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Blogger Deathsport NFL Pick’em: Week 2
By Dagger | September 13, 2007
Week 2 of our battle with The Curly R, Hogs Haven, and Common Prejudice begins….
We won last week by going 10-4….we look forward to making them feel the pain, again.
(Winner gets to post a full story on the other site’s blog the following week, about whatever they want)
Odds based on Yahoo!Sports line as of Wednesday night.
New York Jets at Baltimore Ravens (-11) 
Thoughts: Were the Jets as bad as they looked on Sunday, or were the Patriots just too good? I don’t think we know enough about the Jets this year other than that Man-genius should be ready for Carmelo Anthony to knock on his door and drop off a copy of his underground DVD. What we do know is that Kellen Clemens and Kyle Boller will be starting, and these guys, considering past performances from the respective starting QBs, could be an upgrade. Each team needs to get their running game back on track, and this week the Jets will have a considerably tougher time than Baltimore, even without Ray Lewis. Despite the injuries, fumbles, and officiating, the Ravens were in it up until the very end against a good looking Bengals squad. Even with the 11 pts, the Ravens look to feast on a first time starting QB in an away game. Look for Boller to find Clayton and Williams deep (if Williams chooses to actually catch the ball).
Our Pick: BALTIMORE
Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers (-6.5)
Thoughts: Matt Schaub looked like the QB Houston has been needing the last couple of years, and Mario Williams has finally started living up to his draft status. Carolina surprised pretty much everyone outside of, well, the Carolinas last week with a very effective running game, great play from the often inconsistent Delhomme, and a D that pretty much shut down the Rams. Yes, Houston put on a clinic last Sunday, but they did so against part of the triumvirate of the worst teams in the NFL. We like the Texans this year, but we also like Julius Peppers when faced up against an historically porous OL and Steve Smith at home. Carolina brings Houston back down to earth, at least for one week.
Our Pick: CAROLINA
Kansas City Chiefs at Chicago Bears (-12)
Thoughts: If the Chiefs couldn’t score against the Texans at home, do you think they can drop some points on the Bears at Soldier Field? The Bears essentially held San Diego to 3 points for the vast majority of their Week 1 meeting, and despite key injuries, still have very good DL and DB depth. The once brick wall-like KC OL has lost too many key starters over the last 2 years, and the Chiefs will be without their #1 Eddie Kennison. The KC offense will not keep the Bears D on the field too long. This won’t be a full scale blowout because Rex Grossman and Cedric Benson are just not very good, but the Bears still comfortably take their first home game by 14. Look for Benson to continue his campaign to set a record for lowest ypc for a running back with at least 300 carries.
Our Pick: CHICAGO
Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns (+6.5)
Thoughts: I’d don’t really feel like this game needs to be broken down. The Bengals looked sharp against one of the best defenses in the league, and the Browns were basically the victims of child abuse last Sunday. The Bengals will likely use Rudi a lot, and despite the Browns secondary being a pretty decent group, Palmer will find a way to fully exploit them. Shouldn’t be much of a contest.
Our Pick: CINCINNATI
Dallas Cowboys at Miami Dolphins (+3.5) 
Thoughts: Is Romo the chosen one? PGH doesn’t like him, we’re not sure if it’s football-related or just personal. Regardless, Romo lit up a very suspect Giants secondary. Miami will put up a bit more of a fight in both Rush and Pass D and look to improve on allowing 4.7 ypc to the Redskins last week. Miami will also have an easier time moving the ball downfield against a porous Dallas secondary that looks terrible without Terrence Newman. Miami’s run game however looked absolutely pathetic last week, but should have a better outing this week, especially with Jason Ferguson out. While Miami will have an easier time moving the ball and the Cowboys a harder time, the Cowboys are still the better team, most noticeably on offense.
Our Pick: DALLAS
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Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos (-10)
Thoughts: Both of these teams have great Ds. The Raiders showed a bit of weakness last week against the Greatest Show on Turf 2.0, and the Broncos barely escaped from Buffalo. The Raiders need to find a way to get the ball down the field against the best CB tandem in the league, and likely starter Daunte Culpepper is still a HUGE question mark. Both teams ran the ball well last week, and will likely continue to do so this week. Look for a lot of rushing, and although Denver should win the game, we’ll take the Raiders in what should be a close game.
Our Pick: OAKLAND
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions (-3) 
(PUSH)
Thoughts: We (read the guy who has Adrian Peterson on his fantasy team) love All Day. He was basically the entire Minnesota offense in Week 1, and with Tarvaris Jackson, the worst receiving group in the NFL, and probably the best OL in footall, look for this trend to continue and for A.D. to run wild this week. Detroit obviously has the offensive weapons to exploit a fairly average Minnesota secondary, but Minnesota will wear down Detroit with the run and prevail.
Our Pick: MINNESOTA
Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans (+7)
Thoughts: Did the Titans run all over Jacksonville because the best DL in football suddenly sucks, or because a no-name Titans OL has become much improved? Maybe a bit of both. Last time these two teams met, the Titans stunned the Colts with that last second 60yd FG. But this was a Colts team that was record-breaking poor against the run. The Titans will try to run, but it does seem like the Indy run D has tightened up a bit, and White and Brown (I have no joke for this, but I’m sure I could make one up with time) are probably not going to succeed where Bush and McAllistair failed, so I doubt that we will see 282 yds rushing from the Titans this week. Have to take the Colts, they’re too good until further notice.
Our Pick: INDIANAPOLIS
Atlanta Falcons at Jacksonville Jaguars(-10)
Thoughts: It’s tempting to take the Falcons here in the upset, considering the Falcons’ running game and the 282 yds the Titans dropped on them last week. PGH actually doesn’t like Joey Harrington at all, contrary to what you may have seen last week (a rogue last minute edit, I suspect). The Falcons could just run on every play if they’d like, and they just might, but Jacksonville will likely do all it can to put the game squarely onto Joey Harrintgton’s very “capable” shoulders. Look for the Jags to get back on track and win, but not by 10.
Our Pick: ATLANTA
San Diego Chargers at New England Patriots (-3.5)
Thoughts: The Bolts looked a bit lost during most of their Week 1 outing. Norv Turner’s game plan was to give LT2 the ball in some shape or form pretty much every play, and in the end it technically worked. Everyone saw what the Pats (I mean Randy Moss) did to the Jets last week, but can they do it to the Chargers? Look for the Pats to obviously center their defensive game plan on LT2. Look, however, for LT2 to have much more success this week than last. This game should be close, and the Pats may ultimately come away with it considering how much better they are at QB and WR. But we’ll take San Diego to lose by 3.
Our Pick: SAN DIEGO
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3.5)
Thoughts: No Jeff Garcia? No Caddy? A short, angry Drew Brees? This should be a blowout. New Orleans has had loads of rest and will surely run a bit more this week on a weaker Run D than they faced this past Thursday. PGH wasn’t part of the Saints already in the Superbowl bandwagon nonsense that we heard from every talking head on TV all preseason, but they’ll surely mop the floor in Tampa Bay.
Our Pick: NEW ORLEANS
Green Bay Packers at New York Giants (0)
Thoughts: The Packers D played very well against a team many thought was Top 2 in the NFC and has always had a successful offense. Presumably McNabb is better than Jared Lorenzen, and no one was hit harder in Week 1 with injuries than the Giants (Manning, Jacobs, Umeniyora). Look for the Packers to win because of D and Special Teams. Also look for Tom Coughlin to get fired in the near future.
Our Pick: GREEN BAY
Buffalo Bills at Pittsburgh Steelers (-10)
Thoughts: Yes, the line is HUGE but the Steelers eat teams like Buffalo for breakfast. A shaky QB and a team missing 2 starting DBs against Pittsburgh will not keep the score within 10 points. Look for Pittsburgh to win this one by 13 or 14.
Our Pick: PITTSBURGH
Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals (+3)
Thoughts: Wow, some people in Vegas really like those Cards. Both teams had a disappointing performance in the passing game last week, and look to rebound. These aren’t two great Run Ds here, so expect a lot of rushing early to give Leinart and Hasselbeck a chance to redeem themselves downfield.
Our Pick: SEATTLE
San Francisco 49ers at St.Louis Rams (-3)
Thoughts: The Rams, a trendy sleeper Superbowl pick, looked lethargic this past Sunday. S-Jax was giving away the ball like it was his job, and Carolina had their way with the supposedly improved Rams D. The Niners also sleepwalked through most of their game on Monday night, but showed flashes late in the game. We’re not on the Niners bandwagon yet, and despite the potential exploits of Frank Gore, Alex Smith still has small hands and Darrell Jackson probably gets hurt when it gets particularly windy.
Our Pick: ST. LOUIS
Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles (-6.5)
Thoughts: I guess narrowly beating one of the worst teams in the league didn’t impress the linesmakers too much. Although Green Bay beat the Eagles last week we think McNabb, Westbrook and company will rebound at home. A 6.5 spread is a large number (like many of the lines this week) and while we think Philly will win (Dillweed will snap his fingers and have me murdered….) this game we dont think they’ll win by 6.5pts.
Our Pick: Washington
We will link our competitors picks once they come in. You all better pray for a PGH victory…otherwise one of those other bloggers is going to take over the blog for a little while and post something incredibly boring on our homepage. We Must Protect This House!
Topics: Blog Battle | 7 Comments »
September 13th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
Next week, we’ll be celebrating, in the word of Johnny Drama, “VICTORY!”
September 13th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Ummm. there seems to be a game missing. Is this part of some insiders’ thing that i’m not aware of or is it just so obvious?
after my victory i was thinking of doing a post on the Social Implications of 14th Century Ceramic Making.
September 13th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
Good eye. I mistakenly left off the Monday Night game. Silly me.
It hardly would have mattered though. We can afford to “give away points” vs our competition.
I’ll see your 14th Century Ceramin Making and raise you a blog entry about mathematics.
September 13th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Now you guys are speaking my language. I do boring blog entries as a matter of routine. Don’t tempt me.
September 13th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
HAHA.
Yeah, I’ll sick i-Maque on you guys and you’ll get a post about hip replacement surgery or something.
September 13th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
i just kinda made that up, however let’s go with it:
“B. Harrisson and P.M. Shariffudin (1969) note that a great transformation took place in pottery-making in 14th century north Borneo. Earthenware almost entirely dropped out of use on the coast by the 15th century, although it was still used inland.”
they’ll be a quiz later.
September 14th, 2007 at 12:21 am
I’m telling you. You don’t want to test me. I refer you to this post to give you an idea of what I am capable: http://www.postgameheroes.com/?p=385