NFL Week 10 Picks: Regular Edition

NFL Week 10 Picks: Regular Edition
M.D. Wright
11.8.08

OK, I'm back on track. After a busy Friday and running all day on Saturday, I am finally getting an opportunity to put my thoughts together for Week 10. Let's get it.

New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons
The Georgia Dome
Atlanta, Georgia

The Saints are a .500 for a reason: they have a great QB who puts up pinball-like numbers and a defense, that despite adding several free agents (who have all been busts, while letting go players like Darren Howard), that still sucks.

The Falcons are for real. And given that Matt Ryan came into the NFL with four years of running a pro-style offense, he's going to flourish against the Saints' shaky secondary. Add to that the fact that the Saints are a turnstile against the running game, and you can envision Michael Turner and Jerrious Norwood gaining 200+ yards between them

Call:
New Orleans 24
Atlanta 30
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Tennessee Titans vs. Chicago Bears
Soldier Field
Chicago, Illinois

This is going to be a bloodbath, and an enjoyable one at that (unlike watching Roy Jones, Jr. further convince us boxing experts that he should've retired in 2002 -- that was a PAINFUL-T0-WATCH bloodbath... ufff). Anyway, if Orton plays, the Bears are in good shape to possibly pull this out. If Gross Man plays, well, the Bears chances are gross, man... (you like that Cam-like wordplay right? hah).

The Titans don't wow you with their passing game. Collins just makes the plays when he needs to. But I really do FINALLY see him killing them with an INT. It's going to be close and I am going to go out on a limb and call the Bears for this one.

Call:
Tennessee 13
Chicago 17
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Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Detroit Lions
Ford Field
Detroit, Michigan

The Jags are pissing me off. They've cost me three losses in a row with their uninspired play. The Lions suck royally, like the '07 Dolphins (who had an excuse) and the '89 Cowboys, who also had one -- I forget which year it was that the Jets went 1-15, but those teams had inept GMs/Head Coaches or a general lack of talent. The Lions had enough talent on offense to AT LEAST win three games by now. But nooooo

The Jags miss their offensive linemen and they really miss Marcus Stroud on defense. That release of Byron Leftwich and Garrard's (poor) Game Manager play this year might cost Del Rio his job. I am only picking the Jags because I want the Lions to go 0-16 lmao

Call:
Jacksonville 26
Detroit 21
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Seattle Seahawks vs. Miami Dolphins
Dolphin Stadium
Miami, Florida

Seabags in a 1 ET game in the east? With THAT squad right now? Wildcats are more vicious than birds hah

Call:
Seattle 10
Miami 27
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Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Minneapolis, Minnesota

This game doesn't have the same buzz that it had from 1992-2007, but it's compelling, because all of these teams being bunched together atop the NFC North. I still think the Vikes are dangerous because of Peterson. However, I think Rodgers will find a way to get it done with JUST ENOUGH from Grant and Jackson, along with the defense bending and not breaking against Aging Gus.

Call:
Green Bay 31
Minnesota 27
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Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium
Foxborough, Massachusetts

It would do me no better than to see the Pats get sent into a full-blown tailspin in a loss here. They very well SHOULD win, but Trent Edwards' mind-numbing turnovers this season is making me cautious. The Pats are slow on defense, but they make timely plays. Time is catching up with Cassel, and his stage coach is turning into a pumpkin.

Bills will win this one, going away actually.

Call:
Buffalo 28
New England 19
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St. Louis Rams vs. New York Jets
Giants Stadium at The New Jersey Meadowlands
East Rutherford, New Jersey

The Jets need to win this game; a fact that is not lost on Mangini nor Favre and the rest of the team. I think they will do it, even though the Haslett-led Rams defense is all of a sudden playing well... hmmmm.

Call:
St. Louis 14
NY Jets 20
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Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans
Reliant Stadium
Houston, Texas

The Ravens are smart by playing Ray Rice now. McGahee is finished; sad to say, and McClain is good in a complimentary role -- not starting or being the feature 'back. The Texans? I've given up on them. They are at home, yes, but they stink.

Call:
Baltimore 27
Houston 21
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Carolina Panthers vs. Oakland Raiders
McAfee Coliseum
Oakland, California

Do you really think I am going to waste words here? The Raiders will probably have negative yardage for the ENTIRE game this week instead of just the first half (vs. Atlanta last week).

Call:
Carolina 31
Oakland 0
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Indianapolis Colts vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Heinz Field
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The Colts are still on life support. They cannot win the AFC South unless both the Titans' running backs get injured for the season and Albert Haynesworth stomps Jeff Saturday senseless or something hah... but the Steelers aren't going to roll over easily. It APPEARS as if Willie Parker is not going to play. Or is he going to? Who's on first? What's on second? I dunno.

The Colts' desperation (see: last week vs. NE) will win out in an eeker.

Call:
Indianapolis 24
Pittsburgh 19
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Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Diego Chargers
Qualcomm Stadium
San Diego, California

The Chargers are desperate, and the Chiefs are down to their 14th string QB and RB, respectively.

Call:
Kansas City 2
San Diego 31
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New York Football Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Lincoln Financial Field
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
*GAME OF THE WEEK*

The Eagles are playing very well. I must give them credit, because I counted them dead when Westbrook began piling up his injuries a few weeks ago. McNabb cannot hold onto the ball like he has been in the past couple of games against the Giants, however. Eli Manning, likeise, cannot get caught up in the Eagles' relentless blitz packages and start throwing the ball off his back foot. MARK MY WORDS, IF MANNING DOES THIS, THE GIANTS WILL LOSE.

No one (only the Steelers have come close to doing so) can stop the Giants' running game, and until the Eagles are a threat to run the ball more than 12 times a game, they can't expect to beat the Giants, all else being virtually equal.

Call:
NY Giants 31
Philadelphia 27
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San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals
University of Phoenix Stadium
Glendale, Arizona

Head Coach Mike Singletary has tried out for the next round of Coors Light commercials with his post-game rant following his first game as coach -- AFTER benching their 2nd best offensive player (TE Vernon Davis) and reportedly dropped his pants while cursing out the team before that press conference. Let's just hope he doesn't openly whizz on the defense as Kurt Warner chops them to shreds with a 34-41, 483 yard, 5 TD performance. Oh yeah. He's going to do that. I'm not making this stuff up. I wish I had a Cardinal on my fantasy squad.

Call:
San Francisco 6
Arizona 41
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More on Monday!