Remember, use my picks to wager $$$ at your own risk. I pick heads-up winners, not the spread. If you lose, I had nothing to do with it. If you win beaucoup $$$, 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: 7-6  SEASON TOTAL: 44-33

SUNDAY

ST. LOUIS RAMS (0-4) +14 @ GREEN BAY PACKERS (5-0)  Over/Under 47 pts

-Too many injuries to key players (RB Steven Jackson) and no play makers for QB Sam Bradford to find. Super Bowl Champion Packers wearing 1920s throwbacks. Those 1920s teams could beat these young Rams. QB Aaron Rodgers the best in the game. PACKERS

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-4) +12 @ PITTSBURGH STEELERS (3-2) O/U 40 pts

-Steelers are banged-up. But, the same old Steelers. They win. Jaguars are re-buiLding. STEELERS

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (1-4) -3 @ WASHINGTON REDSKINS (3-1) O/U 47 pts

-“The Dream Team’s” got to win another game at some point. Redskins have had two weeks to prepare. EAGLES

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers (4-1) +4 @ DETROIT LIONS (5-0) O/U 46 pts

-Who knew this would be the game of the week!? It’s in Motown. LIONS

CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-4) +3.5 @ ATLANTA FALCONS (2-3) O/U 50.5 pts

-The scoreboard’s going to get a workout with QBs Cam Newton and Matt Ryan launching the pill. FALCONS

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-5) +6.5 @ CINCINNATI BENGALS (3-2) O/U 40.5 pts

-Two solid defenses. Bengals with the much better offense. Colts “O” in disarray. BENGALS

BUFFALO BILLS (4-1) +3 @ NY GIANTS of NEW JERSEY (3-2) O/U 50 pts

-How about those Bills! They can run on anyone and have the smartest QB in football. Giants banged-up on the D-Line. BILLS

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (4-1) -6 @ TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (3-2) O/U 49.5 pts

-Bucs lost at San Francisco last week, 48-3. SAINTS

HOUSTON TEXANS (3-2) +7 @ BALTIMORE RAVENS (3-1) O/U 45 pts

-Texans QB Matt Schaub banged-up and their best player DE?LB Mario Williams out for season. RAVENS

CLEVELAND BROWNS (2-2) +6.5 @ OAKLAND RAIDERS (3-2) O/U 44.5 pts

-“Just Win Baby”  – Al Davis. RAIDERS

DALLAS COWBOYS (2-2) +6 @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (4-1) O/U 55.5 pts

-If Pokes QB Tony Romo can take advantage of a defense that gives up big plays, here’s his chance. Problem is the Dallas “D” won’t be able to keep up with the “Pinball Wizard” a.k.a the Patriots’ Tom Brady. PATRIOTS

CHICAGO BEARS (2-3) -2.5 @ MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1-4) O/U 41.5 pts

-Bears QB Jay Cutler’s going to get acquainted with Vikings DE Jared Allen. Vikings need to keep giving the damn ball to RB Adrian Peterson. VIKINGS

MONDAY

MIAMI DOLPHINS (0-4) +6.5 @ NY JETS of NEW JERSEY (2-3) O/U 42.5 pts

-Jets aren’t going to lose this one. If they do, Rex Ryan might as well resign. JETS

BYE WEEK: ARIZONA, DENVER, KANSAS CITY, *LOS ANGELES, SAN DIEGO, SEATTLE, TENNESSEE.

*LOS ANGELES: 16 seasons, 6 weeks

 

 

 

 

 

Being the chairman for my high school class’ 30 year reunion took me out of the game for two weeks. I did, however, make week 3 and 4 picks in the LA Downtown News fish-wrap with just a click of the mouse. Let’s just say I need a new mouse. Week 3 I went 9-7.  Last week, 8-8. I’ll add the 17-15 two week record to my totals here.

Remember, use my picks to wager $$$ at your own risk. I pick heads-up winners, not the spread. If you lose, I had nothing to do with it. If you win beaucoup $$$, 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: 8-8  SEASON TOTAL: 37-27

SUNDAY

OAKLAND RAIDERS (2-2) +5.5 @ HOUSTON TEXANS (3-1) 48.5 pts

-With Saturday’s passing of Raiders owner Al Davis, this one has huge significance for the Silver and Black. Although not yet where they want to be, the Raiders are built the way Davis built all his great teams, with a solid defense that pounds you with its physicality, a vertical passing game triggered with a strong-armed quarterback throwing to fleet receivers and a physical running game with two superior backs. I must say, I was never a Raiders fan. But let’s be honest, when the Raiders are good the NFL is much more fun. The Raiders have and always will be Oakland’s team. When they moved to Los Angeles for 13 years, their Super Bowl win came the year they moved and it was filled with Oakland’s players save for Marcus Allen. Say what you will about Al Davis. But, you’ve got to include visionary, ground-breaker and one of the greatest owners in American Team Sports History. RAIDERS

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (1-3) -3 @ BUFFALO BILLS (3-1) O/U 50 pts

-I like the Bills, especially since they went to the throwback uniforms for good. They’re also pretty good. A must win for the “dream team”. EAGLES

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (1-3) +2.5 @ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-4) 38.5 pts

-Much, too much talent on the Colts team. Peyton Manning didn’t win the Super Bowl by himself. COLTS

ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-3) +3 @ MINNESOTA VIKINGS (0-4) 45.5 pts

-These two teams hurt by the lockout because both their quarterbacks needed the off-season workouts to get into the playbook. I still think these teams are really talented and good. VIKINGS

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (3-1) -5.5 @ CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-3) 51.5 pts

-This one should be fun to watch because Panthers rookie QB Cam Newton can throw the pill. Problem is, Carolina’s got nothing else on offense save for WR Steve Smith and the defense is bad. Drew Brees and the Saints will have a field day. SAINTS

CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-2) +2 @ JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-3) 37 pts

-Honestly, I think the Bengals are a good team. Head coach Marvin Lewis knows what he’s doing. Rookie QB Andy Dalton is fitting in nicely for the “retired” Carson Palmer. They can run and have a good defense. Jacksonville’s good one week, lousy the next. BENGALS

TENNESSEE TITANS (3-1) +3 @ PITTSBURGH STEELERS (2-2) 39.5 pts

-Don’t look now but the Titans are quietly sneaking up on everyone. Plenty of talent especially with QB Matt Hasselbeck and RB Chris Johnson who should be ready to roll by now after his holdout. The Steelers are banged up and can’t protect QB Ben Roethlisberger. TITANS

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (1-3) +9.5 @ NY GIANTS of NEW JERSEY (3-1) 43.5 pts

-Seahawks are playing out the string in the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes. GIANTS

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (3-1) +3 @ SAN FRANCISCO 49ers (3-1) 41.5 pts

-49ers QB Alex Smith finally relying on RB Frank Gore keeping him out of the dog house. Bucs QB Josh Freeman is the real deal. BUCS

NY JETS of NEW JERSEY (2-2) +8 @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (3-1) 49 pts

-Jets will try to get back to that “bread and butter” running game they used so well the last couple of seasons. They’d better because QB Mark Sanchez is taking a beating. He can’t win a game by himself just yet. Patriots defense gives up a lot of points. QB Tom Brady can score more for the offense. PATRIOTS

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (3-1) -3.5 @ DENVER BRONCOS (1-3) 45.5 pts

-Don’t look now but the Chargers have come out of the starting gate well for the first time under Norv Turner. I don’t understand why the Broncos coach John Fox doesn’t use Tim Tebow in a wild cat formation, or down near the goal line in the red zone. He’s a great athlete and there’s got to be room for him somewhere in that offense. CHARGERS

GREEN BAY PACKERS (4-0) -6 @ ATLANTA FALCONS (2-2) 53 pts

-The Packers are the REAL DREAM TEAM. But they can’t go undefeated can they? Matt Ryan and the Falcons a much better team that will get off the ground eventually. I think it’ll be against the world champions. FALCONS

MONDAY

CHICAGO BEARS (2-2) +5 @ DETROIT LIONS (4-0) 47.5 pts

-The Lions are for real. This team is built like those 90s Cowboys teams with “the triplets” and a young, monster defense. Bears QB Jay Cutler has no “go to WR” and ends up on his back a lot. Lions DT Ndamukong Suh is “Deacon Jones-like” and will get up close and personal with Cutler all day. Lions getting rookie DE Nick Fairly in for the first time this season. They’re a scary team starting the season as 80-1 to make the Super Bowl. They’re now at 15-1. They could be in Indy in February. They’re that good. LIONS

BYE WEEK:

BALTIMORE, CLEVELAND, DALLAS, *LOS ANGELES, MIAMI, ST. LOUIS, WASHINGTON

*Los Angeles (16 seasons, 5 weeks)