The Fan's Six Pack:

1. Do not look now but a certain AFC team is back from the dead. This team had a rough go to part of their season but they are back now beating up on NFC teams and weaker division opponents. They are coming together on both sides of the ball right now. No, I am not talking about New England but rather the Pittsburgh Steelers.

   The Steelers are not in the playoffs right now but it is between them and the Chiefs and too much has to happen for the Chiefs to get in. If you are looking for a dark horse in the playoffs I think the Steelers might be it.

2. To steal from Peter King, Anquan Boldin got snubbed by not being named to the Pro Bowl. Boldin's numbers: 94 catches, 1321 yards, and 7 touchdowns. When I read King's MMQB I thought maybe he was projecting Boldins number's to a full 16 games, Boldin missed two games because of a knee injury but to be truthful I thought he had missed more. That is right, Boldin has only played 13 games.

   Maybe Denny Green is starting to put it together in the desert after all.

3. While I do not think that Larry Johnson is the best running back in football, I do think he is the best runner. It would be interesting to see what he would do behind a more ordinary offensive line.
4. How many people had the Bears as the second seed in the NFC at the beginning of the year? I would be surprised if anyone did. Look for the Bears in the NFC Championship game.
5. What has gotten into Kyle Boller? Look for his good fortunes to continue against the Browns.

   Sounds like Brian Billick and Boller may have saved their jobs for now. Poor Baltimore fans.

6. It has been a week and I still do not know what to write about Tony Dungy's tragedy. Such a shame.

The Picks:
Last week I went 10-6. Overall, I am 156-84 (.650). Something about picking this week's games does not feel right, feels too much like picking pre-season games.

Saturday, Dec. 31
Denver at San Diego 4:30 p.m.
I like the Chargers. The Bronco defense has look vulnerable the past few weeks and I look for that to continue.

N.Y. Giants at Oakland 8:00 p.m.
I like the Giants. The Raiders look lost right now.

Sunday, Jan. 1
Arizona at Indianapolis 1:00 p.m.
I like the Colts. I know the Colts are in something of a regular season tailspin but they are playing the Cardinals.

Baltimore at Cleveland 1:00 p.m.
I like the Ravens. Look at their games from last week; these two teams are going in different directions right now. I must have heard at least a half dozen times that Romeo Crennel really is turning around the Browns this past week; while I think the Browns will be better next year I just do not see the improvement after a very bad 41-0 loss.

Buffalo at N.Y. Jets 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bills. These two teams only exist so that the Patriots can pad their record and look dangerous. The Bills resemble more of a football team right now than the Jets. And Jet I thought the major was a lady sufragette. In case of accidents always bring your mom.

Carolina at Atlanta 1:00 p.m.
I like the Panthers. Can the Panthers win both of their games against the Falcons? Under ordinary circumstances I would say no but the Falcons are too beat up on defense and might be flat now since they know they are not going to the playoffs.

Cincinnati at Kansas City 1:00 p.m.
I like Chiefs. This is just one of those games I am not comfortable picking. What if the Chargers lose the night before and knock the Chiefs out of the playoffs? The Chiefs are the type of team that can give the Bengals real fits because of their power running game.

Detroit at Pittsburgh 1:00 p.m.
I like the Steelers. The Steelers need this win and why should they disappoint?

Miami at New England 1:00 p.m.
I like the Dolphins. What I like about the Dolphins is that they have been winning lately and gave the Patriots a real tough game the last time they played. What I do not like is that the game is at New England; the Dolphins would be close to a sure thing if the game was at Miami.

New Orleans at Tampa Bay 1:00 p.m.
I like the Buccaneers.

Seattle at Green Bay 1:00 p.m.
I like the Seahawks.

Houston at San Francisco 4:05 p.m.
I like the Texans. The Texans are actually the better team.

Tennessee at Jacksonville 4:05 p.m.
I like the Jaguars. I am not crazy about Jacksonville but they need better competition to pick against them. The lack of competition has been the story for most of the Jaguar wins.

Chicago at Minnesota 4:15 p.m.
I like the Bears. The Vikings had a nice little run in the middle of the season but that is over.

Washington at Philadelphia 4:15 p.m.
I like the Redskins. The Eagles have looked surprisingly good at times during the past few weeks but so have the Redskins and they are playing for something.

St. Louis at Dallas 8:30 p.m.
I like the Cowboys. I do not what has happened to the Rams.

The Fan's Six Pack:

1. Well, the Colts finally lost. I always thought they would lose at least one game but I also thought they were good enough to win them all. The Colts sat Simon and Mathis and lost the game. Mathis might not get much mention but he is probably more a sack machine than Freeney is right now.

   Good job by San Diego of getting after Manning. That Colts never seem to give up more than one sack and San Diego had 4!

2. I had these thoughts while watching the Tampa Bay at New England game:
   • David Givens is the receiver that makes things go in the passing game for the Patriots. I know the Branch is the guy with the speed, yards, and Super Bowl MVP but Givens is the guy running the good routes and making the tough catches that just make that passing game so hard to defend. No wonder the Patriots offense looked vulnerable when Givens missed a few games earlier this year.
   • Sometime in the third or fourth quarter when the network broadcasters started talking about Belichick sending a message to the rest of the AFC, I started to wonder why. Why keep those starters in there and run up the score? What kind of a "genius" would he be had one of his better players gotten hurt? Brady is already a little more nicked up than usual, Dillon just came back from a variety of leg injuries, and Seymour is just now rounding back into his usual form following a knee injury. Belichick was known as a very poor loser while in Cleveland, everybody got a good glimpse of that again with his temper tantrums and refusing to take a knee in the Colts game this year, and when given the chance he has proven to be just as poor of a winner.

     I do not understand this talk of this year being Belichick's best coaching job or how he should win the "Coach of the Year" award. What about Tony Dungy? If not Dungy, there are still more deserving candidates: Marvin Lewis, Lovie Smith, Tom Coughlin, and Mike Holmgren. I understand that the best coach, or coach of the best team, does not aways win the award; almost everybody loves an underdog, or the idea of recognizing or finding that diamond in the rough, but Belichick is just a dog.

   • Getting back to a theme I started a few weeks ago, I just cannot trust Jon Gruden and Chris Simms. Shame on me for forgetting this. I was fooled into believing in the Bucs because they have been playing good defense that brought them wins lately. Makes me wonder about that NFC South.

   So the Patriots beat a warm weather team that traveled up North in December who have looked very good and very bad so far this season. Still not sold on the Patriots and now they will not be tested until the playoffs.

3. I know the Ravens won big on Monday but it occurred to me that the Ravens probably have the most disappointing trio of over-valued and under-performing players in: Todd Heap, Jamal Lewis, and Ray Lewis.
4. Just to echo what I have read elsewhere, how happy is CBS to have the AFC playoffs?
5. There seems to be a lot Pro Bowl selections that I do not seem to agree with. Jonathan Ogden, Chris Chambers, Joey Porter, Jeff Hartings, and Michael Vick really are not playing at what I would call a Pro Bowl level; interesting that most of the undeserved selections came from the AFC.
6. Just read that Tony Dungy's son James was found dead in Tampa Bay. Football cannot be too important to him right now.

The Picks:
Last week I went 8-8. Overall, I am 146-78 (.652).

Saturday, Dec. 24
Atlanta at Tampa Bay 1:00 p.m.
I like the Buccaneers. I want to pick the Falcons but they are just too beat up right now. The Buccaneers find a way to rebound after their poor showing last week, just don't ask how.

Buffalo at Cincinnati 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bengals. Well the Patriots steamrolled the Bills so the Bengals should too.

Dallas at Carolina 1:00 p.m.
I like the Panthers. The Cowboys just have not been the same since they lost that Thanksgiving game. Guess Parcells is on a four-year plan there.

Detroit at New Orleans (San Antonio, TX) 1:00 p.m.
I like the Lions! I don't know why.

Jacksonville at Houston 1:00 p.m.
I like the Jaguars. The Texans have shown some life lately and the Jaguars barely beat the 49ers but I just cannot pick the Texans.

N.Y. Giants at Washington 1:00 p.m.
I like the Giants. The Redskins looked really good last week, too good. The Giants need to finish the job.

Pittsburgh at Cleveland 1:00 p.m.
I like the Steelers. This could be a surprisingly tough game for the Steelers but they need to win so they will find a way.

San Diego at Kansas City 1:00 p.m.
I like the Chiefs. Arrowhead is a tough place to play at, the Chiefs are more desperate, and the Chargers are bound to come off of the high of beating the Colts.

San Francisco at St. Louis 1:00 p.m.
I like the Rams. The Rams broke my heart last week but they cannot lose to the 49ers can they?

Tennessee at Miami 1:00 p.m.
I like the Dolphins. The Dolphins have been playing some inspired football lately-- which is what they need to win because...

Philadelphia at Arizona 4:05 p.m.
I like the Eagles.

Indianapolis at Seattle 4:15 p.m.
I like the Seahawks. The Seahawks still need to win whereas the Colts do not. Possible Super Bowl match up?

Oakland at Denver 4:15 p.m.
I like the Broncos. I understand the Broncos looked vulnerable in their pass defense and they did upset the Broncos in Denver last year but

Sunday, Dec. 25
Chicago at Green Bay 5:00 p.m.
I like the Bears. I don't know how people in Chicago celebrate but they will be doing whatever it is they do after this game.

Minnesota at Baltimore 8:30 p.m.
I like the Vikings. The Vikings keep the NFC playoff race interesting a little longer.

Monday, Dec. 26
New England at N.Y. Jets 9:00 p.m.
I like the Patriots. This has nothing to do with the Patriots, besides them not being the Raiders, this pick has to do with the Jets. And Jet I thought the only lonely place was on the moon.

The Fan's Six Pack:
1.) I know a lot of people are thinking that perhaps the Texans threw that game. We will never know if it was intentional but that kicker Kris Brown has been known to get wild. Brown was a head-case by the time he left the Steelers. The draft is such an unsure thing that the Texans should be ashamed of themselves if they did not give it their all last Sunday.

2.) From early Sunday morning until the start of the early games, I think I saw the Jaguars talking about how they would beat the Colts every-time I saw a television. It seems after the game that some Jaguar players were still running their mouths saying the Colts did not get their best effort! Maybe the Jaguars were too busy thinking what to say in interviews but they already had 2 chances at the Colts. Someone please shut-up the Jaguars.

3.) Chad Johnson's Bengals barely beat the Cleveland Browns and for the second consecutive week Johnson was kept out of the end-zone and only has 76 yards receiving during that span. Guess we all blinked again. Chad Johnson is a good player and I think he mostly acts like he does because it is hard to get national PR in Cincinnati but he really should tone it down some.

4.) I was going to project the AFC and NFC playoff seeds but my projections pretty much agree with how things stand right now. No surprise, the NFC is a mess. In the AFC, I think the big winners are the Patriots-- the Patriots are likely to get Jacksonville in the first-round, who in my opinion will be the softest AFC team.

5.) I just do not get Philly fans. What is up with that NAACP going after McNabb like that? The past few years, I have seen too interviews/stories with McNabb that concern him being burdened with the black running quarterback image and how he wants just be considered a quarterback. I have even wondered if his determination to throw the football hurt the Eagles sometimes but that NAACP guy took it so much further and was just wrong to do so.

6.) I was going to write about Matt Leinart being a class act and voting for Reggie Bush and Vince Young before himself here but it seems his trip to New York was not totally classy. I can't blame the guy, probably 9 out of 10 people in the same position would do the same thing.

My Picks:
Last week, what some people have started to call "Black Sunday", I went 11-5. Overall, I am 138-70 (.663).

Saturday, Dec. 17
Tampa Bay at New England 1:30 p.m.
I like the Buccaneers. Tom Brady has thrown 6 interceptions in the past 3 games and Rhonde Barber has 4 interceptions in the past two games. Tampa Bay's defense is WAY better than New England's right. The only thing that concerns me about the Bucs are their tendency to lie down in cold weather.

Kansas City at N.Y. Giants 5:00 p.m.
I like the Chiefs. The Giants are beat up a little too much and they seem to have a knack for making games interesting. The Chiefs keep the AFC interesting for another week.

Denver at Buffalo 8:30 p.m.
I like the Broncos. The Bills look decent one week and look horrible the next. Rumor is that GM Tom Donahoe is likely to lose his job at seasons end. The Broncos are said to be struggling on offense and they are known to slip as the season winds down but I just cannot pick the Bills right now.

Sunday, Dec. 18
Arizona at Houston 1:00 p.m.
I like the Cardinals. I just cannot pick the Texans.

Carolina at New Orleans (Baton Rouge, LA) 1:00 p.m.
I like the Panthers. This just in, the Saints have benched Aaron Brooks! How many seasons too late? Seems some people think that Steve McNair might be quarterbacking the Saints next year, weird.

N.Y. Jets at Miami 1:00 p.m.
I like the Dolphins. The Dolphins are looking good again. The Jets looked pretty good last week also but that was against the Raiders.

Philadelphia at St. Louis 1:00 p.m.
I like the Rams. I picked the Rams because they are at home, I have no other reason.

Pittsburgh at Minnesota 1:00 p.m.
I like the Steelers. The Steelers end another NFC North team's winning streak this Sunday.

San Diego at Indianapolis 1:00 p.m.
I like the Colts. This would probably be a good game to pick against the Colts. The Colts are starting to have some minor injury issues and the Chargers are a lot more desperate than the Colts.

Seattle at Tennessee 1:00 p.m.
I like the Seahawks. The Titans almost lost to the Texans. Enough said.

San Francisco at Jacksonville 1:00 p.m.
I like the Jaguars. The 49ers are playing so well that there is some story about Alex Smith having small hands. Keep him away from Austin Powers I guess.

Cincinnati at Detroit 4:05 p.m.
I like the Bengals. Carson Palmer rebounds from his bad week and roll over the Lions.

Cleveland at Oakland 4:05 p.m.
I like the Raiders. The Browns showed a lot of heart against the Bengals but they can't consistently play that way. Game in Oakland, game goes to the Raiders.

Dallas at Washington 4:15 p.m.
I like the Cowboys. Washington got lucky and won the first game. Now it is time for the Cowboys to collect their win.

Atlanta at Chicago 8:30 p.m.
I like the Bears. I do not think the Falcons have played well against a good team yet this year.

Monday, Dec. 19
Green Bay at Baltimore 9:00 p.m.
I like the Packers. Kyle Boller or Brett Favre? Neither one plays mistake free football but at least Favre is more likely to throw a few touchdown passes to make up for his mistakes.

The Fan's Six Pack:
1.) What are you thinking Chad Johnson? The Super Bowl? I thought the Colts beat your Bengals. Guess everybody blinked last Sunday because we all missed your touchdown antics. Oh, wait the Steelers pretty much shut you down.

2.) For the third time in four years Ray Lewis has his season cut short because injury. It was a separated shoulder in 2002, a broken wrist in 2004, and now a torn hamstring. The news sources do not seem to be counting that broken wrist probably because it was not as serious an injury as the other two but he tried to play with it and just hurt it further and it did end his season. What makes this injury more significant is that it involves his legs which really is his livelihood. The guy is only 30 but it seems like he has been in the league a lot longer. The mileage is starting to take a toll on his body. I believe this is a contract year for him too!

3.) I think the Colts have the talent to go undefeated. I am not a Colts fan but I picked them to win the Super Bowl this year; I thought they compared very well to Steve Young and the '94 49ers. I will be disappointed if the Colts decide to rest their starters and lose a game. I think it would be very wise of Tony Dungy to rest Egderine James though, especially if the Colts intend to retain his services past this season. Last season Corey Dillon led the league in carries and look at what he is doing this year. Look at what Eddie George did after his 400+ carry season. Look at what Jamal Anderson did after the season where he set the carry record. See a pattern? Running backs may continue to produce during the year when they have a huge number of carries, they have to be doing something right to get all those carries after all, but too often they are a different back the next year.

4.) It has been awhile since I heard Phillip Rivers name so I should write something here about him. Matt Leinart will be the best quarterback in the draft but Rivers might be the best quarterback available. Rivers probably has the better arm and although USC's offense is said to be pro-style and Rivers has been riding the bench the past two years I think Rivers is more ready to start in the NFL. So the Chargers continue to reap rewards from that Eli Manning debacle but if Rivers pans out then the real winners will be whoever gets him. The fact that Leinart is a lefty could hurt him until he gets established.

5.) I did not watch the Monday night game but I understand the Eagles looked horrible and after-wards Andy Reid said that he is to blame for their disappointing season. Well, Andy you are right but not for the reasons you think you are. You are to blame for creating a toxic almost-everybody-is-expendable environment. I am not talking about the T.O. situation, you get a pass on that one. You have let too many productive players leave and your current players have noticed. There is a lack of loyalty there. Why should the players give their all when they are hurt or the team's playoff hopes are gone? The players need to know they have a future in the organization and low-ball offers do not count.

6.) If I was a Pittsburgh Steeler fan, I don't know if I would be rooting for the Steelers right now. Everybody wants their team to do well but Roethlisberger is a STUD quarterback who probably should not be playing right now. It seems the Steelers are not saying exactly what is wrong with Roethlisbergers thumb but now he is saying it may require surgery after the season. I get a little antsy whenever I hear a quarterback talk about surgery on their throwing hand; Kurt Warner has not been the same quarterback after a few concussions and thumb injuries. I just don't think Roethlisberger should be starting right now and if the Steelers fell out of the playoff picture then maybe he would stop playing and concentrate on getting better.

The Picks:
Last week I went 14-2. Overall I am 127-65 (.661). I found/made a correction to my overall record this week; I must have made an addition error sometime in the past! Yeah, I can't add.

Sunday, Dec. 11
Chicago at Pittsburgh 1:00 p.m.
I like the Steelers. It is time for the streaks to end; the Steeler end this three game skid and the Bears end their 8 game win streak.

Cleveland at Cincinnati 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bengals. What is there to like about the Browns? The Bengals sound a little too confident right now but the Browns are a mess right now.

Houston at Tennessee 1:00 p.m.
I like the Titans. It seems like every week the Texans are playing an almost as bad opponent now. To be fair the past few Texan games have not been that bad but oh so meaningless.

Indianapolis at Jacksonville 1:00 p.m.
I like the Colts. Wish I knew what Dungy's plans are for his starters in this game but I think it should be win. The Colts are rolling on offense, unlike the first time these teams met this year.

New England at Buffalo 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bills. I would be a lot more comfortable with this pick if I knew for sure the status of Moulds but that is football. I just cannot see the Patriots going undefeated in their division and if they somehow do then it just shows what a weak division they are in because they are not a good team.

Oakland at N.Y. Jets 1:00 p.m.
I like the Raiders. The Raiders are in something of a tailspin but I don't know a word to describe the Jets.

St. Louis at Minnesota 1:00 p.m.
I like the Vikings. The Vikings get another probably meaningless win.

Tampa Bay at Carolina 1:00 p.m.
I like the Panthers. I just do not trust Jon Gruden or Chris Simms.

N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia 4:05 p.m.
I like the Giants. Surprised? Funny how things go in Philly. Now there are some rumblings about rebuilding! Philly is said to be a great sports town but I just do not get their demeanor.

San Francisco at Seattle 4:05 p.m.
I like the Seahawks. The 49ers are even worse than the Eagles, think the 'Hawks can put a 100 up on them? Probably not but if they tried it would be fun to watch.

Washington at Arizona 4:05 p.m.
I like the Redskins. I liked Denny Green when he was with Minnesota. I liked how he got it done with bunch of different quarterbacks, I thought Robert Smith was an under-rated running back, Cris Carter was an oh so smooth wide out, and their defense was even fun to watch when Tony Dungy was their. I think since I am writing about Denny Green with Vikings should indicated something. The comeback is not going that great for Joe Gibbs either but at least he is showing real improvement.

Baltimore at Denver 4:15 p.m.
I like the Broncos. Watch the Broncos run through and over the Ravens. Watch Jake Plummer roll out and throw not so look balls that get the job done. Watch the Broncos win.

Kansas City at Dallas 4:15 p.m.
I like the Chiefs. I had a hard time picking the Chiefs here but I think it will be a lot more easy for the Chiefs to win than it will be for the Cowboys. I think the Chiefs offense allow the Chiefs some room for mistakes. I don't think the Cowboys are as explosive to cover up for their mistakes.

Miami at San Diego 4:15 p.m.
I like the Chargers. The Dolphins came back late last week but that was against the Bills.

Detroit at Green Bay 8:30 p.m.
I like the Packers. I can't pick the Lions right now and that is without considering the fact the game is outdoors. Sorry Lion fans.

Monday, Dec. 12
New Orleans at Atlanta 9:00 p.m.
I like the Falcons. The Falcons get another win to keep the NFC interesting. Maybe Aaron Brooks will do something to make the game interesting.

The Fan's Six Pack:
1.) I watched some, not a lot, of the Sunday night game. The little bit that I did catch reminded me why the Saints have not given up on Aaron Brooks-- he has a big arm. The problem with Brooks is that he makes some of the stupidest mistakes and decisions. The guy has been a starter in this league for awhile now and what has he won? To be direct, I think the problem is that he is just stupid; Brooks scored very low on the Wonderlic, an IQ-like test. I am not saying that someone has be a genius to play football or quarterback; what I am saying is that the Saints have given Brooks a chance for too long and that it is time for the Saints to move on. Potential is a dangerous thing in sports. It seems if you are under 30 and have a strong throwing arm then employment is promised in baseball or football if you want it regardless whether or not you can actually play.

2.) What a lousy game Tom Brady had against the Chiefs. When things are going good for Brady I am almost convinced that he will never again throw a clean interception but then he has a game like he did against the Chiefs. Brady seems to average at least two really bad games a year. I know a lot of people prefer Brady to Peyton Manning but Manning does not seem to struggle as often and his struggles are usually not as severe as Brady's. About now is when someone retorts with the fact that Brady has three rings while Manning has yet to even play in a Super Bowl. Brady and the Patriots may have won three championships but it is important to see how they did it-- a large part of those championships belong to a defense that while not statistically great, probably because they usually were on the field too much, was able to keep the Patriots in close games and compensate for a sometimes weak offense. Look at the years during which the Patriots did not have a good defense, 2002 and this year, and there was a greater responsibility placed on Brady-- in 2002 they went 9-7 and did not make the playoffs and now this year they are 6-5 but still likely to make the playoffs because they are in the weakest division in the AFC if not the NFL. In years past, Manning and the Colts have not had a defense to fall back on but they usually post a winning percentage better than .5556. Manning was able to take a Colts team with a lackluster defense to the AFC Championship game but do you really expect Brady to be able to do the same with the Patriot team he has now? Advantage Manning.

3.) What a week for close games: Panthers-Bills, Chargers-Redskins, Broncos-Cowboys, Bears-Buccaneers, Giants-Seahawks, and Rams-Texans. I really like how the Chargers and Seahawks won by putting the ball into the hands of their best player. I like the character that the Panthers show by coming from behind. I like the way the Bears were able to hang on and end the game with a sack. I like how the Rams let their quarterback, who no one knew, win the game.

4.) When I heard that Byron Leftwich broke his ankle, I thought the Chargers and Chiefs were given new life. But then I looked at Jacksonville's schedule and was reminded again how easy their schedule is. The Jaguars are almost guaranteed the top wild card spot which is a real shame because they do not deserve it.

5.) Matt Millen should be fired. I understand the Lions were not very good when he took over and that they have gotten better talent-wise but he does not seem to have a real plan and seems to lack a clear vision for the future. The guy has been a joke as a GM by circumventing NFL hiring procedures, inappropriately calling out his players, and just not drafting well. A lot of people think/feel that Millen was pressured into those first round picks, and maybe he was, but the guy is the GM and needs to put his foot down sometime. Wide receiver is a very dangerous position to be drafting in the first round. Of the wide receivers playing today, I can only justify 3 of them being drafted in the first round: Randy Moss, Torry Holt, and Marvin Harrison. Wide receiver is a an over-glorified position.

6.) Seems Michael Irvin was caught with a crack pipe late last week. The guy is atrocious as a football analyst but I have come to accept him as a television/football personality. I hope his story pans out and if it does not then I hope he gets help.

The Picks:
Last week I went 13-3. Overall, I am 113-65 (.635).

Sunday, Dec. 4
Atlanta at Carolina 1:00 p.m.
I like the Panthers. Michael Vick is said to own the Panthers but Falcon are too beat up on defense. Both teams are flawed and both have lost games that they should have won on paper.

Buffalo at Miami 1:00 p.m.
I like the Dolphins.

Cincinnati at Pittsburgh 1:00 p.m.
I like the Steelers. All my reasoning tells me to go with the Bengals but my gut tells me something different. The Steelers are not playing well, their offensive line is struggling along with their run game which they have abandoned too quickly in recent weeks. This is also a short week for the Steelers and Roethlisber seems to have an achy thumb. I must be crazy.

Dallas at N.Y. Giants 1:00 p.m.
I like the Giants. Two good football teams that have played some bad games and had lost some tough games. If the Giants are playing well then it will be really tough for the Cowboys to win.

Green Bay at Chicago 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bears. Right about now is probably a good time for a little hiccup from the Bears but the Packers have hurt me too many times this year for me to pick them.

Houston at Baltimore 1:00 p.m.
I like the Ravens. Besides Brian Billick's job, I have no idea what the Ravens are playing for. Jamal Lewis finally had a 100 yard day but it was on 29 carries! According to the broadcasters of the Ravens-Bengals game, Lewis thinks he needs more than 20 carries a game to be affective! Houston showed some life last week against the Rams but they collapsed late. Maybe they should have some sort of halftime promotion to attract fans-- how about Newlyweds- Nick & Jessica DVD demolition?

Jacksonville at Cleveland 1:00 p.m.
I like the Jaguars. Cleveland sucks, is that good enough?

Minnesota at Detroit 1:00 p.m.
I like the Vikings. The Vikings seem to have new life while I do not know what the Lions have.

Tampa Bay at New Orleans (Baton Rouge, LA) 1:00 p.m.
I like the Buccaneers. I just cannot pick the Saints.

Tennessee at Indianapolis 1:00 p.m.
I like the Colts. The Colts roll another week. Watch McNair get beat up.

Arizona at San Francisco 4:05 p.m.
I like the Cardinals. Get to watch Alex Smith pretend to be an NFL quarterback again. Think he has asked Mike Nolan to run that Urban Meyer spread offense yet? Maybe the guy will pan out but was he really worth the top pick in the draft.

Washington at St. Louis 4:05 p.m.
I like the Redskins. Well the Redskins seem to be sinking and the Rams have shown life and a taste for the dramatic so I of course I am picking the 'Skins. Did I mention it is at St. Louis. This pick is really tough to justify, so I won't.

Denver at Kansas City 4:15 p.m.
I like the Broncos. The Chiefs are a lot better against the run than they get credit for but they cannot stop the Broncos. Plummer might not be making those silly plays anymore but he is becoming restless because he feels he is not making plays. Could be a game the Chiefs steal, especially since it is at Arrowhead and the Broncos have a reputation for fading in the second-half of the season.

N.Y. Jets at New England 4:15 p.m.
I like the Patriots. Okay, I hate the Patriots but they are playing the Jets. How can anybody pick the Jets right now? The Jets are just a decent team that is too beat up right now. How often does Brady have back-to-back bad games?

Oakland at San Diego 8:30 p.m.
I like the Chargers. I want to pick the Raiders because I just do not trust the Chargers but it is in San Diego so I am rolling with the Chargers.

Monday, Dec. 5
Seattle at Philadelphia
I like the Seahawks. The Eagles are done. Wonder what all those silly Philly fans are going to say if the Eagles do not make the playoffs next year-- a real possibility with the Cowboys and Giants on the rise. Don't you feel sorry for those poor Philly fans who were punished by going to the NFC Championship game for 3 straight years and losing before they finally won last year and then lost to another vulnerable Patriots team. How "soft" did Shaun Alexander look last week?

The Fan's Six Pack:
1.) So NFL players seem to have voted Shaun Alexander the most overrated player in the league to go along with the whispers or belief that he is soft. This makes no sense. Alexander might not be the toughest running back in the league but the guy is a touchdown machine who always gets his yards. Compare Alexander to the "tough all-man" running back Jamal Lewis, they are both in the last year of their contract but the "soft" guy is having a career year while the other guy has even admitted to looking out for himself first when playing.

For those interested, my list of the top three overrated players are Jamal Lewis, Todd Heap, and Donovan McNabb with honorable mention to Jonathan Ogden. Jamal Lewis is seemingly washed up now. Lewis was showing signs of slipping last year as well but no one would of guessed that he would fall this far. While you do not hear it much now, some people call Heap the best tight end in football-- I cannot put him in front of Gonzalez, Gates, Crumpler, or a bunch of lesser known tight ends. As for McNabb, he is not bad but he is not as good as people think he is. Without T.O., Philly lacks the receivers to make McNabb great, McNabb is lessing than willing to take off and run because he pays too much attention to the black running quarterback non-sense, and he has hurt the Eagles this year by trying to play through his sports hernia injury because he has never had surgery and is afraid! By signing that contract you are inviting the knife and it is just something one has to accept. Baltimore people seem to think Ogden is slipping mentally because he is disgruntled about the Ravens cutting Ogden brother but he also played poorly last year although it should be noted that he was injured for the majority of last year. Wow, no wonder the Ravens are a bad team.

2.) My list of top three overrated coaches are Bill Belichick, Dick Vermeil, and Brian Billick. I know, you probably think that I am crazy for saying that Bill Belichick is the most overrated coach. Belichick is a good coach and a smart guy but he is not as good as the hype would suggest. Even before the injuries, the Patriots looked like a different team this year without Weis and Crennel and they probably deserved a lot more credit for the Patriots past success than they ever got. Belichick more or less by himself right now is not much better than than his days in Cleveland with the exception of having a better quarterback. Dick Vermeil used to be a borderline great coach but with the Chiefs he has softened too much and looked for the quick fix instead of the right fix. I do not care if Brian Billick has a Super Bowl ring, so do a lot of other people. The guy is the village idiot. Love how he always tries to spin things to make him look smart, talking about how he looks at his Super Bowl ring to remind himself, and everybody else, that he supposedly knows what he is doing and talking about Bill Cowher's failures as misdirection.

3.) So the Eagles won the right to suspend T.O. ass and deactivate him after-wards. If he still wants be part of the Eagles I would bring him back though. I would overly scrutinize him practice and games. I would only let him run patterns taking him over the middle during games. I might make up some trick plays that just have T.O. flapping his arms and balking like a chicken. The minute him complains, I would fine or suspend him.

4.) I cannot figure out who is the cream of the NFC. I think it is between the Seahawks and Giants both teams are flawed more than I like. Chicago is the wildcard.

5.) I think it would be rather difficult for the Bears to win the Super Bowl this year but I think Chicago's defense is better than Baltimore's ever was.

6.) Looking ahead to the draft, the top pick should either be Matt Leinart of Reggie Bush. Leinart is a polished quarterback with a questionable arm. Bush is a jitterbug running back who might be good for a 2000+ combined yard season but not likely a good and consistent between the tackles guy. If I was the GM with a top 2 pick, I think I would trade down. It is a good way to save money and get at least 1 extra draft pick.

The Picks:
Last week I went 9-7. Overall, I am 100-62 (.6173). Too bad I did not have the guts to go against the numbers and pick to pick the Cardinals, Ravens, and Bears.

Thursday, Nov. 24
Atlanta at Detroit 12:30 p.m.
I like the Falcons. This is probably a mistake because the Falcons are up and down like a yo-yo and the Lions have a really good record on Thanksgiving.

Denver at Dallas 4:15 p.m.
I like the Broncos. This could be a really good game. Mike Shanahan needs an animal name. So far we have turkey and tuna what goes with that stuff? I don't know. Maybe I should consult a plumber.

Sunday, Nov. 27
Baltimore at Cincinnati 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bengals. If the Ravens play like they did against the Steelers then they could win but the Ravens have yet to show that they can play two consecutive good games. The Bengals rebound from a tough lost against the Colts. Should be fun watching Billick screw up some more.

Carolina at Buffalo 1:00 p.m.
I like the Panthers. This just in, everybody who said that the Panthers are the best team in the NFC are wrong. I was wrong. I do not know who is best. I do not know much.

Chicago at Tampa Bay 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bears. Well, a few weeks ago I pretty much wrote-off the Bucs. Now the Bucs are back. Yeah, the Bucs are back this week. Oh well, at worse I just continue being wrong.

Cleveland at Minnesota 1:00 p.m.
I like the Vikings. I have tried to write-off the Vikings the past two weeks saying it has been too little too late. I do remember saying that Brad Johnson would be an improvement over Culpepper; I got that right. Watch the Browns beat up on the Vikings because I picked the Vikings.

New England at Kansas City 1:00 p.m.
I like the Chiefs. The Chiefs have a run offense good enough to run over and through the Patriots and everybody can through on the Patriots now. I do not think the Chiefs can consistently stop the Patriots on offense but the Chiefs can stop the Patriots more often than the Patriots can stop the Chiefs.

San Diego at Washington 1:00 p.m.
I like the Chargers. The Redskins are starting to sink. The Chargers seem to be getting their act together. Watch the Chargers forget to show up and the Redskins blow out the Chargers.

San Francisco at Tennessee 1:00 p.m.
I like the Titans. The 49ers are not playing as well as their record, which stinks! Why did Steve McNair come back again? Oh yeah, to further ruin his quality of life after football.

St. Louis at Houston 1:00 p.m.
I like the Rams. This is probably going to be a game that the Texans blowout the Rams. Bad things happen when I pick the Rams. To make this game interesting I think they should set off fireworks during the whole game, especially right before each snap.

Jacksonville at Arizona 4:05 p.m.
I like the Jaguars. It pains me to keep picking the Jags but they have to play someone good for me to pick against them. Sigh. Barring injury, the Jags will not beat the Colts.

Miami at Oakland 4:05 p.m.
I like the Raiders. Nick Saban getting snippy with the media, what a surprise. I want to be like Bill Belichick in every-way except I want to where ugly leather-ware instead. The guy is just a slippery snake oil salesman. (What?)

Green Bay at Philadelphia 4:15 p.m.
I like the Packers. One of my decisions for picking games with bad teams is to favor the home team but I am stupid and never really factor it in. So the Eagles should win but I am at a place where the Packers are favored. It does not make sense to me either.

N.Y. Giants at Seattle 4:15 p.m.
I like the Giants. I want to pick the Seahawks but I am stupid. I like that Seahawk offense but that defense is another matter. I do not know what the Giants have anymore.

New Orleans at N.Y. Jets 8:30 p.m.
I like the Saints. I could justify picking the Jets all the same. Two bad teams.

Monday, Nov. 28
Pittsburgh at Indianapolis 9:00 p.m.
I like the Colts. I know a lot of people have pegged this game as the one the Colts will lose and while I think it could happen I do not think it is likely. Whoever the Steelers put at quarterback I do not like this weekend-- Roethlisberger is coming off knee surgery and this is not an ideal comeback start, Maddox has seemingly lost it, and Randle El might be intriguing but he is also the Steelers' best deep threat. The Colts offense is finally clicking like everyone expected it to, which is good because their defense is starting to slip, and the Colts are at home, the past few years home field advantage did not mean much but the home teams are winning at a good clip once again.

The Fan's Six Pack:
1.) That was some crazy wind in Chicago. It was foolish of the 49ers to try such a long field goal.

2.) What is the quarterback non-sense going on in Buffalo? They start the year with Losman but he proves to be inadequate so they switch to Holcomb but refuse to name a starter. Now before last weeks game, the rumblings coming out of the Bills' camp was that Losman was going to get some spot duty. I know that Holcomb got injured but everyone knows the saying, "When you have two quarterbacks you have none."

3.) What is up with teams going for it with one yard to go on the goal line? The Chiefs and Buccaneers might look smart now but wait until it costs a team a game. It should have cost the Buccaneers.

4.) With their problems at wide receiver, the Eagles rediscovered the run but with the game on the line they went with what they know best and lost. The Cowboys were gifted a win.

5.) The Patriots may have come away from Miami with a win but it may have been their worst effort to date. They will probably make the playoffs because they are in the weakest division in the AFC but I would be surprised if they won even one playoff game. If I was a Patriots fan, I would be troubled that injuries are starting to pile up on offense. Forget the defense because things cannot get much worst there. It should be interesting to see what happens now since their wheelman, Koppen, is on injured reserve.

6.) Congratulations to Hines Ward for becoming the Steelers all-time leader in receptions. There are plenty of receivers who are bigger, stronger, faster, and just more talented but I think Ward might be the best receiver in football.

The Picks:
Last week I was 10-4. Overall, I am 91-55 (.6233).

Arizona at St. Louis 1:00 p.m.
I like the Rams. Here is the secret to picking Cardinal games, one wins more if they pick against the Cardinals.

Carolina at Chicago 1:00 p.m.
I like the Panthers. Both these teams are flying high but I think the Panthers are higher up there. Chicago still needs an offense.

Detroit at Dallas 1:00 p.m.
I like the Cowboys. I know the Cowboys stole a win last week but how can I pick against them?

Jacksonville at Tennessee 1:00 p.m.
I like the Jaguars. I might think the Jaguars are pretenders but the Titans are not even that this year.

Miami at Cleveland 1:00 p.m.
I like the Dolphins. If you caught any of the Sunday night Browns-Steelers game then you know the Browns are not very good.

New Orleans at New England 1:00 p.m.
I like the Patriots. This is the week they finally win two in a row.

Oakland at Washington 1:00 p.m.
I like the Redskins.

Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants 1:00 p.m.
I like the Giants. The Eagles are playing like a bad team-- they are finding ways to lose.

Pittsburgh at Baltimore 1:00 p.m.
I like the Steelers. This is going to be a tough game for the Steelers. The Ravens might not be any good this year but they seem to always give an extra effort against the Steelers. No one knows who will be starting for the Steelers at quarterback now either-- a position that seemed like a strength for them going into the season now does not look so deep.

Tampa Bay at Atlanta 1:00 p.m.
I like the Falcons. The Buccaneers find a way to win late last week and the Falcons had a disappointing lost at home against the Packers but I like the Falcons for this one.

Seattle at San Francisco 4:05 p.m.
I like the Seahawks. Seahawks are finally playing the way they have been expected to for so long. The word on Shaun Alexander is that he is soft but each of the past 4 years he has had at least 15 touchdowns and this year he has a chance for a 2000 yard season. He might not be the toughest guy but he seems to get the job done real well.

Buffalo at San Diego 4:15 p.m.
I like the Chargers. It is my opinion that the Bills play a lot better when they are at home but this game is in San Diego so the Chargers find a way to hang on and win.

Indianapolis at Cincinnati 4:15 p.m.
I like the Colts. This should be a good game-- which means it will be a 45-0 blowout. The Bengals are weak against the run and Colts are more dedicated to the run this year.

N.Y. Jets at Denver 4:15 p.m.
I like the Broncos. The injuries on offense have crippled the Jets and their defense is not as good as it was last year. People like to point out that it has been the Broncos M.O. to falter in the second half the past few years but it won't happen this week.

Kansas City at Houston 8:30 p.m.
I like the Chiefs. What do I need to say, it's the Texans.

Monday, Nov. 21
Minnesota at Green Bay 9:00 p.m.
I like the Packers. The Vikings have been playing better lately but so have the Packers. I like the Packers because they are at home and the Vikings took the first game.

The Fan's Six Pack:
1.) Well Peyton Manning and the Colts finally did it. No surprise really. To be fair to Manning, it was fumbles, missed field goals, and drop passes that had prevented him from beating the Patriots in the recent past.

2.) What a drama this whole Eagles-McNabb-Owens thing has been. I sort of side with Owens in the sense that I think it is unacceptable that contracts are not guaranteed but the way he has conducted himself is just despicable. It is sort of sad that in search of the big pay day that he has pretty much ruined his chances.

3.) I am not convinced that Tomlinson is an all-time top ten running back or the best running back of the past 5-10 years but it is difficult to believe that this past Sunday was the first time he got 4 touchdowns in a single NFL game.

4.) The Chargers have to find a way to keep their games from getting too close. I like them but they bend way too much on defense.

5.) I think the top teams in the AFC are the Colts, Steelers, and Broncos in some order. In the NFC, I think the top teams are the Panthers, Giants, and Falcons in some order.

6.) I do not know how many people are watching "ESPN's Bound for Glory" with Dick Butkus and Ray Crockett. For whatever rea$on, their contracts only ran through the first the first 7 games even though the season was 9 games. When their contracts expired, Butkus bolted and Crockett stayed. Butkus did come back for the final game but that was for the final hero picture. Congratulations to Ray Crockett for being a class act (and who was brought-in to the show once it was realized that Butkus wasn't relating to the kids).

Last week, I went 12-2. Overall, I am 81-51.

Sunday, Nov. 13
Arizona at Detroit 1:00 p.m.
I like the Lions. I picked the Lions because they are the home team.

Baltimore at Jacksonville 1:00 p.m.
I like the Jaguars. Baltimore can put up a spirited fight some times but they just are not good at figuring out how to win.

Houston at Indianapolis 1:00 p.m.
I like the Colts. After the big win against the Patriots are the Colts in for a letdown? I don't think so, not at Indy.

Kansas City at Buffalo 1:00 p.m.
I like the Chiefs. I will say it again, no Priest Holmes means more Larry Johnson and that is a good thing.

Minnesota at N.Y. Giants 1:00 p.m.
I like the Giants. The Giants are playing really well and the Vikings are still the Vikings. The Vikings are better without Culpepper but not that much better.

New England at Miami 1:00 p.m.
I like the Patriots. I want to like the Dolphins because I really think the Patriots will lose a division game against the Bills or Dolphins and it only makes sense for it to be an away game for the Patriots. As much as I dislike the Patriots and Tom Brady, they can be unstoppable at times with their passing offense.

San Francisco at Chicago 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bears. How can one like the 49ers?

Denver at Oakland 4:05 p.m.
I like the Broncos. The Broncos are playing really well; hard to believe that the Jake Plummer and the Broncos might be the AFC's best chance of keeping the Colts out of the Super Bowl. There I said it.

N.Y. Jets at Carolina 4:05 p.m.
I like the Panthers. It is at Carolina and the Jets are struggling, how could I like the Jets? Steve Smith is just torching secondaries.

Green Bay at Atlanta 4:15 p.m.
I like the Falcons. Brett Favre in a dome? The bad season continues for the Packers.

St. Louis at Seattle 4:15 p.m.
I like the Seahawks. The Seahawks continue to play well.

Washington at Tampa Bay 4:15 p.m.
I like the Redskins. Two good defenses go at it. The Buccaneers' offense is woeful. The Redskins offense is a little hard to figure out but they should get enough this week.

Cleveland at Pittsburgh 8:30 p.m.
I like the Steelers. The Steelers are a different team without Roethlisberger but I like that Duce Staley will probably be starting. I'm sure some people will disagree with me but I always thought that the Steelers would need to rediscover him for playoff success. Willie Parker is a good change-up back but he does not fit as a starter in the Steelers' system (he would probably be a better fit for the cut-and-go zone-blocking scheme used by Denver and Atlanta). Staley is a more consistent runner.

Monday, Nov. 14
Dallas at Philadelphia 9:00 p.m.
I like the Cowboys. The Cowboys were dominant in the first match-up and things are not that different now.

The Fan's Six Pack:
1.) Just heard that Steelers will be without Ben Roethlisberger for a while. I think it is way too optimisitic to suggest that he will only miss 1 game after having knee surgery. It think/know it is possible but I do not think it is wise.

2.) Where has Chad Johnson gone to? He really did not show up until late during the Pittsburgh game and he was kept out of the endzone again this past week. The can can talk but not exactly walking the walk lately.

3.) What is up with this pseudo-news story that Tom Brady did not understand game tape preparation until late last year? Sorry, but I do not buy it. It is called experience; now please stop reporting about it.

4.) Brad Johnson might not be as good as Culpepper but I don't think he will be the turnover machine that Culpepper morphed himself into.

5.) I have been a little critical of Jamal Lewis, Brian Billick, and the Ravens. I think such criticism is fair but I will say this, I watched the first half of the Monday night game and was almost convinced that Billick was right that Leis only needed more carries, ALMOST.

6.) I think the media, or at least their present incarnation, and fantasy football are very bad for football. The fantasy football people are just about stats and do not care what teams win or lose. As for the media, why are they picking on players who win games with bad or questionable stats, like Roethlisberger and Vick? Those guys are winners and their teams are not nearly as good without them.

Last week I went 10-4. Overall, I am 69-49 (.5847).

Sunday, Nov. 6
Atlanta at Miami 1:00 p.m.
I like the Falcons. This is the one against all logic pick that I afford myself each week. The Dolphins actually seem to be the better team but I am going with the Falcons. In situations like this, I usually go with the home team, oh well.

Carolina at Tampa Bay 1:00 p.m.
I like the Panthers. The Buccaneers made a run at the division early but they looked like a real flawed team right now. I know Carnell Williams is dinged but he has disappeared.

Cincinnati at Baltimore 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bengals. The Bengals showed a lot of heart hanging in there against Pittsburgh but in the end I think it just was what I call "division wackiness." I do not care if this is another division game subject; the Bengals are the better team by far and find a way.

Detroit at Minnesota 1:00 p.m.
I like the Lions. Boy, Jeff Garcia sure got some contact last week. Maybe the Vikings find a spark with Brad Johnson.

Houston at Jacksonville 1:00 p.m.
I like the Jaguars. I do not trust the Jaguars but they are playing Houston.

Oakland at Kansas City 1:00 p.m.
I like the Chiefs. The Chiefs are good against the run so Jordan is not going to do much. If Priest Holmes cannot go then it means more of Larry Johnson, which a real good thing.

San Diego at N.Y. Jets 1:00 p.m.
I like the Chargers. San Diego has a tough schedule so they cannot afford to give away the easy games.

Tennessee at Cleveland 1:00 p.m.
I like the Titans. The Titans will move the ball a little better and they have the better special teams unit.

Chicago at New Orleans (Baton Rouge, LA) 4:05 p.m.
I like the Bears. The Bears have a very good defense. Never know what to expect out of the Saints.

N.Y. Giants at San Francisco 4:05 p.m.
I like the Giants. The 49ers might have a better record than the Texans but I think the 49ers are the worst team in the NFL. Can't pick against the Giants right now anyhow.

Seattle at Arizona 4:05 p.m.
I like the Seahawks. I don't know why; I guess the Cardnials just are not very good at winning.

Pittsburgh at Green Bay 4:15 p.m.
I like the Steelers. Things do not look good in Green Bay, nor in Pittsburgh for the short term. The Packers are more decimated on the offensive side of the ball than the Steelers. Too bad Roethlisberger does not get to play at Lambeau.

Philadelphia at Washington 8:30 p.m.
I like the Redskins. The 'Skins right now are just better than the Eagles. Looks like Owens might not dress for the Eagles; it is easy to dislike the man but he is the only legit wideout in their pass-happy offense.

Monday, Nov. 7
Indianapolis at New England 9:00 p.m.
I like the Colts. Okay, I probably actually love the Colts for this week. The Patriots are not the team they have been in the recent past, I probably would not even call them a good team, and that is shame in the drama and excuse department but when the Colts beat the Patriots on Monday it will buoy the Colts to a whole new layer of the atmospehere. Remember when Steve Young finally beat the Cowboys? It will be like that.

1.) Too much is being made of Tedy Bruschi's return to the football field. I have no problem with recognising his coming back from a stroke but I refuse to applaude it and wish there was not so much media saturation surrounding the story. Why do I refuse to applaude his decision and ability to return to the football field? Simply because the guy was given a reason to leave the game but he decided not to. Did you know that the life expectancy of an NFL player is only 55 to 60 years? Bruschi may have been medically cleared to play football again but how many of you would allow yourself to seek or participate in a profession that was likely to severly shorten your life? Those footballers who are dying now were a lot smaller, on average, than players today. Bruschi's NFL profile says he is 6'1" and 247 lbs. According to a health chart that I recently received as a magazine insert, Bruschi is obese (as is the vast majority of NFL players and way too many Americans). While it is good that Bruschi works out regularly, that excess weight is putting undue strain on his organs. Obesity is like smoking, the longer a person is obese the more damage is done to that person's body. The guy has had some success in the league and is still in fair health; he should retire, lose some weight, and enjoy the rest of his life. It might appear to be a good story right now, perhaps even a great story if he can help the Patriots sure up their defense, but what kind of a story is it likely to be in 20-30 years?

2.) I watched most of the Steelers-Bengals game and I feel foolish for doubting the Steelers. A lot of people feel that the Bengals should have went into the half with a lead but I think they need to be reminded that the offense of the Steelers was finding ways to stop itself also. The second half, the Steelers just dominated and the Bengals were left helpless.

3.) I caught parts of the Baltimore at Chicago game and I must say the announcers were horrible. Jamal Lewis looked horrible again but their explaination was that his conditioning limited him to about 20 carries a game which prevented him from getting in a groove. The guy had 29 carries, for only 81 yards, in the Jets game. The score was Chicago 10 Baltimore 6 the whole fourth quarter but the announcers were talking as if Baltimore had the lead and was going to win.

4.) I do not like how the Broncos, Chargers, and Cowboys found ways to lose late. The Eagles and Seahawks were very lucky to win; the Giants found a way to win.

5.) What is going on in St. Louis? Would be interesting if more disgruntled sports personnel did radio interviews. I like Mike Martz by the way and I think he deserves to be treated better but this is just getting silly. Sort of surprised he has lasted this long really.

6.) People just do not get Michael Vick. He is not regressing as a passing; he is simply winning.

This week's picks:
Sunday, Oct. 30
Arizona at Dallas, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Cowboys. Bill Parcells and the Cowboys get it right this week.

Chicago at Detroit, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bears. Not sure what to make of Jeff Garcia starting for the Lions yet.

Cleveland at Houston, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Browns. Houston has yet to have a lead in a game yet this year!

Green Bay at Cincinnati, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bengals. The Bengals rebound big.

Jacksonville at St. Louis, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Jaguars. It is tough for me to believe the Rams are as bad as the numbers seem. I do not think Jacksonville is really that great but I got to take them this week.

Miami at New Orleans, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Dolphins. The Dolphins are playing better than their record and the Saints are up and down.

Minnesota at Carolina, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Panthers. Just never know what you are going to get out of Minnesota.

Oakland at Tennessee, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Raiders. Flip a coin really.

Washington at N.Y. Giants, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Redskins. Good divisional game. Both teams are playing well right now but I think the 'Skins are playing better.

Kansas City at San Diego, 4:05 p.m.
I like the Chargers. The Chargers are a lot better than their record; the Chargers just have the misfortune of playing a very tough schedule.

Philadelphia at Denver, 4:15 p.m.
I like the Broncos. Should be interesting to see if the Eagles can stop the Denver run attack.

Tampa Bay at San Francisco, 4:15 p.m.
I like the Buccaneers. I think that high school football team that Dick Butkus coaches on ESPN could beat the 49ers and they, Montour, stink.

Buffalo at New England, 8:30 p.m.
I like the Patriots. I will be rooting for the Bills but I think this will be a game the Patriots refuse to lose since they had a week off and coming off a bad week.

Monday, Oct. 31
Baltimore at Pittsburgh, 9:00 p.m.
I like the Steelers. An already bad Ravens team is without Ray Ray and Ed Reed. Seems Billick thinks that Jamal Lewis needs more carries!?! Just another reason why Billick is on the hot seat.

The Fan's Six Pack
1.) I watched the majority of the Steelers-Jaguars game and was pretty much unimpressed all the way around. I think it was just a minor bump in the road for the Steelers, I like Maddox but he played like a dog and Batch or Roethlisberger surely would of played better. Now I am seeing reports that Maddox hurt his shoulder in the game, well that could explain his poor play but why did the Steelers keep him in then? Every week, I am less sold on Willie Parker and the Steeler's offensive line. As for Jacksonville, Leftwich looked almost as bad as Maddox did. I would be surprised if the Jaguars went anywhere this season.

2.) The Patriots still have yet to win two in a row this year. New England's offense might be potent but they just cannot stop anybody. They will probably get into the playoffs just because the AFC East is so weak but asking them to string together 3-4 consecutive wins in the playoffs to win it all is too much. While it has not been much of an issue in the past, I wonder how their passing game will do when the temperature drops and the winds pick up. The dangers of relying too much on a passing game. Right now, they are not even in my top five of AFC teams! Please do not buy that manure that their opening six games is the roughest in the history of the NFL or however they are trying to it package right now; it simply is not true. When the Patriots were playing the Broncos, I wonder if Belichick ever looked across the field to see Mike Shannahan and realized there is not such thing as a genius in the NFL.

3.) After the Cowboys defeated the Giants, I was about ready to say that they are for real. However, I am not so sure since learning that they will be without their left tackle for the rest of the year. Got to like what they did on defense though, even if they did leave Shockey open to tie the game late. It is wait and see a little longer in Dallas.

4.) Jamal Lewis might be the worst starting running back in the league at the moment! I realize that Baltimore's passing game does not scare anyone and allows teams to concentrate on stopping the run but that was also true when he rushed for over 2000 yards. Remember before the season started when everybody was talking about Lewis perhaps having a 400+ carry season? That evaporated fast. Here are Lewis' rushing numbers so far: 98 attempts, 292 yards, 3.0 yards a carry average, longest run of 25 yards, 1 touchdown, and 17 first downs. Here are the rushing numbers for Baltimore's other running back, Chester Taylor: 35 carries, 202 yards, 5.8 yards a carry average, longest run of 52 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 8 first downs. I have heard that Lewis misses his fullback and that line is not playing well but all that has not stopped Taylor. I believe Lewis is in the final year of his contract also, ouch.

5.) The Redskins are a goofy team. When they get outplayed they win but when they outplay their opponent is when they lose! That make any sense? It is the truth though.

6.) What is up with the Chargers? They made two trades this week! Looks more and more likely that only one of there big money quarterbacks, Brees or Rivers, will be there next year.

Last week I went 11-3. Overall, I am 53-37 (.5889).

Sunday, Oct. 23
Detroit at Cleveland, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Browns. The Browns have the better offense and they are the home team.

Green Bay at Minnesota, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Packers. How can anybody like either team? I would feel a lot better about picking the Packers if this game was not being played at Minnesota in a dome. Favre might not like domes, guess it is a good thing the Falcons traded him, but the Packers find a way. There is just too much silliness going on in Minnesota to pick them and did I mention they were not playing well?

Indianapolis at Houston, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Colts. The Texans can't do much of anything right now. The Colts' defense will look good again but it really has nothing to do with the Colts.

Kansas City at Miami, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Dolphins. The upset special?

New Orleans at St. Louis, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Rams. Both of these teams seem to find a way to lose every week. The reason why I picked the Rams? They are at home.

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bengals. Tough game. I thought Pittsburgh was very lucky to have won both games last year. The game last year where the Bengals almost came back but Palmer threw an interception to Polamalu who ran it back for a touchdown and ran Palmer over in the process was the game where I decided the Bengals were going to have a very good offense this year. When healthy, I think Pittsburgh has the better team but they are far from healthy right now. I understand that Roethlisberger is going to start, good thing because he was missed more against Jacksonville than what people anticipated, but what about Ward? I understand Townsend is a bit nicked also. I don't think the Steelers are likely to lose two in a row but I have got to go with the Bengals here, it is in Cincinnati.

San Diego at Philadelphia, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Chargers. This could be a real slug-fest. San Diego has the better offense and not much of a defense. Philadelphia has the better defense but their offense while good is one dimensional. I went back and forth on my pick here, decided on the Chargers because David Akers is not playing.

San Francisco at Washington, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Redskins. I am not convinced that Washington is as good as their record but they are better than the 49ers.

Dallas at Seattle, 4:05 p.m.
I like the Cowboys. I wish I had a better feel for this game. The Seattle offense is great but the rest of the team is not. Dallas builds on last weeks big win and finds a way to win.

Baltimore at Chicago, 4:15 p.m.
I like the Bears. A game of two teams that really are not going anywhere. I know, Chicago has real playoff hopes but if they make the playoffs do you expect them to go anywhere? The Bears actually seem to have a worse offense than the Ravens but they are better on defense and special teams. Sounds like Ed Reed will not play either, ouch.

Buffalo at Oakland, 4:15 p.m.
I like the Bills. Buffalo seems to have caught fire with their new quarterback but I'm not sold on their defense or heart. I do not know if Randy Moss is going to play, so that could hurt the Raiders.

Denver at N.Y. Giants, 4:15 p.m.
I like the Giants. The Broncos are coming off a big win and that so called potent Giant offense only managed 13 points against Dallas. The Giants rebound from their disappointing loss.

Tennessee at Arizona, 4:15 p.m.
I like the Titans. A battle of two rebuilding teams. The Titans have the better offense and special team units. The Titans might have problems stopping people but Arizona is not that great.

Monday, Oct. 24
N.Y. Jets at Atlanta, 9:00 p.m.
I like the Falcons. Last week, the Jets lost their center, Kevin Mawae, for the year. I understand he was not playing especially well but the center anchors an offensive line and he will be missed. The Jets were not that good with him to begin with. The Falcons could even rest Vick and his cranky knee if they wanted to.

The Fans Six Pack:
1.) The Patriots had another resilient win showing that they are are not done yet, the fat lady has yet to sing, it ain't over until they say it is over, and so on. Sorry, but I still am not buying it. The Falcons without Vick would be like Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr re-uniting and calling themselves the Beatles. Yes, I know that the Patriots have a missing a bunch of key personnel also but with the exception of Seymour all those guys are gone for the year but Vick will play again this year. Besides, I think it was another must win for the Patriots.

2.) Watching the Eagles-Chiefs game last week I was thinking that the Eagles need to run the ball a lot more. The Eagles came back though so I did not say anything. Well since they lost this week, they need to run the ball a lot more!

3.) The Saints are done. Sorry Peter King.

4.) After seeing the Ravens implode against Detroit I think it is safe to say that the Ravens are done. I do not care if Brian Billick won a Super Bowl there, I regard that as a fluke, he should be gone at the end of the year.

5.) The Steelers are very lucky that the Roethlisberger's injury is not serious. All this stuff about about Roethlisberger not being as great as his win-loss record is silly. The guy is averaging 9.2 net yards a pass attempt!!! For comparison, no other team is averaging more than 7.6. Pittsburgh may have a system that allow them to plug-in various players and still win but that should not detract the from player's value. Did I mention that the guy has yet to throw an interception?

6.) That Harrington fumble sure looked like a forward pass.

This weeks picks:
Ouch, last week I went 6-8. Overall, I am 42-34 (.5526). I am embarrassed by the performance of my picks last week and have gone to a more scientific approach to picking my games than pretty much just picking them from the sit of my pants (to be honest, I have been wanting to stats aware for awhile this was just the last straw).

Sunday, Oct. 16
Atlanta at New Orleans, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Falcons. The Falcons are the better team; that simple.

Carolina at Detroit, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Panthers. The Panthers win with good steady offense, defense, and special teams-- nothing great. Great is not needed against Detroit.

Cincinnati at Tennessee, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bengals. The Bengals need to get that tough loss out of their system and the Titans will not put up much of fight.

Cleveland at Baltimore, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Browns. The Ravens are lost. The Browns are better than people think; it does not help that they had a very tough opening schedule.

Jacksonville at Pittsburgh, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Steelers. This was a tough game for me to pick because although the Steelers are the better team; this is going to be a real tough game for them. It is a short week for the Steelers and they are coming off of a long road trip from San Diego. Nobody really knows if Roethlisberger is going to be able to play and if he does he should be less than 100%. So in short, there are a lot of reasons to pick against the Steelers but they do not often lose two in a row at home.

Miami at Tampa Bay, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Buccaneers. The Bucs and Dolphins are comparable in offense and defense but the Bucs have the better special teams unit and that is going to pay-off big this week.

Minnesota at Chicago, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bears. Okay, I actually do not like either team but I have to pick one. The Vikes are terrible against the run but who do the Bears have to run the ball? The Bears find a way somehow, just because they are the home team.

N.Y. Giants at Dallas, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Giants.

Washington at Kansas City, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Chiefs. The Chiefs have the better offense and special teams. The Redskins might have the better defense but that is not enough this week.

New England at Denver, 4:15 p.m.
I like the Broncos. The Patriots need to prove to me that they can win two in a row!

N.Y. Jets at Buffalo, 4:15 p.m.
I like the Bills. While these two have comparable offenses and defenses, stat-wise, the Bills are much better on special teams. It might seem small but it should be enough this week.

San Diego at Oakland, 4:15 p.m.
I like the Chargers. Oakland's defense stinks and San Diego offense can be very good.

Houston at Seattle, 8:30 p.m.
I like the Seahawks. The Texans stink, sorry.

Monday, Oct. 17
St. Louis at Indianapolis, 9:00 p.m.
I like the Colts. I have a real soft-spot for the Rams but even their offense is less than special now-a-days. Besides, I can't pick against Indy yet.

The Fan's Six Pack:

1.) The Patriots, at 2-2, have yet to look good this season. Where has Corey Dillon disappeared to? Perhaps a defense that gave up some yards really can't sustain the loss of Rodney Harrison (along with Bruschi, Johnson, et al). Patriot players and fans are fond of saying that this team does not lose two in a row, if they do not improve fast it is going to be said that they do not win two in a row.

2.) The two best teams in the NFC are the Eagles and Falcons. Both have loop-sided offenses but one with the pass and the other with the run. Of the two, I like the Falcons because they are better at passing the ball than the Eagles are at running it. The question of McNabb's health is also troubling; Vick's dings do not seem to be nearly as serious.

3.) Jamal Lewis is not right. I do not how he is not right though. I think it is rather troublesome that Lewis only had 81 yards on 29 carries and Billick calls that effort, "Outstanding. Gutty. Tough."

4.) I never liked Plaxico Burress with the Steelers. Burress never quite fit in with the Steelers' run happy offense. It is rumored that Steeler insiders felt that Burress would lose interest in a game if he did not get the ball early and often enough. The papers criticized him for his drops, the poor route running, and poor efforts after the catch. Anyhow, Burress is now with the more pass happy Giants and Burress had a pretty good day against St. Louis. Every week, Burress is looking more and more like a perfect fit for the Giants.

5.) A lot was made of the defenses of the Chiefs and Colts early on this season. After consecutive loses, no one is talking about the Chiefs' defense anymore. So that leaves the Colts, their defense might appear to be playing well but consider their opponents: Baltimore, Jacksonville, Clevend, and Tennessee.

6.) I wonder what Brett Favre is thinking right now.

Picks:
Last week I went 10-4. Overall, I'm 36-24 (.600).

Sunday, Oct. 9
Baltimore at Detroit, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Lions. Baltimore's offense is worse than ever because they seemingly have forgotten how to run the ball in addition to just being unable to throw it.

Chicago at Cleveland, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bears. Could go either way really.

Miami at Buffalo, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Dolphins. The Bills are just looking bad. I don't care who starts at quarterback.

New England at Atlanta, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Falcons. The Falcons are running the heck out of the ball and their defense is pretty good also. Vick's knee injury might be a little troublesome but I do not think it is serious.

New Orleans at Green Bay, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Saints. This is perhaps the toughest pick for me. I don't trust the Aaron Brooks or the Saints but the Packers are just bad.

Seattle at St. Louis, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Rams.

Tampa Bay at N.Y. Jets, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Buccaneers. Here is all you need to know about the Jets offense, it is worse than the Ravens!

Tennessee at Houston, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Titans. I don't think either team is that good but the Texans are worse.

Indianapolis at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m.
I like the Colts. Alex Smith makes his NFL debut.

Carolina at Arizona, 4:15 p.m.
I like the Panthers. Arizona showed some signs of life in Mexico but they are back in the U.S. this week.

Philadelphia at Dallas, 4:15 p.m.
I like the Eagles. The Cowboys have not shown me enough for me to pick them.

Washington at Denver, 4:15 p.m.
I like the Broncos. Don't look now but the Broncos have looked really good as of late. The Redskins might be undefeated but they have not exactly looked good.

Cincinnati at Jacksonville, 8:30 p.m.
I like the Bengals. I really don't know what to make of the Jaguars; they still seem to have problems scoring points. I think the Bengals will win but this could be their biggest test yet.

Monday, Oct. 10
Pittsburgh at San Diego, 9:00 p.m.
I like the Steelers. The Chargers are coming off a big win against the Patriots and the Steelers are coming off a disappointing loss to the Patriots. The Steelers are also coming off of a bye week. Look for the Steelers to rebound in a big way.

Not going to recap week 3, its too much busy work really. I went 10-4 anyhow. Overall, I 26-20 (.565).

Here are my picks for week 4:

Sunday, Oct. 2
Buffalo at New Orleans, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bills.

Denver at Jacksonville, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Broncos. The Broncos are one of those teams that loses games they should win and wins games they should lose- end result is they get 10 wins a year somehow.

Detroit at Tampa Bay, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bucs. Tampa Bay is looking real good right now, wait until the second half for them to sag.

Houston at Cincinnati, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bengals. The Texans have issues and the right now the Bengals do not.

Indianapolis at Tennessee, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Colts. Tennessee's defense is not that great so Peyton Manning should finally get it going.

Philadelphia at Kansas City, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Chiefs. I know McNabb thinks that he can play through the pain but he did not look good against Oakland and was often off target.

San Diego at New England, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Chargers. Don't let the record fool you, the Patriots have yet to look good and were damn lucky to when against the Steelers last week and it was an expensive losing Harrison, Light, and Faulk. The Chargers seem to have finally got it going. I don't care if the Patriots don't lose at home, they will this week.

Seattle at Washington, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Redskins. Seahawks can never play well for too long.

St. Louis at N.Y. Giants, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Rams. Eli Manning looks like he has finally started to understand things but that won't help them this week.

N.Y. Jets at Baltimore, 4:05 p.m.
I like the Ravens. A battle of two clunkers. I'm going with the team with the better defense.

Dallas at Oakland, 4:15 p.m.
I like the Cowboys. Oakland is not as bad as their 0-3 record but I think the Cowboys find a way to win.

Minnesota at Atlanta, 4:15 p.m.
I like the Falcons. The Falcons looked really good against Buffalo, who has a much better defense than Minnesota.

San Francisco at Arizona, 8:30 p.m.
I like the Cardinals. I don't really know why. Flip a coin.

Monday, Oct. 3
Green Bay at Carolina, 9:00 p.m.
I like the Panthers. Carolina needs to get back to .500.

Sunday, Sep. 25
Atlanta at Buffalo, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Falcons. Tough game to pick. I don't know if Vick is going to play and that scares me but I don't like the way Losman played last week. The early word on Losman is that he is not very good under presure.

Carolina at Miami, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Panthers. The Panthers looked better in their win than the Dolphins did in theirs.

Cincinnati at Chicago, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Bengals. With the way the Bengals are playing it makes sense to ride them until their streak ends. I don't think the Bengals defense has really been tested yet and it probably will not be in this game.

Cleveland at Indianapolis, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Colts. The Colts' offense is not clicking yet but they are pratically unbeatable at home.

Jacksonville at N.Y. Jets, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Jaguars. For the Jets sake I hope they start well because their fans can be rather toxic. Curtis Martin might finally be showing his age and Blaylock is a career backup for a reason.

New Orleans at Minnesota, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Saints. The Vikings are just looking bad right now and just like you are supposed to ride out winning streaks I think you have to ride out this losing streak.

Oakland at Philadelphia, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Eagles. This could be a very tough game for the Eagles. I am not sold on the Eagles. I do not like Philadelphia's lack of a running game and their defense really has not been tested yet. The Oakland passing game is starting to come together but I don't know about their run game.

As for the the Moss-Owens debate, Moss is the more athletic of the two but Owens is stronger, runs better routes, and always gives his all in games.

Tampa Bay at Green Bay, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Buccaneers. Green Bay is not very good right now.

Tennessee at St. Louis, 1:00 p.m.
I like the Rams. I really don't know why, I just don't trust the Titans yet.

Arizona at Seattle, 4:05 p.m.
I like the Seahawks. The Seahawks seem to play better at home and Arizona does not seem ready to break through yet, maybe next year.

Dallas at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m.
I like the Cowboys. The Cowboys will bounce back from a bad Monday game.

New England at Pittsburgh, 4:15 p.m.
I like the Steelers. These two teams met twice last year with each team winning one. The Patriots were more beat up when the Steelers won and the Steelers were more beat up when the Patriots won. The way the Steelers won last year was a lot more convincing than the way the Patriots won (even if the Patriots win was a playoff game).

N.Y. Giants at San Diego, 8:30 p.m.
I like the Chargers. This could be a real ugly game for Eli Manning. Those San Diego fans should give him hell. With all that said, the Charger fans should really thank Manning. What I mean, is that it was a good trade for the Chargers because they did not really need a quarterback after all!

Monday, Sep. 26
Kansas City at Denver, 9:00 p.m.
I like the Chiefs. This was a really hard game for me to pick because I think these two teams are about even and the Broncos probably have an edge since they are playing in Denver but I'm still going with the Chiefs.