Week 9 NFL Picks

Another Sunday, another post full of NFL picks from yours truly. There are actually a good amount of good games this week as good teams play good teams and bad teams play bad teams. That makes for some tough picking, especially when you start considering what teams are dealing with injuries, what teams are pushing for a playoff spot, and what teams are starting to pack it in.

It wasn't an amazing week of picking for me last week. I went 9-4 in Week 8. That moves the overall record to 81-35. Again, still looking for that elusive perfect week of picking games. Also, a quick note. This is post #200 on the blog. A small achievement for what essentially is a small blog. The least I can do is say thanks for reading. Really appreciate it. Now to the picks.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8
Washington @ Atlanta: ATLANTA- This one probably own't even be close. The Redskins will struggle to score points agianst a Falcons defense that's getting better every week. Meanwhile, the Falcons offense should score with ease against the Redskins defense. Plus, the Falcons understand at 4-3, they need wins to stay in contention.
Arizona @ Chicago: ARIZONA - Yes, the Cardinals just lost to the Panthers but for some reason, losses is what gets that team going. Expect their rush defense to be much improved. If Chicago can get Matt Forte going, they can win the game but without him, Jay Cutler is bound to have a few turnovers.
Baltimore @ Cincinnati: CINCINNATI - Surprisingly, not a lot of people picking the Bengals in this matchup. Not sure why either. The Bengals already beat the Ravens in Baltimore and haven't gotten any worse. The Ravens need to slow down Cedric benson, who has really gained some confidence as of late.
Houston @ Indianapolis: INDIANAPOLIS - Not sure exactly why the Colts struggled against the 49ers last week but expect them to come out firing against the Texans knowing it's a big division battle. The Texans defense will have its hands full trying to stop Peyton Manning. Plus, we'll see just how the Colts defense responds with all the injuries they've had.
Miami @ New England: MIAMI - It's a bit of an upset but the Dolphins are playing some inspired ball these days, especially on defense. New England's defense hasn't been tested in 3 weeks and may not be ready for the rush attack that's coming after them. Tom Brady should rack plenty of pass yards, especially since the Patriots have all but given up on any sort of run game this year.
Green Bay @ Tampa Bay: GREEN BAY - The Bucs are bringing back the ugly orange jerseys for this one, probably hoping it distracts the Packers. It won't. Aaron Rodgers could have a career game against the awful Bucs defense. And he'll have the ball often, as the Bucs offense will start rookie Josh Freeman, who is bound to make a few mistakes in his first career NFL start.
Kansas City @ Jacksonville: JACKSONVILLE - Real toss-up game. Kansas City has an offense that can score against the Jaguars defense, though its run game isn't a strength and as seen by Tennessee rush romp over the Jags, that's their weak spot. But the Chiefs defense isn't good either, so this may be the game the Jags need to get back in the playoff discussion.
Detroit @ Seattle: SEATTLE - The Seahawks are an enigma right now. They have the talent on both sides to compete for an NFC West title but so far, they've been awful. They can get back on the right track against the hapless Lions, who just lost to the Rams at home.
Carolina @ New Orleans: NEW ORLEANS - The Saints played a very good Falcons team and were pushed to the brink. Now, they play an average Carolina team. The Panthers have a chance if they can run the ball and run the ball well. But if they get behind and have to throw the ball a lot, it could get ugly.
San Diego @ NY Giants: SAN DIEGO - I'm just not sold on the Giants right now. Their only good win is over the Cowboys in Week 2 and lately, they've played terrible. The defense has allowed a ton of big plays and the O-Line has been unable to protect Eli. The Chargers have a great passing game but it's the run game that needs to step up.
Tennessee @ San Francisco: SAN FRANCISCO - That was a good win for the Titans last week but I'm not so quick to jump on the Titans train. Chris Johnson won't run wild against the Niners defense and that means Vince Young will have to make some plays. Plus, the effort San Fran put in against the Colts tells me they're getting back to their early-season form.
Dallas @ Philadelphia: PHILADELPHIA - I have little doubt about this one. The Cowboys have played great so far and on offense, really seem to be clicking. But not as much as the Eagles are. Donovan McNabb is without Brian Westbrook but it doesn't even matter. Expect him to throw for 3-4 TDs and the Eagles defense to keep the Cowboys at bay.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8
Pittsburgh @ Denver: PITTSBURGH - This could be one ugly football game. Two great defenses knocking the crap out of each other. The Steelers have the better offense but the Broncos offense, while not flashy, is pretty darn efficient. This one should come down to the wire and if that's the case, I like Big Ben, who has made a plethora of comebacks in his young career.

WHERE'S GUS JOHNSON? - Don't cry America but Gus isn't calling an NFL game today. The reason for that is that he announced CBS' Saturday Night Fights and boy, was that fun. Hearing Gus yell "There is blood everywhere" brings chills to your bones and a smile to your face. Either way, GuJo should be back in the booth next week for more exciting calls and cackles.

2009 College Football - Week 10

It's the first weekend in November for college football and a pretty good slate of games to start off the biggest month in college football. Only two games involving ranked teams playing each other but a lot of other intriguing games/potential upsets that could shake up conference races and possibly the BCS games as well. That's just the joy of college football.

It was a solid picking week for me, going 10-5 so my season record is up to 85-50. Again, it's respectable but I'm really hoping to go 15-0 one of these weeks. If not that, at least 13-2 or something to really improve that overall record. 15 more tough games to pick this week so let's see what happens.

GAME OF THE WEEK

1. #9 LSU @ #3 Alabama - Another week, another big SEC matchup involving either Florida or Alabama. This time, it's LSU facing Bama. LSU faced Florida back in October and never really gave them a scare. Their offense simply wasn't good enough to score on the Gator defense that isn't great but solid enough to stop an offense like LSU's. But LSU has played a couple games since that one and the offense has scored 73 pts in the last two games so maybe they've hit their stride. Thing is, now they face a defense that has given up just 91 points in 8 games. That's pretty darn good. Oh, and Bama has an offense led by RB Mark Ingram that you can't sleep on because he'll rack up 200 yds on you. I'll go with ALABAMA to stay unbeaten.

BEST OF THE REST

2. #16 Ohio State @ #11 Penn State - The race for the Big Ten title starts here. This week OSU faces Penn State. Next week, they face Iowa. The outcome of those two ballgames will determine who will probably face Oregon in the Rose Bowl. OSU and Terrelle Pryor have played well in the last 2 weeks but neither of those teams are to the caliber of PSU. The Nittany Lions have rebounded nicely since the loss to Iowa at home but again, haven't played a team to the caliber of OSU. Both teams are led by their defenses so expect this to be a low-scoring affair. Penn State's pass rush is one of the best, which is good and bad for Pryor. Could mean more sacks and bad throws but could also mean more throws on the run, which he is pretty good at, and long scrambles. This one will be a battle to the end but with the game being in Beaver Stadium, the edge goes to PENN STATE...and it sickens me to write that. Penn State 17, Ohio State 10.

3. #8 Oregon @ Stanford - Oregon's rise to the top has been impressive. But they could easily fall right back down if they don't come ready to play against Stanford. It's always tough to come off a big win like last week's win over USC and play a quality ballgame. Just ask USC, who lost after playing OSU two years in a row. Oregon's offense right now is just so good now while Stanford's defense is not. The Cardinal gave up 38 to ORST and then 48 to Arizona. Stanford is undefeated at home though, where they've played in the Jim Harbaugh era. Plus, a win makes them bowl-eligible for the first time since 2001 so you know the Cardinal will play their hearts out. I'm going with OREGON in a close one.

4. Navy @ #22 Notre Dame - Most years, this is not a big game but this is definitely one this year. Notre Dame is 4 wins away from probably making it to a BCS game. But one more loss all but ends that shot. The Irish are a pretty good team, especially on offense with QB Jimmy Clausen leading the way. The defense though is suspect, giving up nearly 23 points per game. Navy comes in with one of the better offenses in the nation with their unique triple-option attack. But against the best teams, they have fallen short. It hasn't been by much but they've been losses. Navy's defense though isn't great either so NOTRE DAME is my pick even though it wouldn't surprise me to see the Midshipmen win.

5. Connecticut @ #5 Cincinnati - There's no telling the Jasper Howard tragedy has worn on the UConn football team. They've played hard now twice in memory of him and lost both times in close ones, further deepening the hurt. But here's their chance to redeem themselves and really win for their departed teammate. UConn has the players to win this game. They just need to play a flawless game. Meanwhile, UC has been playing some great football, even with a backup QB. The offense and defense has been a part of this undefeated run and there's no sign of them slowing down. While I think UConn will keep this one competitive until the end, I just don't see CINCINNATI losing this one at home.

6. Wake Forest @ #10 Georgia Tech - On paper, this one shouldn't be close. GT is clearly the better team, especially on offense where their rushing attack remains one of the best in the nation. The thing is, this is the ACC, where amazing things happen. Right when you think you've got the teams figured out, the unimaginable happens. In this case, Wake is a decent team. In fact, they nearly beat Miami (FL) last week in Miami before letting it fall apart in the end. Now, they're losers of their last 3 and desperate to get a win to make sure they finish bowl-eligible. Meanwhile, GT has won 6 in a row but their defense has not been stellar at all. They gave up 28 first-half pts to an awful Vandy team before shutting them down in the second half. So there is hope for Wake. But my pick to win is GEORGIA TECH.

7. Florida State @ Clemson - Staying in the ACC, this is a big one in the ACC Atlantic. Clemson sits at 3-2, tied at the top with BC. Meanwhile, FSU is trying to continue their ascent to the top after an 0-3 start. If FSU loses this game, they're pretty much done. Meanwhile, a loss for Clemson doesn't completely knock them out. As far as the matchup, FSU's offense has been incredibly good the last 3 weeks, much of that thanks to QB Christian Ponder. Clemson though has been playing just as well on offense. CJ Spiller is the piece that makes them go but as long as Kyle Parker avoids turnovers, he becomes a weapon too with his throwing arm. This one will not be a defensive battle. Expect 80+ points to be scored and CLEMSON to come out on top.

8. #24 Oklahoma @ Nebraska - The Big 12 South is all but settled with Texas. But the Big 12 North is still well up for grabs. All 6 teams are still in the race but by far, Nebraska is the best team of them all. But a recent slide by the Huskers has put them in a tough spot. They control their own destiny but that means winning this game. With Landry Jones at QB, Oklahoma hasn't been terrible. In fact, their 3 losses have been by a combined 5 points. Nebraska has the players to win this game and at home, you know it'll be crazy. Oklahoma has won the last 4 in the series but NEBRASKA wins this one in my APPY of the week.

9. Kansas @ Kansas State - This is another big one when it comes to the Big 12 North. Kansas looked to be well on its way to a date with Texas in the Big 12 championship until their recent 3-game losing streak that has befuddled me and probably all of their fans. With a QB like Todd Reesing and other upperclassmen, the road looked pretty clear but it's sure foggy now. Now, KU needs to just keep winning and that includes this rivalry game against the upstart Wildcats. Bill Snyder has done a great job with this team so far, having them in the position to even compete for a division title. Thing is, of their 5 wins, none of them have come against real quality competition. The game is in Manhattan but KANSAS isn't losing 4 in a row.

10. #12 USC @ Arizona State - The Trojan faithful are probably still crying over the Oregon loss. I can understand, considering they've been the champs for so long in the Pac-10. But no used crying over spilled milk. The Trojans better rebound if they still want a shot at a BCS game. Normally after losses, Pete Carroll gets his guys ready for battle and many times, they trounce the opponent. Arizona State though should provide a bit of a challenge. ASU's run defense is pretty good, so if they can stifle Joe McKnight, they've got a real chance. Thing is, the Sun Devils aren't real good against the best teams in the land, even at home. They're 0-13 at home against opponents ranked in the top 15 or higher. USC wins by a good margin.

11. Oregon State @ #20 California - It's been a month since Cal has been in the top 25 and for good reason. The two losses they suffered were absolutely awful. But now, they seem to be back to their early form, especially RB Jahvid Best. Meanwhile, ORST is playing well as of late too, having won 3 of their last 4, with the lone loss coming to USC in a tight ballgame. The Beavers have truly picked up their game but I don't think they have enough defense to slow down QB Kevin Riley, Best and the rest of the Bears offense this week. CALIFORNIA comes away with the win.

12. Northwestern @ #4 Iowa - Don't worry Hawkeyes fans. I'm not gonna talk about how I underestimate the Hawkeyes anymore. In fact, they have an uncanny resemblance of the 2002 Ohio State team that went undefeated and won a national title game in the way they win ugly. And since Iowa continues to do that, one has to believe this game will be fun to watch. Northwestern is a gutsy team, led by QB Mike Kafka, a very underrated QB. He was playing a great game against Penn State before getting injured. If he stays healthy, he'll keep the Wildcats in the ballgame. But IOWA wins the game and moves to 10-0. Wow.

13. Virginia @ #17 Miami (FL) - This is probably Al Groh's last season coaching the Cavaliers. His record hasn't been great and this year is no different. But the thing about this UVA team is that they are always capable of pulling off a huge upset. Last year, they beat two ranked teams in a row. This year, they went on a 3-game win streak but they've lost the last 2. Meanwhile, Miami (FL) didn't play a good game against Wake last week but they got the win. I don't expect them to have trouble with UVA but again, this is the ACC, where strange things happen. MIAMI (FL) is my choice.

14. #15 Houston @ Tulsa - If you like a lot of scoring, then this is the matchup for you. Both teams like to score, especially Houston who has already racked up 333 pts in 8 games, 2nd in the nation. The Cougars are also 1st in total yards and pass yds. But don't count out Tulsa. Despite 3 losses in a row, you know the Golden Hurricane are gonna come swinging. The Conference USA West title is on the line and as history tells us, Tulsa is 9-6 against the Cougars at home. Last year, this was a 70-30 win for Houston. I don't think it will be that lopsided this time but HOUSTON outscores Tulsa in another fun one for the offenses.

15. Duke @ North Carolina - Yeah, this is actually a big one on the football field. Duke is on a 3-game win streak, and with one more win, would be bowl-eligible. Yes, still talking about Duke here. Plus, they're second in the division and should they win this game and beat GT next week, could end up in the ACC title game. Yep, still talking about Duke. Meanwhile, UNC bounced back after some shaky games with a very good win over VT in Blacksburg. The Tar Heels are 5-3 like the Blue Devils but just 1-3 in the ACC. They've played the best though, while Duke still has the best yet to come. Home field doesn't mean much in Chapel Hill (in football, that is) so forget that. This one will come down to the fact that North Carolina's defense is too good for a mediocre Duke offense. NORTH CAROLINA takes down their bball rival.

OTHER GAMES

Ohio @ Buffalo - It's a big Tuesday ballgame for the Bobcats and it's on national TV. I'll preview it in my recap on Monday night.

NFL Week 8 Power Rankings

It's hard to think that already, we're reaching the halfway point of the NFL season. Just seems like yesterday the Browns were hiring their new GM and were excited for the 2009 season. Now, their GM has been fired and fans are threatening to show up late for a nationally televised game because their 1-7 team is horrible. Ah, good 'ol Browns.

It was a kind of wild week in the NFL if there is such a thing. Teams that were winless got their first victory and another unbeaten lost. A few others "upsets" happened as well and some guy named Brett Favre took down his former club at a place he had played in for 17 seasons. But how does all of this affect the all-important Power Rankings?
1. Indianapolis (7-0, LW: 1) - The Colts had a somewhat surprising struggle with the 49ers, who gave them all they could handle in Indy. Peyton didn't even throw a touchdown pass in the victory. Just goes to show this team can win ugly too. NEXT vs. Houston

2. Denver (6-1, LW: 2) - You knew the Broncos were bound to lose and losing to the Ravens isn't a bad loss. Denver's lack of offense is a bit of a concern, scoring just 7 points but they are well on their way to winning the AFC West already. NEXT MON vs. Pittsburgh

3. Cincinnati (5-2, LW: 3) - No change here for the Bengals who enjoyed a bye week with a winning record. The 5-2 start is something to be proud of but the next 2 games against Baltimore and Pittsburgh will determine if they are playoff worthy. NEXT vs. Baltimore

4. Pittsburgh (5-2, LW: 4) - The Steelers are coming off a bye week as well and maybe during that time, they found a real running game. They'll need it as they prepare to take on what a defense that held Joe Flacco to 175 pass yds last week. NEXT @ Denver

5. New England (5-2, LW: 5) - The Pats are back in the States now and playing with tons of confidence but considering their last two wins are against TEN and TB, who knows if they're really this good. Big division battle at home this week. NEXT vs. Miami

6. Baltimore (4-3, LW: 6) - You knew the Ravens were too good to lose 3 in a row. The offense didn't have their best day but they didn't to as the Ravens defense finally showed up to play a full 60 minutes. Now, they need to get revenge on the Bengals. NEXT @ Cincinnati

7. Miami (3-4, LW: 7) - That slow start may keep the Dolphins from the playoffs but this is a team you do not want to play. Their run game is hard to contain and that alone can wear down any defense. They're 3-0 in the division for now. NEXT @ New England

8. Houston (5-3, LW: 8) - Look out for the Texans. If the season ended now, they'd be in. The defense had its best game yet, giving up just 10 points and Ryan Moats stepped in nicely at runningback. Huge test this week for the defense against Peyton Manning. NEXT @ Indianapolis

9. San Diego (4-3, LW: 9) - The Raiders weren't as easy to beat as the Chargers may have thought. In fact, it took a 4th quarter stop to secure the win. LT still didn't rush for 100 yds, further proving this is a passing team and his best days are behind him. NEXT @ NY Giants

10. NY Jets (4-4, LW: 10) - Can't blame this loss on Mark Sanchez, who played one of his best games yet with 3 total TD and no turnovers. Blame for this loss falls on the defense and special teams, that gave up not one, but two kick returns for touchdowns. NEXT: Bye Week

11. Jacksonville (3-4, LW: 12) - The Jags really struggled against the previously unbeaten Titans but one had to think the Titans were due for a game like that. Jags get a chance to rebound though. They don't play a team with a winning record until Week 13. NEXT vs. Kansas City

12. Buffalo (3-5, LW: 11) - What a bad loss. They got turnovers from Matt Schaub and couldn't take advantage. They played a bad defense at home and only scored 10 points. Let the QB controversy begin as they head into the bye week. NEXT: Bye Week

13. Tennessee (1-6, LW: 16) - Now that's the Titans team that many thought would begin the season. Vince Young played well at QB, not making dumb mistakes. But the best thing he did was hand the ball off to Chris Johnson, who had 228 yds. NEXT @ San Francisco

14. Oakland (2-6, LW: 15) - Something about the Chargers that brings the best out of the Raiders. They played a decent game but you had to know JaMarcus Russell had zero chance to run a successful 2-minute drill. We'll see if Tom Cable has a job after the bye week. NEXT: Bye Week

15. Kansas City (1-6, LW: 13) - The Larry Johnson fiasco seems to have passed by now but the losing needs to stop now. That can happen if Matt Cassel avoids the turnovers and the aforementioned Johnson of Jamaal Charles can ignite the run game. NEXT @ Jacksonville

16. Cleveland (1-7, LW: 14) - These are rough times for Browns fans. The quarterback situation is back to square one and the lack of offensive touchdowns is just ridiculous. They've already fired their GM. Wouldn't be surprised to Eric Mangini go either. NEXT: Bye Week


1. New Orleans (7-0, LW: 1) - Yet again, they don't score a ton of points but enough for their defense, which by no means is a shut down squad. They were pests though for Matt Ryan all game, keeping him from staying in rhythm with his receivers. NEXT vs. Carolina

2. Minnesota (7-1, LW: 2) - It was an impressive win for the Vikings but time to give Brad Childress props now. With Tarvaris Jackson, the Vikings lose that game. But with Brett Favre, they win and now are in the driver's seat to win the NFC North. NEXT: Bye Week

3. Philadelphia (5-2, LW: 5) - That Philadelphia passing game is just downright dangerous. Donovan McNabb is just having hsi way with defenses and his young receivers are playing great. Getting Brian Westbrook back soon will just make them better. NEXT vs. Dallas

4. Dallas (5-2, LW: 6) - I still don't know where Miles Austin came from but it makes sense that he and Tony Romo have such a great connection. Both came from nowhere and are making the best of their situations right now. This team is better than many though. NEXT @ Philadelphia

5. Atlanta (4-3, LW: 7) - The Falcons lost their second in a row for the first time ever under Mike Smith but talk about a hard-fought loss. They never gave up and stuck with the Saints until the end. Their schedule gets much easier in the next 9 games. NEXT vs. Washington

6. Green Bay (4-3, LW: 8) - The Packers didn't play incredibly bad. Brett Favre just played that well. This team is still dangerous, especially if they can keep a consistent running game. Aaron Rodgers is on his way to being a top-5 NFL QB. NEXT @ Tampa Bay

7. Chicago (4-3, LW: 9) - The Bears found their running game finally, thanks to the Browns. Now, it's just a matter of keeping it going if they want to make the playoffs. Oh, that and Jay Cutler staying away from those turnovers he's prone to having. NEXT vs. Arizona

8. Arizona (4-3, LW: 3) - It's a steep drop for the Cardinals but that's because good teams don't lose to inferior ones at home. That and the Cardinals wins aren't that impressive anymore. That offense is too good to score just 21 against the Panthers defense. NEXT @ Chicago

9. NY Giants (5-3, LW: 4) - Look closely and this team isn't as good as their record. They have wins against the likes of WAS, TB, KC, and OAK and now, have lost three in a row to quality competition. Not sure what's wrong but they need to figure it out. NEXT vs. San Diego

10. Carolina (3-4, LW: 12) - The Panthers played a good game finally. Jake Delhomme threw no INTs and the running game controlled the clock. More importantly, the defense made an impact, scoring points and slowing a very good Arizona offense. NEXT @ New Orleans

11. San Francisco (3-4, LW: 10) - The losing streak is up to 3 now but by the looks of their game against Indy, it'll end soon. The Niners defense played to its potential again. now, it's just up to the offense to put some more points to help them out. NEXT vs. Tennessee

12. Seattle (2-5, LW: 11) - This was supposed to be a much better season for the Seahawks. Injuries can't be an excuse this year like it was last year. Their propensity to fall behind hurts them because the passing game is not their strength. NEXT vs. Detroit

13. Washington (2-5, LW: 13) - Jim Zorn has 9 games left in his Redskins coaching career in all likelihood. We'll see if he goes out with a bang or a thud. Jason Campbell may be the key to that. His play has been awful through 7 games. NEXT @ Atlanta

14. St. Louis (1-7, LW: 15) - Congrats to the Rams for getting that first victory. Much of it is thanks to Steven Jackson, who despite the team's slow start, has yet to slow down. Now, they get a bye week to rest up the bodies before the 2nd half of the season. NEXT: Bye Week

15. Detroit (1-6, LW: 14) - If the Lions are going to turn the corner, they have to start winning games like the one they just lost to St. Louis. The offense should be better than how they've played so far. Only win so far is against WAS so maybe they still are just awful. NEXT @ Seattle

16. Tampa Bay (0-7, LW: 16) - No word yet who will start at quarterback for the Bucs but if I were head coach Raheem Morris, no better time to throw Josh Freeman in the fray than now. It's a home game and against a GB defense that isn't too tough. NEXT vs. Green Bay

2009 College Football - Week 9 Recap

This weekend had the potential to be amazing. There were upsets to be had by many teams but alas, none of them came into fruition. So so sad, especially for a guy secretly hoping to see Boise State face TCU in the title game to spite all those who think the BCS is a good idea. But the good thing is that most years, November is where the real action is. That's because every conference race is determined in the month and maybe more importantly, some of the best team trip up in games they have no business tripping in. So plenty of great stuff to some hopefully but before we move along, here's the look back at Week 9.

THE BIG 10 THINGS I LEARNED THIS WEEK

1. Saturday Statements - After a few weeks of not playing overly impressive, Florida and Texas made some statements this week. Florida showcased its offense and defense in a good performance against Georgia. Tim Tebow played like the Tebow that won the Heisman and the Gators defense shut down the sometimes dynamic Dawgs offense. Meanwhile, Texas did the same to a very good Oklahoma State team. OKST QB Zach Robinson was pressured and pushed to his limits from the start and the Longhorns never let off the gas. Both teams are now are in great shape to finish undefeated before conference title games.

2. Pac-10 Power Shift - For a while, it seemed like the only sure thing in life were death, taxes, and USC winning the Pac-10. Well, that's probably not gonna happen this year, thanks to Oregon. And who saw this coming after Week 1. The Ducks scored just 8 points against Boise State and lost their starting RB for the season due to a punch. But ever since, the Ducks have just gotten better and clearly are the best in the conference. USC isn't a bad team but Oregon sure made them look like it. Props to Chip Kelly for getting the team back on the right track. Still some tough games to go but with a 2-game lead and all the confidence in the world, they should be just fine.

3. BCS Busters in good shape - Give some credit to TCU and Boise State. Despite their long odds of playing in the BCS championship game, they play every game as if they were in the thick of the race. TCU crushed UNLV 41-0 while Boise State disposed of San Jose State 45-7. Winning games convincingly is huge for both, considering the voters' propensity to have other teams jump them just because of the level of competition TCU and BSU play. But no matter what these teams do, they're not gonna move up the BCS standings unless the teams above fall prey to a upset or two.

4. The ACC is ridiculous - You could always seem to count on Virginia Tech to carry the torch for the ACC. No matter how average the conference may be, VT had always been the one to give it credibility. And then, Thursday night happened. The Hokies lost to a UNC team that had been struggling mightily and even worse, they lost to them in Blacksburg. Later that night, Miami (FL) needed a 4th quarter comeback to beat Wake Forest and Duke, once the laughing stock of college football, beat Virginia to give them a better conference record than VT and Miami (FL). Oh, and the entire ACC Atlantic will give you a headache trying to figure it out.

5. Fun November to come in Big Ten - If you think you've got the Big Ten figured out, let me know. Michigan started the season on fire but now, have just one conference win. This week, they lost to an Illinois team many thought would finish near the top. Minnesotsa took down MSU in the battle of mediocrity and Iowa escaped once again, despite 5 INT from Ricky Stanzi. But the best is yet to come. OSU has to face PSU and Iowa. The outcome of those games will determine who will face (and inevitably lose) to Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

6. Tricky Tressel - Oh, and speaking of Ohio State, how about the tricks from Jim Tressel lately? The onside kick, the wide receiver pass. It's actually been fun to watch the Ohio State offense again. Terrelle Pryor is still struggling but if he just focuses on being an athlete and not a quarterback, OSU should be able to survive. Plus, the more tricks the better. Tressel has always been one to play things close to the vest (pun intended) so the more random things he can do against the toughest competition yet, the better.

7. Big East Battles to come - West Virginia did suffer a loss to South Florida but don't count them out of the race yet. They have an underrated team and overlooking them one but could be costly to Pitt and Cincy. Here's how it breaks down. Cincy and Pitt are undefeated in Big East play but still face each other. Both also have to face WV, who could play spoiler by beating them both. Cincy is still playing without QB Tony Pike and been thriving. Meanwhile, Pitt has been playing great football since a terrible loss to NC State. Most years, the Big East is laughed at but this year, there is some real talent and the action to come in November should be fun to watch.

8. Falling Apart - It wasn't too long ago Michigan, Kansas and Ole Miss were in the Top 25 and said to be having great seasons. Forget about that. Michigan began Big Ten play with a win over Indiana and a perfect 4-0. Since then, it's all gone downhill. The Wolverines have lost 4 conference games in a row and at 5-4, still are not bowl eligible. Kansas seemed to be on the fast track to playing Texas in the Big 12 title game but they've hit a huge bump in the road. The Jayhawks have lost 3 in a row and the last two were by 21 or more points. At 1-3, they can still finish in first amazingly but they need to step up their game. And as for Ole Miss, yikes. Once a top 5 team, they're now unranked and losers of 3 conference games. Their latest loss to Auburn was particularly embarrassing, seeing they were never even close to winning. They still have Tennessee and LSU on the schedule so finishing at 7-5 is not out of the question.

9. Non-BCS races - Of course, all the attention has been focused on the BCS conference races but there are some decent ones outside of that. In Conference USA, Houston has a tough one against Tulsa this week to keep tabs on its top spot in the West division. ECU should be fine in the East. The MAC West is all but settled thanks to CMU but the East picture is still muddled. Temple has the lead at 4-0 but still must play OU (4-1) and Kent State (4-1) and in back-to-back games on a short week. The Mountain West is led by TCU and Utah who are both undefeated. Winner of their battle in two weeks will settle that conference. And in the WAC, Boise State and Nevada lead the pack. Their game on the day after Turkey Day should decide that conference.

10. Heisman Watch - With his great performance against Georgia, Tim Tebow went a long way to becoming the second two-time Heisman winner. But Colt McCoy isn't going anywhere. He put up good numbers to and his were on the road against a top-15 team in what was a huge game. Mark Ingram had the week off and Jimmy Clausen played a scrub Washington State team so while his numbers were good, they were expected. CJ Spiller only had 5 carries this past week, really hurting his chances. Other names like Houston QB Case Keenum, Pitt RB Dion Lewis and Miami (FL) QB Jacory Harris had good games but probably aren't solidly in the running yet.

11. A non-Promise commercial from OU? - That's right folks. OU Athletics has created a commercial that will hopefully replace the awful one that includes yours truly and infects the airwaves. You can check out the artistic masterpiece here. (OSU fans beware).

OVER/UNDER
- Can't believe I'm saying this but VIRGINIA TECH is my OVERRATED team of the week. Most years, they are always underrated because of the mediocrity of the ACC but this year, they're just not a good team. Their offense goes non-existent for long stretches in games and while Tyrod Taylor is one heck of an athlete, he is not a great passing quarterback yet, which really hurts this offense. Their defense isn't terrible but they can't get off the field.
- I had a lot of choices for the UNDERRATED team of the week but after deep thought, I went with TENNESSEE. Yes, they're just 4-4 but this team is much better than that. Under Lane Kiffin, this offense has really taken off. Johnathan Crompton is passing the ball with confidence and Montario Hardesty has turned into one of the best backs in the league. Meanwhile, the defense led by the elder Monte Kiffin has really excelled. Safety Eric Berry leads a group that can get after the quarterback and can shut down both the run or pass. They've played well against Florida and Alabama and just got done beating a quality South Carolina team. With the recruits Kiffin is bringing in, expect the Vols to be a dominant team in 2-3 years.

HE/SHE SAID WHAT?
"Eight's not half of 29. It's half of 16, which is half of 29." - Craig James

3 QUESTIONS

1. Who can throw the better deep ball: Terrelle Pryor or Devier Posey?

2. Do the Cincinnati Bearcats have a quarterback controversy once Tony Pike is healthy?

3. If Notre Dame finishes at 10-2, are they worthy of a BCS bowl game?

Week 8 NFL Picks

On the day that I push myself and complete my first-ever half-marathon, it makes sense for me to push myself to bring back the NFL picks posts to the blog. The last three Sundays have been a bit busy for me so I haven't been able to post the picks but no worries, I have still been making picks and kept tabs on my season record.

After Week 3, I was 33-15, rather pedestrian but also makes sense considering it's tough to read teams early on in the season. But since Week 3, I have a 39-16 record picking games. There have been a lot of easy games to pick in some weeks, thanks to teams like CLE, STL, TB and KC. But some more tough games to pick this week and of course, I'm here to let you know where the great Gus Johnson will be spending his Sunday.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1
Houston @ Buffalo: HOUSTON - Ryan Fitzpatrick has done a great job leading the Bills to 2 road wins after Trent Edwards injury. But the Texans offense is in sync right now and the Bills defense won't be able to keep up with them.
Cleveland @ Chicago: CHICAGO - Thankfully for the Browns, the bye week is coming, giving them time to lick their wounds from what's been a tough first half. Meanwhile, the Bears get a chance to regroup after two tough losses. Even if Jay Cutler turns the bal over 3 times, the Bears should be victorious
Seattle @ Dallas: DALLAS - The Seahawks are coming off a bye week and a Week 6 game in which the offense mustered up just 3 points. Expect them to come out firing on all cylinders but Dallas' defense should bend and not break enough so that the Dallas rush attack can take advantage of a banged up Seattle defense.
St. Louis @ Detroit: DETROIT - Talk about the battle of futility. This represents St. Louis' best chance to get a victory this season. Meanwhile, Detroit gets Matthew Stafford back and has actually played well this season so picking them to win isn't as hard as you may think.
Denver @ Baltimore: BALTIMORE - There's no doubt now that Denver is for real. Kyle Orton just doesn't make mistakes and that Denver defense under Mike Nolan is stingy. But Baltimore is playing with some anger, having lost 3 in a row and knowing they can't fall too far behind the pack if they want to be playing past Week 17.
San Francisco @ Indianapolis: INDIANAPOLIS - San Fran's offense moved the ball much better under Alex Smith, who will get the start. But the problem for San Fran has been the defense as of late and now, they get to face one of the best offenses in the NFL. Peyton Manning should have a field day picking apart the young 49ers defense.
Miami @ NY Jets: MIAMI - Miami's wildcat package really confused the Jets when they played just 3 weeks ago. But since then, there's been a lot of trash talk about how the Dolphins won. But unless the Jets defense slows down the run game and prevent Chad Henne from throwing for 241 yds again, the Dolphins will sweep the Jets this season.
NY Giants @ Philadelphia: PHILADELPHIA - Both teams have been struggling the past few weeks but one team has to win this one. The Giants offense should be able to score with the Eagles but I see this one coming down to a final drive and Donovan McNabb leading the Eagles to victory with that dynamic pass attack against a weak Giants secondary.
Jacksonville @ Tennessee: JACKSONVILLE - Things will turn around in Tennessee soon enough but not this week. Jacksonville has found a pass attack to go with their run game and with Vince Young making the start, you can expect the Jags defense to force a couple turnovers that will play a factor in the game as well.
Oakland @ San Diego: SAN DIEGO - After an absolutely awful week from JaMarcus Russell last week, he's back starting under center and gets to play a Chargers team that is in desperate need of a win to stay in the playoff picture. That and the Chargers aren't gonna mess around piling up points in this one.
Carolina @ Arizona: ARIZONA - These are bad times in Carolina. Teams can simply load the box and force Jake Delhomme to make a play and as seen by his league-leading 13 INT, that's a winning strategy. The Cardinals are playing great football these days too, not just on offense either.
Minnesota @ Green Bay: GREEN BAY - Apparently, Brett Favre used to play in Green Bay. Well, with him or not, Green Bay isn't going to lose this division battle at home. They went down to the wire with the Vikes in the meeting in the Metrodome. This time, it's not as close as the GB running game opens up the passing game.

Monday, November 2
Atlanta @ New Orleans: NEW ORLEANS - Tough to think that with a loss, the Falcons fall to 4-3 but their schedule has been tough early on. For them to win, they have to slow down Drew Brees and that pass attack. But that's easier said than done. Look for Brees to light up the Falcons secondary just like Romo did against them last week.

WHERE'S GUS JOHNSON? - I hate it when they stick the great Gus on a terrible game because odds are, there will be no memorable calls. Well, that's the case this week as the Jags face the Titans. Of course, there's always a chance the game is close and GuJo gets to call the Titans first win (hopefully in dramatic fashion) but I just don't see that happening. I just hope he's calling the CBS Saturday Night Fights this Saturday because Gus doing MMA is about the best thing since sliced bread.

ENJOY THE GAMES EVERYONE!!!