NFL

How lucky is the NFL with this group of games? Steelers and Ravens? Patriots and Jets? Packers and Falcons? Bears and Seahawks….well maybe not so much there. All of the teams have played each other before (the AFC teams have played twice), so each of these games will be that much better.

The Steelers and Ravens split 17-14 and 13-0, the Pats and Jets split 28-14 and 45-3, the Falcons won 20-17, and the Seahawks won 23-20. It’s pretty safe to say that each of the teams are different since they last played, so we’ll see how many they really have improved. Home teams in CAPS.

STEELERS (-3) over Ravens

What a matchup. This will be their eighth bone-crushing, bell-ringing, throat-ripping Goliath showdown in just three years. During that time, the Steelers have won five of the seven games, but the collective score is just 126-110. In the last two years, the teams are in a dead heat, both are 2-2, scoring 67 points apiece.

These teams hate each other, and it’s no surprise why. They’re division rivals less that 250 miles apart. They play the same smash-mouth, beat-’em-down style of play. And they both love to talk smack.

How much shampoo do you think Troy uses every day?

Reed. Polamalu. Lewis. Harrison. Rice. Mendenall. These teams are so very similar at almost every position. They’ll pound the ball down your throat and stop you from gaining any major yardage on the ground. Neither has great corner backs, but don’t you dare throw it towards their safeties. These teams are so similar, in fact, that the only major difference between the two is the quarterbacks.

If I had to pick one QB to lead me to win one game, Big Ben is either number two or three for me. After Brady and maybe Brees, there’s no one I’d rather have. Twice he’s led Super Bowl teams and he won’t cower in big situations. He’s tough. His a player. And he wins games.

Joe Flacco isn’t so bad himself. In his playoff career, he is 4-2. Certainly no Brady, but he’s no Manning either (zing!). He wins games, but they’ll be ugly. His completion percentage is just over 53.2% and he’s thrown 3 TDs to 6 picks. Is that what you really want in a big game quarterback? Sure, as long as he wins games.

In the end, I give no edge to either defense. With the emergence of Mike Wallace as a more-than-viable deep threat, both sets of skill position players are about equal. But there is one major difference: Big Ben will be in Black and Gold.

The quarterback is the most important position in the NFL, and the Steelers have an edge in this game. With home field advantage on their side, I’m willing to swallow three points in this closely contested match.

FALCONS (-1.5) over Packers

This line is a shocker to me. Matt Ryan is 20-2 in his career at home. He’s coming off a bye, and the last two years coming off a bye he’s won his games by a combined score of 72-31. The Falcons are the class of the NFC! Yet even with home field advantage, they’re not even given two points.

Sure, the Packers are the hottest team in the NFC, but how great are they? Rookie sixth-round pick James Starks torched an average Eagles’ run D for 123 yards on 23 carries. Aaron Rodgers won his first playoff game on a 180 yard, three touch down, no interception game. But they won largely thanks to David Akers uncharacteristically missing two short field goals.

Aren't we forgetting how great Matt Ryan is at home and how great the Falcons have been this year?

The Falcons are a well prepared team. They have a fantastic coach in Mike Smith, and teams with great coaches generally don’t blow games with an extra week to prepare and rest. Matt Ryan is a gamer, he comes prepared and comes to play. In a way, he’s like a miniature version of Tom Brady. He wins games, he doesn’t lose at home, and he has (Matty) Ice cold blood running through his veins in the fourth quarter.

We know both teams can rack up the points, so the team who’s defense shows up bigger will likely come out on top. Mike Vick torched the Packers’ secondary for nearly 300 yards, and we all know Ryan is a better passer. But at the same time, to call the Falcons pass defense average would be a stretch. Each quarterbacks needs to limit turnovers as much as possible while still carry the team on their backs.

When the public starts trending in one direction in betting a game, you know it is time to pounce. In that situation, it’s time to go the other direction and win some money. Everyone loves Green Bay and seems to be forgetting how great Atlanta has been all year. The Georgia Dome will be rocking tonight. And Matty Ice will get that 21st home win.

BEARS (-10) over Seahawks

Oh, God. The Seahawks are awful. They really are. Any team can win two straight at home, but that doesn’t make them even average. However, the Bears aren’t too great either. Their warm-and-cold offense is led by a egocentric, un-personable gunslinger who’s pass is just as likely to end up in the other team’s hands as in yours (not really). So who do you trust more: the consistently average (Matt Hasselbeck) or the inconsistently great (Jay Cutler).

When Matt Hasselbeck is playing his best game, he's still Matt Hasselbeck.

How amazing was last week’s win for Seattle? Yes, they were at home with a no-one-believes-in-us mentality, but they were taking on Drew Brees and the defending Super Bowl Champions! Thanks to Marshawn Lynch’s historically fantastic run and Hasselbeck’s four touchdown performance, the Seahawks came out on top.

But let’s take a look closer into what really happened in that game. Drew Brees absolutely tore up Seattle for 404 yards, and he did all of that without any semblance of a running game. Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory were placed on the IR days before gameday, and Julius Jones and Reggie Bush are not what you are looking for in every down backs. Yet nine players caught passes and the Saints put up 36 points.

Don’t lose sight of the fact that Seattle is a bad, bad, bad team. Even after this past win, they’re still under .500. They’ve lost nine games by an average of 21 points! Three touch downs! Marshawn Lynch barely found playing time on the Bills, and none of their other offensive weapons are much more inspiring. This team isn’t flushed with talent. In fact, they’re actually un-flushed with talent. They aren’t even a top-16 team!

The Seahawks are bad, but the Bears still aren’t great. The defense has stepped up this season, and Devin Hester is always dangerous taking back punts. Matt Forte is better than any running back Seattle saw last week, so it will be up to Mike Martz to see how many carries he will actually get. Chicago can’t turn the ball over like they have all year, so the more they can pound the ball in to Seattle’s deficient defense.

No, Chicago isn’t really ten points better than Seattle, but they’re at home, and they need all the momentum they can get. I’m not going to get suckered into Seattle because they are truly a bad team. Jay Cutler will do what needs to be done and prove that he really is a winner. If he blows this game, he’s in danger of becoming engulfed in the Loser Gene.

PATRIOTS (-9) over Jets

J-E-T-S Fourty-five to three! Yes, Rex Ryan and Antonio Cromartie, you chose the wrong team to mess with. As if New England didn’t need any other reasons to tear apart the Jets, New York cannot stop running its mouth.

Do you know what time it is? I do believe it’s story time.

Let’s go back to December 6th, 2007. The Pittsburgh Steelers were preparing to take on the then-12-0 New England Patriots when safety Anthony Smith decided to open his mouth. Mr. Smith made the grave mistake of saying, “People keep asking me if we’re ready for the Patriots. They should be asking if they’re ready for us. We’re going to win. Yeah, I can guarantee a win.” Well guess what happened 15 minutes into the game? Brady threw a 63 yard bomb to Randy Moss and went out of his way to point out and yell at Anthony Smith.

Well, good luck Antonio Cromartie! The Jets won’t be able to stick Darrelle Revis on any one receiver the whole game because the Patriots don’t have a number one receiver! Wes Welker is just as likely to catch a pass as Deion Branch as is Danny Woodhead, as is Aaron Hernandez, The Gronk, or Brandon Tate! No matter how you cover this team, Brady will slice and dice your defense with a surgeon’s accuracy.

The Patriots don’t just win games, they take over games. They’ve won their last six games by nearly 27 points and their last eight games by nearly 22. Belichick and Brady won’t stop going full out just because you are down by four or five scores, especially when they don’t like you. And I don’t believe the Pats like the Jets.

Yeah, The Hoodie doesn't mess around.

The best coaches in the league will kill you if you give them an extra week. In his last 20 games with more than one week to prepare, he is 19-1. The only loss? That was a game his team lost because of the luckiest catch in NFL history and his lock-down corner dropped a sure-fire pick on the other team’s final drive. His teams win by an average score of 27-16. His teams come prepared. The best prepared team usually wins.

The Patriots don’t lose at home and Tom Brady doesn’t lose in the playoffs. This game won’t be that close. And if you really think revenge will lead the Jets to victory, don’t you think the Cavaliers wanted revenge on the Heat? I thought so. Yup, this is your Bojangles’ Lock o’ the Week.

Last Week: 1-3

Season: 128-132

Bojangles’ Lock o’ the Week: 13-5

What is “it”? And what qualifies someone to have “it”? How do you know if you have “it”?

In the NFL, winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing. If you can’t win the big game, you are not a valuable player. If you are great enough, you can will your team to victory no matter how little help you have around you.

Look at players like Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, and Drew Brees. They flat out win games.

Then you have players like Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, and Josh Freeman. They won’t necessarily light up the stat sheet, but they can and will take you on THE drive to win THE game.

Just under that is a level of quarterbacks like Matt Schaub and Aaron Rodgers. They put up numbers like nobody’s business, but they can’t pull out the win when the game is on the line.

Then there are QBs like Mark Sanchez, Alex Smith, and Tarvaris Jackson. They won’t light it up during the first three quarters, and they certainly won’t pick up their game in the fourth. They might just do enough for you not to lose.

In this NFL, you have to have a great quarterback to win. Take a look at the best QBs in the league and all of the playoff teams. The only elite QB to not make the playoffs this year was Philip Rivers, whose team finished first in total offense and defense. All the best teams — the Patriots, Falcons, Saints, Steelers, and Colts — have top-of-the-line quarterbacks.

You need a great quarterback to win in this league, but you need a great quarterback with “it”. You can’t win the Super Bowl anymore with Trent Dilfer or Brad Johnson. Your quarterback has to have a cutthroat mentality. If the coach is debating whether to punt or kick a field goal, he needs to tell the coach, “I’m getting this first down.” He needs to command respect in the locker room and leave no room for doubt in his teammates minds that they might just lose a game.

In the end, the quarterback is the most important player on the team. He is the leader. He calls the shot. He touches the ball on every play. If your leader cannot will you to victory, you will not win the big game. Your quarterback needs The Winning Gene.

After a shaky-at-best regular season of picking games, I am more than ready for playoff football. Picking against the spread is always tough, but I’d like to finish the year with my head above water. Then again, I would have won the NFC West. As always, home teams are in BOLD and I will have one Bojangles’ Lock o’ the Week. Best of luck to all teams, except the Jets.

Saints (-10) over SEAHAWKS

I was looking across ESPN.com and found a group of polls predicting who would win each of the playoff games. Of course, I filled out my picks and found some rather shocking results. Of the nearly 70,000 people who voted, a whopping 9.9% thought the Seahawks would beat the Saints!! That’s 7,000 people who are out of their minds! Seven thousand?!

And that wasn’t all. It’s understandable to think the Seahawks could stay within two or three touchdowns at home, but to win four straight games to make the Super Bowl is beyond conceivable. And yet 1,329 people pick Seattle to make the Super Bowl! Another 1,119 picked them to WIN the Super Bowl! Seattle hasn’t won four games consecutively, successively, in a row since 2007, and none of the teams had winning records! In ’99 they won five in a row, but that included wins against 8-8 Eagles and Broncos along with the 2-14 Bengals. In fact, the Seahawks have never won four straight games against winning teams in franchise history! 34 years and it’s never happened! Somebody find me one of these people because I could you some extra cheese!

Darren Sharper is one of the most hardest hitting safeties in the league.

But enough of the Seahawks ineptitude; this Saints team is still fantastic. There’s one thing we can’t take away from New Orleans and that it the fact that they are the defending champs. Sure, they didn’t win the NFC South, but no team has ever won back-to-back NFC South titles. They’ve got the same team as last year minus Pierre Thomas. Drew Brees is still playoff clutch. The Saints still have eight legitimate receiving threats. And Darren Sharper is still one of the most hardest hitting safeties in the league.

If there’s one thing that won’t happen, it’ll be Sean Payton and Drew Brees blowing this layup of all layups. This is a quarterback and head coaching league, and the Saints have the second-best combination in the league (to the Patriots, of course). Matt Hasselbeck may win you an NFC West division, but he will not lead you to a win against the high-powered Saints.

This line cannot get high enough; it is without a doubt the Bojangles’ Lock o’ the Week.

COLTS (-2) over Jets

I don’t know if it is Tom Brady’s success this year or all of the injuries to Indianapolis, but we are suddenly underestimating Peyton’s power. After a rocky start, some people were crazy enough to call this the beginning of the end for Peyton. I’ve never been the biggest fan of Manning’s work in the big game, but if you really think he is done, you’ve got another thing coming for you.

Historically, Rex Ryan defenses have not been great against Peyton. While leading the Jets, his D held Peyton to an average of 285 yards passing and 23 points, including a 30-17 playoff loss. With the Ravens, Baltimore could only hold him to 254 passing yards and over 25 points per game. Rex teams are a measly 1-7 versus Peyton and haven’t won since 2001!

Do you know who Peyton Manning is? Do you know who Mark Sanchez is?

Peyton Manning has one of the quickest triggers in the league, so sending various blitz packages doesn’t phase him like it does to quarterbacks like, say, Mark Sanchez. Even with a beat up offensive line and limited weapons, Peyton runs one of the most precise and dangerous offensives in the game. If the Jets are going to top the Colts, they are going to have to out-score them.

As I’ve said before, I don’t trust the Jets and the Sanchize. Against winning teams, Sanchez only completed 56.9 percent of passes and his team to score 16 points per game, ultimately leading to a less-than-inspiring 2-4 record. Keep in mind that Charlie Whitehurst owns a career completion percentage of 57.6 and the great J.T. O’Sullivan’s is 56.4. Sanchez doesn’t have the clutch gene, and he just isn’t a good NFL quarterback.

One thing I’ll give Indy credit for is their run defense stepping up. In the last three weeks of play, they held CJ2K to 39 yards on 20 carries, Run DMC to 45 yards on 11 carries, and Mo-Jo to 46 yards on 15 carries. If we’ll be seeing the Jets minus their run game having to depend on Sanchez, we all know how this will end.

Ravens (-3) over CHIEFS

Who are the Chiefs? Are they a semi-competent blessed to be in a terrible division? Are they the team that leads the NFL in rushing by almost ten yards per game? Are they the team that lost to Oakland at home by 21?

Why has Jamaal Charles only been given 230 carries when he's averaging 6.4 yards per carry?!

The Chiefs are a strange team. They have a 24-year old budding superstar running back in Jamaal Charles, who led the NFL in yards per carry by far at 6.4 yards per pop, yet HC Todd Haley only game him the rock 230 times. Their QB Matt Cassel won’t make the big mistake, but he also won’t take you on the biggest drive of the game. They’re 8-0 at home, and last time I check they’re playing at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday. There’s plenty to like about this team, but there’s just as much to make you scratch your head.

Baltimore is the same team as it has been over the last decade. Hard hitting and ready to fight to the bitter end. Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs won’t hesitate to knock you out and Ed Reed, a man who only played ten games yet still led the league with eight picks, is the best ball-hawk in the league. Oh, yeah, except this year they have a really good offense.

The Ravens have always had a great run game. You can go back to the days of Jamal Lewis to see that. But now that they’ve brought in Anquan Boldin and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, they have a very good air game. The Ravens still can shut you down on defense, but if they need, they can out-score you too. Joe Flacco won’t light up a stat sheet, but he wins the big games. If you need him to take you on THE drive to win THE game, he can put you on his back.

This game will largely come down to who can run the ball better. KC is tops in the league with 164.2 yards per game, but Baltimore is 5th in run defense with only 93.9 ypg. Baltimore is 14th in rushing offense and with 114.4 ypg while Kansas City is also 14th with 110.2 ypg. In the end, I have more trust in Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, and the Ravens’ D.

Arrowhead Stadium will prove to be a huge factor in this game, but I don’t have trust in the Chiefs’ defense. This one will go to Baltimore by a touchdown or more; they are one of the most dangerous teams in the playoffs.

EAGLES (-2.5) over Packers

What happened to all the Michael Vick support? I thought he was supposed to be the run-away MVP! I thought he was the Eagles’ lord, savior, and holy spirit! And now after one non-spectacular game against the Vikings he’s Kevin Kolb? Didn’t think so.

Let’s talk Aaron Rodgers for a minute. For my money, he’s the anti-Joe Flacco. Boy, can he light up the stat sheet! But when you need him to make THE play to win THE game, he disappears. If you need someone to win you a fantasy football league, #12 is your guy. But if you need someone to win you a playoff game, give me anyone else.

If you need someone to light up a game, why not just go with Michael Vick? He’s more accurate than he’s ever been in Atlanta and his arm is just as strong. If you bring pressure on him, you’d better be able to contain him, or you’ll be looking at a very long run. He’s quick. He’s fast. His receivers are even faster.

There are no words to describe the chutzpah of The Jerk

The Eagles have one of the quickest striking offenses in the league, and one of the smartest offensive minds in the game in Andy Reid (but not one of the smartest clock management or red flag-throwing coaches out there). The Eagles aren’t great at home (4-4), but the Packers are even worse on the road (3-5). Don’t get me wrong here, both teams are great, but the Eagles are just a little bit better.

It’s tempting to take the Packers, I’m not going to lie. But they’re just too one-dimensional for my taste. With no running game, they have to depend on an inconsistent big-game quarterback. Philly will bring pressure to Rodgers and try to take him out of his element. Rodgers will have to make rushed throws, and make bad decisions.

In the end, you can’t forget who Philly is. They’re incredibly talented, young, and explosive. Andy Reid has been there and done that. Michael Vick has won in the playoffs before. The Jerk is, well, The Jerk! This team is too talented and too well prepared under Coach Reid to lose this game.

Last Week: 7-9

Season 127-129

Bojangles’ Lock o’ the Week: 13-4

The last week of the NFL season is always the most awkward one. Rest your players? Play ’em? Give your starters 2 series then play your backups? There’s no clear answer, since you never want to go in to the playoffs on a cold streak, but you certainly don’t want key players to get hurt.

This season is a little different than years past. Nine of the twelve playoff spots have already been secured, but only the Patriots have clinched a first round bye. Seven teams are vying for the last three spots and another seven teams can still land a first-round bye, so you can bet that half the league will go all out on Sunday.

With Carolina already locking up the first pick in the draft, fewer teams will be gunning for a top pick. Anyways, it’s really hard for players to not go full-out and try to lose games.

Here are the Week 17 NFL Picks as I sit at .500 in the last week of the season …. home teams in CAPS.

Panthers (+14.5) over FALCONS
Jimmy Clausen is playing for his NFL career in this game; if he doesn’t put together a great game, Carolina will likely draft Andrew Luck and Clausen will become the next Brady Quinn. But if Jimmy Clausen is playing for his career, the Panthers are probably going to lose. But I’m not willing to give up over two touchdowns.

Steelers (-6.5) over BROWNS
Pittsburgh is looking to win a division and grab a bye, and not even the Avalanche can get in the way of this train. Who is the Avalanche, you ask? Peyton Hillis. He’s white, he runs downhill, and he knocks people over. But Big Ben owns the Browns. He’s 11-1 in his career against the Browns. This is your Bojangles’ Lock o’ the Week.

LIONS (-3.5) over Vikings
If Tarvaris Jackson is a poor man’s Brett Favre, Joe Webb is a homeless man’s Tarvaris Jackson. Believe it or not, the Lions are 12-3 against the spread this year. But you’re never going to make the playoffs with a 5-10 record, so maybe next year Detroit!

CHIEFS (-3.5) over Raiders
The Chiefs are 7-0 at home this year, and even though they will be hosting a playoff game, they likely will not be favored. What’s the best way to get over that? Come into the playoffs hot.

No Welker, no Deion, no Hernandez, no problem!

PATRIOTS (-3.5) over Dolphins
When have the Patriots ever taken it easy on other teams? When does Tom Brady ever lose at home? Don’t think The Hoodie will let this win escape his team.

RAVENS (-9.5) over Bengals
Baltimore can lock up the number two seed with a win and a Steelers loss. Don’t doubt these guys for a second, especially when the Bungles are without T.Ocho.

Buccaneers (+7.5) over SAINTS
It doesn’t make much sense to pick against the defending champs here, but I have a hunch. Josh Freeman wins games and the last placed NFC South team goes to the playoffs next year.

JETS (-2.5) over Bills
The Jets are in a bad place. They’ve lost three of four games. They tripping and stumbling their way into the playoffs. Well, its a good thing they’re playing Buffalo, now isn’t it!

Bears (+10.5) over PACKERS
These teams are bitter rivals, so you can bet your biscuits they’ll both be buckling on their chinstraps and hitting extra hard. This one will go to the Pack, but it will be a tight one.

COLTS (-9.5) over Titans
Isn’t it curious to see what Peyton Manning and Tom Brady can do with below-average weapons? Manning, with the likes of Jacob Tamme, Javaris James, Blair White, an a concussed Austin Collie, is struggling to get a playoff berth. Brady, with the likes of Danny Woodhead, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, 2 rookie tight ends, and Brandon Tate, already clinched home field.

Giants (-3.5) over REDSKINS
I’ve never been a Giants fan this year, but what Mike Shanahan is doing can make me a fan of the Bills. Sorry, maybe that second shot at the Bills was unnecessary.

Jaguars (+0.5) over TEXANS
I know this game has a ton of playoff implications, but boy are these teams boring!

Eagles (-7.5) over COWBOYS
Talk about a short week! The Eagles only have four days off before they have to strap on the shoulder pads again, only without Michael Vick. But the Cowboys are starting Stephen McGee. STEPHEN MCGEE!

Cardinals (+6.5) over NINERS
The Niners are just a mess. Could they really not wait another week to let Mike Singletary go at the end of the year? I guess the Cardinals are the lesser of two evils, especially if I’m getting nearly a touchdown.

Chargers (-3.5) over BRONCOS
San Diego is weird, but they do have a real quarterback. That’s a little mean actually. They do have competent quarterback. Well, that’s not much nicer.

Rams (-2.5) over SEAHAWKS
I want to take the Seahawks, the points, and the loud stadium, but I just will not depend of Charlie Whitehurst to win me the big game. Congrats to Sam Bradford on a great year; the Rams deserve this one.

Last Week: 6-10

Season: 120-120

Bojangles Lock o’ the Week: 12-4

What Mike Shanahan is doing to Donovan McNabb is horrendous. This man poured his heart and soul into this team. He’s given his all, but his all just isn’t enough when you only have two capable receivers. But this man has been a class act. He’s one of the most storied quarterbacks in this league, and Shanahan is benching him for who? Sexy Rexy Grossman?

Sure, Rex is a scrappy player. He puts hours upon hours into his craft; quite the gym rat really. But he’s no Donovan McNabb. He doesn’t have the pedigree. He hasn’t been there. And he certainly hasn’t done that.

Furthermore, who’s calling the shots in DC? McNabb just got a $78 million, although we’re not quite sure how much of it is really guaranteed. But the more and more we watch Shanahan, Donovan, and the ‘Skins, the more it appears they won’t all three be together next year. So is Daniel Snyder really as absentminded as we all think? I believe the answer is yes.

If you didn’t quite get the bit, you may want to watch this. Irregardless, here are my Week 15 NFL picks. Home teams in CAPS.

CHARGERS (-8.5) over Niners
Believe it or not, the Chargers are only one game out of the playoffs. In the words of Drake, “Better late than never, but never late is better.”

BENGALS (-1.5) over Browns
I almost wanted to pick Cleveland here, but I’m afraid Jake Delhomme will out-Palmer Carson Palmer. Or would that be Delhomme out-Delhomming Palmer?

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Rexy!

COWBOYS (-6.5) over Redskins
Is there anything more embarrassing than being benched twice in one season for Sexy Rexy? Maybe giving your quarterback $78 million after benching him once, then benching him again one month after the signing. And he won’t be a Redskin next year.

Texans (+1.5) over TITANS
The Titans just look awful. Vince Young looked like he was ready to go, but Jeff Fisher announced he was going on IR. Randy Moss is brooding on the bench, and Chris Johnson looks like Rudi Johnson. Texans AND the points? Yes, please.

COLTS (-4.5) over Jaguars
Here is another game where you really want to take the Jaguars, the sleeper team no one can possibly hold a grudge against. But this is the Colts. And this is the Jaguars. Jacksonville can usually keep these games close, but if Peyton Manning really is one of the best five quarterbacks in the league, he’ll will his team to victory today.

Chiefs (+1.5) over RAMS
Who would have ever guessed at the beginning of the year that this game would have any implications other than draft position?

Bills (+5.5) over DOLPHINS
This is a tough game to pick. Both teams are boring. Both teams have uninspiring quarterbacks. However, the Dolphins are the second worst scoring team and the Bills are a virile 23rd in the league.

BUCCANEERS (-6.5) over Lions
How did we not see this coming? Every year we say, “Okay, THIS is the year the last place NFC South team isn’t going to the playoffs!” And every year they end up going to the playoffs. So what does this tell us? The Panthers are going to take Andrew Luck #1 overall, and he will lead them to the playoffs. Speaking of the Panthers….

Cardinals (+2.5) over PANTHERS
I usually hate West teams coming East to essentially play a 10 AM game, but this is a different case. The Panthers really, really, really want the first overall pick (although I don’t know how much John Fox actually cares). Also, remember the last time Arizona came to Charlotte?

RAVENS (-2.5) over Saints
In a potential Super Bowl preview, we’ll see a slight finesse dome team go into frigid Baltimore to play a smashmouth angry Ravens team. This will be close, it will come down to the wire, but I’ll take the team with Ray Lewis at home.

Eagles (+2.5) over GIANTS
The Eagles have won five straight against the Giants. Its hard to win five games in a row against the Bills! Michael Vick no prisoners, and he will run across this tough Giants’ D.

Falcons (-6.5) over SEAHAWKS
As I’ve said many a time, the Seahawks win at home. But at the same time, Matty Ice doesn’t lose games to losing teams. This one won’t be too close.

STEELERS (-6.5) over Jets
Mark Sanchez has a 49% completion percentage against winning teams. That should be enough to tell you how this one will end up. If Sanchez can’t pass, the Jets will need to run. Good news, the Steelers have the best run defense by nearly 400 yards, holding the opposition to 2.9 yards per carry. Better prepare some good excuses, Rex!

Broncos (+6.5) over RAIDERS
This isn’t as much about how much faith I have in Tim Tebow as much as how little faith I have in the Raiders. That being said, I think the Broncos will get up for their interim coach and brand new starting QB. It happened with the Cowboys, it happened with the Vikings, it will happen with the Broncos.

PATRIOTS (-10.5) over Packers
Have you seen Tom Brady recently? 19 TDs and 0 picks since Week 7. He has no big name receivers, yet he makes it work with Wes Welker, Deion Branch, Danny Woodhead, BenJarvus Green-Ellis (4 names are better than 2), Brandon Tate, and 2 rookie tight ends. This man is better in snow than any quarterback is in a dome! Oh, and have you seen Matt Flynn? Ugh! This is your Bojangles’ Lock o’ the Week!

Bears (-3.5) over VIKINGS
I don’t know if you’ve seen Tarvaris Jackson, but he looks pretty dreadful. Like Sexy Rexy or David Carr may be an upgrade. It’s pretty turrible.

Last Week: 8-8

Season: 89-92

Bojangles Lock o’ the Week: 10-3

Snow is falling across the country, malls are getting real busy, and its the season for giving. Carson Palmer is giving footballs to opposing defensive backs, Tom Brady is handing out beat downs to opposing coaches, and Gus Johnson is giving us dozens upon dozens of great play calls. I’m just about ready playoff football, and especially ready to stop talking Bills, Lions, and Browns — at least until the draft creeps around. Without further ado…the Week 14 NFL Picks. Home teams in CAPS.

Colts (-2.5) over TITANS
Peyton has not looked good recently, but he’s no Kerry Collins. Dude steps up in primetime, and this should be no different. The Colts don’t lose must win games like this one.

Browns (+1.5) over BILLS
I don’t think I’ve taken the Browns all year. I’m not jumping on the bandwagon, but I don’t really plan on taking the Bills any time soon.

Packers (-6.5) over LIONS
People seem to be overlooking the Packers because they’ve lost so many key players, but they are a very, very good team. Brandon Jackson is a viable replacement, and Aaron Rodgers is still a fantastic quarterback, even without Jermichael Finley and a the corpse of Donald Driver.

STEELERS (-9.5) over Bengals
I just love picking against the Bengals because the line just cannot be high enough. Carson Palmer is a very, very bad quarterback. Unbelievably bad. And people still don’t notice.

Buccaneers (-2.5) over REDSKINS
Josh Freeman wins games. I feel like Bill Simmons right now.

Falcons (-7.5) over PANTHERS
No Panthers line should be under 10.

When do Raider fans stop being fascinating to watch?

JAGUARS (-4.5) over Raiders
Could there be two more boring teams? At least the Raiders are dysfunctional, and that’s interesting.

Seahawks (+4.5) over NINERS
The Seahawks are going to end up winning the NFC West with a horrible record. So should they be allowed into the playoffs with such a suckish record? Yes.

SAINTS (-8.5) over Rams
Sam Bradford may be the next hot thing, but he’s no Drew Brees. Beyond that the Rams are no Saints. And beyond that, St. Louis is no New Orleans.

Patriots (-3.5) over BEARS
Today is the 10th snow day in the Belichick Patriots Era. Their record in those 9 games, you ask? 9-0. You bet your biscuits this is the Bojangles Lock o’ the Week!

JETS (-6.5) over DOLPHINS
As much as I’d love for the Dolphins to take down the Jets, but it just isn’t happening. Tyler Thigpen may cut it in the CFL or UFL or even the XFL, but not the NFL.

Broncos (-3.5) over CARDINALS
The Cardinals are on their third starting quarterback. Do you know who John Skelton is? Did you know he was actually drafted? Did you know he went to Fordham? Do you know where Fordham is?

CHARGERS (-6.5) over Chiefs
Somehow, the Chargers lost a game in December last week. That won’t be happening again.

Eagles (-3.5) over COWBOYS
The Cowboys don’t have Michael Vick. The Cowboys don’t have Dez Bryant. The Cowboys don’t have Tony Romo. The Cowboys aren’t winning this game.

Giants (-2.5) over VIKINGS
It’s looking more and more like Brett Favre’s streak can’t be stopped. Snow is forcing the game to be moved to Monday Night, so Favre gets another day to get healthy. But with or without Favre, Minny won’t be winning this game.

Ravens (-3.5) over TEXANS
If the Ravens are one of the three best teams in the league, they’ll win this game. I have confidence.

Last Week: 10-6

Season: 81-84

Bojangles Lock o’ the Week: 9-3

Here we are in Week 13. Some people are in the last week of regular season of fantasy football, but the real players have five long weeks to go. Without further ado, my Lucky Week 13 picks, home teams in CAPS.

EAGLES (-8.5) over Texans
There is something just depressing about the Texans. Every year they come in with promise, and every year they end the season at 8-8. Except this year. This year they’re not even getting to .500.

Saints (-6.5) over BENGALS
I don’t get this line. The Saints are really good … and the Bengals are really bad. This game will be over fast. This is your Bojangles Lock o’ the Week!

LIONS (+3.5) over Bears
Maybe I have too much faith in the Lions. Maybe I have an irrational disliking for this Bears team. Maybe I feel bad for Detroit after they had a win in Week 1 ripped from their hands against Detroit. But I’ll take the Lions and the points here.

PACKERS (-9.5) over Niners
As many injuries as the Packers have had, they’re still a really talented team. Troy Smith just will not cut it matched up against Aaron Rodgers, and this game won’t be close on the Frozen Tundra at Lambeau Field.

Doesn't Rusty Smith sound like the name of a mechanic?

Jaguars (+3.5) over TITANS
Kerry Collins or Rusty Smith, I’ll take the Jags. They’re completely uninspiring, but they’ve found a way to place themselves atop the AFC South, and they deserve props for that.

CHIEFS (-8.5) over Broncos
I cannot put any trust in KC Coach Todd Haley, but he has so much great help around him, specifically coordinators Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel. KC wins at home, and they’re playing at Arrowhead Stadium today.

DOLPHINS (-4.5) over Browns
As long as Tyler Thigpen isn’t playing, I’ll take Miami.

VIKINGS (-6.5) over Bills
Ugh….what a terrible game. At least Leslie Frazier can motivate his team to step up their game against one of the four worst teams in the league.

GIANTS (-7.5) over Redskins
I generally don’t trust Eli, but against the Redskins, this is an easy pick. Even without Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith, Eli should find a way not to throw four picks and lose the game.

CHARGERS (-12.5) over Raiders
Phillip Rivers does not lose games in December.

Falcons (-3.5) over BUCCANEERS
Is this the game where the NFC South last placed team takes over? You all know the stat, so I don’t need to repeat it. Right now, Tampa is tied with New York and Chicago for the last playoff spot. Unfortunately, today is not the day. They can win the next three games after this one (Washington, Detroit, and Seattle), but not against Matty Ice.

SEAHAWKS (-5.5) over Panthers
The Panthers are bad, and the Seahawks win at home. Simple choice.

Rams (-3.5) over CARDINALS
Do people realize the Cardinals absolutely suck? Like Carolina basketball suck?

COLTS (-5.5) over Cowboys
Peyton in a must-win? Yes, sir.

Steelers (+3.5) over RAVENS
I really trust Big Ben in these games. Of course, we haven’t seen a Baltimore offense like this in decades, but the Steelers still have the best defense in the league.

PATRIOTS (-3.5) over Jets
In a league largely run by quarterbacks and head coaches, I’ll take Brady and the Hoodie over Sanchize and Rex Ryan. The Patriots do not lose these games at home, and this is the time of year when they finally hit full stride.

Last Week: 6-10

Season: 71-78

Bojangles Lock o’ the Week: 9-2

After a week off, my record rocketed up to three games under. Maybe I should take more columns off….. Home teams in CAPS…

Detroit has lost 6 straight on Turkey Day; even the fans know this game is no different from all of the other losses.

Patriots (-6.5) over LIONS
This is TFB we’re talking about! The Lions don’t even win on Thanksgiving! Let’s not get carried away and give too much credit to the Lions here. This is easily the Bojangles’ Gravy n’ Biscuits Lock o’ the Week.

Saints (-3.5) over COWBOYS
I’m about ready to hop off the Cowboys bandwagon. Jason Garrett did a nice job of changing the culture of the locker room, but become the tough cop won’t help you beat the Saints.

JETS (-9.5) over Bengals
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Carson Palmer is a turrible quarterback. T-R-B-L turrrrrrible.

FALCONS (-2.5) over Packers
Matt Ryan does not lose at home. Matty Ice is an astounding 18-1 in the Georgia Dome, and that’s no fluke. The Packers are the best team in a week NFC North, but they’re too banged up right now to take down Roddy White, Michael Turner, and the Atlanta Falcons.

Steelers (-6.5) over BILLS
The Bills are one of the four worst teams in the league. Pittsburgh is one of the four best teams in the league. This game isn’t too hard to pick.

Panthers (+10.5) over BROWNS
The Panthers have had a horrible season. Everything that could go wrong has go wrong, outside of trading for Jake Delhomme. But to lose by 11 to Cleveland? That just cannot and will not happen.

GIANTS (-7.5) over Jaguars
My usual train of though in picking games between AFC and NFC teams with equal records is to go with the AFC team. However, the Jaguars are clearly a 3-7 team not a 6-4 team. Plus, they’re missing both starting tackles. I’m not the biggest Giants fan, but I am a big fan of a great deal.

Vikings (+2.5) over REDSKINS
This one was hard. At first, I wanted to go with Minny. Then I thought of what kinda of a hellish mess they are and switched to Washington. Then I remembered Chilly was fired. I’ll take the points, Leslie Frazier, and the gunslinger.

Titans (+6.5) over TEXANS
Randy Moss may not be racking up the yards or catches, but he still commands double teams. Kerry Collins is a very competent quarterback, even at the ripe age of thirty-seven. He’s a big more accurate on deep passes, but doesn’t have the playmaking ability of Vince Young. Collins or VY, I’ll take Jeff Fisher and the points.

SEAHAWKS (+1.5) over Chiefs
The Seahawks and Chiefs are different teams at home. Who’s at home?

RAIDERS (-3.5) over Dolphins
This game is really tough. Taking the points is enticing, but I trust the Raiders more at home than I do Tyler Thigpen in the Black Hole. As a side note, this has to be the first time in nearly half a decade that I’ve had some semblance of faith in Oakland for any game.

Eagles (-3.5) over BEARS
Michael Vick…Jay Cutler……Michael Vick…Jay Cutler……

RAVENS (-7.5) over Bucs
Josh Freeman wins games, but Joe Flacco wins games against quality teams. Tampa Bay can beat up on the Panthers and Rams of the world, but they need to prove that they can go into Baltimore and win before I completely jump on their bandwagon.

BRONCOS (-3.5) over Rams
I can’t come up with anything complementary to say about Denver, but I can come up with more faults for St. Louis. What an awful game!

Chargers (+3.5) over COLTS
Usually, I say not to go against Peyton in primetime. However, you should never pick against Phillip Rivers late in the season. Rivers is 16-5 in November, 18-1 in December, and 2-0 in January. Yeah.

Niners (-1.5) over CARDINALS
Don’t you feel bad for Larry Fitzgerald? Dude runs downfield, gets open, jumps, then realizes that Max Hall/Derek Anderson threw the ball 10 feet over his head. Let’s just hope that Arizona can draft a real quarterback (Ryan Mallett) next April.

Last Week: 12-4

Season: 65-68

Bojangles Lock o’ the Week: 8-2

He’s electric. He’s exciting. He’s exhilarating to watch. And now he wants to tone down his game?

There’s no one more exciting to watch in the NFL than Michael Vick. Peyton Manning is a machine, Tom Brady is Mr. Clutch, but Vick has the potential to break off a 50-yard pass or 70-yard run on every single play.

As Vick recovered from his recent rib injury, he announced hat he would play more conservatively; that would limit his turnovers and chances for injury. This could be a death sentence to his career, but it also has a chance to be a nice change to his career.

There is no player more explosive, no player who puts more fear into a defensive coordinator than Michael Vick.

When he was in Atlanta, Michael Vick was as close to a running back as any quarterback had ever been. He had a loose cannon of an arm, and scrambled whenever he didn’t see an open receiver. The coaches never did anything to stop him from his cavalier ways.

After a dog-fighting incident and a few years off, Michael Vick appears to be a changed man. Not only has he stopped his dog-fighting ring and surrounded himself by better friends, but he’s also changed his game a bit. After one year of riding the bench, he finally has his legs back. Not only that, but his arm looks stronger and more accurate than ever.

When the Eagles dealt long-time leader Donovan McNabb to the division rival Redskins, Vick was not originally slated to be the starter in Philly. But when Kevin Kolb went down in Week 1 with a concussion, Vick was more than able to step in. MV7 lit up the opposition for 799 yards on 61.4% passing, over six points over his career average.

Then in Week 4, Vick went Vick. When he scrambling in the first half against Washington, he heard a crack. Vick broke two ribs and missed the next three games.

Luckily, Kevin Kolb was not great filling in for Vick, so the job fell back into the hands of The Most Interesting Man in the NFL.

Vick’s return to the Eagles will start tonight against the Colts; seventh in the league in pass defense, but a lowly 28th in run defense. Will Vick tune down his game or stay with his explosive ways? That is yet to be seen, but we do know that Philly has the quickest, most explosive offense in the NFC with Vick at the helm.

With that, here are my Week 9 NFL picks, home teams in CAPS.

Buccaneers (+8.5) over FALCONS
So maybe these Bucs aren’t so bad after all. Also, in its eight years of existence, the last place team in the NFC South has gone on to make the playoffs the next season. In fact, every team has won the division except the 2008 Falcons, who won a wild card. The Bucs finished last in the NFC South last year. Hmmm……

Bears (-2.5) over BILLS
The Bears may be bad, but they’re not the Bills. Jay Cutler isn’t this bad, he just needs competent protection from his O-Line.

Patriots (-4.5) over BROWNS
This would be a revenge game for Eric Mangini vs. The Hoodie and the Pats, but is it really a rivalry when only one team wins? This is free money, everybody!

Jets (-4.5) over LIONS
The Lions could be finally ready to take a step up to a 6-win team. They have great young skill position players (Stafford, Megatron, and Best) and one of the best front fours in the league. However, they aren’t quite ready to step up to beat an above average team.

VIKINGS (-8.5) over Cardinals
The Vikings may be in a gigantic mess, but they have lots of talent. The Cards are in a mess, and they don’t have talent. If Brad Childress wants any hope at keeping his job, he’ll need to crush Max Hall and the Cardinals at home.

PANTHERS (+7.5) over Saints
This may be partially biased. This may be extremely boneheaded. However, Carolina doesn’t lose big in division games, and they’ve won three of the last four against New Orleans, so I’ll take the points at home.

RAVENS (-5.5) over Dolphins
The Dolphins are great on the road, however not against defenses like the Ravens’. Baltimore will force Chad Henne to make the big throw, and I don’t think he can make it, especially if Brandon Marshall is getting double coverage.

Chargers (-1.5) over TEXANS
Always remember this: the Texans lost to the Cowboys. They have all the talent in the world, but they just can’t put it all together. Phillip Rivers is one receiver (Vincent Jackson) away from being able to lift his team to victory, no matter how porous his defense is.

SEAHAWKS (+5.5) over Giants
Are the Giants the best team in the NFC? Maybe, but they’re not going to beat the Seahawks in Seattle. The Seahawks don’t lose games at home, and the Giants are too inconsistent for my taste.

Chiefs (+2.5) over RAIDERS
When is the last time this game mattered? 2002?

Colts (+2.5) over EAGLES
Wait! Peyton and points? I don’t care if Vick and Kolb are playing; I’m taking the Colts.

PACKERS (-7.5) over Cowboys
The Cowboys have flash. The Cowboys have talent. But the Cowboys don’t have precision. They can’t avoid terrible penalties and make do the small things. Green Bay may be banged up, but they’re not blowing this one at home.

Steelers (-4.5) over BENGALS
The Bengals are terrible. The Steelers are still the best team in the NFL. This is not hard. In fact, it’s actually the Bojangles “It’s Bo Time!” Lock o’ the Week!

Last Week: 6-7

Season: 52-65

Bojangles Lock o’ the Week: 6-2

When is the last time a league was this lopsided? The top seven teams could be in the AFC, and it’s not even close. The Steelers, Ravens, Patriots, Jets, Colts, Titans, and Texans have all been great this year, and no NFC team wants to stand out at all. The Cowboys and Vikings have won three games combined, the Giants, Saints, and Falcons are too inconsistent, and no one is worth talking about in the West.

At this point, when an AFC team goes up against an NFC team, its a good bet to go with the AFC. An average team playing in the tougher conference could very well be one of the top teams in the weak NFC. Do you want free money? Take the AFC over the NFC in the Super Bowl; the spread is under three points still!

Here are my Week 8 NFC picks; home teams in CAPS.

Dolphins (+2.5) over BENGALS
Since when have the Bengals been good? The Dolphins have been road warriors, and they’re sneaking under the nation’s radar because they’re not fancy. They pound the ball, play tough defense, and have a conservative pass game. I like the Dolphins straight up, so the points are just gravy at this point. Mmmmmm….gravy….like a Bojangles’ Lock o’ the Week!

COWBOYS (-6.5) over Jaguars
How popular are the Cowboys? More people are going to watch the 1-5 Cowboys with a second string, 38-year old quarterback who hasn’t started since he went 0-16 with the Lions two years ago go up against the most deadbeat team in the NFL over the Rangers, who are in their first World Series.

Redskins (+2.5) over LIONS
You do realize the Lions are 1-5, right? They can keep it close with great teams and beat up on the Rams of the world, but they’re not going to beat the ‘Skins.

Bills (+7.5) over CHIEFS
I’m ready to jump off the Chiefs’ bandwagon. There’s nothing wrong with Matt Cassel, but there’s nothing right with him either. Dwayne Bowe is too inconsistent for my taste, and there aren’t many blue chippers on defense. With Buffalo’s suddenly more-than-competent pass game, I’ll take Buffalo to cover, not necessarily to win.

Panthers (+3.5) over RAMS
Every rookie hits a wall some time, and this is it for Sam Bradford. Sure, the Panthers don’t look like a tough matchup, but they’ve actually been great on defense this season. Seventh overall in defense and fourth in pass defense, the Panthers have greatly benefited from top-notch years from Jon Beason, Charles Godfrey, and James Anderson. Carolina has momentum on their side; so I see them getting a not-so-tough road win to help keep their season barely alive.

JETS (-6.5) over Packers
The Packers could not have imagined a worse start in their worst dreams. First, All Pro Ryan Grant went down with an ankle injury, then Jermichael Finley. Aaron Rodgers leads the NFL in interceptions, and they have a measly 4-3 record. Going to Jersey won’t help restart the year. Is this a reverse jinx? Maybe. Or maybe the Jets are this good. Or not.

Broncos (+0.5) over NINERS
Thank God we won’t have to see this terrible game. Have fun, London!

Titans (-3.5) over CHARGERS
Vince Young is back, and Kenny Britt has exploded into a very good receiver in the last few weeks. The Chargers are still missing Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd, and the Titans play a lot better defense, so I’ll take the team with that Chris Johnson guy.

Bucs (+3.5) over CARDINALS
The Bucs may not be a great team, but they sure can beat up on bad teams!

PATRIOTS (-5.5) over Vikings
Randy Moss gets an early return to New England, but Brett Favre won’t be at full strength. If anyone won’t be affected by potential legal trouble, however, it would have to be Favre. But in the end, the team in silver and blue has the Man named Brady and the Hoodie in this matchup.

RAIDERS (-2.5) over Seahawks
The Seahawks absolutely cannot win on the road. The Raiders aren’t great, but they’re coming off their best win since 1999. Darren McFadden runs exponentially better when he’s not frustrated, and the Seahawks will have trouble winning in the Black Hole.

Steelers (+0.5) over SAINTS

Peyton Manning is all-time great in the regular season, but he's surprisingly un-clutch in the playoffs.

At this point, the Steelers are the best team in the NFL. The Saints, on the other hand, have been very disappointing this year, especially after losing to the Browns at home. Not only did they lose to the lowly Cleveland Browns, they also gave up a 68-yard run … to a punter! The Steelers are more physical, and they’re just a better team right now.

COLTS (-5.5) over Texans
Until we reach January, I am never going to bet against Peyton Manning in primetime.

Last Week: 6-8

Season: 46-58

Bojangles’ Lock o’ the Week: 4-2

How much do fines really mean in the NFL? Normally, they’re no more than a slap on the wrist, but things may be getting a bit out of hand. Five-figure fines for tweeting or improper chinstraps is outrageous, but that is another discussion for another time. The question is why fine $75k for normal football plays?

James Harrison has never been known as a dirty player. He is a hard working player who had to give it all just to make the Steelers before becoming one of the most feared pass rushers in the league. Last Sunday, when facing the Cleveland Browns, Harrison laid a huge (but legal) hit on Mohamed Massaquoi, and now he’s $75,000 poorer. This even led him to considering retirement.

Football has always been a violent sport, now more than ever because players are bigger, faster, and stronger. That being said, the NFL should not change the rules or strategies to the game. The rules are tough enough on defenders, limiting hits allowed of quarterbacks, so if they were to disallow any hit with a helmet would be a kiss of death for defenses.

Ultimately, though, we’ll see the same style of football. This won’t be the Canadian Footaball League, and it certainly won’t be soccer. Leagues make threats like these all of the time, just look at the NBA with the new ball and tougher technical fouls rule. I think Roger Goodell wants to send a message that the league is getting tougher, but players can’t go crazy on the field.

There won’t be a big impact ultimately, and people will continue to watch. People don’t love defense, they lose big offense. If you don’t believe me, then did the Ravens/Giants Super Bowl receive so much lower ratings then the Saints/Colts game did? Fans will overreact, but all will end okay. Without further ado, my Week 7 NFL Picks. Home teams in CAPS.

FALCONS (-3.5) over Bengals
In case you didn’t know, the Bengals are bad. Really bad. Carson Palmer is no longer a competent quarterback, and he has to force passes to T.O. to keep him happy. The Falcons could be the best team in a very week NFC; they have a clutch quarterback, a very good running game, two great pass catchers, and a fast, young defense.

Redskins (+2.5) over BEARS
I’m starting to believe in the Redskins more and more throughout the season. They’ve got a great coach, quarterback, and plenty of veteran experience. On the other hand, I’m just not guying the Bears. They have a terrible offensive line and a highly turnover quarterback. This one will be close, so I’ll take the Redskins and the points.

Eagles (+3.5) over TITANS
Could the Eagles really be the best team in the NFC? They’re the fastest team in the NFC, and they’ve won four of their last five games. The Titans could very well be missing Vince Young, and as long as Kerry Collins is in, I’ll take the Eagles.

Picking against the Jags is free money.

CHIEFS (-5.5) over Jaguars
You do realize how horrible the Jags are. MJD is the only semi-quality player on their roster. David Garrard is out. Do you know who is starting now? Todd Bouman. TODD BOUMAN! Do you know what this smells like? It smells like the aroma from…. a Bojangles’ Cajun Filet Lock o’ the Week!

Steelers (-3.5) over DOLPHINS
The Steelers are the best team in the NFL. Plain and simple. Big Ben is back and ready to prove to the world he can come through in more places than the bathroom. What? That’s a little inappropriate? Whatever….. By the way, what do you bet when Ben introduced himself to the college girl he said, “Hey, they call me Big Ben. Wanna meet Lil Ben?”?

SAINTS (-13.5) over Browns
This line can never be high enough.

BUCCANEERS (-2.5) over Rams
As good as we though Sam Bradford would be coming out of Oklahoma, he is even better. He is showing poise, pocket presence, and a great arm. Unfortunately, he has no receiving weapons. On top of that, he’s going on the road to face another great young quarterback, Josh Freeman. They are both going to be Pro Bowlers in a few years, but Bradford is going to be an owner of a 3-4 record fairly soon.

PANTHERS (+3.5) over Niners
As much as the Panthers have sucked this year, they do have a few things going for them this game. For starters, the Panthers are coming off a bye, where the Panthers are 5-1 in the last six seasons. Also, the Niners are taking a cross-country flight before playing at essentially 10 AM. Also, the 49ers have Alex Smith at quarterback. Then again, Carolina has Matt Moore starting. Either way, John Fox has never lost double digit games in his career, so a win at home is in order.

RAVENS (-13.5) over Bills
Just like the Saints/Browns game, this line can never be high enough.

SEAHAWKS (-5.5) over Cardinals
The Seahawks are a strange team, but they are no mystery. They rock at home behind the best home field advantage in the NFL, but are absolutely terrible on the road. They’re at home this week, so this one shouldn’t be close.

Patriots (-2.5) over CHARGERS
Deion Branch is no Randy Moss, but Patrick Crayton and Buster Davis are no Vincent Jackson. They Pats will win this game because of a superior offense, but also because the Chargers cannot stop anyone on special teams. Watch out for a Brandon Tate kick return and a big Pats victory.

BRONCOS (-6.5) over Raiders
I don’t know why, but I continue to believe in the Broncos. They have next to no offensive talent, yet Josh McDaniels makes it work with Kyle Orton, Brandon Lloyd, and Eddie Royal. The Raiders, on the other hand, are starting Kyle Boller. Enough said.

VIKINGS (+2.5) over Packers
How often do you get to take a great team and points? The Packers are not a good team; they are just pissing too many key pieces. Favre won’t lose this big game against his former team, and then maybe we’ll realize that Aaron is a great fantasy quarterback, but an average real-life QB.

COWBOYS (-3.5) over Giants
The Cowboys need to win this game, and they’re not gonna blow this one at home. The Giants aren’t his good, and the ‘Boys aren’t this bad. Tony Romo will step up here while Eli will crumble in the spotlight.

Last Week: 8-8

Season: 40-52

Bojangles’ Lock o’ the Week: 3-2