DeAngelo Hall to be released...

ESPN is reporting that the Raiders plan to release cornerback DeAngelo Hall as soon as Wednesday. This is high on the heels of a 24-0 loss to the Falcons which saw Hall's coverage assignment- Michael Jenkins- go for 64 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Hall was one of the biggest names in an offseason spending spree that saw the signings of players that nobody really thought were worth it, including Hall, DT Tommy Kelly, and WR Javon Walker. Hall's deal was 7 years for $66 million dollars with around $25 million guaranteed.

What a waste.

Unfortunately we will not be rid of the DeAngelo Hall disease this season. I'm betting he's signed with either the Cowboys or the Patriots in a matter of days.

Week 10 Predictions

Denver 20, Cleveland 27 - Well I guess if you're going to make your NFL starting debut, you might as well start at home against a horrible defense that gave up a 300 yard game to Chad Pennington the week previous. The Browns aren't playing a good team until the Colts come to town in week 13, so we'll have plenty of time to see whether or not he's ready to play at the NFL level by then.

New Orleans 27, Atlanta 24 - If Brees and company can't beat the Falcons on the road they might as well give up on the playoff hunt. Sure, Matt Ryan actually looks pretty good... but it's still the Falcons.

Tennessee 30, Chicago 16 - Rex Grossman is starting for the Bears, which is pretty much all one needs to know about who should win this game.

Jacksonville 27, Detroit 23 - Will Daunte Culpepper play? Honestly I don't think that's the best idea considering that ever since his casual trot out of the back of the end zone a couple weeks ago, Orlovsky has actually kept the Lions competitive against some decent teams. Jacksonville, like the rest of the AFC South, is in bad shape after two inexplicable losses against the Browns and the Bengals.

Baltimore 28, Houston 20 - Sage Rosenfels is not a bad backup. Sure he made some stupid mistakes in the game against Indianapolis, but don't count on that happening again. The Texans defense, however, is sieve-like, and considering Joe Flacco put up 30 points against the similarily defensively-challenged Browns, the Ravens ought to win handily.

Seattle 17, Miami 27 - Miami dominated Denver on both sides of the ball. The Seahawks can't stop anything, so I don't think there's any reason to suspect an upset here. How's Julius Jones working out for you?

Green Bay 28, Minnesota 24 - The Packers played with the league's best team for about 65 minutes in week 9. Now they get to play the floundering Vikings, who, despite major offseason acquisitions on defense, have averaged 26.4 points allowed. If Aaron Rodgers can protect the ball a little more, the Packers should be able to sweep the series.

Buffalo 17, New England 28 - An unusual mistake-filled game against the Colts from Bill Belichick won't be repeated at home against a team that's probably the biggest rival to the Patriots' chances of winning the division. The Bills have fallen to 0-2 in the AFC East, and haven't won on the road against New England since 2000 under Doug Flutie.

St. Louis 20, NYJ 27 - Two factors will be significant in the Rams' upcoming loss to the Jets. First, no West Coast team traveling East has won a game yet this season. Second, it's the Rams.

Carolina 30, Oakland 10 - Oakland recently announced they would be releasing several veteran players as early as Wednesday, including DeAngelo Hall. Too bad they gave up a second and sixth round draft pick for him. So while Nnamdi Asomugha should shut down Steve Smith most of the afternoon, if you've got Muhsin Muhammed on your fantasy team he's going to have a big day against whoever is Hall's replacement.

Indianapolis 14, Pittsburgh 24 - The Colts should be that much closer to exiting the playoff picture against a Steelers team that embarrassed the Redskins on Monday night, despite having Byron Leftwich under center. I wouldn't expect the Colts defense to be that strong against the run, although I wouldn't be surprised if Willie Parker re-hurt himself trying to duck out of bounds.

Kansas City 20, San Diego 31 - After a tough loss to the Saints in London, the Chargers should get back on track against the Chiefs. As odd as it sounds, the Chiefs have put up two respectable games in a row against teams that aren't exactly pushovers. Now we'll see how the youth movement fares on the road.

NYG 27, Philadelphia 24 - This should be the game of the week, pitting two of the league's most intriguing teams against each other. The Giants are looking every bit like a team that means to repeat their Super Bowl season. Their defense is stifling and the offense has been doing a great job keeping them off the field behind Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward. Eli Manning has been spectacular on third down. The Eagles are a hard team to figure out. The defense is in the top 10 against both the run and the pass, but the offense struggled against the only good defense they've played so far this year (the Redskins, where the offense only put up 10 points). The Giants have the momentum after thrashing the archrival Cowboys last week.

San Francisco 17, Arizona 34 - Why on Earth is this a Monday night game? San Francisco is looking at a repeat of last season- make some noise early, hit rock bottom, and then start to show signs of life towards the end of the season. Maybe Mike Singletary will drop his pants again after Kurt Warner and company pick apart the porous secondary. Patrick Willis can't have 18-tackle games if all of the plays are 20 yards down the field, after all.

Week 9 Results

NYJ 26, Buffalo 17 (predicted: NYJ 17, Buffalo 21) - This game, although I didn't watch it, looked craptacular. The Bills did absolutely nothing on the ground while the Jets defense carried the game. When was the last time anyone uttered that sentence? Meanwhile the Bills, reminiscent of last season, have decided they don't want to go to the playoffs again this year and are on a 2-game slide.

Detroit 23, Chicago 27 (predicted: Detroit 20, Chicago 31) - So close to seeing both winless teams get win number 1 this week, but alas... Detroit showed signs of life and had a 10 point lead at the half before going scoreless in the second half. Rex Grossman made an appearance and rushed for a touchdown after Kyle Orton got hurt.

Jacksonville 19, Cincinnati 21 (predicted: Jacksonville 27, Cincinnati 13) - This one hurts. The Jaguars are in a lot more trouble than their record suggests, and are teetering on the edge of being out of the playoff race altogether. Serious problems in the run game and on defense are going to make for a long second half of the season.

Baltimore 37, Cleveland 27 (predicted: Baltimore 20, Cleveland 17) - I didn't know these two teams were capable of putting up 64 points. Moreover, how amazing (or pathetic, depending on how you look at it) is it that both Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco are playing this well as rookies? Derrick Mason apparently is still alive and able to run for 136 yards, while Ray Rice stole the show with 154 yards rushing.

Tampa Bay 30, Kansas City 27 OT (predicted: Tampa Bay 21, Kansas City 24) - Come on Kansas City. How do you blow a 21-point lead to a Jeff Garcia-led team at home? I love how Tyler Thigpen had a touchdown reception thrown by Mark Bradley (whoever that is). It's becoming painfully obvious that the Chiefs have the talent, they just need a coaching change. Badly.

Houston 21, Minnesota 28 (predicted: Houston 27, Minnesota 28) - What did I say in the prediction? Yeah.

Arizona 34, St. Louis 13 (predicted: Arizona 34, St. Louis 27) - Looks like Jim Haslett's honeymoon is officially over. Good thing he's a defensive coordinator, because it looks like the Rams need his expertise.

Green Bay 16, Tennessee 19 OT (predicted: Green Bay 17, Tennessee 20) - Not a bad game, but the Titans held on to win it in overtime. Chris Johnson got 24 touches compared to Lendale White's 8, including carries inside the 5. Hmm. Aaron Rodgers actually went for over 300 yards- you can pass on the Titans.

Miami 26, Denver 17 (predicted: Miami 24, Denver 31) - Never underestimate the ineffectiveness of a bad defense. Miami goes against the time-zone rule and wins in Denver. A lousy call negated a big would-be touchdown catch by Brandon Marshall. The thing I don't understand is why Denver was having trouble passing on Miami's secondary.

Dallas 14, NYG 35 (predicted: Dallas 17, NYG 28) - No surprises here. Brad Johnson underwhelms for the second straight week before being benched at halftime for Brooks Bollinger, while Eli Manning's stat line: 147 yards, 3 touchdowns, a pick-6, and 2 lost fumbles. What a weird game.

Atlanta 24, Oakland 0 (predicted: Atlanta 30, Oakland 21) - How pathetic. 77 yards of offense is understandable against a team like the....actually no. No excuse. Especially against the Falcons. Anyone playing fantasy: for a team that plays Oakland, start the #2 receiver that goes up against Dante Hall.

Philadelphia 26, Seattle 7 (predicted: Philadelphia 27, Seattle 14) - Well other than that ridiculous 90 yard catch and run by Koren Robinson the Seahawks' offense stalled while McNabb carved up the defense. However my favorite part of this game was the larger picture: with the Eagles' win and the Cowboys' loss, the Cowboys are in sole possession of last place in the NFC East.

New England 15, Indianapolis 18 (predicted: New England 24, Indianapolis 27) - Adam Viniateri coming through in a clutch situation for Indianapolis? Who would have guessed. The Patriots looked slow and lost to be honest, and Bill Belichick badly mismanaged the clock. I also don't really understand why Randy Moss only had 6 receptions for 65 yards. You'd think that they'd make more of an effort to get a consensus top-3 receiver involved, especially when being covered by essentially a nickel cornerback.

Pittsburgh 23, Washington 6 (predicted: Pittsburgh 20, Washington 17) - Big win for Pittsburgh, who is in good shape to win the NFC North (as if that's an accomplishment). Their upcoming schedule is fairly tough- the Colts, Chargers, Patriots, and the Cowboys (presumably the Tony Romo version) in the next 5 weeks, but if they can take 2 of those games plus the Bengals in week 12 and the Ravens in week 15 then they should win the division. The Redskins' loss denied them the opportunity to go a full game up on the Eagles and puts them 1.5 games behind the Giants.

10/14 this week, 78/129 on the season.

Week 9 Predictions

NYJ 17, Buffalo 21 - Hopefully Buffalo can turn it around after an embarrassing loss to the Dolphins in Miami in week 8. Both teams are coming off of games which exposed glaring weaknesses in the offense- the Bills have offensive line problems while the Jets need to fix Brett Favre's interception problem.

Detroit 20, Chicago 31- The Lions had a passable showing against the Redskins before faltering late in the game. A rested Bears defense should have a field day at home after crushing the Lions 34-7 in Detroit.

Jacksonville 27, Cincinnati 13- After last week's trap game loss to the Browns, the Jaguars shouldn't have similar problems for the Bengals who basically play without a defense. A team that is bad against the run won't fare well against Jacksonville against MJD, Fred Taylor, and David Garrard who apparently is being tagged as a big Randall Cunningham. With 3 teams in the AFC South sitting at 3-4, second place is still up for grabs...

Baltimore 20, Cleveland 17 - The Baltimore defense was all over the Raiders, who regressed from the home win over the Jets. Both teams look to build off of their week 8 wins, and with division leader Pittsburgh entering into the toughest part of their schedule the Ravens could make a run at the division lead.

Tampa Bay 21, Kansas City 24 - If Tyler Thigpen can repeat his performance against the Jets, the Chiefs actually have a chance. Arrowhead is a hard place to win on the road (just ask Mike Shanahan) and the low-powered Bucs offense should be manageable for even the Chiefs...

Houston 27, Minnesota 28 - It's pretty much a trend that a team will do really well for a couple weeks and then come crashing down to Earth. While Andre Johnson is arguably the best wide receiver in the league, the Texans are due for a loss. Against the Viking's run game and a defense that, despite a 48-point non-showing against Chicago, is usually stout, this one should be a Minnesota victory.

Arizona 34, St. Louis 27 - The Cardinals usually can't win on the road, but it's only the Rams. This should be a shootout, as neither team can stop anything through the air. Luckily for St. Louis the Cardinals don't have much of a ground game, and Kurt Warner is probably good for an interception or two to keep the game close.

Green Bay 17, Tennessee 20 - A beat up Packers team won't be a match for a healthy Titans defense. Despite the short week of rest, the defense should be stifling while Kerry Collins hands it off to Chris Johnson (who is already starting over Lendale White).

Miami 24, Denver 31 - Ok, the Broncos defense is horrible, but Mike Shanahan has had a week to prepare for Ronnie Brown and company. The Broncos are tough to beat at home under any circumstances, and teams are finally figuring out the Wildcat. This game is pretty much strength on weakness for both sides; the Dolphins run game vs. an atrocious run defense and the Broncos' passing game vs. a secondary that can't cover anything. Anyone want to place bets on how many carries Andre Hall gets this week?

Dallas 17, NYG 28 - I kind of hope Brad Johnson starts this one just so we can see how far the Cowboys' star has fallen. On the road against one of the elite defenses in the league, the Cowboys don't have many ways to win. Bump TO at the line and he's out of the play. Jason Witten has broken ribs. Marion Barber is still a great running back, but there's only so much he can do. Meanwhile the Giants just put the Steelers back in their place and are playing like defending Super Bowl Champions.

Atlanta 30, Oakland 21 - Michael Turner vs. the Raiders rush defense. Hmmm...

Philadelphia 27, Seattle 14 - Seattle beat the 49ers last week with short passes that turned into long gains. Don't count on that working against the Eagles.

New England 24, Indianapolis 27 - The Colts offense finally showed signs of life against the Titans, while the offensive line didn't give up a sack. Both teams play their best on national TV, so it should be a good game.

Pittsburgh 26, Washington 24 - The Redskins will have trouble putting pressure on Ben Roethlisberger, which was the main reason he made so many mistakes last week against the Giants. I think he bounces back and has a good game against the Redskins.

Week 8 Results

Oakland 10, Baltimore 29 (predicted: Oakland 14, Baltimore 20) - What a dismal performance by the raiders. Granted, Baltimore is an elite defense, but a total of 47 rushing yards for Raiders running backs is unacceptable.

Arizona 23, Carolina 27 (predicted: Arizona 21, Carolina 27) - A 4th-quarter interception by Jon Beason killed the Cardinals' momentum as they now have all 3 of their losses on the road. Welcome back Anquan Boldin (1 rush for 30 yards, 9 receptions for 63 yards and 2 TDs). Steve Smith also had a nice game (5 receptions, 117 yards, 2 TD).

Tampa Bay 9, Dallas 13 (predicted: Tampa Bay 27, Dallas 20) - The Bucs had a chance late in the game but dink-and-dunk Jeff Garcia and the Bucs "offense" can't produce the horsepower to get it in the end zone. 28/44 for 228 yards, no TD and no INT is pretty much what you expect, but at some point you've got to take a shot deep.

Washington 25, Detroit 17 (predicted: Washington 31, Detroit 17) - Other than Jason Campbell losing a fumble, this game went pretty much as expected. Clinton Portis rips off his 5th consecutive 100-yard rushing game (MVP candidate?) and the Lions fall to 0-7.

Buffalo 16, Miami 25 (predicted: Buffalo 27, Miami 14) - Looks like the Buffalo second-half fade is in full swing. 2 turnovers (1 INT, 1 fumble lost) for Trent Edwards made the difference, and Buffalo couldn't muster any more of this season's fourth-quarter heroics to save the day.

St. Louis 16, New England 23 (predicted: St. Louis 17, New England 27) - The Patriots managed to scrape by despite allowing 163 yards and a touchdown on 6 receptions to Donnie Avery. Seriously, why bother running on the Patriots when a rookie can torch them? Denver should take notes.

San Diego 32, New Orleans 37 (IN LONDON- predicted: San Diego 27, New Orleans 20) - Well, this turned out to be a great game for the NFL after all (minus the Chargers). A shootout between some of the league's best players performing at a very high level (Brees, Tomlinson, Rivers). Apparently the Chargers didn't pay much attention to the game tape of the Carolina game.

Kansas City 24, NYJ 28 (predicted: Kansas City 13, NYJ 27) - Well at least Kansas City made it interesting. There were two things I loved about this game: First that Brett Favre threw a 91-yard pick 6 and second that Tyler Thigpen was leading the league in passing for the week at halftime.

Atlanta 14, Philadelphia 27 (predicted: Atlanta 20, Philadelphia 24) - Oh look, the Falcons play a real team and they lose. Is anyone surprised? Huge game for Brian Westbrook with 167 yards and 2 TDs. Other than that ridiculous catch-and-run touchdown by Roddy White, the Eagles defense was great.

Cleveland 23, Jacksonville 17 (predicted: Cleveland 13, Jacksonville 20) - Seriously Jacksonville, losing at home to a 2-4 team? Unacceptable. At least you'll be friendlier with the Colts now that you've kept their playoff hopes alive by not going a game up on them in the wild card race.

Cincinnati 6, Houston 35 (predicted: Cincinnati 10, Houston 30) - Cincinnati has reached new lows. Bengals fans can pretty much sign off on the season until weeks 16 and 17, when they have a chance to beat the Browns and the Chiefs, respectively. Is Andre Johnson the best wide receiver in the league right now? The numbers certainly say he is.

NYG 21, Pittsburgh 14 (predicted: NYG 20, Pittsburgh 23) - Nice job throwing 4 interceptions against the defending Super Bowl Champions. Can we say overrated? The Steelers had a lead in the third quarter but blew it through stupid offensive playcalling.

Seattle 34, San Francisco 13 (predicted: Seattle 14, San Francisco 23) - Ouch. The 49ers got trounced by the Seahawks with Seneca Wallace under center. Mike Singletary has every reason to be livid about this one, but props for benching JT O'Sullivan and Vernon Davis for their underwhelming performances. Sadly, both teams still have a chance to win the miserable NFC West.

Indianapolis 14, Tennessee 24 (predicted: Indianapolis 13, Tennessee 27) - This was actually a really good game on both sides. The Colts offense showed some life, while the Colts defense played well against the run. Kerry Collins went beyond game manager, he dissected the Colts cover-2 and kept the Titans on the field for an absurdly long time. Looks like Tony Dungy can experience the thrill of the wild card chase this year.


8/14 for the week, 68/115 for the season.

Week 8 Predictions

Oakland 14, Baltimore 20 - The Raiders finally got a win against the Jets. But the Jets defense is pretty horrible and they got really lucky. The Raiders are also vulnerable to the run, so unless McGahee & Co. lay an egg on the magnitude of the Colts game, the Ravens should be fine.

Arizona 20, Carolina 27 - Well I learned the hard way last week about how West Coast teams traveling East for early games never win. Plus it's the Cardinals, who on their last road trip posted consecutive losses to the Redskins and the Jets. After holding Drew Brees and the Saints to 7 points, surely they can deal with Kurt Warner...?

Tampa Bay 27, Dallas 20 - Tampa Bay's defense is going to have a field day with Brad Johnson. If Dallas starts Tony Romo with his broken finger, Gaines Adams is the perfect candidate to break it again. Since the Cowboys learned that you shouldn't rush players back from injury (Safety Roy Williams went on IR last week after re-breaking his arm, which actually helps Dallas), I don't think Romo will start.

Washington 31, Detroit 17 - We'll see if Calvin Johnson can follow up on his monster outing last week, but I doubt it. Dan Orlovsky? Please. The Redskins have a history of losing to horrible 0-X teams though, so an upset would be pretty funny.

Buffalo 27, Miami 14- The retarded Wildcat finally lost some steam last week, and Buffalo dismantled the Chargers in week 7. They're also used to Chad Pennington, and the Bills have a good record against the Dolphins in the past couple of years. Then again, who doesn't?

St. Louis 17, New England 27 - The win over Denver was kind of convincing, but I wouldn't even be surprised if the Rams pulled the upset here. Both teams are still terrible.

San Diego 27, New Orleans 20 (IN LONDON) - If the weather doesn't cooperate (like last year) this will turn into another 10-7 stinkfest on both sides, further eroding European interest in the NFL. Why play it in London? Play somewhere interesting like Amsterdam or Paris. Anyway, both teams are coming off of big losses, but with Reggie Bush out for a month the Saints are in trouble.

Kansas City 13, NYJ 27- Kansas City let Lendale White (!) rush for almost 150 yards. I didn't even know Lendale White was capable of running that far in a season, let alone a single game. Look for lots of Thomas Jones and then a few play-action passes to put the Jets up big early.

Atlanta 20, Philadelphia 24- On the road against a good rush defense and a fairly good pass defense. Factor in a rookie quarterback and that Jim Johnson likes to blitz. Philadelphia should be able to wrap this one up, and if they can't they should just take knees for every play the rest of the season and not ruin their draft pick any further.

Cleveland 13, Jacksonville 28 - Yeah ok they beat the Giants. The Browns are still awful. At least we aren't subjected to the inevitable torture that is Brady Quinn.

Cincinnati 10, Houston 30 - The Texans will be good on offense as long as Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson stay healthy (hah, imagine that!). The Texans are severaly lacking on defense, but luckily they're playing the Bengals this week.

NYG 20, Pittsburgh 23 - I will concede that Pittsburgh has exceeded my low expectations despite a slew of injuries. The Giants were upset against the Browns on national TV in week 6 but seem to be back on track. The Steelers are good enough to match up with the Giants' weak secondary, and I like to think ben Roethlisberger is in a different league than Derek Anderson and JT O'Sullivan.

Seattle 14, San Francisco 23- I guess I have to pick a winner in this one, so I'll go with the home team. That and the Seahawks are awful. A recent column by one of the ESPN bloggers (I guess it was Mike Sando) blames the Seattle offense as being a major part of the defense's problems. I don't really buy into that, considering they played plenty of close games last year and still won the division. Sure they aren't scoring as many points and the defense is on the field longer, but it's definitely not the entire story. Offensive woes can't be blamed for 44-6 routs.

Indianapolis 13, Tennessee 27- Everyone gave the Colts a chance last week and they blew it. If they can't perform against a crappy NFC North team (it honestly doesn't matter which one) then they certainly aren't going to do it against a dominant Tennessee defense and ground game.

Week 7 Results

San Diego 14, Buffalo 23 (predicted: San Diego 30, Buffalo 20) - God, the Chargers are starting to piss me off. Who the hell knows who will win the AFC West, aka the AFC Minor Leagues. the Broncos can't beat the Chiefs, while the Chargers crush the Patriots and then lose to the Bills. How does that make sense?

New Orleans 7, Carolina 30 (predicted: New Orleans 35, Carolina 24) - Wow, I guess Drew Brees isn't that great after all. Trend: Player hyped up to do amazingly in their next game. Result: embarrassing loss. See: Redskins vs. Rams, Baltimore running game vs. Indy, Matt Cassell vs. anyone.

Minnesota 41, Chicago 48 (predicted: Minnesota 17, Chicago 28) - Uh, what? I checked the scores sitting in Heathrow's terminal 5 on my way back to Geneva and uttered an audible "WTF?" when I saw this one. I thought these teams were supposed to be defensive powerhouses? And considering the starting quarterbacks this could be the weirdest game of the week. Maybe even the season.

Pittsburgh 38, Cincinnati 10 (predicted: Pittsburgh 34, Cincinnati 14) - No surprises here. Not even ten thousand Men of Harvard could help Ryan Fitzpatrick / the Bengals.

Tennessee 34, Kansas City 10 (predicted: Tennessee 27, Kansas City 10) - 168 yards from Chris Johnson? Good lord...

Baltimore 27, Miami 13 (predicted: Baltimore 13, Miami 24) - Thanks a lot Miami. Way to play down to another opponent.

San Francisco 17, NYG 29 (predicted: San Francisco 20, NYG 31) - Maybe I'll have more comments after I watch the game, but at 2-5 the 49ers are in a precarious spot when it comes to making the playoffs. With JT O'Sullivan I think that they won't have to worry about their postseason matchups by week 8.

Dallas 14, St. Louis 34 (predicted: Dallas 20, St. Louis 24) - Yep, the Cowboys are falling apart. I'm waiting for the TO explosion.

Detroit 21, Houston 28 (predicted: Detroit 7, Houston 38) - I sat Calvin Johnson in a couple of fantasy leagues. Shit.

Indianapolis 14, Green Bay 34 (predicted: Indianapolis 27, Green Bay 17) - Colts aren't winning the division this year.

NYJ 13, Oakland 16 (predicted: NYJ 27, Oakland 10) - You know your team sucks when Javon Walker scores a touchdown from Jamarcus Russell and your only touchdown comes on a Leon Washington rush.

Cleveland 11, Washington 14 (predicted: Cleveland 13, Washington 28) - Weird score. Again I didn't get a chance to watch but Romeo Crennel probably coached a magnificent defeat.

Seattle 10, Tampa Bay 20 (predicted: Seattle 10, Tampa Bay 24) - Damn, almost got the score right on this one. Tampa Bay is making a strong case for the NFC South division winner.

Denver 7, New England 41 (predicted: Denver 34, New England 24) - This game was so retarded after the first half that I had to turn it off. First of all, Andre Hall- 2 fumbles. 2! How do the Broncos go from destroying teams in the first couple weeks of the season to losing to the Chiefs as well as putting up a lousy 7 points against the Patriots? Oh wait I know why, their defense sucks. 257 yards to the Patriots running game? Any conversation about Denver being a championship team needs to end. Now. That being said, don't think that Matt Cassell gets a free pass. If the Broncos put up any kind of resistance to the run game, the 6 sacks they got would have made a difference.

9/14 this week, 60/101 on the season.

Week 7 Predictions

San Diego 30, Buffalo 20- The Chargers look to be back on track after their 30-10 pounding of the Patriots at home last week. While the Bills defense played well in the first quarter of the season, their weaknesses were exposed in a humiliation 17-41 defeat to Arizona. With Terrence McGee probably out, an average secondary won't be able to match up with Gates, Jackson, and Chambers.

New Orleans 35, Carolina 24- Drew Brees is on pace for something like 5200 yards and 32 touchdowns this season. While I don't think he'll get there, the Panthers aren't going to prevent as much of a challenge to the passing game as Oakland. Brees showed no mercy against the Raiders and put up huge numbers (again), and his targets on the outside (Colston) and at tight end (Shockey) might return this week. The Panthers might be able to keep it close, but I don't see them being able to keep up.

Minnesota 17, Chicago 28- Gus Frerotte is 3-1 as the starter, but he hasn't shown the ability to beat good teams. The Chicago defense, while not quite back to 2006 form, has the ability to dominate- especially against the run. The Vikings running game has been a shadow of its 2007 self, while Kyle Orton continues to defy all expectations by putting up acceptable numbers.

Pittsburgh 34, Cincinnati 14- ESPN recently suggested the Bengals as the worst team in the league. I'm not sure I'd go that far, but it's becoming apparent that Carson Palmer's injury is not just a nicked up elbow. The Steelers, despite a long injury list, played last week against Jacksonville without skipping a beat. They should dominate the reeling Bengals.

Tennessee 27, Kansas City 10- Kansas City is horrible against the run. Since that's basically all the Titans do, look for Lendale White and Chris Johnson to have big days. The Tennessee defense is on top of the league, and the Chiefs certainly aren't going to change that.

Baltimore 13, Miami 24- Finally the general Joe Flacco love is fading. Meanwhile, the Dolphins have already doubled their win total from last year and are looking to pull even with the Jets and the Patriots in a 3-way tie for second place in the AFC East (if both those teams lose and the Dolphins win). Chad Pennington is no Drew Brees, but he is an accurate quarterback who doesn't make many mistakes. Throw Ronnie Brown and a surprisingly resilient Dolphins defense into the mix and not even the Ravens will be able to keep up.

San Francisco 20, NYG 31- After a week preaching how the team is greater than the individual, Tom Coughlin's Giants should be able to beat the sinking 49ers. Remember when San Francisco was 2-1 and JT O'Sullivan was making Mike Martz look good? Not so much anymore.

Dallas 20, St. Louis 24- Brett Favre's call to Tony Romo was touching, but come on. With a broken pinkie, Romo is just going to throw more interceptions and put more pressure on a shaky Dallas defense that just got worse with the indefinite suspension of Pacman (Adam) Jones. Roy Williams (the wide receiver version) won't play more than a few snaps as he hasn't learned the system yet, and Brad Johnson is Brad Johnson. There is trouble brewing in Dallas.

Detroit 7, Houston 38- It's the Lions. What more do we need to know?

Indianapolis 27, Green Bay 17- Look for a big day from Reggie Wayne, who probably will be covered by Tramon Williams most of the game. The Packers will probably try to run the ball and control the clock, and might even have some success as Aaron Rodgers can do some damage through the air. The winner of this game reasserts themselves in the race for their respective divisions.

NYJ 27, Oakland 10- Tom Cable/Al Davis' attempt to give JaMarcus Russell a real quarterback's workload failed miserably. Expect them to go back to what worked in the run game, although the Jets are going to stack the box and make Russell throw. Favre is probably good for 3 touchdowns and a couple turnovers against a decent Raiders secondary, but it won't matter because the Raiders won't score.

Cleveland 13, Washington 28- Washington has beaten the Cowboys and the Eagles, both of which I like to think are better teams than the Browns. The Giants clearly were not at their best and might have gotten caught expecting a pushover victory. Washington won't do the same.

Seattle 10, Tampa Bay 24- The Bucs have one of the best scoring defenses in the league, and always seem to get a turnover when they need it most. Seattle's patchwork receiving corps and Seneca Wallace starting under center should make this an ugly contest.

Denver 34, New England 24- The only reason New England scores 24 points is because the Broncos' defense is horrible. This is the week I think Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall get their act together, especially after seeing what Philip Rivers did to the Patriot's cornerbacks in week 6. However, a Patriots win would be a strong sign that they aren't going down without a fight. Too bad Matt Cassell won't be able to handle it.

Week 6 Results

Baltimore 3, Indianapolis 31 (predicted: Baltimore 20, Indianapolis 31) - What? The Colts have a defense? They were due for a big win at home. Marvin Harrison used the bye week to cure his serious case of the fumbles, but in fairness we didn't see him get hurt since he was a full two yards behind Chris McAllister on his first touchdown. Let's not give them a free pass after one good week; wins in a similar fashion over the Packers and Titans would be more telling.

Miami 28, Houston 29 (predicted: Miami 17, Houston 28) - Finally someone stopped the ridiculous Dolphin's win streak at 2. The Texans still allowed them to put up 28 points, and who the hell is Patrick Cobbs? By the way, I hope nobody sat Andre Johnson in fantasy this week...

Chicago 20, Atlanta 22 (predicted: Chicago 24, Atlanta 20) - Atlanta has one of the strongest home field advantages in the league. Hahaha... just kidding. I still don't think they're a good team because the Bears clearly have a 4th quarter ailment that prevents them from winning. Michael Turner: 25 carries, 54 yards. Ouch.

Detroit 10, Minnesota 12 (predicted: Detroit 14, Minnesota 31) - Not that anyone actually watched this game, but Drew Orlovsky's casual romp around the end zone was absolutely hilarious. It's only 10 yards deep buddy! What a pathetic way to drop your 5th straight game. With the trade of Roy Williams to Dallas, now we get to see how Calvin Johnson does against double (triple) coverage.

Oakland 3, New Orleans 34 (predicted: Oakland 17, New Orleans 34) - Well I expected the Raiders to lose, but Tom Cable sure isn't making Al Davis' decision to fire Lane Kiffin look like a good one. Even under Kiffin the Raiders managed to put up more than a field goal, even though Janikowski missed his 76-yarder against the Chargers.

Cincinnati 14, NYJ 26 (predicted: Cincinnati 24, NYJ 37) - The Jets continue to be overrated and only manage 26 points against the awful Bengals. Carson Palmer may not be a Tom Brady or a Peyton Manning, but if there's one thing the Bengals need for [their version of] success, it's Palmer under center. Why does Marvin Lewis still have his job?

Carolina 3, Tampa Bay 27 (predicted: Carolina 17, Tampa Bay 24) - Carolina joins the overrated club and the Bucs defense is its typical stingy self, despite the age of Ronde Barber. Defense wins championships, and now that the Brian Griese experiment is on the sidelines the Bucs' prospects are good.

St. Louis 19, Washington 17 (predicted: St. Louis 20, Washington 38) - I guess the Redskins were due, but come on... the freakin Rams??? Just goes to show that any team can beat any other in a given week. Washington should hang their heads in shame.

Jacksonville 24, Denver 17 (predicted: Jacksonville 31, Denver 27) - As expected MJD burned the Denver defense for 125 yards. Denver's claim to the AFC West is on shaky ground thanks to a resurgence of the Chargers in their victory over New England. Looks like Marvin Harrison passed his case of the fumbles to Brandon Marshall. Protect the ball please.

Dallas 24, Arizona 30 (predicted: Dallas 34, Arizona 24) - About that Dallas defense... Anyway, the loss of this particular game doesn't hurt as much as the loss of Tony Romo for a month, leaving Brad Johnson under center for the time being. The Roy Williams (Detroit edition) trade to Dallas finally gives them the #2 wide receiver they've been searching for. Despite their recent troubles, if the Cowboys can make it through the next month and win 2 out of their next three games (at St. Louis, Tampa Bay, at New York Giants) and go into the bye with a 6-3 record, they'll probably be in second place in the division.

Philadelphia 40, San Francisco 26 (predicted: Philadelphia 27, San Francisco 24) - San Francisco's defensive troubles continue as McNabb and Co. set a season high for points. The 49ers really need to protect JT O'Sullivan. He's shown he can be a good quarterback, he just needs some time to throw.

Green Bay 27, Seattle 17 (predicted: Green Bay 24, Seattle 20) - Looks like the Seahawks dominance over the NFC West is over. At 1-4, they stand little chance of winning the division without a miraculous turnaround in the second half of the season.

New England 10, San Diego 30 (predicted: New England 28, San Diego 34) - Oops... Matt Cassell isn't a good quarterback after all. Thank you, Philip Rivers, for confirming that the Patriots defense is only good when they're playing with a 20 point lead. Deltha O'Neal got embarrassed, the defensive line got dominated, and the offense sputtered. Matt Cassell will not finish the season as the Patriots' starter.

NYG 14, Cleveland 35 (predicted: NYG 37, Cleveland 17) - Weird- I would only expect this type of performance from the Giants in the second half of the season at home. Eli Manning's 3 interceptions (against the Browns?) should end the conversation about which Manning brother is the preeminent quarterback in the family.

10/14 this week, 51/87 on the year.

Week 6 Predictions

Baltimore 20, Indianapolis 31 - The Colts look terrible. However, the Ravens secondary has been absolutely decimated by injuries to Samari Rolle and Dawan Landry, with Fabian Washington being banged up but still starting. I believe that leaves Corey Ivy on Anthony Gonzalez in a repeat of last year's matchup... the one where Gonzalez went off for something like 130 yards and 2 touchdowns. Last week's comeback victory over the Texans was huge, and might be enough to galvanize the team back to their usual winning ways.

Miami 17, Houston 28 - I'd like to think that Houston can finally get its first win against the Dolphins, who have beaten two of the preseason Super Bowl favorites quite handily. The Dolphins still are not a good team, and while Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown should have a pretty good day I think Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson will have bigger ones.

Chicago 24, Atlanta 20 - The Falcons at home are a handful, but the Bears actually have a rush defense this year. Surprisingly this is also a good game, as both teams are similar in that they've had impressive victories in addition to questionable losses.

Detroit 14, Minnesota 31 - News that Jon Kitna might be benched should be a huge relief for Lions fans everywhere. Everything about the Lions stinks. The defense. The run game. The passing game. Special teams. AD should live up to his nickname.

Oakland 17, New Orleans 34 - Somehow the Saints lost at home against the Vikings on Monday night despite 2 Reggie Bush punt returns for touchdowns. Note that they weren't rushing touchdowns. The running game should be a lot better against a weak Oakland front 7, opening up the passing game off play action for possibly the best quarterback in the league at the moment.

Cincinnati 24, NYJ 37 - While Brett Favre won't throw 6 touchdowns again (although he probably could against the crappy Bengals) expect this to be a high-scoring affair. Especially if Carson Palmer is in the lineup again.

Carolina 17, Tampa Bay 24 - Jeff Garcia awkwardly returns to direct the Bucs offense, but I think it's for the better. Despite his son's troubles, Monte Kiffin knows how to work a run defense, although the secondary is a little shaky. I think these teams play it close for a while and then break it open in the second half.

St. Louis 20, Washington 38 - Uhh, the Redskins just proved they were the class of the NFC East by beating both Dallas and Philadelphia on the road. That's hard to do. Now they get to play possibly the worst team in the league in front of a home crowd that hasn't allowed less than 31 points in a game yet this season.

Jacksonville 31, Denver 27 - Denver's defense showed up against the dynamic running duo of Earnest Graham and Warrick Dunn, but they both still had decent games. I don't expect the same performance against MJD and Fred Taylor.

Dallas 34, Arizona 24 - These teams are eerily similar. Both have high-power offenses and suspect defenses. I wouldn't expect this to be low scoring, with a couple turnovers on both sides.

Philadelphia 27, San Francisco 24 - With Brian Westbrook confirmed out, the Eagles will be forced to throw to wide receivers more than they might want to. Reggie Brown is also out (for better or for worse), but it wasn't a problem for McNabb in weeks 1 and 2. McNabb seriously needs to get his act together. The Eagles should not be at the bottom of the NFC East.

Green Bay 24, Seattle 20 - Wow, talk about a fall from grace. Seattle, after "not being worried" about starting 0-2, now sits at a paltry 1-3. The losses weren't even close. There is something wrong with this team, and it's not (shockingly) the running game.

New England 28, San Diego 34 - I think this is the game where San Diego finally beats New England. I still am not buying Matt Cassell, and the Patriot ground game is beat up (another shocker). LT will be playing since it's not the playoffs, and numerous Chargers starters are healthier than they were in the AFC championship. If there was ever a time to start turning a season around, this would be the game for Norv Turner.

NYG 37, Cleveland 17 - Hey, remember when everyone thought the Browns were going to be amazing this year? Yeah. Now that everyone has hopped off that bandwagon as fast as they got on, this should be a boring Monday night game made even worse by the retarded commentary of Tony Kornheiser.