Guaranteed Picks for NFL Week 10

     Are we really half way through the season already?  The winless teams are all gone, and two explosive lonely soldiers sit alone at the top, seemingly on a collision course.  This is when things really start to get fun, and the playoff races begin… Here are your week 10 power rankings.

Chicago Bears (4-4) at San Fransisco 49ers (3-5)

Remember a few weeks back when these two teams were ‘going places’? Neither one can beat a good team.  Should be fun to see what they do with each other.

Prediction:  Niners in a shootout. 49ers 35 Bears 31

Detroit Lions (1-7) at Minnesota Vikings (7-1)

We’ll see how Favre holds up as time goes on, but not this week.

Prediction:  It’s the Lions.  Vikings 38 Lions 10

Denver Broncos (6-1) at Washington Redskins (2-6)

The Broncos aren’t quite as good as we thought.  No one thinks the Deadskins are any good at all.

Prediction:  Yawn.  Broncos 27 Deadskins 7

Cincinatti Bengals (6-2) at Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

Ok, I’m buying.  The Bengals don’t suck.  But at Pittsburgh?  This is the time of year the Steelers start to roll.

Prediction:  Don’t see it.  Steelers 24 Bengals 14

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4) at New York Jets (4-4)

The team that loses this game will already be exiting the playoff race.

Prediction:  Jags have been lucky.  Always roll with the best D.  J-E-T-S 23 Jags 14

New Orleans Saints (8-0) at St Louis Rams (1-7)

No mystery here.

Prediction:  Saints could score 60.  Saints 49 Rams 10

Buffalo Bills (3-5) at Tennessee Titans (2-6)

Why the hell did they wait so long for Vince?!

Prediction:  Just wait… we’ll be talking playoffs for the Titans in a month.  Titans 34 Bills 17

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-7) at Miami Dolphins (3-5)

I really thought the ‘Fins were going to pull it off against the Pats, even in the fourth quarter.  They may not be the Succaneers any more (thanks to the worst coach in the NFL), but the Bucs will be outmatched here.

Prediction:  Wildcatted to death.  Dolphins 34 Bucs 14

Atlanta Falcons (5-3) at Carolina Panthers (3-5)

It’s hard to tell if the Panthers are dead or not.  Upset special #1.

Prediction:  Rumors of Carolina’s demise are exaggerated. Panthers 28 Falcons 24

Kansas City Chiefs (1-7) at Oakland Raiders (2-6)

The battle for the cellar in the AFC west.

Prediction:  I will never pick a team with Jamarcus starting again.  Chiefs 21 Raiders 13

Dallas Cowboys (5-2) at Green Bay Packers (4-4)

Jobs are about to be on the line in Titletown.  Upset special #2

Prediction:  With the season effectively on the line, the Cheeseheads come up with the first real important victory of Rodgers’ career.  Packers 38 Cowboys 35

Seattle Seahawks (3-5) at Arizona Cardinals (5-3)

This is the week where the Cards start to pull away with the division.

Results: Blowout.  Cards 38 Seahawks 10

Philadelphia Eagles (5-2) at San Diego Chargers (5-3)

Settle down, Bolts fans.  Beating the Giants isn’t near as impressive as it would have been a year ago.

Prediction: No string of NFC East wins here.   Eagles 34 Chargers 21

New England Patriots (6-2) at Indianapolis Colts (8-0)

This one never disappoints.

Prediction:  Not in Peyton’s Place.  Colts 31 Patriots 27

Baltimore Ravens (4-4) at Cleveland Browns (1-7)

Can anyone tell me why the hell this is a Monday night game?

Prediction: Uh…. Ravens 38 Browns 6

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Week 9 In Review… The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

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Baltimore Ravens (4-3) at Cincinnatti Bengals (5-2)

Suddenly a huge AFC North game.  The Ravens, fresh off of dismantling Bronco dreams, are ready to re-assert themselves after a skid.

Prediction:  Baltimore in a wild one.  Ravens 31 Bengals 28

Results:  Bengals 17 Ravens 7.   A defensive struggle? Really?  I think we can put to bed questions of the Bengals legitimacy.  Bad

Washington Redskins (2-5) at Atlanta Falcons (4-2)

The Falcons aren’t quite ready for the top level.  Fortunately the Redskins are no top level team. 

Prediction:  Falcons big.  Falcons 35 Redskins 10

Results:  Falcons 31 Redskins 17.  Falcons are the top amongst mid tier teams; Deadskins just suck.  Good

Green Bay Packers (4-3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-7)

To say the Packers’ play calling is suspect would be an understatement.

Prediction:  This used to be a great rivalry.  Not any more.  Packers 38 Succaneers 17

Results: Buccaneers 38 Packers 28.  It’s official… Mike McCarthy is to coaching what Jamarcus Russell is to the QB position.  Fair (No one called this one)

Arizona Cardinals (4-3) at Chicago Bears (4-3)

Neither of these teams is anything resembling consistent.  This one is simply a matter of who’s on this week.

Prediction:  Cardinals bounce back in a shootout.  Cards 34 Bears 31

Results:  Cardinals 41 Bears 21.  Arise, Cards Offense!  Bears are as middle of the pack as it gets.  Good

Houston Texans (5-3) at Indianapolis Colts (7-0)

The Colts were truly tested against the Niners; They can win a tight one, too.

Prediction: Won’t be tested this week.  Colts 35 Texans 17

Results: Colts 20 Texans 17.  Colts tested again.  They’re pretty good in close games, too.  And even at 5-4, the Texans are for real.  Good

Kansas City Chiefs (1-6) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4)

The Jags were unfortunate enough to be there for the Titans’ rising.  There will be no Chiefs’ rising.

Prediction:  Jags somehow stay in the playoff hunt for one more week.  Jags 31 Chiefs 20

Results:  Jaguars 24 Chiefs 21.  Sadly, no one cares.  Good

Miami Dolphins (3-4) at New England Patriots (5-2)

The Dolphins are in must win mode pretty much for the rest of the year.

Prediction:  Dolphins live to fight another day.  Dolphins 31 Pats 27

Results:  Patriont 27 Dolphins 17.  It gets awful hard for the ‘Fins now.  Give em credit, though… this team has more guts than any other in the NFL.  Bad

Carolina Panthers (3-4) at New Orleans Saints (6-0)

So the Panthers had a bit of a resurrection this week.  Does this mean the Saints should be wary?

Prediction: Uh,…. no. Saints 45 Panthers 21

Results:  Saints 30 Panthers 20.  Like the Colts, the Saints are showing they can win in a variety of ways.  Good

Detroit Lions (1-6) at Seattle Seahawks (2-5)

Still another garbage bowl.

Prediction: Wins are hard to come by when you suck.  Fortunately for the Seahawks, the Lions suck more.  Seahawks 28 Lions 13

Results:  Seahawks 32 Lions 20.  Yup.  Good

Tennessee Titans (1-6) at San Fransisco 49ers (3-4)

Vince Young and Alex Smith both returned this week.  Who takes that next step?

Prediction:  Wouldn’t it be something if the Titans ripped off 10 wins in a row?  Titans 27 49ers 24.

Results:  Titans 34 49ers 27.  The Titans are a rejuvinated team.  All Pro

San Diego Chargers (5-3) at New York Giants (5-3)

Three weeks ago we were wondering if they were the NFL’s best.  Now we’re wondering if they’re a playoff team.

Prediction:  The Giants need this one.  Giants 31 Chargers 21

Results:  Chargers 21 Giants 20.  Need in one hand, poop in the other, I guess.  I did ask last week if the Giants were even a playoff team…  Bad

Dallas Cowboys (5-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (5-2)

Gettin awful crowded at the top of the NFC east.

Prediction:  Romo continues his ascent.  Cowboys 34 Eagles 31

Result: Cowboys 20 Eagles 16.  Cowboys suddenly look awful good… Good

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) at Denver Broncos (6-1)

The Steelers will just have to settle for knocking off a 1 loss team.

Prediction:  Two teams headed in different directions.  Steelers 31 Broncos 20