-3/4 million dollars later and lost pick next year, ya lots to be proud of 
The National Football League-that was the week that was
- Thread starter AAAintheBeltway
- Start date
The Pats were given the game by the Ravens, not by the refs.
Sure the 4th down call when Moss runs over the top of the safety and gets the call anyway was bunk, but the Ravens completely self-destructed. This was mostly a result of idiotic coaching. Who passes up the middle twice in a row with only 50 seconds left to score?
Doesn't matter anyway. Now my Steelers can have the pleasure of ruining the perfect season. Holmes and Polamalu will likely be back after a couple weeks off, and it'll be refreshing for the Steelers defense not to be sinking to their ankles in muddy sod.
My prediction is less than 200yds. passing from the Pats, with only about 75yds rushing. < 275yds = not enough to win the game.
OK, back to business. No picks last week, and I was 3-2 the week before I believe. Thanks for nothing Steelers. They came up very small against Miami in the muck and deserved to lose.
This week's contests start off Thursday night with two teams, the Redskins and the Bears, watching their respective seasons circle the bottom of the toilet bowl. The Redskins have had a week to forget. Their best player was murdered, they lost a gutwrencher to the Bills at home, they took six hours of plane riding to go to and from Sean Taylor's funeral Monday, then they have to meet one of last year's Superbowl teams after two days of walkthrough practice. Today's in a snowstorm, no less. The Bears, like the Skins, lost a tough one last week to put them at 5-7, and both teams have to win out to have a chance at the playoffs. Give me the under on that happening.
Both teams field decent but not overpowering defenses and terrible offenses led by green QBs with a penchant for turnovers. This game should come with a parental warning. Somehow the Skins have been installed as 3 point favorites. They struggle to beat bad teams at home,and the Bears are not a bad team. But the Bears are no bargains either. Not when their main offensive weapon is a kick returner. Avoid this one. For once, be glad you don't get the NFL Network.
In other action, six games caught my attention. Jacksonville hosts Carolina as a 10 1/2 point favorite. Carolina has been terrible with anyone not named Jake at QB. Unfortunately they only have one Jake and he is hurt. Jacksonville is knocking on the door to be an elite team. Take'em here and give the points.
Dallas visits Detroit and gives 10 1/2. A lot of points to be giving on the road, but Dallas is not only the big D but it has a pretty big O as well. Detroit might as well be spelled etroit. I hate to give this many on the road, but i'm going Cowboys here.
Buffalo is a 7 point favorite hosting Miami. Buffalo has been a plucky team, and they still have realistic playoff hopes. Has Miami given up or will they leave it all on the field seeing this as their best chance to avoid getting skunked this season? Hard to say, but they played pretty hard against the Steelers two weeks ago. The Steelers mailed their effort in, but Buffalo won't. Tempting to take Buffalo here, but Miami will win a game one week and this could be it, so I will reluctantly avoid this one.
Tennessee hosts SD in a pick'em game. I saw earlier spreads with SD as a 2 1/2 point favorite. That's a big slide, and I am a little reluctant to go against it, but I am. I think SD is rounding into form. I like the Bolts in a pick 'em game.
Minnesota is a 9 point favorite at SF. I saw an earlier spread that had them at 7, which I liked. The Vikes have been hot, but they are far from an elite team, so I have to back away from a 9 point spread and reluctantly avoid this game.
NO visits Atlanta in the MNF matchup and are 4 1/2 point favorites. NO has been a major disappointment at 5-7, but Atlanta is one of the league's weakest teams. Taking the Saints here and happy it isn't a bigger spread.
This week's contests start off Thursday night with two teams, the Redskins and the Bears, watching their respective seasons circle the bottom of the toilet bowl. The Redskins have had a week to forget. Their best player was murdered, they lost a gutwrencher to the Bills at home, they took six hours of plane riding to go to and from Sean Taylor's funeral Monday, then they have to meet one of last year's Superbowl teams after two days of walkthrough practice. Today's in a snowstorm, no less. The Bears, like the Skins, lost a tough one last week to put them at 5-7, and both teams have to win out to have a chance at the playoffs. Give me the under on that happening.
Both teams field decent but not overpowering defenses and terrible offenses led by green QBs with a penchant for turnovers. This game should come with a parental warning. Somehow the Skins have been installed as 3 point favorites. They struggle to beat bad teams at home,and the Bears are not a bad team. But the Bears are no bargains either. Not when their main offensive weapon is a kick returner. Avoid this one. For once, be glad you don't get the NFL Network.
In other action, six games caught my attention. Jacksonville hosts Carolina as a 10 1/2 point favorite. Carolina has been terrible with anyone not named Jake at QB. Unfortunately they only have one Jake and he is hurt. Jacksonville is knocking on the door to be an elite team. Take'em here and give the points.
Dallas visits Detroit and gives 10 1/2. A lot of points to be giving on the road, but Dallas is not only the big D but it has a pretty big O as well. Detroit might as well be spelled etroit. I hate to give this many on the road, but i'm going Cowboys here.
Buffalo is a 7 point favorite hosting Miami. Buffalo has been a plucky team, and they still have realistic playoff hopes. Has Miami given up or will they leave it all on the field seeing this as their best chance to avoid getting skunked this season? Hard to say, but they played pretty hard against the Steelers two weeks ago. The Steelers mailed their effort in, but Buffalo won't. Tempting to take Buffalo here, but Miami will win a game one week and this could be it, so I will reluctantly avoid this one.
Tennessee hosts SD in a pick'em game. I saw earlier spreads with SD as a 2 1/2 point favorite. That's a big slide, and I am a little reluctant to go against it, but I am. I think SD is rounding into form. I like the Bolts in a pick 'em game.
Minnesota is a 9 point favorite at SF. I saw an earlier spread that had them at 7, which I liked. The Vikes have been hot, but they are far from an elite team, so I have to back away from a 9 point spread and reluctantly avoid this game.
NO visits Atlanta in the MNF matchup and are 4 1/2 point favorites. NO has been a major disappointment at 5-7, but Atlanta is one of the league's weakest teams. Taking the Saints here and happy it isn't a bigger spread.
The Skins got by the Bears last night in a game that was every bit as ugly as I feared. For most of the first half, the teams traded dropped passes, false start penalties, 2 yard runs and missed FGs. Both starting QBs went down with gruesome knee injuries. That led to the game's sole bright spot, as Redskins backup QB Todd Collins did a fair impersonation of Joe Montana, completing 15 of 20 passes for over 200 yards and 2 TDs.
Finally, longsuffering Skins fans got to see what the Al Saunders offense can do when in the hands of a professional QB who actually understands it. Skins starter Jason Campbell has a great arm and awesome physical tools. He is poised and courageous. Collins however has years of experience in the Saunders system and knows exactly when and where to deliver the ball. Receivers were getting balls just as they made their breaks, not a count late. There was a crispness to the execution we haven't seen.
Collins will never replace Campbell as the starter, not when the Redskins gave up high draft picks to move up and draft him. Campbell is a prototype Joe Gibbs QB, big, strong guy with a big gun. Still, it will be interesting to see if Collins can continue to produce. If he does, it will go a long way to vindicating Al Saunders, who has taken a lot of criticism here for the Redskins' offensive woes.
Finally, longsuffering Skins fans got to see what the Al Saunders offense can do when in the hands of a professional QB who actually understands it. Skins starter Jason Campbell has a great arm and awesome physical tools. He is poised and courageous. Collins however has years of experience in the Saunders system and knows exactly when and where to deliver the ball. Receivers were getting balls just as they made their breaks, not a count late. There was a crispness to the execution we haven't seen.
Collins will never replace Campbell as the starter, not when the Redskins gave up high draft picks to move up and draft him. Campbell is a prototype Joe Gibbs QB, big, strong guy with a big gun. Still, it will be interesting to see if Collins can continue to produce. If he does, it will go a long way to vindicating Al Saunders, who has taken a lot of criticism here for the Redskins' offensive woes.
Well that should do it for the Pats to go undefeated so I'll see you all for the Pats/Indy Super Bowl on 1/20 in Foxboro.
Here's something not widely known from my tip man:
"Did you know that the Patriots have the 49ers 1st round draft choice?!? Do you realize they have been scouting the RB McFadden from Arkansas!?!? Way 49ers are going, Patriots might get the 2nd or 3rd pick in the draft behind Miami! Geez, talk about the rich getting richer...... I don't think they will be drafting any QBs or wide receivers..... "
Note to Steelers fans: You're stuck with a loser QB who is just good enough to damage the team for YEARS because nobody has the balls to call for his ouster. Trust me on this - I went through it with Bledsoe.
Here's something not widely known from my tip man:
"Did you know that the Patriots have the 49ers 1st round draft choice?!? Do you realize they have been scouting the RB McFadden from Arkansas!?!? Way 49ers are going, Patriots might get the 2nd or 3rd pick in the draft behind Miami! Geez, talk about the rich getting richer...... I don't think they will be drafting any QBs or wide receivers..... "
Note to Steelers fans: You're stuck with a loser QB who is just good enough to damage the team for YEARS because nobody has the balls to call for his ouster. Trust me on this - I went through it with Bledsoe.
As a Browns fan, I hope you are right.
I think, as it stands right now, the Pats would have the #2 pick. Initially most people thought that they would use this pick to trade down and recoup the pick that they lost when fined, however with the way Maroney is playing, and the obvious lack of trust that Bill has in him now, it wouldn't be a surprise if they kept the pick and took a running back. It will be fun to hear "and now, with the #2 pick in this years draft, the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots"
Right now, I fully expect the Pats to go 16-0, but the playoffs will be anything but easy. They will still have to beat probably 3 out of either Indy, Pitt, Jacksonville, Dallas, GB to win. While they can 'easily' beat any of those teams by a wide margin on any given day, as Philly and Baltimore showed, the Pats do have weaknesses. The complete lack of a running game is a concern, and it will be interesting to see if they can get it going during the last 3 games of the regular season.
Good football day yesterday. Was frantically switching between Dallas game and San Diego game during the last few mins before I remembered that I got a DVR last week.
Right now, I fully expect the Pats to go 16-0, but the playoffs will be anything but easy. They will still have to beat probably 3 out of either Indy, Pitt, Jacksonville, Dallas, GB to win. While they can 'easily' beat any of those teams by a wide margin on any given day, as Philly and Baltimore showed, the Pats do have weaknesses. The complete lack of a running game is a concern, and it will be interesting to see if they can get it going during the last 3 games of the regular season.
Good football day yesterday. Was frantically switching between Dallas game and San Diego game during the last few mins before I remembered that I got a DVR last week.
I could have picked the Pats, GB, Seattle, Minnesota and Indy. Good teams playing not so good teams and giving big spreads. But no, I had to talk myself out of those games and go with Dallas instead. The win by one point in kind of a replay of their earlier game against Buffalo. Honestly, if a favored team doesn't cover, i want them to lose the game too. Winning by one point against a 10 point spread really annoys me.
At least Jacksonville got by Carolina with a lot of room to spare. The Jags don't get a lot of national press, but no one wants ot play them in the playoffs. I guarantee that.
SD slipped by Tennessee in OT. I give the Bolts credit for winning back to back road games, but they are a tough team to get a handle on.
Those left me 2-1, with NO at Atlanta tonight. Apparently Reggie Bush will not play, which they thoughtfully waited until late in the week to announce.
At least Jacksonville got by Carolina with a lot of room to spare. The Jags don't get a lot of national press, but no one wants ot play them in the playoffs. I guarantee that.
SD slipped by Tennessee in OT. I give the Bolts credit for winning back to back road games, but they are a tough team to get a handle on.
Those left me 2-1, with NO at Atlanta tonight. Apparently Reggie Bush will not play, which they thoughtfully waited until late in the week to announce.
This is kinda of a disappointing NFL season because usually at this time there are quite a few teams fighting for Playoff spots.
This year with 3 weeks left to play almost every spots has been decided. Only good game this week is(Bills at Browns) and this is for the final AFC wildcard spot.
Can the Dolphins beat the Ravens or Bengals at home to avoid 0-16???
Let me throw something interesting at you and YES I had a Cowboys fan tell me this at least 12 times this weekend:
(IF Cowboys did not have to play the Pats this year we(his cowboys)would be 13-0 right NOW!!!!)
In reviewing the schedule of the NFC east teams they just happened to be scheduled to play the AFC east this year if that were not the case then its quite possible that both PATS and COWBOYS could both be 13-0!!!!!
This year with 3 weeks left to play almost every spots has been decided. Only good game this week is(Bills at Browns) and this is for the final AFC wildcard spot.
Can the Dolphins beat the Ravens or Bengals at home to avoid 0-16???
Let me throw something interesting at you and YES I had a Cowboys fan tell me this at least 12 times this weekend:
(IF Cowboys did not have to play the Pats this year we(his cowboys)would be 13-0 right NOW!!!!)
In reviewing the schedule of the NFC east teams they just happened to be scheduled to play the AFC east this year if that were not the case then its quite possible that both PATS and COWBOYS could both be 13-0!!!!!