Stack Attack's Blog

NFL Week 9 Preview

Stack Attack — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:20:05 GMT

Hello everyone. First off congrats to the Yankees on winning their 27th World Series title last night. Now that that is out of the way, let's focus on football. There are so many critical division games this week, it should be a great week. So let's take a look and preview the week to be in the NFL, Week 9:

Washington @ Atlanta 1:00 ET FOX

The Redskins have had a couple of weeks to get ready for this game and there has been no stripping of job responsibilities for Jim Zorn. It won't matter. The Falcons are the best 4-3 team in the NFL, and they know they need a win. Look for a heavy dose of Michael Turner to help them lift pass the Redskins.

Prediction: Redskins 17 Falcons 30

Arizona @ Chicago 1:00 ET FOX

I'm seeing it hard to pick the Cardinals if Anquan Boldin doesn't play. Yes they beat the Giants on the road, but that loss at home last week to the Panthers scares me. The Bears know that they have to win these types of games to put even a little pressure on the Vikings in the NFC North.

Prediction: Cardinals 20 Bears 27

Balitmore @ Cincinnati 1:00 ET CBS

Why are these games this week so difficult to pick? The Ravens looked really good last week against the Broncos, but the Bengals already beat them once this year. Maybe that sticks with the Ravens and they come out and dominate. I don't know. I'll take them, narrowly.

Prediction: Ravens 27 Bengals 24

Houston @ Indianapolis 1:00 ET CBS

This is the biggest game in Texans franchise history. They are 5-3, their best start ever. But the Colts are 7-0 and they want to put the Texans away in the AFC South and all but certainly lock up the division. This will be another close game.

Prediction: Texans 20 Colts 27

Kansas City @ Jacksonville 1:00 ET CBS

If the Jaguars are looking for the Chiefs coming to town to end their blackout streak, it's not happening. Dwayne Bowe may have a big game, but the Jaguars are the better team and if the Jaguars give the ball to Maurice Jones-Drew a lot like they should, the Chiefs have no chance.

Prediction: Chiefs 17 Jaguars 24

Miami @ New England 1:00 ET CBS

The Dolphins wildcat was not wild last week in New York, but Ted Ginn sure was. Remember last year, when the Dolphins introduced the world to the wildcat up in New England? So do the Patriots. They don't want to see that happen again.

Prediction: Dolphins 20 Patriots 34

Green Bay @ Tampa Bay 1:00 ET FOX

It's a battle of the "Bay of Pigs." Thanks Chris Berman. I think that Aaron Rodgers will not be on his back much this game and the Packers offensive line has a solid game against a meager Bucs pass-rush. Just a hunch.

Prediction: Packers 34 Bucs 17

Carolina @ New Orleans 4:05 ET FOX

Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams destroyed the Cardinals run defense last week. Michael Turner was able to thrash the Saints defense. Does Sedrick Ellis make that big of a difference? Yeah he does, but last I checked the Saints still have Drew Brees and their good run game, so while it might be close for most of the game, the Saints will still pull it out.

Prediction: Panthers 24 Saints 38

Detroit @ Seattle 4:05 ET FOX

Both teams are struggling as of late and this entrie season. The Seahawks have more weapons and they are at home which is all they need.

Prediction: Lions 13 Seahawks 27

San Diego @ New York Giants 4:15 ET CBS

The Giants are reeling having lost three in a row, and the Chargers think they are catching the Giants at the right time. I just think that the Giants know that this game is of utmost importance for their season, and the Chargers just can't seem to adjust to the east coast, even though the start time of this game is just like it would be if the Chargers were playing at home.

Prediction: Chargers 23 Giants 27

Tennessee @ San Francisco 4:15 ET CBS

Titans running back Chris Johnson says the Titans can rattle off ten games in a row. Not happening. The 49ers are playing pretty good right now. Plus Vernon Davis is red-hot right now, I think he'll have at least one TD.

Prediction: Titans 17 49ers 26

Dallas @ Philadelphia 8:20 ET NBC

Another almost impossible game to pick. You can present great arguments for why each team could win. Dallas seems to really be clicking on all cylinders the last couple of weeks, but the Eagles have rebounded from a loss to the Raiders and beat the Redskins and clobbered the Giants. Will they have enough energy to get them ready for this game? I think Brian Westbrook coming back helps, and they squek out a victory.

Prediction: Cowboys 23 Eagles 24

Pittsburgh @ Denver 8:30 ET ESPN MNF

Another tought game, but the Steelers have had two weeks to prepare for this game, and the Broncos are coming off their first loss of the season, so it will be interesting to see how they rebound. With Steelers safety Ryan Clark out due to health risks being in the mile-high city, that will help the Broncos, but it won't be enough.

Prediction: Steelers 23 Broncos 20

It should be a fantastic week of football. Enjoy the games everyone. We'll be back next week to recap it all. See you next time.

NFL Week 8 Rewind

Stack Attack — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:32:40 GMT

Hello everyone. What a fantastic weekend of football right? And it was all capped off by a wild game down in New Orleans Monday night as the Saints improved to 7-0. We went 10-3 in picks last week giving us an overall record for the season of 81-35. We're going to continue the same format as we have the last few weeks, so let's get right into the week that was in the NFL, Week 8:

Top 5 peformances

1. Brett Favre. Hard to argue with his day. Sure he got booed ruthlessly and constantly throughout much of the game. The big question was how would Favre handle his emotions? Well pretty good I'd say. Four touchdowns and zero interceptions against his former team in the house in which he played so well in for 16 seasons. The four touchdown passes in one game ties him for first all-time with Dan Marino for number of games with four touchdown passes with 21. That is a really good. Know what else is good? 7 TDs, 0 INTs against the Packers this year.

2. Jared Allen. Don't mean to be biased here, but how can you argue with Allen's performance on Sunday? Another three sacks against the Packers horrific offensive line, giving him 7.5 sacks against the Packers THIS season. That is unbelievable. He has 10.5 sacks for the year and is clearly the top candidate for NFL Defensive MVP.

3. Saints running game. Remember when the Saints threw the ball on almost every down? Well somewhere in that time, they have found some good running backs and developed a very good, yet underrated rushing attack. They are fourth in the NFL in rushing yards. I know right? At one point in last night's game against the Falcons, they had 14 rushes for 100 yards and 14 passes for 108 yards. Pick your poison with the Saints future defenses. With this balance, the Saints should have no trouble making a deep run in the playoffs and possibly the Super Bowl.

4. Steven Jackson. Yeah the Rams are 1-7, but they did get their first win of the season on Sunday in large part to Jackson. 22 carries for 149 yards and the GW-TD. He said after the game, that it felt good to get the win and he hasn't experienced it for a long time. Good for him, good for the fans, and good for the Rams.

5. Ted Ginn. Sure Ginn may not be a good wide receiver, but when then Dolphins coach Cam Cameron said after he drafted Ginn that Dolphins fans would enjoy seeing him return kicks and punts for years to come, he may have been on to something. Ginn became the first player in NFL history to have two kickoff TDs of 100 yards or more. His returns were 100 and 101. The Jets had no answer for him.

Unfab 5

1. Browns offense. Did you know that the Browns have fewer offensive touchdowns (5) than the Saints have defensive touchdowns (6)? Enough said.

2. Lions. What goes around comes around. The Redskins gave the Lions their first win of the season back in Week 4 at Ford Field. The Lions coming off of a bye decided to return the favor to the then winless Rams by helping them earn their first victory of the season. The Lions are better than last season, but not that much better.

3. James Butler takes a safety. We're staying in Detroit and despite the Rams win, they can't escape a bad play by safety James Buter. Butler intercepted a Matthew Stafford pass in the end zone, ran out, then tried to dodge a Lions player, went back in the endzone, and got tackled for a safety. Only the Rams, only the Rams.

4. Bart Scott's comments. We're going off the field for this one. After the Jets 30-25 loss to the Dolphins, Bart Scott was only slightly sarcastic, and I am being sarcastic when I say this. Among other things, he said that the Dolphins offense was great and that it is one of the best in the league, and that the Dolphins "Are a great team," and "they'll probably contend for the Super Bowl." Regardless if it was out of frustration or not, that is something that Bart Scott cannot say and he looks foolish for saying it.

5. Kurt Warner. We head out to the desert where Kurt Warner clearly thought it was Christmas because he was in the spirit of giving. He threw 5 interceptions and also lost a fumble in the Cardinals 34-21 loss to the Panthers. The Cardinals looked to finally be turning the corner and then they have a performance like that? Not good Warner, not good.

Bonus: Brandon Spikes and the University of Florida. Brandon Spikes as I'm sure most of you have seen by now, tried to gouge Georgia running back Washaun Ealey eyes in Saturday's 41-17 victory for the Gators. That is bad. Then coach Urban Meyer comes out on Monday and says they have suspended Spikes for the first half of their next game. If that wasn't weak enough, their opponent is: Vanderbilt. Last I checked, Vandy is not a threat in the SEC and this year, they are pretty bad. Why not suspend him for the entire game? If they were playing Alabama, I could maybe understand that. Or do something internally with Spikes. But the first half against Vanderbilt, a 33.5-point underdog? Come on, the punishment is a joke.

Well that is all I have for today. Have a good week and we will see you back here on Thursday for our Week 9 NFL preview. Until next time c ya.

Denver 7 Baltimore 30 Houston 31 Buffalo 10

Cleveland 6 Chicago 30 Seattle 17 Dallas 38

Miami 30 New York Jets 25 San Francisco 14 Indianapolis 18

New York Giants 17 Philadelphia 40 St. Louis 17 Detroit 10

Oakland 16 San Diego 24 Jacksonville 13 Tennessee 30

Minnesota 38 Green Bay 26 Carolina 34 Arizona 21

Atlanta 27 New Orleans 35

NFL Week 8 Preview

Stack Attack — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:30:19 GMT

Hello everyone. A lot is going on in the sports world: the World Series, the start of the NBA season, big college football games, and of course the NFL. And in the NFL the week revolves around Brett Favre's return to Lambeau Field. More on that game in a little bit. Now, it is time to take a look at the week to be in the NFL, Week 8:

Denver @ Baltimore 1:00 ET CBS

This is yet another test for the Broncos and people want to see if they can beat good teams on the road. Baltimore has had two weeks to prepare how they want to stop the Broncos offense and attack the Broncos defense. Likewise for the Broncos. I just think that the Ravens know how big this game is for them. If they lose, it will be their 4th in a row and could end their run at the postseason. One more undefeated team goes down.

Prediction: Broncos 20 Ravens 24

Houston @ Buffalo 1:00 ET CBS

Buffalo has won two in a row, but I don't think many people trust them. Houston is the better team and Matt Schaub has been lights out this season. Their defense still has some questions surrounding them, but I think they make enough big plays to stop the Bills.

Prediction: Texans 24 Bills 16

Cleveland @ Chicago 1:00 ET CBS

The perfect remedy for a team that just got blown out: the Cleveland Browns. That is who the Bears get on Sunday and I suspect that the game will be a blow out... in the Bears favor.

Prediction: Browns 10 Bears 34

Seattle @ Dallas 1:00 ET FOX

Austin Miles has become a household name. And going against a depleted Seahawks defense has got to make him, Tony Romo and the rest of the Cowboys offense very happy.

Prediction: Seahawks 17 Cowboys 31

St. Louis @ Detroit 1:00 ET FOX

I know a lot of people are saying how nice it is for the Lions that the Rams come to town, but the Lions haven't been playing that great lately. There certainly will be a lot of pressure on the Lions to make sure they don't lose to the Rams as this could be the only chance the Rams have to win a game this season. I know I'm probably going to get this one wrong, but I'll attempt it anyway. I'm going with the Rams.

Prediction: Rams 20 Lions 17

San Francisco @ Indianapolis 1:00 ET FOX

Alex Smith is starting at QB for the 49ers. Won't matter. Peyton Manning and the Colts will jump out to an early lead and the 49ers will be out of it so whatever Smith does really won't matter.

Prediction: 49ers 17 Colts 34

Miami @ New York Jets 1:00 ET CBS

It seems like just yesterday that the Jets defense was getting gashed by the Wildcat. You can bet that Rex Ryan is hounding his defense all week and reminding them of their performance in Miami. I think that should help the Jets.

Prediction: Dolphins 17 Jets 24

New York Giants @ Philadelphia 1:00 ET FOX

Philadelphia has "Phillies fever" and for good reason. And I think they will be angry prior to Game 4 of the World Series, because the Giants are going to come in and snap their two game losing streak. They have to. Brian Westbrook is going to be a game-time decision with his concussion which will help the Giants, but the Giants must stop DeSean Jackson. If they don't the Eagles win. But I think the Giants contain him.

Prediction: Giants 27 Eagles 20

Oakland @ San Diego 4:05 ET CBS

Oakland is awful. You knew that already. San Diego is yeah, but... You probably knew that. It is time for the Chargers to win and gain a game on the Broncos in the AFC West, which they will do... easily.

Prediction: Raiders 13 Chargers 27

Jackonville @ Tennessee 4:05 ET CBS

This is one of the most difficult games to pick of the week. The Jaguars are the better team, but their last road game they lost 41-0. The Titans are 0-6 and awful. They have no pass defense. Kerrry Collins is not that good. But I think they can get their first win of the season, as much as I want to pick the Jaguars, I just can't quite get myself to pick them.

Prediction: Jaguars 20 Titans 23

Carolina @ Arizona 4:15 ET FOX

Arizona comes home high off of a victory on the road against the Giants. Now they get Jake "I can throw an interception on almost every pass" Delhomme and the Panthers. The Panthers lost to the Bills...at HOME! And you expect me to pick them? NO.

Prediction: Panthers 13 Cardinals 27

Minnesota @ Green Bay 4:15 ET FOX

I should have put Brett Favre @ Green Bay, but it is about the team as he has said. But you know Brett Favre will have plenty of butterflys and will want to prove to the Packers again that they were wrong. The Vikings secondary without Antoine Winfield still scares me, but they played good last week. Favre may be a little excited early and overthrow some passes, but he will rise up to the occasion and win a crucial NFC North matchup. There is a funeral for Favre on Friday in Green Bay where fans can come say their good-byes and pay their respect to him and remember the good old days. They will be looking back to the good old days again after the Vikings win on Sunday.

Prediction: Vikings 30 Packers 20

Atlanta @ New Orleans 8:30 ET ESPN MNF

Atlanta is a good team, a very good team. The Saints are a great team, and their offense will be rolling on Monday night on national television. Drew Brees will have a phenominal game, especially with the Falcons not having Brian Williams in their secondary. Atlanta I think will still make the playoffs, but they won't win Monday night.

Prediction: Falcons 24 Saints 38

Well that is all I have for this week. Enjoy the World Series, college football on Saturday, and hopefully a week of NFL games with fewer blowouts. Until next time, c ya.

NFL Week 7 Rewind

Stack Attack — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:32:39 GMT

Hello everyone. We are back to recap a boring week 7 in the NFL with 6 of the 13 games decided by 28 points or more. That means that there are really good teams out there and some awful teams. We went 9-4 in the picks this week to give us an overall record of 71-32. We're going to keep the same format we've been using the last few weeks, giving you the top 5 performances and the top 5 blunders in the NFL. Now let's take a look back at the week that was in the NFL, Week 7:

Top 5 Performances

1. Miles Austin. I know there were other really good performances, but I'm going to continue to give this guy credit. Against Kansas City, 250 yards and 2 TDs. Against the Falcons, 171 yards and 2 TDs. He has become a legit threat on this team and is looking like Tony Romo's favorite target. Another viable weapon in the passing game may push the Cowboys to favorites in the NFC East.

2. Saints 2nd half. After a poor performance in the first half the Saints came to life in the 2nd half against the Dolphins scoring 36 points. The defense had two touchdowns, Drew Brees played great and the Saints won. This team is the best in the NFC and they just showed how difficult it is to beat them.

3. DeSean Jackson. One rush, 67 yards and a TD. Two catches, 69 yards and a TD. The Eagles offense was anemic minus those two plays. Get the ball in Jackson's hands more often. Great performance by Jackson.

4. Alex Smith to Vernon Davis. I know it was in a loss, but the former number one pick threw three TDs all to his tight end against the Texans. This is a combination with huge potential and the 49ers almost came back to win the game. Their performance was outstanding.

5. Cincinnati Bengals. Carson Palmer: 5 TDs. Cedric Benson: 189 yards and a TD. The defense dominated the Bears. What an amazing performance by the Bengals to stay on top of the AFC North. They trounced the Bears. The final score was not even as close as the actual game was.

Unfab 5

1. Oakland Raiders. A week after you beat the Philadelphia Eagles, you lose 38-0 to the Jets. The team looked uninspired and JaMarcus Russell is just awful. Point blank. This team with Al Davis as owner is awful and will be for a long time. Sorry Raider fans.

2. Chicago Bears. I mentioned above how the Bengals routed the Bears. Come on Chicago. What a disgraceful performance. The defense was awful, Cutler was awful, and the team looked uninterested. For all the hype surrounding this team in the preseason, they don't even look like they are going to sniff the playoffs.

3. Washington Redskins. Sherman Lewis is not the answer for the Redksins offense to get going. They looked bad last night again and losing Chris Cooley for the season only makes this offense worse. And with their upcoming schedule, the Redskins are going to have a hard time finding a win.

4. Browns offense. 139 yards of total offense is bad. No other way around it. Especially playing at home. The Packers defense is good, but it isn't that good. This team is horrible.

5. Vikings red-zone offense. One of the best teams in the NFL in the red-zone so far this year, and the Vikings proceeded to score only one touchdown in five attempts. They couldn't punch it in from the one on three tries and Favre had two turnovers though the INT wasn't his fault as much as it was Chester Taylor. I'll combine bad with good. The Steelers defense had the 2 TDs that were the difference in the game including the pick by Fox who ran it back for the game-ending TD as the Vikings were driving. That was a great performance for the Steelers combined with a bad performance by the Vikings.

Well that is all I have for this week. Hopefully next week's games will be closer. The big game is Brett Favre and the Vikings visiting Lambeau Field to take on the Packers. Should be good. Until next time, c ya.

Green Bay 31 Cleveland 3 San Francisco 21 Houston 24

San Diego 37 Kansas City 7 Indianapolis 42 St. Louis 6

New England 35 Tampa Bay 7 Minnesota 17 Pittsburgh 27

Buffalo 20 Carolina 9 New York Jets 38 Oakland 0

Chicago 10 Cincinnati 45 Atlanta 21 Dallas 37

New Orleans 46 Miami 34 Arizona 24 New York Giants 17

Philadelphia 27 Washington 17

NFL Week 7 Preview

Stack Attack — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:33:33 GMT

Hello everyone. With a busy week, there was unfortunately no week 5 recap, but we have found a few minutes to look ahead to Week 6 in the NFL and there are some pretty good games on tap. The picks last week were 9-5, giving us an overall record this year of 62-28. Not bad. Without further delay let's take a look at the week to be in the NFL, Week 6:

Green Bay @ Cleveland 1:00 ET FOX (The Packers need to keep pace in the NFC North has been helped with games against Detroit last week and this week against Cleveland. The Browns have played better the last couple of weeks, but Green Bay is clearly better.)

Prediction: Packers 27 Browns 13

San Francisco @ Houston 1:00 ET FOX (Michael Crabtree will make his debut for the 49ers and he should be looking up to Andre Johnson, the best WR in the game. The Texans are coming off of a big win against the Bengals, and they need to keep the mojo going to stay in the AFC wildcard race.)

Prediction: 49ers 20 Texans 27

San Diego @ Kansas City 1:00 ET CBS (The Chargers lost a game they had to have last week at home against the AFC West leading Broncos. If they don't beat the Chiefs, their season is done, and they know that.)

Prediction: Chargers 27 Chiefs 16

Indianapolis @ St. Louis 1:00 ET CBS (The Rams played hard last week, but are still looking for their first win. They're not going to get it against the Colts, especially not when Peyton Manning has had two weeks to prepare.)

Prediction: Colts 34 Rams 13

New England @ Tampa Bay 1:00 ET CBS (Cheery-oh ole mate. Welcome to London. You can talk in your british accent all you want, it won't help the Bucs get their first win of the season, not with Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Bill Belichick on the opposite sideline.)

Prediction: Patriots 37 Bucs 10

Minnesota @ Pittsburgh 1:00 ET FOX (Let's hope that the Vikings defense works harder this week after collapsing and nearly losing the game for the Vikings last week. With Antoine Winfield looking like he won't play though, I don't think they will be able to contain the Steelers pass attack led by Big Ben. Favre won't be able to help in this one.)

Prediction: Vikings 23 Steelers 27

Buffalo @ Carolina 4:05 ET CBS (This game is difficult to pick. The Bills are anemic on offense, but the Panthers aren't that good. I guess you held a gun to my head, I'd pick the Panthers.)

Prediction: Bills 13 Panthers 20

New York Jets @ Oakland 4:05 ET (Why do I want to pick Oakland? Does it have anything to do with Richard Seymour saying the Raiders will make the playoffs? Does it have anything to do with the Jets losing three in a row? Mark Sanchez's play? I don't know. I want to pick the Raiders, but I can't.)

Prediction: Jets 20 Raiders 13

Chicago @ Cincinnati 4:15 ET FOX (The Bengals had everything going for them from Week 2 until last week when DE Antwan Odom was lost for the year and the Texans shredded them in a 28-17 loss. Now Jay Cutler comes to town, and as much as I like the Bengals, I don't think they can beat the Bears.)

Prediction: Bears 27 Bengals 20

Atlanta @ Dallas 4:15 ET FOX (Granted the Cowboys have had two weeks to prepare for this game, and they do have a trio of backs that can rush well, but the Falcons are good and Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, and Roddy White are going to prove just how good the Falcons are.)

Prediction: Falcons 24 Cowboys 17

New Orleans @ Miami 4:15 ET FOX (The Wildcat may cause New Orleans' defense some trouble, but the Saints are too good on both sides of the ball, provided that they come out focused and not still on a high after last week's beatdown of the Giants.)

Prediction: Saints 31 Dolphins 17

Arizona @ New York Giants 8:20 ET NBC (The Cardinals are starting to regain their Super Bowl run form from last year. The Giants are coming off of an embarrassing loss last week. I think they come out more focused.)

Prediction: Cardinals 20 Giants 24

Philadelphia @ Washington 8:30 ET ESPN MNF (Both teams are coming off terrible losses last week. Another loss though for the Redskins, and Jim Zorn's terrible week will probably end with him getting fired. The Eagles know they can't lose two games in a row against two teams they should win against. )

Prediction: Eagles 24 Redskins 13

Well that is all I have for this week. Enjoy the great weekend of college and pro football and we'll be back to break it all down next Tuesday as we always do. It's Hobo Days at South Dakota State University this week and the Jackrabbits football team takes on the Panthers of Northern Iowa. Go big! Go blue! Go Jacks. Jacks win 27-20.

NFL Week 6 Preview

Stack Attack — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:43:17 GMT

Hello everyone. Another week of football is coming up on us fast and there are some very big games this weekend including: two undefeated teams battling in the bayou, a clash of purple power, and two young QBs trying to keep their teams close in their respective divisions. Now, let's take a look at the week to be in the NFL, week 6:

Houston @ Cincinnati 1:00 ET CBS (What a win for the Bengals last week. Good for them, but maybe most importantly a good victory for Mike Zimmer whose wife Vikki died suddenly last week. Now the AFC North leaders come home for a game with the Texans and you better believe that Cedric Benson is ready to run for over 100 yards against this defense.)

Prediction: Texans 17 Bengals 24

Detroit @ Green Bay 1:00 ET FOX (The Lions played the Steelers tough last week which may give them some hope for this week. However, the hope balloon will pop if Calvin Johnson doesn't play and it sounds like he won't.)

Prediction: Lions 13 Packers 31

St. Louis @ Jacksonville 1:00 ET FOX (This game looks and smells kind of bad. The Jags were shutout last week and Maurice Jones-Drew called out his team's offensive scheme. The Rams, well they are just bad.)

Prediction: Rams 17 Jagaurs 20

Baltimore @ Minnesota 1:00 ET CBS (The clash of the purple comes to the Metrodome. Can Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson keep the Vikings undefeated? Will the Ravens end their two-game losing streak? The Vikings are playing too good right now and both sides of the ball will be ready to deal with what the Ravens come at them with. A side note: who would you rather you start your team with in their prime: Ray Lewis or Brett Favre. Let the debate begin.)

Prediction: Ravens 17 Vikings 27

New York Giants @ New Orleans 1:00 ET FOX (The best game of the week is down in New Orleans where the Saints welcome their second team from New York in as many games. Drew Brees is due for a huge game, but the Giants defense is stout. The Giants offense has been very explosive at points this season, but they are going against the new and improved Saints defense led by Darren Sharper. The dome will be rocking and that gives the advantage to the Saints, barely.)

Prediction: Giants 24 Saints 30

Cleveland @ Pittsburgh 1:00 ET CBS (Congrats on your first win as Browns head coach Eric Mangini, because you aren't getting one this week.)

Prediction: Browns 6 Steelers 34

Carolina @ Tampa Bay 1:00 ET FOX (While a win against the Redskins isn't something to be too proud of, at least the Panthers have one more win than the Bucs.)

Prediction: Panthers 24 Bucs 14

Kansas City @ Washington 1:00 ET CBS (I'm sure you have seen the stat by now, but the Redskins have faced a winless team every week this season: Giants (0-0), Rams (0-1), Lions (0-2), Bucs (0-3), and Panthers (0-3). The Redskins are 2-3. If they lose to the Chiefs, this team takes over as the worst in the league and Jim Zorn is gone.)

Prediction: Chiefs 16 Redskins 20

Philadelphia @ Oakland 4:05 ET FOX (After a high school like performance last week at the Giants, the Raiders come home to play another good team, the Eagles. Will they be more spirited? Probably not. This team is a disaster and Al Davis needs to go.)

Prediction: Eagles 31 Raiders 10

Arizona @ Seattle 4:05 ET FOX (The Cardinals put plenty of pressure on the Texans last week, but lifted their foot off of the Texans' throats and allowed them back in it. They can't do that at Seattle or they will lose this one.)

Prediction: Cardinals 27 Seahawks 20

Tennessee @ New England 4:15 ET CBS (If the Patriots lose this game, they have some serious problems to work out if they want to make the playoffs. If the Titans lose, it's time for Vince Young, Act 2.)

Prediction: Titans 13 Patriots 30

Buffalo @ New York Jets 4:15 ET CBS (Despite the Jets defense having a horrific performance last week, why would anyone have faith in the Bills offense, especially after they put up only 3 points against Cleveland at home!?)

Prediction: Bills 10 Jets 27

Chicago @ Atlanta 8:20 ET NBC (Two youn-guns square off at the Georgia Dome Sunday night as Jay Cutler and Matt Ryan meet for the first time. The Bears are coming off a bye rested and for the most part, healthy. The Falcons are coming off of a beat-down they laid against the 49ers. This game could be a shootout.)

Prediction: Bears 24 Falcons 27

Denver @ San Diego 8:30 ET ESPN MNF (The Broncos have been the biggest surprsie of the year. They are playing so well and I shouldn't pick against them. But the Chargers have had two weeks to get ready for the Broncos and they know that if they don't win this game, the AFC West is virtually over.)

Prediction: Broncos 20 Chargers 24

Well that is all I have for this week. Enjoy the great college football on Saturday (the Red River Shootout and USC-Notre Dame) and the awesome NFL action on Sunday. It should be fun to watch. Do you disagree with some of my picks? Let me know who you think is going to win and where I am wrong. Until next time, c ya.

NFL Week 5 Rewind

Stack Attack — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:10:47 GMT

Hello everyone. What a game last night between the Jets and Dolphins. Back and forth they went in the fourth quarter. I was half-expecting someone like Jumbo Elliot to catch a pass. We're going to continue the format like we used last week talking about the biggest performances and some of the biggest disappointments. Now, let's take a look at the week that was in the NFL, let's hit the rewind button for week 5:

Top 5 Performances

1. Broncos. This team continues to prove people wrong. Another tough test against New England and the Broncos didn't fold. Kyle Orton played a great game and Brandon Marshall is playing extremely well right now. The defense shut out the Patriots in the second half and perhaps contributed to Tom Brady missing on some of his passes. Another tough test is ahead when the Broncos travel to San Diego, but no one should doubt whether this team is for real. They are.

2. Miles Austin. First career start: 10 catches, 250 yards, 2 TDs, including the game-winning TD in overtime. It's easy to say that it was just against the Chiefs, but give credit where credit is due. That is the most yards in a game by a Cowboy ever. Better than Bobby Hayes, Michael Irvin, and Terrell Owens. What a great performance. And without that performance, the Cowboys would have lost.

3. Dolphins Wildcat. The Wildcat formation is being copied around the league, but it's clear that the place where it has the most success is in Miami. The Jets could not stop it at all last night. Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, and Pat White did a great job. They can run it by themselves, pitch it to another guy, or throw it. It's dangerous and if one of the best defenses in the league can't stop it, how are other defenses going to stop it?

4. Jared Allen. All the calf-roping defensive end senstation did was recover two fumbles and returned one of them for a TD. He was everywhere. Allen is the best defensive end in the NFL and if you include his performance Monday night, in a span of seven days, Allen had 4.5 sacks, 3 fumbles recovered, a safety, and a TD. Not bad.

5. Peyton Manning. Sure it was against the Titans (more on them in a minute), but Manning has now started the year with 5 straight 300-yard passing games. The record is six. With how Manning is playing right now, and with how in-synch he is with his receivers, there is no reason to believe his success won't continue.

Unfab 5

1. Jets Defense. A week after the Jets contained Drew Brees and the explosive Saints offense, they couldn't stop anything Miami did last night, most notably the Wildcat. No sacks and no interceptions on a rookie QB, Chad Henne, and no forced fumbles for the game. Not a Rex Ryan defensive performance to be proud of. Perhaps the honeymoon with the Jets is over.

2. Dre' Bly. When your team is trailing 35-10 and you pick off a pass, don't showboat, and don't showboat when you aren't in the endzone. That is what Bly did, and he ended up getting tackled and fumbled the football, the Falcons recovered. He apologized yesterday for his actions and post-game comments, but that won't help him from being put on this list.

3. Buffalo Bills. Not sure if the Bills know, but there were expectations for them this year. And when you have a home game against the Cleveland Browns, you should score more than 3 points. And you should at least win the game. Terrible performance by this team. The season is going to be over very soon and T.O.'s time in Buffalo may be short lived.

4. Rams. Cleary the Rams thought it was Christmas on Sunday, because they gift-wrapped the game for the Vikings. Not saying that the Vikings wouldn't have won, but when the Rams go 0-4 in the redzone, have four turnovers, fumbling it left and right including right by the endzone, what more can you say?

5. Missouri pro teams. The Chiefs and Rams are 0-10. They aren't just losing by a few points, they are getting blown out in most cases. Things look bleak on the football front in Missouri or do they? The Chiefs play the Redskins this week; enough said, and the Rams are playing the Jaguars, a Jaguars team that lost 41-0 on Sunday. If one team can't get a win this week, the long season will just continue to get longer for any fan of a Missouri team.

Overall this week, I went 9-5 giving a record 53-23 this season. Not bad so far. Until next time, c ya.

Bengals 17 Ravens 14 Cowboys 26 Chiefs 20

Browns 6 Bills 3 Raiders 7 Giants 44

Redskins 17 Panthers 20 Bucs 14 Eagles 33

Steelers 28 Lions 20 Vikings 38 Rams 10

Falcons 45 49ers 10 Texans 21 Cardinals 28

Patriots 17 Broncos 20 Jaguars 0 Seahawks 41

Colts 31 Titans 9 Jets 27 Dolphins 31

One more quick note, a great win for the Bengals and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer who lost his wife this week unexpectedly. It was a great performance by them, and the gameball rightfully so went to Zimmer.

NFL Week 5 Preview

Stack Attack — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:54:32 GMT

Hello everybody. It is that time of the week, as we are geering up for another great weekend of football. There are still 5 teams without a loss and 6 teams without a win, so it will be interesting to see who can stay undefeated and who leaves the ranks of the winless. Without any more delay, let's take a look at the week to be in the NFL, Week 5:

Cincinnati @ Balitmore 1:00 ET CBS (Never thought I would be saying that this game will be a battle for first place in the AFC North. Baltimore is coming off of a loss against a good Patriots team while the Bengals squeked by Cleveland. Both teams have solid defenses and good offenses, but Baltimore is just a little bit better at both and they are playing at home.)

Prediction: Bengals 17 Ravens 27

Cleveland @ Buffalo 1:00 ET CBS (Both teams do not have the best vibes going right now in their respective organizations. The Browns looked better last week with Derek Anderson at QB, and Buffalo looked lifeless against Miami. Trent Edwards and Terrell Owens better start getting the offense going in Buffalo, or their season could be done soon.)

Prediction: Browns 20 Bills 30

Washington @ Carolina 1:00 ET FOX (I mentioned earlier that there are six winless teams in the NFL. The Panthers are one of those teams. Washington has won their two home games by a combined 5 points against teams that are a combined 0-8. That stat alone tells me that they aren't that good. Carolina wins their first game of the season.)

Prediction: Redskins 16 Panthers 24

Pittsburgh @ Detroit 1:00 ET CBS (Pittsburgh looked really good last week against the Chargers, but they relaxed in the fourth quarter and allowed the Chargers to get back in the game. That is something Mike Tomlin cannot be happy with. But, I don't think that they will have to worry about that when they visit Detroit this weekend.)

Prediction: Steelers 34 Lions 17

Dallas @ Kansas City 1:00 ET FOX (After Dallas' less than steller performance last week, there are some hints that the Cheifs may get them. Not so fast my friends. The Chiefs don't have nearly the roster that the Broncos had. They still have some bugs in the system to fix before they get their first win.)

Prediction: Cowboys 27 Chiefs 13

Oakland @ New York Giants 1:00 ET CBS (Even if Eli Manning isn't fully healthy with his heel, the Giants should breeze through this game.)

Prediction: Raiders 6 Giants 23

Tampa Bay@ Philadelphia 1:00 ET FOX (Donovan McNabb is making his anticipated return and he is giving a great matchup. The Bucs defense was better last week, but with the weapons the Eagles have on offense, they are in trouble. McNabb and the rest of the Eagles should have a field day.)

Prediction: Bucs 13 Eagles 31

Minnesota @ St. Louis 1:00 ET FOX (Assuming the Vikings aren't still looking back on their win Monday night and focused on the Rams, the Rams have no chance of winning. But, last year the Cowboys came into St. Louis and the Rams beat them soundly. I'm not saying it will happen or that I even believe it, but those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.)

Prediction: Vikings 31 Rams 17

Atlanta @ San Francisco 4:05 ET FOX (The 49ers once again will be without Frank Gore, but that did not slow them down last week, even though they were playing the Rams. The Falcons face another tough road test and are determined not to repeat what happened in New England a couple of weeks ago.)

Prediction: Falcons 23 49ers 20

Houston @ Arizona 4:15 ET CBS (Arizona had a bye last week which should help them regain their focus. They need to play much better as a team if they want to keep pace with the 49ers. The Texans have a very good offense and if the Cardinals don't win, their season may be over. I think they are desperate enough to let that happen.)

Prediction: Texans 24 Cardinals 30

New England @ Denver 4:15 ET CBS (It is teacher vs. student. Bill Belichick vs. Josh McDaniels. How much has the young apprentice learned? That will be determined Sunday.)

Prediction: Patriots 20 Broncos 13

Seattle @ Jacksonville 4:15 ET CBS (The Jaguars offense has looked very good the last couple of weeks. Seattle has not. They need to win and with Matt Hasselbeck returning, he may give the Seahawks that boost they need. I just think the Jaguars are playing better though at this point in the season.)

Indianapolis @ Tennessee 8:20 ET NBC (Peyton Manning, Pierre Garcon, Reggie Wayne, and Dallas Clark all have to be licking their chops. The Titans cannot stop anyone on defense, especially in the secondary. This game should not even be a close one.)

Prediction: Colts 38 Titans 17

New York Jets @ Miami 8:30 ET ESPN MNF (Both teams had a first last week; the Jets suffered their first loss and the Dolphins picked up their first win. After this game, I think both teams will revert back to what they were doing the first three weeks of the season.)

Prediction: Jets 24 Dolphins 10

Well that is all I have for this week. As always, it should be another great week of football. Enjoy everyone. Until next time, c ya.

Week 4 Rewind

Stack Attack — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:28:58 GMT

Hello everyone. What a great week of football last week. Man oh man. Due to some technical difficulties, the normal format of this post will be changed slightly. Let's take a look at some of the most impressive things and some of the simply uninspiring performances as we rewind on the NFL, Week 4:

Top 5 Performances

1. Brett Favre. How can you not pick him? With all of the hype surrounding this game, Favre played as good as he has in a game in a long time. He cotained his nerves, nerves which he said has has never felt before a game ever including the game he played the night after his father died. He picked apart the Packers defense and threw the ball with some zip in helping lead the Vikings to a 30-23 win over the team that Favre played for for 16 seasons. Great performance Brett.

2. Jared Allen. Sorry to stay in the same game, but how can you not be impressed by what Jared Allen did. He had 4.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a safety against a Packers offensive line riddled with injuries. But that shouldn't take away from his performance. He pressured Aaron Rodgers all night long and is probably giving Rodgers nightmares. That was an MVP like performance by the Mullet Man.

3. Broncos. Have to include the whole team in this discussion. The defense confused and pressured Romo all second half and held up on a goal line stand. Champ Bailey played great and the Broncos offense came up big when they had to. It was a great catch by Brandon Marshall, but an even better run after the catch. Congrats Broncos. You are now being taken seriously by everyone in the NFL.

4. Defenses. I'm including both the Saints and 49ers because both defenses played incredible last week. The 49ers had 3 defenive TDs against the Rams. That is unheard of. The Saints meanwhile made Mark Sanchez look like what he is: a rookie. And Darren Sharper has regained a step that is making him a force to be reckoned with. Both teams are playing great (combined 7-1 record) and a lot of it can be contributed to their defenses.

5. Ball boy at Lions-Bears game. I'm talking about the kickoff return for a TD by Bears rookie Johnny Knox. Did you see the ball boy run down the sidelines. He is fast. Sign him up. With that speed he may find himself on an NFL roster someday. It was a fun sight to see.

Disappointments

1. Rams. No other way around it, this team is the worst in the NFL. They have nothing on offense besides Steven Jackson and they are just executing poorly. Look at the game against the 49ers. Pathetic.

2. Packers o-line. I mentioned earlier about how Jared Allen destroyed the Packers offensive line, but he wasn't alone. The Packers offensive line allowed 8 sacks in the game. Aaron Rodgers has now been sacked 20 times this season. The Packers won't get very far this year if they don't keep Rodgers upright.

3. Redskins. I know they won, but they have won both their home games by a combined 5 points to teams that are a combined 0-8. Something needs to happen in D.C. I don't know what, but something needs to fire up this team.

4. Tony Romo. Why would you throw against Champ Bailey twice at the end of the game to Sam Hurd? Come on Romo. Why Witten was blocking is another question that I've yet to find an answer to. But Romo needs to start playing more consistant. Patience is running out in Dallas and before you know it, Romo's time in Dallas may soon be done.

5. Winless teams. It is not often that you have a few winless teams that are this bad, but the Rams, Chiefs, Bucs, and Browns are all terrible. The Titans and Panthers are proving that they were overrated this season, but they at least have some weapons. The previous mentioned teams have none.

Overall, I went 10-4 in my picks this week. For the year I am 44-18. Not bad. Do you have a better performance or think that there was something else more disappointing this week in the NFL? Let me know. Until next time, c ya.

NFL Week 4 Preview

Stack Attack — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:53:50 GMT

It is hard to believe that we have reached the quarter point of the NFL season. There are some pretty good games on tap this week, and perhaps none bigger than when Brett Favre faces the Packers on Monday Night (ESPN 8:30 ET). More on that later. Now, let's take a look at the week to be in the NFL, Week 4:

Detroit @ Chicago 1:00 ET FOX (Detroit finally got their first win in what seems like forever to Lions fans. While they will win more than just that one game this year, Jay Cutler and Bears are playing really well the last couple of weeks and should beat the Lions pretty easily at home.)

Prediction: Lions 17 Bears 27

Cincinnati @ Cleveland 1:00 ET CBS (Has any team gone through as much turmoil in the first three weeks like the Browns have? Fans and the media hate Eric Mangini and there have been reports that some players don't like him either. They're offense is terrible, they can't stop anybody on defense, and changing QBs from Brady Quinn to Derek Anderson may not prove to be much of a spark. Expect the Bengals to roll the Browns.)

Prediction: Bengals 30 Browns 13

Oakland @ Houston 1:00 ET CBS (Wanted: Texans defense. Why: to stop teams from scoring. As luck would have it, the Raiders come to town, and I don't think much more needs to be said about their offense.)

Prediction: Raiders 13 Texans 24

Seattle @ Indianapolis 1:00 ET FOX (Has anyone gotten off to a stronger start for legitimate MVP other than Peyton Manning? His stats are incredible and the offense is really clicking. Facing a depleted Seahawks defense and team overall, this should be no sweat.)

Prediction: Seahawks 17 Colts 31

Tennessee @ Jacksonville 1:00 ET CBS (The Titans desperately need a win this week otherwise their season is done. The Jaguars had an impressive win last week at Houston, but can Maurice Jones-Drew carry the load once again. It is going to be tough.)

Prediction: Titans 23 Jaguars 17

New York Giants @ Kansas City 1:00 ET FOX (The Giants defense held the Bucs to 86 yards of offense and the Bucs had been able to gain some yards against the Cowboys and Bills the first two weeks, so you got to think that if Justin Tuck comes back the Chiefs won't even get to 100, right. Well maybe 150 or 175 is more reasonable. Regardless, expect a beatdown.)

Prediction: Giants 27 Chiefs 3

Baltimore @ New England 1:00 ET CBS (This is going to be a very intersting game. Balitmore's offense has clicked very well so far this year, but this is going to be a very tough test against the Patriots, who may be getting their mojo back after beating a good Falcons team last week. Expect a dogfight in this game.)

Prediction: Ravens 27 Patriots 24

Tampa Bay @ Washington 1:00 ET FOX (Jim Zorn's chair is getting pretty hot right now. Lose to the Bucs, and he's out. I don't think he or the team will let that happen.)

Prediction: Bucs 10 Redskins 24

Buffalo @ Miami 4:05 ET CBS (If the Bills want to keep T.O. happy, they better get him the ball. The Dolphins are 0-3, but they still have a lot of fight in them, and Chad Henne will want to make his debut one to remember. Still, I think the Bills get the best of him.)

Prediction: Bills 24 Dolphins 20

New York Jets @ New Orleans 4:05 ET CBS (What a game this will be. The great offensive attack of New Orleans led by Drew Brees against the stout defense of the Jets led by Bart Scott and head coach Rex Ryan. It will be great to watch. The edge goes to the Saints though because they are at home and you better believe that the fans are going to make it tough for Mark Sanchez. Plus the Saints defense will prove that they are for real.)

Prediction: Jets 17 Saints 30

Dallas @ Denver 4:15 ET FOX (The running attack of the Cowboys has been really impressive so far this year, but just as impressive has been the Broncos defense. If the Broncos win this game they are filet. This is and extremely difficult game to pick, but I'm going with the Cowboys. Broncos, if you're for real: prove me wrong! I would love to be wrong on this one.)

Prediction: Cowboys 23 Broncos 20

St. Louis @ San Francisco 4:15 ET FOX (Even with Frank Gore out, the 49ers should still be able to run all over the Rams with Glen Coffee. Should have no problems on defense given the fact that the Rams have what 3 healthy receivers and two subpar QBs?)

Prediction: Rams 10 49ers 24

San Diego @ Pittsburgh 8:20 ET NBC (The fact that L.T. is finally back on the practice field and may play against the Steelers is encouraging and makes them a trendy pick this weekend, but the Steelers are desperate for a win and playing at home under the lights will give them a little extra energy.)

Prediction: Chargers 20 Steelers 27

Green Bay @ Minnesota 8:30 ET ESPN (Ah, the game of the week. We all know that everyone is looking at this as Brett Favre vs. Green Bay and how this is a motivation game for him and all that. The key though will be if the offensive line of the Vikings can protect Favre more than the first three weeks. Adrian Peterson should have another big game, and the Vikings pass defense will need to step up a knotch to contain Aaron Rodgers, Donald Driver, and Greg Jennings. Are you ready for some football?)

Prediction: Packers 17 Vikings 27

Well that is all I have for this week. Overall my picks this year are 34-14 so I'm hoping for another good week. Enjoy the great week of football everyone. It should be spectacular. Till next time, c ya.