Week 8 NFL Picks

Week 7 I was 7 for 6. Ouch again. This week isn't going to be any easier considering the teams that are playing each other. The games could go either way. For example, Houston at Buffalo. Although I would give the edge to Houston, Buffalo could surprise. The only pick I am comfortable with is the 49ers and the Colts, the Colts the obvious choice. Jacksonville is another easy choice over Tennessee. You would think New Orleans is an easy pick, but Atlanta can be a formidable opponent. New Orleans is at home, so I will take them. The crowd will be pumped up. Minnesota will be the game to watch. It will be a strongly contested game and I am taking Minnesota. Miami at NY Jets is another game to zero in on. If the last game was an indication of what to expect in this game, it will be a good one to watch. What about Cleveland at Chicago? Will Mangini come up with a winning game plan? A good game plan would be to use Joshua Cribbs more in the offense. The rest of the games are up for grabs. The spoils will go to the victors.

SUN, NOV 1 TIME (ET)
Houston 21 at Buffalo 20-1:00 PM Tickets W
Ralph Wilson Stadium
Cleveland 18 at Chicago 24-1:00 PM Tickets W
Soldier Field
Seattle 20 at Dallas  23-1:00 PM Tickets W
Cowboys Stadium
St. Louis 24 at Detroit 27-1:00 PM Tickets L
Ford Field
Denver 20 at Baltimore 24-1:00 PM Tickets W
M&T Bank Stadium
San Francisco 12 at Indianapolis 38-1:00 PM Tickets W
Lucas Oil Stadium
Miami 24 at NY Jets 21-1:00 PM Tickets W
Giants Stadium
NY Giants 28 at Philadelphia 24-1:00 PM Tickets L
Lincoln Financial Field
Jacksonville 27 at Tennessee 15-4:05 PM Tickets L
LP Field
Oakland 18 at San Diego 30-4:05 PM Tickets W
Qualcomm Stadium
Carolina 18 at Arizona 34-4:15 PM Tickets L
U of Phoenix Stadium
Minnesota 28 at Green Bay 21-4:15 PM Tickets W
Lambeau Field
MON, NOV 2 TIME (ET)
Atlanta 23 at New Orleans 34-8:30 PM Tickets W
Superdome

The Browns Continue Their Losing Ways

The Dawg Pound was an ugly place to be and it was tricks over treats. The Cleveland Browns deliver another sad performance before the home crowd, final score Packers 31 Browns 3. Maybe you will agree with this assessment, I don't think Mangini wants to win. Is there some grand plan in wanting to lose? No wonder Braylon Edwards was happy to go.

Derek Anderson had a low quarterback rating again of 36.4. Anderson was 12 of 29 totaling 99 yards. All of that adds up to an average of a little over 9 yards a catch. He also threw one interception and fumbled twice. The running game didn't fair much better with a total of 58 yards. They couldn't even manage one touchdown again and out of sixty minutes of effort only one field goal.

Joshua Cribbs had 78 yards of kick and punt returns. Mangini went to him sparingly again, just on one run play and one pass play. Cribbs is the Browns top performer week to week and Mangini needs to use him more often in the offensive scheme, but seems to shy away from it. The big question is why? The answer is in paragraph one.

Cleveland is at Chicago next week. Will anybody in Cleveland be watching this one? Even the diehard fans of the Browns got to be getting quite disgusted. My brother-in-law, who is a ticket holder in the Dawg Pound, wasn't very keen on attending today's game. I think tickets for the home games will be going on sale. Cheap tickets anyone? The Steelers game was very entertaining, lots of touchdowns.

Week 7 NFL Picks

Week 6 I was 6-8. Ouch! What a Sunday it was with New England's drudging of the Titan's, who looked like they did not want to play in the snow, but only wanted to run to the heaters on their sideline. New England shouldn't have any problems with Tampa Bay this Sunday. Could it be another record day for Brady and company? Indianapolis will handle the Rams easily. Cincinnati's winning ways came to an end and this week Chicago will edge them out. Carolina should win at home against Buffalo. Minnesota and Pittsburgh will be the game to watch. A good match up and hard to say who will dominate. It will be an offensive battle with the Vikings winning it. New Orleans has been on fire with Brees. Miami just might surprise the Saints at home. The Eagles and the Redskins, it all depends on who commits the least turnovers. Cleveland and Greenbay, are there any doubts about the outcome? The rest of the games are a crap shoot and anything can happen judging by previous weeks.

SUN, OCT 25
1:00 PM ET
Green Bay 34 at Cleveland 21 Tickets W
1:00 PM ET
San Diego 28 at Kansas City 15 Tickets W
1:00 PM ET
Indianapolis 35 at St. Louis 14 Tickets W
1:00 PM ET
Minnesota 27 at Pittsburgh 24 Tickets L
1:00 PM ET
New England 42 at Tampa Bay 18 Tickets W
1:00 PM ET
San Francisco 27 at Houston 21 Tickets W
4:05 PM ET
Buffalo 17 at Carolina 24 Tickets L
4:05 PM ET
NY Jets 30 at Oakland 21 Tickets W
4:15 PM ET
Atlanta 24 at Dallas 23 Tickets L
4:15 PM ET
Chicago 27 at Cincinnati 24 Tickets L
4:15 PM ET
New Orleans 20 at Miami 24 Tickets L
8:20 PM ET
Arizona 21 at NY Giants 27 Tickets L
MON, OCT 26
8:30 PM ET
Philadelphia 24 at Washington 18 Tickets W

Browns Lose Again-Joshua Cribbs Performs

Week after week I say the same thing. Joshua Cribbs is the Browns top offensive producer and Mangini needs to be more creative in using Cribbs. Yesterday game’s was another example of what Cribbs is bringing to the team.

Joshua Cribbs had a total of 158 yards in kick and punt returns capped off with a return of 98 yards for a touchdown. Added to that was 45 yards of rushing and two pass attempts in which one was picked off. All well, nobody’s perfect. Mangini appears to be using Cribbs in different ways and Cribbs has certainly found his niche in an otherwise weak offensive attack. One player can only do so much.

Derek Anderson again ended the game with a rating of 51. He was 9 for 24 totaling 122 yards. Anderson also fumbled twice and threw an inerception. Jamal Lewis only had 21 yards on 11 carries. Massaquoi had a decent game with 83 yards on 5 receptions. The offense produced a total of 7 points, Cribbs produced the other 7 points. That’s all she wrote.

The Browns play the Packers this Sunday in Cleveland. What can the fans expect? Let's hope the Brown's coaching staff can come up with a game plan to win and hopefully the players will execute. Maybe it will snow and the Browns can do what the Patriots did to the Titans. One thing is for sure, all eyes will be on Joshua Cribbs. Go Josh.

Week 6 NFL Picks

Week 5 I was 10-4. Just can't seem to get passed losing 4. This week I am determined to break that pattern. Week 6 I am going with all home victories except two, Minnesota and Oakland I am picking to lose. Minnesota has been flying high with Favre at the helm. Baltimore is going to edge them out in a tuff battle. The Ravens are going to throw everything at Favre to take him out of rythm. Philadelphia should be able to handle Oakland easily. New England does not lose two in a row, especially at home. If Detroit plays the way they played against the Steelers, Green Bay may find themselves on the short end. Cincinnati is slipping by on close games and if they are not careful could lose to Houston. The Giants at the Saints, the Broncos at the Chargers, will be good matchups. This week I am choosing the Steelers over the Browns. I have to be realistic on this one. See you on Sunday.

SUN, OCT 18
1:00 PM ET
Houston 17 at Cincinnati 20 L
1:00 PM ET
Detroit 15 at Green Bay 24 W
1:00 PM ET
Baltimore 27 at Minnesota 25 L
1:00 PM ET
NY Giants 24 at New Orleans 30 W
1:00 PM ET
Cleveland 17 at Pittsburgh 24 W
1:00 PM ET
Carolina 20 at Tampa Bay 21 L
1:00 PM ET
Kansas City 14 at Washington 18 L
1:00 PM ET
St. Louis 17 at Jacksonville 28 W
4:05 PM ET
Arizona 28 at Seattle 31 L
4:05 PM ET
Philadelphia 34 at Oakland 13 L
4:15 PM ET
Tennessee 14 at New England 28 W
4:15 PM ET
Buffalo 17 at NY Jets 27 L
8:20 PM ET
Chicago 24 at Atlanta 28 W
MON, OCT 19
8:30 ET
Denver 24 at San Diego 30 L

Browns and Bills Mesmerize the Spectators

How is it possible for a team to win a game when its quarterback ends up with a 15.1 rating and 2 for 17 with a total of 23 yards? The amazing Browns pulled off the impossible with a mind boggling 6-3 victory over the Bills who need to hang their heads in shame for losing. Trent Edwards was 16 for 31 and 152 yards supported by a 145 yard ground game.

Cundiff basically won the game with the help of Jamal Lewis and Joshua Cribbs. I have asked this before and I am asking it again, why isn't Mangigi using Joshua Cribbs more strategically in the running game and more in the WR position? Week after week he produces more offense than anyone on the team.

Let's see, out of 59 minutes and 37 seconds both offenses could only produce 6 points. Electrifying! I am glad I wasn't at this game. Or maybe I am looking at it the wrong way. Maybe the defenses were so dominating the offenses couldn't get off their butts or the bench. Kudos to the defensive coordinators, razeberries to the offensive coordinators. Or maybe, and this is only speculation, both teams were partying the night before and were just too tired for this one.

The Browns came off a good effort the week before against the first place Bengals, even though they fell short in overtime. Things were looking a little brighter in Brown's country. Then yesterday's game, a win is a win. My brother-in-law sent me a text after the game which read, "Yeah! Woo-hoo." You need to read between the lines.

This week they are facing the Steelers. I wonder what their game plan is going to be? Is it possible for a game to end 0-0? Oops, I forgot, the Browns are playing the Steelers who almost got beat by the Detroit Lions. Anything that can happen does happen.

Week Five NFL Picks

Week 4 I was 10-4. Still room for improvement. Picking the Browns every week doesn't seem to be working. The Browns made it a game against the Bengals, but fell short in overtime. I am still going to pick the Browns this week over Buffalo. Would like to see more of Joshua Cribbs. Minnesota Vikings, NY Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Indianapolis Colts should be easy victories. Dallas is very iffy every week and against the Chiefs who knows, but I am taking the Cowboys. Jacksonville exploded this past Sunday and should beat Seattle this week. The Dolphins and the Jets will be a good Monday Night Football contest with Miami on top at the end. Looking forward to Sunday's kickoff.

Sunday Oct 11, 2009

1:00 PM EST
Cleveland 24 at Buffalo 21 W
1:00 PM EST

Dallas 21 at Kansas City 14 W
1:00 PM EST
Minnesota 24 at St. Louis 10 W
1:00 PM EST
Oakland 16 at NY Giants 30 W
1:00 PM EST
Tampa Bay 15 at Philadelphia 20 W
1:00 PM EST
Pittsburgh 27 at Detroit 18 W
1:00 PM EST
Washington 17 at Carolina 21 W
1:00 PM EST
Cincinnati 20 at Baltimore 24 L
4:05 PM EST
Atlanta 28 at San Francisco 18 W
4:15 PM EST
Jacksonville 24 at Seattle 10 L
4:15 PM EST
Houston 20 at Arizona 18 L
4:15 PM EST
New England 30 at Denver 20 L
8:20 PM EST
Indianapolis 34 at Tennessee 12 W
MON, OCT 12, 2009

8:30 PM EST
NY Jets 21 at Miami 24 W

Week 4 NFL Picks

Week 3 I was 12-4, much better than the previous week. Let's see if I can improve on that this week. Detroit won their first game, but this week will not be a repeat. Cleveland will get their first win, hopeful thinking. Indianapolis will continue its winning ways along with the Giants, who are hot, Saints, and Cowboys. New England will face a rough go with Baltimore, but will come out on top at home. Washington and Tennessee will narrowly escape their contests. The big game will be the Chargers and Steelers in Pittsburgh. It will be a highly contested and physical game. San Diego's running attack will make the difference. Monday Night Football will be a highly anticipated game between rivals Green Bay and Minnesota, Minnesota the winner. Let the games begin.

SUNDAY, OCT 4

1:00 PM ET
Detroit 18 at Chicago 27 W
1:00 PM ET
Cincinnati 20 at Cleveland 23 L
1:00 PM ET
Seattle 14 at Indianapolis 30 W
1:00 PM ET
NY Giants 24 at Kansas City 10 W
1:00 PM ET
Baltimore 21 at New England 28 W
1:00 PM ET
Tampa Bay 15 at Washington 20 W
1:00 PM ET
Tennessee 18 at Jacksonville 14 L
1:00 PM ET
Oakland 12 at Houston 27 W
4:05 PM ET
NY Jets 18 at New Orleans 34 W
4:05 PM ET
Buffalo 23 at Miami 27 W
4:15 PM ET
St. Louis 14 at San Francisco 18 W
4:15 PM
Dallas 28 at Denver 24 L
8:20 PM ET
San Diego 27 at Pittsburgh 24 L
8:20 PM
MON, OCT 5

8:30 (ET)
Green Bay 21 at Minnesota 30 W