by Lenny Smalls
(Composed Friday September 24, 2010)
Ravens over Browns
If Flacco continues to play like Kyle Boller, it won’t matter how good the Ravens’ defense is. Despite stifling the Jets and holding Cincinnati out of the end zone, the Ravens could easily be 0-2 heading into this week’s game against the Browns. If Flacco can’t get the job done then it’s time for Coach’s Harbaugh and Cameron to revert to the team philosophy from 2000 when Trent Dilfer called run left and run right all year and let Ray Lewis’s squad carry the team to the Super Bowl. The Browns are playing competitive football to start the year (albeit against less than stellar opponents) but they can’t seem to seal the deal in the 4th quarter. The only playmaker on this team is a converted return specialist who can’t get enough touches to make a difference. Be surprised if the Ravens don’t win by double digits.
Vikings over Lions
Favre is old. I know this. You know this. Does Childress not know this? He can’t expect Favre to roll off the farm and be ready to throw 30 passes a game with a couple weeks worth of practice under his belt. Timing is everything in the NFL and it’s not there with Favre and his receivers, yet. Peterson should be touching the ball 30 times a game for the first few weeks and there should have been a solid backup on the roster to give AP an occasional blow instead of the unproven group they have now. Why is Larry Johnson, Willie Parker or even Jamal Lewis not a Viking? The Lions are playing better but this week they’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. No way Minnesota starts out 0-3.
Steelers over Buccaneers
The Steelers are beating (up) teams like a young Mike Tyson beat Michael Spinks. Just ask Vince Young. The fact that Pittsburgh is a road favorite should scare Steeler fans as they historically don’t perform well in this role but….the defense. It’s too good. Certainly too good for Josh Freeman and a hobbled Cadillac to contain. And I say contain because that’s what you have to do against that unit. Contain them. They are likely to score 2 TD’s and dominate every aspect of the Buccaneers’ offensive game plan. Buccaneer fans should be genuinely worried when their offense is on the field because the best they can hope for is to just get embarrassed. Reality is they may be busy on the waiver wire next week looking for able bodies to fill holes created by Harrison, Polamalu, Timmons, etc. Expect Mendenhall to set career highs in carries, yards and TD’s this weekend as the Steelers go to 3-0, while the Buccaneers fall to a more realistic 2-1 (even though with that roster they should be ecstatic that they are 2-1 after 3 weeks!)
Patriots over Bills
The Patriots will beat the Bills this weekend. Is this a revelation? Was it a revelation when Ricky Martin came out of the closet earlier this year? Or was it simply something we knew to be true but were waiting for confirmation on from the source? We know the Patriots are going to beat the Bills mainly because they are superior in all four phases; offense, defense, special teams and coaching but also because they just lost an important divisional game to the Jets and can’t afford to fall further behind New York by losing games they should easily win. Meanwhile, the Bills have turned the offense over to Ryan Fitzpatrick. He gets the privilege of playing behind a makeshift offensive line while handing off to RB’s that will be facing 8 man boxes for the first quarter and a half. Then he’ll be throwing to collegiate level talent at the WR position while facing a defensive line that is no longer has to worry about playing the run because the Bills will be trailing by 17 points and forced to throw almost every play. Fitzpatrick may have skills but you won’t see any this weekend because the proverbial deck is stacked against him.
These Dogs are growling…
I’d take the points, but you don’t need them.
Cowboys (+3) over Texans
If the Cowboys lose this game Wade Phillips will be unemployed by the bye week. That’s why the Cowboys will win, because they are destined to lose. The Cowboys will win and in the process save Phillips’ job while costing themselves a chance at winning the Super Bowl because Phillips is not a Super Bowl caliber coach. Now you may say, “Neither was Barry Switzer but he found a way to win in Dallas.” I’d say the big difference is the core Switzer had is a lot better than what Phillips has but mainly Switzer was able to win because the culture Jimmy Johnson had engrained into his teams psyche hadn’t been pushed aside by Switzer’s “golly, shucks” country boy mentality yet (and the roster still included all the studs Johnson had accumulated through impressive drafting and the old “rope a dope” technique employed against the Vikings and GM Mike Lynn in “The Trade.”) The Texans are in a position they have never been before and after beating the Colts handily and the Redskins barely, I’d imagine they are emotionally drained and due for a let-down. I know it’s the Dallas game and Houston will try to get motivated to win this huge tilt, I just don’t think they are that good. Not yet anyway.
Seattle (+5.5) over San Diego
Remember the last time Seattle was a home dog against a west coast team under the Pete Carroll regime? Think back really far…you got it! They beat San Francisco like drums in week 1, making Alex Smith long for the last time they visited Seattle and only lost by 3 points instead of 25. San Diego has an ill-placed over confidence that I really don’t understand. I realize they beat Jacksonville last week but David Garrard is one of the worst QB’s in the league and when you take Jones-Drew out of the game by getting up early there is no way on earth for the Jaguars to come back. Expect Seattle to play with some passion after last week’s loss and cause problems for Rivers and Co., especially if Ryan Matthews can’t go due to his ominous “high ankle sprain.”
I also like…
Saints over Falcons
49ers over Chiefs
Titans over Giants
Bengals over Panthers
Colts over Broncos
Redskins over Rams
Eagles over Jaguars
Cardinals over Raiders
Dolphins over Jets
Packers over Bears
