NFL Picks Week 13

I've been slacking on the blogging, too busy. After going 8-8 in week 11, I returned to form with a 11-5 Week 12. Yea me! Anyway, on to the picks before the game starts! (home team in caps)

Baltimore over CINCINNATI- The Ravens look awesome right now, but the Bengals are desperate to win this game. It should be a good one, I can't wait to get off work!

ST. LOUIS over Arizona- The Rams are struggling, but even they should be able to beat the pathetic Cardinals.

Atlanta over WASHINGTON- Although the Redskins are showing a little life, I have to think the Falcons will bounce back after Vick's "dirty bird" tantrum last week.

Dallas over NEW JERSEY GIANTS- 2 teams heading in opposite directions. The Giants are falling apart, and since Romo took the helm, the Cowboys are looking pretty tough. Lets see if Gramatica is the answer to their kicking.

NEW ENGLAND over Detroit- The Pats looked good beating the Bears, and the Lions suck!

Indianapolis over TENNESSEE- Despite the Titans stunner win over the Giants, they can't roll with the older Manning.

MIAMI over Jacksonville- I think the Jags are looking awfully shaky, and the Dolphins are getting better week to week.

Kansas City over CLEVELAND- Larry Johnson will mow down the Browns. No love in Cleveland.

CHICAGO over Minnesota- The Vikings have just gone in the toilet after beating my Seahawks and the Bears are still a good team.

New Jersey Jets over GREEN BAY- Just a hunch, but I think this one can go either way.

San Diego over BUFFALO- The other LT should continue his amazing year against a sad Bills team.

NEW ORLEANS over San Francisco- The Saint are looking good this year, and I hope they can knock off the threatening Niners at home.

PITTSBURGH over Tampa Bay- Both teams are struggling, so I have to take the home team.

OAKLAND over Houston- See above.

Seattle over DENVER- The Broncos are starting a rookie on national TV, and the Seahawks are finally healthy and ready to make their stretch run. Plus, I think they'll want to make a statement after their embarrassing loss on the last Sunday night game they played.

Carolina over PHILADELPHIA- You have to fell sorry for Mcnabb, but Steve Smith and the Panthers won't.

Last week: 11-5
Season: 107-69

NFL Picks Week 11

Well, I stayed at .500 for last week, but it's just a pain in the ass making picks recently. Atlanta lost to the Browns last week, the Dolphins are on a 2-game win streak, the Jags lost to the Texans and I just don't know who's really good anymore besides the obvious teams.

One note on my Seahawks- where's the respect from the national media? Our pro-bowl quarterback is out, the league MVP has missed 8 weeks, the offensive line has changed week to week do to injury, last years #1 receiver has been out for 4 weeks and the Seahawks are 6-3. This team is going to be a monster once they're healthy. And quite frankly, I don't think the "elite" teams could have withstood what the Seahawks have and kept winning. How many games do you think the Colts would win if Manning went down for a long stretch? That's what I thought. On to the picks (home team in CAPS)

BALTIMORE over Atlanta- After a couple of weeks of looking good, Vick and the Falcons looked bad the last 2 weeks. Add that to playing on the road against an excellent defense and a confident Ravens offence and I think the Falcons are cooked.

HOUSTON over Buffalo- 2 fairly bad teams, but the Texans have been improving, so I'll give them the nod at home.

Chicago over NEW JERSEY JETS- The Bears spanked a decent Giants team last week in Jersey, and I expect them to do the same against the Jets, assuming Grossman doesn't return to his Arizona-game form and take care of the ball.

NEW ORLEANS over Cincinnati- Both teams lost last week, but the Bengals defense blew a big lead and ended up giving up 49 points at home. The Bengals just seem to be headed in the wrong direction.

Indianapolis over DALLAS- God I hate the Cowboys, Bill Parcels and T.O. That team is like the perfect shit-storm for me, I can't wait until the inevitable implosion. Anyway, I'm not picking against the Colts as long as Manning is at the helm and it's still the regular season.

MIAMI over Minnesota- The Dolphins have looked good recently winning 2 straight, one of which was an upset of the Bears in Chicago. Meanwhile after upsetting my Seahawks a few weeks ago, the Vikings have lost 3 straight, and only one of those to a team with a winning record.

New England over GREEN BAY- I'm not real confident in this pick, the Pats are coming off 2 straight losses, and Favre and the Pack are looking better. But, I have to think Bilichik (sp?) and Brady simply won't let that team lose 3 in a row.

KANSAS CITY over Oakland- The return of Trent Green at home in Arrowhead against the Raiders. You do the math.

Pittsburgh over CLEVELAND- As bad as the Steelers started, they can still climb back into the playoff picture because of the mediocrity of records outside division leaders in the AFC. A win at Cleveland is a good way to start.

CAROLINA over St. Louis- The Panthers looked really sharp in the 2nd half on Monday, and if they can keep the Rams from scoring early, they should be able to knock out their 2nd win in a row.

PHILADELPHIA over Tennessee- The Titans play tough, but the Eagles seemed to right their ship last week and should win on Sunday.

Washington over TAMPA BAY- The Bucs offense looked terrible last week, but their defense still makes plays. I just think the Redskins are just good enough to pull this one out.

Detroit over ARIZONA- Just a guess, I have no idea with these 2 bottom feeders.

Seattle over SAN FRANCISCO- The Niners are playing better recently, but they can't hold my Seahawks down! Not with the MVP making a return!

San Diego over DENVER- The Chargers have some defensive problems right now, but who cares when you have the machine that is L.T.? I think this will be a shoot-out, and unless Plummer has a perfect game, the Broncos lose.

New Jersey Giants over JACKSONVILLE- The Jags don't seem to be able to play consistently, and I think the Giants will bounce back from last weeks loss, even though they're pretty banged up on defense.

Last week: 8-8
Season: 88-56

NFL Picks Week 10

Well, I got back to .500 after a couple of bad week, but there have been some strange upsets the last few weeks. The Bears losing at home to Miami? The Lions beating the Falcons? Weird couple of weeks. On to the picks, home team in CAPS,

Baltimore over TENNESSEE- Baltimore is looking really good on defense, solid on offense and facing a rookie QB on a young team. Ravens roll.

INDIANAPOLIS over Buffalo- The Bills suck, and the Colts are coming home after a big win on the road. Look for Manning to have (another) huge game.

NEW JERSEY GIANTS over Chicago- Yes, I think the media darling Bears are going to lose 2 in a row. They've looked bad on offense the last few weeks, and the Giants have a pretty good defense.

ATLANTA over Cleveland- The Falcons are so up and down it's hard to know which team will show up, but I have to assume they can beat the lowly Browns at home.

MINNESOTA over Green Bay- After looking really good against the Seahawks, the Vikings got dismantled by the Pats, then lost to a pathetic Niners team. But who knows, they might beat the erratic Pack at home... I just don't know about this game.

JACKSONVILLE over Houston- The Jags beat the Titans handily last week, so I expect them to stay sharp at home over a bad Texans team too.

Kansas City over MIAMI- After a tough start, the Chiefs have been looking pretty good. Their defense is a little suspect, but the Dolphins aren't exactly a offensive powerhouse.

New Orleans over PITTSBURGH- I keep picking the Steelers and Big Ben keeps killing them. 2 teams headed in opposite directions right now, I think the Saints beat the Steelers at home (and yes, I am enjoying the Steelers collapse this season).

NEW ENGLAND over New Jersey Jets- Tough loss for the Pats last week, but I expect Brady to bounce back against a team quite a bit worse than the Colts.

San Diego over CINCINNATI- I like the Bengals, but I think they have a few too many flaws to beat what may be the best all-around team in the league right now.

DETROIT over San Francisco- Toss-up game with 2 bottom feeders, but I think Kitna has been putting up enough points to beat the Niners at home.

PHILADELPHIA over Washington- The Eagles coming off a bye week should be set to roll over what is a mediocre team at best.

Denver over OAKLAND- The Broncos are looking pretty sharp and the Raider suck. 'Nuff said.

Dallas over ARIZONA- The Cardinals look like they still haven't recovered from the heartbreaking loss to the Bears, and I think that even with all the drama, the Cowboys should be able to win.

SEATTLE over St. Louis- Biggest game of the year for my Seahawks, and I think they pull it off. It would be awesome to be sitting at 6-3 even with all the injuries we've suffered so far.

CAROLINA over Tampa Bay- The Panthers have been pretty inconsistent, but I expect them to win on MNF at home against an inferior team. But the Bucs have been lucky....

Last week: 7-7
Season:80-48

NFL Picks Week 9

I'm on a downward slope the last few weeks, but there have been quite a few surprising games. I'll try and pick it back up. On to the picks (home team in caps)

Atlanta over DETROIT-Vick is playing great, the Falcons are rolling, and while Kitna is a fantasy stud, the Lions just can't seem to win a game.

BALTIMORE over Cincinnati- The Ravens looked good last week with Billick making the calls, the defense is still great and they're at home. Ochco Cinco will have to have a huge game for the Bengals to pull this one out.

Dallas over WASHINGTON- Romo looked good in his first start, and the Redskins are struggling. Portis might run big, but the Redskins are in trouble.

Green Bay over BUFFALO- Favre is having fun playing, Green is back and the Bills suck.

NEW JERSEY GIANTS over Houston- The G-men are looking good, they fixed their defense and the Texans kind of suck.

Kansas City over ST. LOUIS- I just don't think the Rams are that good, and after watching what Larry Johnson and Tony Gonzales did to my Seahawks last week, I think the Rams are in trouble.

CHICAGO over Miami- Da Bears are rolling and the Dolphins suck.

New Orleans over TAMPA BAY- Although this might be a trap game for the Saints, the Bucs are a couple of fluky plays from being winless. The Saints should bounce back from last week's loss.

JACKSONVILLE over Tennessee- I think the Jags will win at home, although the Titans have been playing teams pretty tough, and we don't know what Gerrard will do at the helm of the Jags offense.

Minnesota over SAN FRANCISCO- Although the Vikings got spanked on Monday, they are playing the Niners.

SAN DIEGO over Cleveland- The Chargers roll at home, and the Browns suck. LT will have his way with the Browns.

PITTSBURGH over Denver- I'm not real confident in this pick the way Big Ben has been playing, but I just thing the Steelers will win this must-win game at home.

NEW ENGLAND over Indianapolis- I take the Pats until the Colts show they can beat them. Plus, the Colts can't stop my mom from running the ball. Dillon will have a huge game, and if he doesn't, it will be because Brady took the Colts apart.

SEATTLE over Oakland- MNF at home, I think the injury-depleted Seahawks will win this one, even though they're missing a lot of key players.

Last week: 6-8
Season: 73-41

Iraq vs. Kerry's Muffed Joke

Glenn Greenwald has an important post today about the military's report of the increasing chaos in Iraq being reported, the reaction of the Bush cultists, and the fact that this important report was largely ignored by the MSM. From the post-

Two weeks ago, Dick Cheney said (while visiting with Rush Limbaugh) that things in Iraq were going "remarkably well" -- the same thing we have been hearing for several years now from the administration and their most rabid and dishonest followers. Yesterday, The New York Times published a chart prepared by the United States Central Command which demonstrates precisely the opposite -- namely, that the situation in Iraq is steadily deteriorating, not improving, and is close to full-blown chaos (this report received little attention because the media was focused on the much more important matter of John Kerry's joke).

What's really depressing to me is the fact that the media plays right along with the right-wing noise machine. Bush, McCain, Rush, Hannity and friends willingly misconstrued the obvious intent of Kerry's botched joke, made a bunch of noise and statements about it and the MSM diligently reported it ad nauseum. Meanwhile, our military has a report that says Iraq is on the edge of chaos, and that gets very little play. We wouldn't want the voters to actually be informed about the Republicans failed war execution going into election day, would we?