Week 5 primer: Pairing up the picks (NFC East games only)
by Vinnie Iyer
http://www.sportingnews.com
It's a tradition that I hoped would come to an end this season. But alas, the upset Saturday in college football was contagious and carried over well into Sunday, wiping out victories for several favored NFL teams. Therefore, only four weeks in, and it's my first losing weekly record of the season.
You can read my stats below, but that won't make me weep. I'm getting right back on the prognostication pony with my customary sub.-500 response off the inevitable "go figure" week. That's right, it's two picks for the price of one, which is still free to you.
If you haven't played before, this is how it works: The first pick for a particular game tells you how the team I'm not really picking can win the game. The second pick is the one for the books. At least that guarantees I'm half right, or something like that. Let's get it started, with. . . .
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Game of the Week, NFC
Detroit at Washington. Both teams are off to surprisingly good starts that have them -- at least for now -- in the NFC playoff picture. Despite having high-profile offensive coordinators -- Mike Martz and Al Saunders -- in common, the Lions and the Redskins are doing it with different styles.
If the Lions' way of winning -- which is throwing the ball all the time with Jon Kitna, going after big pass plays without any regard for pass or ball protection, and hoping they somehow make a few fewer mistakes than their opponents -- wins out, then the victor will be Detroit, barely, 24-21.
But wait, the Redskins' formula sounds much better. Have Saunders call for the Redskins to run the ball often with Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts to control the clock, and continue to play improved-yet-still-aggressive defense under coordinator Gregg Williams. History tells me the Washington way usually wins more games. Redskins 24, Lions 20.
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City of the Week
New York "at" New York, in of course, New Jersey. The Jets have already put themselves in a hole at 1-3, hurting their chances of returning to the playoffs as an AFC wild card. The Giants, however, came up huge against the Eagles last Sunday night to increase their chances of returning to the playoffs as an NFC wild card.
Playing the rare "home road game," Chad Pennington won't be in the same hostile environment Donovan McNabb was last week. And with Thomas Jones, Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery to worry about, the Giants can't just tee off with their defensive ends because it would increase the chances their secondary would get burned. Then on defense, if Eric Mangini can do enough with the 3-4 to keep Eli Manning just a bit off-balance, it will be Jets 24, Giants 21.
But wait, the Jets' pass protection has been shaky this season, and they haven't been able to get much going with Jones on the ground. The Giants, meanwhile, have shown a pretty balanced offense, and Manning is playing rather well at the moment. Expect both their running game and Manning to control this "road home game," and for the Giants to win late. Giants 23, Jets 20.
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Rest of the Week
Dallas at Buffalo. If the Cowboys decide to rest up for the Patriots game and Wade Phillips gives all 53 of them this Monday off, then the Bills will win, 140-0. But of course, you know what usually happens when the Cowboys and Bills play in front of a prime-time, high-ratings audience. The Cowboys are first in total offense, the Bills are 32nd in total defense. Trent Edwards has been doing his best Tony Romo impression of late, but he's no match for the actual Tony Romo. Cowboys 38, Bills 10.
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BYE Week
The Eagles are another 1-3 team that is off, joining Cincy and Minny down in the dumps. They have a chance to rebound quickly right back at the Meadowlands against the 1-3 Jets next week, before matchups with the 1-3 Bears and those Vikings. They need to take all of those games to set up something important with Dallas in Week 9.
http://www.sportingnews.com
It's a tradition that I hoped would come to an end this season. But alas, the upset Saturday in college football was contagious and carried over well into Sunday, wiping out victories for several favored NFL teams. Therefore, only four weeks in, and it's my first losing weekly record of the season.
You can read my stats below, but that won't make me weep. I'm getting right back on the prognostication pony with my customary sub.-500 response off the inevitable "go figure" week. That's right, it's two picks for the price of one, which is still free to you.
If you haven't played before, this is how it works: The first pick for a particular game tells you how the team I'm not really picking can win the game. The second pick is the one for the books. At least that guarantees I'm half right, or something like that. Let's get it started, with. . . .
=========
Game of the Week, NFC
Detroit at Washington. Both teams are off to surprisingly good starts that have them -- at least for now -- in the NFC playoff picture. Despite having high-profile offensive coordinators -- Mike Martz and Al Saunders -- in common, the Lions and the Redskins are doing it with different styles.
If the Lions' way of winning -- which is throwing the ball all the time with Jon Kitna, going after big pass plays without any regard for pass or ball protection, and hoping they somehow make a few fewer mistakes than their opponents -- wins out, then the victor will be Detroit, barely, 24-21.
But wait, the Redskins' formula sounds much better. Have Saunders call for the Redskins to run the ball often with Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts to control the clock, and continue to play improved-yet-still-aggressive defense under coordinator Gregg Williams. History tells me the Washington way usually wins more games. Redskins 24, Lions 20.
=========
City of the Week
New York "at" New York, in of course, New Jersey. The Jets have already put themselves in a hole at 1-3, hurting their chances of returning to the playoffs as an AFC wild card. The Giants, however, came up huge against the Eagles last Sunday night to increase their chances of returning to the playoffs as an NFC wild card.
Playing the rare "home road game," Chad Pennington won't be in the same hostile environment Donovan McNabb was last week. And with Thomas Jones, Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery to worry about, the Giants can't just tee off with their defensive ends because it would increase the chances their secondary would get burned. Then on defense, if Eric Mangini can do enough with the 3-4 to keep Eli Manning just a bit off-balance, it will be Jets 24, Giants 21.
But wait, the Jets' pass protection has been shaky this season, and they haven't been able to get much going with Jones on the ground. The Giants, meanwhile, have shown a pretty balanced offense, and Manning is playing rather well at the moment. Expect both their running game and Manning to control this "road home game," and for the Giants to win late. Giants 23, Jets 20.
=========
Rest of the Week
Dallas at Buffalo. If the Cowboys decide to rest up for the Patriots game and Wade Phillips gives all 53 of them this Monday off, then the Bills will win, 140-0. But of course, you know what usually happens when the Cowboys and Bills play in front of a prime-time, high-ratings audience. The Cowboys are first in total offense, the Bills are 32nd in total defense. Trent Edwards has been doing his best Tony Romo impression of late, but he's no match for the actual Tony Romo. Cowboys 38, Bills 10.
=========
BYE Week
The Eagles are another 1-3 team that is off, joining Cincy and Minny down in the dumps. They have a chance to rebound quickly right back at the Meadowlands against the 1-3 Jets next week, before matchups with the 1-3 Bears and those Vikings. They need to take all of those games to set up something important with Dallas in Week 9.
posted by The Gryphon at 11:02 AM
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