RJ's NFL Picks, Week Eight
Published October 25, 2007
I went 9-5 last week. That puts me at 65-38 for the season. For a comparison, check out the "experts" over at ESPN.
Here are my picks for the NFL's Week Eight:
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Cleveland (3-3) at Saint Louis (0-7) - 1:00 pm (Sheridan's Line - Browns by 3)
Cleveland had a bye last week. (One could argue they have a bye this week as well...) The Browns have shown a surprising ability to put a lot of points up on the board. The Derek Anderson to Braylon Edwards combination has been impressive. And Jamal Lewis is averaging five yards per carry. Unfortunately, they've given up 183 points through six games, an average of 30.5 points per game. In fact, their defense is giving up an average of 413 yards per game, dead last in the NFL. Saint Louis lost badly at Seattle last week. They've managed a total of just nine points in their last two games. The only team in the league that has scored fewer points than the Rams is division-rival San Francisco, but that's only by a single point - and unlike Saint Louis, the 49ers have already had their bye week. At 0-7, this is their worst start in franchise history (which dates back to 1937). And they lost yet another offensive lineman this week, when they released Claude Terrell after he was arrested for trying out a new pancake blocking technique on his wife.
RJ's Pick - CLEVELAND BY 6
Detroit (4-2) at Chicago (3-4) - 1:00 pm (Sheridan's Line - Bears by 4½)
Detroit beat Tampa Bay last week. They are the only team in the league with a record of 4-2 or better that has a negative point differential. That's because all four of their wins have been in close games, while both of their losses have been absolute blowouts. Their defense has allowed an average of 269.3 passing yards per game, which is the third-most in the league. The Lions re-signed RB Aveion Cason this week in an apparent effort to improve their sub-par running game, which is kind of like trying to alleviate a migraine by bashing your head against a wall. The Bears beat the Eagles last week, 19-16. Another win this week would put them at .500 midway through the season, which in the NFC is almost like clinching a playoff spot. Brian Griese's quarterback rating is nearly double Rex Grossman's, and Griese has eight times as many touchdowns with the same number of INTs as Grossman. That being said, Griese is still quite average for an NFL quarterback, and the Bears have no running game to speak of. Also, their defense ain't what it used to be. And they're just 1-2 at home. And I understand Mike Ditka no longer coaches there.
RJ's Pick - DETROIT BY 2
Indianapolis (6-0) at Carolina (4-2) - 1:00 pm (Sheridan's Line - Colts by 6½)
The Colts beat the Jaguars on MFN last week to remain undefeated. Indianapolis has given up the fourth-fewest points in the NFL. They've already beaten all three of their division rivals on the road, and this is a team that hasn't lost a regular season home game since 2005...so you may as well just award them the AFC South division title right now. Carolina had a bye last week. They are 4-0 on the road this season, but 0-2 at home. It's uncertain who will be their starting quarterback this week, David Carr or Vinny Testaverde. It's also unknown who will be their starting running back, DeShaun Foster or DeAngelo Williams. Just about the only thing that is known with any certainty is that the Panthers will lose.
RJ Elliott is a graduate student studying Criminal Justice at the University Of Central Florida. His likes include nature, sports, and pierced blondes. He dislikes daytime television, left-wing dictators, and lead-tainted Chinese imports. He is ambivalent about Angelina Jolie.
- RJ's NFL Picks, Week Eight
- Published: October 25, 2007
- Type: News
- Section: Sports
- Filed Under: Sports: Football (American)
- Part of a feature: NFL Picks
- Writer: RJ Elliott
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Comments on this articleComments
here we go... 66-37 for the season.. this week is should be interesting...
CLEVELAND - i want to take STL soooo bad but i really like cleveland this year.. one thing that you forgot to mention is that Steven F**king Jackson is finally going to start after his groin injury sustained in week 4.. plus bulger is as healthy as he's going to be.. Cleves D isnt that good... put ALL the money on the OVER.. this should be a close game..
CHICAGO - chicago has come through for me every time... KITNA and C. JOHNSON should have a big game... but if DET cant stop RB Cedric Benson CHI's work horse who is way over due for a big week then CHI should get the W. Another tight game..im putting its fate on Benson.
INDY - very curtain.
MIAMI - call me crazy NYG are **WAY** over rated..
TENN - Al Davis is looking for an investor.. recent loss of an investor?.. has put 31% of share up in the air.. Raiders estimated worth 813 million.. 3rd worst in NFL..
PHILLY - tough game both teams are looking to improve dramatically.
PITTS - i could see CIN taking this one though.
NYJ - going to ride them into the ground on this one.. they are due for a win.. esp infront of a home crowd.
SD - should be a good game.. the spread has gone to SD -9.5
TB - Jags easily had playoff potential.. not anymore.. TB LOCK OF THE WEEK (besides INDY,PATS)
SF - the REASON is they HAVE TO WIN. and they know it. if they lose it will be by some dramatic play(s)
PATS - well when you're favored by 17 over a team thats 4-2... that might tell you something..
DEN - what a game... flip a coin.. Im going with a better head coach..
Your blog is interesting. Please keep it here and please stop promoting your blog in our Usenet newsgroups.
crowder had to be kidding, theres just no way...
CLE, CHI, IND, NYG (soccer comment noted),TEN, PHI, SD, TB, NO, NE, GB,PIT, NYJ
Final Scores:
Detroit 16, Bears 7 - RJ 1-0 (Key stats: Brian Griese throws 4 INTs...Kevin Jones rushes for 105 yards and a TD...)
Colts 31, Carolina 7 - RJ 2-0 (Key stats: Joseph Addai rushes for 100 yards and 2 TDs...Steve Smith held to just 2 receptions for 18 yards...)
Steelers 24, Bengals 13 - RJ 3-0 (Key stats: Hines Ward caught 8 passes for 88 yards and 2 TDs...Willie Parker ran for 126 yards and a TD...)
Cleveland 27, Rams 20 - RJ 4-0 (Key stats: Derek Anderson threw for 3 TDs with no picks...Braylon Edwards caught 8 passes for 117 yards and 2 TDs...)
Final Scores:
Tennessee 13, Oakland 9 - RJ 5-0 [and I nailed the spread!] (Key stats: Vince Young completes just 6 of 14 passes for a laughable 42 yards, but the Titans win anyway...LenDale White rushes for 133 yards...Daunte Culpepper was sacked 5 times...)
Giants 13, Miami 10 - RJ 6-0(!) (Key stats: Eli Manning completed just 8 of 22 passes for 59 yards, but ran for 25 yards and a TD...Jesse Chatman, in his first NFL start, rushed for 79 yards on 16 carries...)
Eagles 23, Vikings 16 - RJ 6-1 (Key stats: Kelly Holcomb left the game with a neck injury in the third quarter...Donovan McNabb passed for 333 yards and a TD...Brian Westbrook caught a pass for a TD and rushed for another TD...)
ESPN's NFL "experts" through seven games:
Wickersham 4-3
Salisbury 6-1
Hoge 5-2
Jaworski 7-0
Schlereth 6-1
Allen 6-1
Mortensen 6-1
Golic 5-2
Accuscore 5-2
Final Scores:
New England 52(!), Washington 7 - RJ 7-1 (Key stats: Tom Brady threw for 306 yards and 3 TDs, and ran for 2 more TDs...Mike Vrabel caught a TD pass and recorded 13 tackles, 3 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles...)
San Diego 35, Houston 10 - RJ 8-1 (Key stats: Philip Rivers completes just 7 passes, but 3 were for touchdowns...Antonio Gates caught 3 passes for 92 yards and 2 TDs...Antonio Cromarte recovered a fumble for a TD, and also intercepted two passes, one of which he returned 70 yards for a TD...)
Final Scores:
Jacksonville 24, Tampa Bay 23 - RJ 8-2 (Key stats: Jeff Garcia throws 3 INTs and completes less than 50% of his passes...Quinn Gray does better than expected, completing 7 of 16 passes for 100 yards, 1 TD, and 0 INTs...)
New Orleans 31, San Francisco 10 - RJ 9-2 (Key stats: Drew Brees completes 31 of 39 passes for 336 yards and 4 TDs...Marques Colston caught 8 passes for 85 yards and 3 TDs...San Francisco's defense records zero INTs and zero sacks...)
Final Score:
Bills 13, Jets 3 - RJ 10-2 (Key stats: Kellen Clemens came into the game for Chad Pennington late in the 4th quarter, and proceeded to throw 2 INTs...Lee Evans caught 5 passes for 138 yards and the game's only TD...)
ESPN's NFL "experts" through 12 games:
Wickersham 7-5
Salisbury 9-3
Hoge 9-3
Jaworski 11-1
Schlereth 9-3
Allen 11-1
Mortensen 8-4
Golic 9-3
Accuscore 8-4
I'm now 9-3 ATS, with just the big MNF game left to go...
Shocking facts: If the Broncos beat the Packers tomorrow night, the Detroit Lions will be tied for 1st place in the NFC North...excluding the Packers, there are only four (4) NFL teams with a better record than the Lions...and two of them are the undefeated Patriots and Colts, who are simply in a league of their own right now...
Denver up 7-0 in the first quarter...consider this an open discussion thread...
Well, I guess I'll close the Pack/Bronc. thread with a "Wow!" One pass, 16 seconds, game over.
10-3.
Where's Matt with his picks anyway? Is Suss a sussy?
Final Score:
Green Bay 19, Denver 13 [in OT] - RJ 10-3 (Key stats: Brett Favre throws for 331 yards and 2 TDs, including an 82-yard bomb on the first play of overtime...Ryan Grant rushed for 104 yards on 22 carries...Greg Jennings caught 6 passes for 141 yards and the game-winning TD in OT...)
(I also finished the week 10-3 ATS...)
ESPN's NFL "experts" -
Wickersham 7-6
Salisbury 9-4
Hoge 10-3
Jaworski 11-1
Schlereth 9-4
Allen 11-2
Mortensen 8-5
Golic 9-4
Accuscore 8-5
well 8-5 this week.. i put all my money on the over so that was good.. (see comment #2 Cleve STL pick)
my lock of the week pick TB didn't win, i think thats the craziest upset..
miami only lost by three.. possibly could have won.. not to surprising although some of my friends thought the giants were going to win by like 15.. :)
RJ you dont count your wins with the spread cuz giants didn't cover the spread.
ya actually he is right.. you went 9-4 ats this week..
teams you chose that didn't cover: Denver, TB, Minn, NYG.
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Thanks for the quick publish!