NFL Preview: Week 4

Time for the NFL Picks

Music to Listen to: Don’t be Cruel by Bobby Brown



I saw the Bobby Brown Behind the Music and forgot how much of a badass he was back in the 1980’s. Between My Prerogative, Don’t Be Cruel, Every Little Step and the New Edition work, he had a great career. Of course he screwed all of that up between the drugs and legal troubles but he has one comeback left in him.

The People’s Champion made an excellent suggestion to me while we were having lunch at Otters this week. He suggested that I have a hypothetical amount of money on these games to see if I actually made a profit at the end of the year. I say sure. Better yet, let’s make it retroactive back to last week.

I will start out with $1,600 and I placed $100 on each game. Since I went 6-8 last week, I’m now down to $1,400.

Let’s get to the games:

HOUSTON (-9) Oakland: When does Oakland pull the plug on the JaMarcus Russell era? I hope so because there are only so many overthrown balls to receivers that I can see and I’m not even a fan. The question that needs to be asked is if he’s the worst #1 overall pick of this decade. I say yes. Only in Oakland.

JACKSONVILLE (+3) Tennessee: How is Tennessee favorite on the road by three points? I would like to think the opposite but Jacksonville wins this easily.

Speaking of easy, I got roped into watching the latest edition of the Real World/Road Rules Challenge on MTV. Every season, I tell myself that I’m not going to watch it and move on with my life, but there I was on Wednesday night viewing Wes, Kenny and Evan start arguing with each other…come on, you know who they are, admit it.

Baltimore (+2) NEW ENGLAND: Tom Brady is expecting a baby with his girlfriend around the Super Bowl, I believe. My question is what if Gisele has her baby during the Super Bowl. Does he have to leave the game to see the birth of his kid? Furthermore, how does he deal with his pregnant girlfriend during the season? I’m not the only one who has thought about this.

Cincinnati (-6) CLEVELAND: Joe Posnanski of Si.com did a write up about Eric Mangini being the worst NFL head coaching hire ever. Check out the article here, I’ll wait: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/joe_posnanski/09/29/mangini/index.html

The scary part about it is that he may be right and Mangini has coached only three games in Cleveland but when you look at the circumstances, I can see the argument.

KANSAS CITY (+8.5) New York Giants: So Sports Illustrated decided to put Mariano Rivera on the cover. As a Mets fan, I like the cover jinx karma, actually, I don’t really distain the Yankees as much as I used to. When the Yankees starting winning World Series again starting in 1996, I was 15 and that’s when your fandom for sports becomes more than just catching the game on TV, it becomes your identity, at least it did for me. So as a Mets fan, seeing the crosstown rival win all the time was sad and made me dislike the team greatly. However, the three guys that I always enjoyed on the Yankees was Derek Jeter (so what if he’s overrated and underrated at the same time, want to fight about it) David Wells and Mariano Rivera. We will never see another relief pitcher like him again.

But screw Paul O’Neill. I have my reasons.

CHICAGO (-10) Detroit: Break up the Lions. I called that victory over Washington and I still think that they get to five wins. However, one of them isn’t coming on Sunday. Speaking of wackiness in the Windy City, did you hear about Milton Bradley’s mother telling the media that her son was willing to return to the Cubs if they want him. First, why is your mother speaking for you? Second, this reminds me of when you have a prideful friend who was dumped by his girlfriend who was out of his league anyway and he then tells you that SHE can come back to him if SHE gets her act together.

Also, Matt Forte, you better start stepping it up. I need the points.

Tampa Bay (+7.5) Washington: I really want to pick the Bucs to win this one outright but I’m going to give the Skins the benefit of some doubt. Jim Zorn still doesn’t make it though the season though. You can’t have your team look that bad against the Lions and keep your job.

Speaking of jobs, looks like the young folks are moving to Washington, D.C. and Seattle before the NYC: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703787204574442912720525316.html?mod=WSJ_hps_RIGHTTopCarousel

This seems right to me. As a New Yorker, I like my city but there are several other places you can live for cheaper and have a more enjoyable experience than New York. Which brings me to my next point…

INDIANAPOLIS (-10) Seattle: Most of these major cities are starting to look the same anyway. The downtowns between a Chicago, New York, Miami, Denver, Nashville, Seattle, Houston, etc. contain large buildings, no parking and bad rush hour traffic. If you pick the suburbs, each of these housing subdivisions look like Wisteria Lane from Desperate Housewives. Every major city has the area where the hipsters hang out, the “alternative” people see bands you have never heard of, has an “ethnic” area, contains at least two professional teams to get your sports on, etc.

Why would you want to live in New York when you can kick it in Denver, Charlotte and cities of that level with just as many activities and 3/4ths of the cost?

NEW ORLEANS (-7) New York Jets: Some of you feel that the Jets are getting overhyped for their excellent early start of the season and I agree with you but you have to look at things from the team’s perspective, especially fans.

The Jets don’t get as much attention as the Giants and honestly never will. The team plays in Giants Stadium, that should explain a lot right there. The last time that the Jets had a good, young QB prospect was literally Joe Namath and don’t give me Ken O’Brien. I lived through the O’Brien years, I know. They haven’t had a cocky head coach that was willing to stare at the biggest dog in the yard, the Patriots in this case, and not flinch since Bill Parcells, but he was a Giant first.

Jets fans have had the second-worst lot behind only Cleveland in the past 30 years. Buffalo? Went to four Super Bowls and saw numerous Hall of Famers. Cincinnati? Went to two Super Bowls. Oakland? Not even close. Arizona is close but last year wiped a lot of bad karma away.

So if Jets fans want to get a little over-excited about starting a season 3-0, let them.

MIAMI (+1.5) Buffalo: I can’t believe that I’m saying this but leave Terrell Owens alone.

St. Louis (+9.5) SAN FRANCISCO: The Rams are awful but find a way to lose by less than that spread.

Dallas (-3) DENVER: The Broncos are frauds, just trust me.

San Diego (+6.5) Pittsburgh: Guess who’s hosting WWE Raw on Monday? Big Ben! I’m sure that the NFL can’t be too happy with that competing with Monday Night Football.

Green Bay (+3.5) MINNESOTA: I’m going with the Packers because you know who will have his first three-interception game to cost the Vikings.

Last week: 6-8
Season: 6-8
Money left: $1,400