NFL Week 12 Calls

Hey friends... Here are my Week 12 Picks... Thanksgiving Edition... on the 11-Year Anniversary of the "I Called Tails, No You Didn't" controversy, starring Jerome Bettis and Phil Lockett...

Thanksgiving Day Games:

Packers @ Lions: Green Bay started strong against the Niners last week but then almost gave up the lead at the end. The Lions won a crazy game where rookie QB Matthew Stafford threw a game-winning TD pass on an un-timed down at the wire. Stafford is now hurt with a busted left shoulder and I think the QB Dante Culpepper will fill in somewhat-nicely. The Pack lost two key players to injury but I look for QB Aaron Rodgers and RB Ryan Grant to pull through in the Turkey Day opener. 31-20 GB

Raiders @ Cowboys: This game should be so interesting by halftime that I will go outside and throw the football and forget to come back inside for the 2nd half. I know Dallas has been struggling to score points and the Raiders got a early Christmas gift from the Bengals, but I still think the Boys will roll on Thursday. QB Tony Romo and WR "A Marathon Equals 26.2" Miles Austin should light up the scoreboard as the Cowboys will feast on the Raiders. 34-16 DAL

Giants @ Broncos: The Broncos got smoked by the BOLTS on Sunday and now have to come back on a short week with questions at QB and face the New York Gigantes. I think QB Eli Manning should have a solid night and RB's Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw should find the same running lanes CHARGER tailbacks enjoyed on Sunday. If Denver doesn't start winning soon, Broncos fans will let the team know it and I may have to start calling their signal caller Kyle Orton "Hears a Boo". I think the slide continues for Denver as the G-Men stand tall at Mile High. 27-16 NYG

Sunday Games:

Buccaneers @ Falcons: Atlanta RB Jason Snelling got a taste of a starting lineup on Sunday and liked it. He rushed for 76 yards and 2 TDs but the Falcons still lost in overtime. I look for Atlanta to bounce back this week on the back of Snelling and the arm of QB Matt Ryan. The Bucs lose again and the Falcons stay alive in the NFC wildcard race. 27-17 ATL

Dolphins @ Bills: In this AFC East match up, I look for more big things from WR Terrell Owens who is facing two rookie corners from Miami. RB Ricky Williams came up huge for the Dolphins on Thursday night and killed me in my fantasy league. I look for him to continue his resurgence and score a few more times this week. I think he's the difference as the Dolphins improve to 6-5. 24-16 MIA

Browns @ Bengals: Cleveland lost a heart breaker to Detroit last week in the "Brutal Bowl" and the Bengals managed to fumble away a victory in Oakland. I look for the Browns to have trouble moving the ball and the Bengals to force a few big turnovers on defense. Cincinnati figures out how to win a game you're supposed to and takes this one at home. 27-13 CIN

Panthers @ Jets: Carolina will need to continue to ride their 2-headed monster at tailback if they want to be effective on offense. New York will need QB Mark Sanchez to stop blowing the game with turnovers if they want to finish with a respectable record this season. I think this could be an interception fest between Sanchez and Jake (Great Name) Delhomme, but the running game of Sweet Carolina... dun dun duh, will be enough to get them the win. 26-20 CAR

Redskins @ Eagles: Philadelphia needs this win to try to keep pace with Dallas in the NFC East. The Skins need this win so their coach doesn't get fired. I think QB Donovan McNabb will have a big passing day and WR Jeremy Maclin and TE Brent Celek will be his main targets. Look for a lot of double coverage on WR DeSean Jackson which will limit his touches. Washington needs QB Jason Campbell to protect the ball and make some magic happen if the Redskins want to win this one on the road. Campbell has the hat but can't find the rabbit. The Eagles fly high again. 26-24 PHI

Colts @ Texans: Indianapolis comes in unblemished looking to improve to 11-0. I think this is the week they fall. You may be saying to yourself, "I thought you said last week was the week they were going to fall?" I did, and if Ravens QB Joe Flacco hadn't thrown an awful 4th quarter interception they would have. I think WR Andre Johnson and RB Steve Slaton will expose a thus far over-performing defense for the Colts. You all know my feelings on QB Matt Schaub, so I will save you the trouble. QB Peyton Manning will play well as usual, but the Colts will lose a close one late. 27-24 HOU

Seahawks @ Rams: The NFC West is probably the worst division in Ron Jaworski's "National Football League". St. Louis is pretty awful and Seattle is not too much better. Look for RB Steven Jackson to have a huge day and diminutive but solid WR/KR Danny Amendola to get a few more looks at wideout. In a Jake's Take first I am picking the Rams to win a game. 24-16 STL

Chiefs @ CHARGERS: The BOLTS dominated the Donkeys last Sunday and look to win their 6th straight. I think RB's LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles will find a lot of running room and the endzone. QB Philip Rivers should continue his solid play and find his enormous targets at wide receiver (i.e. Vincent Jackson, Malcom "the X Factor" Floyd and Legedu "I Only Need 3 Different Letters in my Last Name" Naanee). On defense, SAN DIEGO has been as fierce as Macy's on Black Friday morning. LB Kevin Burnett had his best game of the year and S Stephen Gregory may of had the best of his career. Look for the OLB Shawne Merriman and Co. to turn the lights out on Kansas City at the Q. Daygo goes to 8-3. 34-17 SD

Jaguars @ 49ers: Another one of the hottest teams in the league is Jacksonville. The Jags have won 3 straight and 6 of their last 8. I think they will be able to run the ball against the San Francisco defense with RB Maurice Jones-Drew. WR Mike Sims-Walker "Texas Ranger" may not have Chuck Norris' devastating roundhouse kick, but he can catch the football and make big plays. I think the Jaguars stay on the prowl as the 49ers keep mining for answers. 27-20 JAX

Cardinals @ Titans: Arizona will need QB Kurt Warner to be fully healthy if they want to win this one on the road. Tennessee has be decimated by injuries in the secondary and if Warner is healthy, he should have no trouble finding his talented crew of pass catchers. I think Warner will play, and play well but the defense of Arizona will let them down. QB Vince Young will create some big plays and RB Chris Johnson will do what he seems to do week in and week out... and that's gain huge amounts of yards. The redbirds defense lets them down in their first road loss of 2009. 30-24 TEN

Bears @ Vikings: The Bears are who we thought they were... a mediocre team at best. QB Jay Cutler has been terrible and the running game hasn't provided much help either. The Vikings on the other hand have the best running back in the game and a quarterback who feels comfortable in his Wranglers... and Viking purple. I look for Favre, WR's Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin and that dude in the backfield... I think his name is Adrian Something?? to have another big game and get another big win. Vikes win. 34-20 MIN

SNF: Steelers @ Ravens: A huge match up for a wild card spot or perhaps a AFC North title on prime time. Pittsburgh will need QB Ben Roethlisberger to be cleared and clear-headed when they face the attacking defense of the Ravens. Baltimore will need QB Joe Flacco to avoid costly turnovers and make some big plays against a Troy Polamalu-less defense. RB Ray Rice should be limited in the running game but I think he will be a big factor in the passing attack. I think Steelers will lose, but in a close one. Ravens get back in the hunt. 26-20 BAL

MNF: Patriots @ Saints: The Game of the Week pits the undefeated Saints against the always dangerous New England Patriots. It is incredibly hard to go into the Superdome and come out with a victory, especially on Monday Night. I look for both QB's to play well as usual. New Orleans needs the running game to get going early so the Patriots can't pin their ears back and attack QB Drew Brees. Look for Pats WR's Randy Moss and Wes Welker to continue their torrid pace and each catch a TD. New England had one undefeated team on the ropes 2 weeks ago and couldn't deliver the knock out punch, but I think they get it done this time around. The almighty Saints fall for the first time. 31-27 NE

Jake's Power Rankings through Week 11

1. New Orleans Saints

2. Indianapolis Colts

3. Minnesota Vikings

4. New England Patriots

5. Cincinnati Bengals

6. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

7. Dallas Cowboys

8. Arizona Cardinals

9. Pittsburgh Steelers

10. Philadelphia Eagles

Jake's Bottom of the Barrel Rankings

28. Seattle Seahawks

29. Detroit Lions

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

31. St. Louis Rams

32. Cleveland Browns

That's it for Week 12...

--- J

comments? corrections? am I stupid? let me know...

NFL Week 11 Calls

Here are my Week 11 picks... it's going to be a quick one because this thing called school has got me busy...

TNF: Dolphins @ Panthers: Miami without RB Ronnie Brown (injured foot- out for the season) should struggle on offense. If the 2 RB's for Carolina are healthy and can play they should have a big day. Panthers win the 2nd Thirsty Thursday Bowl of the season. 27-16 CAR

Redskins @ Cowboys: Washington helped out CHARGER fans big time last week by beating the Broncos. I don't think they can hang offensively with Dallas in this one and will probably get blown out. The Cowboys O will rebound from last week's poor performance. 34-17 DAL

Browns @ Lions: WHO CARES? The Browns are terrible, as seen on Monday Night, and the Lions aren't much better... but I do think they are better and will win this week. WR Calvin Johnson should have a big day for Detroit. 27-16 DET

49ers @ Packers: Both squads are coming of big wins, but I think the Packers have more talent offensively than do the Niners. QB Aaron Rodgers should have a big day and QB Alex Smith should struggle once again for San Fran. 27-17 GB

Steelers @ Chiefs: Pittsburgh's best player S Troy Polamalu is out and this will at some point affect the Steelers negatively, just not this week. They will still handle business against a bad Chiefs team in Arrowhead. Steelers cruise. 31-17 PIT

Falcons @ Giants: New York has lost 4 straight and is coming off a bye. If they aren't fired up and prepared for this game then I don't know what to say. Atlanta RB Michael Turner is hurt and if he doesn't play the Falcons have no chance. 27-16 NYG

Saints @ Buccaneers: New Orleans struggled against the Rams last week but are still undefeated. Tampa Bay lost a heart breaker to Miami last week and is looking better. I think QB Drew Brees has a solid day and RB's Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell, and my fellow Silver Pigskin Award Winner Reggie Bush will have no trouble finding room to run. Saints go to 10-0. 37-24 NO

Bills @ Jaguars: Buffalo just fired coach Dick Jauron and all I have to say is good luck to his replacement. This team is just not very good. As for Jacksonville, they came back late against the Jets and have been playing a little better as of late. RB "Some people call me" Maurice Jones-Drew is the man and he is the difference in this game. Jaguars win their 3rd straight. 24-16 JAX

Colts @ Ravens: Indianapolis was the beneficiary of yet another cocky move by "Sleveless" Bill Belichick and won in the waning seconds on Sunday Night. The Ravens had a bye as they got to play Cleveland on Monday Night. QB Peyton Manning should have another solid day and so will RB Ray Rice for Baltimore. I think the Colts finally get upset and the Ravens go to 6-4. 27-24 BAL

Seahawks @ Vikings: Seattle does not have the fire power on offense to keep up with Minnesota, not to mention the Vikings have a much better defense. Look for more of the same from QB Brett Favre and RB Adrian "All Day" Peterson as the Vikes roll. 31-17 MIN

Cardinals @ Rams: Arizona seems to finally be putting it all together and with all their speed at wide receiver, they will be tough to cover on the turf in the Lou. Rams RB Steven Jackson is the only bright spot for an otherwise boring team to watch. Jackson's one-man show is not enough to beat a full deck of Cards. 34-20 ARZ

Jets @ Patriots: The Jets beat the Patriots earlier this year but it seems like the rookie woes of QB Mark Sanchez have hit and hit hard. I think Brady and Co. will be able to get 2 yards when they need it, and actually about 450 more throughout the day. The should have a big game on offense and attack Sanchez on defense. New England doesn't give this one away. 37-13 NE

Bengals @ Raiders: The Bengals had one of the toughest tests in football last week and passed, by beating the Steelers in Pittsburgh. This week, they face an even tougher task... playing the Raiders in Jokeland. I think they should manage and handle a struggling Oakland team with no identity. Bengals move to 8-2. 24-13 CIN

CHARGERS @ Broncos: Huge game for both squads. It's a tale of 2 teams who seem to be going in opposite directions. I think without QB Kyle "Either" Orton (who I don't think is that great to begin with) Denver has a real slim chance to win this game. QB Chris Simms was 3-13 last in relief of Orton and he will be facing a fired up CHARGER D. I think BOLTS QB Philip Rivers should have a good day and WR Vincent Jackson will have more than the 1 catch he did last week. RB LaDainian Tomlin "soon to have a" son (or daughter) should have another decent day if the O-line continues to improve. I think the universe is righted as the BOLTS once again regain their throne atop the AFC West. 27-16 SD

SNF: Eagles @ Bears: Philly got dominated by the CHARGERS last week but did make it interesting at the end. QB Jay Cutler threw 5 picks and handed (or threw) the game to the Niners last Thursday. I think the Eagles will continue to rely on the passing game to move the ball, especially now with RB Brian Westbrook out with his 2nd concussion. As for Chicago, RB Matt Forte needs to get going or else Cutler will continue to force balls into tight coverage and then proceed to stand on the sidelines with a pathetic/confused look on his face. I think the Eagles should bounce back and win this one as the Bears continue to struggle. 27-26 PHI

MNF: Titans @ Texans: Quick uniform prediction: The Texans wear all blue (maybe all red) uniforms for this game. QB Matt Schaub should show the nation what I have been saying all along... that he is a top-tier NFL QB. WR Andre Johnson should have a huge day against a injury-riddled Tennessee secondary. On offense for the Titans, all QB Vince Young needs to do is get the snap, turn around and hand it to #21 Chris Johnson, the leagues leading rusher. He is tough to stop and he should have an enormous day. I think this game will be a shoot out but the Titans will run out of ammo late. Houston wins in a rare Monday Night appearance. 38-31 HOU

Jake's Power Rankings through Week 10

1. New Orleans Saints

2. Indianapolis Colts

3. Minnesota Vikings

4. Cincinnati Bengals

5. New England Patriots

6. Pittsburgh Steelers

7. Dallas Cowboys

8. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

9. Arizona Cardinals

10. Philadelphia Eagles

Jake's Bottom of the Barrel Rankings

28. Detroit Lions

29. Oakland Raiders

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

31. St. Louis Rams

32. Cleveland Browns

That's it for Week 11...

--- J

NFL Week 10 Calls

How can it be Week 10 of the NFL season already?... Unbelievable. So far a pretty entertaining first half of the NFL season. Should be an even better second half.

Here are my picks for Week 10...

TNF: Bears @ 49ers: In the first Thursday night game of the season, the struggling Bears go to San Francisco to face the struggling Niners. San Fran head coach Mike Singletary will get to coach against his former franchise in a game that both teams need desperately. I look for Chicago to try to get the running game going early with RB Matt Forte and then let QB Jay Cutler air it out to WR Devin Hester as the game progresses. As for the 49ers, QB Alex Smith cannot turn the ball over 5 times like he did last week. I think RB Frank Gore should have a good one but in a losing effort. Bears coach Lovie "Dovie" Smith should have his squad focused after an embarrassing loss last week. Da Bears win the 1st NFL Network Thirsty Thursday Bowl of the season. 27-24 CHI

Broncos @ Redskins: Denver has looked like the Broncos team everyone expected in the past couple weeks. They were held to just 59 yards in the 2nd half against Pittsburgh on Monday night. I wish I could say that I think they will lose their 3rd straight contest, but the way Washington has been playing this season does not give me much hope. Redskins RB Clinton Portis is "very questionable" with a concussion and even with him the offense has failed to score more than 17 points in a game so far this season. "Game manager" Kyle "Worst Facial Hair in the NFL" Orton has woken up from his early season coma and has played like the average QB he is. Having said this, Washington has been so bad this year I think Denver gets this win on the road. I hope I'm wrong on this one but I think the Broncos get win #7. 26-16 DEN

Falcons @ Panthers: The birds from Atlanta seem to have remembered that RB Michael "The Burner" Turner is a good player and therefore have began giving him the ball more. The defense of Atlanta has been as vicious as the Real Housewives of Atlanta. As for Carolina, they gave the Saints somewhat of a challenge last week but still lost. They sit at 3-5 but the good news is that RB DeAngelo Williams has returned to his 2008 form, rushing for 307 yards in the last 2 weeks. I think QB Matt Ryan will have little trouble finding WR Roddy White and TE Tony "Not So Speedy" Gonzalez and oh yeah... turn around and give the rock to Turner. The Falcons go into Carolina and beat the Panthers. 34-27 ATL

Saints @ Rams: This one may be a barn-burner. Not. The Rams are really bad. The Saints are obviously really good. QB Drew Brees and the Saints offense should put up mammoth numbers against a poor Rams defense. Rams RB Steven Jackson has been playing better of late but I think he should have some trouble against a New Orleans defense that should have no reason to fear the Rams putrid passing attack. Look for RB Pierre Thomas to score for the Saints and for another big day by former Boilermaker and CHARGER Drew Brees. The Saints "brees" by St. Louis and remain unbeaten. 41-10 NO

Buccaneers @ Dolphins: Tampa Bay busted out their old school Creamsicle orange unis last weekend and won their first game of the year. Will Smith's favorite city... Miami, the city that keeps the roof blazin', put up a valiant, but losing effort to the Patriots. I look for Miami to get back on track this week and run all over the Bucs. I really just don't think the Bucs are good enough to win 2 straight games. Rookie QB Josh Freeman played well last week which means in typical rookie fashion he will struggle this week. RBs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams should have a big day and lead the Dolphins to victory. 27-13 MIA

Lions @ Vikings: This game should be a beat down. RB Adrian Peterson may run for 200 yards in this one. Detroit is just not very good and Minnesota is one of the top teams, as Ron Jaworski would say, in the National Football League. QB Brett Favre has a sore groin but that shouldn't stop the much better Vikings from beating the cowardly Lions at home. Keep an eye on WR/KR Percy Harvin, the former Florida Gator may be an early candidate for Rookie of the Year. 38-16 MIN

Jaguars @ Jets: Jacksonville squeaked by Kansas City last week while New York was at home watching on their bye week. The Jets are a .500 team at 4-4 and can ill-afford to lose any more ground to New England. WR Braylon Edwards should have a big day against a struggling Jaguars secondary. QB Mark "Aquaman" Sanchez should have an average day but shouldn't make any glaring mistakes either. RB Maurice Jones-Drew is an underrated player and look for him to have yet another 100+ yard day. I think a few good frames by bowling ball MJD will be the difference as loud New York fans everywhere are yelling to fire coach Rex Ryan and calling Sanchez a bum. Jaguars take one at the Meadowlands. 27-24 JAX

Bengals @ Steelers: In perhaps the most important divisional game of the week, save KC at Oakland of course, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati face off for the lead in the AFC North. The Bengals won round 1 of this fight by beating the Steelers in Cincy. I think Pittsburgh regains supremacy in the North by sticking to what they do best, defense. With S Troy Polumalu back and healthy, the Steeler defense seems to be clicking. On Monday night the Steel Curtain looked to be in total effect. RB Rashard Mendenhall has been running with a purpose and look for him to have a good day. QB Carson Palmer has played really well this season after returning from injury but the loss of WR Chris Henry for the year will mean WR Andre Caldwell will need to step up big time. Palmer will struggle a bit and WR Chad 8-5 lets him know about it. The Bengals are better this year but still aren't quite there yet. Steelers take the lead in the AFC North. 27-20 PIT

Bills @ Titans: Buffalo has been pretty bad this season and Tennessee has just figured out that the season started 9 weeks ago. The Titans have played much better in the past 2 weeks and I look for that to continue this Sunday. QB Vince Young is 2-0 as the starter this season and RB Chris Johnson has rushed for a league leading 959 yards halfway through the year. I see Johnson having another huge week rushing and Young playing well enough to get the Titans their 3rd straight win. WR Terrell Owens has been invisible in Buffalo and the countdown is officially on for him to blow up and call out his QB. On the field, the Titans stay hot and win at home. 27-16 TEN

Chiefs @ Raiders: This is by far the GAME OF THE WEEK. Oops... I meant GAME OF THE WEAK. The Chiefs cut RB Larry Johnson and he was such a hot commodity that no one claimed him off waivers. With or without Johnson this game will still be awful. This should be a terrible display and I don't even want to waste too much of my or my readers time breaking it down. So here's the Cliff Notes version:

Ch. 1- QB JaMarcus Russell struggles, blames teammates.

Ch. 2- Chiefs can't run the ball.

Ch. 3- Raiders get one lucky big play and kick a field goal.

Ch. 4- QB Matt Cassel hits WR Chris Chambers for a TD.

Ch. 5- Both teams punt the ball back and forth a lot.

Ch. 6- The game ends and still, no one cares.

The Chiefs win this one in an instant classic. 16-10 KC

Cowboys @ Packers: This is a game that Green Bay needs desperately. The Packers managed to lose to Tampa Bay last week and now they get to face a pretty hot Dallas team. QB Aaron Rodgers has been getting killed week in and week out behind a bad offensive line. QB Tony Romo outplayed Donovan McNabb on prime time last Sunday. I look for more of the same from both teams. Rodgers will play well but sacks will kill the offensive momentum. Romo will continue to play well since it is November and he doesn't start to choke until after Thanksgiving. The Cowboys D will harass A-Rod all day and force a few key turnovers. The Boys will beat the Pack and you can place the blame directly on the Green Bay offensive line. 31-24 DAL

Eagles @ CHARGERS: The Qualiseum will be rocking on Sunday as the Eagles fly into Mission Valley. The Bolts will need to continue to pressure the QB like they have been for the past 3 weeks (15 sacks in 3 games). On offense, SAN DIEGO will have to protect QB Philip Rivers (who outplayed Eli Manning last week by the way). Philadelphia has an aggressive, attacking defense that loves to blitz from all possible angles. The CHARGERS secondary needs to keep a close eye not only on WRs DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, but also on TE Brent Celek. Celek should have a big game because the Bolts routinely cover TEs poorly. WR Vincent Jackson has been amazing thus far this season and you can bet that All-Pro CB Asante Samuel will be all over him, if he's healthy. Look for a TD pass from LT and big day for TE Antonio Gates. I think the Eagles defense will not be able to act like a dam and stop the Rivers. The Bolts go to 6-3 as they continue their momentum. 27-24 SD

Seahawks @ Cardinals: Well Arizona is at home so that means they will probably lose. That's right, the Cardinals are 4-0 on the road this season and a mere 1-3 back at their own nest in Glendale. Seattle beat the Lions last week but have not been very impressive overall. I think QB Kurt Warner and Co. will have good numbers and put up at least 30 points. WRs Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston and not late but Early Doucet had a great game last week and I think it will continue this Sunday. Seahawks QB Matt Hasslebeck may need a few more EAS protein shakes to lead his squad to a win on the road. I don't think Seattle has the personnel to match up with Arizona. The Cards get back to their winning ways at home. 34-24 ARZ

SNF: Patriots @ Colts: Great match up. Tom Brady and the good Manning, Peyton, should put on a clinic on professional quarterback play. New England is 6-2 and leads the AFC East by 2 games. Indianapolis is 8-0 and is running away with the AFC South. I look for Brady to continue to find WRs Randall Moss and Wes Welker (former CHARGER) as well as TE Ben Watson. As for the Colts, Manning will spread the ball to WRs Reggie Wayne and Austin Collie and TE Dallas Clark as usual. I look for RB Joseph Addai to be the difference maker on offense for Indy but I think the Colts fall for the first time this season. They have been playing teams real close the past few weeks and I think it will catch up with them this week. I think Tom Brady and the Patriots offense will emerge victorious in a very entertaining game. 38-31 NE

MNF: Ravens @ Browns: First off, why the hell is Cleveland on Monday Night Football? They are so bad and their offense is painful to watch. Anyway, Baltimore lost to Cincinnati last week after looking unstoppable against Denver in Week 8. I think the Ravens will destroy Cleveland in this one. The Baltimore defense should pressure QB Brady Quinn all day long and make him wish that coach Eric Mangini left him on the bench. RB Ray Rice should have a huge night for Baltimore and so should QB Joe Flacco. I can see this one getting really ugly really quick. The Ravens and all their rowdy friends will roll on Monday Night. 34-6 BAL

Jake's Power Rankings through Week 9

1. New Orleans Saints

2. Indianapolis Colts

3. Minnesota Vikings

4. New England Patriots

5. Cincinnati Bengals

6. Pittsburgh Steelers

7. Dallas Cowboys

8. Denver Broncos

9. Philadelphia Eagles

10. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Jake's Bottom of the Barrel Rankings

28. Detroit Lions

29. Kansas City Chiefs

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

31. St. Louis Rams

32. Cleveland Browns

That's it for Week 10...

... In the words of Cleveland Browns QB and EAS spokesman Brady Quinn, "Now I'm done."

---J

3 and Out: What I Learned: Week 9

Here are 3 things I learned after watching Week 9 of the NFL season...


1. The Bengals may be for real. Cincinnati handled the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, sweeping the season series. Cincy's D held Ravens QB Joe Flacco to under 200 yards passing and RB Ray Rice to under 50 yards rushing. Carson Palmer and the Bengals offense put up 150 more total yards than their opponents. The Bengals now are tied for the lead in the AFC North with Pittsburgh but have an edge after already beating the Steelers earlier this year.

2. I was wrong about the CHARGERS. I know, I know. I cannot possibly be a real Bolts fan if I predicted them to lose to the Giants last week. Well, I was flat out wrong.... and I am very happy about it. SAN DIEGO still couldn't run the ball, but the $92 million right arm of Philip Rivers was enough to lead a late comeback, the 11th of his career. The defense continued its resurgent play as the defense collected 5 more sacks. The AFC West race got much closer in just 2 weeks. With the Bolts winning their last 3 games and the Broncos coming back to earth and losing 2 straight, Denver's division lead is now at only 1 game with 8 left to play.

3. Houston is close to becoming a threat in the AFC. The Texans and Colts put up almost identical offensive numbers on Sunday:

Total Yards: IND=378 HOU=382
Passing Yards: Manning= 318 Schaub=311
Rushing Yards: IND= 72 HOU=81

True, the Colts had better numbers in the only stat that mattered... points, but still the Texans are an improving team. If not for a last second 42-yard field goal choke by kicker Kris Brown, the Texans may have been just a coin toss away from being 6-3 and handing the Colts their first lost of the season. Houston has a strong offense and a much better defense than in years past. Keep an eye out for the "other" team from Texas.

Wishful Uni of the Week: For some reason the CHARGERS don't realize that if you have a white jersey and you have white pants, that you can wear them at the same time. Same thing with the dark blue jersey and pants. The Bolts have never busted these unis out yet, but if they do they will be tough to beat... Come on, tell me these don't look good...














That's my 3 and out for this week...


comments? corrections? am I just an idiot? Let me know...

--J

NFL Week 9 Calls

Here are my week 9 calls... lights out edition.

Redskins @ Falcons: The Redskins organization is in disarray as they just fired their GM. Hotlanta just lost on Monday Night after putting up a pretty solid effort against the Saints. Michael Turner seemed to get going last week and I look for him to stay hot. TE Tony Gonzalez and WR Roddy White should have a pretty good game against an overall struggling Washington team. I think the Falcons win this one pretty easily. 27-16 ATL

Cardinals @ Bears: Arizona looked awful at home last week against the Panthers. The Bears handled a terrible Browns team. Last time these two teams met.... this happened... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_N1OjGhIFc Classic. Anyway I look for the Cards to bounce back since they have been playing much better on the road this season. It should be a tight game but I think Arizona actually

pulls this one off and beats Da Bears. Look for WR Larry Fitzgerald to have a huge game. 31-24 ARZ

Ravens@ Bengals: Thankfully last week Baltimore handed the Broncos their first loss of the season (as predicted on Jake's Take). The Bengals have come back to earth a little bit in the past few weeks and I look for them to struggle against a fired up Raven defense. Joe Flacco needs to protect the ball for the Ravens and find RB Ray Rice as often as possible, because he is a stud. Carson Palmer better make sure he knows where safety Ed Reed is at all times or he could throw a pick-six or 2. Chad Eight-Five should have a decent day for the Bungles. But, in the end I think the Ravens are too much for Cincinnati, even at home. 34-24 BAL

Texans @ Colts: Houston benched their starting running back Steve Slaton last week only to have their backup Ryan Moats rush for 3 TDs. The Colts got more TD passes from RB Joseph Addai (1) than QB Peyton Manning (0) but they still won. Indy just has an all-around solid team and they are very tough to beat at home. I look for Peyton to light it up this week mainly because I play against him in two different fantasy football leagues and that always happens. Matt Schaub should play pretty well but will get upstaged by the huge day by Manning. The Colts remain undefeated. 34-26 IND

Dolphins @ Patriots: Miami beat the Jets last week despite being out gained on offense by over 200 yards... How did this happen? WR/KR Ted Ginn Jr. returned not 1, but 2 kickoffs for TDs which basically carried the Dolphins. The Patriots spent last week preparing for the Dolphins this week and that is not good news for Miami. Tom Brady should explode this week and I look for him to find WR's Randy Moss and Wes Welker early and often considering that Miami starts two rookies at the corner spots. The Pats take care of the Dolphins at home. 35-20 NE

Packers @ Buccaneers: Last week, Green Bay basically had an ex-girlfriend come over to their house with a new and better boyfriend and could do nothing to stop it. Brett Favre came in and shredded the GB defense with a much better Vikings team. Aaron Rodgers played really well himself, but its tough completing passes when you are getting smoked on every single play. Either way I look for the Pack to come back this week against a poor Tampa Bay squad. The Bucs have not won a game this season and I don't see that changing anytime soon. Look for the Packers to struggle early in this one and then erupt with a bunch of points as the game progresses. Green Bay robs the Buccaneers at home. 34-17 GB

Chiefs @ Jaguars: One thing that I know is that Kansas City is not very good. Jacksonville has been hard to predict this year because they play really well one week and look like the worst team in football the next. I see Maurice Jones-Drew having a great game against a pretty bad Chiefs defense. The Chiefs did sign WR Chris Chambers who was cut by SAN DIEGO earlier this week and that should help their passing game, considering their existing receivers aside from Dwayne Bowe are awful. Matt Cassel should have a better game but it will still be in a losing effort. Jaguars win at home. 27-16 JAX

Panthers @ Saints: "Sweet" Carolina looked just that last week, sweet. Even Neil Diamond was impressed as the Panthers dominated the Cardinals on the road. New Orleans handled business on Monday Night to remain undefeated. The Saints are almost impossible to beat at home and the Panthers have the privilege of going into the Superdome this weekend. I look for Panthers running game to have big day against a Saints D that allowed The Burner to run for 150 yards. The Saints defense leads the NFL in interceptions and no QB has thrown more the Carolina's Jake Delhomme. This could be a recipe for disaster for the Panthers. The only thing going right for the Panthers QB this season is is first name. I just think the Saints can attack you from too many angles on offense and even if Drew Brees is on phone sitting on the sidelines, the defense can score at any time as well. New Orleans is just too good for the Panthers. Saints go to 8-0. 37-24 NO

Lions @ Seahawks: The Lions lost to a team I predicted would not win a game this entire season... so that should tell you how well they are playing, or how dumb I am. Seattle got destroyed by Dallas last week but they get to come home Sunday where they are much tougher to beat. Matt Hasslebeck should play well against a bad Detroit defense. WR's Nate Burleson and T.J. Houshmenzadeh or however you spell it should have big numbers in this one. The Lions desperately need WR Calvin Johnson back this week to boost a struggling offense with a rookie QB. I think the Seahawks fly high at home. 27-17 SEA

Titans @ 49ers: Vince Young played pretty well last week in his return to the starting lineup. San Francisco played the Colts really close but could not come through with the win. I think RB Chris Johnson could explode again this week for Tennessee as long as he runs away from All -Pro linebacker Patrick Willis. Alex Smith needs to find TE Vernon Davis and WR Michael Crabtree early to open up things for RB Frank Gore. I think Mike Singletary will get his troops in shape this week and they will beat the Titans in the Bay Area. 27-24 SF

CHARGERS @ Giants: SAN DIEGO outplayed Oakland last weekend but barely held on for the win. It was nice to see that Shawne Merriman remembered how to do his light-out dance. The G-Men have lost three straight and are looking to get back on track. The most intriguing match up in this entire game is between 2 players who will only be on the field at the same time during the coin flip. QB's Philip Rivers and Eli Manning will meet for the first time on the field after the infamous 2004 draft day fiasco. Terrible looking Eli refused to play for the CHARGERS and demanded a trade after the BOLTS drafted him #1 overall. The Giants drafted Philip Rivers with fourth overall pick and then the trade was made. I think both QB's will play well and if the CHARGERS offense line can protect P-Riv he will have a huge day. But that is a big IF. The Giants offense should run the ball pretty well and I can see safeties Eric Weddle and Stephen Gregory getting ran over by RB Brandon Jacobs. In the end I think the Giants pull this one out, ruining a great effort by Philip Rivers and the passing attack. Eli is outplayed by Philip, but wins the Draft-Day-Trade Bowl. 34-28 NYG

SNF: Cowboys @ Eagles: Dallas have been playing well of late which means they will lay an egg this week. Philly has been playing great and they are tough at home. QB Tony Romo should play well after finding a #1 receiver in "I Can See For Miles and..." Miles Austin. WR's DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin have been a great 1-2 threat for the Eagles and when you throw in TE Brent Celek, they are tough to stop offensively. I see more of the big play success for the Philly offense. The Eagle D should get a few key turnovers late that will fuel the win. Eagles win a big one at home. 34-27 PHI

MNF: Steelers @ Broncos: This will be a great game. We will see if Kyle Orton can handle the blitzes and pressure of the Steel Curtain. Pittsburgh is coming off a bye week after handing Minnesota their first loss in Week 7. I think Big Ben will spread the ball to WR's Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Mike Wallace and TE Heath Miller. Denver RB Knowshon Moreno should find running lanes few are far between. I see Pittsburgh going into Mile High and handing the Broncos their 2nd straight loss of the year. The defense carries the Steelers once again. 27-16 PIT

Jake's Power Rankings through Week 8

1. New Orleans Saints

2. Indianapolis Colts

3. Minnesota Vikings

4. Denver Broncos

5. New England Patriots

6. Philadelphia Eagles

7. Cincinnati Bengals

8. Pittsburgh Steelers

9. Baltimore Ravens

10. Dallas Cowboys

Jake's Bottom of the Barrel Rankings

28. Kansas City Chiefs

29. St. Louis Rams

30. Detroit Lions

31. Cleveland Browns

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

That's it for Week 9...

---J