Thursday Night Football

Bah!!! I've been denied so far in my nefarious scheme to upload images in an attempt to share a thought or two with you; the readers. Thus I've decided to do the Thursday Night Recap first and then I'll return to my scheming later. Carolina Panthers 3 @ Pittsburgh Steelers 27: Lucky then that this recap should pose few problems, which ironically enough is exactly what the Panthers did to the Steelers (chortle, chortle). It was bad. Very bad. When the Panthers defense wasn't getting carved into small slices by Ben Roethlisberger, it was left to Jimmy Clausen to carry the flag of mediocrity, at one point stepping up blindly into an obvious sack. James Farrior must have thought it was Christmas come a little early. Clausen ended the game 10/23 for 72 yards and an interception. That truly is woeful. Carolina fans must be hanging their heads in disgust at their teams complete ineptitude. Well, almost. One thing the Panthers do seem to have the swing of is generating the odd sack. They had three (albeit to the Steelers 4), with two alone going to defensive end Charles Johnson. But the Steelers not only topped the Panthers for sacks, they aced them on offense as well. Ben Roethlisberger finished 22/32 for 320 yards and a touchdown. He sneaked another home himself and Rashard Mendenhall blasted in another. I should also draw your attention to the excellent second year receiver Mike Wallace who finished the game with 4 catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. This also means I start the week 1-0 in picks, but that was never really in doubt. Now before I disappear back to a feverish session with MS Paint, two things I want to tell you. -- My Christmas present has arrived, courtesy of Amazon. The present in question is Parcells - A Biography by Bill Gutman. Earlier today I polished off the Prologue, Introduction and Chapter One, and so far the book strikes me as being very matter of fact, to the point, and well written. As an (ex)coach I really enjoyed reading about the early insight into the mind of Parcells and how his experiences at school in various sports had a big impact on shaping his coaching philosophy in the future. This is looking like a quality buy and I'm tentatively recommending it already. I'll give you an update at some future point on whether it's a definite buy or not. -- I'm sure two questions you routinely ask yourself are "Who was the Duke of Wellington?" and "What is the sense of humour like in the British Army?". This handy post from ARRSE (ARmy Rumour SErvice) should answer both questions.

Thursday Night pick and some Nickel and dime stuff

Just a quick hello and how are you? Good, time to make a pick for the Week 16 Thursday Night game. Carolina Panthers @ Pittsburgh Steelers: Do I really have to sit down and go through this one? The Panthers may have won at the weekend but that had little to do with the Panthers inherent ability to win tough games and a hell of a lot to do with playing the Cardinals. The Steelers will not prove to be such a cake walk. Even though they've booked a place in the post season, the Steelers still haven't secured for sure the AFC North, so they definitely still have something to play for. Now despite the loss of Troy Polamalu, the Steelers still have an excellent defense, and certainly they have a favourable match up on Thursday. They're pretty good from a run defense perspective and running is just about the only thing the Panthers entire team does well. You also have to remember that the Panthers lean heavily on their tight ends to make plays in the passing game, so the loss of speed & play making instincts in the Steelers secondary shouldn't be too noticeable in this one. Sorry Panthers fans, but I'm taking the Steelers. Steelers win. Now for something a little different. Basically I want to talk to you about Nickel Backs, as in the extra defensive back typically brought onto the field by defenses that are expecting a pass and/or are facing a three wide receiver set. To say what I want to say about Nickel backs, I need a bit of a visual aid so I'm going to pinch a diagram from the Blitzology blog (http://www.blitzology.blogspot.com/) Ahh, that's better. My apology's to Blitzology for chaffing their picture. So the character that we're interested in is represented -- unsurprisingly -- by the letter "N". What interests me about this image is that it shows the Nickel back aligned just slightly inside the slot receiver to the right of the picture. This is something we're seeing more and more of in both College football and the NFL, though the inside alignment of that Nickel back is often even more dramatic than you see here, sometimes splitting the difference between the slot receiver and the offensive tackle to that side. What this does is provides the defensive coordinator with a remarkable degree of flexibility. Despite being shifted inward, the Nickel back can still cover the slot receiver man-to-man, providing the receiver doesn't slant hard to the sideline at the snap. He can also drop back into a short zone. He can trade zones with a linebacker. He can dash out and play the underneath zone to the far right while the corner drops deep into, say, cover 3. Importantly, the Nickel back can still blitz the QB off the edge and is in good position to play as the primary force defender on a run play to his side of the field. Even more importantly, he doesn't need to tip off the QB through alignment to do any of these things. As I said, if you watch enough college clips you'll see this tactic is becoming increasingly common place. Even the NFL is starting to latch on. Of course what is needed to play this role is a solid all round defender; someone who can play zone coverage, can cover a slot receiver (typically a teams 3rd choice wide out) man-to-man, and someone who -- unlike a lot of corners -- has the balls to get stuck in against the run. Notice then that the Green Bay Packers are increasingly shifting CB Charles Woodson inside to handle this duty. Woodson can cover in both man and zone. He still has the speed to blitz. And he is a rare(ish) breed among corners in that he has no problems putting his shoulder in and taking on a lead blocking fullback or a pulling lineman. This I think is important. It sets a precedent for defensive coordinators in how to handle 3 wide receiver offensive sets. It also highlights the impact that a quality all-round Nickel back can bring to a modern NFL defense. I'd venture to say that rookie Syd'Quan Thompson of the Broncos fits the mold well and that increasingly we may see teams reach out in the draft in the next year or two looking for a well rounded corner prospect to come in and be a teams "Super Nickelback". Just a thought. Keep your eyes peeled and your ear to the ground on that one. Here's another thought while you're at it; in March/April of this year, the going trade rate for Michael Vick was a second round pick. It was widely believed that, that was all the Eagles would ask for him. Now I appreciate that much of his success in Philadelphia this year can be attributed to the next potential "Queen Prima Donna" of the NFL -- DeSean Jackson -- but still, Vick on his own is a formidable package. For a second round pick, he'd be looking like a complete steal right about now. Just check this out (you'll need to create an account. I tried embedding it but it's being an asshole.) Tomorrow I shall be back at some point with a quick recap of the Thursday Night game, but hopefully either attached to that post or somewhere in between that post and this one, I'd like to hand out my award for the "Most Improved Analyst From a Major Network" award. Or as I like to call it; the MIAFMN award. And the winner is..... don't be a cheap skate. Comeback tomorrow to find out. Laters.

Thursday Night Football - Week 15

San Francisco 49ers 7 @ San Diego Chargers 34: You have to love the 49ers. It's either one extreme or the other with them, never a middle ground. Last week Alex Smith did ok in the passing game. A week later and the 49ers have rushed the ball just 14 times (15 if you include Smiths scramble). They just seem to completely lack any sense of balance. Rather the 49ers seem happy to throw their lot in with whatever hand is hottest after the previous week and hope that all pans out nicely. Well predictably it didn't. Smith threw 19/29 for 165 yards and an interception. His leading receiver was Josh Morgan, who finally appears to be fulfilling all the promise and potential he's been keeping under wraps for the last two years. It was nothing however compared to the link up of Philip Rivers and Vincent Jackson. Rivers was 19/25 for 273 yards and 3 TD's. Vincent Jackson caught 5 of those passes for 112 yards and 3 TD's. Then the Chargers rushing game kicked in as well with Mike Tolbert (17 carries, 46 yards, 1 TD) and Ryan Matthews (17 carries, 56 yards) helping to keep things ticking over and to burn away some clock. Then add six sacks from the Chargers defense who sparsely get mentioned when compared to the raving reviews of Rivers. All in all the 49ers are probably their own worst enemies. They can't seem to pin down that smooth mix on offense that the Chargers have. They can't protect their QB the way the Chargers do. They can't cover on pass defense like the Chargers. And they can't get to the QB as often and as emphatically as the Chargers front seven (especially not when Justin Smith gets ejected from the game for what was a thoroughly harsh interpretation of "pushing an official"). It sucks to be a 49ers fan. But it could be worse. I could be a Panthers fan... I hate the Panthers. I'll be back tomorrow to start breaking down picks for this weekends action, but till then, Have a great day everyone.

Thursday Night Football

Time for a bit of Thursday Night pick 'em. But first, more complaining. I have a simple question; who the hell does Rodger Goodell think he is? Two of the latest fines that have caught my attention are these: Kenny Britt; fined $5,000 for wearing a towel that had "#10 VY" written on it during the Colts game. Tony Brown; fined $5,000 for wearing red cleats during the Colts game. I don't get it? How in the name of god does the NFL have the power or even the right to fine someone $5,000 (Five. Thousand. Dollars.) just for wearing a pair of cleats that aren't of an approved color? I could understand if the team itself wanted to discipline a player who had been asked not to do a certain thing (like wear red cleats) or who they felt was taking actions negative to the clubs image (with the VY towel), but even then not to the tune of $5,000. It's just getting ludicrous. The amount of control wielded by the commissioner and the way it's being wielded is absolutely absurd. What annoys me the most though is three fold: 1) Goodell's smug face. 2) Why the national media aren't doing more. 3) Why the players aren't doing more. Everyone just seems to be sitting on their God damn hands hoping that this is some aberration for the 2010 season that will blow over in time. Well it's not going to is it. What we've seen consistently is that if Goodell wants something and nobody puts up a fight, then he gets it. He's not going to back down from his current dictatorial approach unless someone applies a little pressure. Which is why I'd like to see the US media do something for a change. The analysts on NFL Network sometimes mention it in passing, or complain during a highlight reel, but I don't see an organised resistance. I don't see them banding together and making their feelings known more vociferously. And what about the other networks? Everyone complains briefly but then does nothing more. Why? As a mere blogger with a (very) limited reach, I have basically zero power to put a stop to all of this. But the big networks? They represent (or at least should do) NFL fans across the states and the world, and they have an obligation I feel to make the fans concerns known. They also have the power, if they dislike Goodell (which, judging by their comments many do) to put that message out there and make it clear that Goodell is an ass who needs to go. And the Players? I've heard some comments from a few Baltimore and Pittsburgh players, but that's it. The rest of the league..... almost nothing. Everyone seems to be happy to complain about these things on Twitter or to quietly grumble to their local rag, but where is the concerted effort to make a stand? When are these people going to grow a sack and start hitting out with a unified voice against Goodell? Yeah you might get fined a few thousand dollars. Yeah maybe the owners might look at you with a little suspicion. But that's why you all get together and go balls to the wall to make a point. That goes for the press to. They've got to stop kissing Goodell's ass and actually stand up for what's right. Just look at that weasel Mike Florio at ProFootballTalk.com. He used to be all about the fans and reporting unbiasedly about whatever issues came up. Now he's practically a step away from being Goodell's lap dog because he smells a chance to get a permanent slot on NBC television. This is precisely what free speech and free press was designed for; to allow people to hit back at dictatorial regimes like Goodell's. It's about fucking time some of these big shot media people exercised that right and told Goodell - on behalf of the fans if nothing else - where he can stuff his fines, stuff his "enhanced season" and where he can stuff his ridiculous "roughing the passer" penalties too! Ahem. What was I saying? Ah yes, Thursday Night pick! San Francisco 49ers @ San Diego Chargers: Interesting. The 49ers had a great game last Sunday, as did the Chargers. Both teams need a win pretty badly to keep alive their respective hopes of making it to the playoffs. Of course, the fact that I just mentioned the 49ers and the playoffs in the same sentence says a lot about the NFC West this year. San Francisco's hopes are alive only because of the spectacular level of mediocrity that exists in their division. They've been no better really. Or have they? After getting soundly whipped by the Seahawks in week 1, they then took the defending Super Bowl champions right to the wire. The Chiefs battered them the next week only for the 49ers to have the Falcons nearly wrapped up a week later. Only a god awful fumble allowed the Falcons to snatch victory from the Jaws of certain defeat. A week after the 49ers took the Eagles to the wire and lost by 3, then went on to beat the Raiders. Then lost, somehow, to the Panthers. They then beat the Broncos and Rams in successive games before being blown out by the Bucs'. They trounced the Cardinals, got run over a week later by the Packers, then hammered the Seahawks into the floor. All in all, something of a sketchy season for my 49ers. But they are probably a bit better than that record tells. Especially when you look at the performance of Alex Smith last week. Operating in the Shotgun and using more of a spread style look, Smith was suddenly back in his comfort zone and doing well. Well enough to beat the Chargers? That's hard to say. The 49ers defense isn't exactly the most stout in the league, despite sporting a number of very good (read; under rated) players at various positions. That kind of poses a problem against the Chargers, what with them having Philip Rivers at Quarterback. And Vincent Jackson at wide receiver. And the rest of the Chargers receivers. And Jacob Hester at Fullback. And Mike Tolbert or Darren Sproles at running back. That's before we even get to the defense. In summary; shit bags. Chargers win. Have a great day everyone.

Thursday Night Football recap

Indianapolis Colts 30 @ Tennessee Titans 28: So the Colts are back to winning ways. Just. When Manning threw his second TD of the night to Garcon and the Colts took a 21 point lead, everyone in LP field got that sinking feeling. The word "blowout" was hanging on a lot of lips. But for a team that has struggled with everything from its starting quarterback, to getting production out of a future hall of fame free agent receiver, to scoring touchdowns, this was a pretty good offensive show. Except for the loss, obviously. There was a debatable pass interference call in the end zone near the start, but let that not be an excuse for the Titans for what was a very poor start to the game and generally a bit of a nightmare at times on defense. They stuck with it though and with the Colts more inclined to run the ball in this game and burn time of the clock to protect their lead, the Titans found a way back in. A big part of that was Chris Johnson, who had 22 carries for 111 yards and a TD. Add on eith catches for 68 yards (both team highs) and it appears the Titans are remembering who their money guy is right now. Even Kerry Collins did well, throwing 28/39 for 244 yards and 3 TD's, 0 INT's. That last figure, the 0 interceptions, is something the Titans with their style of play really need. Because their defense is not up to par. In the closing 4 minutes of the game the Titans elected to punt the ball away and try to get a defensive stop while only down by 6. That's when Manning hit Garcon several yards shy of the first down... only for some abject tackling by the Titans that allowed Garcon to break free and squirm down the sideline for a big gain that led to a field goal. Really, this kind of thing bugs me. It shouldn't. I shouldn't care. I should laugh at the Titans and their own ineptitude. But it does. When I think of all the defensive players that never make the jump from college to the NFL. When I think of all the rookies and backups around the league who know they're operating on borrowed time. When I think of the amount of times I've heard the line "well, he's an NFL coach, what about you?" as if that somehow automatically imbues an individual with untold wisdom and talent. When I think back to the fact that when I was eleven I went to rugby practice and the rugby coach/Information Technology teacher Mr. Vidler had us spend the first session working on absolute basics, like passing and good tackling. It just bugs me. I can't stand watching players who get paid millions tackle like this was the Pro Bowl. I mean it's so basic. It's basic defensive football. Defense 101: The Fundamentals of Tackling. If only the Titans could tackle as well as I am belabouring this point, they'd be unstoppable. Anyways, Colts win so I'm 1-0 in picks this week. Tomorrow/later today/sometime soon I'll hit up the first half of my Sunday picks for week 14. Till then, Have a great day everyone.

Thursday Night Football recap (week 13)

Exactly what it says on the tin: Houston Texans 24 @ Philadelphia Eagles 34: 27 first downs to 22. 60% third down efficiency compared to 50%. 431 total net yards compared to 416. 4 penalties for 25 yards compared to 11 for 85 yards. 100% red zone efficiency compared to 66%. Everything about those stats would suggest to someone who didn't know the score that the Texans won this game. But they didn't. Somehow the Eagles prevailed. A lot of that has to do with Michael Vick, who was 22/33 for 302 yards, 2 TD's and 1 INT. Add on another 10 carries for 48 yards and a rushing touchdown. Michael Vick was simply being Michael Vick. But even that doesn't tell the whole story. Matt Schaub was 22/36 for 337 yards, 2 TD's and 1 INT. Arian Foster had 22 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown. Andre Johnson had 6 catches, 149 yards and 0 knockouts before leaving the field due to injury. Luckily for the Eagles they got an extra TD off the feet of LeSean McCoy (12 carries, 44 yards, 1 TD + 8 catches, 86 yards, 1 TD) and a field goal from a turnover as Matt Schaub threw what should have been a screen pass right into the hands of DT Trevor Laws. Of worthy note is the fact that Laws then promptly fumbled the ball which was then recovered by a team mate. This highlights a glaring omission that seems to be consistent across the NFL of teams not teaching defensive players what "ball security" means. Rookie Safety Nate Allen got himself a sack and a forced fumble, with the FF ending the Texans hope of a comeback. It was quite an even(ish) game, but once again the Texans defense came back to bite them in the butt as they gave up yards in plentiful chunks. Which -- to be honest -- has been a fairly consistent problem for the Texans under Gary Kubiak. Now don't get me wrong, he's been/is a pretty good offensive coach. But the organisation as a whole doesn't seem to have embraced the idea of building a defense to match. In the 2010 draft the Texans ended up with nine selections. Of the nine picks, they used five on offensive players. This I don't get. That offense is hardly in dire need of upgrading and while I understand that the best way to avert future problems is to stay ahead of them, what about the defense? Their second round pick was used on a running back. I understand that the Texans have had problems in this area, but that second round pick could have been used on a valuable defensive player such as another corner. Then over the course of the draft the Texans took another wide receiver (a position they are well covered in), two more tight ends (same as receivers, and even then one of the tight ends has been converted to WR) and an offensive guard. These choices just seem so odd to me. I appreciate that in general teams are not going to focus their draft so narrow mindedly on one sdie of the ball, but when you have such a great offense already I think you can afford to give the defense a bit of extra love. Anyway, the Texans lose (good. Hate 'em). That sets me off to a good start pick wise and I think tomorrow I shall begin my picks for the weekends games, split into two parts over Friday and Saturday. But just before we go, I want to point you in the direction of this article, from ProFootballTalk.com. Obviously I can't vouch for the validity of the article or the sources named in it, but if it's all true then it poses a rather odd question; can wide receivers (or any player for that matter) really expect to dictate what type of plays they will be asked to make? If this report is true, why aren't the Eagles laughing in the face of Jackson's agent (or maybe they are)? I just find it a little ridiculous that a player would have the cheek to ask for more money while also asking to have his route tree and responsibilities shaved down. Have a great day everyone.

Thursday Night Football pick (and two articles you should read)

The weather outside is frightful. Actually it's not. It's snowing like crap and that's awesome. But in all that drama I've only just remembered that I have to do my pick for the Thursday Night game, so here it is: Houston Texans @ Philadelphia Eagles: What we have is another offense vs. offense clash. Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy versus Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson and Arian Foster. But really we don't need to talk about any of those guys. You know who they are and you know what they can do. This game will be decided by defense -- or in the Texans case -- a lack of defense. The names we need to be concerned with are guys like Trent Cole, Juqua Parker, Brandon Graham, Antonio Dixon, Darryl Tapp, Brodrick Bunkley, Trevor Laws, Mike Patterson, Stewart Bradley, Ernie Sims, Omar Gaither, Nate Allen, Trevard Lindley, Quintin Mikell and Asante Samuel (and the rest of the Eagles D). Because (I know, grammar) these are the men that are going to be the difference makers in this game. Simply put, the Eagles have a better pass rush, they play better run defense, they play better pass defense and they create more turnovers. The Texans defense only looks good when it's playing teams like the Rusty Smith led Titans last week. Outside of Mario Williams, name me a Texans defensive linemen? Outside of Brian Cushing, name me a linebacker? Outside of Glover Quin or Bernard Pollard, name me a Texans defensive back? Nobody knows who they are because they're names hardly get mentioned. A big reason for that is not that they're hidden in the shadow of the Texans offense, it's because they don't do anything of note. You very rarely see the Texans defense making big plays to help their team, and they've earned a reputation for being porous. That then is the issue I see. I can reasonably foresee the Eagles defense making some plays. I can reasonably foresee the Eagles D getting a few sacks. I can reasonably foresee Asante Samuel getting a pick. But the Texans? All I can reasonably foresee is a lot of blown coverages and highlight reels of Michael Vick tearing them up through the air and on the ground. In a game where two potentially high powered offenses will duke it out, one or two big plays on defense could swing the balance in favour of one team or the other. An interception, or a sack that leads to a three and out could give one side that extra scoring possession they need get their noses in front and allow themselves to play a more balanced offense. On that note, I have to side with Philadelphia. Eagles win. (and because I hate the Texans). Now I have just enough time before I go back to frolicking in the snow to point you in the direction of two interesting articles. The first is from NFL.com and covers Hines Ward speaking out against the leagues policy -- or seemingly lack thereof -- on fines. It's an interesting read and Ward makes some valid points. The next is from ProFootballTalk.com and includes a video. In my opinion it is the single finest example of why Mike Florio should be locked away in a box somewhere cold and quiet. Not long ago, Florio used to be ok. But ever since moving up into the ranks of NBC where he now occasionally gets to appear on television, he has since become almost a mouthpiece for Rodger Goodell and "The League". The comments section on the article tells its own story, as long time readers make their thoughts and feelings regarding Florio and Goodell known. Tomorrow I shall be back to do my picks for the weekend and also to recap the Thursday Night game, providing I don't wander off and get lost in a blizzard. Or just spend too much time having fun in the snow. Till then, Have a great day everyone.

Turducken is Tasty

Three games down from week 12, so let's take a look: New England 45 @ Detroit Lions 24: Credit to the Lions, they hung in there. At one point they held an 11-point lead. But this is still the Lions we're talking about and so the inevitable softness on the back end came through. The reality is that guys like Wes Welker and Deion Branch will eventually expose any weak links, and in this case a huge one appeared; Alphonso Smith. Smith was what might be described as "epically bad". Watching Branch take him to school was simultaneously hilarious and painful to watch ("Hilariful"? "Painious"?). Branch finished with just 3 catches, but for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns. Tom Brady was 21/27 for 341 yards and 4 TDs. Wes Welker caught 8 of those passes for 90 yards and 2 touchdowns of his own. And to round off the juggernaut, BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran 12 times for 59 yards and 2 TDs. It was -- quite simply -- a dominating performance on offense. On defense, rookie corner Devin McCourty came up with 2 interceptions and LB Jerod Mayo lead the Pat's D with 8 tackles. For the Lions it started with such promise. A touchdown pass by Shaun Hill (27/46, 285 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT's) to Calvin Johnson (4 catches, 81 yards, 1 TD) was followed by a 1 yard TD leap from RB Maurice Morris (9 carries, 55 yards, 2 TD's). But from there the Lions fizzled out. Morris picked up his second TD in the third quarter, but that was no match for the Patriots 5 second half scores. Rookie DT Ndamukong Suh came up with another sack for his season tally, but the rest of the Lions defense just melted away along with Suh as the game wore on. It's a frustrating thing watching the Lions. They make progress slowly and surely, then seem to slide back down again when they hit a great team like the Patriots. Better luck next year? New Orleans Saints 30 @ Dallas Cowboys 27: This is what I was talking about with the Saints last season. They blew a 17 point lead and were dead in the water with 3:03 on the clock. John Kitna hit Roy Williams for a first down. "Just get as far as you can..." Cowboys fans were thinking "... then slide when the defense closes in. For Gods sake Roy, please slide..... ah f**k it!". He opted instead to make a go for the end zone. At around the 10 yard mark, Malcom Jenkins came up from behind and stripped the football away. The Saints now drove the field and Drew Brees found Lance Moore for the touchdown that sealed the game. The Cowboys did get the ball back and put themselves in position for a 59-yard attempt, but the odds are not good from such a distance. Thus the Saints escaped from the jaws of defeat once more thanks to a bone headed play from their opponents. If Williams took a knee and the Cowboys milked that clock before taking a field goal then it would be all done. But yet again the Saints defied the laws of common sense football and slipped through the thinnest of cracks to victory. I hate the Saints. Drew Brees was 23/39 for 352 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. Meanwhile all the pre-game hype about the return of Reggie Bush turned out to be just that as Bush caught one pass for 12 yards, ran once for one yard, and fumbled on a punt return that was then recovered by the Cowboys. Instead it was Chris Ivory who made the biggest impact among the backs, taking 7 carries for 38 yards and 2 TD's. For the Cowboys, John Kitna finished 30/42, for 313 yards and 1 INT. On the ground, despite having three players rush for touchdowns, the Dallas run game was decidedly weak. Miles Austins 60 yard scamper for a touchdown on an end around play put him top of the rushing charts. Neither defense covered itself in glory, though Saints DE Will Smith is notable for his sack, forced fumble, and interception. Probably the most interesting stat though is the Cowboys seven fumbles, even though they only lost two. Talk about butter fingers..... Cincinnati Bengals 10 @ New York Jets 26: Bah ha ha ha ha haaa!! That's what I think of this year when I see the Bengals play. It is truly entering the realms of tragic comedy. Carson Palmer was 17/38 for a mere 135 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT's. The ground game faltered, with Cedric Benson gaining just 41 yards (longest; 14) on 18 carries. Even though rookie Carlos Dunlap finally started to pay back his salary with two sacks, the Bengals defense was generally not very good. Which is lucky for the Jets. They're not a bad team, per se. But they're certainly not the Super Bowl team we keep hearing about from Jets fans/Rex Ryan. Mark Sanchez was 16/28 for 166 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He does not look like a Super Bowl QB right now, which is frustrating in a sense because I've seen Sanchez work some real magic on the field at times. Just... inconsistent. Star of the show? WR Brad Smith, who ran 53 yards for a TD, then later returned a kick off 89 yards for another. Credit to Jets running backs Shonne Greene (18 carries, 70 yards) and LaDanian Tomlinson (13 carries, 49 yards) for playing their part in the win. But it was really all about the Bengals. Their lack of O-line play. The terrible play at quarterback from Carson Palmer. But most critically, the major step backwards their defense has taken since last year. It's little wonder they're now 2-9 compared to the Jets 9-2 (oddly enough, this was a stat shared by the 2-9 Lions and the 9-2 Patriots). So, three games gone. I'm 2-1 pick wise to start week 12. I'll be back tomorrow with the rest of my selections for the coming week, but till then, spread the love around (just not to the Saints) and... Have a great day everyone.

Thanksgiving picks and general thoughts.

So again time has conspired against me to rob me of the chance to assess the rookie watchlist in detail. Suffice to say that; - The first rounders are a mixed bag, - The middle rounders are mostly doing reasonably well, given that they're rookies taken in the middle rounds, - The late rounders/undrafted are largely filling out practice squads, Now, to a few things that are a little more immediately important: -- The League and the NFLPA have met regarding the ongoing labor discussions. Except that according to the NFL Network's Jason LaCanfora, all they really seemed to have discussed were the proposals for an 18-game schedule. Nice to see that they have their priorities straight. -- I watched a video of a Neuropsychologist (they study the brain in relation to psychological processes, oddly enough) talking about concussions. Inevitably the NFL came up. But what I can't understand is this; if concussions are such a big thing (they are) then why is the current helmet technology so abysmal? Let me start by saying that I understand that removing concussions 100% is probably an unachievable goal, but we can at least lessen their impact. Concussions are measured by acceleration/deceleration of the brain as it makes impact with the inside of the skull. Subsequently it is measured in "G"s, as in G-force. The average helmet-to-helmet collision in a football game is estimated to generate somewhere between 100-120g (why are we estimating? Can we not afford in this day an age to put some kind of accelerometer on/in a helmet?). Naturally then the concern is to reduce this impact. And to be honest, encasing the head in a soft inside layer and a hard outside layer is pretty much the stupidest thing you can do, short of encasing the head in a purely hard, thick layer. What is even more absurd/criminal, is that we already know this and we already have a design plan from which to draw inspiration. You get in it everyday. It is probably one of your most valuable possessions. It costs you a ton of money but you couldn't do what you do without it. I am of course talking about your car. Cars are dangerous. They travel at speeds that humans were never supposed to travel. They can deliver a tremendous impact when they crash. But they've also come along leaps and bounds safety wise in recent years. The part that we're interested in is the crumple zone. This is the section of your vehicle that is designed to essentially undergo a controlled collapse in the event of a high speed impact. As significant force is transmitted into the crumple zone, it begins to deform and absorb the Kinetic energy of the impact, allowing for a more gradual deceleration. The passengers are protected against the more severe impacts by a rigid central cabin structure. This is precisely what we need in modern football helmets. A rigid structure against the head to protect it with a softer, possibly deforming outer shell to reduce the effect of serious acceleration/deceleration. Maybe then there would be less bitching from the league about quarterbacks/defenseless receivers getting hit in the head. And think of the awesome replays, with chunks of spent helmet flying all over the place in High Definition....... ahem. And the safety factor of course. Time for my Thanksgiving Thursday night picks I think, starting with; New England Patriots @ Detroit Lions: Holy crap! The Patriots are on a roll. Deion Branch may not have the speed or the size of Rand Moss, but critically for the Patriots he does run every route in the tree. This makes him a more versatile asset up and down the field. With the additional emergence of the two rookie tight ends (Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski) and of RB Danny Woodhead, coupled with the Patriots seemingly more balanced offense this year -- both in play-calling and execution -- they are close to being back to their fearsome best. Will they put up 30 points a game? On occasion. For the most part though, it is about ruthless efficiency right now. Oh, and the Lions are also playing in this game. Unfortunately for them. Patriots win. New Orleans Saints @ Dallas Cowboys: I f...reakin' knew a game like this would come up this weekend. Here is the dilemma I see from a pick perspective; the Saints are ok, but they're not the Saints from 2009, meanwhile the Cowboys have put up two good wins in a row after dumping Wade Phillips, but those wins were against a so-so Giants team and.... the Detroit Lions (what's with the Lions bashing today?). So will the Cowboys keep up the offensive show we've become accustomed to in the last couple of games? Have the Saints seen enough on film to catch out the newly reborn Cowboys (who've gone a little outside their normal box recently in search of big plays)? Has the Dallas secondary really learnt to tackle yet? When are Saints fans going to learn to spell? When will Saints fans finally admit that their defense was allowed to get away with murder in the NFC Championship game? And that if they're honest, they kind of lucked their way into the big game? All important questions. Sadly I'm not sure as I have the answers. So, stab in the dark time..... I'm going with the home team. Cowboys win. Cincinnati Bengals @ New York Jets: Given the "Bungals" showing last week, I really can't take them over the Jets. Yes, I know the Jets have scraped through their recent games by the skin of their teeth, but that is better than getting your ass handed to you by the 2010 Buffalo Bills. That said, I'm not sure as the Jets record tells us everything we need to know about them. Their pass rush seems to have stumbled a little lately. Mark Sanchez might be earning a reputation for being cool at the end of games, but what about the rest of the contest? And what happened to the Jets running game? Still, they're playing the Bengals. Jets win. Have a great Thanksgiving everyone.

(The real) Thursday Night recap

Ok, ok, time to do a proper recap of the Thursday Night game: Chicago Bears 16 @ Miami Dolphins 0: Hopefully -- right about now -- a lot of people are feeling about the Bears what I felt last year about the Saints. Hopefully they now understand exactly what I was going through each week, desperately shouting at the TV trying to explain that the Saints were not as good as the record showed. Near enough every week the Saints came up smelling of roses thanks in large part to their opposition. An average team somehow lucked its way through the season, all the way to the big game. Now the Bears are doing the same thing. And yet I wake up and find people talking about the Bears as "serious contenders" now. How? Where they watching the same game yesterday? As much maligned as Tyler Thigpen has been since throwing 17/29, 187 yards and an INT, surely people have to have seen the same O-line performance that I did? The Dolphins couldn't run. They couldn't pass protect. They just couldn't block, flat out. Tyler Thigpen spent most of the game running away from salivating defensive players who couldn't believe their luck. So how did the Bears offense get on? 16 points. Three field goals and a 2-yard TD run. Cutler was 16/25 for 156 yards and 1 INT. The surprise of the night was Matt Forte taking 25 carries for 97 yards and a TD (the fact that he even got 25 carries was surprising enough). From the perspective of the Bears offense we realise that this could have easily swung the other way. Despite the defense producing an interception and six sacks (three alone for Julius Peppers), they failed to capitalise sufficiently. Don't expect some of the main playoff contenders in the NFC to be so generous come January. But then, if I learnt anything from watching the Saints last year and the Cardinals the year before, some teams just seem to have an almost magical ability to coax the worst out of their opponents. Anyway, I'll be back either later today or probably tomorrow with the rest of my picks for week 11. Till then, Have a great day everyone.

Thursday Night Football pick

Time again for a Thursday Night Football pick. At least last weeks was one of the few I got: Chicago Bears @ Miami Dolphins: I'm just gonna come right out and say it; I have no idea how the Bears keep winning games. How, how? Their offensive line is terrible. They'd struggle to get a push going against a bunch of freshman college kids. Their pass protection is even worse. Cutler is mistake prone. And while the defense is definitely the strong point, even their they have a laundry list of woes. This is why I'm taking Miami. They're the opposite of Chicago. They have some great receivers in Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess and Brian Hartline (under rated). Tight End Anthony Fasano is one of the best in the league at his position when you factor in run blocking and receiving. They have a solid offensive line. A great pass rush, led by Cameron Wake. A very solid linebacking corps. Maybe you could argue they're a little thin on the back end, but strong safety Yeremiah Bell and corner Vontae Davis don't get nearly enough credit for the work they do. Now that said, much hinges on quarterback Tyler Thigpen. I like Thigpen. He came in and played well on the back end of last weeks game against the Titans. The question is can he start and carry that level of play he showed last week through a whole game, as the Dolphins let him loose with much of the playbook? I believe so. From what I've seen of Thigpen through the years since he was drafted in 2007, I think he's ready. And if Thigpen goes down? Well, the Dolphins are probably crossing every finger and toe that it doesn't happen, but if they need to they should have Patrick Ramsey on the bench. Ramsey played well in the pre-season for the Saints and the terminology of the offense shouldn't be too foreign to him, having essentially moved from one "West Coast Offense" to another. He showed good footwork and accuracy for the Saints, though the timing will probably be a bit shaky. In short; Dolphins win. Now before I finish for the day, I just want to direct you towards this article by Michael Lombardi. It now seems that Lombardi's articles are a bit like buses; you wait ages for a good one and then two come along at once. Have a great day everyone.

A funny day in the world of the league

So what's been happening this week? -- Rex and Rob Ryan have exchanged some funny ass press conferences. Not sure how it will pan out but Rob looked mighty pissed off. -- The fine flurry in the NFL went into ridiculous over load this week. Kenny Phillips was fined $5,000 for a facemask. Bart Scott was fined $20,000 for a breach of the uniform policy (he left his chin strap unsnapped during live play). But the best two are cleat related. I sh!t you not; cleat related. Bernard Berrian claims he was fined $5,000 for wearing yellow cleats on Sunday. But with the bizarre logic and sense of fairness that is possessed only by those in the higher ranks of the NFL, Chad Ochocinco was fined $20,000 for wearing gold cleats. $20,000. For gold cleats. Are you f***ing kidding me? When, when, did it become ok to fine players for wearing the wrong coloured cleats? A warning maybe, but $20,000? That's ridiculous! I know it's not fashionable to stick up for players on stuff like this. After all they're multi-millionaires and deserve to get squeezed for every cent right? But come on. This is just beyond stupid. Never mind the CBA, the players should just go on strike now against this ridiculous policy of fines for such petty crap. It's making a joke of the NFL. And the cumulative effect of these fines is really starting to grate on the nerves of many fans. -- Oh, and there was a game last night. Baltimore Ravens 21 @ Atlanta Falcons 26: Someone please explain this to me; the Falcons had the lead for almost the entire game, yet Michael Turner has just 17 carries and Matt Ryan threw the ball 50 times (completing 32 for 316 yards and 3 TDs). Have the Falcons not heard of burning the clock and trying to avoid throwing away a lead (literally). Luckily for them Matt Ryan has earned a reputation for being ice-cold under pressure and even more luckily he came up good once again in the dying seconds. Atlanta scored an absolute gem in that one. As did I, kicking off the week pick wise at 1-0. Talking of which, I'll be back a little later with the rest of my picks for this week. By later, that could potentially mean tomorrow, but such is the joy of work/sleep/necessary chores. Have a great day everyone.

Thursday Night Football

It's that time again.... actually it's sort of that time again. It's the return of Thursday Night Football so I need to get my pick in early. Being that it's Thursday Night now, I've left it a little late, but there's still five hours left (at least, there was when I started) so I think I'm safe: Baltimore Ravens @ Atlanta Falcons: Hmm (yeah, one of them). The very good Ravens come to visit the very good Falcons in a battle of the NFL football menagerie. But who to take? The Ravens are very good defensively. Offensively.... not so much. The Falcons kind of flip that paradigm on its head, but a little less badly. Curtis Lofton still provides that strong presence in the middle, much like Ray Lewis does on the other side. The difference between the Falcons D and the Ravens D is that the Ravens have a lot more pieces other than their Mike Linebacker to work with. Given their strong record at home though, I'd probably have to favour the Falcons. Falcons win. Tomorrow, the rest of my picks for week 10. May God have mercy on my soul. Have a great day everyone.

Thursday Night Football round up

Before I even get started with this post, I'd just like to say how sorry I was to hear about the passing of Chris Henry. Henry had his troubles along the line, but by all accounts he had made an extra effort this year to get his life and his playing career on track. Team mates have spoken about his dedication in the off season and his strong ongoing work ethic. The results were evident on the field as Henry looked to work his way back into the Bengals first team. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends and team mates of Chris Henry. May he rest in peace. And now we come to this weeks Thursday Night Football round up: Colts 35 @ Jaguars 31 -- Questions will be asked of Jaguars Free Safety Reggie Nelson. His coaches and team mates will want to know why he meekly threw himself against the side of Dallas Clark, allowing Clark to stay upright and run home a 27 yard TD pass in the 3rd quarter. Then everyone will want to know what happened on the 65 yard TD pass from Peyton Manning to Reggie Wayne in the 4th quarter. They'll all want to know why Nelson failed to simply dive and wrap up Wayne well short of the goal line instead of just running up behind him, leaning forward, and then seeming to pat him on the backside before falling over. After his coaches have finished playing tape of him in front of the whole team to make a point about tackling, the FBI will probably want to have a word with Nelson as well, something to do with suspicious betting patterns on a Colts win. Of course that's a slight embellishment (I hope) but honestly, if you haven't seen it yet, then after you've finished here head over to NFL.com and watch the game highlights. For all my talk about running the ball, teams choices of offense etc, etc, I'm a defensive guy at heart. I love watching defenders fly across the field in an attempt to create a kind of human Crash Derby. But that mindset has it's downsides. 1) I go nuts when I see blown coverages. 2) I tear out what little hair I have left from my head when I see appalling tackling. It just astounds me how bad some of the tackling in pro football is. Nelson practically put on a one man "how not to" show tonight. Just shockingly bad. And that, amazingly enough, was pretty much the difference. Manning had another 300 yard/4 TD game, tearing Jacksonville to pieces. David Garrard tried to fight back but completed just 23/40, for 233 yards and 3 TDs. Both QB's threw one pick. Jones-Drew had 27 carries and notched 110 yards plus a rushing TD to go with his receiving TD from earlier in the game. And my little dynamo Rashad Jennings got over double his normal allocation of rushing attempts, a whole 5 this time around, for 23 yards. Now don't get me wrong, I like David Garrard, but he's not a game winning QB in the way that many others are. He's a handy tool, a guy who can keep drives alive. But he's not the bread and butter of the Jaguars and I do wish they'd stop treating him as such. It was also nice to see Chad Simpson get a 93 yard TD return which should hopefully shine some more light on a young player who I think has a big future. But that's enough ranting for now. Saturday night marks the first Saturday game of the season as the Saints welcome the Cowboys, so here's my pick for that one: Cowboys @ Saints -- It's December and that means only one thing as far as the Cowboys are concerned. And that my friends is a big, fat L. The Saints are going for the 16-0 and rightly so. While the Cowboys have the tools to make life difficult for the Saints, I just can't see it happening. They're likely to be without LB DeMarcus Ware for this one and they need all the help they can get to stop the Saints offense. Jay Ratliff might have a good game bringing pressure up the middle and forcing Drew Brees to hold the ball and move around, but don't count on the Cowboys to come up with many big defensive plays. On the opposite side of the turf, the Saints will possibly see the return of CB Tracey Porter and if that happens it will provide a huge boost to their recently lagging secondary. I still don't rate the Saints as the best team in the league, but I do rate them as better than the Cowboys. Much better. Saints win. So that's me done for the day, I'm off to go and play in the snow (who says a 25 year old can't enjoy building a snowman?) but I'll be back again tomorrow to bring you my picks for the rest of week 15. Until then, take care of yourselves.

Thursday Night Football

Tomorrow is Thursday, tonight is Wednesday. Having cleared that up, it's time for my Thursday Night Football pick: Colts @ Jaguars -- If I hear the phrase "Path to Perfection" many more times, it's gonna drive me nuts. I almost want both the Colts and the Saints to lose purely so I don't have to hear that anymore. But unfortunately, at least for the Colts, it's going to be another week of speculation. 'cos even though I like the Jags, and even though I like Maurice Jones-Drew, there are a few things that drive me to pick the Colts. Number one, is that I know deep down the Jaguars will try and shoot it out with the Colts. They'll throw maybe 35-40 times and they'll drag themselves into an offensive battle they can't win. They wont use their ground game to full effect. Jones-Drew will get maybe 15-20 carries, Rashad Jennings will get his obligatory 2 carries for 10 yards and the Colts D will show David Garrard the turf a few times. Even though they're a little banged up defensively, the Colts still get it done. They play sound, assignment football, giving you a few yards here and there, till finally you get frustrated and try and force something that isn't there and then they've got you. Offensively, Manning will do his thing, adjusting the protection to keep the leagues worst pass rush at bay while he scans the field and finds holes in the secondary that will eventually show up when you can't bring any pressure. It has Colts win written all over it. Unless they take their foot off the gas, I can't see them dropping the ball now. Colts win. So that takes care of Thursday. Tomorrow it'll be round up time, along with a Saturday night pick for the Cowboys at Saints. Until then, have a nice day.

Week 14 Thursday night Recap

The dust has settled, the seats are empty and the teams are on their respective ways home, so it must be time for a recap of Thursday Night Football: Steelers 6 @ Browns 13 -- My god. Just, wow. I have to eat some humble pie here. I didn't think the Steelers D was as bad as everyone makes out. But some of the tackling I witnessed would make an 8 year old linebacker sick with embarrassment. It was terrible. Losing to the Browns is not a good sign. But only putting 6 points on the board is even worse. Couple that with losses to the Chiefs and Raiders and there is an argument to be made that the Steelers are the second worst team in the NFL right now, after the Lions. I'm just speechless. As I type this, I'm not thinking anything other than 'holy crap, how did that happen?'. Well, I can make some educated guesses. Take for example the Steelers offense. Their O-line drew a huge amount of criticism last year for not protecting Big Ben. Now some of that has to be put on the shoulders of the QB for constantly scrambling and extending plays past their lifespan. But this week I think both the line and the QB have to shoulder some of the blame for conceding 8 sacks. 8. That contributed a grand total of 60 negative yards. To the Browns..... But it's just another symptom of the Steelers overall. Their line is built for the run. Their defense is built to complement a running game. Their draft strategy has always assumed a heavy dose of the run. And yet here they are, in December, throwing 32 passes. 32. Tack on the 8 sacks and we have 40 pass attempts, out of 62 rushing/passing plays. And just to remind you, this is the Steelers we're talking about right. Rashard Mendenhall got just 16 carries. 'Fast' Willie Parker is fast becoming an unused asset, with just 3 carries. This is chronic. If I was the Steelers GM I'd be pulling Head Coach Mike Tomlin to one side after the game and suggesting that maybe it's time to ask the offensive co-ordinator what the hell he thinks he's doing. Not that Bruce Arians or any other offensive co-ordinator is gonna listen. This is the NFL right! The National Flag League, where only passing matters. Well tuck into your offense Pittsburgh, because it's killing your football team. Shame. So, that's me off to a now typical 0-1 start. Either tomorrow or Saturday I shall put up my picks for the rest of Week 14.

Thursday Night pick

Well, due to unforeseen circumstances involving buses, government paperwork, a defective computer and it's defective operator (not me I might add) Extra Credit was missed yesterday and will have to skipped this week unfortunately. What I can squeeze into my schedule is my Thursday Night pick for week 14: Steelers @ Browns -- This is an uglier pick than you might imagine. The temptation is to flatly anoint the Steelers as victors. But the Browns do have a few tricks up their sleeve. Take for example their return game. Josh Cribbs has a penchant for explosive plays on punt and kick returns. The Steelers meanwhile have a penchant for giving up big plays when covering punts and kicks. Even if any resulting score (or scores) don't contribute immensely to the points tally, the overall field position gains on each drive could. It makes it easier for the Browns, harder for the Steelers. And Brady Quinn and his offense hardly need much help of late. If I had got round to doing extra credit, Quinn would have got his fair helping. 3 TDs and nearly 300 yards of offense is pretty good for most teams. Given the Browns record of late, it's downright exceptional. They still haven't developed a proper and consistent downfield game to WR Mohamed Massaquoi, but they're getting there. Gradually. Very gradually. And just to make life easier, the Steelers defense is having a few troubles lately. I'm not entirely convinced by the doom and gloom predictions that a lot of people are touting, but it can't be overlooked that the Steelers Cornerbacks are yet to generate an interception this season. Looking at the Steelers scores over the their recent games, you can see how an interception or two might have helped them out a little. But there is hope. With change supposedly in the air in Pittsburgh, they may just be about to revive their running game and return to true Steeler football. That means less sacks, less interceptions, more time run off the clock and more rest for their defense. All these things could contribute to a much improved Steelers team. The playoffs are not completely out of sight, but they need to turn things around in Ohio this week. I think they will. Steelers win.

Thursday Night recap

It's Thursday night which means, uhm, Thursday Night Football recap? Yeah!! Jets 19 @ Bills 13 -- God almighty I bet the fans couldn't wait for this one to finish. And while I think about it, and by 'it' I mean the word 'fans', this game was supposed to be a Bills home game. Yet the noise level suggested this was being played in the Meadowlands. It's odd because I read an article just the other day by a Bills fan that mentioned the lack of enthusiasm for the games played in Toronto. Anyway, back to the game and in true fashion for my picks, a team that I said would do one thing in fact did another. Just 15 passes from Sanchez before he limped off with an injury during the third quarter. Everyone is hailing it as terrible news, but I think it might actually be the best news Jets fans have heard all season and might even spark a late run at a Wildcard spot. As I feared, the Jets rushing attack blasted the Bills typically appalling run defense off the face of the Earth, clocking up 249 yards. But before Bills fans bemoan their defense too heavily, it's worth noting that the Bills offense were even worse. 9/23 for Ryan Fitzpatrick. Yeah, some of that has to do with the quality play of Jets CB Darrelle Revis who was assigned to shut down Terrell Owens (targeted 9 times, caught 3), but Lee Evans didn't exactly bolster his case for being the number 1 guy (targeted 7 times, caught 1). Granted, some of that just has to do with bad throwing. But the most cardinal sin for me; bad running. Just 19 carries between Jackson and Lynch, with Jackson taking 13. Now this surprised me. Yesterday I said Fred Jackson was better and I think all things considered, he is. But Lynch was obviously having a good game. He looked fired up, motivated, ready to try and win back his job. He busted out a 35 yard run in the 2nd quarter, then came right back on the next play and scored a TD. Then after that, just 1 more carry. I mean, are you kidding me? You run 35 yards then score a 15 yard TD on the next play, and your reward is to get just one extra carry? No wonder the Bills are in trouble. And more to the point, they've already cost me a pick. So there we have it, 0-1 already. With a busy weekend of action ahead there's always plenty of games to pick things up and get back in it. Tomorrow night I'll let you know who I'm backing.

Thursday Night recap

Now that Thursday nights games are done, it's time to have a peek and see how my picks got on. Packers 34 @ Lions 12: I had a feeling it might end like this. Basically three players made the difference; Stafford, Rodgers and Woodson. Stafford put his excellent performance from Sunday behind him and promptly threw 4 interceptions. Turning the ball over like that has plagued Stafford all season, you just have to hope he will get better with time, which I think he will. It also doesn't help to only get two completions to your best receiver, Calvin Johnson. Last week Johnson caught 7 passes for 161 yards. Use him. As for Aaron Rodgers, he got the ball to his two best receivers a combined 11 times for 195 yards and a TD. That's the way to do it. Rodgers finished just two yards shy of 350 yards passing with 3 TDs and no picks. And finally, probably the most impressive of them all was Packers CB Charles Woodson who despite being 333 years old managed to notch up 6 tackles, 1 assist, 1 sack, 2 interceptions and a forced fumble. Nice job. 1-0. Raiders 7 @ Cowboys 24: Yesterday I said "..... the Cowboys do have the kind of rushing attack that could rip Oakland apart, but they just don't have the balls to say no to Tony Romo so expect that great triple team to be under utilized once again". Uhm, it looks like Wade Phillips and his crew grew the required balls overnight. Felix Jones and Tashard Choice combined alone for over 130 yards on just 10 carries, with Marion Barber tacking on another 61. I never expected the Raiders to do anything special, I just didn't think the 'Boys would either. Boy was I wrong. Romo even found the courage to largely ignore Roy Williams in the open field and go for his two best receivers (Austin & Witten) instead, who paid him back handsomely. 1-1. Giants 6 @ Broncos 26: Again I'd like to quote myself from yesterday "And that's the issue I have with the Giants in this game. They don't/won't run the ball enough. Instead they put it all on Eli and expect him to roll out a repeat of his Superbowl performance. And it's not gonna happen". Psychic or what? 40 passes, completed just 24, and only 15 carries for his backs. That's always bad news. Eli is not that good. Meanwhile I had a feeling (as also mentioned yesterday) that the Broncos might take some shots down field against a banged up Giants secondary. And they did. Brandon Marshall was displaying some superb one handed skills as the Broncos offense finally found some life again. 2-1. Not a bad start pick wise, but there's plenty of action coming up this week to either boost my tally or tear me down. Tomorrow I'll tell you exactly which teams I'm backing.

Thursday Night Football picks

It's Wednesday night/Thursday morning, which can only mean one thing....... Thursday Night Football picks!!! Packers @ Detroit : Well, what can you say? Detroit has, without doubt, the worst pass defense I've seen in a long time. The Packers meanwhile have probably one of the best overall receiving corps in the league. And to cap it all, they're just finding their running game again. Last time these two teams met the Lions were missing QB Matthew Stafford, and by a cruel twist of fate they may be without him again for this game. I'm sorry Lions fans, I can't see how your team is gonna compete in this one. Packers win. Raiders @ Cowboys : Hmmm, not as bad a match up as you might think. Yes the Raiders suck, but so do the Cowboys at the moment. Expect the men in Silver and Black to put shutdown corner Nnamdi Asomugha on Cowboys receiver Miles Austin, and then get pressure on Tony Romo with trade scoop Richard Seymour. To counter, the Cowboys do have the kind of rushing attack that could rip Oakland apart, but they just don't have the balls to say no to Tony Romo so expect that great triple team to be under utilized once again. I think, as scary as this might be, that the Raiders might actually win this game. Raiders win (did I just say that?). Giants @ Broncos : Everyone is jumping on the New York bandwagon. And I'm not really sure why. They're not all that special of late. Last week they barely scraped a win against what's been a pretty average Falcons team this season. The only down point everyone is moaning about is the lack of production from their run game. Now I'm sorry, but it's obvious that it's not for a want of trying. The trouble is that the Giants don't run the ball anywhere near as often as they pass. You can't post gaudy numbers if you don't get the ball. Just ask Frank Gore or Terrell Owens. Why isn't the Panthers rushing attack leading the league? Is it because DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have gone cold? No, it's because the Panthers just love Jake Delhomme (I hate them Panthers). And that's the issue I have with the Giants in this game. They don't/won't run the ball enough. Instead they put it all on Eli and expect him to roll out a repeat of his Superbowl performance. And it's not gonna happen. Especially against two of the best defenders out there; Broncos Safety Brian Dawkins and Cornerback Champ Bailey. And what's more, people have been hitting the Broncos offense hard for not taking deep shots. But they did against the Redskins. And I think they will against this banged up Giants secondary. It's a bit of a hail mary still, but I'm taking the Broncos. Broncos win. And there is even a little bit of time left for me to shell out some extra, extra credit: Matthew Stafford (Lions) -- I know he already got some yesterday, but that's why it's called extra, extra credit. And I've now had the full chance to check out those last two plays from Sunday. The NFL Network did a great job putting up a video on NFL.com of Stafford wired for sound. What you realise listening to the things he said is that the guy is tough. Physically, but most importantly, mentally. He has the physical attributes, we know that. He will get better at reading coverage and making plays as time goes on. But that toughness he showed will endear him to his team more than any TD pass. It's the kind of thing that separates the men from the boys, and the Matthew Stafford's from the JaMarcus Russell's.