Bulldog, you are going alittle to far by saying that you almost have the TV in your house, think again buddy, is only week one and if you were perfect , how come you didn't get them all right.....it seems that your the one thats going to have a long season....


   




SOME GAVE SOME

               SOME GAVE ALL

Last edited by SteelRain37 (2007-09-11 07:51:28)

When picking these games, one thing is of uber-most importance: stick with your initial reaction. It’s like when you’re taking a test. From my experience, I found that the majority of a time I chose a response that I wasn’t positive was right, and then went back, re-read, and changed my answer, I ended up getting the question wrong. Why this is I’m not exactly sure, but I would be willing to bet that it happens to a lot of us. We go back and then convince ourselves to choose a different answer. We convince, persuade, and talk ourselves into a different choice, usually the wrong choice.

Well this happened to me on Monday night. I’m in a couple other pick em’ leagues, and was tied for second in each. Because I was fairly certain the guys ahead of me would choose the Niners and Bengals to win also (the original picks I had) I started thinking “hey, Baltimore and Arizona could both win." It started out innocent enough, just an after thought a couple hours before the start of the first game. Then I started to rationalize possibly switching my picks. Baltimore’s D sure is tough, I told myself. McGahee could run right through that porous Cinnci D. You know what, that Cardinals offense has 3 All-Pros, I just don’t know how SF will stop them. Arizona won both games last year. And so on, and so on… And I switched my picks. Even placed a “friendly" wager on Arizona (something I vowed in last week’s writing to never do again). And you know what happened…

Of course I didn’t realize that the officials would make one of the worst pass interference calls I’ve ever seen to cost Baltimore a TD, and that Baltimore would PASS THE BALL seven straight times on goal-to-go situations. I also didn’t think that what looked like a JV offense for the entire game would suddenly be able to pull a John Elway and go 70 yards in two minutes on the Cardinals to get the win. So yes, it looked like my changes were going to work, with “WERE" being the key word in that sentence. In the end though, the betting God’s reminded me of my sinful ways. And I’ve learned my lesson. I won’t be doing that again. A wise man learns from his mistakes, while a fool is doomed to repeat them. I encourage you to do the same.

As for VAJoe pick em’, I’ll take 11-5 to start off the season. I definitely didn’t see Adrian Peterson putting up Earl Campbell-like numbers in his first game or Houston being able to contain LJ, although they got an assist from Herm Edwards. LJ got 10 carries. Someone needs to tell Herm this isn’t the preseason. I thought you play to win the games?

As for everyone else, no perfect picks this week as I suspected but we had 10 people correctly predict 14 of 16. Nice work guys. Just remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Those of you that didn’t do too hot don’t worry about it—just one week. There’s PLENTY of time to make up ground. Learn from your mistakes. And if you’re serious about winning, don’t be afraid to pick your favorite team to lose if they have a tough matchup. You can be a homer next year when you’re watching on your plasma.

As for week 2, we know more about each team than we did going into week 1, but there’s still a lot of unanswered questions. Get ready for another feeling out week. Try to separate the dominate teams from the good from the mediocre from the bad from the lousy from the Falcons. It’ll be tough to hit a perfect 16, but someone prove me wrong. The one thing I do know: I won’t be betting on Cardinals. I’ve learned my lesson. And told my roommate to hit me in the head with a two-by-four if I even mention them. Hopefully that works.

On to the picks… (Home teams in CAPS)

JAGUARS over Falcons
Jacksonville’s defense was atrocious as it gave up 170 yards on the ground to Billboard-chart-topper Chris “Run It!"Brown. This week they face Warrick Dunn, Joey Harrington, and the high powered….aahahahaha. Just wanted to see if I could say that with a straight face. Falcons suck. Go ahead and pick em. I dare you.

Texans over PATHERS
The Schabb-Johnson combo is looking profitable for fantasy owners after one week. Carolina did beat my STL boys but it was a sloppy game all around. Duanta Robinson should be able to at least minimize the damage of Steve Smith. After that, Carolina has a lot of nothing on offense. Could the Texans be this year’s come-from-nowhere playoff team? I’m thinking….maybe?

Bengals over BROWNS
I’m hopping no one picked Cleveland last week. Once again, I implore you not to. Brady Quinn might get the start this week, and that’s not exactly a good thing. Big Ben threw for four TDs at the Dawg Pound last week. Expect the aerial assault to continue.

STEELERS over Bills
Ok, Pittsburgh looked amazing last week, but let’s not forget who they were playing. On the other hand, the Bills were one second away from beating a pretty good Denver team. That being said, Lee Evans had one catch and the team had one offensive TD. I need to see more from the offensive side of the ball before I can pick this team to win on the road.

Packers over GIANTS
I told you last week to take GB and I’m doing it again. That Giants defense made Tony Romo look like Peyton Manning. Jacobs is out, Eli probably is too, and that Green Bay defense is one of the most underrated units in football. Over/under on Tom Coughlin getting fired: Week 7.

RAMS over Niners
Alex Smith under 50-percent completion. Frank the Tank runs for 50 yards. They played the Cardinals, at home. That is not encouraging. No way should they’ve won that game.

TITANS over Colts
213 and 219. That’s how many yards the Titans rushed for last year in each of there games against Indy. Before you laugh at this pick, they lost by one at Indianapolis and beat them last year at home. That potent Colts offense can’t score when it’s not on the field. Last week, the Titans rushed for 282 on the vaunted Jacksonville D. You heard it here first.

Saints over BUCS
New Orleans will rebound and re-establish there running game, hopefully. Why Deuce only carried the ball 10 times against Indy’s league-worst running defense is beyond me. Either way, I don’t think it’s going to matter much in this game. The Bucs can’t score points and that’s all the Saints do. Look for a blowout.

Cowboys over DOLPHINS
Was the ‘Boys offense that good or the Giants defense that bad? We’ll find out here, as the Dolphins defense is an elite unit. Dallas’ defense got thrashed to the tune of 35 points against the Giants which is a little troubling, but Miami’s offense hasn’t been potent in 10 years. Too much offensive fire power.

Seahawks over CARDINALS
I have been surer of very few things in my life then this: Matt Lienart will never be a good NFL quarterback. It was hard to watch him last night. His arm isn’t strong enough to throw a 10 yard out. He isn’t accurate deep. He double pumps and double clutches WAY too much---his indecisiveness is alarming. He makes terrible reads and rarely throws to the open receiver. Golic and Ditka almost had to be restrained last night when they couldn’t believe he didn’t hit a wide open Fitzgerald on a flea-ficker, instead throwing into triple coverage. And it’s not the line. He had PLENTLY of time to throw the ball and just doesn’t get rid of it. I guess he can improve, but not enough to be a good QB.

LIONS over Vikings
This Mike Martz offense is going to be fun to watch. At home, in a dome, Calvin, Roy, unproven quarterback---1999 Rams anyone? Let’s just hope their defense can hold Minnesota to under 30.

BRONCOS over Raiders
This pretty much sums up the Raider-fan experience the last five years: Sunday, I was at a bar and grill watching the games. There’s probably about 15 TV’s in the place, and about all of them were going to be tuned into either Bears-Chargers or Bucs-Seahawks for the three o’clock games. In comes Raider fan--you know, the middle aged, slightly balding, over-weight, Ken Stabler-jersey-wearing guy--and he grabs a booth under the only TV with the Raider game on. He’s watching along, clapping and cheering (for each of their good plays) and trying to rationalize how this once beloved franchise could’ve sunk so low. Well in about the third quarter, the manager of the place goes around with his clipboard full of remote controls. He walks around to the TV’s, doesn’t change anything, and then comes to the one with the Raider game on. What does he do? He changes the channel, right in the middle of the play. Keep in mind Raider-fan is sitting no more than three-feet away from the TV, the only one in the bar that had the game on, with his Ken Stabler throwback on, and the volume up so he can hear. Raider-fan turns around and says something to the effect of “what are you doing, buddy?" to which the manager replies “Oh, I didn’t see you there." How that could’ve happened, I don’t know. So he “changes the channel back" and then leaves, only the channel he changes it back to is on a commercial. And when the commercial break ends, after a good five minutes, you know what’s on his TV instead of his beloved Raiders? Matlock. That’s right, that most popular show on TV the last time the Raiders were any good.  So the dude is pissed, and rightfully so. There’s no other TV with the Raider game on and it’s a pretty close game, as Oakland was making their comeback. He’s frantically looking around for a waitress, a manager, anything. And nothing. For what had to at least be 10 minutes. Finally, he has to get up, go seek out a waitress, and tell her to get the manager to put the game back on. Needless to say, he’s pretty heated. The manager finally comes over after another five minutes have elapsed. And when pissed-off Raider-fan “politely"  asks why he changed it, the manager responds, “It wasn’t me. I didn’t change it."  Me and my buddies just started dying. It was the first time I had seen a Raider-fan exhibit such self-control, and I applaud him for it.

Needless to say, these are tough times to be a Raider-fan. 

RAVENS over Jets
After turning the ball over six times on the road to a good Bengals team, the Ravens were a blown call away from OT. That’s remarkable. If this team were in the NFC, they’d be the Super Bowl front-runner. In the AFC? Just another team for the Patriots to stomp on their way to the title.

BEARS over Chiefs
God help whoever starts at quarterback for KC.

PATRIOTS over Chargers
Brady to Moss might turn out to be one of the all-time great long distance hookups. LT could only muster 25 yards rushing last game, and while he’ll get more this game, it won’t be enough to help San Diego, especially playing at New England. You now got to worry about not only scoring on that tough New England defense, but putting up enough to outscore their potent offense. How scary is that?

EAGLES over Redskins
Monday night. Rivalry game. Eagles can’t afford to go 0-2. Take the home team.

Last week: 11-5
Season: 11-5

I feel the same way about my beloved Giants. With Eli hurting and Jacobs out, our offense is lame. Our defense is non-existent. And with Farve throwing, I see lots of points for the Pack and little for the Giants. Hard to believe the Giants ar favored.

I WAS ranked in the teens and now I am in the 80s. WOW! what a drop.  Watch out I am coming back. IMUA!!

What Happened!!?  There are alot of people in Las Vegas not happy.

Week one, well I picked enough to get to 29th....