Week 8 Picks n' Things

Last week I went 8-6 against the spread. A sign that I'm exploding onto the scene, perhaps? Maybe not. What's going on in the NFL this week? Only the WCRD sports blog can give you the full story.

CHICAGO (-5) over Detroit

The Lions have been destroyed every road game this year. But say this for the Chicago Bears - they have done absolutely nothing to prove they're not capable of destroying or being destroyed by Detroit this weekend.

Pittsburgh (-3.5) over CINCINNATI

Fantasy rant: All Ben Roethlisberger had to do was complete a few more passes last week and I'd have defeated WCRD colleague Levin Black in fantasy football! As it was, he did not. However, Ben, and the Steelers, are having the best seasons that no one is talking about.

Indianapolis (-6.5) over CAROLINA

Peyton Manning has defeated 30 NFL teams in his career. The only one besides his own that he has not? My beloved Carolina Panthers. Manning is 0-2 in his career against Carolina, with a loss in his rookie year and a thrilling overtime loss in 2003. I'll give the NFL the credit on this one - by scheduling this game in between a road Monday-nighter and the Patriots game for Indianapolis and in between a bye week and a trip to Tennessee for Carolina, they did everything they could to keep that streak alive.

Unfortunately, it won't matter. The Colts should still cruise, as you'd expect when a David Carr-Vinny Testaverde QB controversy is going on for the opponent.


Oakland (+7.5) over TENNESSEE

I'm making this pick assuming that Vince Young won't be playing, but even if he does, I think this seems like too many points for a team like the Titans, who love to play close games, to be giving.

Cleveland (-3) over ST. LOUIS

Oh, boy. Things have gotten really bad for the Rams. At the beginning of the season, was there any chance you would've thought that someone would've picked Cleveland in this game?

NY Giants (-9.5) over MIAMI

Boy, I really hope those Brits in London enjoy this one. Possibly the worst team in the league (especially with Ronnie Brown gone for 2007) matched up against the G-men. I'd imagine a lot of money on the Giants winning the Super Bowl coming from the general United Kingdom area after this one. At least Miami has a franchise quarterback to build around, having drafted...oh, no, wait, they drafted a return man 9th instead of Brady Quinn. Oops.

MINNESOTA (+1) over Philadelphia

What's going on in Philly? They've got all their horses going, and yet they're still a really bad team. I fear this is the end of the line for Andy Reid and McNabb in the City of Brotherly Hate. On the bright side, Adrian Peterson's emergence as one of the best 5 backs in the league continues.

Buffalo (+3) over NY JETS

No rational explanation for this, as the Bills might actually be decent and the Jets continue to careen towards Earth at speeds not even reached by Sputnik at the height of its re-entry. The Kellen Clemens Era begins sooner rather than later.

SAN DIEGO (PK) over Houston

I get a freebie here as Yahoo fails to publish a spread for this game. That Texans loss to Tennessee was a season-killer. When you outscore your opponent 29-3 to take the lead and then lose anyway because of a defensive meltdown, that does a number on a team.

TAMPA BAY (-4) over Jacksonville

After last week, there's not a spread big enough for me to take Quinn Gray. Poor Jaguars.

New Orleans (-3) over SAN FRANCISCO

If the Niners' offense doesn't show up this week, it never will. Ummm....I'm gonna go with 'never will'.

NEW ENGLAND (-16.5) over Washington

At this point, why bother betting against the Patriots?

Green Bay (+3) over DENVER

Remember when you never picked against Denver at Mile High? Yeah, so much for that. Thanks Jay Cutler.