We can finally get back to a full schedule of football. At this point in the season, any team with a winning record is playing in a must win situation. All the playoff spots are starting to get defined and some "used to be good teams" are showing signs of wear and tear. Most notably the Philadelphia Eagles who had the best choke job interpretation of the Monday night game earlier in the year by their opponent, the Cowboys. Must of felt sweet for Parcells to get that win back, the one against Washington that they lost in the last minutes.
On another note, I do not want to hear the initials T.O. the rest of this season unless it is to announce he joined another team. I've never seen one player in any sport ever receive so much publicity, it is amazing. He has already accomplished what he wanted without even playing football, he has his name out there so everybody knows who he is even if you do not watch football.
What do I think about this weeks games? I really love the matchup between Indy & Cincy. I remember in 2003 when the red hot Chiefs went into Cincinnati with a record of 9-0 and I called the upset of Cincinatti winning. I have that same feeling two years later with a more potent Colts team coming to town, but I still like the Bengals coming off a bye week well prepared to take on the Colts and that electric crowd to keep the rush going and motivate Cincinnati to a win. Carolina versus Chicago is another game I love. What a matchup between two teams headed in the right direction. The only mute point is the Bears passing attack, but they will play conservatively on offense. I think Steve Smith will burn the tough Chicago secondary but Chicago will also take some back the other way as Delhomme is known to throw a pick or two. Another great game is Tampa Bay at Atlanta. I do not see Atlanta losing back to back games at home. Additionally, I do not see Tampa Bay coming back to their senses after pulling off a victory that they should not have had, not to mention the gutsy call by Gruden to go for the win with a two point conversion rather than tie it with less than a minute to go.
Who would I put my money on this week? Nobody really. But I do have some hunches that could bring home some money with little down taking some dogs. I'd take the Titans +4 against Jax cause they seem to struggle against teams they should put away. Take the Dolphins +2 against the Browns, because the Dolphins should control the clock and run all over Cleveland. I love the 49ers +11 1/2 against the Seahawks, and I might even suggest the moneyline at +650. The Seahawks just won the biggest game of their season and are feeling a bit comfortable while the 49ers are playing some good defensive football, especially at home. Finally, the Texans +6 1/2 against the Chiefs at home on Sunday night. Just seems like they have something to prove while the Chiefs are fitting into my prediction just well, falling apart as I suggested. Nothing will seal the deal more than not being able to handle a miserable 1-8 Texans team on the road. Go ahead, put some money down and just tip me when you win.
