Saturday, October 8, 2011

NFL Week 5 Predictions

It's been kind of a rough week for me.  Last weekend started out all right, with the Rays shutting out the Rangers 9-0 in Game 1 of the ALDS and Clemson walloping Virginia Tech to move up to # 8 in the BCS rankings (which won't mean much, anyway, unless we actually get to play for the national title).  But then it all went downhill from there, with the Steelers choking against the Texans, and the Rays suddenly deciding that they were done playing baseball after Game 1.  So much for a magical season...

Predictions-wise, I fared a little better.  Got off to a rough start with the first set of games, but somehow I ended up going 10-6, which puts me at 37-27 (57.8 %) on the season.  I've got a little more time this week, and hopefully a little more energy, and a few less picks to make since the bye weeks are starting this week, so here goes: 

Titans over Steelers
  • Tennessee's defense has been lights-out so far this season, and RB Chris Johnson is starting to look like his old self again.  That's bad news for a Steelers team that gave up over 150 yards to Arian Foster last week and is now without LB James Harrison.  There's still hope for the people of Pittsburgh, though, because hockey season is finally here, and the Penguins got off to a good start Thursday night.  
Texans over Raiders
  • Houston's victory over the Steelers last week came at a price: WR Andre Johnson injured his hamstring and is expected to be out for at least a few weeks.  But there's no reason for them to hit the panic button just yet, as they'll be playing the Nnamdi-less Jokeland defense this week.   I'm not knocking the Raiders' offense, though, as they've been putting up some pretty good numbers this season.  
Colts over Chiefs
  • Give Indy credit - they're trying; they just don't have much to work with without Peyton Manning.  Kansas City should give them as good of an opportunity as any to finally get a win.  
Bengals over Jaguars
  • Don't look now, but the Bengals haven't been doing half-bad this season.  They've now got the number one defense in the league, which doesn't bode well for a lackluster Jacksonville offense.  
Giants over Seahawks
  • I'll be honest - I was a bit worried about the Giants a couple weeks ago.  They've certainly proven me wrong!  
Cardinals over Vikings 
  • Donovan McNabb is not the answer at quarterback for the Vikes.  Maybe it's time to give Christian Ponder a ponder (James Lipton beard on).  
Saints over Panthers
  • Expect another big performance from Cam Newton in this shootout, but don't expect Carolina to come away with the win.  
Bills over Eagles
  • Tough loss for Buffalo last week, but they should rebound against a struggling Eagles defense.  At least the folks in Philly also have hockey season to look forward to.  
49ers over Buccaneers
  • A game that looked like a snoozer just a few weeks ago has now gotten interesting with both teams at 3-1 and leading their respective divisions.  This one's a tough call, but my gut tells me the Niners will surprise once again.  
Jets over Patriots
  • I originally had this one picked to go the other way, given the Jets' struggles in their last two games, and 'cause it's Tom Brady and everything.  But New England's defense is just plain awful, and the return of Pro Bowl center Nick Mangold should help the Jets keep Mark Sanchez from getting too banged up.  
Chargers over Broncos
  • Denver's another place where there's been calls for a change at QB.  Meanwhile, San Diego's managed to get things done even without TE Antonio Gates.  Then again, they've had to deal with injuries to LaDanian Tomlinson the last few years and still looked hardly any worse for wear, so why am I not surprised?  
Packers over Falcons
  • Yet another playoff rematch for the Packers, who show no signs of slowing down.  Atlanta will make it a game, but they've still got a long way to go after it took them nearly everything they had just to come out of Seattle with a win last week.  
Lions over Bears
  • No lead is safe against Detroit, who overcame yet another 20+-point deficit to beat the Cowboys last week.  These Lions are for real.  This game should be a good test for them.  Plus, we'll get our first look at what DT Nick Fairley, the Lions' first-round pick this year, can do.  Can you believe Detroit hasn't played a Monday Night game in over ten years? 

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