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NFL WEEK 3 MATCHUPS

 

ST. LOUIS +7 AT CHICAGO (43) – The Rams showed me something last week against the Redskins. Not only can they move the football a little bit this season, but their defense looks much more aggressive and into the game than in years past.  They picked up some vets that are helping.  The Rams go to Chicago, a team that is having some problems. All anyone could talk about in the past week in Chicago is what an asshole Jay Cutler is.  He wasn’t getting a lot of protection in their loss last week and he acted like the baby he is.  If I was an NFL QB I think I’d be nice to my O-Linemen!  They can just smile and let the cattle out of the corral anytime they want. Anyway, two teams going in opposite directions IMO.  Their best offensive weapon in Matt Forte is out for a while. Their offensive line is having problems. Cutler has happy feet. He holds the ball too long anyway. He tries throw the ball through the defense.  St. Louis is improving all the time. Jeff Fisher is a proven head coach with a lot of energy which kids love.  They won at home last week in a “chippie” (looked like a regular rough game to me) game with the Redskins and held on to win at the end.  Danny Amendola, granted it was against a lousy Redskins secondary, set an NFL record in the first half of the game.  They do have Steven Jackson who is a punishing running back.   I’M TAKING THE POINTS HERE AND THE RAMS for 3 STARS.  CHECK RIGHT BEFORE GAMETIME FOR MY FINAL PLAYS!! A lot depends on the injury report.

BUFFALO  -3 AT CLEVELAND (44) – If you ever want to know which game that CBS thinks is the WORST game to watch out of all of the NFL games on any given Sunday, just check and see where Spero Dedes and Steve Beurlein are working .  This week it’s the Bills traveling to Cleveland because the league has promised both teams that ONE of them will probably be guaranteed a win.  The good news is that two of the league’s best rookie RB’s are playing against each other in this game.  Trent Richardson was the third player drafted this past year.  He’ll start for the Browns.  C.J. Spiller, a second year guy from Clemson, will start for the Bills because Fred Jackson will be out for a while with an injury.  Neither of these teams is going anywhere anytime soon, but watching these two young men play will at least keep some of the people in their seats in Cleveland.  Spiller, although it’s just after two games, is averaging over 10 yards per carry. He’s the first running back since Jim Brown in 1963 to have averaged over 10 yards per carry for the first two games of the season.   Last week Richardson became the first rookie to run and catch a pass for a TD since 2005 in the same game.  Even though the Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick hasn’t set the world on fire with his passing, the Bills OL hasn’t allowed a sack yet this season.  The Bills beat K.C. last week but the Chiefs pretty much suck.  The Browns have played two pretty good teams in Philly and Cincinnati.  Rookie QB Brandon Weeden had a very good outing last week in a losing cause.  If the Browns weren’t so beat up on the defensive side of the ball, I’d take them as a home dog here to win the game.  However, I’m afraid that Fitzpatrick and his offense have a little too much juice for the Browns here.  I’M GOING TO PASS ON THIS GAME.

INDY -3 OVER JACKSONVILLE (43) – Jacksonville traveled opening day to Minnesota and lost in overtime. Their offense didn’t look bad. Last week at home, Houston, the team I picked to win the AFC this season, embarrassed their offense and Blaine Gabbert who threw for only 53 yards.  MJD has run the ball effectively in two games but everything I see about the Jax offense screams they have to execute and are having big time problems doing so.  The Colts, on the other hand, are building gradually and effectively on both offense and defense.   Their offensive line is a work in progress but he’s athletic and smart enough to do what he has to do to run the offense.  Luck has targeted Reggie Wayne  with 1/3 of his passes even though he’s usually double-teamed.  Former Ram Donnie Avery has proven to be a good target for Luck also.  His college roommate, Coby Fleener has done a good job so far and will continue to improve.  Donald Brown gives them a decent running back to offset the passing attack of Luck.  This game is pretty much a toss-up but I’m going to probably play Indy if the injury list stays the same on Sunday as it is now.  Jaguar QB Blaine Gabbert isn’t very mobile and should get some pressure from the front 7 in Indy.  The crowd noise should give Gabbert problems also.  We’ll see what happens on Sunday.

JETS -2 AT MIAMI (41) – Jets OC Tony Sparano is going back to Miami where he coached for the past three years to take on first year HC Joe Philbin, his rookie QB Ryan Tannehill, and a defense that can be pretty tough.  The Dolphins can run the football.  Reggie Bush is having some success finding holes.  Last week they rushed for 259 yards against the Raiders.  With Brian Hartline being their most effective WR, the Dolphins are going to HAVE to have an effective running game.  Rex Ryan is going to put 8 and 9 in the box and challenge the Dolphins to throw the ball.  The Dolphin defense actually played Houston tough and last week only allowed the Raiders 23 yards on the ground.  I would think that the Jets may have a hard time running the ball too.  If Miami plays smart on offense and doesn’t turn the ball over, they might beat the Jets, who are 2 point favorites only because of the betting public.  The Jets are giving up 4.6 yards per carry so far this season.  I’m GOING TO PASS ON THE GAME ONLY BECAUSE IT’S TOO CLOSE TO CALL BUT I WOULDN’T BE A BIT SURPRISED IF THE DOLPHINS WIN HERE.

NEW ORLEANS -9 OVER KANSAS CITY (53) – It’s hard to believe that the Saints could end up 0-3 after this game after winning a Super Bowl a couple of years ago.  Drew Brees is playing without his head coach/mentor/partner Sean Payton and it’s giving him and the offense and the team some problems.   they can’t figure out how to stop the other teams they play from scoring, it’s not going to matter how effective Brees and the offense is.  However, so far this season, Brees  is struggling throwing the football.  RB Darren Sproles is his leading receiver s far this season.  TE Jimmy Graham is a big target that can create problems for defenses but so far this season, the offense hasn’t been able to score when they need to and their defense has struggled against the likes of Washington and Carolina.  Neither of those two teams are going anywhere this season.  The Chiefs so far have lost by 16 and 18 to Atlanta and Buffalo.  Last week for some reason,  RB Jamaal Charles only had 9 touches.  QB Matt Cassell has turned the ball over 5 times already the first two games.  He’s been sacked 8 times.  The Saints aren’t going to be able to get too much pressure without getting some linebackers involved.  The Chiefs do have some weapons.  TE Tony Moeaki, WR Dwayne Bowe will create some problems for the Saints secondary if Cassell has time to throw.  I’M GOING TO TAKE THE OVER IN THIS GAME FOR 5 STARS.  I CAN’T SEE THE WINNER GETTING LESS THAN 35 POINTS HERE.

DETROIT -3 ½ AT TENNESSEE (47.5) – Detroit traveled to San Francisco last week and played the best team in the NFL pretty well.  Their defense kept the 49ers offense out of the end zone for the most part.  Their defense, even with some holes in the secondary, played well and was very physical.  Tennessee to this point of the season has showed literally NOTHING.  They can’t run the ball and they can’t throw the ball on offense.  Opponents are averaging 37+ minutes holding on to the football, making it virtually impossible for the Titan defense to have any success.  Sure, they’ve played New England and San Diego, but even though both Brady and Rivers are future HOF QB’s, their teams are not all that tough.  Chris Johnson, who rushed for 2,000+ yards two years ago and signed a big deal before the start of last season, has 21 yards rushing on 19 carries.  His offensive line is pitiful if that’s the case.  Their defense has given up 310 yards rushing the first two games.  Detroit QB Matthew Stafford should have no problem tearing up the defense of the Titans here.  The Titans are giving up an average of 118.5 QB rating so far this season.  I’M GOING TO TAKE THE LIONS HERE MINUS THE POINTS FOR 5 STARS.

REDSKINS -3 OVER CINCINNATI (50) – I think both teams are gonna be able to score on Sunday and score in bunches.  The Redskins defense, after losing 2 big members of their front 7 Brian Orakpo and Adam Carriker.  The Redskins won’t be able to replace those two guys.  The Redskins secondary is like swiss cheese already.  Nobody can cover and nobody can tackle.  Andy Dalton struggled against the Ravens but had his way against the Cleveland defense last week.  RB Benjarvis Green-Ellis has played well for the Bengals running the football.   A.J. Green is a dominant receiver but hasn’t really broke loose so far this season because he’s been double teamed each week.  TE Jermaine Gresham is a decent receiver and former CFL WR Andrew Hawkins has caught 10 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown in two games.  On the Washington side of the football, Rookie QB Robert Griffin has a 111.6 QB rating in two games.  He has thrown 3 TD’s and only 1 pick so far.  His yards/attempt is 9.56 yards.  The Bengals defense has given up a ridiculously high 119.9 QB rating to this point of the season.  The Bengals DO NOT HAVE AN INTERCEPTION so far this year.  If the Redskins can run Albert Morris effectively, which they should be able to do because the Bengals give up 5.5 yards per carry, it should open up the passing lanes for Robert Griffin and the Redskins recievers.  I’ M GOING TO TAKE THE REDSKINS MINUS THE POINTS FOR 5 STARS AND THE OVER 50 AFORE 4 STARS.

SAN FRANCISCO -7 AT MINNESOTA (43) – The 49ers have beaten two good teams so far this season, the Packers and the Lions, both from the NFC North which is where this week’s opponent plays also.  They play indoors at the Metrodome at 1 pm, which is like playing at 10 a.m. on the West Coast.  San Francisco, in my opinion, is the best team in the NFC, maybe the entire league right now. Alex Smith has thrown 216 passes without an interception.  Minnesota was outplayed at home their first game but won in overtime over a weak Jacksonville team.  Last week they lost in Indy to Andrew Luck and the Colts who won their first game of the season and in quite a long time.  Adrian Peterson has come back early from knee surgery and played the first two games of the season, rushing for a 4.4 yard average and 133 yards.  I can’t believe that Peterson is 100% but don’t look for him to sit out against the 49ers.  He’s a gamer.  However, I’ll say this.  If he does get 15-25 touches, he’s gonna get beat up and beat up badly.  Vikings QB Christian Ponder has done fine so far this season, completing 75% of his passes for 515 yards and no picks.  If Ponder can keep Alex Smith and the 49ers offense off the field, then the Vikings have a chance.  The Vikings who have one of the league’s best pass rushers in Jared Allen, have 4 sacks for the season.  Allen doesn’t have a sack yet.  Minny LB Erin Henderson is OUT for the game on Sunday, which will hurt the Vikings chances.  I’M GOING TO PASS ON THE GAME BECAUSE THE NUMBER IS JUST TOO GOOD.

DALLAS -8 OVER TAMPA BAY (46) – This is an interesting matchup because it’s Dallas’ home opener after getting pushed around in Seattle last week against the Seahawks.  Dallas’ problem has always been consistency.  The Cowboys looked like world beaters against the World Champion Giants opening day in New York.  Then they travel out west and get embarrassed.  Tampa Bay’s new HC Greg Schiano has his guys believing in themselves.  They fired out during a Giants victory formation at the end of the game last week and gave no apologies.  They were playing hard. They had Eli Manning and his Giants frustrated and behind by 14 points late in the game before the Giants got it together and beat them last week.  The Bucs defense can play.  They held Cam Newton and his offense to 10 points the first week.  Their defense is only giving up an average of 2.7 yards per carry to opposing RB’s.  They have run the ball 58 times and only the ball 52 times.  They believe in a ball control offense.  On the defensive side of the ball, the Bucs have picked off 5 opponents passes already.  Dallas needs this game some kind of badly, but that doesn’t mean that it’s gonna happen. Romo and the Cowboys HAVE to be able to run the football.  I’m not sure if they can!  I’M GONNA PASS ON THIS GAME BUT IF I DID PLAY THE GAME, I’D TAKE THE BUCS TO UPSET THE COWBOYS AND DEFINITELY COVER THE SPREAD.

PHILADELPHIA -3 AT ARIZONA (46) – Arizona is better than a lot of people thought they would be, including me.  John Skelton was injured and Kevin Kolb has replaced him at QB and is doing a good job.  He is also facing his former team, who know a little bit about him, but he also knows a little bit about them.  The Cards are 9-2 in their past 11 games.  They might be the best kept secret in the NFL.  The Cards haven’t started a season 3-0 since 1974.  Beating New England last week at their place is no little accomplishment.  They’re going to have to control the ball and get something out of a running game that hasn’t logged much yardage yet.  Beanie Wells and Ryan Williams haven’t shown up yet but it’s not all their problem.  The Cards are starting rookie Bobby Massie at right tackle.  Their best OT is out for the season.  With an inexperienced LT D’Anthony Batiste on the other side, look for the Eagles to bring pressure from the corners to hurry Kolb.  For the Eagles WR Jeremy Macklin is OUT. DeSean Jackson has a sore hamstring and is one play away from being out.  I look for the Eagles to control the ball on the ground and stretch the field from time to time and keep the Cards off the field.  This is a game that really doesn’t match up well for Arizona.  The Cards defense is Darnell Docket on the line and Patrick Petersen in the D backfield.  The Cards can bring some pressure against an inexperienced and banged up Philly line. Philly has 9 turnovers in their first two games.   I’M GOING TO PASS ON THE GAME EVEN THOUGH I THINK THE CARDS HAVE A SHOT. THERE IS A REASON THEY ARE 3 POINT UNDERDOGS AT HOME.

PITTSBURGH -3 ½ AT OAKLAND (45) – I can’t read too much into Oakland so far.  They have been disappointing and there are parts of their game they are definitely struggling with.  After losing their opener, the Steelers came back last week and looked solid against the Jets.  Troy Palaomulo and James Harrison are out this week.  The Steelers should have plenty of fans in the Black Hole this week and I look for the Steelers to win the game outright.  K Sebastian Janikowski has a sore groin so that could be a problem.  RB Darren McFadden has only 21 touches in two games running the football even though he’s caught 15 passes.  Pittsburgh needs this win to keep up with Baltimore who should handle the Pats on Sunday night.  I’M GOING TO PASS ON THE GAME.

HOUSTON -1.5 AT DENVER (45.5) – Peyton Manning is coming off a shorter week of practice but he’s at home.  Houston travels again this time to the Mile High City.  Peyton Manning is going to run an up tempo no huddle attack to take advantage of the altitude changes for the Texans.  In Atlanta, Peyton had 3 picks in the first quarter of the game, but came back late to make a game of it.  Manning is about 70% of where he’s been before and where he might go.  I would imagine he’ll do better at home.  Willis McGahee has been solid but at his age, he might get tired early in the season. The Texans HAVE NEVER BEAT MANNING ON THE ROAD.  They have the number 1 defense in the league but they haven’t played anyone yet.  Matt Schaub and his offense are solid and can churn up yardage in bunches.  However,  I’M GOING TO PASS ON THE GAME EVEN THOUGH I FEEL THAT TEXAS IS THE BETTER TEAM.

BALTIMORE -2 ½ OVER NEW ENGLAND (50) – I don’t see a high scoring game here.  Both defenses might be their strongest teams.  The Pats crush a lousy Titan team the first game, only to come back last week and lose at home against a solid Arizona team.  One of his favorite targets, Aaron Hernandez, is out for a while.  Gronkowski gives him at matchup nobody in the league can handle, sometimes even with double teams.  RB Steven Ridley is averaging 5 yards a carry.  On the Baltimore side of the ball, Joe Flacco seems to be getting better every game.  They ran up a big score against the Bengals, then lost a close game last week in Philly, which they could have won easily.  They have to figure out a way to get Ray Rice the ball more.  Last week that was their problem.  TE Dennis Pitta is having a come out year so far.  Flacco has more receivers for a change than Brady.  This game is HUGE for the Ravens. First of all, it’s at home where they play better than on the road.  They MUST win this game or they’ll fall to 1-2.  I CAN’T SEE THEM DOING THAT. I LOOK FOR THE BALTIMORE DEFENSE TO GIVE BRADY FITS AND THE OFFENSE TO GET ENOUG POINTS TO WIN AND COVER THE SPREAD HERE.  TAKE THE RAVENS MINUS THE POINTS FOR 4 STARS.

SAN DIEGO -3 OVER ATLANTA (49.5) – Don’t ask me why? But I’m leaning towards Norv Turner and the Chargers going to 3-0 this season with a home win here against the Falcons but I’m stepping out on a big ledge here doing that.  First of all, the Chargers haven’t beaten anyone yet.  Tennessee and Oakland both qualify right now as SUCK teams, which if you’re familiar with my logic, makes it virtually stupid to count anything done against these teams.  However, the Chargers are at home a second week in a row and Antonio Gates comes back from sore ribs to start today.  The Chargers would like nothing better than to get their third win in a row before they set off on a two game road trip.  The Chargers also get RB Ryan Matthews back from a broken collarbone this week.  THE FALCONS HAVE NEVER LOST IN SAN DIEGO, which makes it even tougher to take the Chargers here.  On the other side of that play, Phillip Rivers is 38-11 at home as a starter. I’M GOING TO PASS ON THIS GAME BECAUSE I’VE TALKED MYSELF OUT OF IT WRITING THIS NOTE COLUMN. HAHAHA.

(MONDAY NIGHT) PACKERS -3 AT SEATTLE (45) – This game is going to be a GREAT football game on Monday night.  First of all, the Packers aren’t the Packers as we’ve known them so far this season.  After losing at home to an excellent 49ers team, they came back and beat up an old nemesis Jay Cutler and the Bears.  Now the Pack travel to Seattle to take on Pete Carroll and his rejuvenated Seahawk squad.  Last week the Seahawks destroyed the Dallas Cowboys, who usually have as many fans in away stadiums as they do at home.  Rookie QB Russell Wilson is solid, but he’s struggling to stretch the field with his receiving corps.  Last week against the Cowboys, Wilson finished with a 112 passer rating.  Look for this kid to just get better each week.  RB Marshawn Lynch and the offensive line have done a good job so far rushing for just under 150 yards per game.  The Packers rely on Aaron Rodgers and his passing game with a host of receivers that are all good, but none great.  I’M GOING TO JUST WATCH THIS GAME BUT IF I HAD TO TAKE ONE TEAM OR THE OTHER, I’D PROBABLY TAKE THE SEAHAWKS AT HOME JUST KNOWING HOW TOUGH THEY ARE THERE.

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WEEK 2 NFL MATCHUPS

NEW YORK GIANTS -7 OVER TAMPA BAY (44) – I wasn’t that surprised that the Giants lost in week 1 to the Cowboys. Dallas was prepared for this game better than probably any game in the past two or three seasons.   Coughlin and the G-men have shown in recent years that it usually takes them a while to get some consistency that brings the wins.  HOWEVER, this week against a Tampa Bay team that stacked the line of scrimmage and dared Cam Newton to throw the football without many decent receivers, the Giants should have much better luck. I CONSIDER THIS A MUST WIN FOR THE G-MEN.  They can’t afford to lose two games at home to start the season. The Bucs win last week and the Giants loss have kept the betting line at a very valuable 7 points.   I see the Bucs slamming their rookie RB Doug Martin, who had 28 touches last week, into the Giants pass rushing defensive line and having some success.  However, I don’t see the Bucs being able to do to Eli Manning what they did to Cam Newton last week. The Giants receivers are probably chomping at the bit to get an opportunity to burn Ronde Barber and company on Sunday.  There is no way that the Bucs defensive backfield can cover the Giants receivers man for man without help from a nickel package or the linebacking corps.  That should open up the Giants entire playbook.  Even though I usually don’t like to play the Giants at home for any reason, I see this 7 point line as being an opportunity to get a good value out of the Giants against an inferior team.  This game COULD be a blowout.  TAKE THE GIANTS MINUS THE POINTS FOR 4 STARS.

OAKLAND -1 AT MIAMI (38.5) – Two teams in the long term rebuilding mode, the Dolphins QB had a tough opening day last week against a very good Houston team.  Rookie QB Ryan Tannehill had a 39 QB rating which isn’t going to get it done.  He threw 3 picks and didn’t throw a touchdown pass.  The Raiders defense is good enough to make things tough on Tannehill again this week.  Miami RB Reggie Bush had a decent day carrying the ball 14 times for 69 yards but the Dolphins were never in the game.  Oakland lost a tough game against San Diego and if it hadn’t been for losing their long snapper with a head injury, may very well have won the game.  Look for a close game but in the end Carson Palmer will find a way to score more points than than the rookie QB from Miami.  However, last season the Dolphins beat the Raiders 34-14 and they ARE at home.  I’m going to PASS on the game just to be safe and because of the long trip that the Raiders took to play the game.

HOUSTON -7 AT JACKSONVILLE (41.5) – Even though the Jaguars lost in OT in Minnesota last week, they controlled the ball for 35 minutes in the game.  Maurice Jones-Drew had an excellent game considering he didn’t play during the preseason.  QB Blaine Gabbert had maybe the best game of his short career throwing for a 96 QB Rating, two touchdowns, and no picks.  Minnesota WAS able to run the football against the Jags even with about a 70% Adrian Peterson.  This will be Mike Mullarkey and new owner Shad Kahn’s first home game.  RB Rashad Jennings was hurt in the second quarter of last week’s game and is out for this week’s game.  If MJD can’t shoulder the load, it could get interesting.  Houston QB Matt Schaub had a normal game for him, completing 20 of 31 passes for 266 yards and a touchdown.  Arian Foster carried the ball 26 times for just 79 yards so their OL needs to improve their blocking assignments to turn Foster and Tate loose.  All Pro WR Andre Johnson caught 8 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown.  Miami’s defense, even though they lost the game, didn’t play badly versus the Texans last week. Since 2010, MJD and Arian Foster are numbers 1 and 2 in the NFL in rushing.  Could be a hell of a chance to see this matchup.   I’M GOING TO PASS ON THIS GAME HOWEVER. The Titans are the better team by far, but I don’t like the line or the location of the game.

CINCINNATI -7 OVER CLEVELAND (38.5) – Cincinnati ran into a buzzstorm in Baltimore last week.  Art Modell had just passed away and a very emotional group of Ravens lined up up against a Cincinnati team that is good, but not nearly as good as the Ravens.  This week, however, they’re catching a weak Browns team that just had their best defensive player go down for 4 games for substance abuse.  CB Joe Haden is being replaced by Dmitri Patterson and that should make the Browns play a lot more zone defense in order to keep the mismatches to a minimum.  WR A.J. Green and TE Jermaine Gresham will get plenty of touches and should have their way with the Browns defensive backfield.  Brandon Weeden had the lowest opening day passer rating in NFL history with a 5.1.  The Browns have to pound rookie (but banged up) RB Trent Richardson and the Bengals will be ready.  Even though the past six meetings of these two teams has been decided by 3 points or less, I don’t see that being the case here on Sunday.  I look for Andy Dalton and his offense to control the ball and score almost at will in a game that will make Bengals fans forget about how ugly last week was.  They will wear the Cleveland defense down and beat them soundly.  TAKE THE BENGALS MINUS THE POINTS FOR 5 STARS HERE.

BALTIMORE RAVENS +1 AT PHILLY (46.5) – On my show on AM 1230 WFAS NEW YORK this Sunday morning, we’ll be speaking to Clark Judge, CBS insider and analyst, who will break down this incredibly important game on Sunday in Philly.  Clark will be there working the game.  Personally, I don’t see how with the things I’ve seen this week (Andy shutting practice down for reporters, injuries to Macklin AND DeSean Jackson, Vick’s rustiness, inability to move the football, turnovers) how the Eagles can win this game.  I can’t help but think the Ravens, even with Flacco’s history of road woes, having anything but a good complete game on offense and defense against an Eagles team that really doesn’t have much more right now that LeSean McCoy’s legs.  Mike Vick is in his second week of preseason in my opinion.  Can he have a good game? Possibly…but I doubt it against this Ravens team.  The Eagles had 5 turnovers against maybe the worst team in the league last week, the Cleveland Browns.  The Ravens defense is a work in progress, but they sure did look good against the Bengals last week.  Ray Rice only had 10 carries but 68 yards and caught 3 passes for 25 yards.  Joe Flacco, in his no huddle offense, spread the ball around to 7 different receivers completing 21 of 29 for 299 yards and two touchdowns and no picks.  The no huddle seems to suit Flacco well.  Look for a fairly high scoring but physical game in Philly this Sunday with the team making the fewest mistakes probably coming away with the Victory!!  I’M GOING TO PLAY THE RAVENS PLUS OR MINUS A POINT FOR 3 STARS. THEY ARE THE BETTER TEAM FOR SURE AND IT’S ONLY AN HOUR AND A HALF BUS RIDE.

NEW ORLEANS -1 AT CAROLINA (51) – After watching what the Redskins did to the Saints last week in the Superdome, it’s hard for me to think that things will get much better here this week in Charlotte for the Saints, but playing a team who you’ve beaten 6 times in a row might be the elixir needed for New Orleans.  Carolina’s defense isn’t that strong, but last week they only gave up 268 total yards in a loss at Tampa Bay.  But their defense wasn’t their problem. The Panthers and Cam Newton only had the ball for 22 minutes.  Carolina couldn’t run the ball at all, getting 10 yards on just 13 carries and gave up on the run completely far too early in the game.  Drew Brees threw for the worst QB rating I can ever remember last week (70.9) and completed only 24 of 52 passes for 339 yards, three TD’s and two picks.  Not a usual Drew Brees game, but he was playing catchup almost the entire game.  Against a very average Panthers defense, look for Brees to run the ball more and mix up Sproles, Graham, and the WR’s early.  I expect Pierre Thomas to be more involved in the game this week also.  I’m going TO PLAY THE SAINTS MINUST THE POINTS FOR 4 STARS HERE. I CAN’T SEE BREES LOSING TO CAM NEWTON ON SUNDAY.  NO WAY.

MINNESOTA -1 AT INDY (44.5) – This should be a very competitive football game.  Last week the Vikings didn’t sack the QB for the first time in 26 games. That’s on hell of a streak. They also played the Jacksonville Jaguars, who aren’t really known for their great pass blocking and who have a second year average QB in Blaine Gabbert. This week, Minny plays the Colts, who in my opinion, have a rookie QB who is better than Gabbert already in Andrew Luck.  The Vikings gave up almost 400 yards total offene to the Jags last week, with a first week MJD.  Indy’s defense is a work in progress and won’t be the kind of defense they’re looking for anytime soon.  However, if they can make a few plays against Christian Ponder and the Vikings offense and get some stops on defense, they can give Luck the ball enough to get them some points.  Donald Brown had some success running the football last week and if Reggie Wayne gets 62 yards receiving on Sunday, he will pass Michael Irvin and move into 20^th place in career yards for a receiver.  Minnesota is going to score some points. They’re comfortable in a dome situation since they play in one.  They are coming off a win.  The only thing I’m sure of here is that Indy AND Minny will score some points and maybe quite a few.  I’M GOING TO TAKE THE OVER HERE, SINCE THERE’S NO WEATHER TO CONTEND WITH, FOR 5 STARS HERE.

KANSAS CITY +3 ½ AT BUFFALO (44.5) – I’m sorry! I don’t see how Buffalo can be favored against the Chiefs ANYWHERE! The Bills showed me last week in their loss to the Jets that they are far from being a competitive team this season.  Let’s look at the numbers.  They gave up 19 for 27 for 266 yards to MARK SANCHEZ, a QB that usually has very low yards/attempt numbers had 9.65 yards per attempt.  Sanchez threw for 3 TD’s and only one pick.  Sanchez and his receiving corps threw for a 123.4 QB rating.  The Jets rushed 36 times for 118 yards.  RB C.J. Spiller DID have 169 yards on 14 carries but most of those yards came on two carries.  Kansas City comes into Buffalo with a much better running game than the Jets.  Jamaal Charles against the Falcons had 87 yards on 16 carries.  QB Matt Cassell should have a much better time against the Bills secondary. RB Fred Jackson is out indefinitely andWR David Nelson is out for the season. This is not good for the Bills. Since Ryan Fitzpatrick signed his big deal in the middle of last season, nothing good has happened to the Bills or their offense.  Romeo will have his defense ready for Fitzpatrick and his banged up offense.   I’M GOING TO TAKE THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS, WHO MANY PEOPLE THINK WILL WIN THE WEST, TO GO TO BUFFALO AND BEAT THE BILLS AND COVER THE SPREAD THIS WEKEND.  4 STARS.

NEW ENGLAND -13 ½ OVER ARIZONA (48) – ZONA traveling cross country for an early game against the always tough Pats with a new face at QB can’t be a good thing..or can it?  John Skelton goes down and Kevin Kolb, who the Cards spent a ton of money on a couple of year ago will get the start this week for sure.  Last week the Cards held on inside the 5 yard line to beat the Seahawks after Kolb came in and did a great job leading the Cards down the field for the go ahead touchdown.   The Cards were never able to get their running game going getting just 43 yards in 20 attempts.  Last week, Tom Brady and New England played error free football and easily beat Tennessee at their place. Pretty impressive for a team that showed absolutely nothing in the preseason.  They held RB Chris Johnson to 8 yards in 11 carries. That’s not going to win him a rushing title.  Stevan Ridley is the RB of the week for the Pats, rushing for 125 yards on 21 carries.  Mix that with a QB rating of 117 for Brady and you have an excellent offensive showing.  With a lot of new faces, the Pats defense proved they could play also.  This game will pit two good defenses against offenses which are quite different.  The Pats haven’t lost a home opener in like 20 years so look for something good here from New England.  I’M GOING TO PASS ON THE GAME!

WASHINGTON -3 AT ST. LOUIS (45 ½  ) –What a difference a week makes. The Redskins got a once in a lifetime start by rookie QB Robert Griffin and held on to beat the New Orleans Saints in the Superdome by a score of 40-32.  Griffin was 19 for 26 for 320 yards and 2 TD’s with no picks. Not bad for his first NFL   start! Another rookie, Alfred Morris got the start at QB ahead of veterans and ran for 96 yards in 28 tries.  The Rams had a lead late in the game against the tough Detroit Lions, who got a slow start, and lost by a score of 27-23.  Sam Bradford had a good day throwing the ball going 17 for 25 for 198 yards and a touchdown.  RB Steven Jackson had a tough day carrying the ball 21 times for 53 yards.  The Detroit front 7 kept the running game in check.  Three picks by the Rams defense kept the game close till the end.  During the game, the Rams offensive line incurred three different injuries to their starters. Two are still out as of right now and one might start.  This could make it very tough for Jeff Fisher’s offense to handle the very good front 7 of the Redskins led by London Fletcher.  I like the Redkins here but they’ve always had a tough time in the dome in St. Louis.  The good news for the Skins is that they prepared and played in a dome last week, so their preparation was very consistent.  I’M GOING TO PASS ON GAME ANYWAY, THOUGH I DO THINK THE REDSKINS MIGHT BE THE BETTER TEAM ON SUNDAY.

DALLAS -3 AT SEATTLE (41½ ) – Last week, rookie QB Russell Wilson came just a few yards from winning his opening game in the NFL.  The key for the Seahawks staying with the talented Dallas offense is to keep the ball themselves.  Wilson and the Hawks will need to control the ball on the ground with Marshawn Lynch and continue to throw short passes against the Dallas linebackers.  WR’s Braylon Edwards and Sydney Rice combined for 9 catches but for just 79 yards.  If they’re going to have success against the Cowboys, they’ll need to stretch the field more than that.  I’m not sure they can actually do that.  Tony Romo had one of his best games as a Cowboy completing 22 of 29 passes for 307 yards and 3 TD’s against last year’s Super Bowl Champion Giants.  The Cowboys have also had an extra 4 days to rest and prepare to play the Seahawks.  WR Kevin Ogletree had his best game in the pros catching 8 balls for 114 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Miles Austin and Dez Bryant combined for another 158 yards of receptions and second year RB DeMarco Murray rushed 20 times for 131 yards.  Look for more of DeMarco Murray this week to open up the passing lanes and give Romo time to throw.  Seattle’s front 7 is pretty good.  I’m taking the Cowboys with the extra time and the fact that it IS EARLY IN THE SEASON, when the play well anyway, to handle Wilson and his offense and outscore them.  I’M TAKING THE COWBOYS FOR 4 STARS IN THIS GAME.

SAN DIEGO -6 OVER TENNESSEE (43) – San Diego pulled one out on Monday night against the Raiders even though they really didn’t look all that good doing it.  If it hadn’t been for Oakland losing their long snapper to a head injury early in the game, the Chargers might have lost the game.  Ryan Matthews, out with a broken collar bone, might be out again this week.  Rookie LT Mike Harris is being asked to protect the blind side of Phillip Rivers who doesn’t move all that well in the pocket.  Tennessee QB Jake Locker may or may not play this Sunday but if he can’t go, the Titans don’t lose anything starting backup Matt Hasselbeck.  The key to this game is both teams’ running games.  If Chris Johnson can’t get off the line of scrimmage and into the secondary of the Chargers defense, it’s gonna be a long day for the Titans.  If they can run, they can beat the Chargers.  Too many question marks on the San Diego side of the ball so I’M GOING TO PASS ON THIS GAME.

SAN FRANCISCO -7 OVER DETROIT (46.5) – Just like last season, this could be one hell of a football game.  After seeing the Bears again this week, I’ve got to think that the Lions are the team to beat in the NFC North this season, along with the Packers.  Dubbed the “Handshake Bowl” game, because of the crap that happened last season after the game was over, there will be a lot of people paying attention to this game.  First of all, the winner will be undefeated.  It’s the 49ers home opener at the Stick.  I’ve already picked the 49ers to be in the Super Bowl this season, so you know I’m on them here.  First of all, what they did to the Packers in Lambeau last week was brutal.  They TOTALLY dominated the Packers in every facet of the game.  The 49ers are healthy.  Alex Smith continues to improve running Harbaugh’s offense.  Randy Moss even caught a TD last week.  RB Frank Gore had 112 yards on 16 yards.  K David Akers tied an NFL record with a 63 yard FG.  Their defense is all over the ball.  Matthew Stafford has Megatron and a host of other receivers but I don’t see them having too much success on Sunday night. Stafford threw 3 picks against the RAMS defense last week.  This 49ers defense is much better than the Rams.   I’M GOING TO TAKE THE 49ERS MINUS THE POINTS FOR 5 STARS. THIS IS MY NFL PLAY OF THE WEEK.  IF YOU WANT A HEDGE WITH THE TOTAL, TAKE THE OVER.

ATLANTA -3 OVER DENVER (51) – This game should get some great Monday Night Ratings this week. Peyton Manning, hot off his win last week in Denver, Peyton and the Broncos travel to Atlanta this weekend to play the always-tough-at-home  Falcons in the Georgia Dome.  HC Mike Smith has quietly taken control of the 3^rd best home record in the NFL since 2008 at 26-6.  That is a GREAT record at home.  Peyton Manning IS the reason that the Broncos are favored.  It has NOTHING to do with the quality of the teams.  In my opinion, the Falcons should be the favorite here.  The Falcons traveled to Kansas City last week and beat a pretty good Chiefs team in a place that’s hard to play in. Now, they go home and play their home opener against a future HOFer who can’t be 100%.  The Denver secondary is good, not great but Champ Bailey and company should be able to hang with the likes of Julio Jones and Roddy White.  RB Michael Turner only had 32 yards rushing last week so look for him to touch the ball more this week.  If the Broncos double either White or Jones, the other has single coverage.  On the other side of the ball with Atlanta’s secondary there is also a problem.  CB Brent Grimes is out for the season with an injury.  This creates problems for Atlanta because of their talent level.  Look for Peyton Manning to take advantage of the matchups with his no-huddle.  The total is 51. This game could go over pretty early AND the game is indoors.  I like TEASING THE OVER WITH THE FALCONS HERE. NOTHING ELSE. YOU CAN HEDGE WITH THE OVER IF YOU’D LIKE FOR A SMALLER PLAY.

Bonus

Listen to Bruce and Roy record a promo and fail miserably!

SATURDAY GAMES

SAN FRANCISCO (13-3) +3.5 OVER NEW ORLEANS (14-3)(47.5) – Right now I think that the Saints are the best team in the NFL. I really do. The Packers have some terrible things going on with their team right now when it comes to being able to continue to play playoff football effectively, in my opinion. First of all, they rested Aaron Rodgers the last regular season game at home against the Detroit Lions, along with several starters but won the game anyway with one hell of a performance by the team and backup QB Matt Flynn. They had a bye the following week, so this week is the first real practice and action that Rodgers has had in some time. A horrible thing happened this week when Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin losing his son to a bizarre death when his body was found in the Oshkosh River, having fallen through the ice. He has taken a leave of absence which will affect the Packers for sure. I’m sure that they’ll circle the wagons and play hard for Jerry and his family, but it has to be a distraction, and a very sad one also. Both teams will be ready for this game. The 49ers are getting points at home where they were 7-1 this season.
I picked the Packers early this season to win the Super Bowl again but last week I said I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see the Saints win the NFC title. The 49ers have had a remarkable season. Alex Smith, after almost being run out of town the past several years since he was drafted by Mike Nolan with the first pick overall in the draft, has put things together with the help of head coach Jim Harbaugh and had a phenomenal year so far. Smith has had 7 different coordinators in 7 years. The 49ers are a run team first with Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter, and Smith hasn’t thrown for over 300 yards in any game so far this year. However, his QB rating is over 90 and he’s only thrown 5 picks all year long. WR Michael Crabtree and TE Vernon Davis are by far his favorite receivers. Their offense holds the ball 32 minutes per game and their defense has some of the best numbers in the NFL. They are very aggressive and have only given up 3 rushing TD’s the entire year and those were in the last 2 games. The only game the 49ers lost all season long at home was the second game of the season against the Cowboys in overtime. Two weeks later trailing 23-7 late in the game, they came back led by Alex Smith and beat the Philadelphia Eagles in Philly. They won 9 out of their last 11 games, winning all 6 of their home games.
Both defenses are well coached but the 49ers defense is special. They have better playmakers and a much better overall defense than do the Saints. Almost 90% of the country right now is on the Saints minus the points here on the road. They have covered 9 games in a row (thank Goodness) It wouldn’t surprise me if the 49ers won this game but in order to do so, they’re going to have to get big time pressure on Drew Brees and make him make some mistakes. The Saints have the best offense in the history of the NFL this year and to think that they’ll be easy to beat is absurd. However, the 49ers have something to prove this year and all of the Saints losses have come on the road this season and they admit they’re not as good on grass. Two of their early road losses have been against Tampa Bay and St. Louis, two of the worst teams in the league. Since losing to the Rams, they’ve won 9 games in a row. You would think that sooner or later they’ll get beat, but will it be this year? That is the question? I MIGHT BE CRAZY BUT I’M TAKING THE 49ERS AT HOME TO COVER THE SPREAD HERE FOR 4 STARS.
NEW ENGLAND (13-3) -13.5 OVER DENVER (9-8)(50.5) – Last time these two hooked up a month ago, Denver rushed for 167 yards in the first quarter and lead 16-7 at one point. After turning the ball over three times, the game was pretty much over. If the Broncos can control the ball running the ball effectively and protect Tebow in the pocket, they have a chance, even in Foxboro. Heck, the G-men beat the Pats there earlier this season. Let us not forget that the Patriots have an AVERAGE defense, just a GREAT defensive coach. I would say the Pats will come out smoking the ball with their crossing patterns and using their tight ends Gronkowski and Hernandez. Rob Gronkowski is 22 years old and only in his 2nd season in the NFL. He set an NFL record for receiving yards for a tight end this season. Wes Welker will keep the safeties busy from all kinds of starting positions and broke a franchise record with 1,569 yards on 122 catches. Unbelievable stats for a guy who had knee surgery just over a year ago. Denver, on the other hand, has shown that they CAN throw the football but they’re still learning how and to who. One of their best receivers Eric Decker is out for the game. Tebow’s new favorite target has become Demaryius Thomas out of Georgia Tech. He and Tebow were both drafted in the first round two years ago by Josh McDaniel, who just joined the Patriot coaching staff this past week. Hmmmm. Anyway, Tebow will try to keep up with Brady on the scoreboard, but many don’t think that’s possible. First one to 35 wins! I don’t think that Tebow and the Broncos will be able to defeat the Pats, even though it is possible. However, the 14 points is just too inviting for me to pass up. TAKE THE POINTS AND THE BRONCOS.

SUNDAY GAMES

BALTIMORE (12-4) -7.5 OVER HOUSTON (11-6)(36) – The Ravens are undefeated at home this year including an early season 29-14 victory in Baltimore. The crowd and the team seem to play much better at home. Baltimore QB Joe Flacco definitely plays better at home. They lost away to Tennessee, Jacksonville, Seattle, and San Diego, teams with a combined record of 28-36. But as long as they play at M&T, they’ll be very competitive. The strength of both teams is in their defense. Last week against a flat Cincinnati team, the Texans put it all together with a great running game featuring Arian Foster and a short passing game using backup rookie QB T.J. Yates. No turnovers was the key for Houston. The Bengals QB Andy Dalton threw 3 interceptions which was the difference in the game. Against Baltimore, it will be quite a bit harder for the Texans to dominate the line of scrimmage and the scoreboard. Just as important as Arian Foster is to the Texans, Ray Rice is to the Ravens. Rice may be the best all purpose running back in the league. When Ravens OC Cam Cameron does not get Rice the ball at least 20 times a game, they struggle. Expect him to get the ball this weekend. Houston is a good football team, but they’ve been hit or miss especially towards the end of the season. There’s a reason that the Ravens are undefeated at home. I’M GOING TO TAKE THE RAVENS MINUST THE POINTS TO STAY UNDEFEATED AT HOME AND COVER THE SPREAD. 4 STARS HERE.

NEW YORK GIANTS (10-7) +8 AT GREEN BAY (15-1)(52) – This is probably going to be one of the most exciting games to watch on the weekend. It features two of the best quarterbacks in football and several of the best receivers in the game. The Giants have shown the past three weeks that they have worked out their problems this year in being able to run the football and now Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw are running on a full tank. That has opened up the passing lanes for Eli Manning who is absolutely proving this year he is one of the elite QB’s in the game. Many of the Packers’ starters haven’t played the past three weeks and with the sudden death of the son of Green Bay offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, it’s been a tough time for the Packers family. Add to that, the movement of Director of Pro Personnel Reggie McKenzie who got the GM job in Oakland and you can see there are plenty of distractions in Green Bay. The Giants have been working hard trying to keep their starters healthy. The Giants defense has improved immensely the past several weeks since getting blown out in New Orleans a few weeks back. The return of LB Michael Boley has made all the difference. Last week the Atlanta Falcons offense didn’t put up one point on the scoreboard against the Giants. The Packers, on the other hand, have been playing great all year long. Their defense actually gave up more yardage on defense than they collected on offense, but Aaron Rodgers has had an MVP season. Their running game has been up and down as has been the health of both of their running backs. You have to wonder when the Giants great play is going to stop. They were up and down all season long. The Packers were more than consistent, going 15-1 with their only loss in Kansas City. It’s tough to beat the Packers in Lambeau, especially when so much is on the line, but I’M GOING TO TAKE THE GIANTS PLUS THE POINTS FOR 3 STARS ANYWAY. No QB in the NFL is playing any better than Eli Manning and I think they have something to prove this weekend. Tom Coughlin and his players have it going on right now.

4:30 SATURDAY IN HOUTON
HOUSTON (10-6) -3 OVER CINCINNATI (9-7)(38.5) –The Bengals play in the toughest division in football in “my opinion”. The AFC North.  Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and an occasionally tough game from the Browns.  I love their rookie QB Andy Dalton.  Having played his college football right down the road at TCU, he’s played a few games as a high school player and a college player in Reliant Stadium.  Whether this turns out to be an advantage for him we’ll see, but personally, I doubt it will be.  Houston gets back their real MVP for the second week in a row, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, fresh from surgery which removed a volleyball size tumor from his midsection.  The outcome of this game is going to depend on which defense can get off the field the most times.  Houston has an excellent running game with Arian Foster and Ben Tate.  Their OL is a good one.  T.J. Yates will get the start after injuring his shoulder last week.  Newly signed backup QB and Super Bowl veteran Jake Delhomme will back him up.  He did a decent job last week in relief.  Andy Dalton had food poisoning early in the week and just got to practice on Thursday.  This shouldn’t matter much, but everything matters when you have a game on Saturday and practice times are moved up a day.  If you compare the two teams on paper and on their performance of this past season, Houston is the better team.  However, they’ve lost their last 3 games in a row after locking up the division title.  They have a fairly healthy Andre Johnson back this week and how the Bengals elect to defend Johnson will determine whether Yates can hit his other receivers down the field.  If they run the ball effectively, they should have a problem.  Earlier this season the Texans came from behind to defeat the Bengals 20-19.  THAT WAS THEIR LAST WIN.  I’M GOING TO PASS ON THIS GAME BECAUSE I THINK DALTON MIGHT BE THE DIFFERENCE IN THIS GAME.
 
4:30 SUNDAY IN DENVER
PITTSBURGH (12-4) -9 OVER DENVER (8-8)(35) – You would think this game would be a piece of cake to pick because of the way that Tebow and the Broncos backed in with three straight losses and in a way..it is.  But Pittsburgh hasn’t exactly looked like world beaters with Big Ben nursing a very sore ankle that affects his throwing motion and losing a guy like Ryan Clark because of his near death experience last time he played in a game in Mile High Stadium.  In the two games since injuring his ankle, Ben has thrown no touchdown passes and has a 57.1 QB rating.  Rashard Mendenhall, the Steelers best running back is out for the season with an knee injury.  Isaac Redman replaces Mendenhall but he has a problem hanging on to the football.  The Steelers, even though their record is 12-4 are the visiting team here because somehow Denver won the weak AFC West Division with an 8-8 record.  Personally, I’d love to just take the Steelers here and give the points.  If they were at Heinz Field it would make sense.  But they’re not.  And I think that even with all the experience in the world, 9 or 10 points is far too many points to give this young Denver team.  Hey, take Tebow and the points doesn’t sound all that bad does it?  Besides, last week the Steelers killed me with their lack of covering an easy point spread.  I’M GOING TO PASS ON THIS GAME AND WATCH IT.  
 
1 P.M. SUNDAY IN NEW JERSEY
NEW YORK GIANTS (9-7) -3 OVER ATLANTA (10-6)(47) – This is the game I can’t wait to see this weekend.  Both teams will be sky high for this one.  Atlanta, Mike Smith, and QB Matt Ryan are 0-2 in the playoffs so far.  The last meeting between these two teams was in 2009 and the Giants won 34-31 in overtime after allowing the Falcons to rally and come back from 14 points down.  Even though the Giants defense bends quite a bit especially in the passing game, they’ve looked very good at times this season, especially when their pass rushers get off on the ball.  They beat New England in Foxboro 24-20.  Their last two games they’ve given up just two touchdowns each game for a total of 28 points.  But now a slightly better team comes to the Meadowlands.  The Falcons have a vast array of weapons both throwing and running the football.  Michael Turner may be one of the toughest backs in the NFL.  He averaged 4.5 yards per carry this year and scored 11 TD’s.  QB Matt Ryan is a solid NFL QB and has receivers like Roddy White, Julio Jones, and future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez to help him move the chains.  To me, this looks like a track meet waiting to happen.  Eli Manning is having without a doubt his best year ever in the NFL.  My sources tell me Peyton has spent more time than usual talking and working with his little brother now that he has some extra time on his hands.  I figure Peyton will be a great OC one day anyway.  He’ll be throwing to Hakeem Nix, Mario Manningham, and new superstar free agent receiver Victor Cruz who will be making life much easier for the rest of the receiving corps.  Even though their running game has been stagnant most of the year, they still have two excellent ball runners in Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs.  The bottom line is that it really didn’t take too much to win the NFC East this season, but now that the Giants are there, they want what they got four years ago.. The Lombardi Trophy.  Who’s to say they can’t get it?  Not me!  I like the G-Men’s chances to go deep into the playoffs.  But this Falcon team is hungry and they do have a good squad this season.  If they let this one get away, it could be a while before they return for another chance.   I’M TAKING THE OVER 47 POINTS HERE FOR 5 STARS.  TRACK MEET THIS WEEKEND EAST RUTHERFORD!
 
4:30 SUNDAY IN DENVER
NEW ORLEANS (13-3) -11 OVER DETROIT (10-6)(58) – After the Lions let a Packers team last weekend beat them with about a half dozen starters out of the lineup in a game that really meant nothing, I should never even consider Detroit to be able to win or cover this game.  But that’s what makes handicapping the NFL so challenging.  New Orleans has the most potent offense in the history of the NFL.  Drew Brees broke Dan Marino’s record and his team broke all the records.  He has SO many weapons on offense that It makes it extremely hard for a defensive coordinator to come up with a game plan to beat them.  The only thing that Detroit can do is make sure that they cash in on all of their possessions with touchdowns and keep Brees and his offense off the field.  If Detroit can control the ball for 30 minutes or more during this game they’ll have a chance.  If not , it’s going to be a New Orleans track meet and the score will get ugly early.  Earlier this season Brees jumped to an early 24-7 lead and held on to win 31-17.  Not many defenses have held the Lions to 17 points this season and definitely not lately. However, Greg Williams has experience playing against a high powered offense every week in practice so maybe handling Detroit isn’t so far-fetched.  Detroit’s pass defense is absolutely horrible even though they may get back one of their best defensive backs this week.  The Saints only allow one sack every 26.9 passes.  The Saints have scored over 30 points in 4 consecutive playoff games.  This is the first time and maybe last time two NFL QBs who have thrown for over 5,000 yards in a season have faced each other.   It may be the last.  Break out the popcorn and don’t go to the bathroom.  You might miss something.  Of course, that’s what TIVO is for, right??  I’M TAKING THE OVER FOR 5 STARS AND THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS TO COVER THE BIG NUMBER.  IT MAY BE TOO MANY POINTS, BUT IT’S MY GUT FEELING.