WEEK 12 STRAIGHT PICK-EM

LAST WEEK RECORD: (10-4)

SEASON RECORD: (93-71)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

We are bombing week twelve with live turkeys.

THE THANKSGIVING DAY GAMES (THURSDAY)

BUFFALO BILLS AT DETROIT LIONS

Lions have lost 5 Thanksgiving Day games in a row. Bills finally snapped their two-game losing streak last week at the same bat place, same bat time in Motown. Lions have won three straight and two road games. Bills offense is one of the top in the league as Lions defense is at the bottom of the league. Jared Goff has played error-free football while Josh Allen has constantly made mistakes in the red-zone. Bills defense comes in banged up. I see this game coming down to final ticks. In the end, Bills pulls one out.

OUR PICK: BILLS

NEW YORK GIANTS AT DALLAS COWBOYS

It was just a matter of time when we see this Giants team struggle as the Lions throttled the G-Men last Sunday. Cowboys quickly rebounded and played kick the can all over the yard versus the Vikings. Cowboys have lost three in row on Turkey Day. Cowboys have world domination over the Giants in their last 11 games with a 10-1 record against big blue. Dak Prescott is 9-0 versus the Giants in those 11 contests. Giants like 4 quarters controlling the clock in low scoring affairs while the Cowboys like to start fast & end fast. My gut tells me the Giants’ great start will not last. I expect the tales of two halves as this team is heading for a slippery slope. Cowboys defense will give Daniel Jones a tough day behind center and be able to slow down Saquan Barkley just enough to make them one-dimensional on offense. Cowboys then pull ahead.

OUR PICK: COWBOYS

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Patriots’ Bill Belichick’s defense which is no shock, has been putting the kibosh on their opponent’s game plans. Can the Vikings rebound from the beat down by the Cowboys? Can the Patriots’ offense match scores with the Vikings’ high-powered offense? Can Belichick’s defense take out the Vikings’ best offensive player, Justin Jefferson? Viking teams in the past remind me of that Russian fighter in Rocky 4 who looks so dominating. The team looks invincible, but then one punch, the sign of blood, and the entire operation crumbles. Patriots have won 5 straight match-ups versus the Vikings where most of that was from the Tom Brady days. Matthew Judon leads the league in sacks and he make the hit on Kirk Cousins to crumble the feet of the Viking on their own turf.

Patriots continue to keep up with the stacked AFC East.

OUR PICK: PATRIOTS

THE SUNDAY SLATE

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS

What would make this game even filthier is if Deshaun Watson was getting a rub down by Tom Brady’s X Gisele Bundchen.

Watson has to wait another week to get on the field. Last time we saw the Buccaneers, they beat a very good Seattle team in Germany. This will be Jacoby Brissett’s last start most likely for the season with Watson coming out of the doghouse. Does Brissett, former back up for Brady, save his best for last? Browns have only running back Nick Chubb working well for this team. Buccaneers can counter with a healthy X-Bear, Aikiem Hicks. The Browns defense has checked out several weeks ago. Brissett is unable to sling the football all over the field without costing his team with a turnover. Buccaneers have slowly turned things around and are rested.

OUR PICK: BUCCANEERS

CINCINNATI BENGALS AT TENNESSEE TITANS

This looks like the game of the week with two heavy weights squaring off in the AFC. The Bengals and Titans rematch of last season’s playoff game had Cincinnati beating Tennessee in the Divisional round in Nashville. Titans have won 7-8 of their last games. The Bengals have won 4-5 games. The Bengals are expecting their stud receiver J’aMarr Chase back. The Titans passing game has come alive with rookie wide receiver Treylon Burks getting his first 100 yard receiving game under his belt versus the Packers. Both teams feature the league’s best in running back Joe Mixon versus Derrick Henry. Titans defense is one of the top units versus the run. Bengals defense has the knack of getting to the quarterback. I think whether the Titans can get to Joe Burrow with that Bengal shaky offensive line is the key to this match up. Titans find a way to win a close one and continue to chase down the number one seed overall in the AFC.

OUR PICK: TITANS

HOUSTON TEXANS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS

This contest is not even fair. Dolphins are well rested from their bye week. The Texans benching their starting quarterback Davis Mills. How do the Texans slow down this Dolphins attack? Lovie Smith is in over his head taking on this job to be head coach of the Texans. Smith does not have the horses in his stable to run his style of defense. Dolphins will tee off on the Texans’ backup quarterback. What a shock over Lovie Smith’s career. He has no answer for his own starting quarterback. Dolphins manhandle this Texans team.

OUR PICK: DOLPHINS

CHICAGO BEARS AT NEW YORK JETS

This game has too many questions at the most important position on the field. For the Bears, is Justin Fields going to play as he suffered a shoulder injury late in the game versus the Falcons? If back up Trevor Siemian has to go for the Bears with that offensive line versus the Jets, top ten defense crime experts will be sorting out a homicide on the field. The Jets have benched their starting quarterback Zack Wilson for not being a man to take responsibility of his own bad play. Instead of the great Joe Flacco, the Jets are rolling out Mike White behind center. White has played well for these Jets in the past and should be able to generate offense against a bad Bears defense. If Justin Fields does play, he has not shown me he can step on the throat of the opposing team’s neck and FINISH THEM!!!

The Bears have had leads late against a few of these bad teams in the NFL, and Fields has not been clutch at the end.

OUR PICK: JETS

ATLANTA FALCONS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

This should be a fun game to watch. Both the Commanders and the Falcons need this game to keep up in the NFC playoff chase. Taylor Heinicke is 4-1 behind center after taking over the job for the injured Carson Wentz. The Commanders even gave Heinicke the starting nod the rest of the way. The Falcons can run the ball with a three headed monster in the back field and the legs of their quarterback Marcus Mariota. The Commanders defense has done a respectable job versus the run holding opponents to 68.8 yards per game the last 5 games. I think Heinicke can operate some nice scoring drives versus a suspect Falcons defense who have hard time defending the pass. River Boat Ron Rivera looking for his 100th win as a head coach.

This game will be well fought all the way to the end. I like Washington winning it at the very end.

OUR PICK: COMMANDERS

DENVER BRONCOS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS

The summary of this matchup is the struggle of play behind center. Russell Wilson has not played like a Superstar, he once was in Seattle. John Elway moves at the quarterback position continuing to turn to stone. Then the Panthers are going to give the third stooge a shot behind center.

We’ve already seen Moe (Baker Mayfield), then Larry (P.J Walker), and now the Panthers are bringing in another Shemp in Sam Darnold who once again is healthy. Darnold had 9 touchdown passes in 11 starts last season. In Darnold’s absence, the team has generated 9 touchdown passes in 11 games. Broncos have had the same problems with running back as the cut Melvin Gordon while Chase Edmonds heads for IR. Broncos are now going with Latavious Murray X Saint & Raider to carry the full load. This game will be a defensive struggle. I give the Broncos defense the nod over the Panthers defense which will be the game decider.

OUR PICK: BRONCOS

BALTIMORE RAVENS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Ravens offense struggled in a win over the Panthers last Sunday. The Jaguars are in their usual line for a top draft pick in 2023. The Ravens defense has been smothering out the opponent’s running game which will make Trevor Lawrence one dimensional. If Lawrence has to win this game only with his arm, it will favor the Ravens. Lamar Jackson gets his security blanket back at the tight end position, Mark Andrews, which will help get this offense some more juice.

OUR PICK: RAVENS

LA CHARGERS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS

Someone sound the air raid sirens because this game will have an aerial attack as bombs will be flying. What schedule makers thought this game may have been like this? Arizona’s Quarterback Kyler Murray has missed the last two games but may be slated to return versus this Chargers team. Meanwhile Justin Herbert has had six straight games without a 300-yard passing game. Herbert had all his weapons on hand last week. Mike Williams may be missing this game as his return did not last long. Both teams in ways have been disappointing. Chargers on paper had a great defense coming into the season, but an injury bug put the halt to that dream. Cardinals defense is MIA as well. James Connor last year was stud in the Cardinals back field as he’s taken a few steps backwards with his play. Chargers have more on the line, as they are still in the hunt for the playoffs. Cardinals may really need a new plan which may be moving on from Murray.

OUR PICK: CHARGERS

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Do you remember when the Seahawks were in the AFC West? Some memorable games between these two teams.

Raiders did sweep the Broncos last week but have been a general disappointment all season. Seattle fell off the rails in Germany as they were tossing their salad and scrambled eggs versus the Buccaneers in Germany. Raiders have committed the fewest turnovers but can’t force a turnover as they are lowest in that category. Seahawks are 3-1 at home. Look for Seahawks running back Ken Walker III, who leads all rookies with seven touchdowns. That is the most rushing touchdowns by a Seattle rookie running back since the other Curt Warner had 13 in his first season with the Seahawks.

I like Seattle rebounding at home versus a team that has played poorly on the road in the Raiders.

OUR PICK: SEAHAWKS

LA RAMS AT KANSAS CHIEFS

The Rams may be the worst team ever following a Superbowl victory. Chiefs are still playing like the cream of the crop of the AFC. Rams starting quarterback has had another setback with another concussion. Matthew Stafford just returned from a previous concussion last week. Stafford will lose his marbles by the end of the season. Rams cut ties with their starting running back. Patrick Mahomes is all warm, primed, and limber looking for another MVP season. I just can’t see the Rams stopping the Chiefs or even generating enough offense to keep up with Mahomes and company.

OUR PICK: CHIEFS

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Every week my biggest question is what Saints team will you get? The 49ers are playing like they will be at some point the best team in the NFC. Andy Dalton has never played a game in San Francisco as he’s facing a defense that has not allowed any second half points in the last three games. Saints average 12.8 points in the second half which is one of the tops in the league as they scored 17 off the sorry arse Rams last week. Christian McCaffrey is no stranger to the Saints defense as he has had their number playing them twice a year in a Panther’s uniform as he ran for 100 in a game earlier this season. Jimmy Garoppolo has been playing like an all-star not turning over the ball, while Andy Dalton is always prone to make a mistake or two each game.

OUR PICK: 49ERS

THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME

GREEN BAY PACKERS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Poor Aaron Rodgers is letting the world knows his struggles has come from a thumb injury he injured early in the season. The Eagles rebounded from the loss to the Commanders with an ugly win over the Colts. Packers have played better lately, but I just can’t see them going to Philadelphia like they did to Dallas and winning another tough road game. I think Philadelphia will play a clean crisp game on Sunday night. I still think the Packers are mostly going through the emotions. I think the Packers locker room is scarred and changes, big ones, are on the horizon next year. Eagles will put in one of the final nails in the Rodgers coffin.

OUR PICK: EAGLES

THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME

PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Colts versus Steelers is usually a big-time game; two talented teams squaring off in the AFC the last few decades. The script has changed as Steelers are developing a rookie quarterback and will miss the playoffs. Colts have gone through their own turmoil with the changing of the head coach. Steelers gave the Bengals, last Sunday, a run for their money. While the Colts blew a game versus the Eagles as they had the lead late in that contest. Colts have played like they have been reborn with a pulse since the change. They are 1-1 and Jonathan Taylor has found his game. Steelers have T.J Watt who is maybe the best defensive player on the planet right now. Colts defense has played better recently. I hate making the Colts owner look intelligent. I think Colts find a way and win a close tight battle on Monday night.

OUR PICK: COLTS

Marian Hossa may be one of the best free agents signed in the entire Chicago sports landscape history. Hossa would be the final piece of the Blackhawks recent dynasty that captured three Stanley Cups. Last Sunday, the Blackhawks organization retired Hossa’s number, 81, and raised it into the rafters at the United Center. Hossa becomes only the 8th player in Blackhawks history to have his number retired. Technically it’s only the 7th number retired by the team. Two players wore the number 3, Pierre Pilote, and Keith Magnuson. The other greats who wore the Indian-head sweater who have their numbers retired, feature goalies (#1) Glen Hall, (#35) Tony Esposito. The other greats on this list feature include (#9) Bobby Hull, (#18) Denis Savard, and (#21) Stan Mikita. You would think the Blackhawks would have had more numbers retired for being around for 100 years. Hossa made an instant impact for probably the best decade of Blackhawks’ hockey in their franchise history ever. You have to believe more players to come from that main core who skated in all three cup finals, will have their numbers hung up in the rafters as well.

Marian Hossa arrived in Chicago for the 2009-10 season after his lone season in Detroit. Hossa brought plenty of playoff experience to a younger team that made some noise in the playoffs a year before his arrival. Adding a veteran all-star that can control the puck and score goals with up and coming stars like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews was genius-like. The Blackhawks brass over the years do not check all the boxes in that category. Hossa would score 24 goals and dish out 27 assists in his first year wearing the Indian head sweater. Hossa did not need to be the man. The young guys watched and learned how Hossa prepared himself for the grind of hockey season and still was able to be counter-productive in the playoffs. Hossa was one of the guys Kane watched and admired growing up in Buffalo as a young fan of the game. The Blackhawks added a player that was well-rounded on both sides of the ice: offensive and defensive. Hossa would be able to poke the puck away from the opposition and skate down the ice controlling the puck with defenders practically draped on him and still be able to get the biscuit in the basket.

Marion Hossa, a native out of Czechoslovakia, was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame last November. In 19 seasons, Hossa played 8 with the Blackhawks as he was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in 1997, 12th overall. Hossa would wear the Atlanta Thrashers jersey when hockey was in hot-lanta. Hossa then skated with the Penguins and the Red Wings. Hossa is the only player to play in three straight Stanley Cups wearing a different uniform each of those seasons. Before arriving in Chicago, Hossa was on the losing end of a Penguins’ Stanley Cup final as he also had the same outcome in Detroit. Hossa has played in 5 Stanley Cup finals where he has a 3-2 edge on the winning side. Hossa was 5 time All-star in his NHL career. Hossa played in 1,309 regular season games in his career as tallied up 525 goals while dishing out 609 assists which adds up to 1,134 career points. That’s not counting the 205 playoff games the right winger skated in. Hossa had 52 career playoff goals with 97 assists in the post-season. Hossa tallied 30 goals in a season in 8 of those 19 seasons he played in. Hossa reached the 40 goals mark in 3 NHL seasons. In a Blackhawks uniform he played in 534 games as he scored 186 goals which is good for number 27th all-time in team history. Hossa had 229 assists as he racked up 415 points. It was not the numbers Hossa put up that has his jersey up high in the rafters. It was the intangibles that he brought to the ice every night. The preparation, the little things that helped this team win three cups. Hossa’s presence gave teams another superstar to worry about on the ice. Hossa was a team guy which other players admired and it caught on in the locker room. The Blackhawks played like a well-oiled machine during that dynasty.

Marion Hossa may have had a few more years in him, but it was a progressive skin discoloration that made him hang up the skates for good after the 2016-17 season. It seemed like after that the Blackhawks have been sliding down the big slide in that game of Chutes and Ladders and finding themselves going about things their old ways. The old ways where they were as low as the LA Clippers in sports franchises out of the 4 main sports that were poorly ran by their owner ships. Right now the Blackhawks need stories like this as they were involved with the cover up of a sexual predator that walked free in the organization as they turned a blind eye on things and the team is still trying to dig themselves out of that gigantic hole. I remember other free agents that helped their team get over the humps in the Chicago sports landscape. Even though the Bulls could have won without him, I think Dennis Rodman helped the Bulls win that second three-peat with his rebounding and defense doing the little things. Blackhawks probably could have won a cup without Hossa. Maybe not though. The Cubs’ Jon Lester was a big free agent getting other players to town and his pitching help beat the goat curse in 2016 winning it all. Then in 2005, White Sox signed A.J Pierzynski, another guy that did the dirty work like Rodman and Hossa. White Sox would go on to win the World Series in his first season in a White Sox uniform. The number 81 fans are more accustomed to seeing a football jersey being retired. Players in all sports are picking higher numbers because they don’t really have any history yet. Hossa will be the only player ever to wear number 81 in the Blackhawks franchise, as he was the first and last. We will have to get used to it because I’m sure number 88 will be retired as soon as Patrick Kane hangs up his skates. Hossa is 43 years old and he has his own book out that could be an interesting read. Hossa might have a job with the Blackhawks at some point as talks are rumored to be kicking the tires around on the idea. Blackhawks would eventually lose the game to the visiting Penguins on Sunday. However, the video montage of Marion Hossa and all the former players in town to see 81 get his number raised into rafters was exciting and brought back many great memories. Well deserved. At least one night the United Center was not haunted by dark clouds hovering over the stadium that follow this franchise on a daily basis.

WEEK 11 STRAIGHT PICK-EM

LAST WEEK RECORD: 3-11

Week ten we went up in flames.

SEASON RECORD: 83-67

THURSDAY NIGHT GAME

TENNESSEE TITANS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS

This game is a total mind fuck. Pardon my French!!! Titans started off slowly but have been steam rolling the competition using their iron horse Derek Henry. Packers defense has problems stopping the run. The Titans defense have done well versus the run which stops the Packers best weapon Aaron “not Rodgers” in Jones. However, Aaron Rodgers was impressive in that comeback last Sunday versus the Cowboys. Packers are at home. I’m going to hate myself in the morning going with the cheese heads as they start to turn things around.

OUR PICK: PACKERS

THE SUNDAY SLATE

CHICAGO BEARS AT ATLANTA FALCONS

Are you kidding me with these match ups? I feel like the old lady from those old Wendy’s commercials saying….

Instead of beef, where is the defense? Falcons have done a better job than the Bears stopping the run. Which team has been able to stop Justin Fields as he is making a run at the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in one season? Fields has been able to get big chunk play touchdowns as well. Both teams don’t have the killer instinct to finish games. Does former Bear running back, now Falcons Swiss Army knife, Cordarelle Patterson have a beef with his old team? Bears offense has been averaging 30 points per game in the last several weeks while the Falcons offense has slown down in recent weeks. Can Fields chuck the ball down field to exploit the Falcons’ weakness, their passing defense. Bears beat themselves last week. I like them turning things around this week winning a close one for a change.

OUR PICK: BEARS

CLEVELAND BROWNS AT BUFFALO BILLS (IN DETROIT)

For the Buffalo Bills, you have to use the saying awaken the sleeping Giant. Bills have lost two in a row. Last week they shot themselves in the foot more than once to finish the purple pansies from Minnesota. Then to be removed from your bed at home due to the snowstorm to go to Detroit and stay there for two games because you play the Lions on Thanksgiving Day.

Browns are built for Deshaun Watson. Jacoby Brissett will not win you any high scoring affairs. Browns defense has been terrible most of the year. Bills get back in the win column.

OUR PICK: BILLS

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

The Raiders are the only team that would give your team a win when everything was in such a disarray for the Colts. Jeff Saturday looked to play the part as he been here done that as a head coach winning in his first game. The Eagles’ perfect season came to an end by the Commanders. Jonathan Taylor looks like his old self running the ball. This game could be a grinder. I like the Eagles soaring at the end in a close one as they clean up their mistakes from that game versus Washington.

OUR PICK: EAGLES

NEW YORK JETS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

In the last meeting between the Jets and Patriots, I chose New York. Patriots won. Both teams have played solid football most of the year. Bill Belichick’s defense has the hex over Zach Wilson. Wilson has played much better since the last meeting. Wilson is 0-3 versus the Patriots with two touchdown passes and count them… 7 interceptions. This is like an Aaron Rodgers owning the Bears kind of deal going. Belichick and Tom Brady did this to the Bills for over a decade. Wilson will not find the cheese in the rat trap Belichick’s going to set up.

OUR PICK: EVIL EMPIRE (PATRIOTS)

LA RAMS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Rams and the Saints may be on top of the list of disappointing teams in the 2022 season. Both teams desperately need a win. Can the league just award both teams with a tie? The Saints are allowing 131 yards per game on the ground. Rams will need to run the ball because they will be without Cooper Kupp, their best playmaker on offense. Matthew Stafford returns from a concussion. Saints have lost 4 out of their last 5 games with a win coming off the Raiders which means nothing now. No Sean McVay and teams have lost 4 games in a row. Saints are 0-6 in November going back to last season. Saints make too many mistakes to go down the same rabbit hole.

OUR PICK: RAMS

DETROIT LIONS AT NEW YORK GIANTS

Giants have piled up victories playing most of the league’s bottom feeders. Lions head coach Dan Campbell earned his first ever road victory versus the Bears. Lions may have the beer guy playing receiver as that position took a hit last week in Chicago. I think the Lions will play a close game with the G-Men. That is right up New York’s alley playing a tight game all the way through and coming out at the end with the victory. Can’t see Lions winning back-to-back road games as it took so long for Campbell to get that first one.

OUR PICK: GIANTS

CAROLINA PANTHERS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS

I don’t see the Panthers being able to win this game in Baltimore. Panthers are a team that can surprise you at times. Panthers won last week versus the Falcons, a team closer to their level. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is 14-1 versus NFC opponents. Head Coach John Harbaugh has an 11-3 record coming off the bye week. The Ravens’ last game they played was against Tom Brady’s Buccaneers which resulted in a win. Ravens have won three in row and should have no problem making it 4 beating up on the Panthers for 4 quarters.

OUR PICK: RAVENS

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS AT HOUSTON TEXANS

The Commanders’ brain trust came to the conclusion that Taylor Heinicke is QB 1. Heinicke led the Commanders to a victory over the undefeated Eagles. In Houston, Davis Mills showed some flashes in his second year as QB 1, but he has gone back to his old ways riding the struggle bus. Lovie Smith’s defense is getting gashed by the opponents’ running game. Commanders defense is playing well. I like Washington getting over the 500 mark with a 6-5 record after this road victory.

OUR PICK: COMMANDERS

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT DENVER BRONCOS

Remember in the beginning of the season where everyone was trying to figure out what one team of the AFC West will not make the playoffs? The Chiefs could be the only lucky duck out of the West. Maybe the Chargers. Broncos and Raiders have been a flaming heap of garbage. Raiders won the first meeting between these two teams. Who scores more points, is my question? Raiders have DeVante Adams and Josh Jacobs on offense that can put something on the board. Russell Wilson’s Broncos offense looks pathetic. I think Josh Daniels as head coach has one team in this league he can beat more than once. It’s his former team he ran, the Broncos.

OUR PICK: RAIDERS

DALLAS COWBOYS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Can Dak Prescott beat a team like the Vikings that has a winning record and is tops in the NFC? For the Vikings, the pressure is on Kirk Cousins. Can Cousins win the big game in the big-time spotlight as all Cowboy games seem like the game of the week. Cowboys crumbled in the second half versus a bad Packer team last Sunday. Aaron Rodgers has done that to many teams. The Vikings made yet another comeback last Sunday on the road in Buffalo. The Bills could have ended the Vikings in regulation and in OT, but it did not happen. I see the same trend going down in the NFC. The Eagles got their bubble popped by the Commanders. I think the Cowboys need a win more than the Vikings. They’ll play a complete game on the road, pop the Vikings’ bubble, and bring them back down to earth. Should be a close one.

OUR PICK: COWBOYS

CINCINNATI BENGALS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Bengals need a victory to keep up with the Ravens for the division. Steelers have T.J Watt back from an injury that is helping this team get a victory over the Saints. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has been sacked the second most in the NFL this season. Steelers’ Kenny Pickett is still developing in his first season in the NFL. The Steelers can’t match the Bengals in points. Bengals have too many weapons for the Steelers defense to contain in a full game without help from their offense.

OUR PICK: BENGALS

THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT LA CHARGERS

Patrick Mahomes is 7-2 versus the Chargers in his career. Mahomes has completed 63% of his passes versus the Chargers defense in his career with 18 touchdowns to only 5 interceptions. Chargers are ailing. Another week without Joey Bosa. The Chargers defense looked great on paper coming into the 2022 season. Justin Herbert could be without his top receiving threats. Mike Williams and Keenan Allen are game time decisions. First match up earlier this season was a close game as Chiefs won. I like the Chiefs in this one. Chiefs on the road have been blowing teams out of the water.

OUR PICK: CHIEFS

THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (IN MEXICO)

Cardinals are too unpredictable this season. The 49ers have done very well on primetime games this season. I can see the 49ers getting the bigger following in Mexico over the Cardinals, which could feel like a home game for San Francisco. The 49ers defense has played like one of the best units in the league. While the Cardinals defense teams has been giving up points. Kyler Murray is ailing for the Cardinals and could be a game time decision. Jimmy Garoppolo has been playing his best football this year.

OUR PICK: 49ERS

Sometimes good football players fall through the cracks of the NFL draft. Then teams around the league sign un-drafted free agents in hopes of finding that diamond in the ruff. In the college gridiron, same goes for players that try to make the team as a walk on. For many of these players, it’s their last grasp of playing organized football. Some don’t give up on their dreams as they could head north to Canada & play in the CFL. Let’s not forget about these pop-up Spring leagues. Leagues like the USFL and part three of the XFL could be cementing themselves roots for years to come. Kurt Warner came out of the Arena League for which he played for the Iowa Barnstormers. Every year teams find un-drafted players that help their team in some way. The Chicago Bears seem like they always find a middle line backer even without trying. It took trading away Roquan Smith for the Bears to discover they might have his replacement on their roster without even knowing it. Suddenly “SAN” was “Born” in Jack Sanborn, a rookie linebacker un-drafted out of the University of Wisconsin.

Since Justin Fields has taken off, and I mean that on his escape-ability, his impressive 70-yard rushing touchdowns as he is like a magician out of the field disappearing when the pocket closes up. The Bears offense has been much-see TV. Since the Bears traded away several pieces of their defense, the roles have reversed. When the defense is on the field, you go grab another beer because they can hardly stop anybody these days. Then something catches your eye if you have a full beer, number 57. Someone speaks out loud your inner thoughts and asks the same thing. “Who the hell is this guy?”

It’s Jack Sanborn throwing Gared Goff down on the turf like a rag doll. Is Brian Urlacher dressed up wearing a different number? Sanborn has been Urlacher-like as he is involved in almost every play. Sanborn recorded 12 tackles as he led the team versus the Lions last weekend.

Jack Sanborn has football pedigree in the bloodstream. Jack’s father, Paul Sanborn, was an offensive lineman for the University of Oregon. Jack lost his father at the very young age of 4. Jack followed in his father’s footsteps as did his younger brother who now is playing linebacker at the University of Wisconsin. You scratch your head over how this kid at 22 years of age did not get drafted. As a Badger in dairy land, Sanborn played all four seasons as he was able to get in 11 games in his Freshman year. Sanborn’s play took off in year two as he led the Badgers in tackles with 80, 9 of them for a loss of yards. Sanborn even registered 5.5 sacks. Sanborn’s college career even gets better his third season as once again he led the Badgers in tackles for the second straight year. Sanborn was named All-Big Ten conference. Sanborn senior year was remarkable. Sanborn had 91 tackles, of which 16 of them were for a loss of yards. Sanborn had 5 sacks and was First Team All-Big Ten. Why was this kid not drafted? The Big Ten conference manufactured great defensive players like Sky Net producing Terminator soldiers in the Rise of the Machines.

I really like the fact that Jack Sanborn is a ,local kid out of Deer Park Illinois. Sanborn played high school football locally in Lake Zurich. In Sanborn’s senior year he was named the Pioneer Defensive Player of the Year for Lake Zurich High School. It gives the Bears two players with local ties, as tight end Cole Kmet played his High School Football at St. Viator in Arlington heights. The Bears may be moving to that suburb in the next few years. It really does not matter how Sanborn arrived with the Monsters of the Midway. Sanborn’s play makes the new Bears General Manager look like a genius. Ryan Poles has to be stoked seeing Jack Sanborn as the top rookie of week ten with his performance over the Lions. Sanborn had a monster-type game which included those 12 tackles. Two of them were for a loss, adding two sacks along with two QB hits. In his first start, Sanborn versus the Miami Dolphins, 7 tackles with six of them solo. Sanborn was stashed away most of the season playing special teams. Now he might be a future permanent piece on Head Coach Matt Eberflus’ defense. Bears still have plenty of holes on the entire roster. With a slew of draft picks banked and money to spend, the future looks bright. You have to love the fact that the team may have their future Middle Linebacker box checked. As a GM or even a fan, you have to love hitting on higher rounds of draft picks or even un-drafted free agents. This Bears coaching staff should get credit also for helping elevate Jack Sanborn’s play. Matt Nagy’s staff never was able to make players better then what they were. Make sure you have a full beer when the Bears defense takes the field and watch number 57.

I hate rich people. Many owners in the NFL really have no clue about putting a winning football team on the field. The Indianapolis Colts owner, Jim Irsay, may be the number one buffoon on my list of owners that should cash in their chips, move on from the game, and do something else. Irsay fires his head coach, Frank Reich, a guy you have to keep on your side lines. Before the firing, the Colts removed a few of Reich’s coaching staff so now they are short-handed coming into week 9. Now comes the head pain if you’re a Colts fan. Irsay hires legendary former Colts offensive lineman and fan favorite from his playing days, Jeff Saturday. Saturday has no head coaching experience when it comes to Sundays. Saturday will be the interim coach which has fans and many others in an uproar for different reasons. Irsay has now painted himself and the current team in a corner. The sky is falling in Indianapolis and if you could, the fans should cut the head off the owner snake and send him to the glue factory.

Last Sunday was Jeff Saturday’s debut as head coach. The Colts go into Las Vegas and beat the Raiders. How is that Josh Daniels hiring looking now if you’re part of Raiders nation? Colts looked like a team reborn with their play on the field. Jonathan Taylor had a big game running the rock. It seemed like everything clicked and they leave town with a big W. In every sport, you see this kind of result after the front office or owner shakes things up and they fire their head coach or manager. Saturday, a different voice, probably kept things simple which resulted in his first win as head coach. Everyone seems to play harder when these things take place. Saturday gave up his football analysis job with ESPN and the telecasts. He also gave up his fantasy football team in a league he is involved in with all X-Colts players like Peyton Manning. Saturday looked more like Pete Carol hugging his assistants as it looked too easy to walk into a job like an NFL coach and get a win out of a team that has been riding the struggle bus.

Right now Jim Irsay’s move has panned out luckily. Lucky his Colts were playing another dysfunctional organization like the Raiders. Frank Reich, the Colts did no favors for, as he had a different quarterback every year since he was hired in 2018. Reich had Andrew Luck his first season the team made the playoffs and won one game while losing the next round in the post-season play. Reich then was stuck with Jacoby Brissett. In year two, the Colts went 7-9 which is not a bad record having a back up quarterback behind center the entire season. In Reich’s third season, Phillip Rivers was the guy and the Colts made the playoffs and lost to the Bills in the first round. Last year, the Colts could have been a very scary team if they made the post-season as they were playing some great football. Carson Wentz completely fell apart at the seams versus a bad Jaguar team in the last game of the season. Colts win that game & they would have been in the playoffs three out of the four seasons under the Reich. Then the Colts bring in an aging Matty Ice. Matt Ryan’s play looks like he’s heading to retirement home for quarterbacks where most of these Colts signal callers are located, eating the Grand Slam breakfast at the local Denny’s. Reich coached on quicksand the entire time in Indianapolis and left with a winning record of 40-33-1 in regular season and 1-2 in the playoffs. Reich should get another head coach gig somewhere else. Hopefully a better owner then this clown Irsay.

Why Jeff Saturday? Jim Irsay’s hire is an interesting move. Many in the league were in an uproar with his hiring of Saturday. The complaint was no black coaches were interviewed. Let’s quickly remember this job is labeled interim. Usually owners would give the job to someone on the current staff. The Colts wide receivers coach, Reggie Wayne, comes to mind as he is black. Wayne, another Colts legend, has coaching experience unlike Saturday. This move by Irsay is a Hail Mary play. Colts will not make the playoffs this season. If the Colts keep on piling losses, they have better chances to get a better quarterback in the draft. Irsay has had a lucky ass horseshoe up his icehole to land Peyton Manning & then Andrew Luck. Other organizations it would take decades to find another great quarterback to replace the last one. If the Colts suddenly turn things around, Saturday masters the head coaching duties, and the team follows his lead, then it’s a win-win no matter what. Reggie Wayne you don’t have to hire as interim then fire him. Wayne would stay on Saturday’s staff and it’s all hunky dory at the end of the season. Saturday most likely has a buddy buddy relationship with Irsay. The move is mind boggling but has a madness to it that the plot may thicken by the time it’s all set and done. This move can only work with a guy that has organizational ties. The Colts could not go nab a guy on some other team’s staff in the middle of the season. It’s such a devious move bringing in a former player, a fan favorite, to get your fans behind you. In the end, the Colts in my opinion will have egg on their face. If Frank Reich had stability behind center, he would still be coaching in Indianapolis. Reich will do well for some other team in the future. Saturday’s early success is beginner’s luck and he will eventually be in over his head when things get harder. Hopefully Irsay’s roll of the dice does not get him a top quarterback in the draft. If the Colts don’t make the playoffs and are a team stuck in the middle of the pack, they will be rewarded with no post-season birth and a draft pick that will surely miss at any top signal caller.

The game of football you can count on being played in whatever Mother Nature threw at you. Every football player at some point dreams of playing a game in the snow. Does not matter where that player hails from. Playing in the snow is something you will always remember doing. Who forgets about the 1967 NFL Championship game coined the Ice Bowl in Green bay that featured the Cowboys playing the Packers in frost bite conditions? I was not even born yet, but I recall that game because the NFL will not let that game be forgotten. With high lights of that epic showdown shown year after year on any cold game presently played.

Back in the 1960’s, football was football as the rules were different. Dick Butkus back then would clothesline people and chased you down like a rabid dog looking to take a chunk out of your flesh. Defenses in present times have to play flag football so they don’t draw the yellow flag their way. The Buffalo Bills were hosting the Cleveland Browns this weekend in Western New York. The weather has Buffalo being covered in lake effect snow throughout the weekend which can accumulate 1-3 foot of the white stuff being dumped on the entire town. The NFL put the kibosh on this home game in Buffalo and moving to the town of Detroit. A choice of snow or trapped playing in Detroit mean many may settle for whatever Mother Nature is offering.

Buffalo will now be in Detroit in back to back weeks as they play the Lions on Thanksgiving morning. The NFL has safety concerns as the National Weather Service issued a lake effect snow warning which is projected to bring gusts of wind off Lake Erie. The wind’s gusts could get up to 35 MPH that could lead to power outages across Western New York. In 2014, the league moved a home game from Buffalo to Detroit. Bills won that game that year beating the Jets 38-3. The league moved that game from Sunday to Monday with both teams having to travel. Bills left Buffalo on Friday that year as the snow was already coming down and some players were unable to dig their cars out. The team picked them up in snow mobiles. The league did not want to push this Sunday’s game to Monday since the Bills will be playing already on a short week. The Bills Mafia will not see another blinding snow game like they did in 2017 when the Colts were visiting in the month of December.

That Sunday in December, the Bills celebrated a victory versus the Colts with snow angels.

I understand the safety issues as you want to keep the players and fans safe throughout some unpredictable circumstances. What happens if something like this kind of snow storm occurred in the playoffs? Teams in colder climates use these conditions to their advantage when it comes to winning big games in the post-season like those Bills teams in the 1990’s. What would the future look like for the game of football that would go off without a hitch except for lightning? Seems like football is going more baseball-like. Little bad weather so let’s postpone the game. I remember the fog bowl in Chicago between the visiting Eagles versus the Bears.

Would a game like this be able to be played in today’s NFL? Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you be my quarterback tonight?

The future will be bleak when it comes to playing football outside as domes will eventually take over every city in the NFL. Those old NFL films of the Purple People Eaters are the Vikings defense breathing the cold air as they look like they were smoking cigarettes on the field.

Then the warm weather team, the Buccaneers, playing in the snow in Green Bay. Buccaneers had a nasty streak of games in a row. They could not win a game when temperatures were under 40 degrees. Steve Young was sacked as the face of his helmet was white washed in snow.

Snow games have been bad as well when the league came up with the special tuck rule because Tom Brady fumbled in a playoff game versus the Raiders.

If the referees got that right and Raiders recovered it, that could have changed things historically with Tom Brady. Would Brady have won all those Superbowls? Would the Raiders have won the Superbowl if they got past the Patriots in that one. One wrong call can change a team’s path. How many players were affected by the Astros cheating to win the World Series in 2017? Raiders were also involved in a game on ice with the Steelers in 1975 during a battle to get to Superbowl X.

The Chicago Bears will be seeking a dome hoping to move to Arlington Heights, Illinois away from the lakefront in Chicago. If that happens, which would be a great move by the Bears, the only team in the division remaining without a roof over their heads is the Packers. Why should the warm weather teams get advantages like Miami when teams have to go to play in sweltering heat? If Tom Brady can draw a roughing, the passer call on simple tackle warm weather teams will be capped in the future. The game is going where every player will be wrapped up in bubble wrap as well before each game starts. I loved seeing Jim Kelly prevail in cold games against the warm weather teams like the Raiders and Dolphins coming to play in the cold snowy conditions of Buffalo.

The people playing against Josh Allen in fantasy are probably upset with this game being moved to Detroit. The Bills Mafia will be still heating up the wings shirtless outside in their back yard with their grills fired up as they will be home bound on their church day. Let’s hope the city of Detroit becomes Buffalo 2.0 as the team needs back-to-back victories right now versus the Browns and the Lions.

WEEK TEN STRAIGHT PICK-EM

LAST WEEK’S RECORD (8-5)

SEASON RECORD (80-56)

WEEK TEN

THURSDAY NIGHT GAME

ATLANTA FALCONS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS

In the very first match up a few weeks ago, Panthers missed the extra point which cost them the game versus Atlanta. Since then, Carolina is like a box of chocolates… you don’t know what you will get. Atlanta… I know they will be able to run the football. On a short week, I have to go with a team that has stability and can exploit the Panthers’ weak run defense.

OUR PICK: PANTHERS

THE SUNDAY SLATE

GERMANY

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS VERSUS TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Another overseas game on the docket Sunday morning. First ever NFL game in the country of Germany. Tom Brady and the Buccaneers offense have played like that shrieking noise on a chalk board. The Buccaneers found a way to win last Sunday versus the Rams, another team riding the struggle bus. Seattle has been a surprising team this year and are off to a great start. Geno Smith is playing the best football of his career while Brady is having one of his worst years. I like the Seahawks running game against an aging Tampa Bay front.

OUR PICK: SEAHAWKS

BACK TO THE STATES

DENVER BRONCOS AT TENNESSEE TITANS

Broncos coming off their bye week after a win over the pond. The Titans’ five-game winning streak ended versus the Chiefs. Titans wide receivers did not catch one pass in that game. Broncos traded away their best defensive player, Bradley Chubb. The Titans will get points and yards off their star running back Derrick Henry who has been unstoppable during the the Titans’ winning streak. I like the Broncos well rested from their bye week and my gut feeling is Russell Wilson is due for a big game behind center. I like the Broncos’ chances, especially with the Titans’ injuries piling up on their defense.

OUR PICK: BRONCOS

CLEVELAND BROWNS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS

I think Miami is in for a shock at home from the visiting Browns. Dolphins offensively have been explosive. The Fins on defense are allowing big chunk plays as Justin Fields was running free in the secondary. I think the Browns can control this game with their strength. The running game with Nick Chubb getting big chunks of yardage while keeping that Miami Dolphins offense on the sidelines. Jacoby Brissett is playing his best football of the year behind center for the Browns. I like the Browns defense coming up with a big play in this one.

OUR PICK: BROWNS

DETROIT LIONS AT CHICAGO BEARS

I like what the Lions did to the Packers last week. The Bears came close against the Miami team where a bad call could have sent that game to overtime with a tying field goal attempt. Justin Fields is not Aaron Rodgers. Fields can generate offense with his arm or his legs while Rodgers points the finger at everyone else besides the real problem, himself. Bears offense has come to life the last few weeks as they are putting up big numbers. The Lions offense has struggled of late and I think used up every ounce of what they had last week at home versus the Packers. I like the Lions keeping this game close with their running game. Bears finally find a way and come out on the right end of a close game.

OUR PICK: DA BEARS

HOUSTON TEXANS AT NEW YORK GIANTS

The Texans will try to run the ball which is what Lovie Smith teams like to do… get off the bus and run. Giants love playing in close grind it out games where they usually come out on top in these battles. Giants defense can be suspect at times but should be able to contain a Texans offense… one dimensional. Daniel Jones behind center is much better than anything Davis Mills can do. Saquan Barkley may be the comeback player of the year with the way he’s playing. He will have another big day.

OUR PICK: G-MEN

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

The Jaguars ranked number ten in pass defense coming into week ten. That does not mean the Jaguars can contain a Patrick Mahomes, even coming off a nice victory over the Raiders. Chiefs struggled versus the Titans last week but found a way to win the game forcing overtime. I think the Jaguars will hang with the Chiefs in the first half. Patrick Mahomes will have another big second half and Chiefs will have Jaguar meat flaming on the grill after the game.

OUR PICK:CHIEFS

MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT BUFFALO BILLS

Will Josh Allen play in this game? The Vikings are quiet 7-1 as Kirk Cousins has won six straight behind center setting his own career record. Bills found themselves last Sunday to be another victim of the Jets’ Maverick style. If Allen does not play, I like Case Keenum as the backup & he should be motivated against his former team. Stefon Diggs, the Bills dangerous wide receiver, also will have a score to settle with his former team, the Vikings.

The Vikings have not played anyone big. I like the Bills at home no matter who’s the quarterback. Kirk Cousins melts in big games. I like the Bills defense finally stepping up and finding their swagger again. I like the way Sean McDermott coached teams bounce back after losses.

OUR PICK: BILLS

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Which quarterback will make more mistakes: Andy Dalton or rookie Kenny Pickett? Which Saints team will show up? Saints laid an egg last week versus the Ravens. The week before that, Saints shut out a pretty good Raiders offense. Let’s face it that the Steelers are in rebuild, so it’s about developing Pickett. Steelers need the Saints to beat themselves to pull out the upset. I like the Saints offense getting back on track in this one. My problem is the Saints keep burning me every time I pick them to win.

OUR PICK: SAINTS

ARIZONA CARDINALS AT LA RAMS

Both the Rams and the Cardinals are a complete disaster. Somebody has to win this game. Both teams have lost 4 out of their last 5 games. Kyler Murray is feuding with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Murray also missed practice this week so he is questionable to play in this one. Sean McVay has owned the Cardinals who has an 11-1 record versus Arizona which includes post-season play. Cardinals are 0-6 in their last six games versus their division and they are 0-3 this season. Could the Rams be starting John Wolford as Matthew Stafford is dealing with a concussion? Rams have the better defense is my X-factor in this turkey bowl.

OUR PICK: RAMS

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

Let’s face it that the Colts are a mess. Raiders have played well at home. Colts fired their head coach Frank Reich and hired Jeff Saturday to take over. He’s a former great offensive lineman for Indianapolis but has no coaching experience. Great way to get the number one draft pick lose every game the rest of the way. Colts have a lack of personnel, as the team fired a few coaches before giving Reich the axe. Colts’ best defender has been put on IR. I see the Raiders taking advantage of the Colts situation.

OUR PICK: RAIDERS

DALLAS COWBOYS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS

Who will Aaron Rodgers blame this week? Cowboys have won both Dak Presott’s starts since his return behind center. Packers have been awful losing 5 in a row. This game was supposed to be the Clash of the Titans in the NFC between two elite teams. It really looks one-sided. Prescott thrives on teams with losing records which the Packers have that going for them, especially coming off terrible lost to Detroit. Cowboys are 2-7 versus Rodgers. Mike McCarthy, former Packer head coach, faces his old team for the first time & will walk away with a smirk on his face. I can’t see Rodger righting the ship here when his own teammates probably hate his guts. Things will get worst in Green Bay after this one.

OUR PICK: COWBOYS

SUNDAY NIGHT

LA CHARGERS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Chargers have won the last 5 games when they have met up with the 49ers since 2002. The 49ers got healthy over the bye week as Deebo Samuel is refreshed and healed up. The Chargers have been hurting as their top two Justin Herbert targets are still sidelined with injuries. Chargers defense has not done well this year despite all the moves they made in the off-season. Look for the 49ers to rack up chunks of yardage with their running game led by Christian McCaffrey. I like the 49ers at home winning a close one over this Charger squad.

THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

The Commanders have played well lately. Back up quarterback Taylor Heinicke gave the team a nice jump start, but the Commanders are still lacking offensive production. Eagles, still undefeated, can play solid defense by which they were able to sack Carson Wentz multiple times in the first meeting between these two teams. Commanders’ defense has played better as well. Eagles are just too talented to keep off the scoreboard. Eagles stay undefeated at least for another week.

OUR PICK: EAGLES

Did Geno Smith sell his soul to the devil? Smith is 32 years old and by far is having the best year of his nine-season career this season. You probably have to go back to Smith’s rookie year where his career started as a New York Jet, where he played meaningful games as a starter. After Smith’s rookie year, the wheels quickly fell off the bus in year two. Some quarterbacks would have walked away from the game. His starting job in the NFL was over as he was relegated to being a backup quarterback the rest of the way. Smith would bounce around after the leaving the Jets after 4 seasons. Smith would stay in New York and help the other team in the Big Apple, the Giants. After 5 seasons in New York, Smith went West and played a season with the Chargers. In 2020, Smith would then sign with the Seahawks and has been Russell Wilson’s back up until they traded him in the off-season. The starting job was supposed to go to Drew Lock. Lock was one of the pieces in the trade they got back for Wilson with the Broncos. Many thought Seahawks would land Baker Mayfield in a trade with Cleveland. Experts thought the team was going to draft a quarterback before all this speculation about Mayfield coming to Seattle even began. Then Satan himself, Pete Carol, gave the starting job to Smith and Seahawks are off to a 6-3 start when they were picked to be last in the NFC West. Suddenly after 9 seasons, Smith flipped the switch and is one of the best quarterbacks in the entire league after 9 games. Kind of the same path as when Rich Gannon became the starting quarterback for the Raiders late in his career.

Rich Gannon arrived in the NFL in 1987 with the Minnesota Vikings. It was not until Gannon’s 4th season in Minnesota that he made his first career start. Gannon made 12 starts in 1990 for the Vikings completing 52% of his passes & throwing 16 touchdown passes with the same number of picks. Gannon was 5-7 as a starter in his first season. In 1991 and 1992, Gannon started to improve as he had winning records as a starter in both seasons with a 14-9 record as a starter. Gannon in those two seasons threw 24 touchdowns but still got picked off 19 more times. In 1993, Gannon was in Washington as he went 1-3 as a starter in a Redskins uniform before ending the season with an injury that cost him the 1994 season as well. In 1995, Gannon now was with another team as he would resurface in Kansas City. In 1995, Gannon did not get any starts behind center & appeared in two games in the general mop-up role. In 4 seasons in Kansas City, Gannon made 19 starts & went 11-8 behind center for the Chiefs throwing 23 touchdowns as the picks were getting lower with only 11. It took Oakland for Gannon to finally put everything together. In 1999, Gannon was no longer a backup quarterback in the NFL. Gannon started all 16 games for the Raiders as he went 8-8 in his first season wearing silver and black. Gannon was completing 59% of his passes as he threw 24 touchdown passes with 14 interceptions. The next three seasons, Gannon was completing passes over 60%. In 2000, Gannon tossed 28 touchdown passes, in 2001: 27, & in 2002: 26 while setting his all-time high in passing yards with 4,689. Gannon helped the Raiders make multiple trips to the post-season and eventually leading them to the Superbowl where they lost to their former coach Jon Gruden and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gannon in 74 starts in Oakland had a QB Record of 45-29 completing 62 % of his passes with 114 touchdown strikes compared to 50 interceptions. Gannon most of his career before Oakland, was not the guy and became the Man as a Raider.

Geno Smith went 8-8 as the starting Quarterback in his first season in a Jets uniform. Smith threw 12 touchdown passes and was picked off 21 times. Smith finished 12-18 as a starter for the Jets throwing 28 touchdown passes while being picked off 36 times. The Big Apple was rotten to Smith when as a Giant he started one game had one touchdown pass and lost that start while wearing the blue and white for the G-Men. Smith would only throw 4 passes in the lone year in a charger uniform. In Seattle Smith was 1-2 behind center before getting the starting nod this season. This year Smith is 6-3 as the starter with 15 touchdown passes to only 4 interceptions and he is completing 73% of his passes which is of the charts. That is tops in the NFL. Smith is ranked 4th in TD passes thrown. Smith perhaps soaked in all the knowledge backing up Russell Wilson while watching him in practice and in games. Smith may be a one-year wonder after this season. The front office in Seattle has to be careful on any extension for Smith. Smith career-wise has played in 52 games and still has a losing record of 19-24. Take this season out of Smith record he came in with a 13-21 record as a starter. Seattle has a great running attack with rookie back Kenneth Walker III lighting the league on fire carrying the rock. Smith has great receivers in D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett which any quarterback would want both these guys on their team. Everything is working in Seattle this season, and even the defense has played better. Sometimes it takes guys longer time to figure it out. Sometimes it comes down to what system a guy is in. Is the offense tailored to the quarterback’s strengths? The coach could be the big difference. I know I don’t like giving Pete Carol a bigger ego than he already has. It would be interesting if Smith could lead Seattle to the playoffs. I would want to see what he could do in post-season with this team. Smith is leading one of the scariest offenses in the entire league as Seattle has been putting up a ton of points in the last few weeks as they average 29 points per game. Smith… for years I figured he should be playing in the USFL or XFL if he wanted to get playing time as a quarterback. I thought of Smith as back up, and that if he came in season over. Sometimes waiting patiently, you will get another chance to perform in any sport if you just hang around and improve your game while practicing. Eventually that switch will pop on. Smith has tossed that switch to overdrive.

STRAIGHT PICK-EM NFL (WEEK 9)

LAST WEEK’S RECORD (11-4)

Week 8 highlight is Cheese-heads losing yet again.

THURSDAY NIGHT GAME

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT HOUSTON TEXANS

This may be the easiest game on the week 9 schedule. Eagles are 7-0 and Texans are 1-5-1 says it all. The Texans can’t cheat like the baseball team they share the town of Houston with.

OUR PREDICTION: EAGLES

BUFFALO BILLS AT NEW YORK JETS

The Jets were flying as high as the new Top Gun movie, Maverick. Until they ran into a buzzsaw when the New England Patriots defense brought the Jets down in a burning wreck. This is Buffalo’s only second division game of the season as their only loss came from the Dolphins inside the division. Bills are 12-2 in their last 14 division games. Jets are a young team and will have too much to handle with the Bills offense which are one of top units in the league. Jets quarterback Zach Wilson could face more interceptions like last week versus the Patriots from that Bills defense that ranks high in many categories and the team just activated their star corner back, Tre’Davious White.

The Jets are a young and exciting team, but the Bills are in another world compared to this youth group.

OUR PREDICTION: BILLS

CAROLINA PANTHERS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS

Did someone tell the Panthers they were supposed to close up shop for the season as they are in another rebuild? Bengals’ roller coaster season continues up and down. This is a game during which the Bengals should get back on track from their embarrassing Monday night loss to the Dawg pound. The Panthers, you are seeing P.J. Walker stepping up his game to be a future starter in this league it may not be in Carolina. Walker, a former XFL Houston Roughneck, will make the Bengals sweat in this one. Bengals don’t look like the same team as last year even though Joe Burrow leads the league in passing yardage. Bengals are still giving up too many sacks. In this one, Bengals get back on track in a close one.

OUR PREDICTION: BENGALS

GREEN BAY PACKERS AT DETROIT LIONS

The Lions have lost their King of the Jungle card. Here we go again because Lions are talking about a new head coach. Lions even traded their tight end T.J. Hockenson to the division rival Vikings. Packers could not find any receiver help on the trade market. Packers come in losing 4 in a row while Lions have lost 5. Aaron Rodgers is 18-6 all-time versus the Lions. All Rodgers needs to do in this one is hand the ball off to his two headed monster in the back field to break the Packers losing streak. Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon should run wild over the Lions defense.

OUR PREDICTION: PACKERS

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

The Colts have fallen on hard times. Patriots rebounded after a bad loss from the Bears. Colts will be without their star running back, Jonathan Taylor, during his second stint on the injured list this season. Who’s behind center in New England? Bailey Zappe, the Patriot faithful want to see, but Bill Belichick will elect to go with Mac Jones who has thrown an interception in six straight games. Colts offense have been averaging 16.1 points a game and are turning over the ball at high rate. Patriots defense has done a nice job forcing turnovers this season and Bill Belichick versus rookie quarterbacks is off the charts. Look for a Belichick plot to confuse Sam Ehlinger of the Colts.

OUR PREDICTION: PATRIOTS

LA CHARGERS AT ATLANTA FALCONS

The Just Ducky match-up features two former quackers from the University of Oregon. Marcus Mariota versus Justin Herbert. Falcons are in first place in the NFC South and activate their Swiss Army Knife running back, Cordarrelle Patterson. Chargers are coming off their bye week. Both the Chargers and Falcons offense should be able to generate points off each other’s defenses. Chargers can’t stop the run. The Falcons have problems defending the deep ball. I think Patterson will give the Falcons a boost. They are a team that has played very well without him. Chargers are hurting at the wide receiver position that makes lean harder for the home team Falcons.

OUR PICK: FALCONS

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Raiders big victory versus the Texans was erased last week when the Saints shut them out. The Jaguars have lost 5 straight. Raiders have problems winning on the road this season. Trevor Lawrence continues to shoot himself in the foot every week with sloppy turnovers in his second year in the NFL. Jaguars are in almost every game they played in, but they always find ways to lose them. Raiders defense has only generated 9 sacks this season which is hard to believe with the talent they have on the defensive front. Trevor Lawrence should have time to make his passes. This game is a coin flip. Josh Daniels, a stooge from that Belichick coaching tree, shows you when he gets his hands on a playoff team like the Raiders last year. Look at them now fizzling out at the halfway point of the season. Meanwhile Jaguars are making a savvy move acquiring a future piece from the Falcons in wide receiver Calvin Ridley, who is suspended this season. I feel the Jaguars defense will be the difference in this one.

OUR PREDICTION: JAGUARS

MIAMI DOLPHINS AT CHICAGO BEARS

Both teams were making deals at the trade deadline. Bears are collecting draft picks & trading away defensive players. However, Bears made a savvy move getting Justin Fields a weapon from Pittsburgh in Chase Claypool. Dolphins add a huge defensive piece in Bradley Chubb from the Broncos and find a running back from the 49ers in Jeff Wilson Jr. Dolphins are finding ways to protect Tua Tagovailoa lately. Cowboys scored 49 points off the Bears defense last week. This is the Dolphins’ second straight game on the road versus NFC North team. Bears offense is a different animal as they lead the league in NFL rushing averaging 188.4 yards per contest as a team. Fields can run and he has some good running backs behind him. Bears offense has gotten three straight games of piling up over 200 rushing yards. I think Bears make this a close game. Bears defense will be the liability.

OUR PICK: DOLPHINS

MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

The Vikings have won 5 straight games which is a new career high for Kirk Cousins behind center. The Commanders are making some noise in the NFL winning three games in a row. Will the Washington fan base welcome their old quarterback with cheers or jeers?

Kirk Cousins’ ole stomping grounds have him making his first trip back to the nation’s capital for the first time in a Viking uniform. Taylor Heinicke is 7-3 as the starting quarterback dating back to last season. Heinicke has done a very nice job filling in for the injured Carson Wentz. I felt like Cousins would stumble in a game like this. It’s not a prime-time game. I think the Commanders offense will not be able to keep up with the points the Vikings can score. Viking offense should be able to score even against an improved defensive unit the Commanders have had during their winning streak.

OUR PREDICTION: VIKINGS

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS

Most of the year I have picked wrong on almost every match-up the Cardinals and the Seahawks have been in. It’s like they’ve been pecking my eyeballs out every Sunday. Recently I have jumped on the Seahawks band wagon where the Cardinals continue not to do what I predict even winning the game. The Cardinals are 0-5 versus NFC West opponents within their own division that goes back to last post-season. Seahawks have won the last 4 out of 5 versus the Cardinals. Kyle Murray is rejuvenated with DeAndre Hopkins back from his suspension, and they have not missed a beat. Geno Smith has been electric behind center as one of the top quarterbacks in the league all year. Smith throwing to top targets like T.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett with rookie sensation running back Kenneth Walker III running the ball. Seahawks have one of the best offenses in the NFC. I can see the Seahawks defense able to contain the Cardinals offense longer than Arizona stopping Seattle’s attack.

OUR PICK: SEAHAWKS

LA RAMS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Once upon a time ago, these two teams the Buccaneers and Rams were the two power houses of the NFC. Both teams have won a Superbowl in recent years. Tom Brady’s divorce is getting messy as the airing of dirty laundry is out there.

Matthew Stafford is very close to setting the pick six record in the NFL. A Brady-led team could lose 4 straight with a loss this weekend by the Rams. I think the Rams are doing better all-around in more things football-wise than the Buccaneers who look like a team in shambles. All Brady’s past like his arrogant altered-ego seems to be coming back to haunt him this year as the Football God’s are out to get him. I see the Rams exploiting that shaky rickety Buccaneer offensive line to make Brady uncomfortable. Sean McVay seems like a cat with nine lives and will trade one in for a big Rams win on the road.

OUR PICK: RAMS

THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME

TENNESSEE TITANS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Chiefs are coming off their bye week. Head coach Andy Reid’s team record coming off bye weeks since 2013 is 7-2. The Titans starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill is a game time decision dealing with an ankle injury. If Tannehill can’t go, the Titans are not going to win like they did last Sunday versus the Texans’ running back Derrick Henry and are becoming a one-dimensional offense. The Chiefs will be able to score on the Titans’ sketchy defense. Chiefs defense has done better versus the run than previous years. Chiefs at home and Patrick Mahomes in a prime-time game mean I have to go Chiefs in this one.

OUR PREDICTION: CHIEFS

BALTIMORE RAVENS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Ravens added a piece to their defense, snagging linebacker Roquan Smith from the Bears. The Saints defense showed up last week and shut out a talented Raiders team who put up 38 points a week before that game. Ravens are feeling comfortable & I feel some disappointment coming their way with Lamar Jackson and company. The Saints offense led by Andy Dalton has been solid the last few weeks if the Red Rifle can limit some mistakes and clean up his game. They have a chance at home. It’s tough to go into New Orleans and win a game. I think Saints feel they have a chance to catch the Falcons in the division especially with the Buccaneers struggling. Both units show up to play for the Saints while Ravens have another close loss added to their record.

OUR PICK: SAINTS

Everyone in the Buffalo Bills Mafia would be doing cart wheels while in flames if the team added running back Christian McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers. The wet dream of Alvin Kamara taking it the distance wearing the Buffalo on his bonnet. It seems like the Bills have been trying to land a running back that can catch the ball out of the back field for a few seasons. In the off-season they thought they had a deal hammered out with Commanders running back J.D McKissic. McKissic would head back to the nation’s capital. Bills right before the end of the trade deadline might have solved their problem landing Colts running back Nyheim Hines. Hines is a shifty back that can run and catch the ball out of the back field. Bills get rid of junk in the trunk and send Indianapolis running back Zack Moss and a 6th round pick in 2023. The Hines deal is small potatoes compared to landing a McCaffrey or Kamara. This trade could be very savvy by the Bills as it’s low risk with a high ceiling type of move.

Nyheim Hines is 25 years old and has played 5 seasons in the NFL, all with the Colts. The Colts offense this season has played poorly. Hines has played in 7 games and his numbers are not off the charts like in some years. Hines has 18 rushes for a meager 36 yards with a touchdown. Out of the back field, Hines has caught 25 balls for 188 yards. Those numbers are not going to spice up my Buffalo wings. Let’s remember Matt Ryan’s failures in a Colts uniform this year behind center. Career numbers Hines has rushed the rock 300 times for 1,205 rushing yards with ten touchdowns. Then add 235 catches for 1,725 yards with 7 receiving touchdowns. All this done in 72 games which counts for 17 touchdowns. Now you have Josh Allen as your quarterback.

Thurman Thomas was the best running back in Bills history. Thomas could do everything as a back from blocking, rushing the ball and catching the ball out of the back field. He made a very nice security blanket for Jim Kelly back in the 1990’s. Bills featured back “The Motor” Devin Singletary is averaging 4.5 yards per carry which is pretty good. Singletary can catch the ball out of the back field but Hines can make things happen when he catches the ball. You would love to combine both backs’ talents like some Frankenstein experiment as one elite running back. Singletary is a better runner in between the tackles than Hines is. Hines would be more valuable if anything happened to Singletary than Zack Moss who just a bruiser back gets you those tough short yards. I picture Hines as more like back up running backs of the past that were very productive behind Thurman Thomas. Ronnie Harmon in the early years of that Buffalo team that went to 4 straight Superbowls. One of my favorite running backs of all-time nicknamed the Texas Twister, Kenneth Davis, who helped the Bills win some big games backing up the Thurmanator.

Zack Moss becomes expendable because the Bills have high hopes for rookie James Cook. Moss had some fumble issues in his three year stay in Buffalo. Moss out of Utah University finished his Buffalo chapter with 225 rushes, & 917 yards with 8 touch downs. This season Moss only carried the ball 17 times for 91 yards as he was hardly being used so it made sense to unload him. Cook or Josh Allen probably get you the tough yards on short yardage plays. Nyheim Hines will be that double threat so defenses can’t predict if the play will be only a pass when he checks into the game. Hines will be valuable in goal line situations and short yard situations. Hines gives Josh Allen another play maker on the field and a security blanket at the same time. Hines could bring huge chunks of yardage to the table on the simple screen pass. Bills General Manager, Brandon Beane, added another missile to Buffalo’s offense that can create some Van Damage to opposing defenses. Could the Bills also add the dog Odell Beckham Jr. to the mix? That could be the cherry on the Mafia’s Sunday.