A Chicken Is Not Pillage

Week 7 Picks - Update

Late to the game and no time to post so here is Thursday's pick.  I will update later with all the rest.

Okay, so the power came back on just as the rain/snow started.  This is not good, save that it gives me time to post the rest of my week's picks.  After all, the first went so well with the Raiders winning at the last second.

I wrote last week that the Broncos should just forfeit the rest of the season should they lose to the Giants.  I stand by that, since they lost to the fucking Giants.  Nothing is more humiliating to team and fans then losing to an 0-5 team.

This season is nothing short of grim.  I'm not amused by the spectacle.  Top players at every position are facing suspension, season ending injuries, or the end of career.

QB - Aaron Rodgers is done for the year.  Sam Bradford may be done for all time.

WR - OBJ is out on IR.  Brandon Marshall is out on IR.  Julian Edelmann is done for the year.

RB - David Johnson is gone.  Maybe for the season.  Ezekial Elliot is facing a 6 game suspension.

TE - Tyler Eifert is done for the year.  Gronkowski is game to game.

DL - Mercilus is out for the season.  J.J. Watt is out for the season, again.  Cliff Avril may be retiring.

LB - Luke Kuechly has suffered his third concussion in as many weeks.  This could be season or career ending.

The litany of high profile injuries goss on and this is not a nice scenario.  I'm not liking this season at all.

Still the picks:

Thursday:

Kansas City (5-1) at Oakland (2-4) - Chiefs (30-31, Raiders)

They will respond well to a loss.

Sunday:

Tampa Bay (2-3) at Buffalo (3-2) - Bills

Baltimore (3-3) at Minnesota (4-2) - Vikings

New York Jets (3-3) at Miami (2-3) - Jets

Miami has found a groove but New York is inspired.

Arizona (3-3) at Los Angels Rams (4-2) - Rams

Defense.

Jacksonville (3-3) at Indianapolis (2-4) - Colts

Probably a dumb pick.

New Orleans (3-2) at Green Bay (4-2) - Saints

They have ... a defense?  And Green Bay doe4sn't have Aaron Rodgers.

Carolina (4-2) at Chicago (2-4) - Panthers

Tennessee (3-3) at Cleveland ( 0-6) -Titans

Dallas (2-3) at San Francisco (0-6) - Cowboys

Denver (3-2) at Los Angeles Chargers (2-4) - Broncos

Cincinnati (2-3) at Pittsburgh (4-2) - Steelers

Seattle ( 3-2) at New York Giants (1-5) - Seahawks

Sunday Night:

Atlanta (3-2) at New England (4-2) - Hatriots

I hate them lucky ass rule bending fucknuts so much.

Monday Night:

Washington (3-2) at Philadelphia (5-1) - Eagles

Last Weeks Score:  5-9, 36%,  Overall:  53 - 38,  58%

 

Week 6 Picks

A couple of somber notes.

When I was a wee yo'un, probably about 8, I read the book Bart Starr.  It opened a new world up for me.  Before that I was a football fan in the sense that I loved the Broncos, liked the game and understood it only in so much as you had 4 tries to move the ball down the field before someone hit you.  Reading that book opened a whole new world for me, an understanding of the game and the people who play it.  Football was suddenly personal.  I collected football cards, which I may still have, though they aren't worth anything because I would deface them with updated stats and note players changing teams.  I read about 'the legends', coaches and players.  Lombardi, Turner, Van Brocklin, Jim Brown, Stram, Paul Brown, Stenerud (though I didn't know he played for Montana State College until much much later), Hornung, Kramer, Unitas, and of course, Y.A. Tittle.

Tittle died on Sunday, October 8th, 2017.  He will always be a legend to me, not just for his stats and accomplishments, but because of what he endured.  Three championship losses, and the idea that he was responsible.  Tittle was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1971, along with Jim Brown and Norm Van Brocklin.   He was the first NFL Quarterback to be inducted into the HOF without winning a championship, a source of great pain to him until he was joined by Fran Tarkenton in 1986, 15 years later.  Tittle held 6 records at the time of his retirement, but will always hold the record of "Legend", to a young man learning about the sport of football.

On September 27th,  Coach Red Miller died.  Until then, I never knew his name was Robert.  Coach Miller created and fostered the Orange Crush defense of the 77 Broncos.  He lead them to the Super Bowl, their first, after Tom Jackson's incredible interception against the Pittsburgh Steelers.  It is unbelievable, and inconceivable, that none of Miller's Orange Crush are in the HOF.  Gradishar, Alzedo, Tom Jackson, Louis Wright.  For a kid who grew up a Broncos fan, Miller's loss is felt deeply.

 

Back to the modern.  My picks sucked last week, as did much of the play in the NFL.  Patriots fans are weeping that their team is 3-2, knowing full well that they aren't 2-3 because Nick Folk couldn't hit the broadside of a barn.  Steelers fans should be panicking at 3-2 because Big Ben threw 5 interceptions and frankly doesn't seem to care.  Jets fans are rowdy and virile, because they're at 3-2 having been predicted to go no better than 2-14 on the season.  Well, let's pick.

Thursday Night:

Philadelphia (4-1) at  Carolina (4-1) - Eagles (28-23, Eagles)

All the experts are picking the Panthers.  They've looked good the last two weeks, but I think these Eagles have some surprises in store.

Sunday:

Chicago (1-4) at Baltimore (3-2) - Ravens (27-24, Bears)

They are surprising and they are at home.

Cleveland (0-5) at Houston (2-3) - Texans (17-33, Texans)

Green Bay (4-1) at Minnesota (3-2) - Packers (10-23, Vikings)

Rodgers is feeling his oats.

Detroit (3-2) at New Orleans (2-2) - Lions (38-52, Saints)

Bounce-back game, even against the best pure passer of the last decade.

Miami (2-2) at Atlanta (3-1) - Falcons (20-17, Dolphins)

Seriously?

New England (3-2) at New York Jets (3-2) - Hatriots (24-17, Hatriots, and Dog I hate those fuckers.  The jets had that touchdown.)

Good Dog, I hate them.

San Francisco (0-5) at Washington (2-2) - Taterskins (24-26, Taterskins)

Welcome to 0-6, Bay area.

Tampa Bay (2-2) at Arizona (2-3) - Buccaneers (33-38, Cardinals)

Arizona just looks weak.

Los Angeles Rams (3-2) at Jacksonville (3-2) - Jaguars (27-17, Rams)

Flying across country is not optimal.

Pittsburgh (3-2) at Kansas City (5-0) - Chiefs (19-13, Steelers)

This might be the Chiefs' year.  And Pittsburgh sucks.

Los Angeles Chargers (1-4) at Oakland (2-3) - Raiders (17-16, Chargers)

It depends on whether Carr plays and whether Amari Cooper can get his head out of his ass.

Sunday Night:

New York Giants (0-5) at Denver (3-1) - Broncos (23-10, G-Men)

Eli has nobody to throw to, and Denver has the best run defense in the league.

Monday Night:

Indianapolis (2-3) at Tennessee (2-3) - Titans (22-36, Titans)

Brisett is good.  Dick LeBeau is better.

Byes:  Buffalo, Cincinnati, Seattle, Dallas

Last Week's Score:   5 - 9,  36%   Overall:  48 - 29,  72%