Week 3 Picks

I was 12-3 with NFL picks in Week 2 (Texans and Ravens did not play).

Here's what I expect in Week 3:


Atlanta ties Kansas City: No matter how hard they try, it will be impossible for both of these teams to lose. But, that doesn’t mean that there has to be a winner.

Buffalo over Oakland: I’ve said that I really like Oakland, and I think that they are going to keep improving steadily as the year continues. I’d actually be picking them if this game were being played in the Black Hole. But, because it isn’t, I’m taking the Bills.

Tampa Bay over Chicago: Tampa can do the same things that Chicago does on defense and special teams, and they’re stronger on offense. I like the Bucs here.

Carolina over Minnesota: Steve Smith’s return will give the 2-0 Panthers a boost. The benching of Tavaris Jackson will create turmoil for a team reeling from not being able to put away Indy last week. The Vikings look like big time pretenders right now. For some reason it seems like everyone assumed that because Adrian Peterson is good, the Vikings would automatically be good. Peterson played great last week, but this team has a lot of holes. In a quarterback happy league, this team concerns me.

New England over Miami: I’d like to turn back the clock on Sunday and watch a classic shootout between Drew Bledsoe and Dan Marino. I’ll settle for Matt Cassel and Chad Pennington, but only because I already know there is a 0% chance of a different game being shown.

Giants over Bengals: I’m literally never going to pick the Bengals to win once this season. Not even if they play the Rams (which I don’t think they do). World champs win big here.

Houston over Tennessee: Despite their horrid week 1 performance, I think that Houston is a more solid all-around team than Tennessee. Big game for Andre Johnson here.

Washington over Arizona: It seems like Arizona is much more talented than Washington. But, by virtue of their divisions, I think the Skins might be better than you think and the Cardinals might be worse. For example, Kurt Warner’s numbers are great right now and he is a great fantasy starter, but where is this team REALLY going? Plus, the games in Washington. I like the skins.

San Francisco over Detroit: This is my third straight week picking the Niners. When I picked them in Week 1, I said "the Niners are better than you think, but they still suck, if that makes sense." I still believe that, and that will be enough to beat the Lions. Much like TO, Issac Bruce does not age.

Seattle over St. Louis: I had to think about this one. It might be close.

Denver over New Orleans: I was wrong about Denver. That they won last week due to referee errors and faulty replay equipment is irrelevant when projecting this week’s game. The Chargers COULD NOT STOP the Broncos’ offense.

Philadelphia over Pittsburgh: This is going to be a great game. The Eagles look very good right now, and DeSean Jackson as a deep threat is going to make Brian Westbrook even more dangerous.

Indy over Jaxonville: The Jags always give Indy trouble, but I like the Colts here. There was a definite moment last week when the Colts offense suddenly clicking.

Baltimore over Cleveland: Where is Brady Quinn?

Dallas over Green Bay: Despite my intense hatred for the Cowboys, it’s hard to not get excited watching Marion the Barbarian running the ball. I fear him.

San Diego over the Jets: The Chargers have played well this season, and I don’t expect that they’ll continue losing in the final seconds of games. Darren Sproules showed that he is a real threat, and the carries he gets now will make that offense even more dangerous once Tomlinson is back to full health. Also, I firmly believe that the Chargers could bring Natrone Means out of retirement, start him at tailback, and still win this game.

College Pick of the Week: Texas Tech (11) over Umass: I’m not exactly going out on a limb here. But, I just wanted to take a minute to highlight the state of Massachusetts. Everyone who knows me knows that I’m a UCONN fan, but I always like to see the Minutemen succeed as well. I went to my first UMASS game over Labor Day Weekend and really enjoyed the experience. Aside from enjoying the largest kielbasa I have ever seen, I found the atmosphere at the game to be great. You can even stand right next to the field and take in the action close up. I doubt this is an option at Texas Tech.

I’m sure there will be no moneyline here. But, this game is in Texas so I’d say you’re probably safe taking the points.

If you want real college picks, here they are:

Take the points on all four of these:

Florida State -4.5 over Wake
Miami -3 over Texas A&M
Florida -7.5 over Tennessee
Mississippi State +8 over Georgia Tech

Go with the spread, sit back, and enjoy. Babcock and I will be at Farmaid.