NFL Week 9 Picks and Analysis
Saturday, November 7, 2009 10:30
AND THE OCTOBER 2009 TAMPY GOES TO…
THE TENNESSEE KITTENS–I MEAN–TITANS
There really is no close second. The Titan-ic meltdown in Foxboro losing 59-0–in a foot of snow? An embarrassing, cat-aclysmicly, tamponderous act of quitting never seen in the annals of pro football.
First of all, if you can’t get up to play the eminently hate-able Pats, why disgrace your uniform? Second, I could maybe allow for an 0-6 team to quit if they are being pounded by a superior running game. But in the snow, wind, and bluster of a New England night, Tom Brady set passing records that might not be broken in the next millennium. It was like watching the Pittsburgh Penguins skating on ice against the Kenyan Hockey team wearing jogging shoes.
I’ll always have reservations about Belichick, but I’ve always respected him not giving a flying squirrel in regards to what his peers or pundits think about the Patriots running up the score. A couple years back during NE’s undefeated regular season, the Pats were running reverses when they were up 35-3.
The weeping and gnashing of mouth-guards was enough to wake the dead. If you’re a professional and can’t stop a team from scoring, you deserve the beat down.
WEEK 9
Speaking of beat downs I’m leaving for the Mile High City to meet my Dad for what should be a great Monday Night game-if you’re a Steeler fan.
I used to live in Denver a lifetime ago and developed a healthy disdain for the Broncos. I engaged in several “lively discussions” with many a Bronco fan. It turns out they didn’t like their defense being called the Orange Slush, or reminded that their new logo looks like Mr. Ed on steroids. They especially didn’t like being reminded they were four-time Super Bowl losers–or rather, people like me reminding them of that status.
When John Elway and Mike Shanahan got the monkey off the Broncos’ backs, it was a melancholy day in Porporaville.
But I know a good coach when I see one and Josh McDaniels has the Broncos playing consistently sound fundamental football. I’m just not convinced the Broncos are ready for the big rodeo. They deserve credit for making the plays when they needed them in beating three quality opponents–Dallas, New England, Cincy–by a total of 15 points.
Denver’s defense is still the league’s best even though the Ravens gashed the Broncs 30-7 last week. Denver isn’t a big team and Baltimore showed the rest of the league running the ball against Denver can be very productive.
With an average offense led by an average quarterback in Kyle Orton, the Broncos haven’t seen a defense as ferocious as the Steelers’.
SPECIALTY PICKS
I am money with my Specialty picks. I correctly called the Bears to kill the Brownies and the Vikes to upset the Packers. I also was right that Miami would come out spitting acid through their blowholes, making life difficult for Rex Ryan’s Jets.
For the week, I was 8-5, leaving me at an overall total of 59-56-1 and a stellar 20-3 in the Weekly Trifecta.
THE UPSET OF THE WEEK
Take the Fish and the points against The Pats in Foxboro. The Dolphins won’t win outright, but they’ll cover this one unless Belichick comes up with the scheme–
–Hold on…
I just read Joey Porter is calling the Pats out for cheating the Steelers out of two championship games. What a jag-off! Porter must have a bad memory. During the ensuing five months of being raked through the media for cheating–after Belichick got busted–the Pats reeled off 18 straight victories, coming up just a few points short of winning in the Super Bowl. They were beating quality teams by 30 points week after week.
Look for Brady to light up the Florida Fish for about 38 points.
Someday Porter might learn to keep his mouth shut.
None of the other Dawgs I have picked make my tail wag.
I do like what Gary Kubiak is doing in the Lone Star state and think Matt Schaub has elite potential. The Texans are looking for that breakout game. Houston will be within a touchdown, with a chance to win it at the end.
Thanks a lot, Joey.
THE LOCK OF THE WEEK
The Giants were inexplicably embarrassed in the City of Brotherly Love last week and can’t afford to lose another game in the standings to the Eagles. San Diego doesn’t do well east of the Rockies. Giants by ten.
SUCKERS BET OF THE WEEK
Philadelphia made a statement at home last week against the G-Men. I’ve always admired Donavan McNabb’s resiliency and shaken my head at Tony Romo’s almost bipolar inconsistency. In every facet of quarterbacking, Romo can look like John Elway one week and Ryan Leaf the next.
I hope McNabb makes Jerry Jones cry, but it’ll probably be a nail biter. Don’t waste your money
As always, the weekly lines I use are found here: www.footballlocks.com/nfl_lines.shtml
My picks are in bold italics below:
NFL Lines For Week 9 – 11/8 – 11/9, 2009
| Date & Time | Favorite | Line | Underdog | Total |
| 11/8 1:00 ET | At Jacksonville | -6.5 | Kansas City | 42 |
| 11/8 1:00 ET | Baltimore | -3 | At Cincinnati | 43.5 |
| 11/8 1:00 ET | At Indianapolis | -9 | Houston | 48 |
| 11/8 1:00 ET | At Atlanta | -10 | Washington | 41.5 |
| 11/8 1:00 ET | Green Bay | -10 | At Tampa Bay | 43.5 |
| 11/8 1:00 ET | At Chicago | -3 | Arizona | 44.5 |
| 11/8 1:00 ET | At New England | -10.5 | Miami | 47 |
| 11/8 4:05 ET | At New Orleans | -13 | Carolina | 52 |
| 11/8 4:05 ET | At Seattle | -10 | Detroit | 43 |
| 11/8 4:15 ET | At San Francisco | -4 | Tennessee | 41 |
| 11/8 4:15 ET | At NY Giants | -5 | San Diego | 47.5 |
| 11/8 8:20 ET | At Philadelphia | -3 | Dallas | 48 |
Monday Night Football Line
| 11/9 8:35 ET | Pittsburgh | -3 | At Denver | 39.5 |
4 Responses to “NFL Week 9 Picks and Analysis”
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Nate Barlow
says:
November 7th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
I agree with you about the Broncos. They don't fall into my bottom rung of NFL contempt (that is reserved for the likes of the Dolphins and Raiders), but never been fond of them.
Knowing how much you dislike Belichick, I was amused by your nod of approval in regards to his complete disregard of criticism for running up the score. As far as I'm concerned, running up the score should not even be a term in the NFL or any other professional league. These are the pros! You are being payed to play, and your job is to win. It has nothing to do with the other team's feeling. Please. Embarrass them so they are afraid of you next time.
The ironic thing is, in the college game, where it's supposed to be about the spirit of the game and not about the money (yeah, right), running up the score can be an integral part of improving your rankings. And that's a level of the game where the argument about "consideration" ostensibly would hold water if we didn't know the truth of the matter. So how anyone can make the argument that you shouldn't score as much as you can, however you can, at any point of the game is beyond me.
Pansies.
Nate Barlow
says:
November 7th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
And we need a nomination from the first week of the month for the November Tampy. My vote goes to Eli Manning for his pathetic performance against Philly and for his lack of urgency in the late third / early fourth quarter when a good, quick run could still have put the Giants back in the game.
Gairzo
says:
November 8th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Good call on Eli. He has the look of a snot nosed, spoiled kid–even when he wins.
To clarify: Me liking Belichick…not the issue. He could have cemented a place in history with Lombardi, Noll without cheating. BB and his team got off easy–and the league let it happen.
Without beating that horse into reincarnation, there probably are no better coaches than NE's in evaluating players to fit their system. On draft day NE raises the most eyebrows about trades and picks being "reaches".
Then 2-3 years down the line those players are making Pro Bowls.
I give them their due in the next Game Plan column I'm working on for next week.
Nate Barlow
says:
November 8th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
I agree with you there, especially when it comes to player psychology. No better example than Randy Moss. Self-absorbed malcontent into team leader when Brady went down last year. His talent was unquestioned but prior to coming to the Patriots his attitude raised serious doubts.
Understanding that psychology can be even more important than recognizing playing ability. And with talent it's as much about what works with the system as pure ability. Too many teams only look at the raw talent.