WEEK 8 STRAIGHT PICK-EM

LAST WEEK’S RECORD: (11-4)

We had a better week than week 6 when we only managed to get 8 correct out of 15 match ups. Week seven was sort of an easy week to pick. We were on the wrong side of the Icy Hot bowl that featured two aging quarterbacks. Thursday nights have not worked well the last few weeks. Picking the Commanders over the Cowboys turns into a very humiliating pick. Would love that one back. That is the way the cookie crumbles. In week 8 we are looking for perfection and no way we will come close to that. It sounds good on the computer screen writing it. We will get back on the horse and try to do better even though we have less match ups this week.

THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (3-3) AT LA CHARGERS (5-3)

The last few weeks picking Thursday night games has been disastrous. This Thursday is very challenging between two teams I have not figured out all year long. The Chargers and Vikings have solid defensive units this season. Justin Herbert is the better quarterback than Carson Wentz. I figure if you keep betting on Jim Harbaugh, he is bound to win more games than lose. Even though I picked the Chargers last week to beat the Colts, he disappointed me there. It’s a new week. I like the Chargers defense to force the Vikings QB into mistakes where they benefit from and change my Thursday losing streak by flipping the script.

OUR PICK: CHARGERS

THE SUNDAY TILT

MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-6) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (3-3)

The Dolphins have been swimming in toxic waters all year long. Can Kirk Cousins Wally Pipp Michael Peniz Jr., who pipped the former Viking QB? Whoever is the QB for the Falcons this week, Miami can not stop their running back Bijan Robinson who should have a big day versus the fish. Atlanta plays better at home and Miami should fire everyone.

OUR PICK: FALCONS

CHICAGO BEARS (4-2) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (1-5)

Can the Bears win 5 straight games? I bet you are thinking last time Chicago has done that was back in1985. The Bears did win 5 straight games back in 2018. The Ravens will be without their star quarterback Lamar Jackson who is dealing with a hamstring that has kept him out multiple weeks. The Ravens are in desperation mode right now. They need to win this game or their playoff hopes are crushed. The Ravens should be better on defense with some of their guys coming back and the team is rested from being on a bye last week. Without Lamar, the Bears should win this one on the road rather easily. The Bears have been playing well on both sides of the ball. Look for the Bears defense to make Cooper Rush have another bad day at the office as he already has thrown 4 interceptions in two starts.

OUR PICK: DA BEARS

BUFFALO BILLS (4-2) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (4-3)

The Panthers have won three straight games and are perfect at home. The Bills have lost two straight games and are coming off their bye week. The Panthers will be without their starting QB Bryce Young as veteran Andy Dalton gets the start. The Bills have been gashed by the running game the last two straight weeks that led to losses.

The Bills have reinforcements on their defense just in time. Their rookie corner back Maxwell Hairston will make his NFL debut coming off a knee injury he suffered in pre-season. Then two free agents the Bills signed in the off-season for their defense, Larry Ogunjobi and Micahel Hoecht, will make their season debut coming off the league’s suspension list. The Bills will be better on defense. The bye week should help this team clean up their act. Dalton will be a sitting duck for defense that wants to make a statement. Josh Allen redeems himself from the bad performance he had in Atlanta.

OUR PICK: BILLS

NEW YORK JETS (0-7) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (3-4)

The Jets have been secretive about who’s starting at quarterback this week like it’s Area 51. The Jets should take whatever alien is in the building at Area 51 and insert it at the QB position. It’s got to be better than trotting Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor out there. Joe Flacco has given the Bengals hope and may be the guy that saved Cincinnati’s season. All Flacco needs to do is throw the football to Ja’Marr Chase 50 times. He’ll do the rest. The Bengals defense is terrible, but they should handle the Jets’ Area 51 secret project.

OUR PICK: BENGALS

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (5-2) AT HOUSTON TEXANS (2-4)

The Texans may be without their superstar wide receiver Nico Collins who is still on concussion protocol. The 49ers will lean in once again on Mac Jones as their starting quarterback who’s filling for the injured Brock Purdy. Jones is 4-1 this season as the starter. It’s the same story for Houston and San Francisco this season. The 49ers have concurred their injury problems by continuing to put W’s in the win column. The Texans have been solid on defense the entire season, but that does not help their offensive line. Being slim at the receiver position with an offense that has not run the ball well keeps me away from Houston like they have the herpes and are looking to spread the disease. The 49ers are the safer bet here.

OUR PICK: 49ERS

CLEVELAND BROWNS (2-5) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (5-2)

What do you think? The Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has the new Death Star half built as New England has won 4 straight games. Rookie quarterback Dillion Gabriel won his first ever NFL start last week versus the Dolphins. Gabriel has not set the league on fire but has not been careless with the football. The Browns offense has been pretty dormant most of the season. The Patriots will face a challenge with the Browns stud defense that will keep them in the game. Drake Maye will out-duel the Browns rookie and keep the Patriots hot streak alive and well at least for another week.

OUR PICK: PATRIOTS

NEW YORK GIANTS (2-5) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (5-2)

The G-Men gave the Eagles their first loss of the season a few weeks ago. With that win, the Giants snapped a 8 game losing streak dating back to last year against teams in the division. Can the Giants sweep the season series versus the Eagles?

The Giants have not done well in Philadelphia over the last few years. It’s been a house of horrors for the team in blue. It’s hard to sweep a division opponent. It’s very hard to sweep the Superbowl champs from last year. Jaxson Dart has been giving the Giants a boost with his play at the quarterback position. However this is the same Giants team who blew a huge 4th quarter lead last week to the Broncos. The Eagles snapped a two game skid with a win last week. I like the Eagles to get their revenge. Dart will give the Giants a solid chance, but they come up short of the bullseye.

OUR PICK: EAGLES

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (5-2) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (1-6)

The Buccaneers offense went dormant on Monday night versus the Lions. The Saints continue to lose games & players while their quarterback Spencer Rattler has played well. Baker Mayfield is running out of guys to throw to as Tampa Bay lost Mike Evans for several weeks due to an injury versus the Lions. The Buccaneers last lost a few of their play makers. I think Tampa will run the ball down the Saints throats this week. Baker Mayfield will hook up with a few deep passes to the undrafted beer man suiting up for them this week only. The Saints will linger like they do. Tampa gets back in the win column with a solid defense performance.

OUR PICK: BUCCANEERS

DALLAS COWBOYS (3-3-1) AT DENVER BRONCOS (5-2)

Are the Denver Broncos lucky or are you convinced they are one of top teams in the AFC? The Cowboys are coming off one of their better wins of the season beating up the Commanders. This match up features the Broncos, one of the top defenses in the entire league, versus the number 1 offense in the entire league that the Cowboys have. The Cowboys are number two overall in scoring, but their defense is the problem. The Broncos have their problems as well as they lead the league in penalties. Shame on you Sean Payton. Can the Cowboys turn this game into a shoot out? Dak Prescott seems like he’s in some kind of shoot out every week. The Cowboys have not won consecutive games this year. They are 1-3 on the road. Denver in general is a tough place to win. I think top defense always trumps tower top offenses. Like ICE stealing candy from a baby.

OUR PICK: BRONCOS

TENNESSEE TITANS (1-6) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (6-1)

Who will get the worst beat down in Indianapolis this season? The butt fumbler Mark Sanchez or the Titans rookie QB Cam Ward? The Colts look and are playing like they are the cream of the crop in the AFC. The Titans are in hell right now. This game should be a blow out favoring the Colts because they are far far the better team. The Titans QB is going through growing pains right now. They fired their head coach. It’s a mess if you are a Titan fan.

OUR PICK: COLTS

THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME

GREEN BAY PACKERS (4-2) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (4-2)

Aaron Rodgers will face the Green Bay Packers for the first time in his career. Will he own them after the game like he did all those seasons owning the Bears? Rodgers says this is not a revenge game. Are you buying what he is selling everyone? Hell no as I thought about this from my dark place last night sleeping. Green Bay in general tends to struggle away from home. The Steelers offensive line has done better at protecting the old man. Rodgers has been getting the ball out quickly which should keep Packers defender Micah Parsons in check. I think this game means a lot for Rodgers like the Jets game mattered to him. I can see Rodgers makes a big statement in like an F-U to his old team. Steelers win a close one at home.

OUR PICK: STEELERS

THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (3-4) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (4-3)

The Commanders have all kinds of problems this season. They will be without their starting quarterback Jayden Daniels once again. The Commanders on defense can’t stop anybody. They are on the road with their back up quarterback being Marcus Mariota who is 1-1 filling in for Daniels so far this season. It’s hard to beat the Chiefs in general. It’s even harder to beat them at Arrowhead. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are back on track after starting out of the gates 0-2. Mahomes and the Chiefs should score a ton of points on the Commanders defense. The Chiefs defense can limit Mariota and prevent him from having a big day. A big game from Mariota would not come close to an average game by Mahomes.

OUR PICK:CHIEFS