STRAIGHT PICK-EM

LAST WEEK’S RECORD (10-6)

Just one of those weeks that we could not get the games that could go either way, right.

SEASON RECORD:(72-50)

WEEK NINE

THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME

TENNESSEE TITANS (3-4) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (4-3)

Both the Steelers and the Titans have been unpredictable all season as they are a roller coaster at Fright Fest with screams of you don’t know what. I dig the Titans throwback uniforms – the old Oilers ones from back in the Houston days. The Steelers defense threw everything they had even the kitchen sinks at the Jacksonville offense last week and held them to only 20 points. The Titans came to life with a quarterback switch as Tennessee went with rookie quarterback out of Kentucky, Will Lewis. The Steelers offensive line has been dreadful & starting quarterback Kenny Pickett is playing with an rib injury. I like Lewis’ debut last week as we had a DeAndre Hopkins sighting. Lewis has lots to prove and will have nice night with a tired Steeler defense.

OUR PICK: TITANS

THE SUNDAY SLATE

MIAMI DOLPHINS (6-2) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (6-2) IN GERMANY

The Dolphins versus Chiefs in Germany? Crazy… two AFC heavyweights going at it. The Chiefs lost to the Broncos which Patrick Mahomes has said he had flu-like symptoms during that loss. The Dolphins also lost to the Eagles. Which team will lose two in a row and do it over in another country? Is this Tyreek Hill’s revenge game versus the Dolphins playing his former team? The Dolphins can’t beat really good teams. I can see Patrick Mahomes able to generate points on the Dolphins defense. The Dolphins can score points, but the Chiefs defense can stop the bleeding. I can’t bet against Patrick Mahomes to lose two straight.

OUR PICK: CHIEFS

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (4-4) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (4-4)

Just when the Vikings started playing their best football and doing it without their best player on the field, Justin Jefferson. Vikings in a win over arch-rival Packers lose Kirk Cousins for the remainder of the season. The Falcons lost last week but remain at the top of the NFC South.

Can the traveling Dobbs in Josh who arrives in Minnesota through a trade with Arizona be the guy to continue to guide this Viking team to the promised land? The Viking ship sinks in Atlanta as Dobbs or the other back up will not be up to speed, the Vikings are hoping. The Falcons are 3-1 at home this season and should be able to score off the bad Viking defense.

OUR PICK: FALCONS

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (5-2) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (6-2)

The last time the Seahawks played a AFC North opponent, they had their chances to beat the Bengals in Cincinnati. The Seahawks’ drives stalled with bad decisions on Geno Smith. The Ravens are playing solidly on both sides of the ball. The Seahawks defense has been catching up with their offense. The Seattle offense has been digressing in the last few games, not as potent it was like last year. This match up looks enticing on paper. Like a fight to the end. Not going to happen. The Ravens defense will stress Geno out. I forgot this little nugget of information – Lamar Jackson for the Ravens is 17-1 versus the NFC conference. Last time I checked, Seattle moved out of the AFC West to the NFC years ago. Checkmate!!!

OUR PICK: RAVENS

ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-7) AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (4-3)

The Cardinals traded their starting quarterback this entire season, Joshua Dobbs, to the Vikings last week. Dobbs was just holding the fort down for Kyler Murray. The Browns have PJ Walker going again for the injured Deshaun Watson. The Cardinals will be going with rookie quarterback Clayton Tune, a 5th round pick out of Houston University. The Browns defense will make sure Clayton’s Tune does not get into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. The Cardinals coaching staff is serving up steaks to the dog pound defense that have played like junk yard dogs most of the season and they will fine tune their prowl in this one.

OUR PICK: BROWNS

LA RAMS (3-5) AT GREEN BAY PACKERS (2-5)

Both the Packers and the Rams are a mess right now. The Rams have played tough in almost every game, but the wheels fell off the LA bus especially last week versus the Cowboys. The Packers are finding out what it is like to have no quarterback.

It’s like trying to put cheese on top of liver and onions hoping to improve the taste. The Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is banged up. The Packers are at home and will find a win with their running game in a sloppy affair resulting in low scoring.

OUR PICK: PACKERS

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (3-4) AT HOUSTON TEXANS (3-4)

The Buccaneers and Texans are desperate for a victory with both teams losing last week. The Texans lost to the winless Panthers, which has to sting. The Buccaneers have now lost three in a row after starting off the season 3-1. I like the Buccaneers defense versus a rookie quarterback, C.J Stroud, who will feel the pressure about to lose two in a row and thinking about the Panthers’ loss. The Buccaneers have extra rest, and playing last Thursday should give Bake Mayfield and that offense time to find themselves and be able to put more points on the board and get back to the 500 mark.

OUR PICK: BUCCANEERS

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (3-5) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (2-6)

This is another bad game on the week 9 schedule. The Commanders have waved the white flag after losing to the Eagles. The Commanders traded away two key pass rushers. The Patriots did what they could against the Dolphins in Miami. The Patriots should be able to generate pass rush versus a very weak Commanders offensive line who are tops in the league with sacks allowed. The Patriots should be able to score off the Commanders defense who have weakened their strong suit on defense by trading away their pass rushers. Patriots are also at home which should serve their purpose – a victory in front of the storm troopers.

OUR PICK: EVIL EMPIRE

CHICAGO BEARS (2-6) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (4-4)

Remember Da Coach getting the job with the Saints? Mike Ditka trading all that draft capital for running back Ricky Williams as things did not go well for Da Coach in the Big Easy. The Bears will have rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent starting for the third straight game. Justin Fields still hurt. The Saints got back to the 500 mark last week with a win. Derek Carr and the Saints offense are starting to click. The Saints defense will be a tough test for the Division II quarterback. Saints at home get over 500 with a win.

OUR PICK SAINTS

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (3-5) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-6)

The Panthers finally get their first victory of the year. The Colts lose another high scoring affair versus the Saints this time. The Colts defense has been awful, especially the last two games. The Panthers offense and Bryce Young have not been a part of any showdowns at high noon like that. Panthers will score more points than usual. I don’t think the Panthers defense can stop that two headed monster running game that the Colts have. Gardner Minshew will air out the rock as well as anything goes for the Colts on offense. Panthers can not keep up with the Colts pace on offense. This week the Colts are on top of the arena football game at Lucas Oil Stadium.

OUR PICK: COLTS

NEW YORK GIANTS (2-6) AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (3-5)

This is another disaster on the week 9 menu of the NFL. Who’s playing quarterback for each team? The Giants may have their starting quarterback, Daniel Jones, who was out with a neck injury, back behind center. The Raiders fired their head Josh McDaniels this week. The new head coach for the Raiders benched Jimmy Garoppolo in favor of their back up QB, Aidan O’Connell. Antonio Pierce will dumb things down for the Raiders players stepping in for McDaniels. The Giants traded away one of their main pieces on their defense line sending Leonard Williams to Seattle. This game could go either way. The Giants still have a shaky offensive line against which the Raiders defense can give a rusty Jones a long day at the office. With new coaches in these situations, the team usually wins the first game for the interim.

OUR PICK: RAIDERS

DALLAS COWBOYS (5-2) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (7-1)

Cowboys versus Eagles is always a measuring stick for both teams when they face each other. Two NFC power houses that share the same division. The Cowboys have played well the last two weeks. The Eagles are winning games, but we have not seen their best which is frightening. I like the Eagles at home. The Cowboys seem due for another clunker that comes every few games. The Cowboys are like the Dolphins, in the AFC they beat all the bad teams along with the middle of the road teams but can’t take out that big buck in the forest as they miss or miss really bad.

OUR PICK: EAGLES

THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME

BUFFALO BILLS (5-3) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (4-3)

Here we go again: Bengals versus the Bills. A rematch from last post season that made Buffalo look bad. The last time the Bills and Bengals met in Cincinnati was the game that never finished with Damar Hamlin needing CPR after making a tackle early in that contest. The Bills have been struggling since losing in London. The Bengals have been red hot and a healthier Joe Burrow is finding his mid-season form. Both teams won last week. Bengals looked good winning a tough one on the road versus a great 49er team. The Bills played well, but it was not easy for them putting away a bad Buccaneer team. This game has Bengals written all over it as the Bills found their kryptonite dealing with these guys. It’s a bad match up on both sides of the ball for the Bills. I’m a die hard Bills fan and I’m praying for the miracle on Sunday with the resurrection of the Bills squad we saw earlier in the season. I want revenge from that playoff loss. I want Hamlin to beat his demons on that field. Bills get the upset.

OUR PICK: BILLS

THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME

LA CHARGERS (3-4) AT NEW YORK JETS (4-3)

The first two questions in this match up between the Jets and Chargers: Can the Jets stop the Chargers offense? Can the Chargers score points they are comfortable scoring versus the Jets defense? The other side has things I like about the Chargers defense over the Jets offense. The Jets have been hanging around as they escape the battle of New York facing another Big Apple team with an offense like them. The Chargers were a playoff team last year. Are they due to win two straight games? The Jets will slow down the Chargers offense and keep them in check most of the game. In the end, the Chargers defense comes up with the key turnovers on Zach Wilson to decide this one. Big road win for the Chargers as they even up their record at 4-4.

OUR PICK: CHARGERS