RJ's Pick: SAINTS BY 28
Cincinnati (2-6) at Baltimore (4-4) - 4:05 pm (Sheridan's line - Baltimore by 5)
The Bengals lost to the Bills last week. They are in an absolute tailspin, having lost six of their last seven games. The defense is giving up almost 400 yards per game, and is tied with Miami for last in the league in points allowed. WR T. J. Houshmandzadeh is a bright spot, however, with 10 TDs on the season, and at least one in every game. Baltimore got shredded by the Steelers on MNF last week. RB Willis McGahee was injured and had to leave the game in the 4th quarter, but it was just a little brain trauma and had nothing to do with his knee, so I'm sure he'll be okay. The Ravens have dropped two in a row, and now find themselves in third place in the AFC North. Wasn't this team 13-3 last season? What the hell happened? Anyway, they should be able to score bunches of points on Cincinnati this week, get the win, and remain undefeated at home.
RJ's Pick: RAVENS BY 3
Chicago (3-5) at Oakland (2-6) - 4:15 pm (Sheridan's line - Chicago by 3)
Da Bears had a bye last week. Minnesota won in Week Nine, so now last year's NFC champs find themselves at the bottom of the standings in the NFC North. Turnovers are killing this team. It would also help if they had a credible running game and/or a competent quarterback. Oakland lost at home last week to the Sage Rosenfels-led Houston Texans (Don't laugh; Rosenfels might be the greatest Jewish gunslinger since Gene Wilder starred in Blazing Saddles). The Raiders have now lost four in a row. If things keep going this way, Lane Kiffin might become the NFL's youngest head coach to use Grecian Plus.
RJ's Pick: BEARS BY 5
RJ'S GAME OF THE WEEK: Dallas (7-1) at New York Giants (6-2) - 4:15 pm (Sheridan's line - Dallas by 1)
The Cowboys spanked the Eagles in Philly on SNF last week. WR Terrell Owens caught 10 passes for 174 yards and a TD against his former team, gleefully taunted the crowd, and talked a lot of smack during the post-game press conference. We may now safely assume that Richard Dawkins is right - there is no God. Dallas leads the NFC in points scored by a wide margin. They are undefeated on the road so far this season. The Giants had a bye last week. They have won six in a row, and desperately want revenge for their Week One loss at Dallas. RB Derrick Ward might be able to start this week, or he might not. This is a tough one to predict, but I believe Dallas is the superior (and healthier) team.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - RJ
SHERIDAN'S UPDATED LINES:
Arizona by 1 over Detroit
Pittsburgh by 9½ over Cleveland
Kansas City by 3½ over Denver
Tennessee by 4 over Jacksonville
Green Bay by 6 over Minnesota
Baltimore by 4½ over Cincinnati
2 - RJ
Because the updated line for the Tennessee-Jacksonville game is the same as my original pick, I will amend my pick for that game to:
TITANS BY 2
Same winner, just a different margin of victory (IOW, I believe they'll win but won't cover the 4-point spread).
3 - sierra
Terry Shiavo... that was so wrong. Funny as heck, but wrong nonetheless.
4 - DOM @ HSU
CAROLINA
MIAMI
PITTSBURGH
DENVER
TENNESSEE
GB
WASHINGTON
NO.. not by 28 though..
BALTIMORE
CHICAGO
DALLAS
DETROIT
INDIANAPOLIS
SEATTLE...
82-48 overall...
TB had the NFC south locked but injuries have greatly diminished there chances.. still.. it should be very close come the end of the season between TB and NO
5 - DOM @ HSU
I'm also going to include something new this week.. :) my top 3 picks... In order..
DALLAS
INDY
PITTSBURGH
6 - RJ
Good point about TB's injuries, DOM.
Whatever happened to The Theory?
7 - DOM @ HSU
lol.. ya i wonder what happened to that guy..
8 - Chris McVetta
Here's MY Yoda voice on the Steelers: "When 800 yards you give up, look as good, you not! Hmmm?"
But what does Yoda know? After all, he eats "snake soup" out of a crock pot and built his retirement home on freaking swamp land...
Oh well. Like Polly Purebred, I'm all about The Underdog!
9 - alessandro
I'll get my picks in before midnight. My dog ate my picks.
10 - alessandro
Atlanta (Upset pick. Carolina keeps burning me and will probably continue to do so), Buffalo (I want to take Miami sooo badly), Pittsburgh (I would feel more comfortable taking Cleveland at home), Kansas City, Tennessee, Green Bay, Philadelphia (Upset pick. They owe me one), New Orleans, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit (Arizona can surprise here), Indianapolis (San Diego will push), Seattle.
11 - RJ
None of the games are over yet, but this week is looking pretty brutal so far... :-/
12 - RJ
Final Scores:
Falcons 20, Carolina 13 - RJ 1-0
Packers 34, Vikings 0(!) - RJ 2-0
Denver 27, KC 11 - RJ 2-1
Bills 13, Miami 10 - RJ 3-1
13 - RJ
Final Scores:
Rams 37(!), NO 29 - RJ 3-2 [I almost deserve two losses on this one...]
Steelers 31, Browns 28 - RJ 4-2
14 - RJ
Final Scores:
Jaguars 28, Titans 13 - RJ 4-3
Philadelphia 33, Redskins 25 - RJ 4-4 [I warned ya'll that I'm nearly always wrong about the Eagles...]
15 - RJ
I guess I shouldn't feel too bad though:
Wickersham 3-5
Salisbury 3-5
Hoge 3-5
Jaworski 4-4
Schlereth 4-4
Allen 3-5
Mortensen 3-5
Golic 3-5
Accuscore 2-6
16 - Chris McVetta
Steelers - 31, Browns - 28
How the hell does Dennis Kucinich get out of bed every day...???
17 - RJ
The nightmare continues...
Final Scores:
Arizona 31, Detroit 21 - RJ 4-5
Bengals 21, Baltimore 7 - RJ 4-6
Dallas 31, Giants 20 - RJ 5-6
Bears 17, Oakland 6 - RJ 6-6
18 - RJ
Still, only Jaws is doing better than me:
Wickersham 4-8
Salisbury 5-7
Hoge 5-7
Jaworski 7-5
Schlereth 6-6
Allen 5-7
Mortensen 6-6
Golic 6-6
Accuscore 5-7
19 - RJ
Okay...Manning just threw pick number four...and there are thirteen and a half minutes left in the 2nd quarter...wtf?
20 - REMF
RJ, I'm curious; did you ever play football?
21 - DOM @ HSU
ya damn.. first week I'm going to be at or under 50%
at least my number one pick of the week won.. dallas
and...maybe now you are a believer in Cleveland???
22 - RJ
Final Score:
Chargers 23, Colts 21 - RJ 6-7
23 - RJ
Final Score:
Seattle 24, 49ers 0 - RJ 7-7
24 - RJ
ESPN's NFL "experts" -
Wickersham 6-8
Salisbury 7-7
Hoge 6-8
Jaworski 7-6
Schlereth 7-7
Allen 6-8
Mortensen 7-7
Golic 7-7
Accuscore 6-8
25 - RJ
Through ten weeks:
Jaworski 92-43
Schlereth 93-51
RJ Elliott 91-53
Hoge 90-54
Mortensen 87-57
Salisbury 87-57
Accuscore 87-57
Wickersham 84-59
Golic 81-62
Allen 78-66