POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – A 17-8 record and a .680 winning percentage with NFL Picks sounds like contention for a Cy Young Award in baseball and could only be slowed by last week’s hurricane. No telecommunication service has me posting this column at the local library as I’m hoping all the knowledge shelved within doesn’t interfere with football intelligence.
New England has had anything but a normal past three weeks. An always-heated battle with the Jets preceded a trip across the pond to play the Rams in London and last week’s bye. London was a field trip and then they sat around digesting their Fish & Chips since then so, in essence, the Pats emotions haven’t been stirred since Oct. 21st. Now asking to cover 11 ½ against a division opponent sounds like a risky proposition even if it’s the Bills who have raced out to two touchdown leads the past two meetings against New England only to fall on their defensive faces to the tune of 50+ points each time. The Bills were game in their move up in class falling to the Texans, and after today’s tilt has a winnable schedule through season’s end. There is a light at the end of the tunnel for regular commenter buffalobilly84 and he’ll rejoice in what could be an outright win. Grab those points and the Bills as today’s underdog selection.
It proved to be a chore in finding a favorite to hang the “best” label on. and working their way to .500 after a slow start by winning two straight the Lions find themselves as 2 point road faves upon those merits. The opponents today are the Vikings and it seems as though teams have caught up to Christian “Left To” Ponder but now have to keep the feel good story of Adrian Peterson in check.
Provided Detroit getting the job done here defensively (<90 yds) and running the ball with further improvement the Lions won’t have to rely on the banged-up Megatron (Madden cover jinx?) or Matthew Stafford who for some reason just doesn’t look right this year. Detroit’s tight ends run free en route to keying a six-point victory.
The San Diego Chargers lack big-play offensive ability and rely on Philip Rivers not throwing INTs to win games. Tampa Bay’s defense isn’t scaring anybody as the Bucs are often involved in offensive shootouts because of this shortcoming. The Bolts also have the ability to make the opposition earn their way down the field unlike the Raiders ten-yards-a-carry run defense. Doug Martin will get his yards but in smaller chunks, Rivers stays away from tossing “picks”, and at 47 ½, this game goes UNDER.
The inaugural Enigma Bowl kicks off today as the Cowboys travel to Philthy in a meeting of under-performing teams lacking concentration, discipline, and execution. Both teams have stout defenses saving even further embarrassment by keeping their squads in games. Mike Vick makes more turnovers than a baker and Tony Romo isn’t too far behind as two offenses accustomed to moving the ball at will between the 10’s makes the OVER 44 ½ a risky bet, but I’m counting on the offenses to hold on to the ball enough to score some TD’s instead of FG’s.
The Public Professor and West Coast Craig, tomorrow… Unless either or both packed up and moved to Colorado or Washington.
