LT Sports

Redskins at Falcons (Falcons) – The Falcons are coming off of two straight losses, but those were both road games against very tough teams. Now they have the Redskins in Hotlanta, which should not be a problem. Their defense, although they have given up a lot of points lately, should thrive against the anemic Redskins offensive attack. If the Falcons do not win this game, their season could be taking a downward spiral. I just do not see that happening to a team of this talent level. Falcons by 14.

Cardinals at Bears (Cardinals) – Both teams are 4-3 and have shown some inconsistent play. With Arizona’s loss last week to the Panthers, the Cardinals hit an unexpected bump in the road after they looked like they were headed for a nice stretch. Even though that was a bad loss, I do not think that it is a sign of things to come. I see the Cardinals bouncing back in this one, and getting back to the form that they were in prior to last week. Cards by 7.

Ravens at Bengals (Ravens) – This rematch should be a great game just like the first time. This time, though, I expect the Ravens to be on the winning side. The Ravens are coming off of a victory against the previously undefeated Broncos, and they are poised to get their record back to the elite level. With a win against the Bengals, the Ravens will pull even with Cincy, and they will greatly increase their chances of winning a division title. If they lose for the second time against this team, a division title is going to be much harder to achieve, and I know that Ray Lewis is aware of that. I just don’t see Ochocinco getting the best of Ray-Lew twice this season. Ravens by 10.

Texans at Colts (Colts) – The Texans have been playing admirably as of late, but they are not at the Colts’ level by any stretch of the imagination. The Colts have won 16 straight regular season games, and there is no team in the AFC playing better than they are right now. Peyton Manning should have another great game, especially because it is against a divisional opponent at home, and I expect that Indy D to shake things up for the recently successful Texans’ offense. Colts by 13.

Chiefs at Jaguars (Jaguars) – The Jaguars have been a team that I cannot figure out from week to week. All I know is that they are not one of the best teams in the league. However, this week they are playing the Chiefs, and they do not need to play their best to beat KC. MJD should touch the ball a lot, and Mike Sims-Walker should continue his successful season against a beatable Chiefs’ secondary. To give the Jags another advantage, they are playing at home. Jags by 14.

Dolphins at Patriots (Patriots) – The Pats are coming off of a bye week, and I know that this team will be well-prepared for any Miami tricks. Offensively, the Patriots will look extremely efficient, as they will mix in the run in addition to the pass. Laurence Maroney has been a bigger part of the offense in their last few games, and he is showing that he deserves to be. With the running game on track, that potent passing attack will be even better, which can only mean trouble for the Fins on the road. Pats by 17.

Packers at Bucs (Packers) – Although the Packers are only 4-3, two of those losses are against the 7-1 Vikings. The Pack has shown that they can beat up on the league’s weaker teams, and the Bucs definitely fit into that category. They are slated to start rookie quarterback Josh Freeman, and I cannot see how he has the chance to be successful against this veteran secondary. With Al Harris and Charles Woodson patrolling the defensive backfield, Freeman will be confused all day, and he will probably hand the ball off many times to put less pressure on himself. However, once Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense start to put up big points, Freeman will NEED to pass the ball, and the Bucs will be in trouble. Packers by 21.

Panthers at Saints (Saints) – Yes the Panthers are coming off of a convincing win against the Cardinals, but I am not putting that much stock into that game. Plus, the Saints are arguably playing the best football in the league right now. Brees and the offense is always tough, and the defense has shown that they could be the reason that this team can go deeper than ever before. The Panthers will try to run the ball a lot with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, and they might be successful doing that. However, they will probably struggle to try and keep up on the scoreboard with the high-powered Saints offense. Saints by 17.

Lions at Seahawks (Seahawks) – Both teams are headed for the dumps this season, but because the Seahawks play in the NFC West, they are only two games out of first place. Since that is the case, the Seahawks have more to play for, and that should be evident in this one. The Seahawks have the weapons to take advantage of a weak team like the Lions, and they should not look too bad of a team when they play against Detroit. Another positive note for the Seahawks is that they will be playing at home where they are much more effective. Seahawks by 9.

Chargers at Giants (Chargers) – The Giants have shown a weakness in their secondary lately, and good quarterbacks know how to exploit that weakness. Philip Rivers will be no different. The quarterback who was actually drafted by the Giants in the 2004 draft, before being traded to the Chargers, will love to destroy the team that traded him away. He will test that secondary early and often, and the Chargers should light up the scoreboard plenty of times. Chargers by 16.

Titans at 49ers (49ers) – I think that this will actually be a close game, as I don’t think the Titans are that bad. However, the 49ers have been slumping lately and there is no doubt that they will play much harder to get a win in this one. Frank Gore is now healthy and the Niners showed that they are better when he plays. This Niners D just held Peyton Manning to 0 TD passes, and they should be able to cause problems for Vince Young and company. Also, Alex Smith has shown his ability to play decently at quarterback, and he is no longer a guy who will cause his team to lose games. Niners by 3.

Cowboys at Eagles (Eagles) – Even though the Cowboys have been playing better as of late, I don’t think that they have been tested like they will be against Philly in Philly. Their defense is extremely tough, and they cause opposing quarterbacks to make many mistakes. Romo has been almost mistake free in the Cowboys’ 3-game winning streak, and I do not see that continuing in this game. Expect Asante Samuel to cause problems in the secondary, and watch as Romo starts to play more tentatively. He will become a different quarterback, and the Cowboys are not nearly as successful when that happens. Plus, with Brian Westbrook back, the Eagles will have explosiveness coming from many options. Eagles by 6.

Steelers at Broncos (Steelers) – The Steelers are coming off of their bye, and they should be pumped up going into this one. The Broncos have finally been beaten thanks to the Ravens, and the Steelers surely don’t want to appear weaker than Baltimore. The Steelers have been playing much better in their last few games, including a win over the previously undefeated Vikings, and I think that they will lose very few games from here on out. With Rashard Mendenhall becoming a true threat at running back, I believe that the Steelers are finally the team that Mike Tomlin wants them to be. Steelers by 7.

Filed under: NFL Pick'em