Week Fifteen

Owning Up

Warming up is all the action Donovan McNabb
will see for the remainder of this season.
(Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

I have never been able to understand why Donovan McNabb catches so much grief from coaches. McNabb was a terrific quarterback in Philadelphia under head coach Andy Reid all while battling many injuries and Terrell Owens, arguably his only elite receiver in his career. Other than the time with Owens, it is hard to say that McNabb has ever had solid receiving. DeSean Jackson is just this year becoming an elite receiver for the Eagles, but that doesn't help McNabb when he is in Washington with a clearly past-his-prime Santana Moss, Anthony Armstrong, and Brandon Banks.

However, McNabb has always put up steady numbers by throwing for well over 3000 yards in seasons when he has played 14 or more games. He also has 230 touchdowns in his 12 seasons compared to 115 interceptions, giving him an exact 2:1 touchdown to interception ratio. It isn't the best, but a lot of teams would take two touchdowns for every interception thrown.

Perhaps I am wrong, but I feel that Donovan McNabb gets a bad rap. Most of us remember when he was pulled by Reid in Philadelphia for the young Kevin Kolb (literally at halftime of a game that was very much in reach; also, symbolically through the trade to Washington in which Kolb gained the Eagles job). Also, earlier this year when entering into the two-minute drill against the Lions, Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan pulled McNabb in favor of one of the NFL's biggest busts Rex Grossman. On Grossman's first play, he was sacked, fumbled, and had the ball returned for a touchdown, ending the 'Skins' chance at a win.

So why now is Shanahan making McNabb his third-string quarterback for the remainder of the season? I am almost all out of answers. Donovan McNabb has always been one of the leagues classiest players and consistently performs well on the field, but somehow he ends up in a bad situation like he is in now. After signing a 5-year extension with the Redskins, Shanahan cannot promise McNabb a spot on the team next year. Therefore, it seems Donovan McNabb will have to either start shopping for a new team or start writing his retirement speech.

Predictions


Last week my wins were down, but I still had one of my better weeks this season. Crazy how those things work out, am I right? I finished last week with a 10-5 record which puts my record for the season at 100-71. Here is what I have lined up this week:

Browns, Cowboys, Texans, Colts, Chiefs, Bills, Eagles, Buccaneers, Cardinals, Saints, Falcons, Raiders, Steelers, Patriots, Bears


p.s. I am very happy with the trade made by my Phoenix Suns. I will miss having Jason Richardson, but I am happy with a solid post presence in Marcin Gortat and the wily veteran Vince Carter in the back-court.

p.p.s. My Ohio Bobcats had a rough day yesterday. Our football team got demolished by Troy in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. Meanwhile, our basketball team suffered a crushing four overtime loss to St. Bonaventure. Rough day for Bobcats all over.

p.p.p.s. For more senseless babble, follow me on Twitter @Bradley_W_Parks.

Top NBA Point Guards

I have heard this debate countless times since the NBA season began and the question is an intriguing one to think about: Who is the best point guard in the NBA? With so many talented point guards in this league, many find it hard to decide who is the best. I have come up with my top NBA point guards as food for thought and perhaps more fuel for debate.

5) Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets

Chris Paul drives the lane against Miami on Monday night.
Mandatory copyright notice: Copyright NBAE 2010
(Photo by Victor Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)

Chris Paul has had one of the most well-rounded games at the point guard position since he has entered the league. He was drafted in 2005 out of Wake Forest and has started every game he has played in since coming into the NBA. What makes Chris Paul a great point guard is his leadership. The Hornets were a below-average team when Paul came in and right away he had to take charge of the team. In his rookie season, Paul averaged 16.1 points along with 7.8 assists and 2.2 steals per game. His achievements won him the Rookie of the Year award for the 2005-2006 season. Since his rookie year, Paul has not let up as he has become a much better shooter, increasing his field goal percentage by about six percentage points over his five seasons in the league. In this Paul's sixth year, he has managed to get the entire team performing at a high level this season as they are now in seventh place in the Western Conference at 14-10. This year, Chris Paul is among the top ten point guards in scoring, top five in assists, and leads in steals. Paul's all-around solid play on offense scoring points and dropping dimes along with his defensive prowess garnering pilfers makes him an easy pick for a top five NBA point guard.

4) Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

Russell Westbrook fires a pass over Minnesota's
Sebastian Telfair. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt)

This only being his third year in the league, many people would find it difficult to list Russell Westbrook above Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo in a top point guards competition. However, I think that the 2010-2011 season will be the season that locks this guy in as a prime-time performer in the NBA. The thing that really sets him apart from other point guards in the league is his athleticism. Westbrook is a player that is a game-changer. He is a dynamic scorer that can also rack up assists and steals. Another advantage Westbrook has over other point guards is his rebounding ability. This year he leads the league in rebounds among point guards and in his short two-year career Westbrook has averaged nearly five rebounds to go along with 16 points, a couple of steals, and about seven assists. His rebounding ability and incredible elevation is something that puts him above Paul in my book. In the few years since the Seattle Sonics underwent a move and a name change, the Thunder have become one of the teams to beat in the West as this year they are fifth in the conference at 17-8. Westbrook along with Kevin Durant have got the Thunder looking thunderous indeed and Russ's play at point guard is a huge factor in their success over the past few years and that is why he makes my top five.

3) Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls

Derrick Rose drives on Pacers' guard TJ Ford.
Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2010 NBAE
(Photo by Ray Amati/NBAE via Getty Images)

Derrick Rose may be ranked at number three right now, but he is a player on the rise on a team on the rise. Right now, not even the sky is limiting Rose as he is already an elite player in this league in only his third year. His stats don't jump too far away from Westbrook's, but watching Rose play you can tell what a terrific leader this guy is. Rose has the leadership of Paul and the skill set of Westbrook (just a little more skilled, in my opinion). Another thing that Rose has on Westbrook is the fact that he doesn't have Kevin Durant on his team. No offense to the Bulls, but they don't have a player that comes close to the talent of Durant. Rose is clearly the leader of his team, whereas Durant is the clear leader of the Thunder, not Westbrook. Rose has greatly improved his three-point percentage (up nearly 16 percentage points from last year) and has led his team to a 15-8 record so far this season, third in the Eastern Conference. Rose also leads all point guards in scoring at 24.7 points per game to go along with 8.3 assists per game. Derrick Rose is an obvious MVP candidate early in the season and the Bulls are looking to make a big impact in the playoffs this season as well, putting Rose in my top three.

2) Deron Williams, Utah Jazz

Deron Williams goes up and around the Warriors'
Dan Gadzuric. Mandatory Copyright Notice:
Copyright 2010 NBAE
(Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)

This is where the job of ranking the top point guards gets tough (not that it was easy before). A top five gives me a little leeway and allow some room for interpretation, but when as we enter into the top two there is little room for error. The next two point guards are as close to being tied as can possibly be, but just for the sake of argument I have to go with a hard ranking system. Deron Williams is one of the most talented players in this league. The way he runs the Utah Jazz down the floor is amazing to watch. Williams is consistently one of the best shooters in the league with a career field goal percentage of almost 47 percent. "D-Will" has averaged a double-double for the past three years of his career and is a few assists away from having that this year as well. His scoring average is up by more than four points this season and is third among point guards. Williams' free throw percentage is up by 16 points since his rookie year as he is now shooting 86 percent this season. In all of the major stat categories (points, assists, and rebounds) Williams has improved each year. Now with the additions of center Al Jefferson and forward Gordon Hayward the Jazz are looking to make a playoff run as they are 18-8 and sitting in fourth in the West. The point guard play and leadership of Deron Williams may be the biggest reason why the Jazz are playing so well. He's easily in the top two point guards in the NBA.

1) Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns

Steve Nash fires a pass against the Blazers' Andre Miller.
(AP Photo/Matt York)

There are only a few things that put Steve Nash apart from Deron Williams. Both are terrific scorers, insane passers, and all-around incredible point guards. However, Nash is one of the best shooters the NBA has ever seen and, in my opinion, the best passer in NBA history. When playing the popular video game NBA 2K11 by 2K Sports, the analysts talk about Nash's history playing soccer and that when he was allowed to use his hands to make passes in basketball it was just unfair. I think the one thing that makes Nash different as a passer (other than his soccer skills) is the fact that Nash isn't afraid to turn the ball over. He takes big risks taking passes and a lot of the time it pays off. He makes the passes that other point guards are afraid to make. Nash is currently in second place in the league for assists averaging ten a game. He's having one of his best scoring seasons of his career at 36 years old. Age is another thing that sets Nash apart from other point guards in the league. Among my top five, Nash is at least ten years older than the other four. Nash is sixth in scoring and second in assists among point guards at 36! I think that is the main reason why I chose Nash over all other point guards is because he is an elite point guard with a below-average team and he is a decade or more older than the competition. Steve Nash should easily be a first-ballot hall-of-famer. All he's missing is a ring. With how he is playing, I don't think age will limit his chances at getting one. Though it was tough, I think Steve Nash is very deserving of the title of best point guard in the NBA.

There you have it. Among all of the talented young point guards in the NBA, the old warrior Steve Nash is the one that emerges as the best on my list. This NBA season has been one to remember so far and the best part is: we're just getting started.

p.s. Good luck to my Ohio Bobcats today on the basketball court and on Saturday on the football field.

p.p.s. For more senseless babble, follow me on Twitter @Bradley_W_Parks.

Week Fourteen

Owning Up

A Patriots fan holds up a sign at Monday night's game.
(AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Where are those New York Jets we saw earlier in the season? Yes, they are 9-3, but last week they were trounced by division rivals the New England Patriots. Still, Jets head coach Rex Ryan remained positive when he said that even though the Pats beat them so badly in Foxboro, they beat the Pats badly at home too so all is well.

But 45-3? The Jets beat the Patriots 28-14 when they played at home. That's a narrow escape compared to how badly the Pats bludgeoned the Jets on Monday night. Could it be as well in New York as Coach Ryan says it is?

In the past seven games, the Jets have not won by more than six points excluding the game in Cincinnati which they won 26-10. All of their wins in that span have come over sub-.500 teams, with both the Lions and Browns taking them to overtime. Also, in that span they were shut out by the Packers 9-0 and, as mentioned, clobbered by New England.

Even though they have come out of this seven-game stretch with a 5-2 record, the Jets seem to be in a bit of a slide if you look at it. Mark Sanchez and company look to get back on track this week against divisional foes the Miami Dolphins. The Jets are not in extremely hot water here as they do still sit at 9-3, as I mentioned. However, if they would like to live up to their Super Bowl expectations then they'd best be careful as we enter the final stretch.

Predictions


Last week marked my best week of predictions to date as I finished with a 12-3 record. That puts my season record at 90-66. Here are my teams for this week:

Browns, Packers, Steelers, Buccaneers, Falcons, Jaguars, Saints, Seahawks, Patriots, Jets, Broncos, Chargers, Eagles, Ravens, Giants


p.s. Be on the lookout for my top five NBA point guards this week!

p.p.s. In case I forget, good luck to my Ohio Bobcats in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl on Saturday against Troy.

p.p.p.s. For more senseless babble, follow me on Twitter @Bradley_W_Parks.

Week Thirteen

Owning Up

Chargers S Eric Weddle scores off a Manning interception.
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Where have the Indianapolis Colts gone? That is a question that seems to be resonating throughout the NFL right now. The Colts are sitting at 6-5, tied for the AFC South lead with Jacksonville. Usually, the Indianapolis is able to run away with the division. For quite a few years Peyton Manning and the boys have been a lock to win. People counted on it.

However, now the Colts are, as mentioned, tied for the lead at 6-5 with the Jags, followed close behind by both the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans at 5-6. For what reasons we don't quite know yet.

It is never easy to blame it on the great Peyton Manning and it still is, but their loss last week to the Chargers was not his best. Manning threw four interceptions with two being returned for touchdowns. The Colts defense only allowed one offensive touchdown, but the Chargers still managed to drop 36 to the Colts' 14. Therefore, although it is never easy to blame Manning, it is easy to say that without those four picks and two touchdowns the Colts would have had a much better shot at winning.

Moving forward, Indy simply needs to play like the Indy we know. It will be difficult with all of the injuries on offense including but not limited to Joseph Addai and Dallas Clark. However, as many have said before, Peyton Manning can make any offense look like an all-star team. Manning needs to cool down and continue playing at the high level he has played at his whole career.

Predictions

Last week went fairly well for me. I'm beginning to think I'm not too bad at making picks. Watch, this week I'll end up losing a large amount of games. Consider me jinxed. Last week I went 8-5 which leaves my season record at 78-63. I will try to improve on that this week with these picks:

Saints, Bears, Packers, Jaguars, Chiefs, Browns, Vikings, Giants, Chargers, Colts, Rams, Seahawks, Falcons, Steelers, Jets

p.s. I had a great time broadcasting the game last night. It's good to be back. Look forward to more high school basketball on ross.localsportsradio.com.

p.p.s. Shout out to my Phoenix Suns on winning a couple of games this weekend.

p.p.p.s. For more senseless babble, follow me on Twitter @Bradley_W_Parks.

We'll all be witnesses

Tomorrow is the day Cleveland Cavaliers fans have been waiting for since Decision 2010: The day LeBron James returns to Cleveland to face his former team and his hometown that seemingly hates him. After watching the Dan Patrick Show this morning I find myself agreeing with Dan Patrick about what this game means.

Patrick along with special guests Jason Whitlock (FOX Sports) and Michael Wilbon (great American citizen and co-host of Pardon The Interruption) brought up the point that people are forgetting that there is a basketball game to be played tomorrow night. What fans or people simply interested in the LeBron James saga are waiting for is the initial reaction of the Cleveland fans. When the name "LeBron James" is read over the loud speaker, what will the fans do? I think most can agree that cheering is out of the question. Will they boo? How loud? Will they remain silent? In Miami's first game against Boston, every time James got the ball boos rained down upon him...against Boston!

We can only sit and wait to see what Cleveland fans will do tomorrow night before the game, but do not forget about the game itself. The Cavaliers are not exactly the cream of the crop, but the Heat are going through a rough patch right now and have not played well, or at least not as well as everyone expected. Wilbon predicts that the Cavs will win this one and I must agree with him. I am a firm believer in poetic justice. For example, when Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips incited a brawl by tapping St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina's shinguards and Molina followed up in his next at-bat with a home run. Therefore, on the grounds that poetic justice is always served I am picking the Cavs to win tomorrow. This should be a fun one.

p.s. The game can be seen live on TNT at 8 P.M. EST.

p.p.s. That game will be followed by my Phoenix Suns at the Golden State Warriors at 10:30 P.M. EST. I am actually much more excited for this game than the Cavs/Heat game.

p.p.p.s. Tune as Tyler Bridge and I call the "Battle of the Rams" as Ross takes on Badin in the opening weekend for high school boys basketball. All of the action can be caught on ross.localsportsradio.com at 7:30 P.M. EST.

p.p.p.p.s. For more senseless babble, follow me on Twitter @Bradley_W_Parks.

Week Twelve

Owning Up

Head coach Marvin Lewis may be in hot water.
(Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

I feel there is a lot of owning up to do, not for me but for my hometown team, the Cincinnati Bengals. What went wrong? Last year was a terrific year for the Bengals as they went undefeated in the AFC North and made it to the playoffs. This year they did not lose too many players other than troubled field goal kicker Shayne Graham (which in all reality was probably for the best). Cincinnati was able to pick up multiple weapons on offense in Terrell Owens, Jordan Shipley, and Jermaine Gresham. Seemingly, the Bengals should have done even better this year with a more high-powered offense to go with that stellar defense of last season. However, as most of us know, that is not how it has turned out.

Cincinnati now sits at 2-9 and the only real positives are the success of TO and the seemingly high draft pick the Bengals will have next April. Now the question for Cincinnati becomes: What do they fix? I think the biggest problems are the men behind the play-calling on offense: Head coach Marvin Lewis and offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has dealt with his fair share of bad luck this season with all of the trouble at the safety position (i.e. injury/age of Roy Williams and injuries Gibril Wilson, Chris Crocker, and Chinedum Ndukwe. Also, injuries to corners Adam Jones and Brandon Gee have not helped.

The trouble is more on the offensive side of the ball. The Bengals' play-calling has been absolutely horrendous this season. The offense has been attempting far too many runs in long-yardage situations. We all know of Carson Palmer's struggles at quarterback. His numbers are not terrible, but he will make just a few throws every game that put the team in a position to lose and leave Cincinnati fans shaking their heads. His play this year has some people thinking that it may be time for a change for the men in stripes, on the sideline and on the field.

Predictions


Those darn Cowboys are starting to play well with Wade Phillips out. I may have to start picking them...or not. Last week was a good one for me despite forgetting completely to pick the Monday Night Game. My record for Week Eleven was 10-4 which leaves my season record at 70-58. I do believe I will go with the same strategy as last week to see if I can build a sizable streak. Here are my winners for this week:

Packers, Steelers, Browns, Giants, Redskins, Texans, Raiders, Chiefs, Eagles, Rams, Ravens, Colts, 49ers


p.s. Be sure to listen in this Saturday as I get back on the mic for Ross High School basketball as the Rams take on the other Rams from Badin. I would tell you who I am announcing alongside, but I do not know yet. I will keep you posted. Catch all of the action on ross.localsportsradio.com.

p.p.s. My Ohio Bobcats lost the MAC East this weekend. 'Tis a sad day in Athens when we give up the conference title to Miami.

p.p.p.s. How do you like my new design? I am still working on it.

p.p.p.p.s. For more senseless babble, follow me on Twitter. twitter.com/bradley_w_parks

Someone should light a fire under the Heat

Heat players look on from the bench in their 93-77 loss to the Pacers
(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

The Miami Heat were supposed to run the table. They were supposed to be unbeatable this year after Pat Riley went out and snagged LeBron James and Chris Bosh this offseason to play alongside Dwayne Wade. However, things have not gone as swimmingly as a lot of people figured they would for the "New Big Three."

The Heat lost their opening game against, in my opinion, the real "Big Three" of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics. An 88-80 defeat at the hands of Eastern Conference powerhouse Boston was not what was expected of high-powered Miami. Now the Heat sit at 8-6 and play the Orlando Magic tonight and could perhaps be facing yet another loss.

Coming into tonight's matchup, the Heat are on a two-game losing streak after being slammed by the Pacers on Monday, a game in which Wade only had three points. Although Bosh has finally gotten his game going averaging 24.5 points and 10.25 rebounds in the last four games, Wade has fallen off the radar only averaging 10.3 points in the past three games he has played in. (Wade sat out the loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.) That's more than 11 points lower than his season average of 21.4.

Now fingers are being pointed at head coach Erik Spoelstra. Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson said in a phone interview that he thinks Wade, James, and Bosh should get Riley to coach. In theory, it is a good idea. However, I think that it may be a more complicated issue than Spoelstra being a run-of-the-mill coach.

The Miami Heat have a problem with their depth and a lack of extraordinary talent outside the New Big Three. This was plain for me to see at the beginning of the year. Yes, three superstars are intimidating, but if you look at the rest of the team, there is nothing to say that Miami is a big threat. Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas has had a very decent career in Cleveland, but coming into this year with the Heat he is 35 years old. Unlike 38-year-old Shaquille O'Neal of the Celtics, Ilgauskas has never had stellar athleticism. As a young buck a player can be a little slow and still have a sizable impact much like Ilgauskas did in his early days in Cleveland. But now slow becomes slower and a slow 35-year-old center cannot do much to stop quick young centers and forwards like Orlando's Dwight Howard and New York's Amar'e Stoudemire. The reason I make the comparison to Shaq is because he once had that quick step that Ilgauskas never had. Quick can become slow and still be effective (for example, Shaq), but slow becomes slower and becomes ineffective (for example, Ilgauskas).

Still, Big Z is not the only problem with the Heat bench. Pat Riley brought in Mike Miller who has yet to play this season as he is nursing an injury. Miller looks to return Christmas day to face the Lakers. Also, point guard Mario Chalmers has not produced this season with his lack of minutes. Chalmers is averaging just around seven minutes per game while a high ankle sprain suffered this summer still nags him.

With the lack of depth of the Miami Heat it is difficult to see much success in their future even with the incredible talent of the New Big Three. Carlos Arroyo and James Jones provide only small sparks to the Heat's flame and Ilgauskas and Juwan Howard are not exactly in their primes. Miami picked up veteran Eric Dampier with Udonis Haslem out for the season after having foot surgery. Things are not on the up for the self-proclaimed powerhouse of the NBA.

As the Heat head into Orlando tonight to face the Southeast Division-leading Magic and Dwight Howard, they may be in for a long night despite the court-wiping Miami performed in the duo's last matchup in which the Heat won by 26. In this game, as I mentioned earlier, the Heat have lost two straight and are not playing stellar basketball. They look to turn it around tonight, but if they do lose and lose badly, the Heat's flame may just die out.

p.s. I am picking the Magic to win tonight.

p.p.s. My Phoenix Suns play the Bulls tonight. Go Suns.

p.p.p.s. For more senseless babble, follow me on Twitter. twitter.com/bradley_w_parks

Week Eleven

Owning Up


The Lions and Bills had one of the best games of the day, including some late-game drama. It probably would have been a lot more dramatic had Detroit quarterback Shaun Hill not tossed the ball out of the back of the endzone instead of to a receiver, but we can't win them all. The Bills, on the other hand, can't lose them all now as they picked up their first win of the season. Cheers.

Apparently a victory over the Cardinals does not hold as much weight as I thought it did as the Vikings were trounced by Jay Cutler's Bears. Hats off.

Somehow the Dolphins got it done. I cannot explain it. With their quarterback woes, beating Tennessee was not an easy task, but they won easily. Applause.

The Texans are all of the sudden falling apart and the Jags have surged to become the surprise of the AFC South rather than Houston. Snaps.

The Broncos cannot decide whether they would like to prove me right or wrong. I claim them as my dark horse and they get blown out by Oakland. I take back my claim and they smash the Chiefs. Wish-wash.

Who really expected the Cowboys to win? Really? High five.

The Patriots and Steelers was really a tossup. Both teams are having incredible years and this game showed exactly why it was such a difficult game to pick. The Pats had the advantage though as it looks like, at least for now, Tom Brady is still a few notches above Ben Roethlisberger.

Predictions


Last week was rough. My picks are on a roller coaster right now. After a 9-4 week, I followed that up with a 6-7 stinker of a week. That puts my season record at 60-54. Although I am still above .500, it could be much better. This week due to me being home from school on break and my wanting to focus on picks rather than reasoning, I'm just going to give my teams and we'll see how it goes. Here are my teams:

Bengals, Lions, Redskins, Chiefs, Packers, Jets, Steelers, Ravens, Browns, Falcons, Saints, 49ers, Patriots, Eagles


p.s. Keep those ears open as the dynamic duo of Colby Bowman and I will be back announcing high school basketball this season. Keep those computers locked on ross.localsportsradio.com for all of the exciting action. I am excited to get back to doing play-by-play.

p.p.s. Get well soon, Steve Nash.

p.p.p.s. For more senseless babble, follow me on Twitter. twitter.com/bradley_w_parks

Week Ten

Owning Up


Those tricky, tricky Browns have everybody stumped. Their big win over the Patriots proved me very wrong. I suppose we should be looking out for the Browns.


Well would you look at that. The Chargers have won a couple games in a row and are now back in the hunt at 4-5. Big ups to the Bolts for showing me up.


Along with the tricky, tricky Browns there are the tricky, tricky Raiders to look out for as they upset a solid Chiefs team last week.


The Colts v. Eagles game was close as expected, however, Michael Vick continued his Hollywood story by toppling Peyton Manning.


Predictions


Week Nine marked a good one for me as my picks led me to a 9-4 record for the week, bringing my season record to 54-47. Here is what I have this week:


Lions over Bills This is the battle of the two unluckiest teams in the NFL this season. The Bills have fought every game to lose only by a few in most. The Lions have done the same, with solid play at quarterback from both Matthew Stafford (when he has played) and backup Shaun Hill. One of these teams will catch a break. However, if there is a game to end up in a tie this year, it will be this one. 24-21


Vikings over Bears Last week's victory over the Cardinals should have done enough to energize Brett Favre and the Vikings. Although, the Vikes did not play particularly well they still managed to come back and win showing determination and fight. I like that win to boost their confidence this week. 28-21


Jets over Browns As well as the Browns have played under rookie quarterback Colt McCoy I still cannot bring myself to pick them, especially against a great team such as the Jets. New York's run defense should be able to slow down Peyton Hillis a bit, or at least enough to force McCoy to throw more. 24-14


Colts over Bengals As much as it pains me to continue picking against my hometown team, the Bengals have not proven that they can beat a team like the Colts. They have shown their comeback ability last week against the Steelers and also in Week One against the Patriots. However, they did not win either of those games. Manning and the Colts will not be as easy for the Bengals to contain long enough to come back again. Cardiac Cats fall. 28-17


Titans over Dolphins Even though the Titans have a game-time decision coming at quarterback with Vince Young still a little banged up, I do not believe Chad Pennington has what it takes to lead the Dolphins to a victory. The Dolphins have the weapons in Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, and Brandon Marshall, but they do not have a good leader at the quarterback position. Young and backup Kerry Collins are able to lead a team. Oh and did I mention the Titans picked up a guy named Randy Moss? That may help. 21-10


Buccaneers over Panthers I stand by my claim that the Panthers are the worst team in the NFL. The Bills, as I mentioned, play hard every game and are a group of winners that just cannot win. The Panthers are far worse than Buffalo and have all sorts of problems. Perhaps they should turn to third-string rookie Tony Pike at quarterback. Pike played well at Cincinnati and was in the Heisman race before he got injured. If Matt Moore and Jimmy Clausen have not been able to do it, why not give Pike a shot? Carolina really has nothing to lose. 31-7


Texans over Jaguars This will be a tight game. The Texans began the year as if they would live up to the great expectations, however, have not as of late. The Jaguars, on the other hand, have not really had many expectations to live up to, so in a sense they have exceeded expectations. With the Jags playing well and the Texans not so much, this is a tough pick. But I have confidence it Matt Schaub's ability to get a W today. 28-21


Chiefs over Broncos Perhaps my biggest screwup of the season, the Broncos are no longer a dark horse in the NFL. They are not playing well at all and do not have much to look forward to as they sit at 2-6. Unless they run the table, this dark horse will stay in the stable for the rest of the year. 14-6


Giants over Cowboys I just love that the Cowboys continue to prove me right week in and week out. It is truly sad that a team with their potential has crashed and burned this season, but you cannot say I did not warn you. Dallas was far overrated coming into this season and has proven it every single game. This one shall be no different as the Giants have seemingly returned to their Super Bowl-winning form. 35-10


Seahawks over Cardinals Another screwup of mine, Seattle is no longer fun to pick in games. They sit at 4-4, the Cardinals at 3-5. The NFC West is shaping up to be exactly what it has been in the past: boring and exciting all at the same time. The Rams and Seahawks sit atop the division at 4-4, followed by the Cardinals, and in the basement is San Francisco who surprisingly is not out of it at 2-6. With dismal records and intense competition all at the same time, the NFC West is just being the NFC West. 17-14


49ers over Rams Two compelling games right in a row. How lucky am I? I like Troy Smith at quarterback as I always have. He is getting his shot and it is his job not to screw it up. Sports Illustrated's Peter King thinks that Smith will hold onto the job for the rest of the year at least if he plays well this week. I am right along with my fellow Bobcat, King, in that thinking. 24-20


Steelers over Patriots This could be the game of the year. Both the Steelers and Patriots sit at 6-2 and are playing completely lights out. It has shown how much Troy Polamalu means to the Steelers as he has provided a huge spark to that defense. New England has played well all around too. The one factor that caused me to swing toward the Steelers for this one was the Browns. The Steelers managed to defeat Cleveland, whereas the Patriots were trounced by them. It was the deciding factor for me. 35-28


Eagles over Redskins As I said earlier, Michael Vick is continuing his Hollywood story. This week should be no exception as he goes against the former Eagles quarterback Donavon McNabb. It should be a close one, but I like Vick in this battle. McNabb will either have a confidence boost or kill after being benched for Rex Grossman by coach Mike Shanahan in their previous game against the Lions. We'll see how that plays out on Monday night. 27-21


BONUS COVERAGE: Kanye West


This does not pertain to sports, but I have felt some extremely strong feelings about Kanye West's recent spouting-off about the media. West was angry at Matt Lauer and the Today Show for what West said was them trying to "force" his answers. I was curious as to what he meant, so I watched the interview online. All Lauer really did was ask West tough questions and he had no way to respond to them. It was a great journalistic triumph for Lauer to be able to give Kanye a question that he would have a lot of trouble answering.


In the aftermath of the interview, West went on Twitter and rattled off a whole lot of things in an attempt to defend his inability to answer tough questions. Here is what he said in multiple tweets:


"I went up there to express how I was empathetic to Bush because I labeled him a racist and years later I got labeled as a racist....


While I was trying to give the interview they started playing the "MTV" under me with audio!!!!!!!


I don't mess with Matt Lauer or the Today Show ... and that's a very nice way for me to put it!


HE TRIED TO FORCE MY ANSWERS. IT WAS VERY BRUTAL AND I CAME THERE WITH ONLY POSITIVE INTENT."


West went on to describe how he is "tortured," "forced," and "misunderstood." That is not exactly it, Kanye West. We understand you perfectly.


Kanye West has taken his blunder and is attempting to blame it on everyone else. Why would it be his fault? West described later on Twitter about how he is a creator and said, "I just want to create." Nobody is trying to stop him from doing that. However, as his job is to create music, it is our (the media's) job to tell stories. Kanye needs to realize that as he is only trying to do his job, that is the same thing we are trying to do. Matt Lauer was doing his job by asking questions, however, West is trying to make up for his inability to answer coherently by saying that Lauer is in the wrong for "forcing" his answers.


Also, West was angry that the producers at the Today Show played the footage from the MTV Video Music Awards when West had taken the microphone away from Taylor Swift during her acceptance speech. What he does not realize is that this is a regular practice. Somebody should explain to Kanye West that b-roll is used every single day in the media. It is video that pertains to what is being said that keeps the viewer from becoming bored with the same picture. West took it as the producers trying to make him look bad and addressed it on camera.


If only Kanye knew that he too is a member of the media before he took so many shots at us. He, along with other musical artists, is an editorialist and storyteller. He puts his views on things into his music and also tells stories through song for the public to see. If we break it down as such, Kanye West was taking shots at himself by taking shots at the media. He truly is troubled.


p.s. I am a huge fan of Kanye West's music, but he should not be trying to tear down the journalism field because he was made to look like a fool.


p.p.s. I am sorry for not providing a pick for the Thursday game. I probably will not be providing those picks any time soon. It throws off my schedule.


p.p.p.s. For more senseless babble, follow me on Twitter. twitter.com/bradley_w_parks

Week Nine

Owning Up


The Bengals once again let me down. A late pick thrown by Carson Palmer turned the lights out on that game.

Do I really have to own up to the Cowboys' loss? If you have read this blog before, you know how I feel about the Dallas Cowboys. I gave them the nod last week, but the Jags torched them. I proved myself wrong and right all at the same time.

Even though I picked the winner, I predicted a high-scoring contest between the Jets and Packers. Did anyone expect a defensive struggle with those high-powered offenses? I'll take the win, but in no way did I expect it to be a 9-0 one.

Warn the villages, the Chargers won.

Probably my biggest blunder of the week, the Seahawks getting destroyed by the Raiders. My "surprise" teams in the Broncos and Seahawks have gotten slammed by the Raiders two weeks straight. I've got my back against the mat on this one.

How about those Saints? That win against the Steelers was definitely their best of the season. The Saints have had a mysterious season and a backfield riddled with injuries, however, they got it done against one of the best teams in the league last week. Perhaps the Saints are back. We shall see.

Predictions


Last week was not my best as I went 6-7, however, my season record remains over .500 which is a good thing. I now sit at 45-40. Not great, but not terrible. Let us try to improve on that this week. Here's what I've got for this weekend's games:

Falcons over Buccaneers A tough pick this was as both teams sit at 5-2. The Bucs are 3-0 on the road heading into Atlanta, but the Falcons are 3-0 at home. These teams are essentially even on paper, but I will give the nod to the Falcons simply based on last week. The Bucs were able to beat the Cardinals but only by a slight margin. The Falcons are a much better team. 24-21


Bears over Bills No matter how many interceptions Jay Cutler throws, he manages to get scores for his team. I would give the nod to the unlucky Bills if it weren't for the Bears defense. Both teams will have their troubles on offense with turnovers as expected, but Cutler can still get in the endzone better than Bills' quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick can. 21-17


Patriots over Browns Despite Colt McCoy's solid play in his first two games, the Browns are still the Browns and the Pats are still the Pats. It seems as if Tom Brady and the boys have returned to their championship-winning form. 35-10


Jets over Lions The Jets had unfortunate offensive struggles last week against the Packers. I don't think they expected it nor did anybody else. I feel this week they will be looking to unleash against the Lions defense. I'm going with the Jets, but this should be a hot matchup. 28-21


Vikings over Cardinals Who would have thought that this would be the snooze-fest of the week? The Cardinals' struggles were expected after the retirement of Kurt Warner and the departure of Anquan Boldin before the season began. However, nobody expected these kinds of struggles from the Vikings. The plan should be very simple for the Vikes: get the ball to Adrian Peterson. Peterson is an absolute steed in the backfield and it seems like sometimes they forget to use him enough. 17-14


Saints over Panthers After that huge win against Pittsburgh, the Saints will be looking for a way to keep the momentum going. What better way to do so than to steamroll one of the worst teams in the league, eh? 31-7


Ravens over Dolphins The Fins were able to take advantage of the Bengals' poor play last week, but the Ravens are a different beast to tame. Joe Flacco has been loving the big target in Anquan Boldin and it shows. The Ravens cannot afford to budge a single inch with the Steelers right there atop the AFC North alongside them. They'll take this in a close one. 20-14


Texans over Chargers The Texans were put back in their place last week as the Colts toppled them in response to that Week One loss. However, today the Texans take on the Chargers, one of the leagues biggest mysteries this season. Although the Chargers got a big win against the Titans last week, I do not feel as if that will be enough to lift them up back to the Chargers of old. 28-24


Giants over Seahawks Like I said last week, I love picking the Seahawks. But last week's poor showing against the Raiders does not make me feel too confident in picking the Birds this week. The Giants have been one of the pleasant surprises of the season. I am excited to see what they can do later into the season and the postseason. 24-10


Chiefs over Raiders As well as the Raiders have played in the past two weeks, they are facing a much more formidable opponent in the Chiefs today. Another pleasant surprise, the Chiefs sit at 5-2 and have played simple but solid football. If the Raiders are to win it will not be by nearly as much as the past two weeks. Still I give this to Kansas City. 21-14


Colts over Eagles The much-anticipated return of Michael Vick comes today. The bad thing for Vick is that it comes against the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts, despite a few early slip-ups with the Texans and the Jaguars, have played extremely well. To put it simply, the Colts have been the Colts. I see them improving to 6-2 this week. 27-24


Packers over Cowboys Dallas's pass defense was absolutely scorched last week by David Garrard and the Jaguars. There is nothing that says Aaron Rodgers will not do even more damage to America's team. Al Michaels and Chris Collinsworth may get tired of saying, "Touchdown Packers!" tonight. I see a blowout in the future. 38-14


Steelers over Bengals I'm sure when this game was put on the schedule, ESPN was not thinking the Bengals would be 2-5. After sweeping the AFC North last season and acquiring three huge offensive threats in Terrell Owens, Jordan Shipley, and Jermaine Gresham, things looked promising for the Bengals. However, Carson Palmer struggled early on and the defense has struggled all year. It seems nothing can go right for the Bengals. Still I feel like they will show up and give the Steelers a contest this week. On the other side of the field, the Steelers are looking to get back to form after a disappointing loss in New Orleans last weekend. 24-17


p.s. Those Ohio Bobcats have done it again, winning against Buffalo on Senior Night. Congratulations to my school!

p.p.s. My Phoenix Suns have a tough test tonight against the Hawks tonight. Steve Nash and the guys are looking to get up to .500.

p.p.p.s. For more senseless babble, follow me on Twitter. twitter.com/bradley_w_parks

Week Eight

Owning Up
The Broncos let me down. They made me look like an absolute fool. Hats off to the Raiders for allowing me to bask in shame.

I would also like to give a round of applause to Colt McCoy and the Browns for proving me wrong.

The Panthers managed to slip away with a win despite my indirect tag of "worst team in the NFL." Cheers to them.

Kevin Kolb let me down as well. Claps for the Titans for proving me wrong.


Predictions


I had a surprisingly good week last week! I went 9-5 to bring my overall record for the season up to 39-33. Maybe that was the push I needed to get on a roll. Let's try to top it this week:

Bengals over Dolphins I cannot really make too many more complaints about Carson Palmer. The Bengals' quarterback went for 412 yards and three touchdowns. And the best part for Bengals fans is that Palmer threw no interceptions. The bad part is that the Bengal defense does not seem up to the test. The offense has done its part, now the defense has to step up against the Dolphins today. 24-21


Cowboys over Jaguars I think Tony Romo getting injured last week was a wakeup call for the Cowboys. It seems that everything had gone wrong for America's team and Romo breaking his clavicle was the icing on the cake. However, I believe that now that the Cowboys have hit rock bottom, they will be able to pick themselves up, at least in this game. The wily veteran Jon Kitna will get it done for the Cowboys today. 28-20


Redskins over Lions I'm taking the Redskins, although I do think this will be a very tight match. The Lions, despite their 1-5 record, have played rather well. Now with a nearly 100 percent Jahvid Best in the backfield, I think the Lions could give the Skins a run for their money. However, I like how the Redskins have been playing. So much so that I could not pick against them today. 31-28


Chiefs over Bills Oh those poor Buffalo Bills. They have played some very good games this year, including last week's face-off with the Ravens. Even at 0-6 the Bills' season is not all bad. However, I believe they stay at .000 after today. Chiefs take it. 17-10


Rams over Panthers Wouldn't you know it, as soon as I claim the Panthers are the worst team in the NFL, they go and beat the 49ers. I do not get it. I'll call that win a fluke and I'll also take the Rams today, for they have been playing extremely well. Well enough for me to pick up their defense for my fantasy league. Don't let me down, St. Louis. 28-14


Packers over Jets This is an extremely difficult pick. However, I must stick to my Super Bowl team in the Green Bay Packers. The Pack have escaped some close contests to gather a few wins, but have also lost their fair share of close ones this season. And with the Jets playing as well as they have this season, it is hard to see how they can be beaten by a shaky Packers team. Maybe the Jets are just due for a loss. That's what I'll claim as reason for this pick. 42-35


49ers over Broncos And my dark horse pick has been proven untrue as of last week. Is it not the most beautiful poetic justice? I say the Broncos are a fantastic team and could possibly sneak into the playoffs this year, and then they get slammed in a 45-point loss to none other than the Oakland Raiders. I had to rub my eyes over and over again after that one. Therefore, for today's match in London I shall give the nod to the Troy Smith-led 49ers. I have faith in him and have since he came out of college, but it seems nobody else has. May the force be with you, Troy. 21-17


Titans over Chargers With the Chargers struggling as they have and the Titans getting Vince Young back this week, my job is made incredibly easy. The Bolts are just not the same team we have seen in the past few years. Maybe Vincent Jackson is in the right. Maybe they do need him. 24-17


Seahawks over Raiders I really like being able to pick the Seahawks. For some reason I am enjoying the fact that they are leading the NFC West and continue to win. Matt Hasselbeck looks like he is back, they have received a spark on special teams from Leon Washington, Marshawn Lynch has provided a boost, and Mike Williams is a terrific comeback story. The Seahawks are the story that nobody has heard about. I like it! 27-24


Patriots over Vikings In Randy Moss's return to New England with his former former team to face his former team (if that makes sense), Moss will not be satisfied with the result. The Vikings are the Chargers of the NFC. Nobody really understands why they are losing, but they are losing and will continue losing for the foreseeable future. 35-17


Cardinals over Buccaneers The Bucs' head coach Raheem Morris has given his team a very big claim to live up to. Morris says that his Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the best team in the NFC. That's quite a lofty statement. Even with a solid record and a nice bid of confidence from their head coach, I do not see the Bucs winning today. Derek Anderson was thrown back into the fire last week for the Cardinals and will be put out there today to lead the squad. I think he is up to the challenge. 17-14


Steelers over Saints The New Orleans Saints are not playing like the New Orleans Saints we have come to know and love. Last week was an absolute dismal loss to the Browns. The Steelers, however, have returned to form after a year off in 2009. Ben Roethlisberger has played well since coming off suspension and the Steeler defense is still the Steeler defense. They win this one. 31-21


Colts over Texans The Texans were able to shock the Colts in their first matchup this season. However, coming off a bye week, the Colts do not look to allow Houston to take advantage of them again. Losing Dallas Clark was a huge hit for the Colts, but they have dealt with injury in the past. The bottom line is Peyton Manning is still Peyton Manning. He can make any receiver look good. 28-24


BONUS COVERAGE


Normally I wrap up this blog with my predictions, but I wanted to be sure to give a shout out to a fabulous musician this week. I'm quite a bit late, but my hat goes off to Matt Costa for yet another fantastic album. I highly recommend everyone go out and pick up his new album Mobile Chateau. It is truly beautiful music.

Also, I hope to post more often now that the NBA season has started. Basketball is more of my forte than football because I played basketball, so I hope to provide some information and opinions on what is going on in the NBA this year.

p.s. Another win for the Ohio Bobcats! We are now 6-3! Cheers, men!

p.p.s. For more senseless babble, follow me on Twitter. twitter.com/bradley_w_parks

Week Seven

Owning Up


I do not have anything really to own up on from last week. At least I don't think I do. Out of my six losses, four of them were by four points or less. The only loss I really blew was the Eagles v. Falcons game.

Therefore, I shall own up to that loss. Kevin Kolb played a terrific game. I figured the Falcons' good luck would continue and they would stick it to Michael Vick while he was on the bench. However, Kolb showed up and shoved the Falcons back into their place. On paper, Michael Vick's team got the win against his former team, but he didn't do anything to help. That has to be bittersweet for him.

Predictions


Last week I was able to get back over .500 as I went 8-6. That puts my season record at 30-28. Here is what I have for Week Seven:


Bengals over Falcons I gave the game to the Falcons last week, but not this time. I will not be fooled again! This is Carson Palmer's chance to prove that he is still an elite quarterback. Week by week Bengals fans are giving up on Palmer and he needs to win his fans back. 21-17


Redskins over Bears I really am starting to like the 'Skins. I did not have the greatest confidence in them coming into this year with below average receivers and all of the drama surrounding Albert Haynesworth. However, Mike Shanahan and Donovan McNabb have gotten this team to 3-3 with things looking up with a fresh new running back in Ryan Torain. 27-24


Eagles over Titans After picking against Kevin Kolb's Eagles last week and with Vince Young banged up for the Titans this week, I have to put my money on the Eagles. 28-14


Chiefs over Jaguars I really gave the Jags too much of a chance last week against the Titans. They got worked over by the Kerry Collins-led Titans team. The Chiefs have had unlucky losses in the past two weeks with a dropped touchdown that would have kept the game intact against the Colts and then the last-second win by the Texans last week. They get it done today. 21-7


Steelers over Dolphins I find it really hard to pick over the Steelers now that Ben Roethlisberger is back. He had a little bit of rust in his season debut last week, but good for him they were playing the Browns so his mistakes weren't capitalized on. This week Ben should be back for good. 28-17


Saints over Browns Everything that could be going wrong for the Browns is. They had Colt McCoy as their third-string quarterback for a reason. They wanted him to learn behind Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace instead of throwing him into the fire. However, injuries to both Delhomme and Wallace have required the Browns to turn to McCoy. He didn't do too terribly bad last week, but he is not prepared for this job clearly. 35-7


Buccaneers over Rams I cannot provide much reason behind picking the Bucs over the Rams in this game other than I cannot pick a tie. This should be a close game and hopefully the Bucs give me a reason to have picked them. 21-20


49ers over Panthers It seems that the Panthers are the 2009 Rams of 2010. It does not seem that the Panthers have anything to be excited about. Jimmy Clausen was supposed to be that spark, but it turns out he was a big flop (at least for now). They have turned back to Matt Moore for this week in hopes he will return to the Matt Moore of late last year. 24-10


Ravens over Bills This should be an easy day for the Ravens. Bottom line. The only good thing for the Bills is that despite probably falling to 0-6, they are still not as bad as the Panthers. 35-6


Seahawks over Cardinals Why these two teams are in the discussion for first place in the NFC West cannot be explained. This was supposed to be the 49ers' year with the Cardinals losing Kurt Warner to retirement and the Seahawks being the Seahawks. However, Max Hall has provided a spark in Arizona and the Pete Carroll has something working in Seattle. I'll give this one to the Seahawks. 27-24


Broncos over Raiders Despite the 2-4 record I still think the Broncos are a dark horse in the playoff picture this year, no pun intended. Kyle Orton is showing me at least that he is a stellar quarterback. I don't know what it is, but I think the Broncos are still in this thing. 17-10


Patriots over Chargers With Antonio Gates banged up, Malcolm Floyd and Legadu Naanee out the Chargers don't have much to look forward to today. The running game and Ryan Mathews may be their only hope. 28-13


Packers over Vikings Don't be surprised if I pick the Packers every week. Despite their injuries and a couple of losses that should not have been, I still have confidence in the Pack Attack. Aaron Rodgers has to beat his former teacher today to show that the Packers have moved past Brett Favre. 35-32


Giants over Cowboys Not to be repetitive, but don't be surprised if I pick against the Cowboys every week. If you've read this blog before, you know how overrated I think the Cowboys are. I stand by that opinion and hold it close every week. Not to mention, the Giants are playing extremely well this season. 28-10

Owning Up

Owning Up (For Week Six)


Like I said in my last post, Week Five was atrocious as far as my picks are concerned. What went wrong? I could not tell you. I just know whatever could have gone wrong for me did. A bad week it was.

Therefore, I cannot really discuss my mistakes in this edition of "Owning Up" in a concise manner. I will discuss, however, another area where I need to own up: Ohio State v. Wisconsin.

Yes, my dearly beloved Buckeyes took their yearly fall this week to Wisconsin. Did I want it to happen? Heck no. Did I figure it would happen? Yes, at some point. Ohio State is always bound to lose one big game every year, eliminating their shot at the BCS title. I think many fans have come to terms with this, however.

The one thing that bothers me is the large amount of haters. I understand that not everyone is an Ohio State Buckeye fan. What I don't understand is the hypocrisy of some fans in Ohio. I catch a high amount of crap from Cincinnati Reds fans for liking the St. Louis Cardinals. "Why don't you like the Reds? You're from Cincinnati!" "What is wrong with you?" "Traitor!" Those are typical comments I hear for my MLB fandom.

The hypocrisy comes in with the amount of people who dislike Ohio State. It is clear that OSU is Ohio's team as far as football is concerned. However, there are tons of fans who jump all over Ohio State when they lose (such as this week). They talk about how overrated the Buckeyes are, how they suck, etc. Many cheer for Texas or the school up north. And, of course, there are those "die-hard" Cincinnati Bearcats fans. Baloney. Nobody gave a care about UC football until that freakish season last year. Now that the Cats are back to the cellar, nobody cares once again.

If readers take anything away from this senseless babble I've written this week, it is this: Stick to one philosophy. If you claim to be a hometown or homestate fan, be consistent. I get slammed for being an Ohio State fan, when it is one of the few home teams I cheer for. It seems backwards. People antagonize me for not cheering for the home team, but when I do cheer for a home team (OSU) I still get beat with a stick.

But I'm not one to complain, so keep the hate coming, homers! It's what I feed off of.

p.s. How about those Ohio Bobcats? Big win on homecoming for my school!

p.p.s. For more senseless babble, follow me on twitter. twitter.com/bradley_w_parks

Week Six

I will post "Owning Up" at a later time. Right now I am crunched for time, so I will just jump straight to predictions.

Last week was dismal for me as I went 5-9 in my picks for the week. That puts my season record at an even 22-22. Hopefully this week I can redeem myself with these picks:

Bears over Seahawks As much as I love picking the Seahawks now that I picked their upset of the Chargers, I cannot give them a victory this week. Jay Cutler is back for the Bears and they will be thankful after last weeks sloppy win. 24-14


Packers over Dolphins I refuse to give up on the Packers. Even with a concussed Aaron Rodgers, Chad Henne's performance for the Dolphins in their last game against the Jets does not bode well for his nor the Dolphins' season. Packers get it done. 28-14


Rams over Chargers I gave the Chargers the edge last week even though my gut said to go with the Raiders. Not this week, San Diego! Give me the Rams in an "upset" victory! 28-27


Ravens over Patriots The Ravens will continue to get it done and stay locked in a tight race with the Pittsburgh Steelers for AFC North supremacy. They have not been flashy (minus the late-game heroics of Joe Flacco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh two weeks ago), but they are winning in good games. Another good one here. 27-24


Giants over Lions The New York Giants have played very well in the last two weeks, manhandling Jay Cutler in a win over the Bears and also crushing the Texans last week with help from Hakeem Nicks. Despite the excellent play of second-sting quarterback Shaun Hill, the Lions are still 1-4. Make that 1-5 this week. 31-21


Falcons over Eagles It is upsetting that we will not get to see Michael Vick in his dramatic re-rise to stardom face his former team. What will be more upsetting is Vick will have to watch his team lose to his former team without being able to do anything about it. 21-13


Steelers over Browns Is anyone picking the Browns? With both Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace inactive, rookie quarterback Colt McCoy is being thrown into the fire against one of the best defenses in the NFL in the Steelers and Troy Polamalu. Rough day ahead for McCoy. Oh and isn't someone coming back for the Steelers today? I forget his name. Oh that's right, Ben Roethlisberger. 35-0


Saints over Buccaneers I don't see how the Saints can lose two weeks in a row to clearly inferior teams. Then again I have been wrong before. I'll still stick with the champs for this one. 21-17


Chiefs over Texans This will be the game of the day. There were high expectations for the Texans this year and it is difficult to pick against them. However, the Chiefs' unexpected play this season has made it even more difficult to pick against them, especially after a great showing against the Colts last week. I'll take the Chiefs in a close one. 24-21


Jets over Broncos The Jets are proving Rex Ryan right this year so far. They're 4-1 and could just be the hottest team in the NFL. Big win this week. 35-21


Raiders over 49ers In a game that at the beginning of the year would be an easy win for San Francisco, the 49ers will fall. The Raiders are coming off a huge upset victory over the Chargers and will keep San Fran in misery this week. 21-10


Vikings over Cowboys This could be considered a playoff game for both of these teams. Turning around a season after a 1-4 start will be extremely difficult for the loser. The Vikings still had a decent game against the Jets in Week Five despite the loss. They'll get it back this week. 14-10


Colts over Redskins The Skins have played well, but the Colts cannot be held down this long. Peyton Manning will not be denied a winning season. Colts roll. 28-14


Titans over Jaguars A battle of big-time running backs and middle-of-the-road quarterbacks, look for a high-scoring affair. The Titans will eek this one out with some more famous late-game heroics from none other than Vince Young. 42-38

New Red Machine Not So Vottomatic

10.10.10 will not be a day to remember for the city of Cincinnati, Ohio and their professional sports teams. Yesterday was filled with disappointment for the Queen City as the Philadelphia Phillies completed the sweep of the Cincinnati Reds in the first ever playoff game held in Great American Ballpark. This all came after the Bengals lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after more mistakes from quarterback Carson Palmer. Where does Cincinnati go from here?

Southwest Ohio should be proud. After years and years of dreadful sports franchises the city finally seems to be on the rise. Even though the Reds suffered a no-hitter tossed by Roy Halladay in their first MLB postseason game in 15 years and were swept by the Phils, the Reds did win the NL Central quite handily. Also, Bengals fans should be happy that they have to nitpick to find mistakes in the Bengals games. Back in the "can't win a game to save their lives" days and the infamous 2-14 season, the Bengals have been to the playoffs twice under Marvin Lewis. The Bengals have only lost their last two games by three points apiece, which means they have the ability to win those games. They just have made a few small mistakes. Last week it was the run defense as they gave up 102 yards to Peyton Hillis. This week it was three interceptions from Palmer. 2-3 going into the bye week is not where the Bengals would like to be, but it is not the end of the world. The schedule does not get any easier as the Bengals will face the Falcons (4-1), Dolphins (2-2), Steelers (3-1), and Colts (3-2), but the bye gives them time to hopefully work out the kinks and all is not lost with just three losses.

To the people of Cincinnati, do not lose hope. Remember the NL Central Champion Reds and the playoff Bengals of 2009-2010 (plus Terrell Owens) when you are feeling glum. If these two teams do not pan out, Cincinnati still has the Kelly Cup Champion Cyclones to cheer on.

Week Five

Owning Up

Chad Henne (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Who would have guessed that in a game in which Randy Moss catches no passes that the Patriots would completely oust the Dolphins? I guess they don't need Moss anymore (obviously, because they traded him). I watched a good portion of this game and I think the Dolphins' big loss could have been avoided without a few errant throws by Chad Henne. It seemed last week that Henne had the offense moving and high gear and they did not play too poorly last week either. One pass way behind Brandon Marshall over the middle was picked off by Rob Ninkovich. Henne later threw another pick to Ninkovich and one to Patrick Chung. A combination of those poor throws by Henne and absolutely hideous special teams play by the Fins spelled out doom.

Predictions

Last week was another middle-of-the-road one for me as I went 8-6 bringing my season record after two weeks (pitiful right?) to 17-13. That's not playoff material, my friends! At least I'm over .500. Let's see if we can get it back on the right track this week. Here we go:

Bills over Jaguars I know the Bills are 0-4 and the Jaguars are coming off a thrilling victory over the Colts, but despite the Bills' record they were able to put up 30 against the Pats and 14 against the Jets, both not easy tasks. I expect them to grab their first win this week. 28-20

Bengals over Buccaneers The Bengals had a rough go at it last week against the Browns. However, despite having their run defense embarrassed by Peyton Hillis, Carson Palmer and Terrell Owens were clickin' like chicken. Look for the Bengals to finally get it right this week. 35-21

Falcons over Browns The Falcons continue to pull out terrific last-minute wins. I don't think this one will have to be a last-minute save by Matt Bryant's leg. 20-14

Rams over Lions I've picked against the Rams in the past two weeks and both weeks they have won. Maybe I've smartened up this week, we'll see. I'm calling this, yes the Rams and Lions, as the best game of the day. 28-27

Chiefs over Colts Is it wrong that I want the unbeaten to remain unbeaten? Is it even worse that I'm picking the Chiefs to beat my AFC Champion pick the Indianapolis Colts? Maybe. Maybe I'm crazy, but the Chiefs are on fire right now. End of story. 27-24

Packers over Redskins The Packers' victories have not been as demanding as we may have thought coming into the season, but the fact that Aaron Rodgers isn't playing up to his potential and is still putting up insane numbers should make opposing defenses quiver. Rodgers gets it together this week. 35-10

Bears over Panthers Is it possible for the Bears to win without Jay Cutler? I think so. It will not be a pretty game by either the Bears or Panthers. This will just be an all-around ugly game. 9-7

Broncos over Ravens I would not be surprised if the Denver Broncos turned out to be a dark horse this year, no pun intended. Peter King wrote in last week's "Monday Morning Quarterback" about how the Broncos may have gotten the better end of the Jay Cutler for Kyle Orton deal. I'm starting to agree with it. Broncos upset the Ravens this week. 21-17

Texans over Giants This is another difficult pick for me. The Giants had an incredible defensive performance against the Bears last week, but I have a hard time seeing that happen again against the Texans. Then again, I have been wrong before. 28-14

Saints over Cardinals Are these the same NFL Champion Saints that we saw last year? They sure have not looked like it. Although they are 3-1, they have not had that same domination that came last year. This is their chance to get it back against a far below average Cardinals team and rookie quarterback Max Hall. 42-14

Titans over Cowboys I'm sticking to my guns on this one. Although the Cowboys defeated the Texans pretty handily before their bye week last week, I don't think this team is anything to write home about. I think their far overrated and the Titans should have their way with them today. 28-7

Chargers over Raiders What has happened to the San Diego Superchargers? Here they are at 2-2 going against an inferior Raiders squad, but I am actually questioning whether they win or not. This should be an easy pick for me! I'll take the Chargers, but I'm not happy about it. 17-14

Eagles over 49ers Hollywood couldn't write a crazier story than the one playing out in Eagles camp. Kevin Kolb went down in week one with a concussion from a Clay Matthews mauling, Michael Vick is put in the game and shines. Vick is named the starter for the Eagles and goes down in the next game, a homecoming for Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb. Now Vick has a rib injury and Kolb is back in as the starter. We can only wonder what will happen if Kolb plays well before Vick gets back to full health. 28-21

Jets over Vikings The New York Jets are making believers out of the doubters. The Vikings did get a big help from the trade for Randy Moss, but I still don't know if birthday boy Brett Favre is where he needs to be this season, for he hasn't been up to snuff so far. We will see how Moss help him. The Jets, on the other hand, are on fire and get Santonio Holmes back from suspension this week. Look for a shootout in this game. 42-35