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| SPOILER ALERT: The Seahawks-Jags game is the mismatch of the week, something both SOBs can agree upon. |
This week might have a lot of mismatches talent-wise, but never underestimate what a team will do to avoid going 0-3. We have two matchups with 0-2 teams, Giants-Panthers and Vikings-Browns, so look to see some desperation plays coming in those games. The Bucs and Steelers are both teams with playoff aspirations, yet they will have an uphill battle to avoid the 0-3 start against two undefeated teams (the Patriots and the Bears respectively).
Either way, it is always exciting, so sit down, relax and enjoy the games..... and our analysis.
Austen's Eight-Point Pick
@Seattle over Jacksonville
Austen: This is the best team in the league vs. the worst team. Need I say more?
Stally: Nope.
Stally's Eight-Point Pick
@Denver over Oakland
Stally: Aside from Seattle over Jacksonville, this is clearly the easiest pick of the week. The Broncos have scored 90 points combined in the first two games, they're at home, and the Raiders stink. The Monday Night primetime will likely only work in Denver's favor.
Austen: The rein of terrible Monday night football games continues.
Austen's Seven-Point Pick
@Minnesota over Cleveland
Austen: Without Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden, there simply is not enough talent on this team to win. Adrian Peterson might get 50 carries in this game.
Stally: I still can't believe the Browns just up and traded the future. The good news is they might get to pick first overall next year; the bad news is that they'll blow it ... again.
Stally's Seven-Point Pick
@New Orleans over Arizona
Stally: This one is pretty clear to me as well. The Saints rarely lose in the Superdome and the Cardinals have looked below average, losing to the Rams and being gifted a home win by the Lions. I don't see Arizona keeping this one close.
Austen: I have the Saints winning a close one, which is how they have won the first two games of the year. Something is wrong with the Saints offense, I just can't figure out what yet.
Austen's Six-Point Pick
@San Francisco over Indianapolis
Austen: Jim Harbaugh has yet to lose two games in a row as the coach of the 49ers. I do not think this will be the week that it happens. They might win big in this one.
Stally: I agree. I think the Colts are a top candidate for a regression this season and we've seen that already. They struggled to beat Oakland at home and lost to Miami in Indy. I don't see them winning in San Francisco.
Stally's Six-Point Pick
@New England over Tampa Bay
Stally: New England has looked really bad compared to their usual dominance, and I'm not over confident in this one. That said, I have to believe that New England at home against the 0-2 Bucs is the best choice at this point.
Austen: The Patriots are going to get the Bucs at 100% this week because starting off 0-3 for them would be borderline devastating. I have the Patriots, but I am not confidently betting on them to beat anyone.
Austen's Five-Point Pick
Houston over @Baltimore
Austen: The Ravens have been pretty atrocious over two games so far. Ray Rice looks to be out of this game, which spells disaster for the Ravens. I could see this being a blowout.
Stally: I'd show a little faith in Ravens RB Bernard Pierce, and my biggest worry is that the Texans just aren't that good. I do see Houston winning this game, but not by much.
Stally's Five-Point Pick
@Dallas over St. Louis
Stally: Despite the loss in Kansas City, I still think the Cowboys are the cream of the crop when it comes to being league average, the Rams will end up somewhere below average this season. I've got the home team by at least a touchdown.
Austen: I think these are both 8-8 teams, so I'm only siding with the Boys because they are at home. This could go either way, but I think this one comes down to Dez Bryant's health.
Austen's Four-Point Pick
Chicago over @Pittsburgh
Austen: The Steelers have looked as bad as any team in the NFL so far this season, and yes that includes Jacksonville. Jay Cutler looks rejuvenated under coach Marc Trestman and that defense has not lost a step even without Brian Urlacher. It is hard for me to envision the Steelers pulling out a win.
Stally: I'm in complete agreement. Pittsburgh is really bad this season.
Stally's Four-Point Pick
Green Bay over @Cincinnati
Stally: The fact that this game is in Cincinnati gives me a little pause, but the nation got to see this Bengals team on primetime this past Monday and, frankly, they aren't very good. Doing enough to win at home against the struggling Steelers isn't a huge feat. The Packers are very solid and create a clear mismatch of talent.
Austen: You can talk all you want about Cincy's defense, and I tend to do just that, but it really comes down to Andy Dalton vs. Aaron Rodgers. Do I really need to explain further who I am taking in this one?
Austen's Three-Point Pick
Atlanta over @Miami
Austen: Both teams are hurting on offense, so I am interested to see who shows up to play for both teams. I feel strongly in the Falcons being one of the top teams in the league, and I just do not see the Dolphins being in that category, so I still have to side with the Falcons, despite the Dolphins being at home and being much healthier.
Stally: It's odd to me that the Dolphins are favored on the betting lines. The Falcons are clearly the better team ... I think.
Stally's Three-Point Pick
@Philadelphia over Kansas City
Stally: I lost this one on Thursday. I do give a strong favoritism to the home team in the weird Thursday night game and the fact that the Eagles couldn't do anything with that leads me to believe they're not as good as I thought. The impressive Week 1 win in Washington was likely more of a reflection of how poor the Redskins are, not how good the Eagles are.
Austen will point out the Chiefs could start 7-1, which sounds ludicrous until you consider the second hardest game in the next five is at home against the Giants next week. They could easily go 4-1 in the next five.
Austen: The Chiefs have the defense to slow down mobile quarterbacks with Dontari Poe being the most dominant nose tackle in the game right now and two Pro Bowl caliber edge rushers, not to mention a very solid defensive backfield. I thought the Chiefs would be much better on offense in this one, but their defense was borderline spectacular and single handedly won them the game. Alex Smith needs to improve for this team to become a legit playoff contender, but this defense will take them far either way.
Austen's Two-Point Pick
Detroit over @Washington
Austen: The Redskins have been the worst team in the NFL in the first half of games so far this season. I do not see a reason why that will change against one of the most dangerous offenses in the league. I simply cannot trust the Redskins to beat anyone right now.
Stally: It's odd that we're both taking the mediocre Lions to win in Washington, but that's a reflection on just how bad the Redskins have been.
Stally's Two-Point Pick
New York Giants over @Carolina
Stally: The Giants have had two difficult games to start the season, but I do still think they'll end up around 8-8. They're better than Carolina, and they need to win this game to start building a season.
Austen: I have the Panthers in this one, as I continue to bet against the Giants game in and game out. I just don't like what they bring to the table. You do not win many football games running the ball as poorly as they have and I think the Panthers steal one from the G-Men.
Austen's One-Point Pick
@Tennessee over San Diego
Austen: I hate taking the Tennessee games because I always get them wrong. However, I knew Stally would take the Bills over the Jets so I had no reason to take my Jets with this pick. The Titans are showing something I have not seen out of them in a few years: defense. I like it.
Stally: The Chargers are also showing something I have not seen out of them in a few years: they're actually kinda good. I'll take them against the Titans any day.
Stally's One-Point Pick
Buffalo over @New York Jets
Stally: This comes down to the final two teams left on our Season Draft's board. Buffalo has been a pleasant surprise and are a Stevie Johnson 3rd-and-one drop against New England away from being 2-0. I think they're better than the Jets and that they pull this one out.
Austen: The Bills defense has played well down two starters in the backfield, but I still think the Jets defense is much stronger than Buffalo's. Both offenses are pretty inept at scoring points right now, so I'll take the home team. Also the Bills pretty much always lose in New Jersey (it pains me to say NJ and not NY, but it is the only factual way to differentiate between the teams's stadiums).
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