Week 8 PSYCHO aWARD

Week 8 PSYCHO aWARD: Brian Griese

The weekly PSYCHO aWARD goes to the players, officials, or team that cause you to curse at the TV during the game and puts you on the edge of insanity.

There were several nominees for Week 8 that ranged from the Jets ineffective QB performance to let's represent the NFL a little better in London next time, but the unanimous winner goes to Brian Griese of the Chicago Bears. Griese had 4 interceptions on Sunday, 3 of which were picked off in the Lions end zone. Griese has gone from hero to goat all in a week and Bears fans are scratching their heads wondering what has happened to their championship team. Here is the video recap that all Lions fans will enjoy. (click here).

NFL Free Picks Week 8

Picks in BOLD

NYG at MIA (+9.5)
PHI at MIN (+1)
IND at CAR (+7)
CLE at STL (+3)
DET at CHI (-5)
PIT at CIN (+3.5)
OAK at TEN (-7.5)
BUF at NYJ (-3)
JAC at TB (-4)
HOU at SD (-10.5)
WAS at NE (-16.5)
NO at SF (+3)
GB at DEN (-3)

NFL Bargain Bets - Week 8

NFL Bargain Bets: Week 8
by Old Man Winner

NYG -9.5 vs. Mia (in London)
Could two teams be on faster tracks going in the opposite direction? I don't think so! The Giants are on a roll, having won their last five games by an average of 13 points against much better teams than the beleaguered Dolphins. The Fins, during that same stretch, have lost every game, by an average of 13 points, to mostly subpar teams (exception: NE). Miami has lost almost their entire secondary due to injury (at some positions they are playing 3rd & 4th stringers), not to mention that they will likely be without Zach Thomas, arguably the heart and soul of their defense. On offense, they only have two playmakers - Ronnie Brown and Chris Chambers. Oh, wait a minute, Brown went down with a season-ending injury last week and Chambers was traded to SD. That only leaves household names such as Jesse Chatman, Cleo Lemon and Derek Hagans - exactly. Jason Taylor was quoted this week saying, "we can't win in this country, maybe we can win in another". Uh . . . no! I'll be surprised if 20 points is enough in this one. Their only hope is that the Giants will not want to completely embarrass them in front of a foreign audience for the greater sake of the NFL.


Pitt -3.5 @ Cin
Who likes road favorites? I do in this one. When these teams meet the road team has won the last 6 in a row and 8 of the last 9. Also, the favorite has covered or pushed against the spread the last 9 in a row. But what I like most is that Pittsburgh is coming off an embarassing defeat to Denver in front of a national audience last Sunday night. They should have ran all over the Broncos, but chose to come out passing. They've received heavy criticism all week because of it, and I expect them to come out all fired up to prove they can run the ball at will. They should easily be able to wear down a week Cincy front seven and dominate time of possession. On the other side of the ball, don't expect Cincy's Kenny Watson to put up another 100-yd. game against this Steeler defense. He'll be lucky to get halfway there. I also like the fact that a week after their last hiccup against Arizona they trounced Seattle 21-0. Go with the history and the grit that is Pitt!


Wash +16.5 @ NE
Yes, NE has been playing out of their minds - statistically the best offensive football in history, through the first seven weeks of the season. Therefore, it is hard to throw some stats out there with any credibility. But, that has never stopped me. How about this? What is the average rank of the passing defenses the Pats have faced in those 7 games? How about 24th. That's the average. The best passing defense they faced was last week's Mia team which is currently ranked #14 and is in shambles (see above). The others rank as follows: Jets (26th), Chargers (25th), Bills (31st), Bengals (28th), Browns (29th), and Dallas (15th). This week they will finally meet a legit top 10 pass defense in the Redskins. Joe Gibbs is also smart enough to know that, to stay close and take the crowd out of the game, Washington will need to use their power run game to keep the Pats offense off the field. I also expect the Skins to win the turnover battle. Will they win the game? I highly doubt it, but they should cover.

Week 7 PSYCHO aWARD

The weekly PSYCHO aWARD goes to the players, officials, or team that cause you to curse at the TV during the game and puts you on the edge of insanity.

There were several nominees for Week 7 that ranged from an Eagles collapse at the end of the game to the Houston Texans taking the lead after trailing by 25 points and then losing on a record breaking 8th field goal by Rob Bironas, but the unanimous winner goes to Miami Dolphins defense. The Patriots were men among boys on Sunday. Tom Brady had 5 TD's in the first half alone and closed out the day with 6 TD's. Randy Moss had 2 incredible touchdown catches, both in double coverage. Teams still haven't figured out the play action fake at the goal line where the Patriots have Vrabel lined up in the backfield and Brady throws to the tight end. Miami fans, you do not want to watch this video (click here).

NFL Free Picks Week 7

Picks in BOLD

BAL at BUF (+3)
MIN at DAL (-9.5)
TEN at HOU (+1.5)
AZ at WAS (-7.5)
TB at DET (-2.5)
SF at NYG (-9.5)
NE at MIA (+16.5)
ATL at NO (-8.5)
NYJ at CIN (-6)
KC at OAK (-3)
STL at SEA (-8.5)
CHI at PHI (-5)
PIT at DEN (+3.5)
IND at JAC (+3)

NFL Bargain Bets Week 7

KC +3 @ Oak

Are you a trend guy? Try these on for size: KC is 8-2 ATS (against the spread) in their last 10 AFC West games, OAK is 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games on grass, and the road team is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games. Or how about the simple fact that Oakland has not beat KC since 2002 (the last 8 games). All trends point to KC. Not a trend guy? How about like opponents: KC beat SD 30-16, while Oakland was crushed by the Chargers last week 28-14. Yes, Oakland is definitely better than they were last year, but not good enough to topple a solid KC squad that should be able to run the ball consistently against a porous Oakland front 7. I think the oddsmakers got their teams mixed up; the Chiefs should be the team giving the points this week. The Chiefs should win this one outright.

Pitt -3.5 @ Den

No one seems to know what happens when an unstoppable force meets and immovable object. But, I think I know what happens when an unstoppable force meets a very pliable object. IT GETS RUN OVER ! Pittsburgh can't wait to bring its league-leading running attack (alright it's second, but it would have been league-leading if Adrian Peterson doesn't go off last week to move Minnesota ahead) to Denver to face the worst run defense in the league. This is one of those games that are all about how the teams' respective strengths and weaknesses line up. In this one, Pittsburgh's strength is running the ball and Denver's weakness is stopping the run. I just don't know how you overcome that. I also look for Pittsburgh's TE, Heath Miller, to have a nice game. We all know about the shut down Bronco's corners, but Miller should be able to find some nice seams as the Denver LB's cheat up to stop the run. Also, home has not been so sweet for Denver as they are 1-11 ATS in their last 12 home games. The Steelers have reloaded on defense and the Bronco's are reeling after 3 consecutive losses. I expect Willie Parker to feel like he joined the Mile High Club after this one.


Mia +16.5 vs. NE

Am I crazy? Maybe, but this Patriots "greatest team in history" talk has to end, and this is just the sort of game to do it. The Patriots have been en fuego, and the Dophins suck (even trading away one of their best players this week in Chris Chambers), but 16.5 points to a home team in the NFL is an awful lot. I would say this is a classic set-up game. One where the heavily favored team looks ahead to a more important upcoming game (maybe the Nov. 4th game of the undefeateds vs. Indy), but Belichick and Brady, don't look ahead. And, they do want to set some records this year. So, why am I taking the Dophins? Simple centrist mentality, all things tend toward the middle - NE can't continue to beat the spread every week with it continuing to grow while Mia does the opposite. I may be crazy, but I expect Miami to keep it close enough to cover.

NFL Power Rankings Week 7

Source: http://www.pylonpicks.com/powerranking/index.htm

1. Patriots 6-0
The Patriots rose up to the occasion and won the shootout in Texas. The game was heavily hyped and it lived up to its expectations. Tom Brady had 5 TD passes and is having a huge season so far with 21 TD passes. He is on pace to shatter Manning's record of 48 TD passes. Brady and the Patriots travel to Miami this week where they have all sorts of nightmares (lost 21-0 last year).

2. Colts 5-0
The Colts face their toughest game so far this year against the Jaguars on Monday night. Both Harrison and Addai will be back for this game. NFL fans are all already looking forward to Week 9 when the Colts play the Patriots.

3. Cowboys 5-1
The Cowboys were the first team to have a lead against the Patriots in the 2nd half. The Cowboys now have a feeling for what it is going to take to win a title this year.

4. Steelers 4-1
The Steelers play the Broncos this week on Sunday night and are licking their chops. The Broncos have one of the worst rush defenses in the league.

5. Jaguars 4-1
The Jaguars might be the most underrated team in the NFL right now. They do play the Colts tough and blew them out last year 44-17 at home.

6. Packers 5-1
Doesn't Woodson look rejuvenated again? What is up with all these ex-Raiders?

7. Ravens 4-2
Doesn't it seem like the Ravens' offensive game plan each week is to get into position to settle for field goals?

8. Chargers 3-3
Norv Turner had to feel good about last week as he got some revenge against his former team. LT finally made fantasy owners very happy as he put up numbers similar to last year. Of note, center Nick Hardwick has a foot injury and could be out for several weeks

9. Giants 4-2
The Giants are on a 4-0 run. They should be able to continue their winning ways against the 49ers this weekend, however this is the type of game the Giants have trouble with.

10. Titans 3-2
The franchise player had an MRI on Monday and the results aren't known yet. Losing Vince Young is like the Lakers losing Kobe Bryant. I would immediately count the Titans out if Vince is out for a long time.

11. Redskins 3-2
Maybe Santana Moss should have benched himself before the game. Read More

12. Buccaneers 4-2
There is a rumor that Ronde is trying to get Tiki to come out of retirement and play for the Bucs. Of course, the Giants still own his rights. The Bucs improved to 3-0 at home and have held all three of their last four opponents to 10 points or less.

13. Seahawks 3-3
A rare loss for the Seahawks at home last week. Injuries at wide receiver have really hurt the offense as well as Alexander's lack of production. Lucky for them, the Rams are coming to town this week.

14. Lions 3-2
Tatem Bell is now the weekly "Give me the Ball" whiner. Read More

15. Eagles 2-3
You do not want to play the Eagles following their bye week.

16. Bears 2-4
It was shocking to see the Adrian Peterson run all over the Bears last week. Without Hester, I don't think the Bears would even have 2 wins.

17. Broncos 2-3
We will see if Shanahan was able to make some corrections to his run defense against the Steelers this week. If not, it is going to be a long night.

18. Panthers 4-2
Vinny! It was truly amazing to watch a guy perform at that level only having practiced a few days with his new team.

19.Texans 3-3
The Texans need to get Andre Johnson back if they want to stay in the wildcard race.

20. Cardinals 3-3
It is rough times in Arizona these days. The Diamondbacks got swept and the Cardinals lost to a 43 year old QB.

21. Chiefs 3-3
The Chiefs were PylonPicks Underdog of the Week and they delivered.

22. 49ers 2-3
The only chance the 49ers have to win this week against the Giants is to keep the game low scoring and hope for a few big plays.

23. Saints 1-4
The Saints finally looked like the team that played in the NFC championship last year.

24. Browns 3-3
Even without Jamal Lewis in there, the Browns offense looked potent. With Derek Anderson at the helm, the Browns have averaged 32 points in his five starts.

25. Raiders 2-3
This team is a perfect example of why records are meaningless and you should really pay attention to our Power Rankings.

26. Vikings 2-3
Some are comparing Adrian Peterson to LT already.

27. Bengals 1-4
"If you don't want to be on the team, don't show up." The Bengals didn't show up again in Arrowhead last week.

28. Bills 1-4
The Bills schedule will finally get easier after this week :)

29. Jets 1-5
Once teams in the NFL figure out how to beat you, the formula and strategy is copied from team to team. The Jets fans and media are saying the timing is right for a QB change.

30. Falcons 1-4
There is really not much to comment on except that 48+ yards is out of Morten Anderson's range.

31. Dolphins 0-6
The 1972 Dolphins are lucky the Patriots play the Colts, otherwise there could legitimately be 2 teams that break their record.

32. Rams 0-6
I don't quite understand why Marc Bulger even wants to get back on the field. It is admirable but I would start seeing who we could draft at #1 next year.

Week 6 PSYCHO aWARD

The weekly PSYCHO aWARD goes to the players, officials, or team that cause you to curse at the TV during the game and puts you on the edge of insanity.
There were several nominees for Week 6 that ranged from another bad Chad Pennington's performance to the Bears allowing rookie Adrian Peterson to rumble through their once mighty defense, but the unanimous winner goes to Arizona Cardinals. With only a few days to prepare for this week's game, 43 year old Vinny Testaverde became the oldest QB to ever win an NFL game. Vinny (teammates call him "Dad") is the Julio Franco of the NFL. Earlier this week, the Cardinals were trying to sign Vinny, but got Tim Rattay instead. You just have to look at the box score to see how this turned out for the Cardinals. It is rough times in Arizona these days with this Cardinals loss and the Diamondbacks about ready to get swept by the Rockies.

NFL Bargain Bets Week 6

NYG -3.5 at ATL

Eerie! Exactly one year ago to the day, 10/15/06, these same two teams played in the same locale. The Giants put a 27-14 hurt on the Vick-led Falcons. In that game, Atlanta kept it somewhat close by running for over 220 yards, with Dunn and Vick leading the way. Unfortunately for Falcon fans, the Giants rumbled for almost 260 yards on the ground. The Giants sacked Vick seven times in that game. In case you haven't heard, both Falcon tackles were lost to injuries this past weekend. And, in case you didn't see it, two weeks ago, the Giants recorded 12 sacks, half of which were against a rookie tackle for Philly. The Giants should be bringing the house all night long. For Atlanta to have any chance, their quarterback will need to get out of the pocket and find his hot routes. If you believe Harrington (or Leftwich, Lord help us) can accomplish that, then take the Falcons. I'm not a believer. The Giants have won three straight by an average of 10 points, and are on a roll. History should repeat.

AZ -4 vs. Car

You know you are in trouble when . . . you sign a 43-year old quarterback on a Wednesday and there is rumor he could start for you on Sunday. That's what we have for the Panthers this week. Delhomme is gone for the year and David Carr, their backup, is questionable. Here is Carr's quote with regard to his health, "I felt like my grandpa Monday. I felt like my dad (Wednesday). Hopefully I'll feel like my 7-year-old son by Sunday." Yah, that's about how he's been throwing the ball, like a 7-year-old. Although Carolina loves playing on the road (3-0 on the road and 0-2 at home this year), the Cardinals are simply too tough, literally. Wisey's got them playing his former team's (Pittsburgh) brand of smashmouth football. The Cardinal O-line has been getting stronger each week and consistently opening holes for Edge. Warner is now their full-time QB and throws a better ball than Leinhart ever did. And consider this, the three teams the Panthers have beaten this year have a combined record of 1-13. If it weren't for a last second TD and 2-pt. conversion by the Rams last week, the Cardinals would be perfect against the spread this year. Gladly give the 4 points on this one.


Ten +3 at TB

The Titans should be favored in this one, yet they are getting 3 pts. This is a bit of charity. Take the points and run. If you believe in looking at like opponents, both teams beat the Saints by exactly the same score, 31-14. However, the Titans played the Colts (lost 22-20) much tougher than the Bucs (lost 33-14). When handicapping this game, the stat that jumps off the page is Tennessee's ability to run the ball (153/game) and Tampa's inability to stop it (124/game). That is the perfect formula for taking the crowd out of a game. Tampa also counts on running the ball, but is down to starting its #3 back with which to do it. The Titans should win this one outright in a slow, boring game with the more physical team coming out on top. Yawn - send the cash!

NFL Power Rankings Week 6

1. Patriots (5-0)
The Patriots fell asleep a little in the second half last week against the Browns. They were probably already starting to prepare for the Cowboys. We are finally here! Super Bowl preview. Tom Brady's first visit to Big D. Belichick did a number on Parcells last time these two teams met.

2. Colts (5-0)
Plug and Play. Even without Addai and Harrison, the Colts won easily. Now they get the bye week to heal everyone.

3. Cowboys (5-0)
Was it Wade Wilson's return from suspension that caused Romo to throw 5 interceptions? The Cowboys will never get away with that kind of sloppy play this weekend against the Patriots. They are going to need to bring their A+ game to win.

4. Steelers (4-1)
The top teams of the AFC are starting to flex their muscles again. The Steelers totally dominated the Seahawks last week. Like the Colts, Pittsburg is feeling good going into their bye week

5. Titans (3-1)
The Titans did not look good against the Falcons but still won. Look for more defenses to stop the Titans running game and force Young to make some plays down field.

6. Jaguars (3-1)
The Jaguars got some revenge on the Chiefs after last year's loss at Arrowhead. The run defense held the Chiefs to only 10 yards, a mind blowing statistic.

7. Packers (4-1)
The Packers did not impress us last week against the Bears. We definitely had them overrated and we were on the Favre bandwagon. I think reality has set in and the Packers can look for a tough match up against the Redskins secondary this weekend.

8. Ravens (3-2)
Dink and Dunk works in the NFL I guess. At some point the Ravens are going to have to score some touchdowns or else they are going to get burned.

9. Chargers (2-3)
Finally, the Chargers explode and they could take over first place in the AFC West with a victory over the Raiders this weekend. Norv Turner will be looking to roll up the score against his former team.

10. Seahawks (3-2)
The Seahawks could do nothing against the Steelers last week. They are happy to be coming home for a match up against the lowly Saints.

11. Redskins (3-1)
The Redskins' took out their frustrating loss to the Giants on the Lions. The secondary will be tested again on the Road against Favre.

12. Giants (3-2)
The Giants have played in some of the wildest games so far this year. Give the team some credit after being thrown under the bus after week 2.

13. Buccaneers (3-2)
Pick up Ernst Graham for your fantasy football team. He is the only running back the Bucs have left to play.

14. Lions (3-2)
How does a team lose 21 straight games to an opponent on the road? Well, you just score 3 points.

15. Bears (2-3)
The Bears are showing that they are going to have to win with their defense again this year. Tillman has mastered the art of stripping a football.

16. Broncos (2-3)
This might be one of the worst Broncos teams that Shanahan has coached.

17. Eagles (1-3)
McNabb is going to be having flashbacks of the sack attack he experienced in the Meadowlands a few weeks ago. Luckily for him, the Jets only have 3 sacks all this year.

18. Texans (3-2)
Look for Kris Brown to get some more field goal chances this week against the stingy Jags defense.

19. Panthers (3-2)
Carolina loves playing on the road this year. 3-0 so far. David Carr will be the starting QB from here on out. Fox will need to motivate this team week in and week out.

20. Cardinals (3-2)
The Cardinals are bringing in 43-year-old Vinny Testaverde and Tim Rattay for tryouts as they search for a replacement for injured QB Matt Leinart

21. 49ers (2-3)
The 49ers offense looks horrific. They have a bye week to try and straighten things out.

22. Raiders (2-2)
What a first place team ranked this low in the Power Rankings? The Raiders are in FIRST place without even having to play a game last week. I just had to say that.

23. Bengals (1-3)
"If you don't want to be on the team, don't show up." Will the wounded Bengals show up in Arrowhead this week?

24. Chiefs (2-3)
What? 10 yards rushing last week, are we missing a zero? Look for Larry Johnson to unload on the Bengals this week.

25. Jets (1-4)
Here we go again with another NFL player wanting more touches. Where have we heard this before? Read More

26. Saints (0-4)
There is no fire in this team at all this year. Poor execution all around.

27. Browns (2-3)
The Browns have showed some progress but just aren't at a level to compete with teams like the Patriots or Colts.

28. Bills (1-4)
Like I said last week, Thurman Thomas and Jim Kelly will be having flashbacks to Super Bowl losses if they watched this game. That loss will sting for a while.

29. Vikings (1-3)
Tavaris Jackson is expected to start against Chicago this week, not that it matters.

30. Falcons (1-4)
Harrington remains the starter this week as the QB carousel have moved from Arizona to Atlanta now

31. Dolphins (0-5)
I think Miami will be better off with Lemon as their QB

32 Rams (0-5)
Gus Frerotte put up some decent numbers last week. It will be tough for the Rams to do anything this week against the Ravens defense.

NFL Week 6 - Who to Start

Here is a list of players who I think will produce the maximum amount of points at their position for the upcoming week.

Week 5 Comments: I was right on with Kris Brown last week. In some leagues, the three 50 yard field goals he made could have been worth even more points. Shockey got his TD and luckily we don't count turnovers against a QB, otherwise Romo would have nothing.

QB - Tom Brady
Tom Brady grew up idolizing Joe Montana, which means he most likely hated the rival Dallas Cowboys. Brady's first game in Big D should be a memorable one.

RB - Larry Johnson
There are a lot of good running back matchups this week (McGahee against Rams, LT vs Raiders, and Alexander against Saints). However, the Chiefs have something to really prove in their running game this week especially after only gaining 10 yards last week. I seriously doubt the Bengals can even hold Johnson to under 100 rushing yards. I expect a high scoring affair in Arrowhead.

WR - T.J. Houshmandzadeh
The Bengals will most likely need to pass the ball this week against the Chiefs to be successful. T.J. is also the leader this year in looks / touches per game.

TE - Greg Olsen
Griese was looking for rookie tight end a lot last week. He should get a lot of catches this week as the Vikings are good at stopping the run.

K - Josh Brown
I'm going with the other Brown this week. The Saints defense can't stop anyone.

D - Chicago Bears
This is one of those games where you turn on the game late in the second quarter and the score is 3-0 Bears. The Vikings will not even come close to scoring 10 points in this game. The Bears are fired up after last week's win at Green Bay. If the Vikings get behind early, this game could get out of hand really fast.

Week 5 PSYCHO aWARD

Week 5 PSYCHO aWARD: Chiefs Running Game

The weekly PSYCHO aWARD goes to the players, officials, or team that cause you to curse at the TV during the game and puts you on the edge of insanity.

There were several nominees for Week 5 that ranged from Detroit's 21st straight road loss in Washington to the formerly undefeated Packers 5 turnover, 12 penalty performance Sunday night against the Bears, but the unanimous winner goes to Larry Johnson and the Kansas City Chiefs running game. The Chiefs only managed a mind staggering 10 yards rushing against the Jaguars in Arrowhead Stadium of all places. Larry Johnson had only 9 carries for 12 yards which has many fantasy owners wishing they took either Manning or Brady in the first round.

NFL Free Picks Week 5

Picks in BOLD

ATL at TEN (-8.5)
NYJ at NYG (-3)
MIA at HOU (-5.5)
CLE at NE (-16)
AZ at STL (+3.5)
DET at WAS (-3.5)
JAC at KC (+2.5)
SEA at PIT (-6)
CAR at NO (-3)
TB at IND (-10)
SD at DEN (-1)
BAL at SF (+3)
CHI at GB (-3)
DAL at BUF (+10)

NFL Week 5 - Who to Start

Here is a list of players who I think will produce the maximum amount of points at their position for the upcoming week. The scoring system can be found at the bottom of this article.

Week 4 Comments: What is with Ronnie Brown going off 2 weeks in a row? Gonzalez outperformed Gates and to everyone's surprise the Chiefs knocked off the Chargers. I would have scratched Burress last week had I known about the ankle injury and the Cowboys scored nothing but touchdowns which isn't good when you pick a kicker.

QB - Tony Romo
I like Brady again against the Browns but I've decided not to choose the same player 2 weeks in a row. Plus, the Bills have the worst pass defense in the league even after Pennington's mediocre performance last week.

RB - Reggie Bush
I'm looking for Reggie to finally have a breakout game and this is the week. The Saints certainly need a great game from him in order to win. Bush will get most of the carries with McAllister out and he will also get a substantial amount of yards from the passing game.

WR - Randy Moss
Who in the Browns secondary is going to be able to stop him?

TE - Jeremy Shockey
I have not done well choosing a Tight End this year. However, this is my week. Shockey doesn't have a TD yet this year and is long overdue for one.

K - Kris Brown
With the Texans missing so many weapons on offense, they will be settling for field goals which will probably be enough to beat the Dolphins.

D - Baltimore Ravens
This could be a shutout game. The 49ers only weapon is Gore and the Ravens are only allowing 71 rushing yards per game. It is usually not very wise to pick a defense when they are playing on the road, but I can't resist. The 49ers may be able to hire Norv Turner back as offensive coordinator later this year.

NFL Power Rankings Week 5

Source: http://www.pylonpicks.com/powerranking/power_rankings_2007_week5.htm

1. Patriots (4-0)
The Patriots are starting to falter; they didn't score 38 points this week. Maybe Belichick can use this as motivation for next week's game against the Browns. Can we just skip to week 6 where the Patriots play the Cowboys?

2. Colts (4-0)
The Colts continue to roll. Could the absence of Harrison be enough to knock them off track? Doubt it.

3. Cowboys (4-0)
Everyone was saying the Cowboys would have a "letdown game" against the Rams. The chances of the Cowboys having a "letdown game" are zero with Tony Romo at the helm. This guy just loves to compete and play no matter what sport it is.

4. Packers (4-0)
Good thing for Favre and running back Ryan Grant that the Packers held on last week. You could see that Brett Favre wanted the win against the Vikings to go along with his passing record. The Packers are enjoying the longest current winning streak in the NFL.

5. Steelers (3-1)
So much for the Steelers starting 5-0 like I was predicting. With Hines Ward sitting out for a game, you could really see the offense struggling.

6. Titans (2-1)
It was a bye week for the Titans. They host the Falcons this week.

7 Jaguars (2-1)
It was a bye week for Jacksonville last week. They take on the Chiefs in Arrowhead where last year the Chiefs had beaten the Jaguars 35-30 in a wild game.

8. Seahawks (3-1)
The Seahawks defense dominated the 49ers last weekend and showed that they aim to win a 4th straight NFC West title. They did take a hit in losing special teams standout Alvin Pearman for the season.

9. Ravens (2-2)
The Ravens look like they are going to be one of those win at home and lose on the road teams this year.

10. Chargers (1-3)
Just a stat I want to throw out there: Norv Turner is 0-6 lifetime against the Chiefs. I am waiting to hear what Marty thinks of this whole debacle.

11. Broncos (2-2)
The Broncos were overmatched last week against the Colts even after the Colts spotted the Broncos a 10 point lead. The Broncos defense is inept at stopping the run this year and they better make some adjustments before LT comes to town.

12. Redskins (2-1)
The Redskins' had an extra week to digest their loss to the Giants. They get the up and coming Lions this week.

13. Buccaneers (3-1)
Tough blow losing Williams for the season. However, Gruden has his Bucs playing well.

14. Lions (3-1)
The Lions exploded with 34 points in the 4th quarter last week against the Bears. They have matched last year's wins total. I am a believer now and the Lions can win at least 10 games this year.

15. Bears (1-3)
Brian Griese does not look like the solution for the Bears and amazingly they are going to continue with him again this week. Lovie Smith just wants to prove to everyone that Grossman is the best he's got at the QB position.

16. Giants (2-2)
Osi Umenyiora made up for the Giants only having 4 sacks in 3 games as he had a team-record six sacks. How does the home field thing work again when both teams play in the same stadium?

17 Eagles (1-3)
The Eagles looked horrific Sunday night. At least they have a bye week to rest Westbrook and try to fix the offensive line.

18. 49ers (2-2)
Of note, Trent Dilfer will get to start against his old team this week. Alex Smith has a separated shoulder and his return is not known.

19. Texans (2-2)
The Texans like most teams are heavily banged up. The Texans face another winless team in the Dolphins this week and hope to put last week's miscues against the Falcons behind them.

20. Saints (0-3)
How many of you had the Saints vs Chargers in this year's Super Bowl? The Saint's had a week off to prepare for the Panthers.

21. Panthers (2-2)
David Carr will be the starting QB as long as Delhomme is out. Here is another team in disarray with players arguing and doubting their lack of effort.

22. Cardinals (2-2)
Kurt Warner is now the new Mariano Rivera of the NFL.

23. Bengals (1-3)
"If you don't want to be on the team, don't show up." That is exactly what the Bengals will do next week as they have a bye.

24. Jets (1-3)
The Jets allowed 17 points to a team that had scored 24 in the previous three games combined. Not to mention the Jets could only put 14 points on the board against the worst defense in the league.

25. Chiefs (2-2)
The Chiefs new rookie standout Dwayne Bowe caught eight balls for 164 yards and a touchdown as the Chiefs scored 24 unanswered second-half points to beat the Chargers.

26. Raiders (2-2)
Daunte Culpepper must be the happiest football player right now. He really stuck it to the Dolphins last week.

27. Browns (2-2)
Romeo Crennel returns to New England to face the team he once help coach. I'm guessing the Patriots defense will be extra fired up for this matchup.

28. Bills (1-3)
Uplifting win for the Bills last week, they needed it. However, the most brutal starting schedule continues as they host the Cowboys. Thurman Thomas and Jim Kelly will be having flashbacks to Super Bowl losses if they watch this game.

29. Vikings (1-3)
Kelly Holcomb definitely didn't perform well enough to take the QB job away from Tavaris Jackson.

30. Falcons (1-3)
Atlanta can finally look past Vick and their old backup QB.

31. Dolphins (0-4)
When you guarantee victory like Porter just about did, it always seems to come back and bite you. Ricky Williams really does want to come back and save this team.

32. Rams (0-4)
The Rams are in deep deep trouble.

Week 4 PSYCHO aWARD

Week 4 PSYCHO aWARD: Eagles Offensive Line

The weekly PSYCHO aWARD goes to the players, officials, or team that cause you to curse at the TV during the game and put you on the edge of insanity.

There were several nominees for Week 4 from Brian Griese's Grossman like outing to the Chargers embarrassing loss to the Chiefs (you can't blame the fans for chanting Marty! Marty! Marty!), but the unanimous winner goes to the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line. If you didn't catch Sunday night's game, you didn't miss much except for 12 sacks from the NY Giants defense. I had to look close at the TV to make sure that it was really McNabb back there and not Drew Bledsoe. Osi Umenyiora has already secured a trip to the Pro Bowl after registering 6 sacks and a force fumble. Maybe the City of Brotherly Love was just feeling sorry for the Big Apple. After all, the Jets had lost earlier to the winless Bills and the Mets had completed of the biggest collapses in baseball history.