NFL 2014 Week 2 Predictions

Week 2 Predictions

Lions +3 over Panthers, 23-19

-Derek Anderson was smoke and mirrors, and the Lions are good enough to at least get this close. I still don’t trust the Panthers to be able score at a level to keep up in this one.

Fins -1 over Bills, 21-17

-I wouldn’t put much stock in this one because the energy should be good at home with all their good news. But it is EJ Manuel against my boy Tannehill, and we know how I am picking that.

Jags +5 over Ethnic Slurs, 16-17

-Ugh, what a *fantastic* game to watch. The Jags are feisty and at one point RG3 was averaging 4 yards a pass last week. I’ll give the points a go.

Titans -3.5 over Cowboys, 27-17

-The Cowboys actively do not want to win.

Cards -3 over Giants, 21-14

-The Giants are bad. The Cards are scrappy. And Fitz will have more than 22 yards.

Saints -7 over Browns, 34-13

-Saints aren’t losing two in a row and the Browns used up all their tricks last week. We also know the Steelers aren’t that good now, so the Saints are a strong play.

Pats -3 over the Viks, 27-10

-With no Peterson, this should be a walk.

Falcons +5 over Bengals, 28-31

-With no Geno, I am taking the points in a shootout

Seahawks -6 over Chargers, 31-17

-10 days rest? Same time zone? Yes please.

Raiders +4.5 over Texans, 20-21

-I’ll take my boy Derek Carr at home as a dog versus Ryan Fitzpatrick on the road.

Packers -8 over Jets, 35-9

-This is delicious. Even better than Seahawks/Chargers. No way Packers go 0-2.

Chiefs +13 over Broncos, 24-33

-Wow crazy crazy. That’s a lot of points. I mean, the Broncos are going to win, but….13 points!

Colts -3 over the Eagles, 28-24

-No way Andrew Luck is going 0-2. The Eagles can’t start slow again and expect to win. I think we also see a lot of Ahmad Bradshaw over Trent Richardson, which is good for the offense and team.

I am not touching the Rams/Bucs game because I think both teams are terrible. And Bears/49ers depends if those receivers play or not.

Record last week:

Straight Up: 7-5

By Spread: 7-5

Record this year:

Straight Up: 7-5

By Spread: 7-5

Record last year:
Straight Up: 125-72
By Spread: 101-97

Lifetime record:
Straight Up: 671-360
By Spread: 545-475

NFL 2013 Week 18 Predictions: Wild Card Weekend

Colts -2.5 over Chiefs, 21-17

-The Colts are getting right at the correct time. FootballOutsiders has them at the lowest odds of winning the whole thing. While I get why the numbers support that, and that there is little chance of the Colts advancing past the title game round, I think this is a solid bet right now. The Colts have the Ravens ‘13/Packers ‘11 mojo of a strong start, dropping off toward the end of the year, young QB breaking into the elite, and looking good at the very end of the regular season. The Chiefs are going the wrong way, are getting out schemed, and have some injury concerns. In the playoffs, it often comes down to the team with the better QB so often, and the Colts are winning that battle.

Saints +2.5 over Eagles, 27-24

-I know, I know. The Saints aren’t any good outdoors/on the road. Well, we have no idea how these Eagles will be in the playoffs at all, and we know Brees and co. can win a Superbowl. Again, I am taking the better QB, this one in a little more of a shootout. If the Eagles get a lead though, this is actually probably over early because they will run it all over the Saints. But, I think Brees gets the Saints ahead and stays there.

Bengals -7 over Chargers, 33-23

-This is the game I feel most comfortable about. The Chargers are the second lowest projected FO Super Bowl team and that I can agree with. I picked the Bengals to make the Superbowl, and still feel okay about that despite the Hall and Adkins injuries. Green and Gio both go off in a big Cincy win. One year too early for the Chargers, who will draft heavily on defense and develop next year.

Packers +2.5 over Niners, 24-16

-This will be the third time in a 365 day span these two teams have played, a rarity for non division opponents. They know each other well, and are in very different spots than the first time. I think this is the matchup where the Packers flip the script. When they met last January, the Packers were the established offense and the Niners the upstarts who were newly developing an offense around a QB who only had a few starts. Now, the Niners have been rolling (successfully?) with their offense for a year plus, while the Packers were a pass team that became a run team with a different QB and now have gotten their All-Pro QB back for good. And if at any point, the Packers have learned how to stop Colin K and that rushing offense, now would be the time to implement it. Here is a thought: stop Davis and Boldin. They caught 20 of Kaep’s 21 TDs this year. That limited offense, with a think an almost worn out Frank Gore, gives the Packers the victory. And if Aaron Rodgers is allowed to get hot, watch out NFC.


As for the overall picture, the best prediction for the Superbowl is the boring one: Seattle over Denver. I really don't see anyone else besides maybe the Packers winning the NFC. The AFC is coming down to the Broncos, Pats, and maybe the Bengals. I like the Pats' chances, but the injuries are probably too much. 

Record last week:

Straight Up: 10-2

By Spread: 8-5

Record this year:
Straight Up: 118-68
By Spread: 96-92

Lifetime record:
Straight Up: 657-351
By Spread: 533-465

NFL 2013 Week 7 Predictions

Falcons -6.5 over Bucs, 20-12

-It’s not about Julio and Roddy. It’s about Glennon and Schiano.

Bengals +3.5 over Lions, 24-23

-Just a matchup thing. The Bengals do great against pass offenses.

Fins -7.5 over Bills, 24-13

-Tighter if it is Thad Lewis. A romp if it is Matt Flynn.

-Best Eliminator Pick

Pats -4 over Jets, 38-13

-I feel it coming. It is almost there!

Jags +7.5 over Chargers, 20-19

-Who is feeling a standard Norv Turner letdown? Wait, he got fired? That’s embarrassing. Um, who is feeling a feisty Jags team that is firing the ball downfield each play and is playing a West Coast team going East on a short week?!

Bears -1 over Ethnic Slurs, 27-17

-I’m literally unable to hold in my excitement about Brandon Marshall’s fantasy day. I am sitting here quivering and whooped aloud twice while typing this.

Packers -9.5 over Browns, 24-13

-Look up what happened last year when the Packers were without their two best WRs…yeah, Rodgers did just fine. He’s, as Nate Ravitz this week on the Fantasy Focus Football called him, Aaron Flippin’ Rodgers. Against Brandon Weeden. And THERE'S Norv Turner. He was hiding on me for a minute. 

Chiefs -6.5 over Texans, 20-6

-Case Keenum anyone?

-Strategic Eliminator Pick

Colts +7.5 over Broncos, 31-30

-I just…I don’t….leave me alone. I love Andrew Luck. Jim Irsay tackles Manning on the field. Reggie Wayne catches 17 balls. Unicorns.

Vikings +3.5 over Giant¸23-14

-JASSSSSHHHHH FREEMANNNNN everyone!

Record last week:

Straight Up: 8-2
By Spread: 5-5

Record this year: 
Straight Up: 44-25
By Spread: 38-31

Lifetime record:
Straight Up: 578-304
By Spread: 481-407

NFL 2013 Week 5 Predictions

Chiefs -3 over Titans, 23-10
-Basically Alex Smith -3 over Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Ravens and Fins...yeah good luck. Will be a fun game.

Rams -12 over Jags, 24-5
-No line high enough in this world....and yes I predicted five points.
-Best Eliminator Pick

Pats -1.5 over Bengals, 33-27
-Offensive explosion coming from NE. And AJ Green/Talib should be fascinating. Take the over.

Seahawks -3 over Colts, 24-20
-I love the Colts. But no way versus the Hawks. But if the Colts win, they jump to being AFC co favorites.

Packers -6.5 over Lions, 38-30
-Packers won't lose off the bye. High scoring. Pound that over.

Saints -1 over Bears, 30-24
-I've been on the Saints all year. Not stopping now.

Cowboys +10.5 over Broncos, 21-30
-Too big of a line for a high scoring team that is a home dog.

Chargers -5 over Raiders, 27-13
-Vegas Zone alert. 

Falcons -10 over Jets, 24-6
-The wheels come off here.
-Strategic Eliminator Pick.

Record last week:
Straight Up: 7-4
By Spread: 7-4

Record this year:
Straight Up: 31-19
By Spread: 28-22

Lifetime record:
Straight Up: 565-298
By Spread: 471-398

NFL 2012 Week 16 Predictions

Almost to the end. At least several teams showed us their true colors last week, in the form of total roll overs and give ups (I’m looking at you, Jags, Chiefs, Bucs, and Lions). Good on Arizona and Oakland for kind of trying. I would include the Ravens in the list of four teams above but they were actually trying so that’s scary.

Power Tiers:

Super Bowl Probables: Green Bay and Denver. Just the most likely combination to make it right now, both are coming together well.

Championship Level: San Francisco and New England. Both showed quality last week. Both also showed enormous flaws.

In Contention: Atlanta and Houston. The “hey guy, we are here too!” tier. They lose to good teams, and beat up on bad ones. Guess what happens when they would play the four teams above them in this column in January?

Wild Card: New York Giants. I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t like them, I just won’t be turning my back on them ever.

Falcons -3.5 over Lions, 34-17

-Oh YEAH. Lions have packed it in. Coach getting fired number 1.

Dolphins -4 over Bills, 17-12

-One team is trying, one isn’t. Coach getting fired number 2.

Bengals +3.5 over Steelers, 21-20

-Simmons said the Steelers are aggressively mediocre. Sounds about right. Bengals are better than people gave them credit for.

Colts -7 over Chiefs, 20-6

-I’d be insulted with a 7 point line if I were the Colts. Coach getting fired number 3.

Vikings +9.5 over Texans, 24-27

-Peterson.

Saints +1.5 over Cowboys, 29-27

-Cmon everyone. This is what the Cowboys do. They get us all excited, we are all looking forward to the matchup for the Cowboys next week versus Washington, and then they lose the preceding game. Brees is going to throw it 60 times no matter what. This clearly has to happen.

Patriots -14.5 over Jags, 41-14

-Pats angry. Chad Henne. Coach being fired number 4.

Panthers -9.5 over Raiders, 24-10

-Panthers trying to save Rivera’s job? I don’t know if that will work but they will blow out the hapless Raiders here. So, coach being fired number 5 and 6.

Chargers +3.5 over Jets, 14-12

-Chargers are being given 3.5, and that is the only reason I am taking this sorry excuse for a matchup. Coach being fired number 7 and 8.

Rams +3.5 over Bucs, 24-23

-I think the Bucs have given up. And I am starting Sam Bradford in a title game this week. So, just hoping really?

In all seriousness, full respect to what Fisher has done with this Rams team. It just feels different, they are respectable. I was the first to harp on how he underachieved with the Rams (as many seasons out of the playoffs than in, record near .500 lifetime), but being competitive each week and trying is worth a lot. Respect.

Packers -12.5 over Titans, 31-10

-I know the Packers haven’t blown anyone out, but it is coming, the Titans are not good (they should have killed the Jets), and now the Packers really need it. Jeff Saturday is being benched. Nice guy, but I think it was time and that will improve the pass protection for the Pack.

Browns +13.5 over Broncos, 24-27

-Something doesn’t feel right here. I don’t think the Broncos get tripped up, but they may be looking at the final two games at home as gimmes. I think the Chiefs game is, but the Browns are a tough team and this could be closer than it appears. Feels a little like Chiefs over the Packers in week 15 last year. And sadly, coach being fired number 9.

Bears -5.5 over Cards, 21-10

-Neither team is right, but the Cards are done. So, probably, is Coach Wiz. Coach being fired number 10.

Giants -1 over Ravens, 20-16

-The Trainwreck bowl, at least right now. I’ll take the NASCAR package over the unblinking Jim Caldwell.

Seahawks PK over Niners, 20-17

-Simply due to how hot the Seahawks are right now and the fact that SF had to travel on shorter rest than usual.  A great game, however, and hopefully terrible for their running backs for my fantasy purposes.

Record last week:

Straight Up: 12-4

By Spread: 9-7

Record this year:

Straight Up: 120-69

By Spread: 98-91

Lifetime record:
Straight Up: 509-266
By Spread: 418-364

NFL 2012 Week 12 Predictions

Another good week, we are getting that record up. Short week, so these are out quickly. Enjoy everyone, Happy Thanksgiving.

Lions +3.5 over Texans, 21-20

-Lions are not good, but Texans are traveling on a holiday Thursday to Detroit after playing a killer overtime game in Houston on Sunday afternoon. Houston is better in a vacuum, but the vacuum isn’t pressurized on the Houston side for this one. Don’t know if they can overcome that.

Cowboys -3.5 over Ethnic Slurs, 24-20

-Washington is doing 3 days rest on the road, and the Cowboys have more a realistic shot at the playoffs and that starts to weigh on people’s minds. Dallas lights it up deep as the Washington secondary shows its stripes.

Pats -6 over Jets, 31-13

-The Gronk thing hurts for sure, but the return of Hernandez will help a lot and the Pats are rolling in every area. Typically the last few years the Pats play the Jets once tight and blow them out the other time. So, here is the blowout on national TV. Big game by Lloyd is somewhere in here, waiting to happen.

Colts -3 over Bills, 23-17

-Home game respect? I still don’t really get this line. Forget the NE game, the Colts are much better than the Bills. This is the matchup of the teams I projected to go 6^th and 7^th in the AFC: still wish I had flopped the prediction there.

Browns +3.5 over Steelers, 17-16

-Upset special. As much as an upset this can be with Charlie Batch and Plaxico Burress involved.

Bengals -7.5 over Raiders, 28-20

-AJ Green. AJ Green. AJ Green.

-2^nd Best Eliminator Pick

Bears -4.5 over Vikings, 24-17

-Assuming Cutler plays, or I withdraw the guess. Either way, the Bears I think come up with a lot of spirit after whatever funkiness happened last week.

Not going to dignify Titans and Jags with a guess. This game should be televised in the home markets, on Redzone, or even for the parents of the quarterbacks. Ugh.

Falcons -1 over Bucs, 30-27

-Falcons win a shootout. They aren’t elite, but they are still good and find ways to win.

Seahawks -2.5 over Dolphins, 20-6

-Seattle will contain and crush the Dolphins. Tannehill has regressed, which is sad because I liked him.

Broncos -9.5 over Chiefs, 28-9

-Chiefs are just bad. No QB and no Bowe now, with Broncos rolling.

-Best Eliminator Pick  

Ravens -1.5 over Chargers, 21-19

-Ravens are just catching the Chargers while their soul has been stomped on. Ravens probably aren’t better but this is how it is going to go down. Waiting for that Ray Rice huge game, it is coming.

Saints +2.5 over 49ers, 31-23

-Alex Smith concussed is bad or Colin Kapernick in a more extended look gets exposed. Don’t look now, the Saints are playing MUCH better defense. Saints will light them up and I don’t trust the 49ers to keep up.

Cardinals +2.5 over Rams, 17-16

-Not getting off my Cards now. Ryan Lindley! Gonna be a thing! I even played this game out in Madden and won, and whatever I do with the Cardinals in Madden happens. I have friends that can attest to this.

Packers +3 over Giants, 30-28

-Packers are better right now than the Giants, even if the Giants are rested. I feel like the over is a good bet here.

Panthers +2.5 over Eagles, 20-19

-Just because the Eagles are terrible. The Panthers are less terrible. I mean, kind of.

Record last week:

Straight Up: 9-3

By Spread: 8-4

Record this year:

Straight Up: 84-45

By Spread: 69-60

Lifetime record:
Straight Up: 473-242
By Spread: 389-333

NFL 2012 Week 11 Predictions

Well, my results this week were .500 or better, so that’s something. Just such an ugly year. Going to get cuter this week. Normally when I tell someone that I am about to get cute with a game, I am about to throw an interception in Madden. So…here we go.

Cards +9.5 over Falcons, 20-27

-Falcons probably win, but Arizona is really highly ranked in pass defense. I think the Cards used the bye week to figure out a way to get some production from the pass offense, and they will be good enough to cover this.

Bengals -3.5 over Chiefs, 24-10

-Chiefs aren’t winning again this year. They are really bad.

Okay, you want more? Cassel or Quinn will be the QB. Romeo Crennel is still involved. They have two “over celebration” penalties last week on plays that didn’t technically happen because they were called back due to penalties. They have decided not to give their best player the ball, or at least, will only do so infrequently.

Browns +9.5 over Cowboys, 20-19

-Shiiish, don’t tell anyone! The Cleveland Browns are really tough on the lines, have good linebacking, and can run block decently well. 9.5 is a gift. It will only take a turnover fest to turn this from a cover into an upset. Not that like that likely to happen…oh wait. Everyone, the 2012 Dallas Cowboys!

Packers -3 over Lions, 31-27

-Packers just will score too much. Jordy Nelson being back healthy will make a big difference. Lions are decent, but they need to learn to play 4 quarters. Packers do that, despite their inadequacies.

Jags +15.5 over Texans, 13-27

-Texans will win convincingly but with another game in 4 days they let off the gas pedal and let Jacksonville cover this.

Rams -3.5 over Jets, 24-10

-I hate to copy Simmons, but….TEBOW TEBOW TEBOW. However, I have a different reason for this than the Sports Guy. I want to see Tebow, because I want to see it get even worse in NY.

Bucs -1.5 over Panthers, 31-27

-The Bucs are rounding into shape offensively, and only the fact that their pass defense is so bad makes this competitive. It will definitively be high scoring.

Saints -4.5 over Raiders, 31-17

-Like the Ravens game from last week, the Raiders are just bad and only garbage time makes this look prettier. Saints get to .500 and stay competitive for the playoffs. Image if they run off another a 3 in a row and the Falcons drop one or two between now and their next matchup.

Colts +9.5 over Patriots, 24-33

-I like the Patriots to keep doing consistently what they have been doing: winning by jumping out to huge leads and then letting their feet off the pedal enough to make it interesting. But rookie QBs just don’t win in Foxboro.

Chargers +8.5 over Broncos, 24-27

-Manning wins late, but Chargers cover. The fact that it got over 7 made this a no brainer.

Ravens -3.5 over Steelers, 27-13

-People who think that Ben’s injury doesn’t matter are CONFUSED. Leftwich’s throwing motion is longer and slower than my redraft columns.

Bears +4.5 over Niners, 21-20

-Perhaps the lesson in concussions is that the player should sit out whenever they have one, even if they pass the tests. However, we might not be able to tell, as the Bears defense was going to make Alex Smith look bad no matter if he was concussed or not. The Bears are my Superbowl pick, and I’m staying with it. And Alex Smith’s 70.5% completion percentage has REGRESSION written all over it.

Record last week:

Straight Up: 7-4

By Spread: 6-6

Record this year:

Straight Up: 75-42

By Spread: 61-56

Lifetime record:
Straight Up: 464-239
By Spread: 381-329