The sports landscape is looking very cluttered these days. The NFL season is in full swing, the MLB is knocking on the door of the World Series, and the NHL is already a couple weeks into real-game action. But there's one more shadowy figure on the horizon; the NBA tips off October 26th and Adam would like to shine some light on the upcoming season. He'll start by breaking down both conferences, East and West, then hand out some awards and make some playoff predictions based on his breakdowns, and finally he'll give us the top five players at each position in the NBA.
Let's go!
October 22, 2010
Week 7 Pick-Down
| Matchup | Adam's Pick | Eric's Pick |
|---|---|---|
Browns at Saints | Saints | Saints |
Jaguars at Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs |
Bills at Ravens | Ravens | Ravens |
49ers at Panthers | 49ers | Panthers |
Eagles at Titans | Titans | Titans |
Rams at Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Buccaneers |
Steelers at Dolphins | Steelers | Steelers |
Bengals at Falcons | Falcons | Falcons |
Redskins at Bears | Redskins | Redskins |
Cardinals at Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks |
Raiders at Broncos | Broncos | Broncos |
Patriots at Chargers | Patriots | Chargers |
Vikings at Packers | Packers | Vikings |
Giants at Cowboys | Giants | Giants |
Adam | Eric | |
Week 6 Record | 8-6 | 10-4 |
Season Standings | 45-45 | 52-38 |
Bye Weeks: Colts, Jets, Lions, Texans
To see how the "Experts" stack up: http://espn.go.com/nfl/picks
To see how the "Experts" stack up: http://espn.go.com/nfl/picks
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The predictions here come from Adam and correspond to his picks.
Cleveland Browns at New Orleans Saints
I'm not sure if Colt McCoy will get the start again, but no matter who starts in this one, the Saints will win.
Prediction: Saints 31 – Browns 13
Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs
The schedule has set up nicely for the Chiefs. After two tough road losses against top competition, the Chiefs come home to raucous Arrowhead and face a team that will likely be starting their third string quarterback in Todd Bouman. The Chiefs' defense has been pretty good thus far, their running game is really good, and Matt Cassel seems to be waking up the passing game. I'll take the Chiefs.
Prediction: Chiefs 27 – Jaguars 9
Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens will be angry coming off an overtime loss to the hated Patriots; bad news for Buffalo.
Prediction: Ravens 31 – Bills 7
San Francisco 49ers at Carolina Panthers
The Niners got an ugly win last week, but perhaps this win will let them play with greater liberty moving forward. The Panthers threw in the towel on the Jimmy Clausen experiment for this year. I'm not sure why, because at 0-5 it's not as if they are going to compete this year. Additionally, Matt Moore was abysmal in his handful of starts this year. He might give them a slightly better chance at winning than Clausen, but not by much. Steve Smith is still dangerous, but there aren't any other options in this receiving corps that divert coverage. The Panthers have a dynamic running back duo, but their talented offensive line has played poorly this year. Defensively, the Panthers have a league low seven sacks this year; they really miss Julius Peppers. This game really could go either way. If Alex Smith can limit himself to one turnover, the 49ers will win. If not, it's anybody's game. I'll take my boys because of their talent on defense, and because Frank Gore busted out last week with 150 yards on the ground. Gimme San Fran.
Prediction: 49ers 20 – Panthers 10
Philadelphia Eagles at Tennessee Titans
I like what the Eagles have done, especially going 3-0 on the road. But I think going 4-0 on the road is too hard, and with no DeSean Jackson, the Eagles will struggle. Tennessee's defense has been stingy, allowing sixteen points a game, and the Titans have to keep pace with the wild AFC South. The Titans will ride Chris Johnson to a win.
Prediction: Titans 23 – Eagles 17
St. Louis Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs have proven they can beat the bad teams, and can't compete against the good teams. I'm not sure if the Rams are bad, but they aren't good, and at home I will take the Bucs.
Prediction: Buccaneers 27 – Rams 23
Pittsburgh Steelers at Miami Dolphins
This should be a really good, tough, hard hitting game. The Steelers' franchise quarterback has returned and already got a win under his belt last week. The Steelers' defense should be able to shut down the Dolphins who will try to pound the run and throw to big Brandon Marshall. I think Pittsburgh will be able to make a few more plays in this tight game, and will win.
Prediction: Steelers 16 – Miami 10
Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons had a tough game last week in Philly, but this is still a good team with a lot of talent on offense. The Bengals haven't played up to their potential and most of the blame lies with Carson Palmer. Coming off a bye, the Bengals have the secondary to cover Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez. I think this will be a really tight game with the hungry Bengals keeping it close by pounding the ball on the ground. Still, I think Matt Ryan will make a couple more plays than Palmer, and the Falcons defense will continue to play well as they are allowing just under seventeen points per game.
Prediction: Falcons 23 – Bengals 20
Washington Redskins at Chicago Bears
I thought the Bears really had a chance last week to separate themselves from the rest of the NFC by going to 5-1. Instead, their offensive line held them back and they fell to 4-2 by losing to a mediocre Seahawks team. With Albert Haynesworth in the lineup and Brian Orakpo coming off the edge, this Bears' line is in serious trouble. I think this will be a low scoring game with Donovan McNabb receiving a little more time to make plays than Jay Cutler.
Prediction: Redskins 16 – Bears 13
Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks
Both of these teams are above .500, surprisingly. The Seahawks got a nice road win last week at Chicago, and I think are just more competent than Arizona on offense. Seattle's defense has been solid as well. I will take the Seahawks at home.
Prediction: Seahawks 23 – Cardinals 13
Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos
The Raiders are an ugly 2-4, and while the Broncos are a pretty solid team, they have played good competition and also fallen to 2-4. I will take Denver who just moves the ball so much better than Oakland.
Prediction: Broncos 24 – Raiders 17
New England Patriots at San Diego Chargers
I sense that everyone still kind of believes that the Chargers can right the ship this season like they have in years past. But this team does not possess the talent it did in past years, and they haven't run the ball well at all. The defense is struggling too. I will take New England to win this one.
Prediction: Patriots 30 – Chargers 23
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
The Vikings got a huge win last week, and showed that they have the talent to win a lot of games. Green Bay is really banged up and can't run the ball. However, this will be a game all about emotion and revenge for the Packers. Plus, Brett Favre is not the same guy he was last year. Gimme the Pack to play with a boulder on their shoulder and take the win.
Prediction: Packers 31 – Vikings 20
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys
I was set to pick the Cowboys all week, but as I look at this game, I can just see the Giants licking their chops thinking about putting Dallas in a 1-5 hole. Eli Manning has been playing great throwing to Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks, and Ahmad Bradshaw has been terrific running the ball. The Giants' defense should give Dallas' struggling offensive line all they can handle. I'll go Big Blue.
Prediction: Giants 27 – Cowboys 24
I'm not sure if Colt McCoy will get the start again, but no matter who starts in this one, the Saints will win.
Prediction: Saints 31 – Browns 13
Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs
The schedule has set up nicely for the Chiefs. After two tough road losses against top competition, the Chiefs come home to raucous Arrowhead and face a team that will likely be starting their third string quarterback in Todd Bouman. The Chiefs' defense has been pretty good thus far, their running game is really good, and Matt Cassel seems to be waking up the passing game. I'll take the Chiefs.
Prediction: Chiefs 27 – Jaguars 9
Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens will be angry coming off an overtime loss to the hated Patriots; bad news for Buffalo.
Prediction: Ravens 31 – Bills 7
San Francisco 49ers at Carolina Panthers
The Niners got an ugly win last week, but perhaps this win will let them play with greater liberty moving forward. The Panthers threw in the towel on the Jimmy Clausen experiment for this year. I'm not sure why, because at 0-5 it's not as if they are going to compete this year. Additionally, Matt Moore was abysmal in his handful of starts this year. He might give them a slightly better chance at winning than Clausen, but not by much. Steve Smith is still dangerous, but there aren't any other options in this receiving corps that divert coverage. The Panthers have a dynamic running back duo, but their talented offensive line has played poorly this year. Defensively, the Panthers have a league low seven sacks this year; they really miss Julius Peppers. This game really could go either way. If Alex Smith can limit himself to one turnover, the 49ers will win. If not, it's anybody's game. I'll take my boys because of their talent on defense, and because Frank Gore busted out last week with 150 yards on the ground. Gimme San Fran.
Prediction: 49ers 20 – Panthers 10
Philadelphia Eagles at Tennessee Titans
I like what the Eagles have done, especially going 3-0 on the road. But I think going 4-0 on the road is too hard, and with no DeSean Jackson, the Eagles will struggle. Tennessee's defense has been stingy, allowing sixteen points a game, and the Titans have to keep pace with the wild AFC South. The Titans will ride Chris Johnson to a win.
Prediction: Titans 23 – Eagles 17
St. Louis Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs have proven they can beat the bad teams, and can't compete against the good teams. I'm not sure if the Rams are bad, but they aren't good, and at home I will take the Bucs.
Prediction: Buccaneers 27 – Rams 23
Pittsburgh Steelers at Miami Dolphins
This should be a really good, tough, hard hitting game. The Steelers' franchise quarterback has returned and already got a win under his belt last week. The Steelers' defense should be able to shut down the Dolphins who will try to pound the run and throw to big Brandon Marshall. I think Pittsburgh will be able to make a few more plays in this tight game, and will win.
Prediction: Steelers 16 – Miami 10
Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons had a tough game last week in Philly, but this is still a good team with a lot of talent on offense. The Bengals haven't played up to their potential and most of the blame lies with Carson Palmer. Coming off a bye, the Bengals have the secondary to cover Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez. I think this will be a really tight game with the hungry Bengals keeping it close by pounding the ball on the ground. Still, I think Matt Ryan will make a couple more plays than Palmer, and the Falcons defense will continue to play well as they are allowing just under seventeen points per game.
Prediction: Falcons 23 – Bengals 20
Washington Redskins at Chicago Bears
I thought the Bears really had a chance last week to separate themselves from the rest of the NFC by going to 5-1. Instead, their offensive line held them back and they fell to 4-2 by losing to a mediocre Seahawks team. With Albert Haynesworth in the lineup and Brian Orakpo coming off the edge, this Bears' line is in serious trouble. I think this will be a low scoring game with Donovan McNabb receiving a little more time to make plays than Jay Cutler.
Prediction: Redskins 16 – Bears 13
Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks
Both of these teams are above .500, surprisingly. The Seahawks got a nice road win last week at Chicago, and I think are just more competent than Arizona on offense. Seattle's defense has been solid as well. I will take the Seahawks at home.
Prediction: Seahawks 23 – Cardinals 13
Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos
The Raiders are an ugly 2-4, and while the Broncos are a pretty solid team, they have played good competition and also fallen to 2-4. I will take Denver who just moves the ball so much better than Oakland.
Prediction: Broncos 24 – Raiders 17
New England Patriots at San Diego Chargers
I sense that everyone still kind of believes that the Chargers can right the ship this season like they have in years past. But this team does not possess the talent it did in past years, and they haven't run the ball well at all. The defense is struggling too. I will take New England to win this one.
Prediction: Patriots 30 – Chargers 23
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
The Vikings got a huge win last week, and showed that they have the talent to win a lot of games. Green Bay is really banged up and can't run the ball. However, this will be a game all about emotion and revenge for the Packers. Plus, Brett Favre is not the same guy he was last year. Gimme the Pack to play with a boulder on their shoulder and take the win.
Prediction: Packers 31 – Vikings 20
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys
I was set to pick the Cowboys all week, but as I look at this game, I can just see the Giants licking their chops thinking about putting Dallas in a 1-5 hole. Eli Manning has been playing great throwing to Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks, and Ahmad Bradshaw has been terrific running the ball. The Giants' defense should give Dallas' struggling offensive line all they can handle. I'll go Big Blue.
Prediction: Giants 27 – Cowboys 24
October 19, 2010
NFL Week 6 Game Notes
Eagles over Falcons
Adam: -Kevin Kolb is making things interesting again in the Philly quarterback saga. He's averaging right around 290 yards passing his last two games, with 4 touchdowns and one interception.
-The Falcons have to be disappointed that they didn't even compete in this game. At 4-1, I thought perhaps they were ready to separate a bit from the rest of the NFC, but that was not the case here.
Eric: -Regardless of what network programmers might have you believe, this was the week's marquee matchup in the NFC, not some game between two 1-3 teams.
-The Eagles get their first home win of the season against the team that had the best record in the NFC coming in.
-Kolb has gotten more comfortable in every game he's been in, and he had a wonderful showing against Atlanta. Jeremy Maclin was the prime beneficiary with seven catches, 159 yards, and two touchdowns. DeSean Jackson was not so lucky, one of a number of concussion victims in a week filled with big helmet-to-helmet hits.
Steelers over Browns
A: -Check the Pick-Down and you'll see that I suck a picking games. But, you'll also see that I got this game exactly correct, 28-10 Steelers. I gotta cling to the small victories.
-Colt McCoy was solid in this game, moving the offense pretty effectively. Still, the Steelers' defense just does not allow many points, and McCoy did throw two picks. So it goes for a rookie quarterback.
-Big Ben Roethlisberger kept plays alive with his legs and gave the Steelers explosive ability down the field. They haven't had that in a while, and with their franchise QB back in the mix, the Steelers are the best team in football.
E: -If there's a team to make your first appearance of the season against, it is probably the Cleveland Browns. The matchup in Cleveland would not hand Roethlisberger a lot of problems; it would more likely give him loads of confidence moving forward.
Seahawks over Bears
A: - The Seahawks are a different team every week, but they seem to have enough talent to present problems for opponents on both sides of the ball.
-The Bears' offensive line ought to be absolutely ashamed of themselves. That single unit lost this game for the Bears. In short, it appears, "The Bears are who we thought they were."
E: -The Bears' weaknesses are a one-dimensional offense and a lack of depth on defense. Excluding a Carolina game where he rushed for 166, Matt Forte has just 145 yards on the ground in the other five games this season. After big names at the top like Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, no on their defense scares you. So when Briggs went out with an ankle injury, Seattle swooped in and took advantage, netting a nice road victory.
Texans over Chiefs
A: -For the Chiefs, I don't think it's possible to have two more impressive loses than they've had the past two weeks. A fortnight ago they lost to the Colts in a really competitive game at Indy, where they needed maybe one more big play to win. This past Sunday at Houston, the Chiefs dominated for three quarters, but then got Schaub-ed in the fourth quarter.
-The Chiefs are here to stay as playoff contenders. Consider their upcoming schedule: Jacksonville, Buffalo, at Oakland, at Denver, Arizona, at Seattle, Denver, at San Diego, at St. Louis, Tennessee, Oakland. Every game remaining is winnable and KC could easily end up at 10-6.
-For the Houston franchise, being 4-2 is never a bad thing. Houston gets a bye to prepare for Indy in two weeks, which should give the Texans a great chance to sweep the season series with the Colts, who have historically dominated this matchup.
E: -The Texans are not an elite team because they don't have the defense. Houston's pass defense is the worst in the league, and although the run defense is middle of the pack statistically, that comes from them being so bad against the pass that teams just don't run on them, so it's hard to gauge just how good they are against the run.
-In this game though, Houston's offense took center stage, pulling out the win in barn burner-fashion against the Chiefs.
-The Texans were also greatly aided in this game by one of the worst calls of the season so far. Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers got called on defensive pass interference on the Texans' final, game-winning drive on a play where if there was any call at all, should have been offensive pass interference on Andre Johnson.
Saints over Buccaneers
A: - My colleague Eric informed me that the Bucs have won three games against teams that have three combined wins this season. Too bad he told me that when the Bucs were down 21-0 in the second quarter. I gotta start doin' my homework.
-The Saints finally looked like themselves, and that was refreshing in a year of mediocrity.
E: -The Buccaneers had a solid 3-1 record coming into this game, but those three wins came at the expense of sup-bar competition in the Browns, Panthers, and Bengals. In their one loss, they got absolutely stomped by the Charlie Batch-led Steelers. The Saints took care of Tampa in similar fashion this week.
-Though I'm not ready to jump back on New Orleans' bandwagon to stay, this was a good win against a team that had been playing well, yet still a team the Saints should have beat.
Patriots over Ravens
A: -The Ravens had plenty of chances to win this game, and while Joe Flacco was very good, he didn't pull out the game in the clutch.
-Speaking of clutch, Tom Brady led his team to victory and to a familiar spot at the top of the standings. At 4-1, the Patriots, oddly, seem to be overachieving.
E: -Deion Branch picks up right where Randy Moss left off, and the Patriots get a measure of revenge after the Ravens put a whupping on them in the first round of the playoffs last year.
Dolphins over Packers
A: -I continue to be impressed by the Dolphins. I don't think they have quite the consistent passing game to be an elite team, but they will be in every game they play this year.
-The Packers have explosive ability, but they are just too banged up right now. They will still win their share of games just because they have Aaron Rodgers, but it's a shame that this team has been so badly bitten by the injury bug. At full strength, the Packers can beat anybody.
E: -In three halves of football without Clay Matthews, the Packers have zero sacks. He needs to be in for this defense to be any good. Without him, the Packers gave up third down after third down and could not get off the field. Add to that Green Bay's one-dimensional, pass-happy offense that did not afford them much rest, and it's easy to see how the Dolphins dominated time of possession and ultimately won the game.
Rams over Chargers
A: - The Chargers start slow every year, but this season you just don't get the feeling that they can flip a switch and win five straight. They just aren't as talented as years past.
-The Rams continue to compete and are a legit threat in the NFC West. Sam Bradford's numbers are not incredible, but he has moved the ball and put up points without much talent around him.
E: -The Rams jumped out to a big lead and playing in front of a raucous home crowd, didn't let San Diego pull ahead.
Giants over Lions
A: -The Lions seem to have enough talent to be in every single game, but they just don't know how to win. It's almost like they're allergic to winning. Hopefully Matt Stafford will be back soon because the Lions are a much better team than in years past. Against some quality competition in the Bears, Eagles, Packers, and Giants, Detroit has lost these four matchups by just eighteen combined points.
-The Giants continue to roll, getting their third straight win. It wasn't a dominant performance by any means, but this year in the NFC, a three-game winning streak rates as impressive.
E: -After Shaun Hill got knocked out, former Michigan State standout Drew Stanton came in and kept things competitive, but lost a fumble, threw an interception, and could not lead the Lions to victory. Detroit has now tied its own NFL record by losing twenty-four straight road games.
Jets over Broncos
A: - The Jets are, alongside the Steelers, the class of the league right now. They weren't great in Denver, but they got a road win against a solid team.
-With Kyle Orton's worst game of the season, the Broncos move to 2-4. They seem better than that to me.
E: -The Jets come from behind in a hostile environment and make their case for consideration as the league's best team.
49ers over Raiders
A: -In a showcase of inept Bay Area football, the Raiders were slightly worse than the Niners; Jason Campbell was terrible.
-The 49ers finally get in the win column, and perhaps that will allow them to relax and just play football now. If they can build on this performance–even though it was ugly with eleven penalties–they can get back in the mix in their division. The biggest positive from this game is that Alex Smith did not throw an interception.
E: -For a team that tends to shoot itself in the foot, limiting turnovers is a key to victory. And since this was the first game where Smith didn't commit any turnovers, San Francisco was able to get their first win of the season.
Vikings over Cowboys
A: -The Cowboys move to 1-4, and while I don't rule them out as a playoff team, their road is now tougher because of the ground they must make up.
-The Vikings get a huge win, and now head to Green Bay for a primetime matchup with the banged-up Packers. The postseason is still very much in reach for Minnesota.
E: -Speaking of teams shooting themselves in the foot, the Cowboys commit enough penalties and turnovers to give this game away to another desperate team, the Minnesota Vikings. It felt like the Cowboys beat themselves more than the Vikings took control and got the win.
-Minnesota still has work to do, but as the only victorious team in the NFC North on
Sunday, this is a wonderfully positive week for the Vikings.
Colts over Redskins
A: -I know I've been beating the Donovan McNabb drum, but that's because he keeps this team in every game. They have two losses by a combined six points against Indy and Houston, though there's also an admittedly head-scratching, two touchdown loss to the Rams.
-Peyton Manning is going to keep his team moving in the right direction. They haven't been as machine-like and efficient this year as others, but the Colts are in perfect position at 4-2.
E: -Outside of McNabb and a good-but-not-great defense, the Redskins just did not have enough talent to overcome the Colts.
Titans over Jaguars
A: -This game typified the concussion/devastating hit issue that was front and center this week in the NFL. David Garrard went down with a concussion, and Vince Young went out with a sprained knee. That made it the Trent Edwards and Kerry Collins show, which was ugly at best.
-The Titans are a solid team that just continues to execute a gameplan that plays to their strengths. Chris Johnson was big as usual, and the Titans were plus four in the turnover battle. At 4-2, the Titans are deadlocked with the Texans and Colts atop the AFC South.
-The Jags just are not a very good team, and that was exposed on Monday night. Their offensive line is bad, and Garrard is not a franchise quarterback.
E: -In a game where three quarterbacks all sustain injuries, the Titans roll to what the Colts couldn't do earlier this year, beat the Jags in Jacksonville.
Adam: -Kevin Kolb is making things interesting again in the Philly quarterback saga. He's averaging right around 290 yards passing his last two games, with 4 touchdowns and one interception.
-The Falcons have to be disappointed that they didn't even compete in this game. At 4-1, I thought perhaps they were ready to separate a bit from the rest of the NFC, but that was not the case here.
Eric: -Regardless of what network programmers might have you believe, this was the week's marquee matchup in the NFC, not some game between two 1-3 teams.
-The Eagles get their first home win of the season against the team that had the best record in the NFC coming in.
-Kolb has gotten more comfortable in every game he's been in, and he had a wonderful showing against Atlanta. Jeremy Maclin was the prime beneficiary with seven catches, 159 yards, and two touchdowns. DeSean Jackson was not so lucky, one of a number of concussion victims in a week filled with big helmet-to-helmet hits.
Steelers over Browns
A: -Check the Pick-Down and you'll see that I suck a picking games. But, you'll also see that I got this game exactly correct, 28-10 Steelers. I gotta cling to the small victories.
-Colt McCoy was solid in this game, moving the offense pretty effectively. Still, the Steelers' defense just does not allow many points, and McCoy did throw two picks. So it goes for a rookie quarterback.
-Big Ben Roethlisberger kept plays alive with his legs and gave the Steelers explosive ability down the field. They haven't had that in a while, and with their franchise QB back in the mix, the Steelers are the best team in football.
E: -If there's a team to make your first appearance of the season against, it is probably the Cleveland Browns. The matchup in Cleveland would not hand Roethlisberger a lot of problems; it would more likely give him loads of confidence moving forward.
Seahawks over Bears
A: - The Seahawks are a different team every week, but they seem to have enough talent to present problems for opponents on both sides of the ball.
-The Bears' offensive line ought to be absolutely ashamed of themselves. That single unit lost this game for the Bears. In short, it appears, "The Bears are who we thought they were."
E: -The Bears' weaknesses are a one-dimensional offense and a lack of depth on defense. Excluding a Carolina game where he rushed for 166, Matt Forte has just 145 yards on the ground in the other five games this season. After big names at the top like Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, no on their defense scares you. So when Briggs went out with an ankle injury, Seattle swooped in and took advantage, netting a nice road victory.
Texans over Chiefs
A: -For the Chiefs, I don't think it's possible to have two more impressive loses than they've had the past two weeks. A fortnight ago they lost to the Colts in a really competitive game at Indy, where they needed maybe one more big play to win. This past Sunday at Houston, the Chiefs dominated for three quarters, but then got Schaub-ed in the fourth quarter.
-The Chiefs are here to stay as playoff contenders. Consider their upcoming schedule: Jacksonville, Buffalo, at Oakland, at Denver, Arizona, at Seattle, Denver, at San Diego, at St. Louis, Tennessee, Oakland. Every game remaining is winnable and KC could easily end up at 10-6.
-For the Houston franchise, being 4-2 is never a bad thing. Houston gets a bye to prepare for Indy in two weeks, which should give the Texans a great chance to sweep the season series with the Colts, who have historically dominated this matchup.
E: -The Texans are not an elite team because they don't have the defense. Houston's pass defense is the worst in the league, and although the run defense is middle of the pack statistically, that comes from them being so bad against the pass that teams just don't run on them, so it's hard to gauge just how good they are against the run.
-In this game though, Houston's offense took center stage, pulling out the win in barn burner-fashion against the Chiefs.
-The Texans were also greatly aided in this game by one of the worst calls of the season so far. Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers got called on defensive pass interference on the Texans' final, game-winning drive on a play where if there was any call at all, should have been offensive pass interference on Andre Johnson.
Saints over Buccaneers
A: - My colleague Eric informed me that the Bucs have won three games against teams that have three combined wins this season. Too bad he told me that when the Bucs were down 21-0 in the second quarter. I gotta start doin' my homework.
-The Saints finally looked like themselves, and that was refreshing in a year of mediocrity.
E: -The Buccaneers had a solid 3-1 record coming into this game, but those three wins came at the expense of sup-bar competition in the Browns, Panthers, and Bengals. In their one loss, they got absolutely stomped by the Charlie Batch-led Steelers. The Saints took care of Tampa in similar fashion this week.
-Though I'm not ready to jump back on New Orleans' bandwagon to stay, this was a good win against a team that had been playing well, yet still a team the Saints should have beat.
Patriots over Ravens
A: -The Ravens had plenty of chances to win this game, and while Joe Flacco was very good, he didn't pull out the game in the clutch.
-Speaking of clutch, Tom Brady led his team to victory and to a familiar spot at the top of the standings. At 4-1, the Patriots, oddly, seem to be overachieving.
E: -Deion Branch picks up right where Randy Moss left off, and the Patriots get a measure of revenge after the Ravens put a whupping on them in the first round of the playoffs last year.
Dolphins over Packers
A: -I continue to be impressed by the Dolphins. I don't think they have quite the consistent passing game to be an elite team, but they will be in every game they play this year.
-The Packers have explosive ability, but they are just too banged up right now. They will still win their share of games just because they have Aaron Rodgers, but it's a shame that this team has been so badly bitten by the injury bug. At full strength, the Packers can beat anybody.
E: -In three halves of football without Clay Matthews, the Packers have zero sacks. He needs to be in for this defense to be any good. Without him, the Packers gave up third down after third down and could not get off the field. Add to that Green Bay's one-dimensional, pass-happy offense that did not afford them much rest, and it's easy to see how the Dolphins dominated time of possession and ultimately won the game.
Rams over Chargers
A: - The Chargers start slow every year, but this season you just don't get the feeling that they can flip a switch and win five straight. They just aren't as talented as years past.
-The Rams continue to compete and are a legit threat in the NFC West. Sam Bradford's numbers are not incredible, but he has moved the ball and put up points without much talent around him.
E: -The Rams jumped out to a big lead and playing in front of a raucous home crowd, didn't let San Diego pull ahead.
Giants over Lions
A: -The Lions seem to have enough talent to be in every single game, but they just don't know how to win. It's almost like they're allergic to winning. Hopefully Matt Stafford will be back soon because the Lions are a much better team than in years past. Against some quality competition in the Bears, Eagles, Packers, and Giants, Detroit has lost these four matchups by just eighteen combined points.
-The Giants continue to roll, getting their third straight win. It wasn't a dominant performance by any means, but this year in the NFC, a three-game winning streak rates as impressive.
E: -After Shaun Hill got knocked out, former Michigan State standout Drew Stanton came in and kept things competitive, but lost a fumble, threw an interception, and could not lead the Lions to victory. Detroit has now tied its own NFL record by losing twenty-four straight road games.
Jets over Broncos
A: - The Jets are, alongside the Steelers, the class of the league right now. They weren't great in Denver, but they got a road win against a solid team.
-With Kyle Orton's worst game of the season, the Broncos move to 2-4. They seem better than that to me.
E: -The Jets come from behind in a hostile environment and make their case for consideration as the league's best team.
49ers over Raiders
A: -In a showcase of inept Bay Area football, the Raiders were slightly worse than the Niners; Jason Campbell was terrible.
-The 49ers finally get in the win column, and perhaps that will allow them to relax and just play football now. If they can build on this performance–even though it was ugly with eleven penalties–they can get back in the mix in their division. The biggest positive from this game is that Alex Smith did not throw an interception.
E: -For a team that tends to shoot itself in the foot, limiting turnovers is a key to victory. And since this was the first game where Smith didn't commit any turnovers, San Francisco was able to get their first win of the season.
Vikings over Cowboys
A: -The Cowboys move to 1-4, and while I don't rule them out as a playoff team, their road is now tougher because of the ground they must make up.
-The Vikings get a huge win, and now head to Green Bay for a primetime matchup with the banged-up Packers. The postseason is still very much in reach for Minnesota.
E: -Speaking of teams shooting themselves in the foot, the Cowboys commit enough penalties and turnovers to give this game away to another desperate team, the Minnesota Vikings. It felt like the Cowboys beat themselves more than the Vikings took control and got the win.
-Minnesota still has work to do, but as the only victorious team in the NFC North on
Sunday, this is a wonderfully positive week for the Vikings.
Colts over Redskins
A: -I know I've been beating the Donovan McNabb drum, but that's because he keeps this team in every game. They have two losses by a combined six points against Indy and Houston, though there's also an admittedly head-scratching, two touchdown loss to the Rams.
-Peyton Manning is going to keep his team moving in the right direction. They haven't been as machine-like and efficient this year as others, but the Colts are in perfect position at 4-2.
E: -Outside of McNabb and a good-but-not-great defense, the Redskins just did not have enough talent to overcome the Colts.
Titans over Jaguars
A: -This game typified the concussion/devastating hit issue that was front and center this week in the NFL. David Garrard went down with a concussion, and Vince Young went out with a sprained knee. That made it the Trent Edwards and Kerry Collins show, which was ugly at best.
-The Titans are a solid team that just continues to execute a gameplan that plays to their strengths. Chris Johnson was big as usual, and the Titans were plus four in the turnover battle. At 4-2, the Titans are deadlocked with the Texans and Colts atop the AFC South.
-The Jags just are not a very good team, and that was exposed on Monday night. Their offensive line is bad, and Garrard is not a franchise quarterback.
E: -In a game where three quarterbacks all sustain injuries, the Titans roll to what the Colts couldn't do earlier this year, beat the Jags in Jacksonville.
October 16, 2010
Week 6 Pick-Down
| Matchup | Adam's Pick | Eric's Pick |
|---|---|---|
Falcons at Eagles | Falcons | Eagles |
Browns at Steelers | Steelers | Steelers |
Seahawks at Bears | Bears | Bears |
Chiefs at Texans | Texans | Chiefs |
Saints at Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Saints |
Ravens at Patriots | Ravens | Patriots |
Dolphins at Packers | Dolphins | Packers |
Chargers at Rams | Chargers | Chargers |
Lions at Giants | Giants | Giants |
Jets at Broncos | Jets | Jets |
Raiders at 49ers | 49ers | 49ers |
Cowboys at Vikings | Cowboys | Vikings |
Colts at Redskins | Colts | Colts |
Titans at Jaguars | Titans | Titans |
Adam | Eric | |
Week 5 Record | 8-6 | 7-7 |
Season Standings | 37-39 | 42-34 |
Bye Weeks: Bengals, Bills, Cardinals, Panthers
To see how the "Experts" stack up: http://espn.go.com/nfl/picks
To see how the "Experts" stack up: http://espn.go.com/nfl/picks
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The predictions here come from Adam and correspond to his picks.
Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles
C'mon Atlanta, prove there is at least one real team in the NFC. Kevin Kolb should get the start again, and while the Eagles have some nice pieces, I think Atlanta will be able to run the ball and pressure Kolb into enough mistakes to make the difference.
Prediction: Falcons 24 – Eagles 21
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers
Colt McCoy vs. Big Ben and the Pittsburgh defense, on the road: uh-oh Colt.
Prediction: Steelers 28 – Browns 10
Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears
If you get to 5-1, you really should make the playoffs. With the Seahawks in town, who have been awful on the road this year, that's exactly where I expect the Bears to be. Jay Cutler will be back, and the Bears' front seven should give Seattle a lot of issues.
Prediction: Bears 24 – Seahawks 13
Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans
I love that Kansas City is a rebuilding team that is looking to compete right now. Ultimately though, the Chiefs won't have enough gimmicks to bridge the gap between Matt Cassel and Matt Schaub. Houston wins.
Prediction: Texans 23 – Chiefs 14
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
We are far enough into this year to go off of what we have seen and not what we thought based on last year. Maybe the Saints have their bust out game this week, but if they play like they have thus far, the Bucs will win. I'll take Tampa.
Prediction: Buccaneers 27 – Saints 23
Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots
Partially out of a nostalgic respect for New England, I have a hard time picking against them. Still, without Randy Moss and with no running game, the Ravens will be able to tee off on Tom Brady and bracket Wes Welker. The Patriots' defense is mediocre, so expect Ray Rice to go for big yards and Anquan Boldin to have his way. Gimme the Ravens.
Prediction: Ravens 23 – Patriots 16
Miami Dolphins at Green Bay Packers
This is a really tough one to pick. Aaron Rodgers obviously gives the Pack a huge edge at QB, but he is coming off a concussion. Also Jermichael Finley, Ryan Grant, Nick Barnett, Morgan Burnett, and possibly Clay Matthews will all be absent from this game. I think coming off a bye week and with a good coaching staff, the Dolphins will be ready. With Green Bay's banged up defense, the Dolphins will be able to run the ball like they want and can take some shots to Brandon Marshall. I think the Packers are too one-dimensional right now and will lose this game.
Prediction: Dolphins 21 – Packers 18
San Diego Chargers at St. Louis Rams
As unimpressive as the Chargers' loss to the Raiders was last week, the Rams lost by 38 to the Lions. San Diego Super Chargers win.
Prediction: Chargers 30 – Rams 20
Detroit Lions at New York Giants
The Giants defense has been impressive the past two weeks, and Shaun Hill vs. Eli Manning isn't really a close matchup.
Prediction: Giants 27 – Lions 13
New York Jets at Denver Broncos
The Broncos couldn't handle the Ravens' defense last week, and now an even better unit comes to town along with an offense that is looking to really take off. I'll take the Jets.
Prediction: Jets 20 – Broncos 16
Oakland Raiders at San Fransisco 49ers
I don't know why I bother, but hello 1-5 49ers.
Prediction: 49ers 27 – Raiders 20
Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings
I have waffled on this, "If We Don't Win We Will be in Full Panic Mode Bowl" pick all week. Jared Allen has been a non factor this year, but he gets a poor left tackle in Doug Free to work against. On the other side, Demarcus Ware will also get real familiar with Brett Favre. I think it comes down to the fact that Dallas has corners to really cover the Vikings' weapons whereas the Vikings don't have much talent at all in their secondary. Adrian Peterson will be a big factor, but the Boys should be able to run against a Vikes' defensive line that hasn't lived up to its potential. Tony Romo will put up more points than Favre, Cowboys win.
Prediction: Cowboys 31 – Vikings 23
Indianapolis Colts at Washington Redskins
Despite my Donovan McNabb man crush, Santana Moss, Joey Galloway, and an arena league castoff aren't going to match Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie, Dallas Clark, and Pierre Garcon. Gimme the Colts just because they will get to twenty points and the Skins probably can't.
Prediction: Colts 27 – Redskins 17
Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars
Both teams are well-coached, but a trio of Vince Young, Chris Johnson, and Kenny Britt is better than David Garrard, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Mike Sims-Walker. Gimme Jeff Fisher.
Prediction: Titans 21 – Jaguars 13
Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles
C'mon Atlanta, prove there is at least one real team in the NFC. Kevin Kolb should get the start again, and while the Eagles have some nice pieces, I think Atlanta will be able to run the ball and pressure Kolb into enough mistakes to make the difference.
Prediction: Falcons 24 – Eagles 21
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers
Colt McCoy vs. Big Ben and the Pittsburgh defense, on the road: uh-oh Colt.
Prediction: Steelers 28 – Browns 10
Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears
If you get to 5-1, you really should make the playoffs. With the Seahawks in town, who have been awful on the road this year, that's exactly where I expect the Bears to be. Jay Cutler will be back, and the Bears' front seven should give Seattle a lot of issues.
Prediction: Bears 24 – Seahawks 13
Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans
I love that Kansas City is a rebuilding team that is looking to compete right now. Ultimately though, the Chiefs won't have enough gimmicks to bridge the gap between Matt Cassel and Matt Schaub. Houston wins.
Prediction: Texans 23 – Chiefs 14
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
We are far enough into this year to go off of what we have seen and not what we thought based on last year. Maybe the Saints have their bust out game this week, but if they play like they have thus far, the Bucs will win. I'll take Tampa.
Prediction: Buccaneers 27 – Saints 23
Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots
Partially out of a nostalgic respect for New England, I have a hard time picking against them. Still, without Randy Moss and with no running game, the Ravens will be able to tee off on Tom Brady and bracket Wes Welker. The Patriots' defense is mediocre, so expect Ray Rice to go for big yards and Anquan Boldin to have his way. Gimme the Ravens.
Prediction: Ravens 23 – Patriots 16
Miami Dolphins at Green Bay Packers
This is a really tough one to pick. Aaron Rodgers obviously gives the Pack a huge edge at QB, but he is coming off a concussion. Also Jermichael Finley, Ryan Grant, Nick Barnett, Morgan Burnett, and possibly Clay Matthews will all be absent from this game. I think coming off a bye week and with a good coaching staff, the Dolphins will be ready. With Green Bay's banged up defense, the Dolphins will be able to run the ball like they want and can take some shots to Brandon Marshall. I think the Packers are too one-dimensional right now and will lose this game.
Prediction: Dolphins 21 – Packers 18
San Diego Chargers at St. Louis Rams
As unimpressive as the Chargers' loss to the Raiders was last week, the Rams lost by 38 to the Lions. San Diego Super Chargers win.
Prediction: Chargers 30 – Rams 20
Detroit Lions at New York Giants
The Giants defense has been impressive the past two weeks, and Shaun Hill vs. Eli Manning isn't really a close matchup.
Prediction: Giants 27 – Lions 13
New York Jets at Denver Broncos
The Broncos couldn't handle the Ravens' defense last week, and now an even better unit comes to town along with an offense that is looking to really take off. I'll take the Jets.
Prediction: Jets 20 – Broncos 16
Oakland Raiders at San Fransisco 49ers
I don't know why I bother, but hello 1-5 49ers.
Prediction: 49ers 27 – Raiders 20
Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings
I have waffled on this, "If We Don't Win We Will be in Full Panic Mode Bowl" pick all week. Jared Allen has been a non factor this year, but he gets a poor left tackle in Doug Free to work against. On the other side, Demarcus Ware will also get real familiar with Brett Favre. I think it comes down to the fact that Dallas has corners to really cover the Vikings' weapons whereas the Vikings don't have much talent at all in their secondary. Adrian Peterson will be a big factor, but the Boys should be able to run against a Vikes' defensive line that hasn't lived up to its potential. Tony Romo will put up more points than Favre, Cowboys win.
Prediction: Cowboys 31 – Vikings 23
Indianapolis Colts at Washington Redskins
Despite my Donovan McNabb man crush, Santana Moss, Joey Galloway, and an arena league castoff aren't going to match Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie, Dallas Clark, and Pierre Garcon. Gimme the Colts just because they will get to twenty points and the Skins probably can't.
Prediction: Colts 27 – Redskins 17
Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars
Both teams are well-coached, but a trio of Vince Young, Chris Johnson, and Kenny Britt is better than David Garrard, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Mike Sims-Walker. Gimme Jeff Fisher.
Prediction: Titans 21 – Jaguars 13
October 14, 2010
NFL Week 5 Game Notes
Jaguars over Bills
Adam: -The Jaguars have got to be one of the biggest surprise teams thus far. I don't envision them making a playoff run or anything, but at 3-2 they have done better than anyone expected. It shows maturity that the Jags didn't have a letdown against the awful Bills after getting a huge win a week ago against the Colts.
-The Bills have to be looking to next year...again.
Eric: -The Jaguars are not a very good team, which is especially evident by having to come from behind to pull out a win against the league's worst team, the Buffalo Bills.
Falcons over Browns
A: -The Browns are in every game, but they just don't have the talent to win consistently.
-The Falcons earn a nice road win and run their record to 4-1.
E: -Leading up to this game, the Browns had had fourth quarter leads in every game they played. They have been playing tough but haven't been able to finish.
-It's now looking like Colt McCoy will get his turn at quarterback. At 1-4, there's not much lower a team can go, so give the rookie a shot.
Ravens over Broncos
A: -Kyle Orton and Brandon Lloyd fill up the stat sheet again, but Baltimore is too much for them as Ray Rice has a huge game. Baltimore may be the best team in football through five weeks.
E: -Although Orton had another big game through the air, most of those numbers came in garbage time after the Ravens had the game firmly in hand.
-This is the Ravens team many pundits were expecting to make a Super Bowl run. Rice finally looked healthy with 133 yards on the ground and a pair of one-yard touchdown dives. With the ground game clicking, Joe Flacco wasn't asked to generate offense, but still played solidly.
Giants over Texans
A: -Who are the Giants and who are the Texans? Both teams change from week to week, but the Giants' defense seems to be getting on a roll.
E: -Adam mentioned in his preview about how this was a game the Texans needed to win if they want to be an "elite" team. They didn't get there Sunday.
-I'll give credit where credit's due though, the Giants have played lights out on defense the past two weeks. They must be licking their chops with the Lions, most likely without Calvin Johnson's services, coming into the Meadowlands this weekend.
Colts over Chiefs
A: -The Chiefs did what they needed to by pounding the run and playing impressive defense, but they took too many unwarranted chances. They opened the game with an onside kick that did not work, then they went for it on fourth down early in the game, rather than kick an easy field goal, and they didn't make it. I know they probably thought they had to take chances to win this game, but had they not onside kicked that ball, or if they had kicked that field goal, they might have won.
-The Colts struggled again but got the victory.
E: -The Colts certainly looked beatable this week, and even though the Chiefs came into this game undefeated, they didn't have the offense to beat the Colts in Indianapolis. The Colts have not been juggernauts out of the gate, though as the season goes on and their injured playmakers come back, Indianapolis should be a very dangerous team in the playoffs.
Buccaneers over Bengals
A: -It's time to start thinking differently about the Bengals. We all thought their offense would be much improved this year, but Carson Palmer has held this team back. Since their hot start last year, this team has been lethargic on offense.
-The Buccaneers came into this game off a bye and got a win that probably reloaded their bandwagon a bit after their blowout loss to the Steelers two weeks ago. Josh Freeman has been really good this year with a QB rating of 84.8. He has done a really nice job of minimizing turnovers. Mike Williams has been very impressive as a rookie wideout.
E: -Who would've thought the Buccaneers would have a better record than the Saints and only be a half game out of first place in the NFC South?
-Nothing the Bengals have done this year has impressed. Palmer made a few nice throws in this game, but at the same time made some bonehead throws as well, including throwing three interceptions.
Redskins over Packers
A: -The Packers have had just about everything go wrong for them this year. Injuries to Morgan Burnett, Nick Barnett, and Clay Matthews have hampered the defense. Jermichael Finley, Donald Lee, and Ryan Grant have gone down on the offensive side of the ball. With all of this and with some boneheaded penalties, the Packers have still been in every game, and that is a testament to Aaron Rodgers.
-The Redskins get a really nice win here and seem to just believe they can win with Donovan McNabb at QB.
E: -Injuries should not be the only excuse for the loss, but they really took their toll on the Packers. In their first game without Barnett and Burnett, they also lost defensive lineman Ryan Pickett on one of the first defensive series, lost their top two tight ends in Finley (out for the year) and Lee on the Packers' only touchdown drive, which came in the first quarter, and lost Matthews for the second half after he had made McNabb's life a living hell throughout the first. Coming back to tie and then eventually win it in overtime, the Redskins also gave Rodgers a concussion on Green Bay's last offensive play, an interception by LaRon Landry.
Lions over Rams
A: - This was huge for Detroit. They get a win finally, and a blowout win at that. This was their biggest margin of victory since 1995. Shaun Hill has been really good the past two weeks, but Matthew Stafford should be back in the next week or two; that is a very good thing. Ndamukong Suh is already one of the best defensive linemen in football.
-The Rams are just not a very good team and now lose their best receiver, Mark Clayton, for the year with a knee injury.
E: -How bad would you feel if you had the score run up on you by the Lions?
Bears over Panthers
A: -Todd Collins throws for 36 yards, 4 interceptions and the Bears win by 17. What?
E: -With the quarterbacks for both teams combining for 147 passing yards and seven interceptions, Matt Forte was the only offense in this game.
-Julius Peppers even made an interception in his return to Carolina. It's been a good two weeks for veterans on new teams playing their former squads; Peppers' Bears beat the Panthers this week and McNabb's Redskins beat the Eagles last week.
Cardinals over Saints
A: -Undrafted rookie Max Hall beats Drew Brees. What?
E: -Hall did not do much in his rookie debut, but he didn't need to with scoring plays coming on an interception return, a fumble return, and a recovery of a Hall fumble on offense.
Titans over Cowboys
A: -Big trouble for Dallas who could easily move to 1-4 when they travel to Minnesota to face the Vikings next week. The NFC East is not waiting for Dallas to catch up.
-The Titans are really well-coached, and despite not having huge overall talent, seem to believe they can beat anybody anywhere.
E: -Even at 1-3, with no team really dominating the NFC East, the Cowboys are still right in the mix, but they have to be disappointed losing this game. They had a big win in Houston and then coming off a bye, they lose to the Titans at home.
-Vince Young played well in this game, made some key throws, and did not turn the ball over.
Raiders over Chargers
A: -The Raiders snap a thirteen-game losing streak to the Chargers.
-The Chargers are off to yet another slow start, but this doesn't feel like the type of thing that they can turn around with ease. They just aren't that good of a team this year.
E: -Here's another upset where the home team's offense didn't have to do a whole lot. The Raiders blocked a punt for a safety, recovered another blocked punt for six, and returned a fumble for a touchdown as well.
-The Chargers played pretty well—Philip Rivers threw for over four hundred yards—but too many costly mistakes did them in.
Eagles over 49ers
A: -Alex Smith is unbelievably erratic, not just from game to game, but from play to play. Coach Mike Singletary nearly benched him, but then Smith responded with two touchdown drives, but ultimately threw the game losing interception. The 49ers are a maddening collection of errors, bad luck, and mismanagement.
-Kevin Kolb looked pretty good, and the Eagles are a respectable 3-2.
E: -It was good to see the Eagles open up their offense a bit more with Kolb in, playing a full game for the first time all season. Things will get interesting once Michael Vick is healthy.
Jets over Vikings
A: -This game was a tale of two halves. The Vikings were abysmal on offense in the first half, but really picked it up in the third and fourth quarters. Despite how good Brett Favre was on a few drives, he was inconsistent overall, lost two fumbles, and threw the decisive pick six.
-LaDanian Tomlinson continued his resurgence with 95 yards. That leads me to my next point: the Vikings' defensive line has been nowhere near as dominant this year as it was the past few years. Although the offense deserves most of the blame for the Vikings' struggles, the defense deserves its share. We knew the secondary was suspect coming into the season, and while the front seven has been solid, it has not been the spectacular group we have come to expect. D'Brickashaw Ferguson absolutely neutralized Jared Allen, and this was not the first time this year Allen has been a nonfactor.
-The Jets moved the ball nicely in the first half but could not get the ball in the end zone. Santonio Holmes was clearly just getting his rhythm, but he will be really dangerous once he gets acclimated. Antonio Cromartie was superb in man coverage against Randy Moss all night.
-4-1 looks really good for the Jets, and 1-3 feels like panic time for the Vikings.
E: -Big props to Cromartie, he was dynamite. The only time Moss beat him was on a perfect throw from Favre; the old man's got a few of those left.
-Favre reached two milestones this game. He threw his 500th career touchdown pass and also eclipsed Warren Moon's record for most fumbles in a career. You win some, you lose some.
-C'mon man.
Adam: -The Jaguars have got to be one of the biggest surprise teams thus far. I don't envision them making a playoff run or anything, but at 3-2 they have done better than anyone expected. It shows maturity that the Jags didn't have a letdown against the awful Bills after getting a huge win a week ago against the Colts.
-The Bills have to be looking to next year...again.
Eric: -The Jaguars are not a very good team, which is especially evident by having to come from behind to pull out a win against the league's worst team, the Buffalo Bills.
Falcons over Browns
A: -The Browns are in every game, but they just don't have the talent to win consistently.
-The Falcons earn a nice road win and run their record to 4-1.
E: -Leading up to this game, the Browns had had fourth quarter leads in every game they played. They have been playing tough but haven't been able to finish.
-It's now looking like Colt McCoy will get his turn at quarterback. At 1-4, there's not much lower a team can go, so give the rookie a shot.
Ravens over Broncos
A: -Kyle Orton and Brandon Lloyd fill up the stat sheet again, but Baltimore is too much for them as Ray Rice has a huge game. Baltimore may be the best team in football through five weeks.
E: -Although Orton had another big game through the air, most of those numbers came in garbage time after the Ravens had the game firmly in hand.
-This is the Ravens team many pundits were expecting to make a Super Bowl run. Rice finally looked healthy with 133 yards on the ground and a pair of one-yard touchdown dives. With the ground game clicking, Joe Flacco wasn't asked to generate offense, but still played solidly.
Giants over Texans
A: -Who are the Giants and who are the Texans? Both teams change from week to week, but the Giants' defense seems to be getting on a roll.
E: -Adam mentioned in his preview about how this was a game the Texans needed to win if they want to be an "elite" team. They didn't get there Sunday.
-I'll give credit where credit's due though, the Giants have played lights out on defense the past two weeks. They must be licking their chops with the Lions, most likely without Calvin Johnson's services, coming into the Meadowlands this weekend.
Colts over Chiefs
A: -The Chiefs did what they needed to by pounding the run and playing impressive defense, but they took too many unwarranted chances. They opened the game with an onside kick that did not work, then they went for it on fourth down early in the game, rather than kick an easy field goal, and they didn't make it. I know they probably thought they had to take chances to win this game, but had they not onside kicked that ball, or if they had kicked that field goal, they might have won.
-The Colts struggled again but got the victory.
E: -The Colts certainly looked beatable this week, and even though the Chiefs came into this game undefeated, they didn't have the offense to beat the Colts in Indianapolis. The Colts have not been juggernauts out of the gate, though as the season goes on and their injured playmakers come back, Indianapolis should be a very dangerous team in the playoffs.
Buccaneers over Bengals
A: -It's time to start thinking differently about the Bengals. We all thought their offense would be much improved this year, but Carson Palmer has held this team back. Since their hot start last year, this team has been lethargic on offense.
-The Buccaneers came into this game off a bye and got a win that probably reloaded their bandwagon a bit after their blowout loss to the Steelers two weeks ago. Josh Freeman has been really good this year with a QB rating of 84.8. He has done a really nice job of minimizing turnovers. Mike Williams has been very impressive as a rookie wideout.
E: -Who would've thought the Buccaneers would have a better record than the Saints and only be a half game out of first place in the NFC South?
-Nothing the Bengals have done this year has impressed. Palmer made a few nice throws in this game, but at the same time made some bonehead throws as well, including throwing three interceptions.
Redskins over Packers
A: -The Packers have had just about everything go wrong for them this year. Injuries to Morgan Burnett, Nick Barnett, and Clay Matthews have hampered the defense. Jermichael Finley, Donald Lee, and Ryan Grant have gone down on the offensive side of the ball. With all of this and with some boneheaded penalties, the Packers have still been in every game, and that is a testament to Aaron Rodgers.
-The Redskins get a really nice win here and seem to just believe they can win with Donovan McNabb at QB.
E: -Injuries should not be the only excuse for the loss, but they really took their toll on the Packers. In their first game without Barnett and Burnett, they also lost defensive lineman Ryan Pickett on one of the first defensive series, lost their top two tight ends in Finley (out for the year) and Lee on the Packers' only touchdown drive, which came in the first quarter, and lost Matthews for the second half after he had made McNabb's life a living hell throughout the first. Coming back to tie and then eventually win it in overtime, the Redskins also gave Rodgers a concussion on Green Bay's last offensive play, an interception by LaRon Landry.
Lions over Rams
A: - This was huge for Detroit. They get a win finally, and a blowout win at that. This was their biggest margin of victory since 1995. Shaun Hill has been really good the past two weeks, but Matthew Stafford should be back in the next week or two; that is a very good thing. Ndamukong Suh is already one of the best defensive linemen in football.
-The Rams are just not a very good team and now lose their best receiver, Mark Clayton, for the year with a knee injury.
E: -How bad would you feel if you had the score run up on you by the Lions?
Bears over Panthers
A: -Todd Collins throws for 36 yards, 4 interceptions and the Bears win by 17. What?
E: -With the quarterbacks for both teams combining for 147 passing yards and seven interceptions, Matt Forte was the only offense in this game.
-Julius Peppers even made an interception in his return to Carolina. It's been a good two weeks for veterans on new teams playing their former squads; Peppers' Bears beat the Panthers this week and McNabb's Redskins beat the Eagles last week.
Cardinals over Saints
A: -Undrafted rookie Max Hall beats Drew Brees. What?
E: -Hall did not do much in his rookie debut, but he didn't need to with scoring plays coming on an interception return, a fumble return, and a recovery of a Hall fumble on offense.
Titans over Cowboys
A: -Big trouble for Dallas who could easily move to 1-4 when they travel to Minnesota to face the Vikings next week. The NFC East is not waiting for Dallas to catch up.
-The Titans are really well-coached, and despite not having huge overall talent, seem to believe they can beat anybody anywhere.
E: -Even at 1-3, with no team really dominating the NFC East, the Cowboys are still right in the mix, but they have to be disappointed losing this game. They had a big win in Houston and then coming off a bye, they lose to the Titans at home.
-Vince Young played well in this game, made some key throws, and did not turn the ball over.
Raiders over Chargers
A: -The Raiders snap a thirteen-game losing streak to the Chargers.
-The Chargers are off to yet another slow start, but this doesn't feel like the type of thing that they can turn around with ease. They just aren't that good of a team this year.
E: -Here's another upset where the home team's offense didn't have to do a whole lot. The Raiders blocked a punt for a safety, recovered another blocked punt for six, and returned a fumble for a touchdown as well.
-The Chargers played pretty well—Philip Rivers threw for over four hundred yards—but too many costly mistakes did them in.
Eagles over 49ers
A: -Alex Smith is unbelievably erratic, not just from game to game, but from play to play. Coach Mike Singletary nearly benched him, but then Smith responded with two touchdown drives, but ultimately threw the game losing interception. The 49ers are a maddening collection of errors, bad luck, and mismanagement.
-Kevin Kolb looked pretty good, and the Eagles are a respectable 3-2.
E: -It was good to see the Eagles open up their offense a bit more with Kolb in, playing a full game for the first time all season. Things will get interesting once Michael Vick is healthy.
Jets over Vikings
A: -This game was a tale of two halves. The Vikings were abysmal on offense in the first half, but really picked it up in the third and fourth quarters. Despite how good Brett Favre was on a few drives, he was inconsistent overall, lost two fumbles, and threw the decisive pick six.
-LaDanian Tomlinson continued his resurgence with 95 yards. That leads me to my next point: the Vikings' defensive line has been nowhere near as dominant this year as it was the past few years. Although the offense deserves most of the blame for the Vikings' struggles, the defense deserves its share. We knew the secondary was suspect coming into the season, and while the front seven has been solid, it has not been the spectacular group we have come to expect. D'Brickashaw Ferguson absolutely neutralized Jared Allen, and this was not the first time this year Allen has been a nonfactor.
-The Jets moved the ball nicely in the first half but could not get the ball in the end zone. Santonio Holmes was clearly just getting his rhythm, but he will be really dangerous once he gets acclimated. Antonio Cromartie was superb in man coverage against Randy Moss all night.
-4-1 looks really good for the Jets, and 1-3 feels like panic time for the Vikings.
E: -Big props to Cromartie, he was dynamite. The only time Moss beat him was on a perfect throw from Favre; the old man's got a few of those left.
-Favre reached two milestones this game. He threw his 500th career touchdown pass and also eclipsed Warren Moon's record for most fumbles in a career. You win some, you lose some.
-C'mon man.
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