RJ's NFL Picks, Week Eight
Published October 25, 2007
RJ's Pick - MINNESOTA BY 3
Pittsburgh (4-2) at Cincinnati (2-4) - 1:00 pm (Sheridan's Line - Steelers by 3½)
The Steelers lost at Denver on SNF last week, 31-28. Despite their loss in that high-scoring game, they've still given up the fewest points in the NFL. They also have the second-best rushing offense in the league, in terms of yards per game. The Bengals beat the Jets last week. They've given up the fourth-most points in the league. On a positive note, their passing attack is averaging 273.7 yards per game, third in the NFL. But Carson Palmer is throwing too many INTs.
RJ's Pick - PITTSBURGH BY 7
Buffalo (2-4) at New York Jets (1-6) - 4:05 pm (Sheridan's Line - Jets by 3)
Buffalo beat the Ravens last week. They've scored the fewest points in the AFC. It's interesting, though, that this team could easily be 4-2, because their losses against Denver in Week One and Dallas in Week Five were both games they really should have won. Change just one play in each of those games, and the Bills would be looking like a possible Wild Card team. The Jets were defeated by the Bengals last week, their fourth loss in a row. Their defense has given up the second-most points in the AFC. Chad Pennington will remain the Jets starting QB, at least for another week. I'm going with the upset.
RJ's Pick - BUFFALO BY 3
Houston (3-4) at San Diego (3-3) - 4:05 pm (Sheridan's Line - No Line)
Houston lost a shootout last week to Tennessee, 38-36. They've now lost two in a row, and any playoff hopes they had after starting the season 2-0 are quickly slipping away. Ahman Green's knee injury has really crippled Houston's running game. The Chargers had a bye last week. They will be practicing for this week's game in Arizona due to the severe wildfires in Southern California. It's hard to say whether the combination of a week off, a major natural disaster, and practice on a strange field will effect their game. But I do know that the Chargers have won their last two games, both against division rivals, by a combined score of 69-17. And I also know that San Diego should be a big favorite in this matchup, but there is no line offered for this game. Hmmm...
RJ's Pick - SAN DIEGO BY 1
Jacksonville (4-2) at Tampa Bay (4-3) - 4:05 pm (Sheridan's Line - Buccaneers by 4)
The Jaguars lost at home to the Colts on MNF last week. They have given up the second-fewest points in the NFL. They are also averaging 148.5 yards on the ground per game, third-best in the league. But there is some big, bad news to report: David Garrard, who was having a terrific season, with a 102.9 quarterback rating and 0 INTS, is out for a month with a severe ankle sprain. That means Quinn Gray will get his first NFL start this week. That should be, ah, interesting to watch. Tampa Bay lost last week at Detroit, despite outgaining the Lions by almost 150 yards, completely dominating the time-of-possession, and QB Jeff Garcia having a career day. The Buccaneers are 3-0 at home this season. This should be a low-scoring contest.
RJ Elliott is a graduate student at the University Of Central Florida. His passions in life are sports, politics, nature, and women who have piercings they never told their daddy about. He dislikes daytime television, left-wing dictators, and people who talk like Garrison Keillor. He is ambivalent about the names "Trig" and "Piper."
- 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!