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| Orlovsky is no Peyton Manning. (Getty) |
Tom Brady versus Peyton Manning.
It's one of the biggest rivalries of the past decade in the NFL. One that's ironically played out every single season with the exception of 2002 and often flares up in the playoffs.
Except this season. This year, it's Tom Brady versus Dan Orlovsky. Brady's the best quarterback of all-time, Orlovsky is appearing in just his 16th game in a seven-year career and has never won a start.
This rivalry definitely won't be the same this year. It projects to be one of the most uneven matchups of the season and should be a rout. It's where we start this week's picks.
Austen (Eight-Point Pick) - @New England over Indianapolis
Stally: Let's repeat that: a 21-point spread! That's basically unheard of in the NFL. This was once a high profile rivalry and was originally the Sunday night game this week. Now, it's been flexed out and is probably the most lopsided game (on paper) we'll see all season.
Stally (Eight-Point Pick) - @San Francisco over St. Louis
Stally: I'm hesitant on this one, just because I feel like the 49ers have played over their heads. The Rams are awful, but did upset the Saints (given it was at home) and have nothing to lose. This was clearly a top choice this week, but I'm putting San Fran on upset alert if they don't show up.
Austen: Unless Frank Gore goes down with an injury, I do not see this game being close. The Rams defense has been terrible and Sam Bradford is adding nothing to this offense right now. I see another blowout.
Austen (Seven-Point Pick) - Dallas over @Arizona
Austen: The Cards usually play well at home and the Cowboys tend to struggle on the road, but I just really think the Cowboys will dominate this game. With Kevin Kolb looking to make his first start in awhile, I see this team falling short the way they did basically every game Kolb was at the helm.
Stally: I've said for much of the season that I think the Cowboys are winning the NFC East. I think they're a dangerous team to someone like the Packers in the playoffs. I don't care where this game is being played: Dallas is one of the better teams in the NFL, the Cardinals are one of the worst.
Stally (Seven-Point Pick) - Baltimore over @Cleveland
Stally: Another pick I'm not that excited about. Baltimore is clearly the better team, but they've had a knack for losing to bad teams on the road. The fact the Browns are a division rival that's familiar with them doesn't boost my confidence.
Austen: This is yet another case of one team that definitely should win, but who the heck knows in the NFL, especially this season. The Browns are finally getting healthy on offense, so maybe they surprise the Ravens who tend to be over confident in games like this.
Austen (Six-Point Pick) - New York-J over @Washington
Austen: If the Jets cannot beat the Redskins, I am picking against them for the rest of the year. The Redskins are playing better as of late, but that still is not saying much. The Jets have to win this game to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Stally: I do think this will be a challenge for the Jets as the Redskins do seem to have turned a corner. Rex Grossman is playing ok and Roy Helu is emerging (a prediction I made before the season started). That said, the Jets should win or they're not the contender we think they are.
Stally (Six-Point Pick) - @New Orleans over Detroit
Stally: This is a more evenly matched game on paper than any of the above, but I'm willing to put this one down as almost a lock. The Saints are undefeated in the Superdome and, last week, torched a Giants team I classify in a similar group to Detroit. The Lions only chance is if their high-octane air attack can exploit the league's 27th-ranked pass defense to outpace Drew Brees and Co.
Austen: Like I said earlier in this season, I saw the Lions as a team that would win 8-9 games and fall short of the playoffs because of injuries and poor offensive line play. Jahvid Best has been out most of the year and the team has struggled to find a replacement for him. With Ndamukong Suh out for the next two weeks, I think this team will really put up some poor performances without probably their best player on the field.
Austen (Five-Point Pick) - @Chicago over Kansas City
Austen: The Chiefs are so bad and the Bears usually play very well at home. Caleb Hanie has not looked great, but the Bears might be able to win this game by just reaching double-digit points. Matt Forte and Marion Barber should dominate this game.
Stally: Kansas City hasn't scored a touchdown in about a month! Tyler Palko vs. Caleb Hanie? Bears win easy.
Stally (Five-Point Pick) - @Pittsburgh over Cincinnati
Stally: Austen's probably going to give some explanation about how he thought Cincy would beat Pittsburgh in one of their meeting this year. Look! This game is in Pittsburgh and the Bengals were a late field goal at home against the Browns away from possibly being on a three-game losing streak. This is clearly a smart choice!
Austen: Taking the Steelers is clearly the smart choice here, but these two teams really hate each other and that usually leads to strange results. I think the Bengals will fall just short, the way they have against the Steelers and Ravens in their first matchups this season. However, in a low scoring game, one play could completely alter the outcome of this matchup.
Austen (Four-Point Pick) - Philadelphia over @Seattle
Austen: Well I am very happy to lose this pick. I clearly took the Eagles too high because I thought they might play like they wanted to win this week. Why I thought that, I will never know. Either way, the Eagles' season is over and Stally must be kicking himself for taking this team with his second pick in the season draft.
Stally: Hey man, I'm not that one that took the Colts over the Texans, which was something I told you all along was a dumb choice...I wanted nothing to do with this game, as I could easily see Philly losing like they did. I'm glad you took it. I probably would have let it fall until a one-pointer if you didn't act on it.
Stally (Four-Point Pick) - Green Bay over @New York-G
Stally: I still don't think the Packers are so dominant that they'll go undefeated. I also think that a tough Giants team at home could be a big challenge for them. However, of the games remaining, taking the team that's 11-0 makes a lot of sense.
Austen: This has all the elements of a trap game for the Packers, especially if running back Ahmad Bradshaw is back for the Giants. The Giants have been completely lost without Bradshaw on offense and have failed to generate any sort of a run game without him. With all that said, I cannot see the Giants' banged up defense containing Aaron Rodgers for very long and I doubt their offense will be able to keep up.
Austen (Three-Point Pick) - Atlanta over @Houston
Austen: I cannot see the Texans beating such a talented team as the Falcons with so many of their top players out or banged up. The Texans might have trouble generating very much offense with T.J. Yates leading this team. Since Matt Ryan has been on fire recently, I don't think the Texans have much of a shot.
Stally: The Texans are 8-3! They have a shot. Unlike the hapless Colts, whom you drafted over the Texans in the Season Draft, Houston has a complete team that's won more games without their starter (one in one try than the Colts zero in eleven tries). I agree Atlanta is the favorite, but I'm not going to completely write off an 8-3 team at home, no matter the injuries.
Stally (Three-Point Pick) - Oakland over @Miami
Stally: Miami's better than their 3-8 record shows and I'm still not that hot on Oakland, despite the 7-4 record. One interesting fact is that the Dolphins are +6 in point differential while the Raiders are -14. All that said, if this Oakland team expects to be a legitimate playoff team, it wins a game like this one.
Austen: I have been a firm believer in this Raiders team all year long, but this game could spell trouble with Darren McFadden, Jacoby Ford and Denarius Moore all set to miss this week's game. That is a lot of offensive fire power to make up for and they probably won't beat Miami by kicking six field goals again.
Stally: They could. I'd peg the Dolphins at about 14-17 points, so six field goals would win.
Austen (Two-Point Pick) - @Tampa Bay over Carolina
Austen: LeGarrette Blount has been on fire as of recently and the Panthers have one of the worst run defenses in the league. I think he dominates this game and Cam Newton continues to turn the ball over and cost his team the win.
Stally: The Bucs also have a terrible defense. I think the Panthers have more offensive talent across the board, especially with Josh Freeman out at QB for Tampa. I'm taking Carolina in a close one that won't feature too much defensive skill.
Stally (Two-Point Pick) - Tennessee over @Buffalo
Stally: Austen, I know you're as confused about my assertion that the Titans are decent team as I am about your talk about the Bucs. However, when Chris Johnson shows up, which has gone from never to at least bi-weekly at this point, Tennessee is a multi-threat offense with a defense that ranks seventh in points against. That's a lot better than a Buffalo team with no run game, hand-less wide receivers and a defense that's 28th in points against.
Austen: Matt Hasselbeck is banged up and it clearly showed last week against the Bucs. They needed CJ to run for almost 200 yards in order for them to squeak out a close win over my Bucs. They also turned the ball over four times last week and the one thing the Bills' defense does well is cause turnovers. That being said, I think the Titans pull off another close win thanks to an anemic Bills' offense.
Austen (One-Point Pick) - San Diego over @Jacksonville
Austen: As bad as the Chargers have been since their bye week (they have lost all six games since their bye), they have to beat a Jacksonville team that just fired their head coach. Right?
Stally: I guess. The Jack Del Rio firing in Jacksovnille is the only reason I'm taking San Diego in this one. I gotta hope that Hawaii Five-O has a new episode tomorrow so I don't have to watch the Jaguars for a second time on Monday Night Football.
Stally (One-Point Pick) - Denver over @Minnesota
Stally: When in doubt, pick Tim Tebow. As I said in my goal line stand last week, he's not good, but he wins games! Plus, at 2-9, Minnesota doesn't win games.
Austen: The only hope for Minnesota is Jared Allen to have a big day. He could definitely force Tebow into some uncharacteristic mistakes, but will it be enough to overcome the loss of Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin's "illness"?
Pick 'Em
Philadelphia @ Seattle - Thurs
Stally: Philadelphia
Austen: Philadelphia
Tennessee @ Buffalo - Sun, 1 p.m.
Stally: Tennessee
Austen: Tennessee
Kansas City @ Chicago - Sun, 1 p.m.
Stally: Chicago
Austen: Chicago
Oakland @ Miami - Sun, 1 p.m.
Stally: Oakland
Austen: Oakland
Denver @ Minnesota - Sun, 1 p.m.
Stally: Denver
Austen: Minnesota
Indianapolis @ New England - Sun, 1 p.m.
Stally: New England
Austen: New England
Peyton Manning: New EnglandCincinnati @ Pittsburgh - Sun, 1 p.m.
Stally: Pittsburgh
Austen: Pittsburgh
Carolina @ Tampa Bay - Sun, 1 p.m.
Stally: Carolina
Austen: Tampa Bay
New York-J @ Washington - Sun, 1 p.m.
Stally: New York-J
Austen: New York-J
Atlanta @ Houston - Sun, 1 p.m.
Stally: Atlanta
Austen: Atlanta
Baltimore @ Cleveland - Sun, 4:05 p.m.
Stally: Baltimore
Austen: Baltimore
Green Bay @ New York-G - Sun, 4:15 p.m.
Stally: Green Bay
Austen: Green Bay
Dallas @ Arizona - Sun, 4:15 p.m.
Stally: Dallas
Austen: Dallas
St. Louis @ San Francisco - Sun, 4:15 p.m.
Stally: San Francisco
Austen: San Francisco
Detroit @ New Orleans - Sun, 8:20 p.m.
Stally: New Orleans
Austen: New Orleans
San Diego @ Jacksonville - Mon, 8:30 p.m.
Stally: San Diego
Austen: San Diego
Another week in which I get destroyed by huge upsets! Why do I always draft these upsets? Why!
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