NFL Week 9 Picks

The unofficial halfway point of the NFL season. I already covered much of my halfway points on the radio the other day, but in case you missed it, here's a review:

• It's Aaron Rodgers' MVP to lose
• Cam Newton could not play another snap and he'd win offensive Rookie of the Year unanimously
• Rodgers, Brady, Brees all remain on pace to break Dan Marino's single-season passing yards record (5,084)
• Chris Johnson has rushed for the same number of yards (302) as Jackie Battle and Daniel Thomas, fewer than Delone Carter, and overall is on pace for a meager 690 yards on 2.8 yards per carry
• Pat Angerer, Colts linebacker, has 90 tackles, more than 20 more than anyone in the NFL. I looked it up.
• Wes Welker leads the NFL in receptions (57), and is followed by a pair of Saints you wouldn't expect: Darren Sproles and Jimmy Graham. Welker is on pace for 130 catches, and would pass himself for 2nd all-time for catches in a single season. Marvin Harrison holds the record at 143
• The Buffalo Bills are in first place in the AFC East
• The Cincinnati Bengals are currently the top wild-card team in the AFC
• This means there is a very real possibility that the Bengals, Bills, and Lions could all make the playoffs in the same season. Three of the most moribund, woe-is-me franchises in the NFL. The last time all three played into January in the same year? Never.
• The Philadelphia Eagles are just 3-4 yet by no means dead yet.
• Tebowmania!
• I didn't even pick the Packers to make it to the NFC Championship Game before the season. 
• My Super Bowl pick of Patriots vs. Saints? Still a possibility I guess. Barely.

After this weekend, every team will have played at least 8 games, or half their schedule. It's an exciting week for sure, with 6 of the 13 games pitting opponents against one another with .500 records or better. And that doesn't include the Eagles-Bears match-up on Monday night. Making it a pretty difficult week to pick, which is bad news for this guy, because at said halfway point I'm 7 games below the .500 mark. Anyways onto the Week 9 picks.

Last Week: 4-8-1

Season: 51-58-7

Locks of the Week: 5-3 (Eagles over Cowboys in Week 8)

Home team in CAPS

Falcons (-6.5) over COLTS

I was playing Madden this week, choosing teams by the "3 then a 4th" method in which you get to randomly select 3 teams and if you aren't satisfied, you random a 4th but have to be that team. Welp I got a little greedy after getting the Browns, Redskins, and Vikings, and figured my 4th would be a much better team. Nope. Got the Colts. And under house rules, we aren't allowed to put in injured players. 

Needless to say I was down 31-0 at the half to Frankie. And I've beaten him 7 out of our last 9 match-ups. That's really all I can say about the Colts that hasn't already been said. They're a Madden nightmare.

SAINTS (-8.5) over Buccaneers

I'm still trying to figure out how the Saints lost a Rams team without Sam Bradford. Their lack of a running game, or a refusal to even use it, is becoming an issue and until it gets resolved, it's hard to fathom how they could make another run at the Lombardi.

Having said that, everybody knows their a different team at the Superdome. I'd like to think Drew Brees will have a monster bounce-back performance. I'm even gonna make this one the Lock of the Week.

BILLS (-2.5) over Jets

Bills come back home after playing a joke of a "home" game in Toronto. Huge game in determining the pecking order in the AFC East here. Jets win and it's a legitimate 3-horse race. Bills win and the Jets are in some serious trouble. I don't see these Jets winning their 3rd consecutive game, do you? 4-0 at home, 0-3 on the road. Play the law of averages.

Dolphins (+5) over CHIEFS

The Chiefs have a -42 point differential despite winning 4 games in a row after that 0-3 start. Matt Cassel has been you're ultimate Jekyl and Hyde quarterback, as he's posted a QB rating of 100 or better three times, and a rating below 70 four. Nothing in between. Even in that 28-0 win against Oakland, he posted a season-low 38.3. And the Dolphins are too competitive for their own good and are bound to win a game or three to play themselves right of of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. Kansas City is an excellent place for them to finally break through.

49ers (-5) over REDSKINS

COWBOYS (-11) over Seahawks

Any game in which John Beck or Tarvaris Jackson is involved, you look the other way. And when their backups are Rex Grossman and Charlie Whitehurst, just keep on looking.

RAIDERS (-7) over Broncos

Carson Palmer makes his first start for the Raiders; Tim Tebow makes what could be his last start for the Broncos. Honest question: why pull the plug on Tebow so soon? It's a three game sample size you've had to work with here, people. And I know he hasn't been very good. He's been pretty terrible, as a matter of fact. But your season is already going nowhere in Denver, and Brady Quinn is your alternative in terms of "the future"? Seems like you're already damned if you do or don't. So dammit, ride out Tebow and give the man a chance.

While we're here maybe it's time to stop vilifying the Broncos for trading Peyton Hillis for Brady Quinn. Sure Cleveland got one good year out of Hillis but uh....that one isn't going to end well, to put it nicely.

Bengals (+2.5) over TITANS

The unlikeliest of our six match-ups pitting winners against one another. You're darned right I'm ready to live in a world where the Bengals are 6-2. It's just too bad Andy Dalton had to come into the league the same year as Cam Newton, A.J. Green for that matter too. Both are having very impressive rookie campaigns.

Rams (+2.5) over CARDINALS

No Kolb for 'Zona, possibly no Bradford for St. Louie. Guess I'm taking the points. Then again, St. Louis was expected to contend for the NFC West title. Maybe last week was what they've been trying to do all along?

PATRIOTS (-9.5) over Giants

Just know that I'm extremely relieved neither Ahmad Bradshaw nor Hakeem Nicks will play in this game.

Packers (-5.5) over CHARGERS

Far and away the most intriguing game of the week. Packers try to stay undefeated, Chargers try to put their halt on yet another free fall. Game will come down to Philip Rivers playing like the real Philip Rivers, not like the ghost of Ryan Leaf kicking around in a Chargers uniform.

STEELERS (-3.5) over Ravens

Here we go. Forget Patriots-Jets or Giants-Eagles or Patriots-Colts, this is the premier rivalry in the NFL right now. And expect tonight to be yet another blood bath between two teams that genuinely hate each other. You've got rapists, terrorist sympathizers, murderers, baby daddy's, guys with DUIs, and James Harrison running around this field. 

Interesting story about Ray Rice, who fits the category of "baby daddy". In a story where I have no legitimate source other than a friend of a friend who attends Rutgers, Rice's alma mater, Rice had an interesting method of avoiding causing pregnancy's. The story is too graphic to be printed, but if you really want to know, just ask around and I'm sure you'll find out.

EAGLES (-7.5) over Bears

Sure you can look at the Eagles two game winning streak and say all they've done is beat the Redskins and Cowboys. Well at the time both teams were in front of them in the standings at the time, and the Eagles caught up to them. They're doing what they need to do. I still think this team could go on a crazy run and finish 11-5. Time to fly like an eagle.