Perfection

After a two month hiatus due to work and college apps, in the words of T.O. I'm BAAAAAAAAAACK and I'm better than ever. It's amazing how much can change in the world of sports in such a short amount of time. The last time I made a post the Vikings were flying high and were virtually locked into the number two seed, Mike Leach hadn't locked Adam James in a closet, Tiger Woods was thought of as just a golfer, and the Wizards looked promising in their first four games. Of everything that happened in the last two months, the issue that really got to me was Jim Caldwell and the Colts giving up on their quest for perfection.

The Colts were leading the Jets early in the second half, at home nonetheless, when head coach Jim Cladwell elected to pull some starters including Peyton Manning with whom he replaced with rookie backup Curtis Painter. Nothing against Curtis, but when you put a rookie against a Jets team playing for a playoff spot and that has a physical defense like Rex Ryan's, he has no chance. The Jets cruised to a win in the second half 29-15.

This decision raises the question, is it more important to assure health to your starters or go for an undefeated season? The clear answer is to go for an undefeated season. Simply put, going undefeated is awesome. The members of the '72 Dolphin team can say that they were part of the best team to ever play and no one can really argue with them because NO ONE beat them. Without the undefeated season do we really remember Mercury Morris, Larry Csonka, and Bob Griese the way we do? Had the Saints still been undefeated and they did this I would have had slightly less of a problem because they would be going for the franchise's first Super Bowl. But when the Colts, a team in which half of their players have rings, they needed to go for something more special.

The decision also does not secure the Super Bowl by any means, if anything it may hurt their chances. Prior to 2006, we saw the Colts rest their starters the last two games of the regular season and then collapse in the playoffs. The year they won it all they were forced to play to win every game in order to secure a division championship. After Peyton was pulled, he was visably upset, and obviously did not agree with the decision. Manning stood on the sideline sulking with his helmet on and chinstrap buckled as if he was ready to go back into the game. And as much as everyone worries about Peyton Manning's health, the guy has started every single game of his career; I think he knows how to take care of himself for one extra half.

In the end, Jim Caldwell has only put more pressure on himself because now if the Colts don't reach the Super Bowl, his decision will certainly be criticized.

Houston's Finest Week Eleven Picks

Miami-Carolina: Carolina- No Ronnie Brown means no dominant wild cat. This could be the first game Chad Henne has to really play, and I am not sure he can beat a tough Carolina D.

Indianapolis-Baltimore: Indianapolis- No Suggs could create a problem in rushing Peyton Manning.

Washington-Dallas: Dallas- With Fat Albert out for the Skins and Felix Jones healthy for the Boys, Dallas should win, but maybe not as big as expected.

Cleveland-Detroit: Detroit- After watching Cleveland on monday night I came to the conclusion that unless they do get Lebron James they will not win another game this year.

San Francisco-Green Bay: Green Bay- This should be a good game, after a big win last week against the Cowboys I think that Green Bay will use that momentum to win this one too.

Buffalo-Jacksonville: Buffalo- This pick might be because being a Texans fan I need the Jags to lose, but I think that T.O. is going to show up today and get his team the W.

Pittsburgh-Kansas City: Pittsburgh- Easy choice here, Steelers looking for revenge for last weeks loss. Good luck Chiefs

Seattle-Minnesota: Minnesota- Even though I have an insider at this game who has never seen the Vikings win in the Metrodome in 5 tries, this one will be the first W he sees.

Atlanta-New York Giants: New York- No Noorwood. No Turner.

New Orleans-Tampa Bay: New Orleans- I almost picked the Bucs here, then my senses kicked in.

Arizona-St. Louis: St. Louis- Steven Jackson is going to go off this game, they played the Saints very close last weekend and this is not a bad team.

San Diego-Denver: San Diego- Broncos are crashing and burning while the Chargers are on the rise.

New York Jets-New England: New England- Patriots did not forget their week 2 game against the Jets.

Cincinnati-Oakland: Cincinnati: No Jamarcus, still no win.

Philadelphia-Chicago: Philadelphia- Donavan shows up big in his homecoming.

Tennessee-Houston: Houston- Texans need to win to keep playoff hopes alive.

MH

JG's Week 10 Picks

I apologize for being M.I.A. the last couple weeks, I had to write some articles for someone else.

Denver (-3.5) @Washington- The Broncos may be getting the losing fever after dropping their last two, but the Redskins are the perfect remedy. Denver's defense will keep Washington to no more than one touchdown.

Denver 21- Redskins 10

Cincinnati (+7) @Pittsburgh- Cincinnati won the first meeting and if they can pull one off today it would put them in great position to win the AFC North. The Steelers though, after a rocky start, have been playing some of the best football in the league. I like the Steelers in a close one.

Steelers 24- Bengals 21

Jacksonville (+6.5) @New York Jets- The Jets started off as a hot team, and caught the eye of many as a possible Super Bowl Team. Right now though, this is just a game of two 4-4 teams in which 6.5 points is too much. The Jags don't only cover but get the straight up win.

Jaguars 20- Jets 17

Buffalo (+8) @Tennessee- With Vince Young at the helm, the Titans have scored 30 or more in two consecutive weeks, both wins. Buffalo, has struggled mightily offensively and the troubles will continue this week. The Bills are unable to avenge the Music City miracle.

Titans 27- Bills 14

Detroit (+16.5) @Minnesota- Don't expect a trap game here with the Vikings coming off of a bye. They will be ready to get back on the field and bring it to the woeful Lions. Stat of the game: The Lions have not won at the Metrodome in 11 years.

Vikings 31- Lions 14

New Orleans (+14) @St Louis- The teams playing is all that needs to be said.

Saints 41- Rams 20

Atlanta (-1.5) @Carolina- Last year these two teams were the two best teams in the NFC South and two of the best teams in the NFC. Now the Falcons are trying to keep in the mix and the Panthers are attempting to salvage the season for coach John Fox. Matt Ryan has not been nearly as consistent in his sophomore campaign but in the last couple weeks the burner Turner has stepped up. Expect a slugfest that the dirty birds win.

Falcons 17- Panthers 14

Tampa Bay (+10) @Miami- The battle of south Florida got a little more interesting when last week rookie Josh Freeman lead Tampa Bay to their first win against Green Bay. The Dolphins have put some good games together yet still find themselves at 3-5. Tampa Bay will be pumped up and keep this one close.

Dolphins 24- Buccaneers 17

Kansas City (+2) @Oakland- In what may be the least watched game in the history of the NFL the Raiders win simply because they are less inept offensively than the Chiefs.

Raiders 14- Chiefs 10

Seattle (+8.5) @Arizona- Seattle may seem like they are out of it at 3-5, but in the West, a win today would bring them within a game of first place. Matt Hasselbeck plays like his former self and the Seahawks get the straight up win.

Seahawks 27- Cardinals 24

Philadelphia (+1) @San Diego- The Chargers slipped passed the Giants in New Jersey on a last minute Phillip Rivers touchdown toss. Cross country trips are never easy to overcome. This week the Chargers stay hot.

Chargers 30- Eagles 27

Dallas (-3) @Green Bay- This is the most ridiculous line of the day. The Cowboys are the far better team and will prove it today. The cowboys o-line will once again fail to protect Aaron Rodgers and this one is a blowout.

Cowboys 34- Packers 14

New England (+2.5) @Indianapolis- This may be the greatest out of division rivalry in football. Dating back to 2003 the teams have faced each other every year, and multiple times in the playoffs. The Colts may be 8-0 but we all know Tom Brady loves the national stage. Tom Brady has a fantastic day and the Patriots hand the Colts their first loss which will make Don Shula and company very happy.

Houston's Finest Week Ten Picks

San Francisco-Chicago: Chicago

Winners:

Tennessee

Miami

New Orleans

Denver

Minnesota

New York Jets

Pittsburgh

Atlanta

Kansas City

Green Bay

Arizona

Philadelphia

New England

Baltimore

Studs and Duds

Studs:

Joe Flacco

Donavan McNabb

Adrian Peterson

Duds

Kevin Smith

Cedric Benson

Santana Moss

Fantasy Week Nine Studs and Duds: Quick Edition

Overall Record: 26-22

Last Week: 3-3

Week 8 Studs:

Owen Daniels-Miss (injury)

Jay Cutler- Miss

Steven Jackson- Hit

Week 8 Duds:

Marshwan Lynch- Hit

Brandon Jacobs- Hit

Brett Favre- Miss

Week 9 Studs:

Ben Rothlisbergr QB-PIT vs. Denver (Monday Night)

Aaron Rodgers QB-GB vs. Tampa Bay (1:00)

Matt Forte RB-CHI vs. Arizona (1:00)

Week 9 Duds:

Ronnie Brown RB-MIA vs. New England (1:00)

Eli Manning QB-NYG vs San Diego (4:15)

Alex Smith QB-SF vs Tennessee (4:15)

MH

2-4

Just a quick post. It looks like I may have spoke too soon. This Wizard team has not looked good its last few games. Deshawn Stevenson is awful and Mike James is worse. Yet against Indiana who is just awful, they each got significant playing time. Granted Mike Miller was out, but I have to think that Nick Young, Randy Foye, Caron Butler and Gilbert Arenas could handle the guard duties. I am a little skeptical about this team now. It is far too soon to panic but this performance against the Pacers was just flat out bad. The Wizards just refuse to shoot three's late in games when they are down by 10+ points, it makes no sense to me. Instead of Gilbert trying to take over he has been looking to pass, this is not what I want from Gil. He can be as selfish as he wants and it would be fine with me. Lets just hope that the return of Antawn Jamison and Mike Miller will bring some change to this team. 

MH

Houston's Finest Week Nine Picks

Overall Record: 77-39

Last Week: 10-3

Washington-Atlanta: Atlanta- Atlanta is coming off of a strong performance against the undefeated Saints, and the Skins are coming off of a bad looking loss to Philly. Even though the Skins had a bye week in between, Sherm Lewis and the Skins are not going to put up much of a fight against a far superior team.

 

Arizona-Chicago: Chicago- Arizona just had an ugly, ugly loss against the Panthers last weekend where Kurt Warner showed some of his age, throwing five picks. The Bears have been a bi-polar team so far this year so it would make sense for them to lose this game that they should win. Still I like Cutler and the Bears over the Cards.

Houston-Indianapolis: Indianapolis- This is one of the premiere match-ups of the week between to high powered offenses. The loss of Owen Daniels, who was on the brink of

 becoming an NFL superstar, is going to be a big loss to the Texans. This game may be a lot closer than the average fan would expect though, but Manning prevails in a thriller. 

 

Baltimore-Cincinnati: Baltimore- Baltimore lost their first game against Cincy this year, the D collapsed at the end of the game committing far too many penalties and losing all discipline. Chad Ochocinco has sent the Ravens D some deodorant this week, thats the only thing that can cover him, this very well may spark some fire under Ray Lewis and his D. The Ravens need a win in this game if they want to stay in the division race, and I think Flacco can prevail for them. 

Kansas City-Jacksonville: Jacksonville- This is a bad game being played by two bad teams in a bad football stadium in a bad football city. There is really nothing appealing about this game other than MJD for fantasy owners. The Jags will pull this one out though after being emb

arrassed by the Titans last week. 

Green Bay-Tampa Bay: Green Bay- In the battle of the Bay's the Green takes the game easily. Tampa is the last team yet to win a game, and this is certainly not going to be the first win. Josh Freeman is going to pressured heavily by the Pack all game, and Rodgers should tear up the Bucs D.

Miami-New England: New England- This is the first meeting of the season between the Pats and the Phins. Last year the first meeting between these teams the Wild Cat had its coming out party and the Dolphins shocked the Pats, but then in the second meeting the Patriots shut down the Wild Cat and the Dolphins. This game I believe is going to be a lot more like their second game from last year, Pats take care of business at home. 

Carolina-New Orleans: New Orleans- Carolina is coming off a big win against the Cardinals last week while New Orleans had to pull a tough one out on Monday Night Football. Although the Panthers and Jake Delhomme showed good signs of improvement, they do not have what it takes to beat the Saints.  

Detroit-Seattle: Seattle- This game like the Jacksonville-Kansas City match-up is not a very appealing one. The 1-6 Lions taking on the 2-5 Seahawks proves to be one of the worst games of the season on paper. Seattle is a better team and at home they should be able to tame the Lions. 

Tennessee-San Francisco: Tennessee- San Francisco has played some close games recently but have been unable to win them. This trend is going to continue this week against the Titans who are on a solid one game winning-streak. It will be interesting to see two "bust" quarterbacks who have been given another chance. VY proves to be in-vince-able in this game.

  

San Diego-New York Giants: San Diego- This is an interesting game between the rising Chargers and falling Giants, who have been crashing and burning in the last three weeks. The Chargers are trying to win their third in a row while the G-Men are trying to avoid a four game skid, which would put them at 5-4. San Diego gets it done due to a big game from Philip Rivers

Dallas-Philadelphia: Philadelphia- This is a huge NFC East game, the winner will take the outright lead in the division. The Eagles have looked very good this year other than the awful performance against Oakland. Philly fans still depressed by the World Series loss will be going all out for the Eagles and that could prove to be the difference. 

Pittsburgh-Denver: Pittsburgh- Monday Night Football gets its best match-up of the year between the 6-1 Broncos and the 5-2 Steelers. Pittsburgh after a shaky start of the year has rebounded well and are on a roll, while the Broncos are coming off their first loss of the year. Even though this is in Denver, Big Ben and the Steelers will take care of the Broncos and solidify themselves as a true Super Bowl contender. 

MH

2-2

The Wizards have looked like a completely new team from the one we all saw last year. Other than one shaky game against a good Hawks team on the road and a collapse against the Cavs, who only lost 2 games on the road last season, this Wizard team has looked much, much better. The addition of Gilbert Arenas and emergence of Andray Blatche have been the two clear cut biggest factors in this turn around. This by no means is saying that those two reasons are the sole reasons for the turn around. The additions of Mike Miller, who has provided very steady play and leadership, and Randy Foye, who has shown to add a great spark of the bench, have been huge as well. This team is doing all of this without one of its steady stars, Antawn Jamison. This leads me to think, will Antawn be a good addition when he comes back? As great of a player as he is, this team has been playing fantastic and the rotation and chemistry seems to be clicking on all levels. With Jamison back it could lead to less playing time for Blatche, and the way he is playing right now that does not seem like a good thing at all. While Fabricio Oberto's minutes are the most likely to deteriorate when Twan gets back, I have to imagine some of Blatche's will as well. Also JaVale McGee and all of his excitement could be lost from the rotation. Although it is very unlikely, I believe a trade of Jamison might not be the worst thing for this team. 

I have been blown away so far by this entire team. As I watched the Wizards play the Cavs tonight and saw Shaq throw Deshawn to the ground and the Cleveland fans applaud it made me realize, I truly hate the Cavs and Lebron James more than any team/player in the league. Classless act by the Cavs fans to applaud as Deshawn stayed down on the ground for a moment after the hit. As I began writing this the Wiz had a 18 point lead against the Cavs, but they proceeded to blow that lead and end up losing somewhat badly, but even in the loss there were clear signs of competitiveness from this squad. I am looking forward to see how we bounce back tomorrow night against Dwayne Wade and the Heat. So far this team has looked dramatically better than the 19 win Wizards of 08-09.

MH

Houston's Finest Week Eight Picks

Overall Record: 67-36

Last Week: 8-5

Denver-Baltimore: Baltimore

Houston-Buffalo: Houston

Cleveland-Chicago: Chicago

Seattle-Dallas: Dallas

Miami-New York Jets: Miami

San Francisco-Indianapolis: Indianapolis

New York Giants-Philadelphia: Philadelphia

St. Louis-Detroit: Detroit

Oakland-San Diego: San Diego

Jacksonville-Tennessee: Tennessee

Minnesota-Green Bay: Green Bay

Carolina-Arizona: Arizona

Atlanta-New Orleans: New Orleans

I am just giving my winners this week and will be posting an article on the Wizards shortly.

MH

Fantasy Week Eight Studs and Duds

Overall Record: 23-19

Last Week: 5-1 (Oh yes)

Week 7 Studs:

Matt Ryan- 19/35 198 yards 2 TD 2 Int- Miss

Wes Welker- 10/107 TD- Hit

Joseph Addai- 20/64 TD- Hit

Week 7 Duds:

Jake Delhomme- 27/44 325 yards 3 Int- Hit

Reggie Bush- 3/10 rushing 3/16 receiving 1 TD- Hit

Terrell Owens- 3/27- Hit

Week 8 Studs:

Jay Cutler QB-CHI: Cutler is going up against lowly Cleveland Browns, the Browns are 27th in PPG allowed and 24th in passing yards per game. Those two numbers are very promising if you are a Bears/Cutler fan. Cutler is coming off a poor game last week and a shaky season in general. I am looking for a 3 TD game from him today though. 

Steven Jackson RB-STL: S Jax is putting up ridiculous yards numbers but has yet to find the pay dirt yet, which is even more ridiculous. The Rams are god awful, and will probably lose to the Lions today, but this could be the game where they put up there most points. In a risky prediction I am saying Jackson gets in the end-zone not once but twice today. 

 

Owen Daniels TE-HOU: Even if Andre plays in the game against the Bills, OD has been the premiere receiver on the team. He might be one of the most underrated players in the league right now as I believe he is the very best receiving TE in the league. The Texans are going to call his number a lot this game, so it is very possible for OD to put up another 10 catch game. 

Week 8 Duds:

Brett Favre QB-MIN: This pick probably is straight out of my hatred of Favre, but this game is also in Green Bay. Emotions will be flowing through Favre's mind the entire time he is in Green Bay. It would not shock me if this leads to a very rough game on his part. Also that Packers crowd and D is going to be doing all they can to stop old man Brett. 

Brandon Jacobs RB-NYG: Jacobs has been a total bust so far this year, and this is going to continue against a very physical Philly D. The G-Men may look to use their speed back Ahmad 

Bradshaw a lot more in this one. The Giants have not been impressive in their last two games and it is very possible they have a similar performance in this one.

 

Marshawn Lynch RB-BUF: The Texans run D has been incredible the last 4 weeks. Only giving up around 50 yards on the ground a game. The linebacking corp has stepped up their game and Brian Cushing is the favorite for D Rookie of the Year so far. This is going to be a long game for Marshawn, i don't think he will be able to get in to "Beast Mode" in this one. 

MH

JG's Week 8 Picks

Denver (+3.5) @Baltimore- The Broncos are 6-0 and continue to get no respect. The Ravens are coming off a badly needed bye after dropping three in a row. This game will likely come down to which Ravens team shows up, the 3-0 team from that looked like the best team in the NFL the first 3 weeks, or the 0-3 team in the last 3 weeks. I love the Broncos on the road.

Denver 24- Baltimore 21

Houston (-3.5) @Buffalo- The Texans have looked like an elite team the last few weeks. Matt Shaub is leading the league in passing yards and Andre Johnson is leading in receiving yardage. The Texans continue rolling on.

Texans 31- Buffalo 27

San Francisco (+13) @Indianapolis- Indy may be the best team in the NFL. Looking across the ball at them, San Fran goes back to former number one pick Alex Smith at QB. Smith played awesome last week and their defense looks energized again. Indy wins but the 49ers are able to cover.

Colts 28- 49ers 17

Miami (+3.5) @New York Jets- It's clear that the Jets go the way of Mark Sanchez. That was evident in their loss to the Bills. The Dolphins lost a heartbreaker to the Saints after being up 24-3. Despite the loss, I love how Miami is playing and I see them going to Giants Stadium and taking down the Jets.

Dolphins 24- Jets 21

St Louis (+4) @Detroit- In what may be the least watched football game in a long time. The Winless Rams. The Rams have actually been able to move the ball between the 20s the last couple weeks yet turnovers in the redzone have killed them. The Rams get their first win of the year.

St Louis 28- Detroit 17

Cleveland (+13.5) @Chicago- As horrible as Chicago looked last week getting blown out by the Bengals, the Browns were just as bad getting shellacked by the Packers. I would love to pick against the Bears, but unfortunately the Browns offense is simply hard to watch.

Bears 27- Browns 13

Seattle (+9.5) @Dallas- Seattle is not a bad team with Matt Hasselbeck at the helm. That being said Dallas has looked great beating Atlanta last week. The Boys get another big win in their new home.

Cowboys- 27- Seattle 17

Oakland (+16.5) @San Diego- Enormous spreads always worry me in division games. As bad as the Raiders has looked at times this year, they have been able to keep a few games close, including the opening Monday night game against these Chargers. Oakland keeps it just close enough to cover.

Chargers 30- Raiders 14

Jacksonville (+3) @Tennessee- Vince Young stated this off-season that he would be the next black quarterback to win a Super Bowl. A good start would be to get the Titans their first win of the year. Right now the Jaguars simply have more to play for and will win the game.

Jaguars 20- Titans 17

Carolina (+10) @Arizona- The Panthers only two wins this year come against a winless team, and team that has only beaten winless teams. They will not go cross country and deal the Cards a loss.

Cardinals 34- Panthers 20

New York Giants (-1) @Philadelphia- The Giants have looked lost the last two weeks. The Eagles looked good on Monday night going into Landover and getting a win. What makes me really feel good about the Eagles though is how much they dominated the Gaints in their last two matchups last season, including the playoff matchup.

Eagles 24- Giants 17

Minnesota (+3) @Green Bay- It really does not get better than this; Brett Favre returns to Green Bay to take on his former team. Add in the fact that his current team is 6-1 and his old one is 4-2, and you've got yourself quite a game. The Vikings handled the Pack in the Metrodome but this will be a much bigger challenge. Still though, the Packers offensive line will not be able to contain the law firm that is the Vikings defensive line (Williams, Edwards, and Allen).

Vikings 31- Packers 28

NBA Eastern Conference Predictions

These will be your 2010 Eastern Conference Playoff Teams

1. Cleveland Cavaliers- The Cavs became the clear cut favorites in the East once they added Shaq in July. O'neal may not have that much left in the tank, but he definitely still has enough left to force defenses to respect the Cavs inside out game. Lebron is the reigning MVP and will once again have a fantastic regular season. The question is, will he be able to keep it up in the postseason?

2. Orlando Magic- The Eastern Conference champions return stronger with the addition of Vince Carter. Many were skeptical of the move seeing that Air Canada has never really been a part of a winner. The difference is that with the Magic Vince won't be asked to be more than a good role player. With Jameer Nelson distributing the rock and Dwight Howard down low, this team is poised to make another run.

3. Boston Celtics- When it is all said and done at the end of the year, do not be surprised to see the Celtics hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy at the Garden for the second time in two years. The reason I have them below the Magic is because I believe with a veteran team, you may see the Celtics do what the Spurs have done in recent years, that is coast through the regular season and really turn it up for the playoffs.

4. Philadelphia 76ers-The Sixers are the surprise team of the Eastern Conference. Although it may seem like Elton Brand has been around too long to still compete at a very high level, his only 30 and is certainly capable of having the MVP candidate season he had a few years ago in L.A. The X factor on this team though, is Lou Williams. Williams is entering his 5th year in the league but is still only 23 years old. He has improved ever year and we will distribute the ball well to playmakers like Brand and Iguodala.

5. Washington Wizards- The Bullets may be the hardest to predict team in the National Basketball Association this year. On paper they look like they could contend for a championship...that is if Agent Zero and the rest of the squad stays healthy, and that is an enormous if. Antawn Jamison is already hurt and Brendan Haywood's health is always a concern. I have them at five but I would not be shocked to see them as high as 1 or 2 or out of the playoffs.

6. Toronto Raptors-Chris Bosh may be the most under rated player in the league. Last year he quietly averaged over 20 points and 10 rebounds a game. The addition of Hedu Turkoglu gives the Raptors another scorer. Former number one pick Andrea Bargnani has become a big part of Toronto's future as he averaged a nice 15 points a game last season.

7. Atlanta Hawks- The Hawks have a nice core of Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, the problem is they still don't have quite enough firepower to be a great team. Jamal Crawford will be a nice addition but how much fun will he have playing in front of half full Phillips Arena. Oh, and never forget about ZAZA.

8. Miami Heat- Other than Dwayne Wade this Heat team leaves a lot to be desired. Every year in his career it seems like Jermaine O'neal is about to have a great year...until he gets hurt. Michael Beasley could still turn out to be a great player, but his off season personal problems may be an indication that he's not mentally ready to play on an extremely high level right now.

-JG

Monday Night First Half Reflections

Just some quick notes...NBA preview coming tomorrow.

*The Redskins are proving to the entire country that they are simply a bad team.

*All week an enormous deal was made about the play calling duties being switched from Jim Zorn to bingo volunteer Sherm Lewis, but when it really comes down to it, the discrepancy in play calling is not enough to make a big difference if the scheme is still the same.

*Although the Skins D did a good job of keeping the Eagles to FGs when the Eagles had great field position, giving up those two huge touchdown plays to Jackson is absolutely inexcusable.
*LeSean Mccoy better be ready to step up for Westbrook, who knows how long the head injury will keep him out.

*I want to know exactly what Jim Zorn is saying into that headset, if it is true that he has no influence on play calling at all.

*Maybe the biggest thing that we have learned in the first half is that the Eagles is for real. Last week they suffered an embarrassing loss to the woeful Jamarcus Russell lead Raiders. This week however, even though the argument can be made that the Redskins are not good, the Eagles are playing like a complete team. McNabb is on point and getting all kinds of time from a Philly 0-line that is manhandling the Skins D line on pass protection.

*Part of me is hoping for a Redskins comeback so I can see a good game, but the more realistic side of me is already looking ahead to a fun filled UFL Thursday! Oh yes.

JG

Fantasy Week Seven Studs and Duds

Overall Record: 18-18

Last Week: 3-3

Week 6 Studs:

Brian Westbrook- 6/50 rushing 9/91 receiving- Hit 

Jay Cutler- 27/43 300 yards 2 TD 2 Int- Hit

Ryan Grant- 24/90 rushing 3/17 receiving- Miss

Week 6 Duds:

Matt Cassel- 16/31 186 yards- Hit 

Donald Driver- 7/107- Miss

Cadillac Williams- 16/77 1 TD- Miss

Week 7 Studs:

Matt Ryan QB-ATL: Ryan is on the verge of becoming a great quarterback and he is having a very good season so far. This week he goes up against the Cowboys pass D that is 26th against the pass in the league. Ryan is going to have a 2-3 touchdown game with around 280 yards. He is a great start this week in fantasy. 

Joseph Addai RB-IND: It is usually very questionable to start a running back in the Colts offense but this week it is not. Colts face the Rams, so you know the Colts are going to score, a lot. The Colts will have put this game out of reach pretty early, so look for Addai to see a good amount of carries in this, and against a poor run D he should have a good week. 

Wes Welker WR-NE: WW is coming off a HUGE game last week against the lowly Titans, and this week he is going to follow that performance up well. The Bucs give up a lot of passing TD's and Wes is clearly Brady's go to guy right now. So Wes is going to have at least 1 TD in this one, probably 2. 

Week 7 Duds:

Jake Delhomme QB-CAR: Jake has struggled a lot this year, and this game is going to be much of the same. Too many interceptions have really cost Delhomme and the Panthers this year. The Bills have been great against the Pass also, they did hold Cleveland to 2 completions one game. So if you have to start Delhomme this week, I am sorry. 

Reggie Bush RB-NO: Reggie Bush is becoming hard to start. As exciting as he can be to watch he is just not producing right now in the NFL. Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas would both be better starts the Reginald. Bush has been a bust so far, and it might be time for fantasy owners to give up on him. I have him in one league and am just about done with him.

Terrell Owens WR-BUF: T.O. is having one of the most disappointing seasons ever so far this year. The poor play of the Bills has not helped him much, but he has done nothing to help his own cause. This guy can not even muster up a decent game anymore. And with the

 news that Ryan Fitzpatrick is starting again this week it makes T.O. a sure dud. Do not start him this week, or any week untill we see something from him. 

MH

Houston's Finest Week Seven Picks

Overall Record: 59-31

Last Week: 9-5

Green Bay-Cleveland: Green Bay- Is it possible for the Packers D to have two shutouts in a row?

San Francisco-Houston: Houston- Which Texan team shows up today, the 0-3 Texans or the 3-0 Texans?

San Diego-Kansas City: San Diego- Is this game actually a lot closer matchup then people think?

Indianapolis-St. Louis: Indianapolis- Can Peyton Manning and the Colts score 100 points in this game?

New England-Tampa Bay: New England- Can Tom Brady and the Patriots score more than 100 points in this game?

Minnesota-Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh- How long can Brett really go without making costly mistakes?

Buffalo-Carolina: Carolina- Will T.O. ever decided to catch more than 5 passes in a game?

New York Jets-Oakland: New York- The Raiders win last week was a fluke, Right?

Chicago-Cincinnati: Chicago- Is this the game where Cincinnati comes back to earth?

Atlanta-Dallas: Atlanta- How pissed is Jerry Jones going to be when the Boys lose another game in their new giant stadium?

New Orleans-Miami: Miami- Why am I making this pick?

Arizona-New York Giants: New York- Can the G-Men bounce back from that embarrassing lose last weekend to the Saints?

 

Philadelphia-Washington: Philadelphia- How crazy is it going to be Washington actually wins this game?

MH

The most wonderful time of the year?

Ah October, the leaves begin to change color, the air changes from humid to crisp, and it is the best sports month of them all.

There are many great times of the year for sports such as early June when the NBA and NHL finals come on every night. Or the end of summer when football is just beginning and golf and tennis are playing their last major. But when it is all said and done, no month is as great for sports fans as October.

The month kicks off with the wrapping of up of the baseball regular seaon, which this year featured a great story of the Twins remarkable comeback. Around the same time the NHL drops the puck for the first time. We are now entering the home stretch of the month, which is no doubt the best time of the month. The NFL season gets to the point where the elite teams assert themselves, and division races begin to get interesting. In college football, the BCS standings first come out and there are multiple great games every weekend. The NHL continues to roll on with teams finding their grooves. The conference championship series in baseball are on every night On top of all this in about a week the NBA regular season will begin which marks the only time all year that all four major sports are going on at the same time. There really is no dull day in the sports world in the month of October so for now, I'm going to enjoy the heck out of the rest of the month.

JG

Houston's Finest Week Six Picks

Overall Record: 50-26

Last Week: 8-6

Houston-Cincinnati: Houston- Houston is coming off of a very poor coached game. Gary Kubiak needs to prove something, and a win against Cincy would be huge for his appeal to the fan base and ownership. This will be a shootout that comes down to the wire. 

Detroit-Green Bay: Green Bay- Green Bay is the far better team here and I look for their offense to over power the Lions in every way. Also this game is in Green Bay, so there is no way they are losing to the Lions. 

St. Louis-Jacksonville: Jacksonville- After being 100% embarrassed last weekend by the Hawks I still think the Jags are going to win. That is how bad the Rams are. The Rams have a serious chance of going 0-16. 

Baltimore-Minnesota: Minnesota- This game being in Minnesota is a huge reason why I'm going with the Vikes in this one. Also though Flacco could have a very rough game going against the tremendous rush of the Vikings and combine that with the crowd noise and that equals disaster for Flacco and the Ravens. 

New York Giants-New Orleans: New York- Eli wants to shine against the team that his dad shined on. The Giants can apply the sort of pressure needed to hinder Drew Brees's game. This one will be a great game though.

Cleveland-Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh- The Browns completed 2 passes last week, and won. That is insane. To bad for the Browns the Steelers are a little better then the Bills...

Carolina-Tampa Bay: Carolina- Tampa Bay along with St. Louis is a real legitimate 0-16 threat. I am just waiting for Josh Freeman to get in there. Carolina is looking to bounce back from their 0-3 start, lucky for them they got to play the Skins and now the Bucs.

Kansas City-Washington: Washington- If this game were in Kansas City I would be picking the Chiefs, but in Washington the fans will not let this team lose. The players and coaches must step up for this game, because if they lose this one at home then heads will be falling in Washington.

Philadelphia-Oakland: Philadelphia- Raiders are just terrible, Jamarcus Russell will not win another game as a quarterback in the NFL.

Arizona-Seattle: Seattle- Seattle just embarrassed a Jaguar team that was on a little bit of a roll, with Hasselback back at QB this team is a good team. Arizona has looked very average so far this season, so the 12th man will carry the Hawks to cruise to victory in this one. 

Tennessee-New England- The Patriots are not losing to a team that has not one a game yet. 

Buffalo-New York Jets: New York- The Bills held the Browns passing attack to a total of 2 completions and 24 yards, that is amazing. What is more amazing is that they lost. 

Chicago-Atlanta: Chicago- This should be a fun one to watch on Sunday Night, two very good quarterbacks and running backs going head to head against one another. I think the Bears D will be able to do enough to win this game, along with a solid performance from Cutler. 

Denver-San Diego: San Diego- I am now more of a believer in the Broncos, but still I could not pick them to win this one. In San Diego I think the Bolts are going to come out strong since they know how big this game is for there division standings later in the year. 

MH

Fantasy Week Six Studs and Duds

Overall Record: 15-15

Last Week: 2-4

Week 5 Studs:

Brandon Jacobs- 21/67- Miss

Jake Delhomme- 16/25 181 yards 1 TD 1 INT- Miss

Chad Ochocinco- 7/94 1 Fumble- Miss

Week 5 Duds: 

Joe Flacco- 22/31 186 Yards 1 TD 2 INT- Hit

Steven Jackson- 21/84 1 Fumble- Hit

Matt Ryan- 22/32 329 Yard 2 TD 1 INT- Miss

Week 6 Studs:

Brian Westbrook RB-PHI: Westbrook is going against Oakland and he has had a avery poor start to the season so far. But with him and McNabb back at full strength I see a big day for both of these guys. Oakland has the second worst run D in the league giving up 161 per game, so that should result well for Westbrook. 

Ryan Grant RB-GB: Although the Lions are not that bad anymore their defense is still pretty damn bad. Grant has struggled his last couple of games but he is due to breakthrough and this is the game to do it. Grant being a receiving threat as well will help his cause in a pass heavy offense. 

Jay Cutler QB-CHI: Cutler after a shaky opening game in the CHI has really turned his game around. Going against Atlanta should help him also, they have only the 22nd ranked pass D in the NFL. Cutler also has some solid receiving options emerging that will help his cause. 

Week 6 Duds:

Matt Cassel QB-KC: As bad as the Skins are they have a great pass D only allowing around 177 yards per game. Cassel is coming of his best game of the season against the Boys but this game will not be as easy for him. He will be constantly pressured and other than Dwayne Bowe does not have much to help his cause.

 

Donald Driver WR-GB: Greg Jennings has officially filed a complaint, he wants the ball more, and I see him getting the ball more. This means Drivers numbers may go down a bit. The

 Pack also will be trying to run the ball more so against the Lions then they normally do. 

Cadillac Williams RB-TB: Even with Cadillac going against the Panthers run D which is 30th in the NFL he is not going to post the numbers fantasy owners want from him. This Panthers Run D is not all that bad at all, they have a great group of Linebackers and Jon Beason has been a great leader early on in his career and he is going to rally this group, and they will smolder the Bucs offense. 

MH

JG's Week 6 Picks

Kansas City (+6) @Washington- The Redskins will become the first team in NFL history to begin the season against six winless teams. Sadly for the Skins they are only 2-3. In those two wins they won by only a combined 5 points. Washington will be able to pull this one off at home, only because the Chiefs are playing horrible football, yet it won't be by six points.

Redskins 12- Chiefs 7

Houston (+5.5) @Cincinnati- The Bengals come off another impressive win as they beat a tough Ravens squad. They have proved that they are a going to be serious players late in the season. That being said, all of their wins have been decided in the last minute. The Bengals win the game but Andre and the boys keep it within reach.

Bengals 27- Texans 24

Cleveland (+14) @Pittsburgh- The Bills Browns game last week honestly looked more like a Pop Warner game than a National Football League game. The Brownies were able to win despite completing only two passes the whole game. The Steelers are an entirely different animal. The Steelers smash the Browns at Heinz Field.

Steelers 27- Browns 10

Baltimore (+3) @Minnesota- In the matchup of the week, expect the Ravens to send a lot of guys at Favre throughout the game. They will load up the box to stop Peterson and concentrate on putting pressure on Brett. If they can get to #4 early, it could be a long day for the Vikings offense. Unfortunately for the Ravens though, Favre has seen every blitz in the book and will be able to dink and dunk right over top of the blitz.

Vikings 28- Ravens 24

St Louis (+9.5) @Jacksonville- The Rams may be the worst team of all time. Enough said.

Jaguars 31- Rams 20

New York Giants (+3) @New Orleans- This fantastic game features the Giants #2 ranked offense and the Saints #3 ranked O. With the offenses pretty evenly matched thus far, this game will come down to the fact that the Giants D has been lights out and have the #1 ranking in the league.

Giants 24- Saints 21

Carolina (-3) @Tampa Bay- Last year this game late in the year went a long way in determining the NFC South. This year though, it may go a long way in determining the number one draft pick. The two teams combine for only one win. The Panthers win and cover in a very ugly game in Tampa.

Panthers 20- Buccaneers 14

Detroit (+14) @Green Bay- The Packers are clearly the superior team in this matchup. 14 points is far too many though for a Lions team that has played well the last few weeks.

Packers 34- Lions 21

Philadelphia (-14.5) @Oakland- 14 points may be too many for the Lions, but 14.5 is not nearly enough for the Raiders. Jamarcus Russell misses open receivers like Gary Anderson misses conference championship clinching field goals.

Eagles 41- Raiders 13

Arizona (+3) @Seattle- The Seahawks are starting to return to their form of being the NFC West champions. Matt Hasselbeck's squad has always played well in front of the 12th man at Quest Field. Seattle makes it clear that the NFC West will be decided between them and the 49ers.

Seahawks 28- Cardinals 24

Buffalo (+9.5) @New York Jets- The Bills are disgracing the great city of Buffalo right now. Bills fans have purchased a billboard that asks for Coach Dick Jaurons firing. The Jets have been struggling as well the last couple of weeks. They are coming off a short week and the Bills will play just well enough to cover.

Jets 17- Bills 10

Tennessee (+9.5) @New England- Kerry Collins may be on his way out of the starting role in Nashville. I would not be surprised if after this week Coach Fisher hands over the keys to Vince Young. This is only of course if they lose to New England. Right now that seems like a sure thing.

Patriots 27- Titans 17

Chicago (+3.5) @Atlanta- The Georgia Dome will be rockin for its first prime time game in a while. The Falcons looked great last week going across the country to beat down Singletary's team. The Dirty Birds will keep it rolling against the Bears.

Atlanta 24- Chicago 20

Why Wizard Fans Should Be Optimistic

Being a season ticket holder and huge fan of the Washington Wizards might mean that I am automatically optimistic for the team this year, but let me assure you, there are reasons behind the optimism. 

0. Agent Zero- HES BAAAAAACK, The East Coast Assassin is back and healthy for the first time in a long, long time. He has averaged around 25, 29, and 28 points in his last three fully healthy seasons. Although he may not be a great team leader he is a great competitor and wants to win every game, and the dude can shoot. Prepare for Gilby to take many quality shots because his swag is phenomenal. 

1. Flip Saunders- Flip Flip Flip Game Over, no more fun and games with this team. Flip has the seventh best winning percentage of all active coaches (.597), and he was great in Detroit posting the highest winning percentage by any coach in team history (.715). Saunders does not mess around with a constant rotation of players either, which was one of Eddie Jordan and the joke of a coach Ed Tapscott's biggest flaws. Saunders has said that he likes to use an eight to nine man rotation, and he has a great squad of guys to do just that. Flip is also known as an offensive minded coach yet with the Pistons he had two teams rank in the top three for defense. The Wizards need to learn how to play defense so Flip is just the guy we need to teach them.

2. New Personnel (No more Songaila)- Anyone who does not like the trade made by the Wizards this offseason is crazy. The number 5 pick could turn up to be a good player but who knows, and Ricky Rubio who was taken #5 wont be seeing the NBA any time soon. Mike Miller is a veteran sharp shooter that we were in desperate need for, Deshawn being our best "shooter" was just plain sad, luckily that is no more. Randy Foye though is a much more intriguing player down for now and down the road. Foye is coming in to his fourth NBA season and has averaged 10+ points in all three of his previous seasons, averaging 16.3 last year. He can play both guard spots and can score from the perimeter or in the lane. 

Fabricio Oberto is also a good addition to help on the defensive side of the ball, plus he is a winner and this team was in desperate need of some of those. Also along with Arenas, Brendan Haywood being back in the lineup will be a huge boost to this team, he had a career year two years ago but missed the majority of last year. With these new additions via trade, free agency, and health the Wizards have one of the deepest rosters they have ever had. 

3. Progress of the Young Guns- Nick Young, JaVale McGee, and Andray Blatche have all gotten another year of experience. These three guys all have tremendous upside and it is going to really show this year. Nick is entering his third year, the same year that RIP averaged 20 points for the Wizards (Unfortunately Michael Jordan had to kill our organization) but I see Nick following in these footsteps, he is a born scorer and that is what he will do for us. McGee has been very solid thus far in the preseason scoring more then 10 points in 3 of the 5 games. He is a physical freak who has amazing athletic ability even at 7 feet. Then there is Andray Blatche, the mystery man. He is going in to his 5th season but is still very young, coming from high school. Blatche has gone nuts some games dropping over 20 but then will follow it up with games under 5 points. He has said he is starting new this year and switched his number to 7, lets hope it brings a more consitent Dray. These three guys could make or break the Wiz Kids season this year, they may not start or get a huge amount of PT due to the depth of the team, but they will be called on in pressure situations, I think they trio is ready to take on the pressure.   

4. Depth, Depth and More Depth- This team has never seen so much talent, never. With the Big Three back and healthy this team has three stars. Caron and Twan are great leaders who did not deserve the year they had to endure last season, luckily for them they wont have to. The Big Three is great, but I'm even more impressed with the supporting squad. Mike Miller and Randy Foye are both capable of starting at a few positions and it is highly likely one of them will be coming of the bench. Haywood could be the weak link in the starting rotation but he is certainly the anchor of the defense which is something this team desperately needed last year. Then you have the young trio of Nick, JaVale and Andray, all three of these guys are highly capable of coming of the bench and posting big numbers. Then there are the three other spots on the roster, I assume they will be Deshawn, Fabricio and Dominic McGuire. Each of those three players have a specialty essential to every team. Deshawn can shoot...well sometimes, Oberto can help lock down the lane, and Nic provides the type of energy that can change a game, even if he is only in for a minute. Looking at the roster of this team it is hard not to get excited, this team has the talent to make a run in May and possibly June.  

Projected Rotation:

G-Gilbert Arenas

G-Randy Foye

C-Brendan Haywood

F-Antawn Jamison

F-Caron Butler

6th-Mike Miller

Sub-Andray Blatche

Sub-Nick Young

Sub-JaVale McGee

Sub-Deshawn Stevenson 

If this article does not get you excited for the upcoming Washington Wizards season then I don't know what will. The only bad thing is that I am going to have to wait till the third game of the season to see the Wizards at Verizon. 

MH

Fantasy Week Five Studs and Duds

Overall Record: 13-11

Last Week: 4-2

Week 4 Studs:

Kevin Walter- 1/41-Miss

Aaron Rodgers- 26/37 384 yards 2 TD 1 INT 1 Fumble- Hit

Matt Forte- 12/121 1 TD 2 rec 19 yards- Hit

Week 4 Duds: 

Brett Favre-24/31 271 3 TD- Miss

John Carlson- 5/39- Hit

Maurice Jones-Drew-6/14 1 TD 3 rec 26 yards- Hit

Week 5 Studs:

Brandon Jacobs RB-NYG: Jacobs is going up against the Raiders, and their Run D has not been great. Plus if the Giants do what the Texans did last week (Get up big early then run) it will be a very big day for Brandon.

Jake Delhhome QB-CAR: The Panth

ers MUST win this game against the Skins, and to do so they are going to need solid play from 17. Jake is going to do more then play solid in this game, after a very shaky start to the season he starts to pick it up here. 

Chad Ochocinco WR-CIN: Ochocinco says that he sees holes in the Ravens secondary, and when Chad sees holes he gets catches. I have the Bengals winning this one, and the only way the get the dub is if Chad shines. 

Week 5 Duds:

Steven Jackson RB-STL: Jackson is going against a deadly Vikings D. If he does not get off to a huge start before the Vikes go up 30 then he will not be getting much action. The Rams really need to show something eventually, but this game is not going to be the one. 

Joe Flacco QB-BAL: Flacco has proven me wrong so far this season, he is a very good NFL quarterback not just a game manager. Cincys D is underrated though and they are going to be playing inspired ball after their D coordinator's, Mike Zimmer, wife passed away. 

Matt Ryan QB-ATL: Matty Ice is going to be pressured all day by the 49er defense. The 49er defense has been very very good so far this season and Atlanta could have a hard time going against it. Michael Burner Turner is going to need to have a big game for his side. 

MH

JG's Week 5 Picks

Washington (+4) @Carolina- Although the Panthers are 0-3 and the Skins are .500, the Redskins have looked horrible. Their two wins are by a combined five points over winless teams. The Panthers win this one with ease coming off of a bye.

Panters 24- Redskins 16

Dallsas (-7.5) @Kansas City-The Cowboys laid an egg last week vs. the Broncos. This week, the only egg laid is a golden one, as America's team lays one on the Chiefs.

Cowboys 31- Chiefs 14

Raiders (+15.5) @New York Giants- Eli Manning is a question mark with foot issues and 15.5 is a whole lot of points. The Giants win this one but fail to cover.

Giants 24- Raiders 10

Pittsburgh (-10.5) @Detroit- The Men of Steel dodged a late chargers comeback to get back on track. Matt Stafford cannot go, meaning that DAUNTE CULPEPPER gets the start. Sadly for the Lions Daunte does not get the roll going today. Pittsburgh dominates Detroit and caps off a tough week for a city that saw their baseball team blow a 3 game lead with 4 to play.

Steelers 27- Lions 14

Cleveland (+6) @Buffalo- Buffalo looked helpless against a subpar Dolphins team. That being said, the Browns are a serious mess right now and look like the worst team in the National Football League

Bills 20- Browns 13

Minnesota (-10) @St Louis- Last year, this game would have looked like a sure let down for the Vikings coming off of an emotional Monday night victory. With #4 at the helm though, he will keep the guys focused and in great shape for a blowout win over the Rams. It will also be his first victory in his 40s.

Vikings 23- Rams 10

Tampa Bay (+15.5) @Philadelphia- 15.5 points may seem like a lot, but after watching an entire game of the Tampa Bay Bucs, it does not seem like nearly enough. Their Josh Johnson lead offense could only muster 13 points against a mediocre Redskins D, when the Skins offense turned it over 4 times. The Iggles take care of business.

Eagles 34- Buccaneers 14

Atlanta (+2.5) @San Francisco- The 49ers sixth ranked defense will try to stop Matt Ryan, Tony Gonzalez, and crew. Mike Singletary has his team playing tough, but I believe today the Falcons will have success going vertical on San Francisco's secondary. Take the Falcons in the straight up win.

Falcons 28- 49ers 27

New England (-3) @Denver- This is a classic matchup of pupil vs teacher. The Broncos may be 4-0, but the 3-1 Pats are the far supperior team. Bill Belichick shows Josh McDaniels exactly how to run a football team.

Patriots 24- Broncos 20

Jacksonville (+1.5) @Seattle- Jacksonville makes about the longest possible road trip a team can make. The Hawks get their team leader and quarterback back to win a close one but still cover in the Emerald City.

Seahawks 27- Jaguars 24

Houston (+5.5) @Arizona- This is going to be an absolute barn burner. Two stud offenses take on two sub par defenses. Matt Schaub and Kurt Warner both have great days. In a high scoring affair the Cardinals take it.

Cardinals 38- Texans 31

Indinapolis (-4) @Tennessee- Each week I have said that this would be the one the Titans finally turn it around. Sadly for old man Collins and the Titans, this will not be the week. Peyton gets the job done on NBC.

Colts 24- Titans 17

In Week 5 I see a lot of favorites covering...part of me wants to see some dogs for a gret day of football.

Houston's Finest Week Five Picks

Cincinnati-Baltimore: Cincinnati- The Bengals have looked very solid so far this year, and I think Ochocinco is going to put on a show in this big division game. 

Cleveland-Buffalo: Buffalo- Cleveland does not Rock.

Washington-Carolina: Carolina- The Panthers have not looked to good to start off the season with a 0-3 record, but the Skins have looked even worse with a 2-2 record

Pittsburgh-Detroit: Pittsburgh- After giving Da Bears a little scare the Lions crumbled and so did their QB. Culpeper may have to start this game, either way though Pitt wins easy. 

Dallas-Kansas City: Dallas- The Chiefs are one of the worst teams in the NFL and Dallas needs to rebound in this one or else Cowboy nation will be incredibly unhappy. Tony Romo is going to need to find his game early on in this one. 

Oakland-New York Giants: New York- After watching Jamarcus Russell against the Texans pass D last weekend I learned just how bad he was. And with no Run DMC it is going to be a LOOOOONG game for the RAIIIIIIDAS. 

Tampa Bay-Philadelphia: Philadelphia- Donavan McNabb and Westbrook are back and ready to tear it up. Plus they have Brent Celek...

Minnesota-St. Louis: Minnesota- Could the Rams be any worse?

Atlanta-San Francisco: San Francisco- San Francisco has been a very impressive team so far this year and I look for them to keep it up in this tight game with the Falcons. 

Houston-Arizona: Houston- Who knows if the Texans can show any consistency ever. But I do know this shoot out will be a fun one to watch. 

New England-Denver: New England- Seriously how is Denver 4-0? Finally there streak comes to an end against Brady's Bunch. If Denver win this one then I am a believer. 

Jacksonville-Seattle: Jacksonville- Seattle has not been too impressive this year, and after a slow start the Jags have started to get on a roll, Garrard is starting to look like the Garrard from two years ago. 

Indianapolis-Tennessee: Indianapolis- Colts could very well be the best team in the NFL right now. Its hard to say the Titans are going to be 0-5 but I just cant see them beating Indy.

New York Jets-Miami: New York- This well be a fun one to watch. Sexy Rexy's Tenacious D vs the Wildcat. Plus to young QB's. The Jets D might be too much for young Chad Henne to take on.

MH

163

I thought I would post a quick note on the one game playoff played between the Tigers and Twins last night. The game could have been the last baseball game ever played at the Metrodome, and the Dome was absolutely rockin. The 12 inning up and down game which saw both teams blow leads was one that basebal fans will not soon forget. I must say that prior to this game I was not very excited for the MLB playoffs, but now, I cannot wait until they really get going. The Twins won the game but the celebration was brief considering an ALDS matchup in New York against the Yankees begis today. I am hoping for a Twins Rockies world series just to stick it to all the big market teams. Let's enjoy.

JG

Houston's Finest Week Four Picks

Overall Record: 32-16

Last Week Record: 11-5

After a shaky week 2 I rebounded strongly in week 3. Now all I can do is hope that the Texans rebound against the lowly lowly lowly Raiders. Jamarcus, you have completed less then 50% of your passes, what are you doing in the NFL as a starting QB? Feel free to read the blog and comment any time Jamarcus, I will be waiting. 

Detroit-Chicago: Chicago- The Bears are looking very strong after a week 1 loss to the Pack that came at the very end of the game. Even with the Lions coming off of a win, it could be there last for a while. 

Cincinnati-Cleveland: Cincinnati- I just can not see the Browns winning a game any time soon, and with OGOchoCinco sportin' the pink for breast cancer awareness throughout the month of October he is going to show up big this weekend. 

Oakland-Houston: Houston- If the Texans lose this game D-Coordinator, Frank Bush, and Head Coach, Gary Kubiak, will have very toasty butts after the game. Luckily for them I think the team is too powerful for the Raiders to beat. 

Seattle-Indianapolis: Indianapolis- With Seneca "Harrison" Wallace starting for the Hawks I do not think that they are going to win, especially against a very strong Indy team. Pierre Garcon, get in that endzone today for my fantasy squad. 

Tennessee-Jacksonville: Tennessee- The Titans are not going to start the season off 0-4. They have had a tough schedule to start the season so this team is not as bad as there record shows. Keith Bullock has told all fantasy owners to BENCH MJD! I agree. 

New York Giants-Kansas City: New York- The G-Men have looked like one of the better teams in the NFL so far, Kansas City at 0-3 are not pulling off any upset today. 

Baltimore-New England: New England- People are beginning to think the Patriots have lost there swagger, but the Brady Bunch today will pull of the home W against the Flacco led Ravens. 

Tampa Bay-Washington: Washington- As bad as I wanted to pick the Bucs in this game, I could not do it. Josh Johnson gets the start over Byron, but I would not be surprised if the game ends with a different Josh playing QB for the Bucs. 

Buffalo-Miami: Miami- Yes I do think that Chad Henne can lead this Dolphin team to victory over the Bills. I also expect to see a heavy heavy dose of the Wildcat. Run Ronnie Run. 

New York Jets-New Orleans: New York- As I said before, until the Jets do in fact lose I can not see them losing. Their D has just been way too dominate and Sanchez has looked like a very very solid QB. But Leon cant do everything... (Budwiser Commercial Reference) 

Dallas-Denver: Dallas- I have no faith in the Broncos even though they are 3-0, they have beaten the Bengals, Raiders, and Browns. So could anyone really believe this team is any good? Plus Marion Barber is coming back for the game today. 

St. Louis-San Francisco: San Francisco- I like this 49er team a lot, if it were not for Brett last week then they would be looking at an incredibly good 3-0 start. Even without Frank they still have Coffee.  

San Diego-Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh- Big Ben is a great leader and commander of this football team, this game which is close to a must win, will prove this to everyone. This should be a great game for Sunday night. 

Green Bay-Minnesota: Green Bay- If it is not known by now...I Hate Brett Favre, any man that plays 16 years in one place and then goes to the arch enemy to end his career gets absolutely no respect or love from me. Aaron Rodgers will show the world (Yes the world, who will not be watching this game?) how good he really is, and I want nothing more then for A-Rod to tear up the Vikings D.

MH