O.k., I wonder if by posting my picks at the last minute that nobody willl
notice how bad I have been all year. Still, I showed some signs of life
in my picks last week, going 9-5 for the week, up to 45-82 on the year.
The Upset Special is still struggling though.... and it won't get any
easier, as I think that this week's games are the hardest so far this year.
New Orleans at Atlanta - I just can't understand how Atlanta as become so
bad. Yes, Michael Vick is a dynamic player, but it took far more than
just Vick to win a playoff game in Lambeau. Anyhow, I find it hard to
believe that Kurt Kittner will be the answer - but against the Saints'
porous pass defense, who knows? So, I'll be stubborn and hope for the
well-documented Alex Van Pelt-effect to produce an unlikely win. Pick:
FALCONS
Washington at Buffalo - The Bills are simply not a dynamic offense without
Eric Moulds. Still, their defence is much better than Washington's, and
they are at home with their backs absolutely against the wall... and as
they say, nobody circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills. Pick: BILLS
Baltimore at Cincinnati - The Bengals have very quietly begun playing very
solid football on both sides of the ball. Corey Dillon is returning from
injury, and their wideouts of Chad Johnson, Peter Warrick, and Kelley
Washington are looking very dynamic. The same cannot be said for
Baltimore's group who couldn't pass their way out of a paper bag. Plus,
the Bengals are at home and coming off the bye.... as Marvin Lewis faces
the team he won a Super Bowl ring with for the first time... Pick: BENGALS
UPSET SPECIAL
San Diego at Cleveland - Jamal Lewis ran for 295 yards on Cleveland, and
while the Browns defense has played well otherwise this year, and that feat
certainly won't be duplicated on Sunday, LaDainian Tomlinson and Marty
Schottenheimer are the kings of pounding away with the football. If the
Chargers can keep this game from being a shootout, I like their running
game to control the clock. Pick: CHARGERS
Dallas at Detroit - I hate to admit it, but I have to admit that the
Cowboys are for real, and the Lions may be a bit further away from being
good than I had predicted before the season. Pick: COWBOYS
Green Bay at St. Louis - Green Bay's defense has struggled to stop teams
all year, and the St. Louis Rams may still be the best passing team in
football. Pick: RAMS
New England at Miami - The Patriots are on an 0-13 run in Miami in the
first half of the NFL Season, and are decimated in the literal sense of the
word with injuries. Still, there are grumblings in South Florida about
Jay Fiedler's play, and he'll be looking over his shoulder at Brian Griese
on the sidelines... that's not the best way to prepare for evil genius Bill
Belichick's defense. Still, I see Ricky Williams as being just too much
for the undermanned Patriots to handle. Pick: DOLPHINS
Denver at Minnesota - Steve Buerlein looked rusty coming off the bench last
week, but I expect him to look better this week. What will really be
interesting, however, is how Clinton Portis looks on that fast Metrodome
turf. I hate picking against a home team coming off of the bye, but I am
going to play the hunch here... Pick; BRONCOS
Philadelphia at New York Giants - Speaking of teams that circle the wagons,
the Giants have to be right up there, and they always seem to have
Philadelphia's number. Both teams are reeling, but I have to go with the
home team in this situation. Pick GIANTS
Tennessee at Carolina - The Panthers are sitting pretty at undefeated and a
three division wins already, but their passing offense quite frankly sucks.
The Panthers beat one MVP candidate last week in Peyton Manning, but they
won't add Steve McNair to their list of victims. Pick: TITANS
New York Jets at Houston - The Jets were 1-4 last year and won their
division. Could it be happening again? The Texans may be a good
matchup for them, depending on whether their pass rush can get to David
Carr or if the Texans' line holds up. It could go either way, but based
on last year's history I am going to hold my nose and Pick: JETS
Tampa Bay at San Francisco - Despite two last-second losses at home, the
Bucs remain very good, and except for Terrell Owens the Niners remain not
so good. In fact, last week even Owens wasn't that good. Pick: BUCS
Chicago at Seattle - Speaking of the not good vs. the good. Pick: SEAHAWKS
Kansas City at Oakland - The Chiefs are on a roll, but were lucky to escape
from Green Bay with a win. Now they go on the road again, across country
to Oakland, where the slumping Raiders get Jerry Porter back in the
lineup. I really want Kansas City to win this game ahead of a game vs.
Buffalo next week, but I see the Silver & Black mystique earning the upset.
Pick: RAIDERS
_______________________________________________________
John D. Giorgis - [EMAIL PROTECTED]
"The liberty we prize is not America's gift to the world,
it is God's gift to humanity." - George W. Bush 1/29/03
_______________________________________________
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