2011 Week 8 picks

Time for the futile waste of precious minutes that is my week 8 picks. It's more like tradition than anything now;

Cardinals @ Ravens
Having gambled on a rejuvenated Cardinals last week, who then promptly let me down, they can forget it this time. The Ravens defense did a reasonable number on Jacksonville last week and only the faintest of offensive production would have secured a win. Flacco was bad though and after the game there was much mumbling, groaning and maligning of a lack of carries for Ray Rice. Don't expect that to continue this week. Cam Cameron will probably pull a Mike Martz and shove Rice down peoples throats until they're sick of it. Which actually worked really well for Martz and the Bears, and I'm expecting it to do the same for the Ravens. Ravens win.

Vikings @ Panthers
Rookie quarterback shootout time! Christian Ponder vs. Cam Newton. Traditional pocket style passer with good mobility versus scrambling quarterback with big arm and ridiculously good mobility. Both teams also have rather snazzy running games to back them up and... frankly suspect defenses. That's not to say that both teams can't produce a pass rush. They can. But both teams also struggle to back their pass rush up with something more substantial on the back end.

I think for this one I'm going to side with the Vikings. I think Christian Ponder has big potential in the future, which he's showing in flashes now. He's had more time to work with his receivers now. Hopefully they can get Percy Harvin more involved in the game. Then of course we have the spectre of Adrian Peterson lurking in the back field, who had another big game last week. Antoine Winfield should be back at corner for Minnesota, and that combination of things is what's making me lean towards the away team in this one. Vikings win.

Jaguars @ Texans
After watching the Jaguars last week and comparing that to the Texans, I can't take Jacksonville seriously. They struggle to protect Gabbert, who is predictably having a torrid time in the NFL. Meanwhile the Texans are finding alternative ways to move the ball without Andre Johnson. Their offensive line is up to the task I think and Jacksonville's secondary is porous as hell. Texans win.

Dolphins @ Giants
I'm trying to think of a good reason to take the Dolphins. The only one I can think of is that the Giants offense always poses that risk of turning the ball over 5 or 6 times. It's not worth the gamble though. Giants win.

Saints @ Rams
Saints win.

Colts @ Titans
Now we get an intriguing match up. The predominant reason for this is because both teams are playing so poorly right now. The Colts offense minus Manning has been positively wretched. They occasionally string some passes together against the weaker teams, but they don't have the punch when it really counts. Delone Carter was a big bright spot in the running game last week and it's possible the Colts will try something new and lean on him somewhat this week, but that's a big "if".

The Titans? Matt Hasselbeck started the season well, but that early optimism is starting to tail off at a time when it should be building up further. Chris Johnson has bombed out since signing his big contract and despite claims by the coaching staff that Javon Ringer wasn't about to be thrust into the starting line up, I'd still say it's a safe bet that he'll get more carries this week.

So who wins? Errrm. Nobody? Alright, serious answer, I kind of can't help leaning towards the Colts. I can't even really explain why. I guess in my head I'm thinking their defense is more suited to the style of play that Matt Hasselbeck prefers (quick fades etc) and their pass rush is better... when Freeney and Mathis decide to show up. Colts win.

Redskins @ Bills
A part of me keeps ticking over in the back of my mind the fact that the Bills defense is pretty reliant on turnovers to stop people this season. Then a part of me remembers that the Redskins offense has hardly been well noted for it's ball security this season and that Bills running back Fred Jackson has been having a great year. So right now I have to favour the Buffalo. Bills win.

Lions @ Broncos
Last week I got a little lucky taking the Broncos. Lucky in the sense that the Dolphins were awful. This week, can I really take the Broncos over the Lions? I shouldn't. I really shouldn't. But you know what? I can't back down from having spent all this time flying the flag for Tebow. Money where the mouth is time. Broncos win.

Patriots vs Steelers
I made the mistake of overlooking the Steelers last week. But then last week their injury tally was bad, but not quite as bad as it is this week. The Patriots are hardly in prime shape, having dumped corner Leigh Bodden then put Ras-I Dowling onto injured reserve, but Brady has been having a heck of a season and so far nobody has put together a plan for stopping him. My gut instinct therefore is to go with New England. Patriots win.

Bengals @ Seahawks
I can't back the Seahawks. 3 points against Cleveland? Are you kidding me? The Bengals haven't really lit things up in 2011, but they have quietly been plodding along, getting just enough production out of the Andy Dalton - A.J. Green partnership, and just enough production on defense, to get by. So I'm going with the the Orange and Black attack. Bengals win.

Browns @ 49ers
As much as I like Colt McCoy, I don't like him that much. Not against the 49ers pass rush, coupled with a Browns defense that is just bad enough to make Alex Smith look good. 49ers win.

Cowboys @ Eagles
Another Sunday Night Football extravaganza? Ugh, kind of. The Cowboys and the Eagles, both teams notable for the fact that their records are totally out of place with the talent levels they have on their teams. Mainly due to their own errors, specifically turnovers from the quarterback position.

For Dallas the situation got a bit better last week. Romo kept his excesses in check and the Cowboys romped home behind a record setting day for running back DeMarco Murray. The only hitch in that plan was the fact that it was against the Rams, who have been their own special kind of bad this year. Can the Cowboys actually replicate that performance against a slightly stiffer defense (I guess we'll have to wait until after the Eagles game to find out... ba doom tish).

The Eagles have just come off their bye, having gone in 2-4 after beating the Redskins by seven points in a game that saw the Redskins turn the ball over like it was going out of fashion. Which is what worries me about Philadelphia. All those turnovers and they still came up with just 20 points?

I can't see Dallas being that generous (though history has a way of repeating itself) and so I'm inclined to lean towards Dallas. Cowboys win.

Chargers @ Chiefs
Ghosts and ghouls, tricks and treats, and all those other boring Halloween jokes that I'm sure everyone's making about this game. In case you hadn't guessed, I hate Halloween. I think it's the dumbest and most commercialised holiday in existence. More so than Christmas, because at least with Christmas there is (or at least used to be) an underlying excuse for it all and you get a couple of days off work, which isn't to be sniffed at. Halloween is just a bunch of brat kids in shitty costumes eating everyone's f**king sweets, while people old enough not to go trick or treating and too young to be considered adults go to the pictures, further encouraging movie companies that "SAW 2012" will be a good idea, even though that franchise plainly died its creative death after the first excellent movie.

What? ........... Oh yeah football game.

It's the Chargers and Chiefs for Gods sake. Last time these two played on a Monday night I called the Chiefs win correctly, in large part thanks to the Chargers complete special teams ineptitude. I think relying on a repeat would be overly optimistic.

In fact, I think relying on the Chiefs at all is optimistic. I'm not buying the sudden resurgence of Matt Cassel or the mystery and mystique surrounding Todd Haley's beard. I can think of three much better reasons why Kansas has won three back to back games and those reasons would be the Vikings, the Colts and the Raiders.

Not that I'm about to start cheer leading the Chargers, who can't seem to find any of their magic from last year. Not that they were particularly casting many dazzling spells on teams in 2010 as it was. Still, they're the lesser of two evils in this game, so I think I'm going to throw my Ouija board in behind the arcane skills of Norv Turner, Phillip Rivers, Vincent Jackson, Antonio Gates and Shaun Phillips. Chargers win.

It's time to dish out some extra credit.

Falcons@ Saints (27-35): Well, I made a mistake. I took the Falcons. It seems going against the Saints is a bad idea lately. But not for long I think. Last week I took the Dolphins to beat them, and if it wasn't for a poor timeout decision right before halftime and then some bizarre playcalling decisions in the second half, they would have. This week 7 points separated the Falcons from a tie game. And so if Ryan hadn't thrown that pick six, it might have been a very different result. Yes the Saints won, but don't count on them to keep this up all season. The last few games they've come up quite lucky against teams that you wouldn't exactly call stellar. Expect a loss soon. So thanks to Brees and co. I'm now 8-5 this week. Bad, but still a winner overall. Time I think to dish out some extra credit: -- Ryan Moats (Broncos): For snapping up the chance to step into Houstons backfield. Went for 126 yds of 23 carries, with 3 TD's to boot. Nice work. -- Jairus Byrd (Bills): Another 2 interceptions this week for the Bills safety. Keeps playing well and making plays despite the abysmal lack of talent around him. I've always believed that shining on a good team is easy, shining on a bad one takes real talent. -- The Fans (Browns): For travelling to Chicago and paying to watch their awful team go about it's business. I don't know how they do it, but they do, and for that they are probably the most deserving of this weeks extra credit. -- Brett Ratliff (Browns): For not speaking out in the press against his coaches for not playing him. He may not have even started a game yet in the NFL, but he sure as hell can't be worse than Anderson or Quinn. -- Sam Hurd (Cowboys): While Miles Austin has established himself as the number 1 receiver and reaps all the credit, Hurd is quietly going about his business as the number three receiver. Only had one catch in the game against Seattle, but he took it 36 yds for a TD. -- Patrick Crayton (Cowboys): Doesn't seem to feature much in the pass game anymore, but credit to him for giving his special teams role the maximum effort and coming up with another special teams TD this week. -- Ted Ginn Jr. (Dolphins): 2 kickoff returns for TD's; one of 100 yds, the other of 101 yds. The guy has some class moves and is pretty tough for a wideout. Made a huge impact in his teams win against the Jets. -- The Defence (49'ers): Didn't give up a rushing touchdown and only conceded an aerial one when the Colts ran a trick play with Addai throwing to Reggie Wayne. That's a tough task against any team, let alone the Colts. More power to them. -- Donovan McNabb (Eagles): After two weeks of mediocrity, he hit back with 17/23 for 240 yds and 3 TD's versus the Giants. That's the kind of form the Eagles need from him every week if they're going to make it in the postseason this year. -- DeSean Jackson (Eagles): Only had three catches, but managed to squeeze 78 yds and a TD out of them. -- LeSean McCoy (Eagles): 11 carries is usually nothing for a RB, the kind of work you give to a second string complimentary back. McCoy used his to go 82 yds and notch up a TD. Look for the Eagles to snap up any rookie in next years draft with the word 'Sean' in his first name. -- Leonard Weaver (Eagles): Fullbacks seem to be a dying breed in the NFL of late. Shame. But Weaver doesn't care, that's why he went for 75 yds and a TD on his 8 carries. -- Chris Johnson (Titans): 24 carries, 228 yds and 2 TD's. That's a mean afternoons work and the Titans are gonna need more of that if they want to put some more numbers in the win coloumn. -- Maurice Jones-Drew (Jaguars): How can you not sympathise with the guy? He takes just 8 carries and turns them into 177 yds and 2 TD's. Not only does this not win his team the game, but he gets outshone in the running stakes by Chris Johnson! Don't worry though Maurice, I'm more impressed with your tally simple because of the lower number of carries. Must be hard to be this good and still have to watch your team throw the ball 27 times, completeing just 14 and throwing two picks. This man is the future of the franchise. -- David Garrad (Jaguars): Based on my comments above you'll probably find this strange. But the fact is on one of Jones-Drew's runs he managed to sprint down the field, overtake his RB and then block a guy backwards into the endzone to finish the score. That's determination and effort that will sit well with his team mates. If only more players were this driven. -- Brett Favre (Vikings): No one in the league is playing on Favres level right now. The fact he's 40 makes this all the more amazing. Completed 17/28 passes, for 244 yds and 4 TD's, no INT's. In a bizarre twist this season, Favre is the guy taking centre stage, with Peterson as his back up. And I can only think of one word to describe him right now; legendary. -- Aaron Rodgers (Packers): Went 26/41 passing, for 287 yds and 3 TD's with no INT's. In addition he led his team in rushing with 5 carries for 52 yds. Tries as hard as anyone in the league but can do it all alone. He needs some more work from his offensive line and in the draft the Packers need to go and get a great RB to take some of the load. -- Jared Allen (Vikings): 5 tackles, 3 sacks. Allen is a beast that is feeding off opposition QB's (mainly Rodgers). With Linebacker Chad Greenway and Cornerback Antoine Winfield (when he returns) this defensive unit is looking mean. Dare I say it, Superbowl mean? We'll see. -- DeAngelo Williams (Panthers): After a no doubt frustrating wait, Williams finally gets a game where he gets 23 carries, and he duly converted them into 158 yds. No touchdowns, but then that is what Jonathan Stewart is for. -- Jonathan Stewart (Panthers): Must have been amazed to have been given the ball 17 times. He only managed 87 yds (only?!) but also picked up 2 TD's to help the Panthers overcome a usually stout Cardinals D. Must have something to do with Warners 5 INT's.

Week 8 picks so far

Ok so now that all of Sundays action has finished, it's time to check the last of my picks (excluding tomorrows game obviously): Raiders @ Chargers (16-24): No real surprises here. The Raiders are bad, but the Chargers didn't exactly blow them off the field in a flurry of touchdowns. The Chargers do seem to have a habit lately of grinding results out. Jaguars @ Titans (13-30): Titans pick up there first win of the season and all you can say is wow! Not because they won, but because of Chris Johnson. 24 carries, 228 yds and 2 TD's suggests a hard days work at the office. Nice. And given the amount of additional rushing attempts by LenDale White and Vince Young, it means the Titans have suddenly realised that they're a rushing team again. Credit where it's due, Young threw 15/18 for 125 yds and a TD to help his team along. That's what the Titans need from the QB position, not a Peyton Manning equivalent. Gotta feel sorry for Maurice Jones Drew though, as on any other day you would expect 177 yds and 2 TD's off 8 (yes, eight) carries to be a match winning, highlight reel stealing performance. And 'cos I picked the Jags. Vikings @ Packers (38-26): 17/28, 244 yds, 4 TD's. I told you people, Favre-ageddon was on the cards. Truly though, Favre is playing exceptional football. Not just as good as Manning but better. This is honestly some of the best play I have ever seen from a QB. And with a talented group of receivers around him, a great Running Back behind him, and a great D on the opposite side of the ball, expect Favre to become the oldest QB ever to win a playoff game (currently Phil Simms; 39 years). Packers fans shouldn't be too disappointed though. They have a great upcoming QB, some of the best WRs in the NFL and probably the best pair of Cornerbacks anywhere. They'll achieve greatness again, one day. But for now, the Vikings boost my record this weekend. Panthers @ Cardinals (34-21): I officially dislike the Panthers. Maybe so far as to say hate. Jonathan Stewart; 17 carries, 87 yds, 2 TD's. DeAngelo Williams; 23 carries, 158 yds. Delhomme? 7/14, 90 yds and a TD. My prayers for the Panthers have been answered. About a week late. Just when I think the Cardinals are on to a winner again, the Panthers finally realise that the franchise does not revolve around Delhomme, and predictably they get back to winning ways. Biggest surprise though is Kurt Warner throwing 5 picks. Normally that's Delhommes job. Maybe it's a cursed jockstrap that Delhomme somehow secreted into his oppsing numbers locker? So, 8-4 this week. Even if the Falcons pull out the victory tomorrow over the Saints, that still leaves me just 9-4, 1 short of last weeks tally (10-3). At some point, once I've gotten over my Panthers malaise, I shall dish out the extra credit for the week. There's plenty to go around. Just one interesting point to leave you with. Rushing stats this week are up a huge amount. This follows a general trend around the league right now, made all the more hilarious since NFL.com and various other sites etc have gone into a "this is a quarterbacks league now" funk of late. If anything it's the opposite. Long live the running back!!

I hate the Panthers. Hate 'em.

With the early games finished, now is as good a time as any to catch up on some results and see how my picks for the week are doing, starting in Baltimore: Broncos @ Ravens (7-30): This pick was all the more satisfying due to the fact that everyone and his brother (and his uncle) seemed to be touting Denver as one of the leagues elite teams. You're not elite until you consistently (and by that I mean season on season) win lots of games and batter lowly opposition. The Ravens are one of the leagues elite teams. And today they proved it. Orton failed to throw a TD and the Broncos rushing attack was basically stuffed dead. Meanwhile Flacco and Rice kept the Ravens on course, plus a Lardarius Webb kick return for good measure. Texans @ Bills (31-10): There was a point in the first half that I was worried about this pick. No real need to fret. The Bills are the Bills, and that means at some point they were going to fold like a soggy pack of cards. The question is, who is Ryan Moats? I have no idea. But he bagged 126 yds and 3 TD's off 23 carries for the Texans against a typically abysmal Bills rush D. Browns @ Bears (6-30): Derek Anderson. 6 of 17 passing. That's really it. That's all that I need to say. Seahawks @ Cowboys (17-38): To be fair, the tale of the stats is pretty even. Ish. Romo got an extra TD and Barber ran one in, but other that not a huge lot to separate them. Dolphins @ Jets (30-25): Stats wise, this should have been all Jets. Sanchez doubled Henne's pass yardage and also his TD's. The Dolphins rush was... non existent. Enter stage left; Ted Ginn Jr. With 2 kick returns for TD's, totalling 201 yds between them. I have to admit, I got the pick right, but maybe not for the right reasons. Ah who cares, I picked it. 49'ers @ Colts (14-18): Ok, so yeah the Colts won. But man was this close, much closer than I thought it would be. It seems Alex Smith has found a so far solid connection with his TE Vernon Davis. But what jumps out more is the stats of Peyton Manning; 31/48, 347 yds, 0 TD. How do you get so many yards and no touchdown? Peyton Manning never ceases to amaze. 6-0 so far. Not bad. Giants @ Eagles (17-40): Damn Giants. On Friday I called this game the 'Battle of the Untrustworthy'. Go figure. A few weeks ago the Eagles couldn't, and hardly even attempted to, run the ball on the Raiders. The Raiders. Last week their offense sputtered and choked and finally overcame the Redskins. Then this week it went nuts and tore the Giants a proverbial new one. What happened? LeSean McCoy & Leonard Weaver, that's what. They combined for just 19 carries, but racked up 157 yds and 2 TD's. I'd take that kind of tandem over a single 'superback' any day of the week. Oh yeah, and I guess Donovan McNabb helped by going 17/23 for 240 yds and 3 TD's. That is more like what we've come to expect from the Eagles. Rams @ Lions (17-10): Do I have to mention this game? I do? God almighty. Well as you might expect, both teams lit up the scoreboard like.... a fundamentalist energy savers conference. Calvin Johnson didn't play, so predictably the Rams won. Steven Jackson even managed to rustle up a TD. And so those two downers leave me at 6-2 for the week. That leaves four remaining this evening and another on Monday night as the Falcons head down to New Orleans. Just peeking at the latest in the late games (??), it looks like my picks might be in trouble. Especially the Panthers @ Cardinals game. Wouldn't you just bloody credit it. As soon as I abandon Carolina for lack of use of their run game, they give the ball to Williams and in 5 carries he racks up 98 yds, while Stewart provides the punch, getting 2 TD's and 26 yds of his 5 carries. I hate the Panthers. Hate 'em.

Week 8 NFL picks.

Ok so it's Friday night (or morning here in the UK) and it's pick time. But first, a quick moan. Pro Bowl balloting has begun. In October. Half way through the season. Something has to be done about that. At least wait till the end of the regular season for gods sake...... Anyway, a tough week for picks, so let the pick-a-rama begin!!! Broncos@ Ravens -- Yeah, it's starting tough this week. Balls to the wall immediate tough pick. Both teams come off bye weeks and both teams have a lot to offer on both sides of the ball. But man do the Broncos look scary on offense. Kyle Orton may not be the best QB out there, but he has some awesome tools at his disposal. Defensively, Mike Nolan has turned this team into a top notch unit. Which makes it all the more surprising that I'm taking the Ravens. I just think Ray Lewis and co are gonna be out to make a statement in this game and if the Ravens run the ball a lot, which they should and I would highly recommend, then it forces Orton to throw a hell of a lot, and right into the waiting arms of Ed Reed. It's by no means a cert, but give me the Ravens in this one. Texans@ Bills -- Texans. That simple. Even if Andre Johnson doesn't play they still have dynamic back Steve Slaton and TE Owen Daniels. Don't be surprised if the Texans just blast the Bills off the face of the earth on Sunday. Browns@ Bears -- Are you kidding me? Bears. Bears, Bears, Bears. Jay Culter can relax and so can Matt Forte. It's simple. Even if Forte runs for minus yardage in this game and Cutler throws 5 picks, the Browns will still struggle to get two field goals. One of those deep balls has to connect and that'll be that. As for special teams, I like Josh Cribbs, but the Bears have both Knox and Hester to counter that. Once again, Bears. Seahawks@ Cowboys -- The 'hawks' are coming off a bye this Sunday and by about 5:00pm local time they'll be wishing they'd had an extension. I'm still not convinced that the 'Romo to Austin' connection is going to continue to put up the gaudy numbers all season. I am convinced that the Cowboys run game is good enough to cover and that the Seahawks are that bad. Cowboys for the win. Dolphins@ Jets -- Now we're talking tough games. Two teams who both like to run the ball. And by that I mean that they like to run the ball like Oprah likes to give away cars. Both teams are pretty physical defensively. Add to that a lot of bad blood and some pre-season handbags at dawn between Jets head coach Rex Ryan & Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder, and we have the stage set for a great game. It may not be as high scoring as the last encounter, but it will be unmissable telly for those that can get the game. As for me, I can't watch it & to be honest I'm not sure if I can call it either. I think Mark Sanchez has an advantage over Chad Henne, but then I think the Dolphins have a big advantage in the run game. No offense to Thomas Jones and Shonne Greene who are probably set to post big numbers again this weekend, but I just think the Jets are gonna miss Kris Jenkins anchoring their line against the run on critical downs. While people are already prematurely proclaiming that the Saints defensive tactics from last week are the solution to the Wildcat problem, the fact is that Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams have no problems plying their trade from a normal I-formation, straight down the middle into the belly of the beast. I think the Dolphins tip this one and make up for their disappointment last week. 49'ers@ Colts -- Ah the good ol' 49'ers. My beloved red and gold superstars (*cough*) will be rolling out in Indianapolis this week. And sadly, they're going to get creamed by the Colts. Yes Crabtree has good hands. Yes Vernon Davis is coming into his own. Yes Frank Gore is a great back. And yes, I'm pleased to see Alex Smith getting the starting job. But the Colts are still the Colts and sadly the 49'ers O-line are still the 49'ers O-line. Which means that Gore will find it difficult to find running lanes. Which means that Dwight Freeney will be battering Alex Smith all day long. And it means Bob Sanders will be battering everything that moves. Colts win this one. Damn. Giants@ Eagles -- Or as it's otherwise known, 'The Battle of the Untrustworthy". Eli Manning is unreliable. Donovan McNabb is unreliable. Brian Westbrook might start. But then again he might not. Michael Vick might come out and produce some Wildcat thunder and lightning. But then again, he might just be a damp squib. The Eagles might run the ball a lot to compensate for recent weeks. On the other hand, they may be worried about Westbrook and go pass crazy. I kind of fancy the Eagles for this one as I think they have more potential for explosive plays. But then again, without Brian Dawkins they don't look anywhere near as tough against the run. And Ahmad Bradshaw is on fire lately. So in conclusion and in tune with this games running theme, possibly the most unreliable pick of the week goes to the Giants. Giants to win. But then again.... Rams@ Lions -- If this fixture was a dog, it would have been taken outside and put out of it's misery. I think a lot of this game hinges on Lions receiver Calvin Johnson. If he plays, the Lions torch the Rams. If he doesn't, Steven Jackson torches them. That said, Jackson has a problem finding the endzone this season. But then that said, the Lions are just about as good a cure for that problem as any other team in the NFL right now. Ah to hell with it, I pick the Lions. Their uniforms blend better. Raiders@ Chargers -- God almighty. As if the previous fixture wasn't bad enough, then I rolled over this. Well, simply put the Raiders are dire and the Chargers are possibly on the brink of another miracle resurgence. I like the way they're introducing Darren Sproles as a third down threat with his pace and catching ability. And I like Philip Rivers 100 times out of 100 over JaMarcus Bust-ell. Didn't quite work did it? Well, neither does the Raiders offense so we're all square now. I'm backing San Diego. And at least it can't get much worse than this..... Jaguars@ Titans -- ....... famous last words. Apparently the Titans owner is pushing for Jeff Fischer to play Vince Young at QB. If they can mix that up with their potent two headed running attack (yes, that means you actually have to give the ball to LenDale White at least 10 times) then they have a chance. But it's still a slim one. On the opposite side, David Garrard is another QB who hardly sets the world on fire. But he is good. And more to the point, so is his franchise running back Maurice Jones Drew. These two actually have the potential to be a very good tandem, putting defenses in a bind and making headway for the Jaguars. But potential doesn't win football games. Only effort and talent. In that regard, I think the Jags still have an advantage. Give me the Jags in this one. Vikings@ Packers -- Lock your doors and go hide in the storm shelter, because it's Favre-ageddon!!!!!!! No lie. Apparently Packers fans are using the term to describe the result of a Vikings, and Brett Favre of course, win. And I think they may just be a little closer to the Apocalypse than many would give them credit. It would appear from doing a bit of checking around that the consensus opinion is that the Packers will win. Now, I know Aaron Rodgers is really coming along nicely. I know that the Packers WR corps ranks up there as among the very best in the business. I know that the Packers finally got there run game going last week. And I know that the Vikings are missing Antoine Winfield at Cornerback. But let's look at some of the other facts that may just be a bit more pertinent to the result. 1) Brett Favre is just as good as Aaron Rodgers. In fact, he's better. 2) The Vikings receivers have been outstanding this season. What they may lack in technique against Green Bay, they make up for in speed. 3) The Packers played the Browns last week. Yeah, those rushing stats don't seem so impressive now. And that's before we get onto the small matter of Adrian Peterson for the Vikings...... 4) The Vikings have Jared Allen at DE, which means Rogers will spend most of the game sitting down. 5) (yes, 5!!) The Vikings have Percy Harvin on special teams and the Packers have who? In summary. Vikings win. Favre-ageddon is coming! Panthers@ Cardinals -- They're already cracking open the champagne in Arizona as they take another step closer to the NFC West crown. Yes, the Panthers really are that bad. It doesn't matter who starts at QB this week. The strength of the Panthers lies in it's run game (as I'm sure you've guessed if you've read any of my previous posts this past week). Unfortunately for them, the Cardinals have the number 1 ranked rush defense. I have no idea quite how it happened, but it did. On top of that they have Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston. And amazingly enough, they've even found a running game. Last week against the Giants they reminded everyone that Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt used to be the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as they rolled out a two tight end package and ran some power run plays. Granted, Chris 'Beanie' Wells and Tim Hightower still have a way to go before earning credits as as a running back tandem to be reckoned with, but it was a nice compliment to the Cardinals pass heavy attack. And it should be enough to see off a lacklustre Panthers team that is struggling to find itself offensively. Cardinals win at home in the desert. Falcons@ Saints -- Blockbuster potential? Maybe. We all know what the Saints can do with the ball. The question is, can the Falcons match them? Can Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez match the pace of Drew Brees, Pierre Thomas, Marques Colston (and Devery Henderson. And Robert Meachem. And Lance Moore.) & Jeremy Shockey? Tough one to call. One piece of good news for the Falcons (in a slightly sadistic way) is that Heath Evans is injured. His threat as a receiver may not be all that, but he is certainly one of the keys to the New Orleans rushing attack, leading it's flurry of backs into the breach. But not any more. And that means a lot of the game will rest in the hands of Drew Brees. Which is bad. Perversely. I say this because the Saints lean heavily on the play action game to create scoring opportunities. Without a legit run game that goes out of the window. And it also exposes Brees to the speedy linemen of the Falcons. On the other side of the ball, Darren Sharper is making a name for himself by making plays. And he seems especially keen to pick on young quarterbacks, of which ilk Ryan still is. But as I said earlier in the week, it does leave holes to be exploited. So will the Saints defense be able to balance the need to stop Turner versus the need to shutdown Ryan and the play action? Hmm, tricky. Don't forget that in my opinion there was a compelling case that the Dolphins gave the Saints the win last week. And so with all that said and done, for the second week in a row, I'm going to bet against the smart money and take the Falcons. No doubt if the lord doesn't strike me down for doing so, Drew Brees will.......