So far it looks like My picks weren’t as great this week, still holding on hope for the Chargers pick tonight! So far this week though, I am 10-5, So not too bad but still. 

More to come after tonight!

Right - Titans, Broncos, Ravens, Steelers, Patriots, Panthers, Jets, Packers, 49ers, Saints, 

Wrong - Chiefs, Seahawks, Falcons, Raiders, Arizona

Okay, so this is a few days later than I normally would post, but I have been busy the past few days. So here we go!

Seattle vs Eagles

I honestly thought the Eagles would try to salvage their season and be hungry enough to pull of a win here, but it didn’t turn out that way, so that’s already one pick wrong this weekend.

Titans  19  Bills  15

I think the Bills have been exposed, and the Titans have had some really decent plays the past few weeks. I see the Titans on top of this one.

Chiefs  10   Bears 17

This is gonna be a bizarre match up in the fact that we would have Tyler Palko and Caleb Hanie offenses…Yeah who would’ve thought this would happen this late in the year? Chicago will squeak by here, and I am thoroughly convinced that Kyle Orton will end up playing this weekend, but it won’t be enough this week. (Also going forward I see Kyle Orton soon being the starter)

Falcons  22  Texans: 14

I think the Falcons have the more explosive offense here with the good ole favorites Roddy White, Michael Turner, and Tony Gonzalez. Houston has the number one defense, for sure, but I don’t see their offense creating as much as would be needed to keep pace with the D’s play, so the Falcons edge out.

Raiders  18   Miami 17

Miami has found a small stride. They fell to the Cowboys to almost this close of a score. The Raiders I do think win this, but not by much, because even last weekend their offense failed to produce besides a ton of field goals, so it will be close.

Denver  17   Minnesota 10

Minnesota has failed defensively to cover receivers this year with the injury-depleted cornerback group. Denver has a good stride going, and I think their defense can take advantage of a young, but still promising, quarterback.

Patriots  45  Colts 7

Does anything really have to be said about this one?

Bengals  24  Steelers 27

I really want to root for the Bengals in this game (and I will be cheering them on) But I have to give the Steelers the homefield advantage here, I won’t mind if the Bengals prove me wrong with this pick however.

Panthers  20   Bucs 16

The Bucs have been fairly disappointing this year, and I think the win over the Colts last week probably gave Cam Newton a little more confidence, and I think the team will definitely play for pride for the remainder of the season.

Jets 26  Redskins 13

The Redskins have shown some more prowess on offense the last two weeks, but against the Jets and Darrelle Revis…Yeah, Im gonna give this one to the Jets.

Baltimore: 30  Cleveland 17

Cleveland was playing a good game against the Bengals last weekend, but failed to deliver the fatal blow, and Cincy ended up winning. There’s a reason they’re a below .500 team. I think the Ravens have the mindset that they want to silence any potential doubters and critics who criticized them for not being able to win against losing teams or on the road. Cleveland is a divisional opponent, so I think the Ravens will treat them as serious competition, and will use their chance to show they’re over their early struggles.

Cowboys  34   Arizona 14

I think the Cowboys will take care of business, but it will be nice to see another Patrick Peterson punt return!

Packers  31   Giants: 23

The Giants are possibly the last significant roadblock in the Packers’ quest for perfection, and they may be craving to prove they’re better than they had played the last two weeks, but I think the Packers will maintain their winning grasp.

Rams  10    49ers  21

I think the 49ers are talented enough to handle their business against their divisional rivals.

Saints  38   Lions 17

I think its unfair that the Saints get so many primetime home games (just like how the Jags get two home Monday Night Games, and the Ravens don’t… I don’t get how that makes sense) I can’t see the Lions really stopping Drew Brees much.

Chargers 17  Jags 14 

Yes, the Chargers have slumped greatly, and it makes it really difficult to pick them for this one, but there’s nothing from Jacksonville besides a nice defense to make me belive San Diego won’t finally break their losing streak.

So its official, from starting to make picks about who will win each game, I am 26-4, almost had a perfect picking weekend if Tebow did do his whole ‘winning’ thing…

So I was watching NFL Redzone this weekend when I saw the Stevie Johnson TD dance that mocked Plaxico Burress and the Jets’ normal TD celebration. I thought it was funny. And I’m sorry, but I hate these ‘excessive celebration’ penalties. I really think they’re retarded. It’s the equivalent of telling a ten year old he can’t brag about beating someone in school yard dodgeball or something. I just think refs tend to act too much like kindergarden teachers who need to watch and modify every single behavior they see. 

Another point - thank the lord Jack Del Rio was fired. I said it from the moment they released David Garrard - the Jags season was done. sure they pulled a few upsets (namely the Ravens and Tennessee) but still. What a horrible decision and what a terrible way to make that decision - three days before the real season started, Seriously? I knew Del Rio wouldn’t survive this year. 

Also, as I am writing this, I am watching the NFL Replay of Denver vs San Diego, and it’s just insane how such a terrible passing quarterback can have this much success and such a tremendous fan base. Seriously, watching him throw is painful. It looks like he struggles to make a single pass. Although that team has brought themselves back from oblivion, I think their style of offense won’t cut it in the playoffs if they are to make it in. Honestly, they havent really face a ‘good’ defense while using this new offense. Once they face the Steelers or Ravens with that offense, I’m sure the game would get away from them quick. I seriously believe if you go two touchdowns, let’s say a team gets 14 points and denver gets nothing to start out a game, the game would be over. Tebow’s great for pulling out a win after the defense keeps it close, but once a team gets one or two scores higher, im sure we would see this Tebow defense fall apart. But whatever, may be fun to enjoy the show until that screeching halt. 

In terms of my football picks for this weekend, without yet knowing the result of tonight’s game, I am currently sitting at 14 - 1 this weekend! :D If my prediction comes true tonight, i’ll be 15 - 1 this weekend and 26 - 4 for the last two weeks. Not too shabby I think!

So, like I said, started off with 11 - 3 last week. Let’s try my second round!

Ravens: 24 49ers: 14

I really think the 49ers have not faced a defense like the Ravens. Not only that, if necessary, Flacco can put the Ravens on his back. Alex Smith doesn’t strike me as a quarterback who can do that yet. He may get there under Jim, but not yet.

Dolphins: 24 Cowboys: 31

The Dolphins have shown a recent resurgence under Matt Moore, but I think Romo, Demarco Murray, Dez Bryant, are all in a good grove, and their defense can be somewhat picked apart, but I think overall Dallas has the better chance in this one

Packers: 35  Lions: 27

As much as I want to say the Lions win this game…the Packers are just too good. I think Detroit will make this very competitive, but I think the Pack pulls away near the end.

Falcons: 25  Vikings: 10

No Adrian Peterson…nuff said

Browns: 13 Bengals: 30

The Bengals are a good young team, I think Dalton could have a field day with the young receiving threats they have. Plus no way after losing two divisional games in a row they’re going to drop a third. They’re too good.

Panthers: 31 Colts: 7

Yeah…let’s just say this is going to happen. Cam gets a win for a change against just a really sad team without Manning.

Texans: 20 Jags: 14

I do believe the Texans win this, but I have to see how Matt Leinert plays in this system, so I predict a lower score.

Jets: 21  Bills: 9

The Jets smacked the Bills last time around, and the Bills have basically sunken into “flash in a pan” type of early success team.

Cardinals: 14 Rams: 7

Yes folks, this will be another sad NFC West game. I think the Cards have a tiny bit better chance to win, but really this is a coin flip pick.

Bucs: 17  Titans: 20

I think the Titans can bounce back easily, and I really can’t figure out the Bucs, so yeah I think Titans make a few more plays.

Bears: 13  Raiders: 21

Both teams are suffering from injuries, and I’m not exactly sure how exactly the Bears will respond without Jay Cutler, and the Raiders WR depth is thin, so this won’t be very pretty, but Raiders win.

Redskins: 19  Seahawks: 14

Again, I really can’t figure out these teams, so I’m gonna give a very small edge to ‘Skins.

Patriots: 38  Eagles: 17

The Eagles showed up last game, surprisingly. And really it was the Pats game that my score guessing was the closest. I think the Eagles can keep it close near the beginning, but with an improving defense and Tom Brady, Pats pull away near the end

Broncos: 14 Chargers: 21

As much as Tebow impressed me last week, I can’t see the Chargers dumping this one.

Steelers: 34  Chiefs: 10

The Steelers eat inexperienced quarterbacks for breakfast…Unless Kyle Orton plays, which I really doubt, I think the Steelers come out and dominate this one

Saints: 37  Giants: 30

This game has great potential to be a shoot out, with the Giants wanting to reestablish themselves after that Eagles loss, but the Saints offense is just too overpowering, especially after a bye.

So there you have it! Hopefully I have just as a successful picking weekend as last time!

So, I thought I did terribly on my predictions this past weekend, and I actually had a good start. 

11 - 3 

Not too bad I think for my first time officially picking games. Tim Tebow and the Broncos were the surprise of the week. I did honestly think the Bills could put it together to beat Miami, but I guess they decided not to show up. and poor Jags and Browns…so much drama for a game next to one cared about, but oh well. My picks for this weekend will be forthcoming, but just a preview - I’m choosing the Ravens to win against the 49ers this Thursday. So come back here tomorrow night for my early predictions!

Okay, so after my first prediction blog…a lot of mine turned out wrong, but I was close with some of them, and some had similar scores like the one I predicted, but which team won was what I was wrong on. Ah, oh well, I’ll post a wrap up after Monday Night Football, just needed to vent a few thoughts.

So I just had a debate on Facebook over who has an easier route to the playoff race. Naturally, the person I argued against was a Steelers fan. Who naturally said, the Steelers have the easier route to the playoffs. So, I tried to look at both schedules as objectively as possible, which is hard for me to do as a Ravens fan, but I think I have some legitimate thoughts on the subject. Let’s start with the Ravens.

As we all know, the Ravens face the 9 - 1 49ers this Thursday. Now, I honestly believe the Ravens will win this game. Why? Few reasons: 1) Homefield advantage. The Ravens will only have 4 days before they’ll be playing again, but they stay at home. The advantage instantly goes to the Ravens as the 49ers will lose practice time since they have to travel across the country on a short week. 2) Lee Evans back in the line-up. Sure Evans didn’t do anything this weekend, but the fact that we got some real game reps without having a setback sets up some potentially amazing things for the offense. Torrey is finding his stride as the secondary wide receiver, especially with an impressive showing today. With Lee and Torrey as speed demons on the outside, it’ll open up Boldin, Pitta, and Dickson over the middle, and the Ravens could be really tough to handle. 3) There’s one key beating the 49ers - DEFENSE. Shut down Frank Gore, get pressure on Alex Smith, and it will be a hard night for them. BONUS - The Ravens respond to their level of competition, and they will be itching to prove their worth against one of the better teams in the NFL. 

That being said, the 49ers are a tough team, but the reasons above lead me to believe they are fallible.

From there, The Ravens will face the Chargers on the road, which could be difficult, but the Chargers have been throwing goose eggs almost every game, Phillip Rivers is not playing at his normal level, and there’s nothing to indicate that they have been improving. I believe this will be a shoot-out, but with Rivers leading the league in interceptions, it’s not hard to think Ed Reed could do a little feasting. The Ravens also face the Browns twice, the Bengals once more, and the Colts. Who cares if the Ravens hae been losing to sub-par teams, I can’t see them dropping one against Curtis Painter. That’s not gonna happen. The Ravens have been a natural Browns-killer over the past few years, so whether its at home or away the Ravens have the advantage there. The only real tough game I see in the pipeline is away Bengals game, in Cincy where the Ravens have typically struggled, but prior to this year the Ravens typically struggled against the Steelers at Pittsburgh as well and we all know what happened there…. So it may be tough, but the Ravens could do it. Now, it’s always possible they may drop one of these games, but I still think they can go on a run.

As for the Steelers, their schedule is remarkably similar. They face the 49ers, the Chiefs, The Bengals once more, the Browns twice, and the Rams. The 49ers are a contender, so just like the Ravens game, it could be a tough one, and really could go either way. The Chiefs…we have to see how they fair with Tyler Palko at QB. Losing Matt Cassel hurts a lot, but their defense has had some flashes of great ability, so again, we have to see how the Monday Night game plays out before we can judge this. The Bengals lost to the Steelers in the same way they lost to the Ravens - by one touchdown. Naturally Steelers get homefield advantage, but definitely can be a close game, just how the first one was.  The Rams…yeah they’ll crush the Rams, unless the Rams decide to “Ball So Hard” since they have nothing left to lose at this point. 

So really do I think either team will go undefeated? No. I believe both teams have a chance here to lose at least one, but I can’t see either of them really losing more than one game down the stretch. Like I said, just had to vent my thoughts, we’re gonna be in for a tight AFC North race!

This is the poster for ‘Equilibrium’ a film being made by and starring Kat Parker. I’m the producer of the film, and one of the actors. It’s a deep philosophical film that is based on the idea that good and evil exist in a balance, a balance that will lead Atlanta, the main character, to make choices that will change her life and the lives of everyone around her. Check it out when it is done on Youtube: www.youtube.com/TheKatParker

And I was wrong the same day as my first prediction blog - what a win by the Broncos, Mike Mayock said it best: “I don’t know what it is about this kid, but whatever it is, it’s magical.” I am convinced. Tebow’s a winner, and this couldn’t have been any better for Denver. WOW.

So, I have decided to make my own picks for each football game this week. I may not do film study, but so far my picks this year for who will win each game has been just as accurate as some analysts. So here we go:

Jets: 30  Broncos: 10

The Broncos will get down the field with a pretty good running game against a Jets D whose run defense has been somewhat faulty but improving, but Denver’s offensive plan will eventually burn out against the Jets, forcing Tebow to throw to…I don’t know, since Decker will be covered by Revis.

Baltimore: 21  Cincy: 14

Baltimore has proven they cannot seem to succed against sucky teams, but they sure match up against the tougher squads very well. Cincy, even with their impressive young quarterback, will definitely suffer from no AJ Green, but will keep it close.

Jaguars: 17  Browns: 10

Maurice Jones Drew will have a good game running the ball, and the Jags will carry some momentum from their win over the Colts (since most seemed to believe the Colts would win their first game this season) Not a pretty game either way however.

Panthers: 10  Lions: 20

Cam Newton will play better than last week, and Matt Stafford will definitely be looking for redemption. The Detroit front line I believe will harass Cam a little. Calvin Johnson will give Detroit the win against a Panthers secondary that’s only a little worse than the Lions.’

Buccaneers: 14  Packers: 45

Green Bay is simply on a roll, and the Bucs are sort of stuck between good and bad. I don’t think the Bucs defense will do anything to slow down Aaron Rodgers.

Buffalo: 30  Miami: 17

Miami has been hitting somewhat of a stride recently while Buffalo has slipped a little. I think the Bills will right the ship here, but the Dolphins will make it competitive for a good chunk of the game at least.

Raiders: 27  Minnesota: 14

Adrian Peterson could definitely have a decent day running the ball, but all of the problems of the Vikings keep them from ever really getting on top of this one. Plus with the Vikings being thinned out at corner, they’ll have a tough time with the Raiders’ fast receivers and Carson Palmer hitting his stride as a Raider.

Dallas: 24  Redskins: 17

These teams always seem to play each other pretty close. With the Redskins seemingly uncomfortable with either of their quarterbacks, it’s that inconsistent play that will plague them in this game. The Cowboys are starting to find their winning ways after an up and down start to the season, I seem them continuing that here.

Arizona: 14  49ers: 34

Okay, so I may be a little generous with this point spread, but Arizona has shown some life the past few games, so I expect them to get some points on the board, but the 49ers are very talented and have definitely proved they’re a legitimate team, I can’t see Arizona slowing them down here.

Seattle: 24  St Louis: 14

Seattle had a decent outing enough to knock off the Ravens, and possibly gained enough momentum to continue having some offensive success against a still low-ranked St Louis secondary. My scores are probably a little generous, but I’m willing to give these teams a chance.

Titans: 27  Falcons: 31

Atlanta just lost at home, and I don’t really think their home field advantage is as strong as the record may indicate, so I think this could be a close game. Both teams will have some success running the ball, and that’s where I think Atlanta will have the edge.

Chicago: 24  Chargers: 21

Another game that I think could be close. Phillip Rivers I think may get somewhat harassed by a Bears D that’s fresh off a multi-int day against the Lions. Phillip Rivers has struggled this year, so that’s why I am leaning towards Chicago

Giants: 27  Eagles: 14

A lot of my score guessing is similar for this week, but just look at the situation: If Vick is hurt, they have to rely on Vince Young. The offense has been sputtering as it is, but the Giants are having a rather good season and would love to prove themselves after a tough loss to San Fran.

Patriots: 35  Chiefs: 7

With Matt Cassel hurt the Chiefs’ chances are really circling the drain. Dwayne Bowe will make a play to keep it from being a shut out, but I think the Pats are too dynamically charged on offense, especially after a big win over the Jets, to be held back by an up and down Chiefs secondary