The Week 4 Picks

There are an abnormal number of road favorites this week, and as I am heading on the road myself, the picks will be brief in nature.

Sunday, September 30, 2007

The Match-up: Green Bay (-1.5) @ Minnesota
The Skinny: The Packers have one nine straight games dating back to 2006, and are 3-0 against three playoff teams of a year ago. Impressive. Brett Favre in a dome? Not impressive.
Straight Up: Minnesota
Against the Spread: Minnesota

The Match-up: Houston (-3.0) @ Atlanta
The Skinny: Matt Schaub torches the Falcons in his homecoming effort.
Straight Up: Houston
Against the Spread: Houston

The Match-up: New York Jets (-3.5) @ Buffalo
The Skinny: The Jets run defense hasn’t been good, but they’re facing a rookie starting quarterback, so they’ll key on Marshawn Lynch.
Straight Up: New York Jets
Against the Spread: New York Jets

The Match-up: Baltimore (-4.5) @ Cleveland
The Skinny: Speaking of poor run defenses, the Browns are allowing 176 yards per game on the ground. Hello, Willis McGahee!
Straight Up: Baltimore
Against the Spread: Baltimore

The Match-up: St. Louis (+12.5) @ Dallas
The Skinny: If you don’t know the name Brian Leonard, you will by Sunday at 4:15.
Straight Up: St. Louis
Against the Spread: St. Louis

The Match-up: Chicago (-2.5) @ Detroit
The Skinny: Brian Griese gets the start for Chicago in place of the ineffective "Wrecks" Grossman.
Straight Up: Chicago
Against the Spread: Chicago

The Match-up: Oakland (+4.0) @ Miami
The Skinny: Can you call this a homecoming for Daunte Culpepper? He did only play five games for Miami, and not well at that.
Straight Up: Oakland
Against the Spread: Oakland

The Match-up: Seattle (-2.0) @ San Francisco
The Skinny: The road has not been kind to the Seahawks in the past.
Straight Up: Seattle
Against the Spread: Seattle

The Match-up: Tampa Bay (Off) @ Carolina
The Skinny: Carolina may start David Carr at quarterback with Jake Del-overrated on the shelf.
Straight Up: Tampa Bay
Against the Spread: Tampa Bay

The Match-up: Pittsburgh (-6.0) @ Arizona
The Skinny: Fortunately for the Northeast Box Company, Kurt Warner came in last week and started throwing the ball to Anquan Boldin.
Straight Up: Pittsburgh
Against the Spread: Pittsburgh

The Match-up: Kansas City (+11.5) @ San Diego
The Skinny: The Saints think the Chargers are struggling.
Straight Up: San Diego
Against the Spread: Kansas City

The Match-up: Denver (+9.5) @ Indianapolis
The Skinny: I knew Denver was bad, yet couldn’t talk myself into a Jaguars upset last week. No such convincing needed this week.
Straight Up: Indianapolis
Against the Spread: Indianapolis

The Match-up: Philadelphia (-3.0) @ New York Giants
The Skinny: Justice for me would have been Donovan McNabb entering his post-game press conference last week and, without saying a word, holding up a sign with his stats (21/26, 381 Yards, 4 TD, 0 INT, perfect QB rating) and a middle finger for all of his critics.
Straight Up: Philadelphia
Against the Spread: Philadelphia

Monday, October 1, 2007

The Match-up: New England (-7.0) @ Cincinnati
The Skinny: this is the kind of game where the Bengals will explode and scare the crap out of Bill Beli-cheat.
Straight Up: New England
Against the Spread: Cincinnati

Bye: Jacksonville, New Orleans, Tennessee, Washington
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Week 2: 9-7 straight up; 5-8-3 against the spread
Season: 30-18; 18-24-6