Week Three

Week Three:

BUFFALO 5½ N.Y. Jets 34½ - Oh, the line people. The smoke-filled room guys. The big cigars. "Let'stick the line on the Bills, Louie. Let the suckers taste the action." Actually, it's probably some 120-pound post-doc in chaos theory with a used Cray Supercomputer. Either way, Buffalo is getting 5.5 at home after scaring New England and beating Miami -both on the road. The Jets got two very fluky TD's in a game that was more hotly contested in the stands than on the field. They did beat Tennessee, but that was way back in the Billy Volek era.
Bills.

PITTSBURGH 2 Cincinnati 41½ - The Steelers looked bad against Jax last week, but Jax is going to make a lot of teams look bad. The Steelers D will be all over this one, but I still like Marv Lewis better than Coach Spittle.
Cincy.

INDIANAPOLIS 7 Jacksonville44½ - They shouldn't let Indy play home games, because their carpet lends itself to the sort of track meet that they do well in. Go figure. But I have the feeling that the Jags are going to be ready for them. Indy is not going to like the speed, power, and intensity that Jax will hit them with.
Jags.

MIAMI 11 Tennessee36 - Miami finally gets to win one against a Titans squad that has moved into a different universe beyond (beneath?) the hard-hitting playoff team they used to be. And Jeff Fisher is still there running it. Remarkable. And yet. And yet, don't think Miami is ready to beat a JV team by 11. They'll win, but Tenny will cover.

Washington 4 HOUSTON37½ - Four points seems small, until you consider that it's in Houston and Washington has shown absolutely nothing at all this year. Bizarre costume-wearing freakshow Clinton Portis may play, so that's a pretty safe and tempting four to get.
Washington

Chicago 3½ MINNESOTA 34½ - Minny isn't ready for prime time, despite their gaudy 2-0 record. Chicago plays for-real defense, and their offense is threatening to be half decent for the first time in years. 3.5 is way to low a line here - another gift. - Chicago

Carolina 3 TAMPA BAY 34½ - Two playoff teams from last year, both struggling to regain form. Always look to the coaching - but in this case, both teams have Super Bowl coaches. Tampa's at home, but it's still grits country .
Panthers

DETROIT 6½ Green Bay Packers - The Pack a dog at Car-town? Say it isn't so. No, really: go on. The Pack has been scoring, even when they lose. The Lions are just losers. Take the points.
Pack

Baltimore 6½ CLEVELAND33½ 6.5 seems like a lot, but the Ravens are coming back to life with Steve McNair playing QB on sense memory. Unfortunately, both Lewises are hurt (Ray and Jamal). The Brownies are tough at home. Okay, I'm pretending that the Brownies are tough at home. Same thing. For me.
Browns

ARIZONA 4½ St. Louis 44½ - Those Whimpy Western teams just insist on playing each other week in and week out. And they do like to make one another look good by stacking the offense and forgetting to pay their defensive players. Should the Cards be favoured by 4.5 at home? Why not. Except that they're still the Cardinals until they prove that they are not.
Rams

SEATTLE 3½ N.Y. Giants 44 - Good tight game between the best of the "B" Conference. Give the points - Eli's not ready for big road games yet.
Hawks

Philadelphia 6 SAN FRANCISCO 42 - With Westbrook out, this will be a tough - oh, never minmind. The 49ers might be able to beat the under-coached Rams, but not the over-coached Iggles. And if the Igs weren't so hurt and pathetic, this line would be at about 13.
Iggles.

NEW ENGLAND 7 Denver39½ - Tom Brady might be looking for revenge, but it's going to be Corey Dillon that gets it for him. The Pounding Pats will put it where the sun will never shine.
Pats

Monday, Sept. 25

Atlanta PK NEW ORLEANS 42 - Pick? I like New Orleans. I really do. Never been there, but they're one of my all-time favorite sad-sack franchises. Nothing ever seems to work out for them. They couldn't even keep Jake Delhomme. They are perennial losers, but somehow more likable than the Cardinals, who have taken losing to a whole new level.

I remember reading years ago about a season ticket holder leaving a pair of tickets under his windshield wipers because he was too disgusted to go to the game. When he got back to his car, there were 10 more tickets there. And the story that a burglar got off scott free because all he had taken were a pair of Saints tickets and they "had no value."

Apocryphal stories, to be sure, but indicative of the franchise itself. But there has been so much fun had in that town (unfortunately, once again, not by me), you can feel the party atmosphere all the way up here in Toronto.

Also, I played the Saints vs, the Falcons on Xbox this morning (with updated rosters of course). I put McAllister and Bush in the backfield together, and that offense really clicked. Most of the rushing carries went to McAllister, who had over 100 yards, but I threw frequently to Bush who ended up with over 100 yards receiving. Final score: 31-10 Aints.

I'll take the Saints here as well.