RECAP - WEEK NINE

This Week: 7-7 (58-66-5)
Linebusters: 4-1 (20-24-1)
Straight Picks (w/o line): 11-3 (74-55)

At this point in the season, I'm fine with going .500. At least my linebusters meant something for once! I wish I hadn't gone with "my team" on the last one, or I may have gone 5-0!

Still not Positive
Houston Texans @ Minnesota Vikings
Line: Vikings -4.5
O/U: 47
Linebuster!
My Pick: Vikings -4.5. Minnesota is rested and ready to win. 27-20.
Result: Vikings 28-21
Minnesota won, but not be a whole lot. That either means the Vikings still aren't playing that well, or that Houston has gotten good. I'd guess it's the prior.

One down, one to go...
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cincinnati Bengals
Line: Jags -8
O/U: 40
My Pick: Jags -8. Hate to say the Jags will win big...but I'm going to. 24-13.
Result: Bengals 21-19
You know I want to see 16-0...so now it's all on the ample shoulders of the Detroit Lions. Of course, they hung with the Bears, so I'll bet they do end up winning a couple games. The Jags SUCK. Unbelieveable how bad this season turned out to be for them.

I do this to myself...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Kansas City Chiefs
Line: Bucs -9
O/U: 36.5
My Pick: Bucs -9. Last week was an enigma. Chiefs are back (not a good thing!). Bucs 27-9.
Result: Bucs 30-27 (ot)
Like the game before (Jax @ Cin), I had strong reasons to pick the game the other way, and didn't go with my gut. The spread was just too big. KC came out playing far better than expected, but Tampa tends to allow lesser teams to hang around. They showed a lot by coming all the way back with an offense that people tend to underestimate.

Old Browns vs. New Browns
Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns
Line: Browns -1.5
O/U: 36
My Pick: Ravens +1.5. Baltimore wins a tough battle 20-17.
Result: Ravens 37-27
Had Baltimore never left Cleveland, how much happier would those fans be? They've won a super bowl! And they keep beating up on the "new" Browns. Baltimore may not be able to contend for the playoffs, but they're close. One win people don't expect, and they're right in the conversation. Like Tampa, coming back from down 14 points is huge for a team that relies heavily on its D to win games.

Son of a...
New York Jets @ Buffalo Bills
Line: Bills -5.5
O/U: 42
Linebuster!
My Pick: Bills -5.5. Come on Buffalo. Prove you are among the AFC's Elite. 27-13.
Result: Jets 26-17
Two weeks ago, I had a conversation with another Bills fan outlining the remaining schedule and discussing how many games the Bills might win the rest of the season. He had them ending up at 13-3 or 14-2. They did have an easy schedule on paper, but now they've lost two of the ones they should have won, and have the Pats at Foxboro next week. Buffalo is in dire straits. How miserable would Western New York be if the Bills choked and failed to make the playoffs after a 5-1 start? It's possible. With a three-way tie atop the AFC East, and Miami sneaking up from behind, it's way too possible.

Playoff Certainty
Arizona Cardinals @ St. Louis Rams
Line: Cards -3
O/U: 48
Linebuster!
My Pick: Cards -3. Arizona comes out gunnin' 34-21.
Result: Cards 34-13
With this big win, Arizona has made a statement. Seattle, San Fran, and St. Louis will not challenge them. The longest playoff drought in the NFL will end this year. If Buffalo doesn't make it, they're the Cards successor as "the team that never sees the postseason."

First in the NFC North!
Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions
Line: Bears -13
O/U: 43
My Pick: Lions +13. I have to say they keep it close. Bears win 27-17.
Result: Bears 27-23
With the win, as non-convincing as it was, Chicago moves to first in the North, a place no one thought they'd be at this point in the season. The Packers and Vikings are tied 1-game back. This will be a battle right up to season's end.

Still the Best
Green Bay Packers @ Tennessee Titans
Line: Titans -5.5
O/U: 41.5
My Pick: Titans -5.5. They really are that good. Titans 24-17.
Result: Titans 19-16 (ot)
The Packers' D played a heck of a game to hold down the Titans, but Tennessee seemed to be in control the whole game, despite needing extra time to win it. This is how the Titans play...they keep it close and bite you in the butt down the stretch. They may get caught napping in one of these close games, but I think the more likely way they'll lose is if they spot a team a double-digit lead and can't claw back. As long as it's close, the Titans have the game well in control.

Gut
Miami Dolphins @ Denver Broncos
Line: Broncos -3
O/U: 49
My Pick: Broncos -3. If this game were anywhere else, I'd go the other way. Mile High is a great Asset. Denver wins 31-23.
Result: Dolphins 26-17
My gut reaction was to pick Miami, but I went with Denver because they were at home. Stupid. Miami beats the good teams, and loses to the bad ones. We'll see how Denver rebounds, but it looks like San Diego could potentially choke themselves all the way to the playoffs.

Somebody forgot to bring the Offense...
Atlanta Falcons @ Oakland Raiders
Line: Falcons -3
O/U: 41
Linebuster!
My Pick: Falcons -3. Atlanta heads West and comes back with a W. 27-17.
Result: Falcons 24-0
If you hold a team under 100 yards of total offense for a whole game, you're going to win. Ryan played fine, and the Falcons got another big win. Oakland is getting worse...

I Believe
Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants
Line: Giants -9
O/U: 41
My Pick: Cowboys +9. They have to keep this close. Giants win 23-20.
Result: Giants 35-14
I give up. I can't complain about New York's injuries anymore. The Giants are the league's second best team, only because the Titans haven't lost, and should be the odds-on favorite to win the super bowl. They have the playoff experience, and will have home field advantage for at least one playoff game this time around. I'm not sure if that's a positive, since they play better as the underdog road team...but they've got enough talent to go back to back.

Eastern Teams Have No Problem Going West...
Philadelphia Eagles @ Seattle Seahawks
Line: Eagles -7
O/U: 43
My Pick: Eagles -7. Philly comes out with an important win 27-13.
Result: Eagles 26-7
Yet another eastern team has won out west. No western teams seem to win in the east. Why? Because the AFC and NFC West are likely the worst two divisions in football. It's not rocket science, or some weird trend...it makes sense! We'll see what Philly can put together to make a run at the wild card spot. The Giants will take the division, but the other three teams all still have a shot at a wild card.

A win's a win
New England Patriots @ Indianapolis Colts
Line: Colts -5.5
O/U: 44
My pick: Colts -5.5. Indy wins 31-17.
Result: Colts 18-15
Indy needed the win. It wasn't pretty, but they got it. Now they can still fight for a wild card. The Pats usually come off a loss with a great deal of passion the next week. Especially at home. This does not bode well for my Bills.

The Benefit of Having a Good Backup QB
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Washington Redskins
Line: Redskins -1.5
O/U: 37
Linebuster!
My Pick: Steelers +1.5. Parker gets back in the swing of things. Pittsburgh wins 24-19.
Result: Steelers 23-6
Ben went down, Leftwich still went deep, stunning the Skins, and leading Pittsburgh to a big win. If they had a Brad Johnson or Matt Cassel, the Steelers may not have been able to pull away. You had to know Washington would have trouble getting much going agianst one of the best defenses in the league, but 6 points? Ouch. We'll see what happens down the road, but I think the Skins will either be the 6-seed or the odd man out when playoff time arrives.

BYES: NO, SD, SF, CAR