Week 8 NFL Picks

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm 61-42 this year in picking games. I'm on fire. Better than all the dudes at the New York Post so far this season. And in the pigskin pick em pool on ESPN I'm in the 95% percentile. I have to tell you I've never been in the 95% percentile for anything in my life.

So probably going to jinx this week by writing out my picks and providing reasoning but here it goes.

Detroit Lions (-3.5) vs St Louis Rams - Picking the Lions even though I've done well betting against them this year. (I thought they would cover the Vikings and not cover the Steelers. Lost those two.) I heard Tom Kowalski of Booth Newspapers say on the radio that the line on this game opened at 9.5. That is crazy and I think bad information. You just can't trust journalists anymore. Especially once they have a blog. Even 3.5 points is a lot but I want and need the Lions to win big. Breakout performance by Matthew Stafford. Forward down the field. Touchdowns. Lions Victory!

Buffalo Bills (+3.5) vs Houston Texans - If there is one team I can not figure out it's the Houston Texans. They won last week but didn't cover despite being up 21-0 at the half. The Bills have been coming through for me although they do not look pretty. That game with Carolina was ugly. God Carolina sucks. Just a lot of bad football. This is the only game this weekend where the home team is an underdog. I hope the weather is bad. Gonna riding the bison for one more weekend. And the Texans are a lose one win one team so if that streak continues they lose here.

Chicago Bears (-13.5) vs. Cleveland Browns - The spread is large but if I've learned one thing this season, no matter how large the spread, never bet on a crappy team to cover. It rarely happens. (Of course, when it does, so so satisfying.) I just hope Jay Cutler will continue to prove his fraudulence as a NFL quarterback the following week.

Dallas Cowboys (-9.5) vs. Seattle Seahawks - I had the Boys losing to Atlanta last week but for the first time this season they actually looked good. Seattle may be a really bad team.

Indianapolis Colts (-12.5) vs San Francisco 49ers - One of my rules is never bet against the Patroits even if the other team is getting 50 points (which they would have covered 2 weeks ago against the Titans.) This goes double for the Colts especially this season. Especially at home. 49ers do have a tough physical defense so this could be a lower scoring affair.

New York Jets (-3.5) vs. Miami Dolphins - This is a toughie. I want to pick Miami but these teams already played this season and I don't think Miami is good enough to take both games. There is no way Chad Henne plays as well as he did in the previous game. But the Jets did lose to the Bills at home two weeks ago. And I've been doing well betting against the Jets though one of my more misguided picks of the season was thinking the Jets would beat the Saints in New Orleans. For this game and my strategy for this week, pick the team that lost the earlier meeting.

Baltimore Ravens (-3.5) vs. Denver Broncos - Baltimore is due for a win (lost three straight) and Denver is about ready for a loss (6-0).

New York Giants (+2.5) vs. Philadelphia Eagles - Giants you screwed me last week. Fool me once...Fool me twice and I won't get fooled again.

Jacksonville Jaguars (+2.5) vs. Tennessee Titans - I don't know and I don't care. But I do have to pick one of the teams. It'll be interesting to see how Vince Young does as a starter.

San Diego Chargers (-16.5) vs. Oakland Raiders - This spread is horrific and I'm always on the wrong end of these Raiders point spreads. (How do they beat the Eagles and then get blow out by the Jets.) And San Diego killed me last week with their blow out of the Chiefs. I could go either way here. The Chargers did win the first meeting so my strategy was to pick the team that lost the earlier meeting. But rules are made to be broken.

Green Bay Packers (-3.5) vs. Minnesota Vikings - The biggest game of all times featuring the homecoming of prodigal son Brett Farve, the gun-slinger to Lambeau Field. Packers lost in Minnesota earlier this year so the rule is the Vikings don't beat the Packers twice . Of course Farve could turn in one of his legendary performances on the not quite cold enough to be frozen yet tundra. Green Bay needs to beat him for their fans (and their GM.) I did well betting against the Viking last week. Though the Minny D did look tough as the Steelers got two defensive touchdowns. Still...going with the Packers...

Arizona Cardinals (-9.5) vs. Carolina Panthers - The Cardinals appear to be back to their Super Bowl losing form and Carolina is just pathetic. This is a lock. But of course the Cardinals will come out and play like shit.

New Orleans Saints (-9.5) vs. Atlanta Falcons - Never bet against the Patriots, the Colts and maybe you can add the Saints here. Large spread but we've seen how New Orleans can put up 40+ on anybody. So that means the Falcons have to score 30+ on an under-rated Saints defense. I'm on the Saints bandwagon until the wheels fall off.


I picked three underdogs this week (NY Giants, Buffalo and Jacksonville.) And Jacksonville is getting points against an 0-6 team. That has to piss them off.