NFL Picks Week Two: New Orleans Saints at Cleveland Browns

It’s rare that I disagree with such a strong signal from the computer, but I am going my own way on this game. I just don’t see the Cleveland Browns hanging with an angry Saints team that fumbled away a win last week. The Browns looked good against Pitt, the Browns are home, and the Browns are better than most people give them credit for. The spread is big and the Saints are on the road… from a mechanical, algorithmic approach, I understand the output. I just don’t agree.

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NFL Picks Week Two, Thursday Night Football: Steelers Ravens

This game is always a grind. These are two bitter rivals that have sunk into mediocrity together. I expect more of the same from the last few years, but there’s some more volatility here due to the lack of talent on the field.

Joe Flacco’s Super Bowl cast is gone. The defense is some sort of fusion of youth and desperation after cutting cap space to pay Flacco far more than he deserves. The offense parted with most of their weapons as well – Ray Rice is suspended and cut, Boldin is gone, and they just don’t have the balance ...

Monday Night Football Week One Picks: New York Giants at Detroit Lions

NFL Week One Picks Contest: New York Giants at Detroit LionsI think the New York Giants will be much better this year. I like what they did to address offseason weaknesses, and I expect they’ll be more competitive in the playoff race if they don’t start the year 0-6 again. I love Tom Coughlin, I like the revamped running game, and I think the Giants have enough balance for Eli Manning to be effective again.

I don’t understand the Detroit Lions. Dynamic rushers, the best receiver in the game, a solid quarterback… why isn’t this team better?

To me, this ...

NFL Picks Week One: San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys

I think the Dallas Cowboys are going to be terrible this year. They lost their best defensive player and will struggle to pressure the quarterback after cutting Demarcus Ware. The secondary is passable, but that was because they got to the passer. Now, they’ll be relying on their corners who I expect to be exposed. Ware will be missed in a big way.

The Niners defense isn’t 100%, but they’re still good. While I respect Tony Romo, I don’t think the Cowboys have enough. They have a bad (stupid) coach, ...

NFL Picks Week One: Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens

I really like this game. We got in when the line jumped up and bought it to 3.5, but I also like it at two points right now, buying it to three and taking the money line. The computer has some conflicting parameters that we’ll address, but this should be a telling game for the AFC North.

The Ravens will be without Ray Rice after a domestic dispute, putting it lightly, got him suspended for the first two games. The platoon that was so ineffective last year will be ...

NFL Picks Week One: Green Bay Packers at Seattle Seahawks

NFL Picks Week One: Green Bay Packers Over Seattle Seahawks

Aaron Rodgers is one of football’s best quarterbacks – that obviously goes without saying. However, when you look at what the Seattle Seahawks were able to accomplish last year, doesn’t a small part of you wonder what might have been if Rodgers led the Packers into the playoffs?

Injuries left the only capable offense to the Saints, who had too mediocre a defense to contain Seattle. That’s fine, but now that Rodgers is healthy, part of me questions whether the Seahawks are truly the team to beat in the NFC.

The ability of Rodgers to work the ball to his plethora of weapons combines with a legitimate running game to at least give me pause as to whether this Super Bowl defense has it in them to shut down Green Bay completely.

That said, I don’t really trust the Green Bay defense to hold the Seahawks down either. This could ...

2014 NFL Playoffs Predictions: Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks Repeat?

2014 NFL Playoff Predictions, Super Bowl Pick: Seattle Seahawks Vs Denver Broncos Repeat?

There are very few variables, for me, that must be considered when looking at who can knock off the defending champions in their respective conferences. Did anyone really get that much better? The Seattle Seahawks kept most of their Super Bowl championship roster and appear ready for another deep run. The Denver Broncos actually got significantly better adding Demarcus Ware, and if they can replace Knowshon Moreno, as it seems they have, this team is going to have an easy run to the Conference Championship again if they stay healthy. I’m going to take a different approach to our traditional preseason evaluations and NFL playoff predictions and rather than break down every team and their potential records, let’s approach this from the angle of who has the best chances to knock off the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks.

Denver Broncos: As I said, I think they’re the ...

2014 AFC North Picks: Cincinnati Bengals Win NFL Preseason Predictions

2014 NFL Preseason Picks: Cincinnati Bengals Win AFC North

The Cincinnati Bengals finally capitalized on the fall of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. As both dynasties age and rebuild, the Bengals got younger, more dynamic, and improved enough to dominate a division that once buried them. So, is this division transitioning away from its former powers, or will the Ravens and Steelers bounce back? Heck, even the Cleveland Browns made noise this offseason by bringing in Johnny Manziel. It should be a fun year for the AFC North.

1. Cincinnati Bengals (11-5): I think the Bengals are a few years away from Andy Dalton’s new contract destroying roster flexibility and making it very difficult for the Bengals to win. That said, right now, they’re in good shape. Gio Bernard is ready to explode, and Dalton’s connection with A.J. Green is undeniable. 305 points allowed was tops in the AFC last year. The Bengals should take the division again.

2. ...

2014 NFL Preseason Predictions: New England Patriots Take AFC East

AFC East Predictions, 2014

The AFC East has long been dominated by the New England Patriots. Quite simply, the rest of the division has failed to be competitive and the Pats have cruised to the playoffs year after year. This year, after an off year from Tom Brady, the crown seems ripe for the taking. That said, are the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, or New York Jets ready to contend?

1. New England Patriots (10-6): Tom Brady has his favorite targets healthy again and this balanced attack should be able to take another year atop the league’s most mediocre division. This is more a pick against the rest of the division than for the Patriots, but I think they win the division with relative ease.

2. New York Jets (8-8): So Tim Tebow was too controversial a quarterback for the New York Jets, but Mike Vick and his checkered past are a perfect fit as a backup to mentor a ...

2014 NFC West Predictions: Seattle Seahawks Repeat Success

NFC West 2014 Predictions: Seattle Seahawks Repeat Success

I don’t like the Seattle Seahawks, but I do have to give them credit to the extent that not respecting this team would cost me money. That makes writing divisional predictions for the NFC West a little bit difficult for me. That said, I don’t like any of these teams all that much, so I can spread my hatred throughout in order to effectively eliminate my biases. I think the San Francisco 49ers lack offense, the St. Louis Rams lack talent, and the Arizona Cardinals lack depth. So there.

1. Seattle Seahawks (12-4): This is the best team in the division, arguably the best team in the conference, and probably the best or second-best team in the NFL. I question whether Russell Wilson can pull off another Super Bowl run and I don’t like rooting for Pete Carroll. Mostly, I hate Richard Sherman. First of all, why would anyone want to shake ...