)
This will be a tough series. Both teams have hitting and pitching and good managers and recent World Series success. Intangibles are also even, though more tipped to the home team in their park (including designated hitter or not). At the end of the day, this will go six games or seven. No shorter. The American League won home field at the All Star Game, hence Boston has it. As good as St. Louis is, I am not sure they can win a Game 7 at Fenway (or a Game 6 if the Cardinals are down 3-2). Plus, the Cardinals beat my Dodgers…lol. Regardless of all that, Boston has the better story, and considering what happened in the spring, the city deserves this just a little bit more THIS YEAR. Boston wins in 7.
Extra Bonus picks, just to be fun:
Winners in the main matches at the WWE Hell in a Cell PPV in Miami on Sunday:
These matches will be in the Cell (no disqualification, winner only by pin or by submission):
John Cena defeats Alberto Del Rio and wins the World Heavyweight Title
CM Punk ultimately is pinned by Ryback (with some outside interference from inside the Cell), but Punk does also seriously beat up his partner and Punk’s former manager, Paul Heyman, before or after the pinfall in or around the Cell.
Daniel Bryan upsets Randy Orton to win the vacant WWE championship, partially due to and/or in spite of interference by (the currently “fired”) Big Show and/or special referee Shawn Michaels and/or others.
These are non-Cell title matches:
The Usos wins the Triple Threat WWE Tag Team title match
AJ Lee loses the Divas Championship to Brie Bella
Think my picks suck? Send me a reply and tell me why! Good luck to everyone.
NFL picks: 54-52 after 5 weeks; 7-4 on bonus picks; Total 50-50 overall (as of October 24).
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