Last week was a tough week in predictions. There were only a few games I was 100% confident in. Congratulations to Ryan Beard for beating me by a single game for the second week in a row. A special shout out to those following the Statesman on the web and one even beating me as well, but only students are eligible for the drawing. This week has a few more tough games, but Brandon, the Assistant Sports Editor, and I have discussed them over, and here is what we decided.
The no-brainers tell me that Dallas will walk over the Rams, Houston will find relief in not playing the Colts by beating on the Falcons, and the Ravens will destroy the struggling Browns as the fans wonder what happened to the team that got in a shootout with the Bengals in the second week. Minnesota is a better team than their 1-2 record implies, but until they get a real quarterback at the helm, I don't see them winning more than four or five games this year. Playing Green Bay this week, this will not be one of those wins. I'll take Packers.
Chicago is a better team than they have been playing and I keep waiting for Detroit to turn back into a pumpkin. Philly walked all over the Lions last week, but I don't think they are done. Until the Bears get some confidence and real production out of the quarterback position, I don't see them being the threat they were last year. I never thought I would say this, but I'll take the Lions over the Bears.
The New York Jets at Buffalo game is a tough one for me, as I don't have a whole lot of confidence in either team to be able to take a win, especially with J.P. Losman out this week.
I'm going to go with the Jets, but I doubt I would be willing to put even a dollar on it. I'll take Miami over Oakland as well, for the same reason as the Jets.
Seattle will take the 49ers, even in San Francisco. Yes, the 49ers are improved, but until they prove they can be consistent, they won't be able to beat a team like the Seahawks. Tampa Bay is climbing back into the kind of team that won the Super Bowl, but I see a big game from, imagine this, Steve Smith and a Carolina win.
Indianapolis has carried the momentum from last season and has proven itself more every week. I don't see them stopping now, especially with Jay Cutler getting hurt last week. Give me the Colts. San Diego isn't quite the team they were last year and Ladainian Tomlinson really needs to step it up, or face death threats from fantasy owners all over the nation. I think it will get better this week against a no. 18 rush defense, but it will be closer than you think. I'll take the Chargers in a close one.
In my upset special, I will take the Cardinals over the Steelers. The Cardinals' two losses were really close with one tied until a field goal as the clock hit zero and the other in a sloppy game to the 49ers that they should have won. They could just as easily be 3-0 right now and we would all be talking about this game as if it were a big match up. They just may catch the Steelers off guard and put Pittsburgh on its heels, some place the Steelers haven't been all season. Look for this game to be bigger than anyone thinks.
The Philly at New York Giants game is tough, as neither team really seems like it wants to contend with Dallas for the division. This will be a big game in a difficult division. I'll take the Giants in a coin toss.
In the Monday Night Football game New England will face an embarrassed, but better than they show Cincinnati Bengals. The easy choice would be to pick the Pats in any match up, but the Bengals have a lot riding on this game. Carson Palmer can lead his team against anyone and he has a lot more pride than to let his team slide to 1-3. If all cylinders are firing for the Bengals, and that's a big "if", it will be an exciting game, but even then I'm not sure that Cincinnati will be able to pull it off anyway. I'll take the Patriots, but I won't enjoy it.
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