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

NFL Week 8 Calls

Here are my Week 8 Predictions...

Texans @ Bills: Both teams won last week as Houston held on over San Francisco and Buffalo beat the Panthers. I just don't feel like the Bills are a good team. I'm not completely sold on the Texans either but I think Matt Schaub is a top-tier NFL QB. A bruised lung for star wide-out Andre Johnson may slow down the Texans offense but I think they could still put up enough points to get the win on the road. 24-16 HOU

Browns @ Bears: Boy was last week ugly for the these two teams. Da Bears got rolled up by the Bengals and the Browns got stomped by the Packers. Jay "Never Combs His Hair" Cutler has to play better for the Bears to be a factor in the NFC. The Browns are already looking forward to who they will pick with their top 5 draft pick next April. Matt Forte should run well for Chi-town and I think the Bears cruise to a big win at Soldier Boy Tell 'Em Field. 31-13 CHI

Seahawks @ Cowboys: The Boys made me look stupid last week... just the like the giant panda did to field reporter Brian Fantana in Anchorman. Dallas played well in all 3 phases of the game and beat up the Falcons. WR Miles Austin has quickly become a can't miss fantasy player. As for Seattle, they are coming off a bye week and need Matt Hasslebeck to have a big day if they want to win in big D. I don't see it happening though. 27-20 DAL

Rams @ Lions: This will be an awful game. The Rams are so bad. The Lions are not much better. The only real good player you might want to see play in this game is out with an injury (WR Calvin Johnson). I guess someone has to win this game unless they end up in a 6-6 tie. I'll go with the Lions because they are at home and I said that the Rams won't win a game all year. In a real beauty the Lions win. 20-13 DET

Broncos @ Ravens: On the other hand, this should be a really good game. Both teams had a extra week to rest up and prepare for this one. The Broncos look to remain undefeated and the Ravens look to get above .500. I think the Joe Flacco plays well in this one and RB Ray Rice is the difference. The Broncos get bucked for the first time this season. 27-17 BAL

49ers @ Colts: The Niners lost a tough one last week at Houston. The Colts won a nail biter over the Rams 42-6. San Francisco named former #1 pick and Helix High grad Alex Smith the starter after playing well late last week. He may struggle a little more this week against an aggressive Indy D. Throw TDs and promote products... that's what Peyton Manning does. I expect more of the same from the good Manning and the Colts stay undefeated. 31-17 IND

Dolphins @ Jets: The Fins blew a huge first half lead at home against the Saints last week. I look for them to struggle again this week against a pretty good New York defense. The Jets were so worried last week against the Raiders that Mark "Sanchise" Sanchez was eating a hot dog on the bench in the 3rd quarter. Sanchez struggled last time in front of the home crowd so I look for him to try to prove his worth in this divisional game. Thomas Jones should have a good day for the Jets as well. 27-20 NYJ

Giants @ Eagles: This rivalry is always huge. The Giants lost last week to Arizona so they will be chomping at the bit to ruffle the Eagles' feathers. Philly looked great on Monday Night... but they did play the god-awful Redskins. WR DeSean Jackson is probably the best big-play threat in the league and I look for him to have another big play for a TD this week. Elijah Manning is going to have to play better this week if he wants to the G-Men to win. As if Philly wouldn't be crazy enough for this game, the Yankees play the Phillies in Philadelphia in Game 4 of the World Series on Sunday night. I think the Eagles win this one but barely. 31-30 PHI

Jaguars @ Titans: This usually would be a good match up but not this year. Jacksonville is really struggling and the Titans have the owner telling the head coach who to start at QB. I think whoever Jeff Fisher decides to start (Vince Young or Kerry Collins) they should beat the Jags. David Garrard has not been impressive at all this year for Jacksonville and he should play better this week against a struggling Titans secondary. I still think Chris Johnson has a big day for Tennessee and I really just can't picture them going 0-7. 24-20 TEN

Raiders @ CHARGERS: The Raiders showed that they may be for real after putting together back-to-back inspired performances...oh wait, they played like crap last week at home against the Jets. JaMarcus Russell was benched in the 2nd quarter after already turning the ball over 3 times. Then in the post game interviews, told reporters that everyone else was doing things wrong and that's why he is struggling... way to be a leader buddy. Anyway the Bolts finally played a good overall game, albeit against the Chiefs. I look for the CHARGERS to continue this momentum and pound a disorganized Oakland team. Look for LT to finally topple the 100 yard rushing mark this week and find the end zone. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger says " Go Chargas... Go!" 34-17 SD

Panthers @ Cardinals: Arizona showed that travelling East to play may not be that big of a deal. They went into New York and beat the Giants on Sunday Night. This week they return to their nest in Glendale and should beat a struggling Panthers squad. QB Jake Delhomme has thrown around 73 picks this year and is still the starter... that should show you the depth the Panthers have at QB. DeAngelo Willams should have a decent day against a solid Cardinals front 7. Kurt Warner and Co. should put up big numbers at home and get the "W". 27-16 ARZ

Vikings @ Packers: Who would have thought it? Brett Favre at Lambeau wearing a white uniform with purple and yellow trim instead of the green and yellow. Apparently hell has frozen over for some die-hard Packers fans. Anyway this should be a really good game, but I think that the protege upstages the master on Sunday. Former Dunder Mifflin employee Aaron Rodgers will play well at home and prove GM Ted Thompson right. Favre will struggle a bit and the Vikes will lose their 2nd straight contest. "The Beast" Adrian Peterson should have a good day in a losing effort. The Pack is back. 31-28 GB

MNF: Falcons @ Saints: Great Monday Night match up this week. It is the only prime time game this week as their is no Sunday Night game due to some other sport called baseball... I think that's how you say it. The Falcons need a win here and the must rely on Matt "Matty Ice " Ryan and Michael "The Burner" Turner. However their nicknames alone can't propel them for the win. Drew Brees and the Saints have been unreal and don't seem to get flustered if they are down. The Saints always play well in the spotlight and especially at home. I think those trends continue and Brees' huge night carries the New Orleans to 7-0. 34-20 NO

Jake's Power Rankings through Week 7

1. New Orleans Saints

2. Indianapolis Colts

3. Denver Broncos

4. Minnesota Vikings

5. New England Patriots

6. New York Giants

7. Cincinnati Bengals

8. Pittsburgh Steelers

9. Arizona Cardinals

10. Philadelphia Eagles

Jake's Bottom of the Barrel Rankings

28. Kansas City Chiefs

29. Detroit Lions

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

31. Tennessee Titans

32. St. Louis Rams

That's it for Week 8...

---J

NFL Week 7 Calls

Here are my Week 7 calls... boom.


Packers @ Browns: I think the Pack goes into Cleveland and dominate the Browns. Derek Anderson has been awful all season and I believe it will continue this weekend. Aaron Rodgers should have a big day and look fro Greg Jennings to be on the receiving end of a lot of his passes. RB Ryan Grant better start playing better because Green Bay signed 114 year-old Ahmad Green this week to help the run game. 31-17 GB

CHARGERS @ Chiefs: The Bolts need to fix a lot of trouble spots (i.e. offensive line, defensive line, safety, pass rush, and now I guess special teams amongst others). The Chiefs are still a bad team even though they beat Washington last week in the Boring Bowl. I think LT gets a few more holes and scores this week and Rivers gets just a bit of protection and has a huge day. At least TE Tony Gonzalez is no longer on the Chiefs so he won't kill us this week. Shawne "Lights Off" Merriman has been invisible all season except for in the media, maybe he'll make a tackle this week. Whoever the TE for Kansas City is will have a good game... because they always do. However, the CHARGERS bounce back. 34-24 SD

Colts @ Rams: This could be a real barn burner. The Rams are the worst team in football and I believe the Colts are one of the top 2 ( see my power rankings below). Peyton Manning had 2 weeks to rest up and prepare for the a Rams defense that doesn't scare anybody. Manning continues playing in a coma and the Rams continue playing bad. Colts stampede the Rams. 42-10 IND

Vikings @ Steelers: This is probably the game of the week. Adrian Peterson vs. the Steeler D. Big Ben vs. Brett Favre. I think Jared Allen plays like a beast and Big Ben struggles a bit but still plays pretty well. Peterson runs great and breaks the 100 yard mark for the 2nd straight week. Old man Favre throws a couple picks and I think those are the difference as the Vikes lose their first game of the year in Pittsburgh. 27-24 PIT

Patriots @ Buccaneers: The Pats offense put up a shade under 60 against the Titans in the snow. The Bucs are defeated so far this year and I don't think that's going to change this week. Brady, Moss, Welker and the rest of the crew have another big day and Josh Johnson struggles again in front of the home crowd. Pats roll but don't expect 60 again this week. 38-17 NE

49ers @ Texans: Matt Schaub has been playing really well as of late. The Niners got smoked at home by Falcons before being idle last week. I think Singletary gets his team into shape and they play much better Sunday. Michael Crabtree makes his debut for San Francisco in Week 7 which is ideal for your 1st round draft pick. Either way he plays well and scores a TD in his 1st NFL game and the Niners bounce back. Look for Andre Johnson to blow up for Houston but it's not enough to carry the Texans. Niners steal one of the road. 27-24 SF

Bills @ Panthers: The Bills lucked out last week in New York when the Jets bobbled the hold for a game-winning field goal attempt. The Panthers got their ground game going and I think that will continue this week. The 2-headed monster of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart should dominate this week even if Jake Delhomme continues to struggle. T.O. may or may not show up... nobody knows. Even if he does the Bills still lose on the road. 24-17 CAR

Jets @ Raiders: The Raydas got a huge win at home last week over the Eagles. The Jets took a huge step back with a home loss against the Bills. Mark Sanchise played more like his look-a-like Vinny Chase than a NFL 1st round draft pick. He should play a little better this week, mainly because he can't play much worse. We will see if JaMarcus Russell can play decent 2 weeks in a row. I can't quite remember the last time the Raiders won 2 in a row and it won't really matter because I think they lose at home this week. Thomas Jones goes off for over 100 yards and at least 1 TD. J-E-T-S Jets! Jets! Jets! win. 26-20 NYJ

Falcons @ Cowboys: Dallas is the most overrated team east of Mission Valley. The Falcons played well at home on prime time last weekend. I think Michael "the Burner" Turner gets going early and often in this one. He has a huge day. Romo plays a little better this week at home but the Boys still fall at home. Matt "Matty Ice" Ryan outshines pretty boy Romo and the Falcons go to 5-1 as Dallas falls to .500 at 3-3. 31-27 ATL

Bears @ Bengals: Jay Cutler just signed a 2-year contract extension worth potentially $30 million in new money. He hasn't played that well this year but apparently the Bears front office saw something that I didn't. He may struggle a bit this week against a much improved Bengals D led by former USC linebacking tandem Keith Rivers and Ray "the Vowel Man" Maualuga. Matt Forte will have a good game which should carry the Bears to a big road win. 24-20 CHI

Saints @Dolphins: The Saints were unbelievable at home last weekend against the Giants. Miami is coming off a bye week and they are much tougher at home. I'll still take Brees and Co. over Henne and Co. The wildcat should give the Saints D some fits but it won't be enough. Even Marc Anthony, J-Lo, Jimmy Buffet and the Williams sisters can't stop New Orleans. The Saints go to 7-0. 38-27 NO

SNF: Cardinals @ Giants: The Cardinals got embarrassed at home on Sunday Night Football by the Colts in Week 3. The Giants got embarrassed last week against the Saints. I look for the trio of Fitzgerald, Boldin and Breaston and the passing attack of Arizona to fuel the offense for the Cards. The Giants will look to run the ball with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw and probably will do so successfully. I don't think the Giants lose 2 straight, especially at home in prime time and especially when the Cards have to travel across country. 31-24 NYG

MNF: Eagles @ Redskins: You would have thought this would be a blowout had the Eagles not laid an egg at Oakland last week. This will be the first week that the Redskins face an opponent who will not be winless. Every week this season, when Washington faced a team, that team had not won a game up until that point in the season. Even with that soft schedule the Skins are still 2-4. They finally pulled the play calling powers from head coach Jim Zorn so maybe that will change things offensively in D.C. I think the Eagles bounce back in a huge way on Monday Night and McNabb has a enormous game for Philly. Keep an eye on rookie WR Jeremy Maclin from Missouri, as he could be the beneficiary of double coverage to WR DeSean Jackson. 31-17 PHI

Jake's Power Rankings through Week 6

1. New Orleans Saints

2. Indianapolis Colts

3. Minnesota Vikings

4. Denver Broncos

5. Atlanta Falcons

6. New York Giants

7. New England Patriots

8. Pittsburgh Steelers

9. Cincinnati Bengals

10. Baltimore Ravens

Jake's Bottom of the Barrel Rankings

28. Kansas City Chiefs

29. Detroit Lions

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

31. Tennessee Titans

32. St. Louis Rams

That's it for Week 7...

---J

NFL Week 6 Rewind

A new style of post this week as I will rewind back to last week's takes and show where I was right and more than likely where I was wrong...

Last week's quote: "I think the Bengals take care of a somewhat struggling Texans squad but look for a good day from Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson. 24-20 CIN" HALF RIGHT HALF WRONG. I thought the Bengals would win this game, which they didn't but I did say that Schaub and Johnson would have a big day and they did (Schaub threw for 392 and 4 TDs and Johnson had 135 yards receiving).

Last week's quote: "I think the temp (Aaron Rodgers) has a good game and the Packers offense finally begins to click." RIGHT. Rodgers played really well throwing for 358 yards and 2 TDs and they offense scored 26 and eased up late against the cowardly Lions.

Last week's quote: "The Vikings have been awesome so far this year and I think Adrian Peterson is due for a big one. Look for Joe Flacco to be chased all day by early Defensive P.O.Y. and perhaps MVP candidate Jared Allen." RIGHT. Peterson ran for 143 yards and Allen had 7 tackles (4 for a loss), 2 QB knockdowns and a sack.

Last week's quote: "Someone will lose their first game of the season Sunday. It will be tough for Drew Brees and Co. against a stingy G-Men D. However, the Saints D isn't too shabby in their own right. I think that the Superdome crowd fuels the Saints early, but in the end the Giants are just too solid. Brees has an okay day but Ahmad Bradshaw blows up for New York. The Giants stay undefeated and the Saints don't. 31-27 NYG" UTTERLY DEAD WRONG!!! The only two calls in this game I was right on are the following: 1. That one team will lose their first game of the season (duh!) 2. The Superdome crowd will fuel the Saints early. (I forgot to mention that they will continue to fuel them the rest of the game). It was not tough for Drew Brees and Co. against the Giants D (Brees had 369 yards passing and 4 TDs and the "Co." I spoke of had 7 different players score a TD). Brees had far better than an okay day and Bradshaw had 10 carries for 48 yards but a TD. So to sum it up... I'm dumb. :(

Last week's quote: "The Steelers proved last week that they are still a good team and I see another rough day for Derek Anderson. Big Ben should have a big game. Omar Epps leads another Steeler victory. 38-13 PIT" RIGHT. The Steelers played well and Derek Anderson did have another rough day by going 9/24 for 122 yards and a QB rating of 51.0. Big Ben did have a big game throwing for 417 yards and 2 TDs and the Steelers won 27-14, and Mike Tomlin still looks like Omar Epps.

Last week's quote: "I keep waiting for this team to get back to running the ball effectively like they did all of last season. I think the perfect medicine for a struggling team is Tampa Bay and Carolina rights the ship this week." RIGHT. They did get that running game back on track by rushing for a total of 267 yards and 3 TDs. They did indeed right the ship against the struggling Buccaneers Sunday.

Last week's quote: "I think Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin have a good day but so does Matt Don't-Hassle-the-beck and Nate Burleson. Seattle wins at home." SOME RIGHT MOSTLY WRONG. Larry Fitzgerald had a big day (career high 13 catches for over 100 yards and a TD) and Boldin played okay before leaving with an injury. I was way wrong by saying Hasslebeck and Burleson would play well (Hasslebeck was 10/29 for 112 yards and a pick, good for a QB rating of 32.5 and Burleson had 2 catches for 40 yards). Most importantly I was wrong in predicting the Seahawks to win.

Last week's quote: "Oh boy, this could get ugly. The Raiders are "real tough" at home in front of the psychopaths who wear shoulder pads and spikes through their Rich Gannon jerseys. Donovan McNabb should have a huge day as long as he stays away from Oakland's only real good player on defense, corner Nnamdi Asomugha. The JaMarcus Russell Experiment is looking like the Jamie Kennedy Experiment... and we all know how well that went. The Eagles soar again . 37-13 PHI" UNBELIEVABLY WRONG--COULDN'T BE MORE WRONG. This did not get ugly unless you're an Eagles fan. McNabb did not have a huge day (0 TDs and a QB rating of 66.3). JaMarcus played well enough to get the win and I look like an idiot once again on this one.

Last week's quote: "I think Brady and Co. are too angry after last weeks loss at Denver to lose this one at home. Moss gets a TD or 2 and so does Welker. 34-20 NE" RIGHT. Moss did get a TD or 2... actually 3, and Welker caught a pair himself. I was wrong in not predicting 5... yes 5, 2nd quarter TD passes for Tom Brady and 59 points by the Pats offense... My bad.

Last week's quote: "Rookie Mark Sanchez plays well at home. 27-13 NYJ" WRONG AND WRONG. Rookie Mark "Sanchise" Sanchez did not play well at home. He actually played like crap (10/29 for 119 yards and 5 INTs with a QB rating less than his number... which is 6 by the way). The Jets did not win. I was wrong.

Last week's quote: "I look for Philip Rivers to take the Bolts on his back (especially because they can't run the ball at all) and win this one at home...I think the CHARGER D settles down a little and plays a bit better. It will be a battle but I think SAN DIEGO makes the AFC West race much more interesting. 28-24 SD" WRONG. Philip Rivers didn't take the Bolts on his back, he was just on his back. The O-Line was once again awful and I might point out that I did say that they can't run the ball at all... so I at least had something on point. The CHARGER D settled down enough to give up first downs on 9 of 16 attempts... which is awful. The special teams settled down to watch Eddie Royal zip past them not once but twice on kick return TDs. It was a battle only really in the ridiculous pregame jawing and perhaps in the first half. The AFC West race will be more interesting because it will be exciting to see who finishes in 2nd place if the CHARGERS don't shape up soon.

Best Uni of the Week: AFL Throwback Edition. This one is obvious. The SAN DIEGO CHARGERS Powder Blues are the best in all of football, even though the team isn't.

Overall I was predicted half of the game's correctly which is not very good. 7/14 is not my best effort. Hopefully in Week 7, me and the CHARGERS can pick up our game.

---J

NFL Week 6 Calls

Here are my NFL Week 6 Picks...

Texans @ Bengals: Houston came back late last week at Arizona only to be stuffed at the 1 yard-line 3 times in a row with their best player Andre Johnson on the sidelines for no reason. The Bungles are actually playing well and if not for that freak play Week 1 against Denver, they would be 5-0. I think the Bengals take care of a somewhat struggling Texans squad but look for a good day from Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson. 24-20 CIN

Lions @ Packers: Detroit is not that great and injury concerns for QB Matt Stafford and "Megatron" Calvin Johnson can't help. I think the temp (Aaron Rodgers) has a good game and the Packers offense finally begins to click. Look for Ryan Grant to have a good day. 34-20 GB

Ravens @ Vikings: This should be a really good game. The Baltimore D should be fired up after losing the game last week to Cincy. The Vikings have been awesome so far this year and I think Adrian Peterson is due for a big one. Look for Joe Flacco to be chased all day by early Defensive P.O.Y. and perhaps MVP candidate Jared Allen. 27-24 MIN

Giants @ Saints: Probably the game of the week. Someone will lose their first game of the season Sunday. It will be tough for Drew Brees and Co. against a stingy G-Men D. However, the Saints D isn't too shabby in their own right. I think that the Superdome crowd fuels the Saints early, but in the end the Giants are just too solid. Brees has an okay day but Ahmad Bradshaw blows up for New York. The Giants stay undefeated and the Saints don't. 31-27 NYG

Browns @ Steelers: The Browns beat the Bills last week on the arm of QB Derek Anderson. I mean, he had a absolutely huge day... completing 2 of 17 passes for 23 yards. He actually completed 3 passes if you count the pick he threw. Brutal. Basically the Browns are bad. The Steelers proved last week that they are still a good team and I see another rough day for Derek Anderson. Big Ben should have a big game and look for rookie Mike Wallace to keep up an impactful freshman campaign. Omar Epps leads another Steeler victory. 38-13 PIT

Panthers @ Buccaneers: The Buccaneers have played like real Scallywags. Maybe even Landlubbers. Either way they have been terrible and the Panthers have not been much better. Carolina did win last week and I keep waiting for this team to get back to running the ball effectively like they did all of last season. I think the perfect medicine for a struggling team is Tampa Bay and Carolina rights the ship this week. 34-20 CAR

Chiefs @ Redskins: The Indian (feather, not dot) Bowl should be a real gem. God... I don't know if someone could pay me enough money to sit through this game...and I'm an incredibly poor college student. Will the bend but then break defense of the Chiefs be able to withstand the putrid offensivee attack of Jim Zorn? Will Larry Johnson run sideways slowly and then get tackled or pushed out of bounds? Too many interesting story lines to count. Should be a great one. 17-13 WSH

Rams @ Jaguars: Another real spectacle. The Rams are absolutely awful. The Jags may have looked the worst of any NFL team in Week 5, save Oakland. I have to think that Steven Jackson has a good day but David Garrard does enough to get his Jags a much needed "W" at home. 24-13 JAX

Cardinals @ Seahawks: A big NFC West match up between to 2 fierce birds. Since both teams are of the avian variety... I think this game will be played in the air...aka, revolve around each team's passing game. The Cards made the Texans look like my car by pooping all over them with a potent offense attack in the first half last week, but then they stopped playing. Seattle just beat the hell out of Jacksonville. I think Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin have a good day but so does Matt Don't-Hassle-the-beck and Nate Burleson. Seattle wins at home. 34-28 SEA

Eagles @ Raiders: Oh boy, this could get ugly. The Raiders are "real tough" at home in front of the psychopaths who wear shoulder pads and spikes through their Rich Gannon jerseys. Donovan McNabb should have a huge day as long as he stays away from Oakland's only real good player on defense, corner Nnamdi Asomugha. The JaMarcus Russell Experiment is looking like the Jamie Kennedy Experiment... and we all know how well that went. The Eagles soar again . 37-13 PHI

Titans @ Patriots: The Titans are in transition and it is looking as though Vince Young may be getting some support from fans towards a return to the starting QB spot. Either way I think Brady and Co. are too angry after last weeks loss at Denver to lose this one at home. Moss gets a TD or 2 and so does Welker. 34-20 NE

Bills @ Jets: The Bills looked really bad last week. The Jets blew a late lead to the Miami Wildcats. I look for the Jets D to get it together this week and a struggling Bills offense should help that cause. Rookie Mark Sanchez plays well at home. 27-13 NYJ

SNF:Bears @ Falcons: Should be a good game... it definitely has a good nickname match up. Jay "Crybaby" Cutler vs. Matt "Matty Ice" Ryan. Matt "the Force" Forte vs. Michael "the Burner" Turner. Anyway... the Falcons played really well at San Francisco last week and I think the momentum continues this week. Jay Cutler will play decent and so will Matt Forte but I still think Hotlanta wins this one. 27-20 ATL

MNF: Broncos @ CHARGERS: This is an enormous game for SAN DIEGO. If they lose this one, they will be 3.5 games back of Denver. I look for Philip Rivers to take the Bolts on his back (especially because they can't run the ball at all) and win this one at home. Brandon Marshall may catch 25 balls this week but at least he wont be running by/through/around Clinton Hart who was cut this week (thank God). I think the CHARGER D settles down a little and plays a bit better. It will be a battle but I think SAN DIEGO makes the AFC West race much more interesting. 28-24 SD

Jake's Power Rankings through Week 5

1. New York Giants

2. Indianapolis Colts

3. Minnesota Vikings

4. New Orleans Saints

5. Denver Broncos

6. Cincinnati Bengals

7. Philadelphia Eagles

8. Atlanta Falcons

9. Chicago Bears

10. New England Patriots

Jake's Bottom of the Barrel Rankings

27. Buffalo Bills

28. Tennessee Titans

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

30. Oakland Raiders

31. Kansas City Chiefs

32. St. Louis Rams

That's it for Week 6...

---J