nfl weekly predictions: week seventeen [17]

new england at ny giants

analysis : there is nothing standing in the way of the patriots from going 16-0, nothing except for a tom coughlin-coached team. in other words, nothing is standing in the way of the patriots from going 16-0.

the pick : new england

buffalo at philadelphia

analysis : it looks like the eagles finally have momentum as a football team. unfortunately, there aren't any more games left in the season. andy reid should plan better for this scenario next season.

the pick : philadelphia

cincinnati at miami

analysis : the bengals are slowly becoming the arizona cardinals of the afc; they have a lot of players who put up great fantasy numbers, but they aren't anything more than a mediocre team.

the pick : cincinnati

carolina at tampa bay

analysis : did vinny testeverde really need to announce his retirement? did he do that so the other teams wouldn't call and tempt him to play next season? i really can't see any other team calling vinny to see if he's available. well, i take that back. i could see the atlanta falcons doing that.

the pick : tampa bay

new orleans at chicago

analysis : the saints need to win this game to keep their playoff hopes alive, which means that they well play poorly. the saints are simply not a good team, as their 7-8 record suggests. they have fallen short in every 'must-win' situation this year. there is no other reason to think that they will do otherwise against the bears.

the pick : chicago

jacksonville at houston

analysis : the jaguars are peaking at the right time, which means that they have a good chance to win their first round playoff game, only to get crushed by the colts or most likely, the patriots.

the pick : jacksonville

seattle at atlanta

analysis : for the falcons, this season couldn't end soon enough. they had a gutless coach who was replaced with a catatonic coach. they had their franchise player sent to prison who was replaced with a person who arguably plays the piano better than he plays quarterback. this is not right.

the pick : seattle

detroit at green bay

analysis : the packers must be glad that the bears didn't make the playoffs this year, as two of their three losses have come to them. the packers should put away the spiritless lions, who now have many players struggling with clinical depression after their second half slide.

the pick : green bay

san francisco at cleveland

analysis : it's interesting that the browns are currently the sixth seed in the playoff picture, but it doesn't matter if they win or lose in order to clinch a playoff berth. the only way they can clinch is is the titans lose. it's debatable that it's more important for the nfl that the 49ers win so that the patriots won't have as good of a first round pick in the 2008 draft.

the pick : cleveland

minnesota at denver

analysis : disregarding the possibility that games will end with ties, the vikings need to win this game and the redskins to lose in order for them to make the playoffs. fortunately, they are playing against a terrible broncos defense. if adrian peterson doesn't get somewhere around 35-40 carries, i will be shocked [except in the highly improbable case that this game is a blowout]. if brad childress deviates from this game plan, he will have learned a lesson the hard way, which is never trust tavaris jackson to win a football game.

the pick : minnesota

dallas at washington

analysis : as mentioned previously, if the redskins win, then they're in the playoffs. they will rely on todd collins at quarterback again this week, who has helped them win three straight games [including the game in which he replaced an injured jason campbell]. i'm not even sure how this has happened. at any rate, they get to play a banged-up cowboys team that has nothing to gain.

the pick : washington

pittsburgh at baltimore

analysis : the ravens are planning to start 2006 heisman winner troy smith. [remember him? no? give it a second. yes, that's right, he's the one that crapped the bed against the florida gators in last year's bcs championship game.] i'm not sure if this is going to end well for them.

the pick : pittsburgh

san diego at oakland

analysis : philip rivers has no place talking trash to anyone at any time. it would be as if brad johnson started jawing with opposing players. rivers has shown that he's a serviceable quarterback [at best], and he's not the reason the chargers win. they win because of ladainian tomlinson and a resurgent defense that is possibly/most likely fueled by performance enhancing drugs. that, and norv turner has finally figured out how to use a headset.

the pick : san diego

st louis at arizona

analysis : the cardinals have a strong tradition of disappointing fans, which means that they will play poorly in both their home finale and their chance to finish 8-8. [since 1985, the cardinals have only had one winning season at 9-7, and only one other season at 8-8. the rest of those years have ended in a losing season. yikes.]

the pick : st louis

kansas city at ny jets

analysis : i'm not even sure that either team want to play this game. i think time would be better spent if both teams just held a three hour self-esteem session at the hotel for the players.

the pick : ny jets

tennessee at indianapolis

analysis : the colts will not play their starters any longer than a few series, which is all the more curious as to why marvin harrison will start this game. the titans will treat this contest like a playoff game since their playoff hopes are dependent on its outcome.

the pick : tennessee

nfl weekly predictions: week fifteen [15]

denver at houston

analysis : it looks like the broncos' offense is finally playing like everyone expected them to play like before the season started. still, it is too little, too late. the texans' fans, on the other hand, are still wondering what it's like to have for a running back sometime during the franchise's existence.

the pick : denver

cincinnati at san francisco

analysis : somehow the 49ers were able to hold adrian peterson to 3 yards rushing on 14 rushes. still they lost by 20 points to a team led by tavaris jackson. i don't know whether this is encouraging or discouraging for the 49ers. and in other news, rudi johnson apparently does have a pulse.

the pick : cincinnati

jacksonville at pittsburgh

analysis : as expected, the media made too much of anthony smith's 'guarantee,' which really wasn't even a guarantee if listened closely. after last week's beating, the good news for the steelers is that return to hines heinz field, where they are 7-0 this season.

the pick : pittsburgh

atlanta at tampa bay

analysis : while i can't say that i'm surprised that bobby petrino left the falcons, it is surprising is that he left the falcons with three games left in the season. unsurprisingly, his former players and many members of the media have not been kind to petrino. he has been much maligned and criticized by them, and he deserves every single bit of it. i view his move not only as dishonorable, but it shows that he lacks loyalty and has absolutely NO integrity. he is a quitter in the truest form.

the pick : tampa bay

seattle at carolina

analysis : seeing how the seahawks' fanbase have missed seeing a grown man who weighs 225 pounds crumple into a ball like a piece of paper, they are rejoicing to see shaun alexander back in uniform.

the pick : seattle

green bay at st louis

analysis : brett favre has maintained that he hasn't retired because he loves the game and that he has felt that the packers have a talent and have a chance to win a championship. but i think that the real reason that he hasn chosen not to retire is to pad his consecutive games started streak. he sees that peyton manning has started every game for his entire career, and shows no signs of slowing down. i believe that if manning every does miss a game, brett favre will announce his retirement almost immediately.

the pick : green bay

baltimore at miami

analysis : if playing the patriots was the ravens' super bowl, then terms of preserving nfl history, this game against the dolphins should be their conference championship. i'm sure they don't want to be the team that lost against what potentially is the first 0-16 team ever. hopefully this game leads to bart scott body-slamming [or pile-driving] a referee.

the pick : baltimore

ny jets at new england

analysis : i'm in the group who believes that the final score will be somewhere along the lines of 88-6. what would make this game even better would be eric mangini pleading for mercy sometime in the third quarter and bill belichick responding with, 'sorry, all out of mercy,' just like nicolas cage did in the blockbuster movie ghost rider.

the pick : new england

arizona at new orleans

analysis : with kate kurt warner playing so well [i use that term loosely], i wonder if the cardinals will keep him with matt leinart coming back next year. whoever may start, their offense depends on the health of larry fitzgerald and anquan boldin.

the pick : arizona

buffalo at cleveland

analysis : who knew that bills at browns would be this week's game that has the biggest playoff implications. everyone who says that the afc is strong need to look at this matchup and rethink that position. i expect derek anderson and the browns' offense to have a good game against the bills' defense. the game hinges on whether or not the browns' defense can stop trent edwards and the passing game. [if they don't, then they don't deserve to be in the playoffs. ever.]

the pick : cleveland

tennessee at kansas city

analysis : the key factor whether or not the titans win a game is not vince young, but rather their defense [and most notably the health of albert haynesworth]. the play of their defense is crucial in keeping the score low because the titans are not a team that will blow anyone out; they simply don't have the kind of offense that can put up that many points. fortunately for them, they will be playing the chiefs, who don't even have an offense that can blow out a candle.

the pick : tennessee

indianapolis at oakland

analysis : the injuries that the colts have suffered this year may be a blessing in disguise. it has allowed some of their inexperienced players to gain valuable playing time and in turn improve the team's overall depth. since they are also always mentally prepared, i can't see the colts struggling too much against the raiders.

the pick : indianapolis

detroit at san diego

analysis : this is a game that the lions desperately need to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. they have lost five straight since they were 6-2, and it looks like it their schedule will remain tough for the rest of the season. on the other hand, the chargers seem to have put things together [whatever that means] and all but clinched a playoff spot. with that being said, i still say that the chargers are not that good as their record may suggest.

the pick : detroit

philadelphia at dallas

analysis : the cowboys will continue to steamroll through the nfc by exploiting the eagles' secondary. the eagles do not have enough talent and depth on defense to contend at a high level for four quarters. this game may be close until halftime, but i expect the cowboys to pull away sometime in the third quarter.

the pick : dallas

washington at ny giants

analysis : what looked like a promising season for the redskins has collapsed because of bad breaks/decisions [eg joe gibbs' double timeout versus the bills, failed fourth and goal versus the giants], injuries [eg jason campbell], and tragedy [the death of sean taylor]. in the end it was too much for this team to handle. despite the annual eli manning second half slump and the annual quitting on the coach, the giants will clinch a playoff spot.

the pick : ny giants

chicago at minnesota

analysis : for once and for all, america will get to see battle of the real adrian peterson [minnesota] versus the fake adrian peterson [chicago]. i hope that if the real adrian peterson comes out with some kind of championship belt, and if he loses he has to give up that belt to the fake adrian peterson and lift up his hand like it were some changing of the guard.

the pick : minnesota

nfl weekly predictions: week fourteen [14]

chicago at washington

analysis : it seems as though the odds are stacked against the redskins for this game. they are tired both physically and emotionally after traveling to and from miami for sean taylor's funeral. to compound matters, the schedule has not been forgiving as they face they bears on a short week. with that in mind, i do think the redskins are the better team overall.

the pick : washington

carolina at jacksonville

analysis : in the battle of the 1995 expansion franchises, the jaguars will show the panthers it's better to have a starting quarterback that isn't vinny testeverde. david garrard did not begin the 2007 preseason as the starter, but has been a reliable option at quarterback. the jaguars are a team that knows its identity, while the panthers seem so disorganized, they start a 44 year old man at quarterback [i can't stress this enough]. since the season is already lost for the panthers, i wonder why they are starting testeverde over david carr or some other young quarterback. they aren't planning on bringing him back to compete for the starting job next year, or are they?

the pick : jacksonville

ny giants at philadelphia

the analysis : for the giants, we can always expect two things to happen to them in the second half: the team quits on head coach tom coughlin, and eli manning plays poorly. and yet, the giants have made the playoffs despite such adversity.¹ the eagles plan on starting donovan mcnabb, which could [and most likely] get ugly for him.

the pick : ny giants

st louis at cincinnati

analysis : even though the rams have started to regain some of their offensive production, they still don't have a very good team. the bengals seem to have their defensive struggles behind them, but that isn't to say that are any good on defense. it just means that they aren't historically bad.

the pick : cincinnati

tampa bay at houston

analysis : the buccaneers are playing well enough to make the nfc playoffs, but that really isn't saying much. their defense is much improved, and luke mccown didn't look that bad at quarterback. that being said, they need jeff garcia to play as soon as possible. as for earnest graham, who knew that he would be able to run the ball this well. i guess that's what happens when the fear of getting demoted to the practice squad is your main motivator.

the pick : tampa bay

miami at buffalo

analysis : the dolphins might have missed their best chance to win a game this season last week. now, they have to go to buffalo to try to win their first game, where the weather will be the bigger obstacle than their actual opponents. if the dolphins do happen to win, i wonder if the players will give head coach cam cameron a gatorade shower [both for his first victory and as a huge sigh of relief]. i hope this happens, although i think this could give him walking pneumonia.

the pick : buffalo

oakland at green bay

analysis : i'm still not convinced that the packers are that good of a team. if they played in the afc, i'm not sure if they would have a better record than the jaguars [read: the jaguars are better than the packers]. they may have some trouble with the raiders, although the weather and the overall whiteness of the crowd will give the packers more than enough to win.

the pick : green bay

dallas at detroit

analysis : the lions have lost 4 in a row after being at 6-2. unfortunately for them, the losing doesn't stop here. the most intriguing storyline will be if the kitna-newman feud will live up to any of its hype.

the pick : dallas

san diego at tennessee

analysis : the chargers may be playing well at the moment, but the titans are a team that has what it takes to defeat them [namely good linebackers who can contain tomlinson and a ball control offense]. vince young has been able to break the 100 yards barrier in passing the last few games, which can only mean good things for the titans, but bad things for purists who prefer the game to played without the option of the forward pass.

the pick : tennessee

minnesota at san francisco

analysis : adrian peterson will take advantage of the 49ers' defense like boise state took advantage of oklahoma's over-pursuit in last year's fiesta bowl. game over.

the pick : minnesota

arizona at seattle

analysis : with a win, the seahawks all but clinch a playoff berth. with a loss, the cardinals confirm that it is indeed sunday.

the pick : seattle

cleveland at ny jets

analysis : the browns are playing at a high level, although there are no signs that any part of it is due to coaching. they shouldn't have a difficult time with the jets, who do not have enough talent on defense to stop the browns [i never thought i would be saying that ever in my lifetime].

the pick : cleveland

pittsburgh at new england

analysis : after two weeks of looking beatable, the patriots have the steelers right where they want them. the steelers look overconfident heading into this game, which is never a good sign. the patriots may have trouble with the steelers in the past, but they will have no problem against them this week.

the pick : new england

kansas city at denver

analysis : i am shocked that travis henry won his appeal and will not be suspended. apparently his positive drug test was the result of secondhand marijuana smoke, and not the actual use of it. all of which is great news for the broncos, but my main question is how concentrated was the marijuana fumes around him that he tested positive for a drug test? i mean, was he trapped in the equivalent of a marijuana sauna? i really need to know the circumstances around this.

the pick : denver

indianapolis at baltimore

analysis : i must commend the ravens for playing with as much heart and emotion as they did last week against the patriots, but at the same time i wonder where that passion was the rest of the season. hopefully the ravens take something positive from that game instead of dwelling on the negative as they have been doing this past week.

the pick : indianapolis

new orleans at atlanta

analysis : i'm sure this was the marquee matchup that espn was expecting when they paid approximately $1.1 billion for this year's monday night games. even if this is a competitive game, not very many people will care.

the pick : new orleans

¹ not diversity

nfl weekly predictions: week twelve [12]

green bay at detroit

analysis : with all of the accolades and records that brett favre possesses, few people realize that he's been able to do so with various members of the media living in the his butt. perhaps he plays better with them in there, which would explain his play this season. and unfortunately for lions, i think ron jaworski just made his way in.

the pick : green bay

ny jets at dallas

analysis : there's nothing worse than getting beat down on the road on a national holiday on national tv. so if the jets' players and coaches are crying on the sidelines, we'll know why.

the pick : dallas

indianapolis at altanta

analysis : i have no idea why byron leftwich started last week's game when the falcons won two games in a row with joey harrington. i will just continue to assume that bobby petrino is doing everything in his power to force arthur blank to buy him out of his contract.

the pick : indianapolis

tennessee at cincinnati

analysis : i'll be surprised if marvin lewis isn't fired before start of next season. the bengals are wasting a great offense by not having anything that resembles a defense. don't they realize that they can't keep an offense like this together for any extended period of time? and what happened to rudi johnson this season? has he finally become depressed by the fact his first name is spelled with 'i' to the point that he is unable to rush the ball? these are questions that need to be addressed in the offseason.

the pick : tennessee

houston at cleveland

analysis : the browns are getting are the breaks that a team needs to make the playoffs, as evidenced by last week's win over the ravens. [i still can't believe that brian billick didn't make more of a stink after the referees seemingly had extra help from either replay booth officials or the jumbotron to decide if the field goal was good or not. doessn't he seem like the type who would?] even with their good offense, the browns will have difficult time against a young and talented texans defense.

the pick : cleveland

oakland at kansas city

analysis : the chiefs have been an absolute surprise this year. early in the season, i actually thought that they were the worst team in the league. now, i think that they are capable of making the playoffs. the raiders are also not as bad as people think they are, and they'll give the chiefs a challenge.

the pick : kansas city

seattle at st louis

analysis : the injury to shaun alexander has helped the seahawks in many ways. for instance, they don't have to worry about feeding alexander's ego by giving him twenty carries, which allows them to throw the ball as much as they want, much to mike holmgren and matt hasselbeck's delight. they also have a running back in maurice morris who doesn't mind the occasional contact with players from the opposing team.

the pick : seattle

washington at tampa bay

analysis : the redskins have lost a few games where they were in control for most of the game, which could be a sign of their inexperience affecting them late in the fourth quarter. the buccaneers are a team that has flown under the radar all season, so people [and perhaps the redskins] may be surprised as to how well they can play.

the pick : tampa bay

new orleans at carolina

analysis : the saints and panthers are both inconsistent teams, but at least the saints don't have a quarterback situation where vinny testeverde and david carr are the front-runners. how the panthers have kept steve smith from complaining to the media so far may be this season's biggest mystery.

the pick : new orleans

buffalo at jacksonville

analysis : in david garrard, the jaguars have a quarterback who doesn't turn the ball over and gets enough key first downs to help his team win. there isn't much else that jack del rio can ask, except for maybe a pastrami sandwich.

the pick : jacksonville

minnesota at ny giants

analysis : the vikings have the worst collection of quarterbacks in the league. the only reason that tavaris jackson plays is because he was a second round pick and the vikings wanted to see if he could play [he cannot]. brooks bollinger could very well be the single biggest reason why curtis martin retired. kelly holcombe has been described as being a great to have as a backup, but not great to have as a starter. so yeah, the fact that adrian peterson rushed for 296 yards with virtually no help from the vikings' passing game is actually equivalent to 750 yards rushing under normal circumstances.

the pick : ny giants

san francisco at arizona

analysis : at this point in the season, the best thing that the 49ers have going for them is a high draft pick in next year's draft. except that they already traded that pick to patriots, which means that rich just gets richer.

the pick : arizona

baltimore at san diego

analysis : the ravens looked like they found something that resembles an offense with kyle boller[!] at the helm. this week, they play another struggling team that has come well short of preseason expectations. as bad as the ravens have been playing, the chargers have been worse.

the pick : baltimore

denver at chicago

analysis : the broncos finally look like the team that everyone thought they would be. jay cutler is thriving from play-action plays that have been set up by an excellent running attack. the bears have been average so far this season, which is in line with the jinx associated with the super bowl loser.

the pick : denver

philadelphia at new england

analysis : i am certain that donovan mcnabb suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta. this season he has an ankle injury, which gives the eagles the option to play either aj feeley or second round pick kevin kolb. in the end, it doesn't matter if it's the t-1000 at quarterback, because the eagles have no chance of winning this game.

the pick : new england

miami at pittsburgh

analysis : as opposed to the eagles, the dolphins do have a chance to win this week, albeit a small one. if they can get turnovers and points from their defense [which they can] and help from their special teams, they can give the steelers a competative game. also, if the game is close in the fourth quarter, the steelers may pay tight since they don't want to be the first team to lose to the dolphins this season.

the pick : pittsburgh

nfl predictions: week ten [10]

minnesota at green bay

analysis : while adrian peterson is a terrific running back, let's keep things in perspective. he has only played 8 games, and while he has been impressive, he's not the best running back in the league [not yet at least]. with that being said, green bay will do a good job in containing peterson, mostly because to the play of their linebackers.

the pick : green bay

jacksonville at tennessee

analysis : the winner of this game will have no more than 17 points. both offenses will play poorly, but that is in large part due to the play of both of the defenses. i'm still curious if there are any other people who realize that vince young has been laying an egg on the field this year. he might not even reach 1,500 yards passing, which would only need about an average of 100 yards per game.

the pick : tennessee

denver at kansas city

analysis : the broncos have won a total of 3 games this season by a combined score of 9 points [and all have been on last second field goals]. the chiefs, on the other hand, have beat quality opponents, so they shouldn't have much of a problem with the broncos.

the pick : kansas city

buffalo at miami

analysis : although miami is winless at 0-8, it doesn't mean that they aren't capable of winning a game. the bills don't have much of a defense, and the dolphins do have some speed that would cause problems for their secondary. and after the dolphins win this game, the 1976 buccaneers will only have to wait for a rams' victory in order to pop open a bottle of champagne to celebrate the fact that are still the only football team with a winless season.

the pick : miami

st louis at new orleans

analysis : now that the saints have got their groove back, there is no foreseeable reason to see them losing to the rams. even though stephen jackson is supposedly healthy and starting for the rams, they are still in total disarray. it's time for them to start scouting the best players in the college game.

the pick : new orleans

cleveland at pittsburgh

analysis : the steelers will show no mercy against the browns. jamal lewis will struggle to get any thing more than 3 yards a carry. the steelers blitzing defense will confuse derek anderson and rattle what poise he has shown this season.

the pick : pittsburgh

philadelphia at washington

analysis : the eagles are in a tailspin that they won't be able to be able to recover. donovan mcnabb has played poorly, but it is clear that he is nowhere near 100% healthy. jason campbell should have his way against an eagles' secondary that is missing a few starters.

the pick : washington

atlanta at carolina

analysis : if sage rosenfels set back football 15 years, then panthers' starting quarterback matt moore will set football back to the era when the forward pass had not yet been implemented. the falcons also play football as though it were 1960, but that is partly because the team has quit on their coach. petrino is partly to blame for this, and i'm sure he has already been looking at where he wants to buy some beachfront property with all his buyout money.

the pick : atlanta

cincinnati at baltimore

analysis : with the bengals' defense playing as if they were wet toilet paper in the way they provide little to no resistance, the bengals' offense is forced to pass on almost every play to stay in the game. and while the bengals have good offensive players, it's difficult to run an offense when it becomes one-dimensional. granted, to say that the ravens' offense has even one dimension would be generous, the ravens' defense, as usual, will play well enough to win the game for them.

the pick : baltimore

dallas at ny giants

analysis : even though the giants lost to the cowboys in their first meeting, it was due to the play of their defense. in fact, the offense played quite well enough to win the game. the giants will be able to exploit the cowboys' biggest weakness, which is their pass defense [read: roy williams]. the cowboys will also play well, but it won't be enough to overcome the problems that they will have against the giants' defensive line.

the pick : ny giants

detroit at arizona

analysis : the lions are a team that a second collapse would seem likely, considering that they are an inexperienced team that has had a relatively easy schedule so far. the rest of the teams that they play in the second half are collectively much better, and they may fall victim to external pressure if they struggle for a playoff spot.

the pick : arizona

chicago at oakland

analysis : it's time for people to realize that the bears' defense are not what we thought they were. they have become quite average, which is the result of losing key players on their defensive line. without the ability to apply [some] pressure using only their front four, their cover 2 scheme is less ineffective, especially since their need to blitz their linebackers to get to quarterback will leave holes in the zone.

the pick : oakland

indianapolis at san diego

analysis : these two teams are on opposite ends of the spectrum as far as coaching goes. the colts in tony dungy have a major advantage over the chargers in norv turner. i fully expect dungy to undress turner throughout the game, and consequently, i expect norv turner to be buck naked by the middle of the third quarter. fortunately for the colts, this will translate well onto the field. but unfortunately for them, they will have to play with a nude man in their peripheral vision.

the pick : indianapolis

san francisco at seattle

analysis : even though shaun alexander is out for this game, i don't think the seahawks will miss his usual 15 carries and 40 yards that he brings with him, nor will they miss the way he crumples to ground whenever a live body approaches him. the 49ers should have frank gore back in the starting lineup, which will be the deciding advantage against the underachieving seahawks.

the pick : san francisco

nfl predictions: week nine [9]

denver at detroit

analysis : basically the broncos have been living life on the edge and their only wins have been pulled out of their collective butt. the lions aren't much better, but their offense will exploit the broncos' shoddy run defense and injured secondary.

the pick : detroit

san francisco at atlanta

analysis : after being berated by bobby petrino all season long, then being benched, only to be back in the starting lineup due to his replacement's injury, joey harrington's morale would have to be similar to that of a hobo who just lost his shopping cart full of rusty nails. in any event, petrino has no idea what to do what this falcons team this year.

the pick : san francisco

cincinnati at buffalo

analysis : for some reason, chad johnson has gone from beloved prankster to perceived clubhouse cancer within a week's time. too bad he can't blamed for their porous defense, which is supposedly marvin lewis' strength as a coach. the bills are a competitive team who play tough at home when the weather becomes intolerable for visiting teams.

the pick : buffalo

carolina at tennessee

analysis : does any team hide their quarterback as well as the titans? vince young had less than 50 yards passing last week and they still won. hopefully soon people will realize the titans win games not because of vince young, but because of their defense. on the other side, the panthers remain of the most inconsistent and underachieving teams in the league.

the pick : tennessee

green bay at kansas city

analysis : the packers will continue to play as one of the elite teams in the nfc [which really isn't saying much], but it's not because brett favre is playing safer or taking less risks. the packers are winning because of their young and talented defense. the chiefs are surprising not the worst team in the nfl [that would be the dolphins], and herm edwards is doing well with what little he has.

the pick : the packers

san diego at minnesota

analysis : the chargers have found their groove from last season and look to finally seize control of the afc west. they will be more than what the vikings can handle on both sides on the ball.

the pick : san diego

jacksonville at new orleans

analysis : when quinn gray is your starting quarterback, this is not a good sign. the saints' offense will have a difficult time against the jaguars' defense, but the jaguars' offense will have a tougher time against the saints' mediocre defense.

the pick : new orleans

washington at ny jets

analysis : eric mangini makes the inevitable move of making kellen clemens the starter. too bad he doesn't have the same caliber of replacements on defense. the redskins are a quality team who will be looking to put a hurting on the jets after last week's beatdown.

the pick : washington

arizona at tampa bay

analysis : the buccaneers have no running game, but the cardinals don't really have much of a defense. fortunately for the cardinals, they have many weapons on offense that should give the buccaneers defense plenty of matchup problems.

the pick : arizona

seattle at cleveland

analysis : are the browns for real? i can't even tell if derek anderson is a legitimate quarterback or a flash in the pan. whatever the case, he won't be the browns' starter next year because brady quinn's contract is next the depth chart. seattle is looking more like annual nfc west winner who will only have 8 wins. it also doesn't help that the seahawks have a running back in shaun alexander who doesn't want to receive any contact from other players.

the pick : cleveland

new england at indianapolis

analysis : this is definitely the game of regular season no matter what happens the rest of the way. the patriots have been simply destroying people like it were rookie difficulty on madden. the colts have been doing their business as the only other undefeated team in the league. i imagine they will give the patriots a tough time, which means that they will only beat the colts by 21 points.

the pick : new england

houston at oakland

analysis : daunte culpepper or josh mccown will be starting for the raiders, which really won't make that much of a difference either way. sage rosenfels will be starting for the texans, which actually might set football back 15 years.

the pick : oakland

dallas at philadelphia

analysis : the cowboys will continue to assert themselves as the best team in the nfc, which isn't saying much since they got destroyed by the afc's best team only a few weeks ago. the eagles may give the cowboys a competitive game, but they just don't have enough to contend with them.

the pick : dallas

baltimore at pittsburgh

analysis : is there anything scarier in life than ray lewis having a personal vendetta against you? i suppose there is, but not much. the steelers remain the afc's third best team, but the gap between them and colts is far wider than the one between them and the afc's fourth best team.

the pick : pittsburgh

nfl predictions: week three [3]

detroit at philadelphia

analysis : the eagles have underachieved so far and the lions have overachieved. i do expect the eagles to turn it around this season, and this week is a great place to start.

the pick : philadelphia

miami at ny jets

analysis : the jets played well against the ravens last week and the dolphins have not played well at all. since these two teams have the same level of talent on their rosters, the advantage will go to the team with the better coaching staff.

the pick : ny jets

buffalo at new england

analysis : i am serious when i say that the patriots have the legitimate chance of going 19-0, and i wouldn't be surprised if they don't play a close game along the way. the bills, on the other hand, still have jp losman as quarterback. enough said.

the pick : new england

arizona at baltimore

analysis : the cardinals won a game last week where in the past they would've lost. the ravens' defense surprisingly looked beatable against a inferior jets' offense. are these signs of an upset? possibly, if the cardinals weren't involved.

the pick : baltimore

st louis at tampa bay

analysis : i just want to know how joey galloway is still fast after all these years. and he carries the ball like a loaf of bread just like running backs did in the '80s. this just make any sense. anyway, the buccaneers defense likes good after being infused with younger players. the rams still can't stop the run.

the pick : buccaneers

san francisco at pittsburgh

analysis : the 49ers are good enough to make the playoffs, but they are not good enough to beat most afc teams. the steelers have done a good job with their head coaching transition. they will be a team that could give the patriots some challenge in the playoffs.

the pick : pittsburgh

indianapolis at houston

analysis : i'm a firm believer that the colts hold back their offense and defense just enough to barely win their games so that they will have new stuff when they play the patriots in the playoffs. other than that, i have no idea why they don't blow away every team with their offense. i do think the texans will give a close game, but only because the colts allow it.

the pick : indianapolis

san diego at green bay

analysis : the chargers should be motivated to destroy the chargers after last week's demolition at the hands of the patriots. the packers are just feeling fortunate that they are 2-0. i expect the chargers to come out and play a good statement game.

the pick : san diego

minnesota at kansas city

analysis : the chiefs cannot move the ball if it meant that it would save their coach's job. which is probably they aren't moving the ball. that, and they have no good receivers [tony gonzalez is done]. the vikings have a terrible situation at quarterback, but they have enough talent at other positions to make up for it. it's not as though that they rely on their quarterback to do much.

the pick : minnesota

cleveland at oakland

analysis : there is no way derek anderson will throw for 300 yards and 3 touchdowns this week. once in a while, a quarterback will come out of nowhere to have a monster game, but it doesn't mean that it's a sign of things to come. the raiders also have a better defense than cincinnati, which also plays against another good performance from derek anderson.

the pick : oakland

jacksonville at denver

analysis : the broncos almost lost to the raiders last week, but won thanks to a crafty timeout. but that should be a fair warning that this team might not be as good as some people think. because of their inconsistent play, the jaguars are one of those teams that are hard to figure where they are compared to other teams.

the pick : denver

cincinnati at seattle

analysis : things can go from ugly to uglier this week for the bengals. they are struggling on defense and seattle's coaches are smart enough to exploit it.

the pick : seattle

ny giants at washington

analysis: the giants are in disarray and washington looks like they have a legitimate chance to contend in the nfc.

the pick : washington

carolina at atlanta

analysis: the falcons have been able to contend in their games so far, and the panthers are a team that will give any team that are playing a chance to win.

the pick : atlanta

dallas at chicago

analysis: chicago's vaunted defense looks like it's showing signs of weakness, especially against the run. the cowboys' offense is running on all cylinders and will be able to take advantage the bears' depleted defense. while it will be close at first, i expect the cowboys to pull away late in the game.

the pick : dallas

tennessee at new orleans

analysis: the saints have been struggling away from the superdome, and they have a great chance to turn their season around when they come home to play this week. although i am aware that all vince young does is win games, he can't win them all.

the pick : new orleans

nfl predictions: week two [2]

buffalo at pittsburgh

buffalo : the bills almost won last week despite getting very little from their offense. i don't expect much to change this week.

pittsburgh : the steelers looked impressive last week. then again, they were playing the browns. i'm curious to see if they can maintain that level of play against a [slightly] better team.

the pick : pittsburgh

houston at carolina

houston : the texans are fielding their best team since the franchise's induction into the nfl, which is good because that means they can finally shed their 'expansion' label. their offense looks better with schaub at quarterback and their defense continues to improve with more experience.

carolina : if the panthers can establish a consistent running game, they will be able to return to contender status. if not, they will be mired in mediocrity yet again.

the pick : houston

atlanta at jacksonville

atlanta : the falcons played terribly last week, but i expect to play better as the season progresses [i have to no reason as to why i made that claim].

jacksonville : the jaguars are a team that plays to the level of their competition, and when teams do that, they get beat by teams they should beat every now and then.

the pick : atlanta

new orleans at tampa bay

new orleans : despite last week's stinkbomb, i look for the saints to rebound this week and get their offense together. as for their defense, well, it looks like they still have a major weakness at cornerback.

tampa bay : the buccaneers have the potential to surprise their opponents this year with a veteran quarterback and a defense that has found younger players to add to an aging defense. even with the possibility that cadillac williams will not be playing this week, i don't see the bucs offense losing that much with michael pittman starting.

the pick : new orleans

green bay at ny giants

green bay : plain and simple, the packers won last week with luck. so i guess that's their game plan for this week.

ny giants : has there ever been a team that needed a coaching change this early into the season? is it even possible for more bad things happen to giants this week than last week? but as poorly as the giants played last week, they were still in the game towards the end. as for this week, there's just too much to overcome.

the pick : green bay

san francisco at st louis

san francisco : i want to go on record to say that i knew the 49ers were going to call an end around to a wide receiver for their game winning play last week. call it a hunch. other than that, i enjoyed how mike and mike and mike decided that the cardinals and niners both played excellent defense as to why their offenses struggled. that was nice of them.

st louis : orlando pace is out for this game, which is significant, yet he was out last year for some games and stephen jackson still played well. the lesson as always, stephen jackson always pretends every defensive player is danny glover.

the pick : san francisco

cincinnati at cleveland

cincinnati : the bengals might have turned the corner with last monday's victory. their offense played well against an elite ravens defense. this is not good news for the browns.

cleveland : the nfl should make a new rule: if a team loses to cleveland, then said team should automatically be disqualified from the playoffs in the same year, no matter what their record is. with that in mind, the browns traded starting quarterback charlie frye one week into the season for a sixth round pick [never a good sign] and now have derek anderson as the starter [someone please tell me how this is will make a difference]. just start brady quinn and get it over with.

the pick : cincinnati

indianapolis at tennessee

indianapolis : wow, by the looks of last week's game, the colts are diversifying their offense, which is bad news for the defensive coordinators everywhere. before last week's game, we all knew that marvin harrison lined up on one side and reggie wayne on the other. but against the saints, they switched sides and sometimess lined up on the same side. and for the first time i saw them run a play where dallas clark gets the ball on an end around [which shouldn't really strike fear into opposing teams, but it might be a sign of other new plays to come]. their defense also looked stout against a good new orleans offense. they might be better than i previously thought.

tennessee : it looks like the titans will continue to employ the same strategy for games this year as they did last year, which is keep the game close and hope vince young makes some plays at the end. if chris brown can stay healthy, the titans will have one of the better rushing attacks [i'm counting vince young] in the league.

the pick : indianapolis

minnesota at detroit

minnesota : ever since his freshman year at oklahoma, i've always thought adrian peterson would be a good pro, although it seemed the media forgot how good he was the more he played in college. he will help tavaris jackson ease into being a starter in this league, much like how he helped jason white win the heisman.

detroit : call it a gift from the schedule gods, as either oakland or detroit would have been 1-0 after playing each other last week. detroit took advantage the schedule and are over .500 for the first and possibly last time of the season. i still can't believe that jon kitna is the only legitimate quarterback on their roster. lions management are putting a lot of faith in a person whose greatest nfl achievement is leading the bengals to a 8-8 record.

the pick : detroit

dallas at miami

dallas : the cowboys offense was near unstoppable last week against the giants. but the fact that the giants were still in the game despite the fact that cowboys offense played well is not a good sign. the cowboys biggest weakness is their secondary, especially at strong safety where pro bowler roy williams couldn't stop the pass to save his life.

miami : cam cameron is supposedly an offensive minded coach, yet their defense is what will keep the dolphins in this game. the dolphins have enough parts on offense to do well, i believe it's just a matter of when. unfortunately, it won't be in time for this game.

the pick : cowboys

seattle at arizona

seattle : the seahawks returned to form last week, and they showed what they are capable of doing when they have healthy team. last week, shaun alexander was able to play showed why he was worthy of the madden curse.

arizona : the cardinals did enough to win last week, but i'm sure it came as no surprise that they lost another season opener. i'm starting to think that the cardinals franchise just isn't that good.

the pick : seattle

ny jets at baltimore

ny jets : most likely, jets fans will get their wish granted and see the quarterback with a cartoon character's name, kellen clemens, start this week. unfortunately, it comes against one of the most ball-hungry defenses of all time. i love how over the years the ineptitude of the ravens' offense has cultivated a mentality from their defense to score at all costs because they know their offense can't. this is a great opportunity to see this ideal of the ravens' defense come to fruition.

baltimore : last week, steve mcnair did two things steve mcnair does every year. he plays both well and poorly in the same game and he gets hurt. with the absence of jonathan odgen, the ravens running game will struggle [sorry willis mcgahee]. if anyone doubted ray lewis' toughness [i can't think of why anyone would], he is expected to play even though he suffered a torn tricep last monday.

the pick : baltimore

oakland at denver

oakland : the raiders will not be as bad as people think this year. if daunte culpepper starts this week, i actually expect good things from their offense. i know that their offense was the worst of all-time last year, but that'll happen when a bed-and-breakfast guy runs the offense. the raiders will be competitive this year.

denver : the broncos should not have needed a hurry-up last second field goal to beat the bills last week. it's slightly embarrassing.

the pick : denver

kansas city at chicago

kansas city : there is a good chance that the raiders will end up with a better record than the chiefs. they look hapless and uninspired last week, and i don't see any of that changing any time soon.

chicago : as i expected, the return of tommie harris has placed the bears' defense back in the league's elite [without him, their defense was beatable]. unfortunately, their offense looked terrible and i can't imagine rex grossman finishing this season as their starting quarterback. he still hasn't learned to not throw off his back foot, which is the main cause of so many of his poor throws. unless this improves, i can't see the bears getting far in the playoffs. cedric benson also played poorly, which is partly due to the offensive line's lackluster play.

the pick : chicago

san diego at new england

san diego : last year, phillip rivers didn't throw to antonio gates enough, and instead threw to the likes of keenan mccardell and eric parker [not good]. norv turner has changed that. judging from last week's game, gates is once again being utilized as their primary receiving option. i also can't believe that the media doesn't have more to say about tomlinson being contained by the bears last week [i realize that he accounted for 2 td's, but he didn't have a dominating performance]. if he doesn't have a big game this week, look for some premature whispers from the media.

new england : am i the only one who finds the whole spying on the jets humorous? with that being said, i don't want to hear the argument from patriots fans that a lot of other teams are doing it as well. other teams doing it doesn't justify that they did it.

the pick : new england

washington at philadelphia

washington : this might be the year where joe gibbs takes the redskins to the next level [it's about time]. the defense looks solid and the players are finally learning the highly touted system implemented by al saunders.

philadelphia : the eagles run of bad luck continues into this season. last year, they lost a game by a last second 62 yard field goal. last week, they lost by a late turnover [although that wasn't as big a fluke as a 62 yard field goal].

the pick : washington

nfl preview 2008 & nfl predictions: week one [1]

new orleans at indianapolis

the pick : indianapolis

indianapolis : while the patriots gained many high profile players via free agency, the colts lost many of their starters to other teams. because of that, they remind me of the 1994 san francisco 49ers [one of the greatest teams of all-time might i add] in the way that they lost many key players from that championship team. in the end the '95 49ers didn't have enough to get past the cowboys that year, who signed many big free agents, most notably deion sanders. anyway, the colts lost many starters on defense and will replace them from within the organization, although their biggest addition to their defense will be having bob sanders for a full year.

the prediction : i expect them to continue to have success in the regular season and comfortably make the playoffs, but just fall short of making the super bowl.

new orleans : the biggest weakness with the saints' team last year was their defense, more specifically at cornerback where fred thomas seemed to have cement in his shoes. the saints have upgraded that position via free agency and the draft, so look for their defense to improve. on offense, the saints were explosive last season and should be as explosive this year.

the prediction : the saints will make the playoffs and contend for a super bowl berth.

philadelphia at green bay

the pick : philadelphia

philadelphia : new year, same weaknesses [wide receiver, defensive line]. although i do expect donavon mcnabb to have a monster year and the eagles to have a similar season to the previous one.

prediction : the eagles will have just enough to make the playoffs, which they will make by winning the nfc east.

green bay : brett favre became extinct about two years ago, so he's basically a fossil right now. the packers were amazingly 8-8 last year, but i don't see them being any better than that this year. i will say that their defense looks good this year, especially their young linebacking core.

prediction : they are in the zone where they are not good enough to make the playoffs but not bad enough to get a good draft pick.

kansas city at houston

the pick : houston

kansas city : i'd be surprised if larry johnson doesn't break down this year. with damon huard or brodie croyle at quarterback, he will face 8 to 9 man fronts on most downs. the chiefs still have no wide receivers, which hasn't been addressed in at least 10 years [their best wide receiver in recent memory is probably andre rison, which is like tony danza saying his last best role was this].

prediction : they will 'battle' oakland for last place in the afc west.

houston : i actually expect the houston offense to better than what most experts think. the offense will improve with in the second year of gary kubiak's system, and the defense features good young players who look a year or three from being great.

prediction : i believe that will surprise most people this year by having no more than 9 losses.

denver at buffalo

the pick : denver

denver : switching from jake plummer to jay cutler last year provided very little change in results for the broncos. they should be better though with cutler having more experience, but not enough to do much in the playoffs, if they can somehow get there. i do like the signing of travis henry, although i worry about his durability. it's a good thing mike shanahan knows a thing or two about splitting carries so preserving henry for late in the season shouldn't be an issue. with the addition of dre bly and simeon rice, their defense will be better than a what it was last year, which was already above average.

prediction : the broncos have improved, especially at running back and defensive line. i look for them to make the playoffs.

buffalo : when jp losman is your quarterback, things won't be ending nicely. they are years away from being a contender. i even sometimes forget that they exist.

prediction : another sub .500 year, another 'rebuilding' year.

pittsburgh at cleveland

the pick : pittsburgh

pittsburgh : it's amazing to think that the steelers won the super bowl two seasons ago. they basically have the same players, although it will be the first year with a new coach. ben roethlisberger will have an average year, which is in line with every other year that he has played.

prediction : they will be inconsistent all year, looking good at times and looking bad at times. look for them to miss the playoffs.

cleveland : for a preseason game, the browns decided who was going to play quarterback on a coin toss. this is never a good sign.

prediction : it will be another long year for the dawg pound.

carolina at st louis

the pick : st louis

carolina : david carr will be the starting quarterback sometime this year because jake delhomme's poor play. jake delhomme will then get his job back because of david carr's poor play. this one is just too easy to predict. their offensive line played terribly last year, which coincided with the nfl's new steroid policy. hmm...

prediction : unlike many expert analysts, there will be no super bowl prediction for me this year. because they play in the nfc south [where each team struggles as the regular season winds down], they will be in the playoff hunt despite their quarterback issues.

st louis : this is the year where numbers will decline for the passing game. not only because they are much older now, but because steven jackson will rush close to 375 times this year. look for him to treat every defensive player as they were danny glover.

prediction : the rams will vie for a playoff spot in the wide-open nfc west.

atlanta at minnesota

the pick : atlanta

atlanta : their first team offense actually looked fairly good in the preseason. without michael vick, the falcons won't be bad as people think. in michael vick, they had a player with below average quarterbacking skills who arguably was the fastest player in the league. so who is his replacement? joey harrington, a career below average quarterback who can't run at all. so basically the falcons lost a quarterback who gained yards by scrambling, which isn't that big of a loss because a team should never rely on scrambling yards to make a difference.

the prediction : the falcons will make a playoff run but fade towards the end of season, causing epsn to become flacid.

minnesota : tavaris jackson will not be as bad as people think. he did well in college, and would have been better known entering the draft had he played in a bigger conference. chester taylor will help to slowly infuse adrian peterson to the offense, providing the vikings with a good running back duo.

the prediction : if the defense continues to play well against the run like they did last year, i see them making a strong push for the playoffs.

new england at ny jets

the pick : new england

new england : now that's how a team i supposed to address a weakness. after last year's debacle of reche caldwell and a revolving door of second receivers, the patriots emulated a frustrated madden gm by signing 4 quality wide receivers. but the biggest free agent signing will be linebacker adalius thomas, who will add youth and skill to an aging position.

the prediction : super bowl champion.

ny jets : even though chad pennington led the team to 10 wins last season, the people in new york want his backup kellen clemens to start. thomas jones will be a steady player at running back for jets to rely on all year. eric mangini will contintue to do more with less.

the prediction : in the end , it really doesn't matter who's starting at quarterback because the jets are at least a year away from contending with the patriots in the afc east. they will be better than last year, but their record will be worse due to a stronger strength of schedule.

miami at washington

the pick : washington

miami : trent green will not be the answer at quarterback, but cleo lemon isn't it either. their defense will be their strength yet again, although they have become very old. this season will mark the beginning of the end for this unit.

the prediction : they will struggle at the beginning of the season, then put together a few good games once they have been eliminated from the playoffs.

washington : the redskins look ready to take the next step. with ladell betts coming off a career year, people are sleeping on the fact that they will have a healthy clinton portis, the same clinton portis who has been a monster every year except for last season when he struggled with nagging injuries.

the prediction : the redskins will have a better season than they have in past years, and they will enter the final weeks with a legitimate chance to make the playoffs.

tennessee at jacksonville

the pick : tennessee

tennessee : vince young will not fall victim to the madden curse, as much as trojans fans would like to see that happen. the question is whether or not he can make the leap in his second year as a nfl quarterback. no other team arguably depends on one player as much as the titans do.

the prediction : despite the fact all vince does 'is win games,' the titans will not have enough wins to make the playoffs but will be effective in playing the spoiler for other teams seeking a playoff berth.

jacksonville : when a team cuts its supposed franchise quarterback days before the beginning of the regular season, it can only be described as raider-esque. i don't expect jones-drew to have a good a season as he did last year, but he will still finish with respectable numbers. their defense will be one of the best in the league if they can stay healthy.

the prediction : if they played in the nfc they would make the playoffs. but they don't, so they won't make the playoffs this year.

chicago at san diego

the pick : san diego

chicago : i'm not particularly sold on cedric benson. last preseason, because the bears were paying him so much they tried make him the starter but thomas jones was much more effective and wrestled it away from him. this year, they basically handed him the starting job [again]. when money is the main factor for a person starting, this is never good. other than that, the defense will be great with the return of tommie harris [he is more important to the defense than any other player] and mike brown [don't expect him to finish the season though].

the prediction : the bears will regress from last season and fight for the nfc north crown.

san diego : the chargers lost their head coach, offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator, yet i expect them to do well. the biggest question mark will be norv turner, who is 20+ games under .500 as a head coach. despite that, they will still be an elite team with little weaknesses on offense and defense.

the prediction : the chargers will do well, but not well enough to get past the patriots in the playoffs [where they will be outcoached].

tampa bay at seattle

the pick : seattle

tampa bay : this season will not end well for jon gruden. in fact, it will end with gruden being unemployed. jeff garcia will thrive in the west coast offense, but there are too many holes on the offense and the defense.

the prediction : sad face time for buccaneers fans.

seattle : shaun alexander will have a great bounce back year. his injury last year was a broken foot, not a torn acl or something requiring major reconstruction. i expect him to return to form and have a mvp type season. their defense will improve under the leadership of younger players who lead by example.

the preditction : a playoff berth is in store if the team's core stays healthy.

detroit at oakland

the pick : detroit

detroit : the passing game will improve drastically from last season, but the missing piece to mike martz's system still is a marshall faulk-type player. until they find someone like him, their offense won't be enough to beat good football teams, though they will be entertaining to watch.

the prediction : will this team obtain 10 wins? no. but they'll finish with less than 10 losses which is almost something to rejoice in the millen era.

oakland : this team was a mess last year. they fielded the worst offense i have seen in my entire life. and that is no exaggeration. i guess that's what happens when a bed-and-breakfast guy runs your offense. this year, they will have serviceable quarterbacks and a competent offensive coordinator to run the offense to add to their talented defense.

the prediction : pretend last season didn't happen. if we do that, then 6 wins is obtainable considering improvements they have made on offense [hiring a real coaching staff helps].

ny giants at dallas

the pick : dallas

ny giants : tiki barber is not content with just being retired. apparently he is still campaigning to get tom coughlin fired, even though he doesn't have to play for him anymore. that guy is really bitter. as for the current team, it depends on eli manning and if he can be consistently effective throughout the entire season. along with that, the giants have serious chemistry issues and it doesn't seem like they will be resolved with coughlin as their head coach.

the prediction : coughlin will be fired after the giants fail to make the playoffs.

dallas : so far, i haven't heard much about terrell owens this season, which must mean that he is dead. aside from that, i look for tony romo to have a good year as he enters his first full season as a starter. their defense should be good with the speed that they have on that side of the ball.

the predition : the cowboys will be playing for one of the last playoff spots in the final weeks of the season.

baltimore at cincinnati

the pick : baltimore

baltimore : steve mcnair may have fooled you and he may have fooled ray lewis, but he didn't fool me last season. he hurt the team as much as he helped them, which isn't the most effective way of playing. i do expect willis mcgahee to have a great season and their defense to continue to be strength. that's is a combination that will lead to many wins.

the prediction : they are one of three teams that has a serious shot at beating the patriots in the playoffs. of the three, they have the best chance.

cincinnati : the bengals are a very talented team on offense, but also a very undisciplined team overall. this suggests that they are not strong mentally, which will hurt them in close games and/or games with some adversity [bad calls, injuries, etc]. their defense is still porous, and teams will have an easy time running against them.

the prediction : i will be surprised if the bengals have more than 9 wins at season's end.

arizona at san francisco

the pick : 49ers

arizona : matt leinart will establish himself as one the better young quarterbacks in the game this season. he has plenty of players to distribute the ball, and if edgerrin james can actually rush for more the 2.5 yards per carry, their offense will be explosive. their defense is still subpar, which will hurt them in close games.

the prediction : sorry cardinals fans, no playoffs this year.

49ers : mike nolan has done a tremendous job rebuilding the franchise after inept people were in charge of the organization. alex smith will continue to improve as he is surrounded with better targets [newcomer wr darrell jackson and te vernon davis, who was injured most of last year]. frank gore will come close to matching last season's numbers, although i do expect a slight dropoff and worry about his durability. on the defensive side, they have been upgraded through free agency and the draft. the biggest weakness and what will keep the 49ers from being more successful is their overall lack of experience.

the prediction : no playoffs for the 49ers either, but they are just one year away from achieving that goal.