Week 12 Pick-Down

Matchup	Adam's Pick	Eric's Pick
Packers at Lions	Lions	Packers
Dolphins at Cowboys	Cowboys	Cowboys
49ers at Ravens	49ers	Ravens
Vikings at Falcons	Falcons	Falcons
Browns at Bengals	Bengals	Bengals
Texans at Jaguars	Texans	Texans
Panthers at Colts	Panthers	Panthers
Bills at Jets	Jets	Jets
Cardinals at Rams	Rams	Rams
Buccaneers at Titans	Buccaneers	Titans
Bears at Raiders	Raiders	Raiders
Redskins at Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks
Patriots at Eagles	Eagles	Patriots
Broncos at Chargers	Chargers	Chargers
Steelers at Chiefs	Steelers	Steelers
Giants at Saints	Giants	Saints
	Adam	Eric
Week 11 Record	8-6	10-4
Season Standings	98-62	107-53

To see how the "Experts" stack up: http://espn.go.com/nfl/picks

The predictions here come from Adam and correspond to his picks in the remaining games.

Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions

I need to make up some ground on Eric, and I’m assuming he’s going with Green Bay, so I’ll go with the Motor City Kitties.  In all honesty though, I have some compelling reasons for picking Detroit outside of my pathetic pick performance this season.  The Packers’ defense is definitely vulnerable, especially considering how poor they’ve been tackling, and I have no idea how they stop Calvin Johnson.  Additionally, TJ Lang and Marshall Newhouse are problems on the offensive line, not good news with the amped up Ford Field and Ndamukong Suh’s crew rushing all day.  I think Aaron Rodgers gets hit a little too often in this game and the Lions pull out a wild one on Turkey Day.

Prediction: Lions 38 – Packers 31

Miami Dolphins at Dallas Cowboys

The Dolphins have been playing really well lately, winners of three-straight, all in convincing fashion, and the Cowboys have a knack for slipping up just when we think they have it together.  Yet I can’t in good conscience take Matt Moore to beat Tony Romo.

Prediction: Cowboys 23 – Dolphins 16

San Francisco 49ers at Baltimore Ravens

What a slate of Thanksgiving games we are being treated to this year as opposed to the normal snooze fest we are presented with.  In this game we get mirror image teams: the coaches are brothers, the styles of play are nearly identical, and they both sit close to the top of their respective conferences.  I’m taking the Niners on a short week on the road because I believe Alex Smith is more solid than Joe Flacco, something that would have been unthinkable at the start of the season.  I believe both defenses will do their thing, but the Niners will turn the ball over less and find a few more explosive plays either on offense or special teams to squeeze out a victory.

Prediction: 49ers 16 – Ravens 13

Minnesota Vikings at Atlanta Falcons

Like the Cowboys, the Falcons are in that bunch of slightly above water teams in the NFC that need every victory.  I think at home, playing against a rookie quarterback, they should be able to win this game comfortably.

Prediction: Falcons 27 – Vikings 17

Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals are still very much in the thick of things in the AFC North and the playoff race in general.  They are also a much better team than Cleveland.  AJ Green may or may not be back, but either way I expect the Bengals to own both lines of scrimmage and for Andy Dalton to outduel Colt McCoy.

Prediction: Bengals 24 – Browns 13

Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars

Matt Leinart had the bye week to get ready for an underwhelming Jags team.  Those factors should help ease him into his first start in a while.  Arian Foster, Ben Tate, and a good defense at his back should make things even easier.  The possible return of Andre Johnson wouldn’t hurt matters either.  The quarterback is important, but going up against Blaine Gabbert, even Leinart might look good.  Overall on the roster the Texans are just too much better than Jacksonville to lose this game.

Prediction: Texans 20 – Jaguars 13

Carolina Panthers at Indianapolis Colts

The Panthers have lost a lot of close games this year, the mark of a team with potential that just needs to mature.  The Colts have been blown out a ton this year and have yet to notch a victory.  Need I say more regarding their “talent?”  I’ll go with the Panthers simply because they have more playmakers, and Cam Newton will put points on the board.
Prediction: Panthers 28 – Colts 17

Buffalo Bills at New York Jets

I clung to the Bills bandwagon as long as possible, but now it’s time to abandon ship.  They look really bad lately, Ryan Fitzpatrick is not as sharp throwing the ball, and the defense is getting exposed.  I don’t love the Jets, but I think they are the more solid overall team.

Prediction: Jets 23 – Bills 16

Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams

Does it really matter?  No it doesn’t.  Both teams are terrible, but I guess I’ll ride with the Rams at home and because if a banged up Kevin Kolb doesn’t play John Skelton will get the start.

Prediction: Rams 17 – Cardinals 10

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tennessee Titans

Both of these teams still have plenty to play for, though neither strikes me as a true playoff team.  Things are so bunched up in both conferences that either could make a postseason push if they get hot.  I liked what I saw last week out of Tampa despite the loss.  I’ll take the Bucs to get a few big runs from LeGarrette Blount and for Josh Freeman to have a big game on the road.

Prediction: Buccaneers 24 – Titans 21

Chicago Bears at Oakland Raiders

This really would have been a compelling matchup had Jay Cutler not gone down with a broken thumb.  Still, the Bears have a way of keeping things close against most any team and will likely ride Matt Forte, good special teams, and solid defense to a competitive outcome.  In the end though, I like the Raiders to be able to manufacture more points, especially at home.

Prediction: Raiders 17 – Bears 13

Washington Redskins at Seattle Seahawks

Two bad teams here, but Seattle is a tough out at home, and Washington has to travel 3,000 miles to play a pretty meaningless game.

Prediction: Seahawks: 23 – Redskins 17

New England Patriots at Philadelphia Eagles

Starting the year this looked like a possible Super Bowl preview.  Now the Eagles have fallen almost completely out of playoff contention.  Still, at home and with loads of talent, a good pass rush, they could certainly frustrate the Patriots.  Also, the NFC East isn’t exactly out of reach. Mike Vick may or may not play, but either way I think LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, and Jeremy Maclin will find some seams in the porous New England defense.  This is probably a dumb pick, but I’ll go with Philly to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

Prediction: Eagles 27 – Patriots 23

Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers

I just can’t believe that this Tebow thing is going to keep working, and I also can’t believe Phillip Rivers will continue to play so poorly.

Prediction: Chargers 23 – Broncos 20

Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs

Pittsburgh had a bye week to get ready for Tyler Palko.  Run, Tyler.  Just run.

Prediction: Steelers 28 – Chiefs 9

New York Giants at New Orleans Saints

The Giants are an up-and-down team, but they match up well with the Saints.  They can throw the ball all over the lot and keep up with Drew Brees, and they can also pressure the Saints with just four pass rushers.  I look for the Giants to force a couple Drew Brees interceptions and be very aggressive down the field with their vertical passing game.  I’ll take the G-Men.

Prediction: Giants 30 – Saints 24

Week 11 Overview + Power Poll #6

The Producers

There are only two elite teams in the NFL: the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers.  Sure, questions linger about the Packers’ defense and the Niners’ ability to play in a shootout, but the mark of an elite team is consistency and being able to dictate the style of play they want.  The reason the Packer defense hasn’t had to have a big showing and the Niner offense hasn’t had to explode is because both teams are in control of every game they play.

The Other Guys

There’s a sub-category of teams right below San Fran and Green Bay that alternately tantalize us and disappoint us from week to week:

• The Falcons just haven’t put all their talent together yet.
• The Saints still seem to be missing that bit of magic from their Super Bowl year.
• The Lions are boom-or-bust.  They have wild comebacks and shootouts, but they ultimately lack consistency running the ball and stopping the run.
• The Ravens look great at times but have lost to the Seahawks, Jaguars, and Titans.
• The Steelers have lost twice to the Ravens.
• The Giants were starting to put things together then lost two straight.
• Conversely, the Cowboys seem to finally be putting all their talent to good use, but it still feels like the wheels can come off at any moment.
• The Bears looked to be the one team ready to perhaps join the Niners and Pack, and then Jay Cutler goes down for the year.
• The Patriots’ fatal flaw is their defense, and they also lack vertical explosion on offense.

Undeclared

Losing by a combined 14 points to the Steelers and Ravens doesn’t tell me the Bengals aren’t a playoff-level team.  It tells me they lost two close divisional games against strong opponents.  Judge dem Bengals only after they get another shot at both.

Wedding Crashers

The Bills might be the worst 5-5 team in history, and the Dolphins might be the best 3-7 team in history.  The wheels have really fallen off in Buffalo.

Stranger Than Fiction

Tim Tebow might be winning games, but this won’t last.  It’s kind of fun to watch, but eventually, having a fullback playing quarterback, the Broncos will get exposed.

Land of the Lost

It’s more of an indictment of Mark Sanchez and the Jets’ offense than it is of their defense that they lost to Tebow and the Broncos.  New York only gave up 17 points.  It’s time for the Sanchize to start playing like a fifth overall pick three years into his career.

Everything Must Go

I have no idea who is going to win the AFC West.  The Chargers look terrible, the Broncos are playing college football, the Chiefs just lost their starting quarterback for the year, and the Raiders are starting Carson Palmer, who was on the couch a few weeks ago.

Bewitched

What happened to Sam Bradford?  I know he’s been dinged up and is in a new offense, but he’s been horrible.

Eastbound & Down

I think it’s funny that everyone was shocked that the Eagles fell to 3-6 because of how good they were supposed to be, and then the same people consider it a stunner when they beat the division rival Giants by one touchdown.

Week 11 Power Poll

1. Green Bay Packers (10-0)

Who else could be in this spot?

How good is their defense?  Good enough to have the Packers undefeated. 

2. San Francisco 49ers (9-1)

They absolutely dominated the Cardinals, holding the ball for 44 of 60 minutes.  And if not for three missed field goals, they would have won this game even more handily.

3. Baltimore Ravens (7-3)

This team fluctuates from week-to-week, but beating a good Cincy team without Ray Lewis speaks highly.  A huge showdown between the Harbaugh brothers (and the second and third ranked teams on my list, mind you) lingers on Thanksgiving. 

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3)

A good time for a bye week with Ben Roethlisberger dinged up, the Steelers should be fresh for the stretch and should make a run at the one seed in the AFC with a soft remaining schedule outside.  The only true test is a road tilt at San Francisco.

5. New Orleans Saints (7-3)

I’d like to put the Texans or Bears here, but with their starting quarterbacks both gone for the year they barely belong in the top-12.  The Saints are flawed, but I guarantee they scare the wits out of every team they play. 

6. Dallas Cowboys (6-4)

This team has so many weapons; they’re kind of like a Ferrari that just needs an oil change.  If they can get everyone healthy, Miles Austin particularly, and on the same page, then they can beat anyone. 

7. New England Patriots (7-3)

The defense is continually a problem, but I feel like come the winter months of the season they will be a tough out, especially if they get some home playoff games. 

8. Detroit Lions (7-3)

With Ndamukong Suh, Calvin Johnson, and Matthew Stafford, they are definitely in the running for most fun team to watch, but they lack consistency.  They seem to love playing in shootouts, which might make them an upset threat against Green Bay, but ultimately I think this is a young team still finding its rhythm.

9. New York Giants (6-4)

They’re ahead of the Falcons and Raiders for essentially one reason: Eli Manning is better than Matt Ryan or Carson Palmer.  Once the Giants get back to full health they are another team that can beat anybody on a given Sunday.

10. Atlanta Falcons (6-4)

I refuse to believe this team is worse than the Oakland Raiders.  They haven’t shown a whole lot to fall in love with, but they’ve navigated their way to a winning record and are in the thick of playoff contention.

11. Oakland Raiders (6-4)

The way they beat the Vikings is the model this team needs to follow on offense.  Pound the ball with Michael Bush and Darren McFadden when he gets healthy, and keep Carson Palmer around 25 throws per game.  Let Palmer take his deep shots, especially off play-action, and control both lines of scrimmage. 

12. Houston Texans (7-3)

I place them over the Bears because I honestly think Matt Leinart might be a little more ready than Caleb Hanie to take over NFL starting quarterback duties.  It’s really fortunate that Houston had a bye week for Leinart to get reps and get prepared and possibly bring Andre Johnson back into the fold.  It’s also nice they’ll face the hapless Jaguars coming up.  Having Arian Foster and Ben Tate and the #1-ranked defense to fall back on doesn’t hurt either.

--from @AdamHocking

Week 11 Game Notes

Broncos over Jets

• The Jets took a page out of the Dolphins Week 7 playbook.  They make Tim Tebow look stupid for 55 minutes, then they quit playing defense and let him steal the game away.

Ravens over Bengals

• Ed Reed moved into tenth place on the all-time interceptions list this week with 57 career picks.

Browns over Jaguars

• Stuff happened.
• Cleveland won.
• Huzzah!

Lions over Panthers

• Now this was an exciting game.
• It starts with Matthew Stafford’s Bears hangover as the Lions turned the ball over three times in the first quarter (2 Stafford interceptions), the Panthers got a lead, then Detroit came thundering back, erasing a 17-point defecit, by picking off Cam Newton four times and winnning by two touchdowns.

Packers over Buccaneers

• The Packers let Tampa hang in there for a long time, but in the end you can’t stop Aaron Rodgers.  Your only hope is to outscore him, and that’s a tall order.
• Rodgers became the first player to ever have ten consecutive games in a season with a passer rating over 100.
• Even with the likes of Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Jermichael Finley, Donald Driver, James Jones, Randall Cobb, James Starks, and Ryan Grant on offense, who punches in the goal line touchdown?  “The Freezer,” BJ Raji.

Dolphins over Bills

• Listen up.  The Miami Dolphins are the hottest team in the AFC.
• With three-straight monster wins, the Dolphins are saying, “F*** ‘Suck for Luck.’”

Raiders over Vikings

• It was all over once Adrian Peterson went down with an ankle injury mid-first quarter.  Even though Christian Ponder was making some nice throws early, Minnesota couldn’t find any rhythm minus their workhorse.
• In spite of Ponder’s strong start, the rookie still finished with three interceptions.

Cowboys over Redskins

• It took an extra period, but Dallas got the expected win.
• Washington loses their sixth in a row.

49ers over Cardinals

• There’s the John Skelton we know and love!

Seahawks over Rams

• Tarvaris Jackson started his day 2-2, only both “completions” went to Rams defenders.

Falcons over Titans

• This game was notable for me because Jake Locker saw his first major action.
• Although the Falcons had the game well in hand once they knocked out Matt Hasselbeck and Locker came in, the rookie finished with a good looking performance.
• We’ll have to see how well he plays when he’s not in garbage time.
• CJ2K Watch: Hasselbeck led the Titans in rushing by scrambling once for 17 yards.

Bears over Chargers

• Two teams trending in opposite directions maintained their respective trajectories.  The Bears won their fifth game in a row, and the Chargers extended their losing streak to five games.  Symmetrical.  Beautiful.
• Jay Cutler was not sacked in this game, but he did break his thumb and is now out indefinitely.

Eagles over Giants

• Accounting for the Eagles without Michael Vick and my personal vendetta against Eli Manning, I saw no good reason I should have watched this game.
• Instead I tuned my television to PBS’ latest addition to its American Masters series, Woody Allen: A Documentary.  I have zero regrets.  If you’re an Allen fan, it’s a must-see.

Patriots over Chiefs

• Tyler Palko…
• Tom Brady…
• Tom Brady!

--from @jeuneski

Week 11 Pick-Down

Matchup	Adam's Pick	Eric's Pick
Jets at Broncos	Jets	Jets
Bengals at Ravens	Ravens	Ravens
Jaguars at Browns	Jaguars	Jaguars
Panthers at Lions	Lions	Lions
Buccaneers at Packers	Packers	Packers
Bills at Dolphins	Bills	Bills
Raiders at Vikings	Vikings	Raiders
Cowboys at Redskins	Cowboys	Cowboys
Cardinals at 49ers	49ers	49ers
Seahawks at Rams	Rams	Seahawks
Titans at Falcons	Falcons	Falcons
Chargers at Bears	Bears	Bears
Eagles at Giants	Giants	Giants
Chiefs at Patriots	Patriots	Patriots
	Adam	Eric
Week 10 Record	4-12	10-6
Season Standings	90-56	97-49

Bye Weeks: Colts, Saints, Steelers, Texans

To see how the "Experts" stack up: http://espn.go.com/nfl/picks

The predictions here come from Adam and correspond to his picks.

Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens

I can't tell who the Ravens are going to be from week-to-week, but they generally play well against big-time opponents like their matchup this week, the Cincinnati Bengals.  Cincy almost took out the Steelers last week, and though they are good enough to beat Baltimore, they will fall short in another close game.

Prediction: Ravens 19 – Bengals 16

Jacksonville Jaguars at Cleveland Browns
The Jags have played a little better as of late, and the Browns are tanking suspiciously quickly.  I'll take the Jags for no other reason than they are playing better ball than the Brownies right now, and Maurice Jones-Drew is having another superb year.

Prediction: Jaguars 20 – Browns 12

Carolina Panthers at Detroit Lions
The Lions are getting a reputation as a bit of an unhinged bunch; they're as temperamental on the field as their coach Jim Schwartz is on the sidelines.  If they want to play with the big boys, they are going to have to learn to play with composure.  Still, I like their talent, and I look for this game to be a shootout.  Cam Newton will get his points, but Detroit has the better overall team, and at home that will show.

Prediction: Lions 34 – Panthers 27

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers
The Bucs are a decent team, yet the Packers are favored by 14 points, a huge spread for any game.  That shows how far ahead of the rest of the league the Packers are in everyone's eyes, including the oddsmakers’, and I tend to agree.  The defense has not been great, but it's full of playmakers that force turnovers, and if you give Aaron Rodgers more possessions than his opponent, the Pack will win every time.  Tampa won’t keep up.

Prediction: Packers 35 – Buccaneers 21

Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins
Okay Buffalo, I'm giving you one more shot to right the ship before I bail from the bandwagon.  If you can't beat the Dolphins, then you're season as a contender is probably done.  I think Buffalo's offense clicks back into gear and does enough to hold off a weak Dolphins attack.

Prediction: Bills 24 – Dolphins 17

Oakland Raiders at Minnesota Vikings
I really don't trust the Raiders—or any team from the AFC West for that matter—and I think the Vikings playing at home will ride a heavy dose of Adrian Peterson to a semi-surprising win.  I like the flashes of potential Christian Ponder has shown, and I look for Percy Harvin to make a few explosive plays as well.

Prediction: Vikings 20 – Raiders 16

Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins
The Cowboys have a knack for losing just when you think they have turned the corner, but against the paltry Redskins they would have to try hard to lose this game.  I look for Tony Romo to continue his high level of play and for DeMarcus Ware to get to know Rex Grossman very well.

Prediction: Cowboys 27 – Redskins 13

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers

I've heard plenty of folks disparage the 49ers winning record because of the division they play in, when in reality they've played just one game against the NFC West so far.  Now they finally start diving in with five of their last seven games in division, which should put them in great position for a first round bye, perhaps the one seed if the Packers slip a little, though I don't foresee that.  The Niners take no team lightly and are ready to go for 60 minutes every week, a direct reflection of head coach Jim Harbaugh. The tenacious Niner defense should make unproven John Skelton's life pretty tough.

Prediction: 49ers 27 – Cardinals 10

Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams
I will take the Rams for no other reason than they are playing at home.  Great analysis, right?

Prediction: Rams 23 – Seahawks 20

Tennessee Titans at Atlanta Falcons
Two teams that I really can't figure out: the Falcons seem too talented to be 5-4, and the Titans don't seem talented enough.  I like Atlanta because they are tough in the Georgia Dome, and this offense has to get rolling some time.  There's just too many playmakers on this team for them not to break out.

Prediction: Falcons 28 – Titans 20

San Diego Chargers at Chicago Bears
My natural inclination is to think that the Bears’ record is a mirage, smoke and mirrors if you will, while the Chargers are talented but underachieving.  Yet, San Diego has been playing the underachiever card for so long that maybe it means they just aren't that good, and over the past two regular seasons the Bears are 17-8, so maybe they are pretty darn good.  I'll take the monsters of the midway at home, riding Matt Forte to another victory.

Prediction:  Bears 23 – Chargers 17

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants
The Eagles don't have much to play for anymore, which can either make a team dangerous or a pushover.  In the case of the Eagles, I think we will see the latter.  This team had Super Bowl aspirations, and now they have the rest of the season to sit and lick their wounds with the playoffs essentially beyond of horizon.  Meanwhile, the Giants are a pretty good football team that could mount a challenge to any contender in the NFC if Eli Manning keeps up his high level of play.

Prediction: Giants 27 – Eagles 23

Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots
Two similarly coached teams, but one has Tom Brady, the other Tyler Palko.  I'm going with Brady.

Prediction: Patriots 34 – Chiefs 20

Week 10 Game Notes

Raiders over Chargers

• Carson Palmer has his best game as a Raider.  If he continues getting better, he just might make Oakland the favorites in the West.

Saints over Falcons

• FOX dished out a crazy stat after the Saints lost the overtime coin toss.  The Saints are 0-11 on coin tosses this year.  They need to sign a coin toss specialist.
• Drew Brees moved past Brett Favre by throwing a touchdown pass in his thirty-seventh consecutive game.  He trails only Johnny Unitas (47) for the longest such streak in NFL history.
• All anyone could talk about after the game was Mike Smith’s overtime decision to go for it on fourth down deep in Falcon territory.  I like the aggressiveness, but I don’t like how by not converting it gave New Orleans the ball already in scoring range.

Titans over Panthers

• Chris Johnson broke the 100-yard barrier for just the second time this year, and consequently, the Titans won.
• A Mark Mariani punt return touchdown also helped, as did multiple Panther turnovers and Cam Newton getting sacked five times.

Rams over Browns

• If not for a botched snap on a 22-yard field goal…
• Ugh.  Just what you’d expect in a Rams-Browns matchup.

Cowboys over Bills

• Tony Romo had on heck of a game, throwing as many touchdown passes as incompletions.
• Buffalo continues their slide down the AFC East standings.

Jaguars over Colts

• With the Dolphins and Rams both on the winning side of the ledger, the now 0-10 Colts are clear favorites in the “Suck for Luck” sweepstakes.
• Miami and St. Louis both have two wins on the season and are looking for more.  I have a hard time believing the Colts can win two more games the rest of the way.

Broncos over Chiefs

• Tim Tebow went 2/8 passing—yes, he played the entire game—with his first completion coming with 3:30 left in the third quarter.

Dolphins over Redskins

• Looks like Matt Moore’s found a little something as the Dolphins have won two-straight.
• The Redskins are an absolute mess.  What is the Shana-clan doing?

Cardinals over Eagles

• Philadelphia blew a fourth quarter lead again for the fifth time this season.
• John Skelton is 2-0.  Chew on that for a second.

Texans over Buccaneers

• Arian Foster didn’t have the monster rushing game, but he didn’t have to as Houston blows out Tampa.
• He did have a spectacular day catching the ball though with 102 receiving yards.

Seahawks over Ravens

• Early turnovers cost Baltimore the game.  After fumbling away two kickoff returns and allowing the Seahawks to jump ahead at home, Baltimore couldn’t catch up.
• Joe Flacco threw 52 passes and Ray Rice had 5 carries.  That’s not going to work, Cam Cameron.

Bears over Lions

• Turnovers and overall ugliness made this game unwatchable.
• Detroit fumbled on their first two possessions.
• Matthew Stafford threw four interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns, and he started a fight trying to rip D.J. Moore’s head off.
• Don’t kick to Devin Hester!

49ers over Giants

• This win marked the first time since realignment that the NFC West went 4-0 in one week.

Patriots over Jets

• This is the defensive effort we need to see more often from New England.  It took a while for Tom Brady to get rolling, but the defense, led by Andre Carter’s four sacks, kept it close for New England to overcome.

Packers over Vikings

• I feel spoiled as a Packer fan.  Aaron Rodgers alone is an embarrassment of riches, then throw in his receiving corps, a defense that finally got after it, and the best coaching staff in football, and it’s just plain silly.

--from @jeuneski

Week 10 Pick-Down

Matchup	Adam's Pick	Eric's Pick
Raiders at Chargers	Chargers	Chargers
Saints at Falcons	Falcons	Saints
Titans at Panthers	Panthers	Panthers
Steelers at Bengals	Bengals	Steelers
Rams at Browns	Browns	Rams
Bills at Cowboys	Bills	Cowboys
Jaguars at Colts	Colts	Jaguars
Broncos at Chiefs	Chiefs	Broncos
Redskins at Dolphins	Redskins	Dolphins
Cardinals at Eagles	Eagles	Eagles
Texans at Buccaneers	Texans	Texans
Ravens at Seahawks	Ravens	Ravens
Lions at Bears	Bears	Lions
Giants at 49ers	49ers	49ers
Patriots at Jets	Jets	Patriots
Vikings at Packers	Packers	Packers
	Adam	Eric
Week 9 Record	8-6	8-6
Season Standings	86-44	87-43

To see how the "Experts" stack up: http://espn.go.com/nfl/picks

The predictions here come from Adam and correspond to his picks in the remaining games.

New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons
Bar none, this is the biggest NFC South game so far this year.  Both New Orleans and Atlanta have failed to maximize on the huge potential their glitzy rosters possess.  I think this is the week Atlanta starts its march toward the divisional title by reminding us of the squad that won 13 games last year.  I just love Atlanta's potential to be such a balanced attack on offense, and I think they control the clock, intercept Drew Brees once or twice, and take this contest at home.
Prediction: Falcons 30 – Saints 27

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals might seem like just a nice little story, but they are a legit football team.  At 6-2, if they can get this game against the Steelers, I think it will be exactly the confidence boost this team needs to propel themselves toward the playoffs.  Their defense is for real (tenth against the pass, second against the run), and I'm a believer in Andy Dalton.  If they can ride Cedric Benson and find AJ Green deep a few times, they should be able to hold the Steelers off the scoreboard for the most part.  Maybe I'm just falling in love with a fun, young team, but I like the Bengals to move to 7-2.
Prediction: Bengals 20, Steelers 17

St. Louis Rams at Cleveland Browns
This is going to be a stink-fest, but the Rams are awful while the Browns are simply pretty bad.  I'll take pretty bad over awful at home.  Hopefully that's not too scientific for you at home.
Prediction: Browns 24 – Rams 16

Buffalo Bills at Dallas Cowboys
I think there's a temptation to jump off the Bills bandwagon because we didn't expect them to be any good, and they just got smacked by the Jets, so there's an “I told you so factor” with them right now.  But I'm here to steady the ship, circle the wagons, and believe in the Bills.  I think their offense has more of an identity behind Fred Jackson than Dallas’ does.  The Cowboys are too much of an up-and-down team.  Buffalo's offense will rebound in a big way this week.
Prediction: Bills 28 – Cowboys 27

Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts
Because the Jags are pretty damn bad, and the Colts have to win sometime.  I think.
Prediction: Colts 20 – Jaguars 16

Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs

Now I really have no idea what to make of Kansas City.  They lose their first three and look terrible, then rebound with four-straight wins, then lose by 28 to the formerly winless Dolphins.  I guess I'll go with Kansas City for two reasons: they're playing at home, and they have a quarterback that can actually make a legitimate forward pass from the pocket.
Prediction: Chiefs 23 – Broncos 14

Washington Redskins at Miami Dolphins

Considering the banged up Redskins offense, I'm tempted to pick the Dolphins, but then I think about Ryan Kerrigan and Brian Orakpo teeing off on Matt Moore.  Thus, I have to go with Washington.  Plus, the Dolphins almost always lose when playing at home.  
Prediction: Redskins 16 – Dolphins 10

Arizona Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles might not have much left to play for as their playoff hopes are probably shot, but even playing blindfolded they should be able to knock off Arizona.
Prediction: Eagles 30 – Cardinals 17

Houston Texans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers aren't quite explosive enough on offense and just a little too young on defense.  I like the way Houston is pounding the ball with their terrific tandem of Arian Foster and Ben Tate, and Matt Schaub should move the ball efficiently.  On top of it all, the Texans finally have a defense they can rely on.
Prediction: Texans 28 – Buccaneers 24

Tennessee Titans at Carolina Panthers
Every time I write off the Titans they end up winning, but screw it.  I love watching Cam Newton play, and I think the Panthers are better than their 2-6 record indicates.
Prediction: Panthers 30 – Titans 20

Baltimore Ravens at Seattle Seahawks
This is seemingly a no-brainer.  I'm picking the Ravens, but Baltimore seems to have a tendency to play down to the level of their opponent.  I wouldn't be surprised if this is closer than most expect and an overall ugly game.
Prediction: Ravens 20 – Seahawks 10

Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears
The Lions have had a bye week to prepare for the Bears and nearly killed Jay Cutler in their first meeting this year.  Yet I think the Bears are a different team than they were earlier in the year, now more committed to the run and playing improved defense.  As long as Matt Forte gets 20+ carries, Cutler will be able to minimize his mistakes.  I like the Bears to win at home.  
Prediction: Bears 24 – Lions 20

New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers
Probably the game of the week in the NFL, this outcome could very well determine the two seed in the NFC playoffs.  Ultimately I like the 49er defense to do what they usually do, shut the opposing offense down; they lead the league in points allowed per game.  Against a Giants team that struggles to stop the run, Frank Gore should run wild.  Alex Smith will do what he's been doing and make just enough throws to secure the win.
Prediction: 49ers 17, Giants 13

New England Patriots at New York Jets
Could the Patriots really lose 3-straight games?  Yes they can, and they will.  The Jets’ defense has been really good lately, and even Mark Sanchez can move the ball on this terrible Patriots defense.

Prediction: Jets 24 – Patriots 21

Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
This may be a bit of a trap game with a 2-6 team coming into Lambeau.  Ha!  Not when it's on Monday night against the hated Vikings.  The Pack keeps the undefeated train rolling smoothly.

Prediction: Packers 34 – Vikings 20