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.

Watch It!

Great montage because it shows how well the Giants executed all game long (unlike other videos that show the Tyree helmet catch 500 times at varying speeds):





And, my favorite, that still makes me emotional after watching it roughly 3000 times:

Addition By Subtraction?

I hoped that it would never get to this point, although I think I knew all along that it would. I still wasn't totally convinced that the relationship between Jeremy Shockey and the Giants was completely irreconcilable. However, if the Giants had allowed these circumstances to reach that level, there's no telling what damage may have been done to this team and their quest to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

I can't say enough about what Jeremy Shockey has done on the field for the Giants. He is one of the most dangerous pass-catching tight ends in the NFL, and an even more effective run blocker. A four-time pro bowler, Shockey has perennially been considered among the elite class of professional tight ends. His accomplishments speak for themselves. But what I will miss most about this player, and what I believe will make it difficult for many Giants fans to accept this move, is the emotion that he brought to the field every Sunday.

It's hard not to like Jeremy Shockey when you watch him play. The image of him fighting for yards against the Eagles in Philadelphia after losing his helmet is one that will stay with Giants fans forever. This image really sums up the way Shockey played on gameday. He is an extremely tough competitor that always fought for every yard. There is no denying this, despite everything that has happened that may sour the way he is remembered in New York.




Unfortunately, in the National Football League, it takes more than just playing hard on Sundays. Everybody does that. In order to be successful, it takes somebody who puts winning and the good of their team ahead of themselves. It sounds corny and it sounds cliche, but it holds up. Just think about Terrell Owens.

In thinking about the Shockey situation, Owens kept popping into my mind. I think there are some clear parallels between these two players. Regardless of how you may feel about TO, there are two truths that you cannot deny: 1) he's an incredibly gifted football player and 2) He competes hard whenever he takes the field. The list of receivers with the ability to impact a game the way that he can is virtually nonexistent. Think about his catch in the final seconds to give the 49ers a three point victory over Green Bay. Remember the tears that came after. Remember him suiting up for Philadelphia in the Super Bowl on a broken ankle, and what it must have taken for him to perform the way he did in that game. You can't question how much this guy cares. That someone with his talent and drive would be run out of two different cities would seem very unlikely. And yet, as we all know, it has happened. Teams have cast TO out, and never seem to have regretted that decision for one day.

As I said at the start, what makes this tough to take is that things never got as bad in New York as they did with TO in San Francisco or Philadelphia. As far as I know, there is no video footage of Jeremy Shockey doing crunches on the news. We haven't hit rock bottom. However, in reviewing the way this thing has gone, I have little doubt that it was only a matter of time (of course, the details may have been different).

Let's review some reasons why I believe this was the right move for the G-Men:


- Behind the images of Jeremy Shockey as the valiant warrior who leaves it all on the field is the man who "accidentally" hit fans in San Francisco with ice in 2002, and gave us this quote in 2006: "we were outplayed, and out coached. Write that down." Outbursts and the deflecting of blame were staples of his time in New York.

- Throughout the 2006 season, there were rumors swirling about the negative affect that Jeremy Shockey was having on Eli Manning's psyche. He was allegedly berating him quite frequently during the second half of the season (probably the worst stretch of Manning's career). Many predicted that the offense would run more smoothly in week 17 against the Redskins because Shockey was not playing. These predictions were correct. The Giants won handily, in what was probably their most impressive performance of the season.

- 2007, week 15, Shockey breaks his leg in a Sunday night loss to Washington. I go to bed devastated. This had been a piss poor performance, and I thought that the Giants are doomed without Shockey. And yet, from this point on, they begin to play their best football of the year. They lost only one game during this stretch. In that loss, they came as close as anybody had to knocking off the undefeated New England Patriots, a feat they would accomplish 5 weeks later.

- After watching his team find their rhythm and win the Super Bowl without him, Shockey begins to demand that his role in the offense be changed. Logically, he was also suggesting that the offense itself be changed. He was calling for the Super Bowl champs to change their system to fit his needs. He wanted the ball more. Sound like anybody else you know?

- The Giants felt that Shockey was most valuable when he was used primarily as a blocker. He was unwilling to fill this role. More of the balls were instead going to Plaxico Burress, who had spent the off-season in New York working out and establishing a strong connection with Eli Manning. This connection paid huge dividends on the field (it has been reported that Steve Smith has also been working out with Manning this off-season, which is good news given Shockey's departure). Manning extended this same invitation to Shockey last off-season and the off-season before that. He refused both times, opting instead to stay down in Florida. This certainly did not help his case to get the ball more, and yet his demands were stronger now than they had every been.

- Despite all of this, players like Manning and Burress have reportedly gone to management to give Shockey their endorsement. Like me, it was hard for them to accept that this player, who adds so much on the field, wasn't right for this team. Management made a very tough decision, but it was for the best.



I don't mean to bash Shockey here. I think that he will be a star in New Orleans, where he will be reunited with Sean Payton. As he did in New York, Payton will no doubt line Shockey up in many different places on the field, and he will get him the ball often. Shockey will add another legitimite downfield threat to an offense that was already extremely wide open. On top of that, his blocking will help to improve the Saints' running game. I think he will be happy about having a fresh start. But, regardless of how well he performs and how happy he seems, I don't think we would have seen the same results from him in New York. The Giants were handcuffed here. And, as much as it hurts me to say it, I think this was the right move.

Foil in the Oven: Pay the Prophet

This has been an incredible year in sports for me. I never thought I would be accused of being a bandwagon hopper for being a Red Sox, Giants, and Celtics fan (note: I'm omitting the UCONN Huskies here because they have been strong for my whole life and were not strong this year). And yet, here I am, a fan of the World Series champs, the Super Bowl champs, and in the midst of watching my favorite NBA team play for an NBA title. The Giants Super Bowl victory gave me a feeling like none I have ever experienced because it was so unexpected. It took five full days for me to even write about it on this site because I was so awed.

Not a day has gone by since the Super Bowl that I have not woken up and thought about the Giants Super Bowl. Really. Some days my alarm has gone off and I say in my head "oh fuck it's early....The Giants won the Super Bowl" and I spring out of bed. Some days it's "Jesus I bet it's cold as shit outside. I would cut off a finger if I could just stay in bed right now.....Holy shit, the Giants won the Super Bowl" and then I work my way up to the sitting position. Some days it's "Holy shit my head hurts. I'm a fucking idiot. Ah, the Giants" and I somehow find myself at work several hours later, apparently having gone through my normal routine. This is really how it's gone. And, it doesn't end there. Watching this video to start my day has been my key to success for several months now. Every day I watch it, and then hit the ground running, ready to kick ass all day:



That video still gives me goosebumps four and a half months later, and I expect that it always will. But, eventually, I would have to shift my focus away from basking in the glory of 07-08 to focusing on the challenges that lie ahead in 08-09. I was prepared for this. I just didn't think that it would happen so soon.

Many challenges lay ahead of the Giants, some expected and some unexpected, as they took the field yesterday at their mandatory mini-camp. For the first time in 15 years, Michael Strahan is not in the plans for this season. I was ready for that. Jeremy Shockey attended but did not participate. Hell, this was more than I expected, but I still have no idea how that situation will play out. What caught me off guard, and what seems to have caught the media in general off guard, was the fact that Plaxico Burress refused to practice because he wants a new contract. I don't know why but this popped the Super Bowl fantasy bubble that I had been living in for nearly five months now. Super Bowl 42 is a great memory, but I've now put it behind me, and I'm ready to focus all of my attention on the season at hand.

I've been tossing around this Shockey situation for months now, and I've gone back and forth.
The guy is a great player, no doubt about it. His receiving skills are well-documented, and he is an exceptional blocker. In fact, I think it is his run-blocking that is most valuable to this Giants team. On the field, there is no question that the Giants are much better with Shockey than without him. He's an impact player. Anyone who tells you otherwise is an asshole. But, they can't keep him on if he continues to act the way that he has been for the past few months. It could potentially ruin the team. The guy is a constant distraction as it is. Him being unhappy with the organization will only exacerbate his distracting effect.

The 06-07 Giants were like a circus by the end. There were so many distractions and bits of drama in the media. It was horrible. It left such a bad taste in my mouth. I thought they were crazy for extending Tom Coughlin another year after that, but I'll give him credit for turning the team atmosphere around last season. This team can't fall back into their old form. If dealing Shockey is what it takes, then that's what they need to do. I hate to say it, because he's such a good player, but I just don't see any other way for this to resolve itself. Other than a trade, he hasn't indicated that he wants anything. There don't seem to be any contract issues. What options do the Giants have?


I'm not worried about the Plax situation. The Giants will pay him, and this is certainly not the kind of thing that would affect the team's chemistry. Usually, I get bummed out whenever I read about an NFL player holding out for a new contract. I never like being reminded that this is all about money at the end of the day. But, in this case, I think Plax is justified. What he did for the organization last season was incredible. He played hurt for almost the entire season. He caught 70 balls. He had over 1,000 receiving yards. His performance in the NFC championship game against Green Bay will go down as one of the greatest individual performances in the history of the franchise. And, in case you've forgotten, he also caught the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl.

There are three years left on Burress' contract, and his average salary during those three years will be 3.5 million. Certainly, he's underpaid for his abilities. His agent is also Drew Rosenhaus, the same slimy, crooked motherfucker that represents TO. So, this isn't something that is just going to go away. And, like I said, I don't have a problem with this. Burress very well may have shortened his career by playing hurt this season. And, because there are no guaranteed contracts in the NFL, he needs to make sure he gets his money now before it is too late. And, before you start judging Plax and declaring that he should honor his contract, ask yourself whether or not you hold the players and the organization to a double standard. Many times, people criticize players for not wanting to play out their contract and then don't seem upset when an organization cuts a guy that they don't feel is earning their money. The bottom line is that the man needs a new contract. The Giants need to get this done before training camp.




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I couldn't focus on anything yesterday. The anticipation for Game 4 has been building, and I expect to be at a pretty steady rage by tonight. Pierce and KG will be rested and they will play better. Rondo's injury scares me, but it sounds like he's playing. It's a sprained ankle, which guys play on all the time obviously, but I just worry about whether or not he'll be able to get any penetration. I read several sources that said Doc may consider playing Tony Allen at the point, which could be disastrous. In my mind, you play Rondo or House. If that's not working, then give the ball to Ray or Pierce and have them bring it up. There's no need for Cassell or Tony Allen to be on the court. Who knows. It's the Finals. No excuses. If the Celtics are aggressive and play a physical game, I'm confident that they take tonight. Just pound the shit out of them.



The picture below is the new addition to my desk. Hopefully it can inspire me to write some more creative things. The man in Mexico that sold it to me said it was made out of shells, but who the hell knows if that's true or if I even understood him correctly.

The Jerry Jones Traveling Circus

Watching the Celts on Comcast, but obviously flipping to TNT at halftime to hear Sir Charles give us some gems such as "The Lakers are way too good of a team to be playing zone. Playing a zone is basically saying 'we suck on defense'". Love that the Celts are making Bibby look stupid after his comments, and love the energy. Hopefully we can put it away without Pierce having to play too many minutes with that back.

Real quick, I wanted to switch gears to the Giants and just say how happy I am to hear that the Cowboys signed Pacman Jones. Like Babcock, I am a big believer that Pacman would have been a good acquisition for New England. That would be a situation in which his distractions would be minimal, he would be around a group of guys that are focused 100 per cent on football, and Belicick would provide the structure and discipline that he would need. Dallas could not be more of the oppisite, and I can't help but laugh at what a circus my hated division rival has become.

Wade Phillips is the coaching equivalent to that dad who is a great guy and doesn't want to be too hard on his kids so he looks the other way on things like drinking or other clues in the form of innapropriate paraphanielia. Sure, more often than not his kid will end up alright. But, a really badly behaved kid will take advantage of him and could get into serious trouble. Nobody will want to blame the dad because he's a good guy and he loves his kid. But, at the end of the day everyone knows he should have stepped in somewhere. He is not the right guy to be coaching Pacman. Tank Johnson is a guy who, much like Pacman, seems to be totally self-destructive. These are two guys who have been given several chances by the league, and who have had a very clear picture painted of what their behavior should be. Both have violated it time and time again. It's completely unfathomable. Now, they are playing on the same defense. Between TO mouthing off and accidently overdosing on medication, Tony Romo running off to Mexico with Jessica Simpson, and Wade Phillips proving last season that he does not have much (if any) control over his players actions, it is very suprising that Dallas would take a chance on one of these two guys. But both of them! A roster of felons is nothing new for Jerry Jones, but I just don't think this team has the talent of the old Aikman/Irvin/Smith teams. It looks like a division title is in the cards for Big Blue next season.

I've posted this many times before. But, I'll never get sick of watching it:




Tommy just screamed at the top of his lungs "Bruce Willis almost caught that!" Can we please get a Heinsohn/Barkley duo? Just for one game. Please. I'll order it on Pay-Per-View if I have to.

Big Blue Repeat?

The World Champs are two weeks into their off-season regiment, and today was the first day that the media were permitted to enter the locker room. Unfortunatly, Roomofzen was not able to be there. But, we have read many accounts of what was said, and I also made sure to spend more time than usual (which is ALOT) thinking about the Giants today.


I love what we're hearing from Eli Manning. and Amani Toomer.

I expect great things from Eli this season. The guy has all the makings of a great quarterback. Physically, all the tools are there. Emotionally, the guy is always level, so I know that the emotional highs of winning the Super Bowl and getting married over the off-season will not have any effect on his game. The guy has put in more hours in the Giants practice facility than any other player since joining the team, and last year we began to see some of his teammates (most notably Plaxico Burress) following his lead in their off-season training regiments.



That's not to say I expect Manning to be perfect. This will only be his fourth year as the starter, and he still has a lot to go through. But, he's shown that he has the right makeup to handle that adversity. He'll always be scrutinized, and he has nobody but himself to thank for much of that. Certainly, being born a Manning was out of his control, but he signed up to be one of the most scrutinized players of all time when he became so vocal about playing for New York instead of San Diego. But, if Manning can handle the scrutiny he has faced over the past three seasons, this year should be a breeze. He bought himself a considerable amount of breathing room in February.

At this point, no writer in New York or anywhere can assert that Manning has been a bust. He has taken the Giants to the playoffs in every season, and in only his third year as the starter he turned in one of the most unlikely and prolific Super Bowl runs in history. I think that the confidence he gained during the post-season will show in his improved performance this season. Before the Super Bowl, John Elway said on ESPN that the level of his play rose to the next level the season after the first time he took Denver to the Super Bowl (in which they got SPANKED by the G-Men!). He said that the confidence he gained during the post-season (in which he played the best football anyone had seen from him) is what helped him elevate his game. People have compared Eli to Elway throughout his career (Elway was vocal about not wanting to play for the Colts, and was criticized heavily during the early years in Denver). I look for Eli to follow a pattern similar to that of Elway, and have his best and most consistent season in 08-09.


Needless to say, I feel comfortable with the Giants offense. The offensive line, which was one of the top units in the NFL last season, is returning intact. A more confident and poised Manning will be handing off to Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward (who just re-signed in March), and Ahmad Bradshaw. Logic tells us that Jacobs and Bradshaw, because they are so young, should be much improved. He will be throwing the ball to a healthy Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer (his value cannot be understated; look how valuable he was last year and look what happened to this offense when he went down in 06-07), a healthy Jeremy Shockey, and three young up-and comers in Steve Smith, Kevin Boss, and Sinorice Moss. Talk all you want about Dallas being loaded up on offense, and certainly TO, Jason Witten, and that big O-line make them a matchup problem for everyone. But, I belive that the best offense in the NFC East calls East Rutherford home.

I think this team has a great chance to repeat, but there are three big questions that need to be answered. And, suprisingly, they are all on the defensive side of the ball.


First of all, what is Michael Strahan going to decide? His return is key to the success of this defense. That's not to say that the G-Men wouldn't be able to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks without Strahan. Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Fred Robbins, and Barry Cofield are all top-notch talents. But, you can't remove a player as dominant as Strahan and not expect to see a drop-off.

Second, how the hell did we become so thin at linebacker so fast. Kawika Mitchell and Reggie Torbor were big losses, and I can't say that I feel confident in this group at the moment. I think Antonio Pierce is one of the best in the game, and I love Mathias Kiwanuka's athleticism, but somebody is going to need to step up. Now, many mock drafts have the G-Men taking Jerod Mayo from Tennessee in the draft. I would love this pick, and I think he's athletic enough to step in as a starter right away. But, there are still two problems. One, this means that we have a rookie and a third-year player who is still learning how to play linebacker flanking Antonio Pierce. Second, one of the biggest knocks on Mayo is that he can't stay healthy. Gerris Wilkinson and Chase Blackburn have both stepped up in key situations in the past, and I know that Giants coaches really like what they have seen from Zak DeOssie. Does any of this mean that I'm confident? Obviously not.

Third, can the secondary continue to play as well as it did in the post-season? I think so. Corey Webster is a great talent. I'm not sure exactly what wasn't working for him earlier in the season in '07, but he obviously conquered it in time for the post-season. Aaron Ross exceeded all of my expectations in his rookie year. I expect both Webster and Ross to be much improved this season. Sam Madison, R.W. McQuarters, and Kevin Dockery are all very capable, and I love the depth at cornerback. At safety, the loss of Gibril Wilson certainly hurt (the Raiders are overpaying in an attempt to bring in guys to turn things around. This is a fine quick-fix, but certainly not a blue print for long-term success. Al Davis needs to be stopped!). But, I love the addition of Sammy Knight. James Butler made some big plays last season, and Michael Johnson was the unsung hero of our rookies. He stepped in late in the season and played great. I look for him to be much improved in '08.

Fourth, will punting be an issue? Obviously not, the Giants have the greatest punter ever to walk the earth.

Super Bowl Rings

Sick.