Who Wants the NFC West?!?!

Eric’s Week 10 NFL Picks

Remember, use my picks to wager $$$ at your own risk. If you lose, I had nothing to do with it. If you win beaucoup $$$, a 10% tip would be cool.  But, I’m realistic. This is just for your entertainment…or not, and for me to keep my sports “mojo” going until “I’m back in the saddle”. Remember the league’s unofficial motto…“ON ANY GIVEN SUNDAY, MONDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY OR SATURDAY……….

Last week: 9-4 Season: 72-58

Computer issues struck Wednesday. Wasn’t able to upload my picks in time for Thursday’s game. From my phone, I did post on Facebook that I was picking the Falcons over the Ravens.

Here’s what I had written for that one:

BALTIMORE (6-2) +3 @ ATLANTA (6-2) O/U 40 pts (THUR)
-Super Bowl preview?? Falcons coming off bye week. QB Matt Ryan 17-1 at Georgia Dome. Ravens best team in the league (at least that’s what I think). Home Cooking! FALCONS (26-21, FALCONS)

Falcons QB Matt Ryan on the come-from-behind win.

DETROIT (2-6) +3 @ BUFFALO (0-8) 43.5 pts
-If there is such a thing, the Bills are the BEST winless team. Buffalo’s in most games they’ve played in only to lose in last minute including last week in Toronto against the Bears, 22-19. Lions QB Matthew Stafford out for season after separating his throwing shoulder again in last week’s 23-20 OT loss to the Jets. BILLS (14-12, BILLS)

MINNESOTA (3-5) -1 @ CHICAGO (5-3) 40.5 pts
-Some Viking players, who don’t want to be identified, can’t stand head coach Brad Childress and would like him to be fired. Vikes saved his job and season coming from behind last week at home against Arizona. If there is such a thing, Bears the worst 5-3 team. QB Jay Cutler getting pummeled by opposing defenders and the Bears can’t run the ball. You gotta love offensive coordinator Mike Martz. Cutler will get well acquainted with Vikings DE Jared Allen. Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson will balance the Viking Offense. VIKINGS (27-13, BEARS)

NY JETS of NEW JERSEY (6-2) -3 @ CLEVELAND (3-5) 38 pts
-Browns head coach Eric Mangini going up against his former team for the first time since Jets replaced him with Rex Ryan. WR Braylon Edwards returns to Cleveland for first time since being traded to the Jets. Browns are on way back after two consecutive wins against Super Bowl Champion Saints and three-time former champion Patriots. Jets having issues needing a fourth quarter comeback to win at Detroit in overtime last week. Browns have found their QB in rookie Colt McCoy who’s making things happen. BROWNS (26-20, JETS)

CINCINNATI (2-6) +7 @ INDIANAPOLIS (5-3) 47.5 pts
-Everything that can go wrong has gone wrong in Cincy this season. Defending AFC North Champion Bengals handed a fifth consecutive loss Monday night at the hands of the Steelers. Despite 26-24 loss at Philly last week, QB Peyton Manning and the Colts haven’t lost to the Bengals during Manning’s career. COLTS (23-17, COLTS)

TENNESSEE (5-3) -1 @ MIAMI (4-4) 43 pts
-Titans debuting WR Randy Moss who went without a catch in Miami a month ago in his last game as a Patriot. Traded to Minnesota the following week and waived by Minnesota two weeks ago, Moss finds himself back up against the Dolphins after a second bye week for the all-pro receiver. Dolphins have yet to win at home this season. QB Chad Pennington replacing injured Chad Henne. Addition of Moss opens up the ground game for RB Chris Johnson. Close one. TITANS ((29-17, DOLPHINS)

Carolina (1-7) +7 @ TAMPA BAY (5-3) 37 pts
-COME ON, MAN!! BUCCANEERS (31-16, BUCCANEERS)

HOUSTON (4-4) +1.5 @ JACKSONVILLE (4-4) 49.5 pts
-Loser of this one in last place in the AFC south while the winner still can make something happen against the Colts and Titans. Texans defense is atrocious. Jags QB David Garrard can exploit bad defenses as he did against Dallas. Plus, he’s got Maurice Jones-Drew running the football. JAGUARS (31-24, JAGUARS)

KANSAS CITY (5-3) -1.5 @ DENVER (2-6) 43 pts
-Broncos can’t stop the run. Chiefs have a two-headed monster at running back. Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones make KC one of the best running teams in the league. Plus, the Chiefs are mad at the way they let one get away in Oakland last week. Broncos should’ve stayed in London. CHIEFS (49-29, BRONCOS)

DALLAS (1-7) +13.5 @ NY GIANTS of NEW JERSEY 45.5 pts
-The Jason Garrett regime begins in Dallas after Cowboys stopped playing for ex-coach Wade Phillips losing at Green Bay last week, 45-7. Giants are at the top of the NFC (alongside Atlanta) and rolling. GIANTS (33-20, COWBOYS)

SEATTLE (4-4) +3 @ ARIZONA (3-5) 41.5 pts
-NFC West WIDE OPEN! Who wants it?!?! Seahawks laid an egg at home last week without injured QB Matt Hasselbeck. Giants ran up 545 yards of offense beating Seattle 41-7. Hasselbeck’s back this week. Might not matter because Cards QB Derek Anderson looked solid in last week’s OT loss at Minnesota. Seahawks will be seeing the back of Larry Fitzgerald’s jersey A LOT. CARDINALS (36-18, SEAHAWKS)

ST. LOUIS (4-4) +6 @ SAN FRANCISCO (2-6) 38 pts
-NFC West WIDE OPEN! Who wants it?!?! 49ers went to London, got a win, and maybe found themselves a QB. Third-stringer and former Heisman trophy winner Troy Smith came off the bench and made things happen “Michael Vick-like” in Frisco‘s 24-16 win over Denver. Rams haven’t won on the road since beating the Niners in Frisco 13-9 in 2007. Rams have the division’s best QB in rookie and top-overall draft pick Sam Bradford. Their defense is top 10 and let’s not forget RB Steven Jackson. Rams are ascending. But, Smith is the X-factor for Frisco. RAMS (23-20, 49ERS)

The NFC WEST could come down to an INCH!

NEW ENGLAND (6-2) +5 @ PITTSBURGH (6-2) 45 pts (SNF)
-Patriots turned the ball over three times in last week’s stunning 20 point loss at Cleveland. Pittsburgh looked solid and took advantage of Cincinnati miscues in the Steelers Monday night win. This will be a close one. Pittsburgh’s defense gets the edge. STEELERS (39-26, PATRIOTS)

PHILADELPHIA (5-3) -3 @ WASHINGTON (4-4) 43 pts (MNF)
-Redskins won the first meeting in Philly earlier this year. Plenty of QB turmoil with the Eagles in that one. Tables have turned. Redskins coach Mike Shanahan has issues with former Eagle QB Donovan McNabb. Michael Vick has the Eagles rolling. EAGLES (59-28, EAGLES)

BYE WEEK:
GREEN BAY (6-3)
OAKLAND (5-4)
NEW ORLEANS (6-3)
SAN DIEGO (4-5)
*LOS ANGELES (15 yrs, 10 wks)