How much longer until TO comes out and says he hasn't scored enough touchdowns yet this season? Over/under is at 2 weeks....The Buccaneers either forgot to watch tape on the Cowboys last week or just aren't very good. Three field goals was all they could manage on a defense that last week made Stephen Jackson look like Bo Jackson from Tecmo Super Bowl?
I could have sworn Mike Martz left the Lions for the 49ers last season, but I'm guessing he still might be calling in plays to Coach Marinelli (33 yards from their 2 RBs)…Portis ran for 126 more yards Sunday, continuing his dominance. Santana Moss stole the show though with his 80 yard punt return for a TD, after it looked like he would be tackled for a 1 yard loss.
Joey Porter leads the league in sacks with an insane 10.5 through 7 games. Amazing how much more effective he is in a 3-4 D…Buffalo lost 3 fumbles in the process of falling to the Fish; I guess it was the kiss of death I gave them last week (your welcome AFC East fans).
So much for the Rams winning streak; at least they're playing competitive football and have some life on both sides of the team (top pick Chris Long notched 2 sacks)…I don't remember the last time this has happened in a game, but the Patriots played a perfect, penalty-less game on Sunday. Is it me, or is that pretty uncommon in the game today?
Drew Brees continues to impress me each week. To me, he is Steve Nash in pads. Both players left their original teams to play somewhere else, they spread the ball around to everyone, they see things develop before everyone else, and are just flat out fun to watch.
Pretty ironic that the most exciting game the Jets played was on Sunday against former coach Herm Edwards. Three Jets turnovers apparently was not enough for the Chiefs to win, but two things are for sure. One, Leon Washington needs the rock more, and two, the Jets are playing not to lose, which won't account for many wins in this league.
Brian Westbrook's return to the lineup was too much for a young Falcons team to overcome; as long as he is healthy the Eagles have a shot at the playoffs…the Ryan/White connection is reminding me a lot of the Manning/Harrison connection earlier in their careers. Ryan might not have the potential that Peyton has, but Roddy White's ceiling is as high as Marvin's.
Good to see Anquan Boldin back to catching touchdowns after that vicious hit he took in New York. If only the Cardinals secondary could have covered and tackled Steve Smith, they might have come out with a win (side-note: Boldin also led the Cardinals in rushing with 30 yards).
192 yards on the ground for Baltimore set the tone against the Raiders. I'm sure Al Davis is still convinced that this is all somehow Lane Kiffin's fault. What a joke this franchise has become.
Someone please take the 2008 Cincinnati Bengals out back and put a bullet in them…just put them out of their misery already.
Good news: Matt Jones doesn't snort cocaine anymore, but I was convinced on Sunday he snorted more than enough smelling salt on the sidelines; he finally came to play on a Sunday. Bad news: the rest of the Jaguars looked like they stayed up all night blowing lines off their playbooks. Not looking good for the Jaguars this season…
The Giants defense exposed a major flaw in the Steelers offense: the offensive line. Pressure Roethlisburger and watch the dividends pay off. Aside from the two touchdowns the Steelers had, the offense looked like nothing special. The GMen proved that they can still play with anyone in the league.
Congratulations to Coach Singletary for guaranteeing himself a spot on ESPN for the rest of his life after he went nuts on Vernon Davis. Good tirade, but definitely not the best. Ditka easily takes that one down, followed closely by Dennis Green's "They are who we thought they were" explosion. Of course you can never rule out Herm's infamous "You play to win the game" speech.
The Titans keep winning, and Peyton Manning continues to grimace at the very thought of his team not only bowing down to a new division winner but also not even making the playoffs at all. What a world we live in where a Kerry Collins led team is undefeated. I've got nothing but respect for him and what Jeff Fisher continues to do in Hicksville, USA.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
Big Baby Dean's PickSlip for 10/25
The Thursday Night game ended awful. I still cannot believe it. However, in this business you know you will win some and lose some. The losses you have to forget about and begin to look for new potential winners. Well read below for my Saturday picks:
6* South Florida (-4) @ Louisville 330pm
Love Love Love this game. In the past I have always been on South Florida's side but I think this may be the first time I am picking them this year. Please tell me this is Louisville's homecoming because thats the only thing that may keep this game close. Both teams haven't played the toughest schedules but USF looks night and day over Louisville. The Bulls can attack Louisville with the strong run game or even through the air. Grothe will take charge and lead South Florida in this one.
Pick: South Florida (-4)
4* Georgia (PK) @ LSU 330pm
SEC road dogs are on fire this year. On top of that, to me these teams are heading in separate directions and you will see for yourself on Saturday. The Bulldogs are led by Matthew Stafford and Jersey native Knowshon Moreno. Georgia's defense will be all over the LSU offense. The Bulldogs have too much firepower in this game and will win outright.
Pick: Georgia (PK)
3* Michigan State (-3.5) vs Michigan 330pm
Look for Javon Ringer and the Spartan offense to bounce back after that humiliating loss to the Buckeyes last week. Michigan has not shown much and I don't think this week will be the week for them. The Spartan defense will be amped up and will be too much for the Meeshigan offense. The spread is low because its a rivalry game at Michigan and MSU is coming off a big loss. Take the Spartans. Pick: Michigan State (-3.5)
2* Oklahoma State @ Texas (Over 66.5) 330pm
There is a reason that this total is so high. We will see lots of point in this one. Both of these teams can put a lot of points up quickly. Texas is averaging 48 pts a game and they didn't exactly play walkover teams. This was against some good competition. Oklahoma State is putting up 46 a game. Try and watch this game fellas if you want to see a back and forth game with a lot of points. To me, this is what college ball is about. The new ncaa rules scare me a little, but doesn't seem to scare these 2 teams. Colt McCoy and Zac Robinson will surely be trading back TD for TD in this one. Pick: OSU / Texas (Over 66.5)
2* USC @ Arizona (+16) 1015pm
USC is still one of the most explosive teams on offense and defense in all of football. They are still the team to beat in my opinion. However, this is a veteran Arizona team under a good up and coming coach. Willy Tuitama and Nic Grigsby will be the focal points for the USC defense. Also, Arizona has not lost on homecoming in a few years now. I don't know if this trend will stand, but I think they will definitely cover the game. Arizona only lost by 7 pts last year and tomorrow they will be in their back yard. 3 scores is a lot against a veteran Wildcat team who has been playing everyone tough. Pick: Arizona (+16)
2* Ole Miss (-5) @ Arkansas 7pm
This is a very underrated game since both teams are 1-3 in the SEC West this year. Both teams have played Alabama and Florida. Arkansas went through a stretch of playing Bama, Texas, Florida, and Auburn. Thats insane but hey, thats what you get when you are in the SEC. Ole Miss needs to stop Michael Smith to take control of this game. One way they can do this is to get out to an early lead with QB Jevan Snead and WR's Shay Hodge and Dexter McCluster. Pick: Ole Miss (-5)
1* Penn St (-2.5) @ Ohio State 8pm
I have to throw a small unit on this game just to have action. Look I have fallen in love with this Penn State team this year and think it will be a good way to send Joe Pa off by winning a Big 10 championship and maybe even a chance at the National Championship game. OK ..it is still early to be talking National Championship, but if they win this one at the Horseshoe, we mine as well start talking. This game will get off to a slow start and will probably be low scoring. Terelle Pryor is looking good and has a very good future, but I don't think he is ready for this big game yet. Go easy on this game fellas. Pick: Penn State (-2.5)
6* South Florida (-4) @ Louisville 330pm
Love Love Love this game. In the past I have always been on South Florida's side but I think this may be the first time I am picking them this year. Please tell me this is Louisville's homecoming because thats the only thing that may keep this game close. Both teams haven't played the toughest schedules but USF looks night and day over Louisville. The Bulls can attack Louisville with the strong run game or even through the air. Grothe will take charge and lead South Florida in this one.
Pick: South Florida (-4)
4* Georgia (PK) @ LSU 330pm
SEC road dogs are on fire this year. On top of that, to me these teams are heading in separate directions and you will see for yourself on Saturday. The Bulldogs are led by Matthew Stafford and Jersey native Knowshon Moreno. Georgia's defense will be all over the LSU offense. The Bulldogs have too much firepower in this game and will win outright.
Pick: Georgia (PK)
3* Michigan State (-3.5) vs Michigan 330pm
Look for Javon Ringer and the Spartan offense to bounce back after that humiliating loss to the Buckeyes last week. Michigan has not shown much and I don't think this week will be the week for them. The Spartan defense will be amped up and will be too much for the Meeshigan offense. The spread is low because its a rivalry game at Michigan and MSU is coming off a big loss. Take the Spartans. Pick: Michigan State (-3.5)
2* Oklahoma State @ Texas (Over 66.5) 330pm
There is a reason that this total is so high. We will see lots of point in this one. Both of these teams can put a lot of points up quickly. Texas is averaging 48 pts a game and they didn't exactly play walkover teams. This was against some good competition. Oklahoma State is putting up 46 a game. Try and watch this game fellas if you want to see a back and forth game with a lot of points. To me, this is what college ball is about. The new ncaa rules scare me a little, but doesn't seem to scare these 2 teams. Colt McCoy and Zac Robinson will surely be trading back TD for TD in this one. Pick: OSU / Texas (Over 66.5)
2* USC @ Arizona (+16) 1015pm
USC is still one of the most explosive teams on offense and defense in all of football. They are still the team to beat in my opinion. However, this is a veteran Arizona team under a good up and coming coach. Willy Tuitama and Nic Grigsby will be the focal points for the USC defense. Also, Arizona has not lost on homecoming in a few years now. I don't know if this trend will stand, but I think they will definitely cover the game. Arizona only lost by 7 pts last year and tomorrow they will be in their back yard. 3 scores is a lot against a veteran Wildcat team who has been playing everyone tough. Pick: Arizona (+16)
2* Ole Miss (-5) @ Arkansas 7pm
This is a very underrated game since both teams are 1-3 in the SEC West this year. Both teams have played Alabama and Florida. Arkansas went through a stretch of playing Bama, Texas, Florida, and Auburn. Thats insane but hey, thats what you get when you are in the SEC. Ole Miss needs to stop Michael Smith to take control of this game. One way they can do this is to get out to an early lead with QB Jevan Snead and WR's Shay Hodge and Dexter McCluster. Pick: Ole Miss (-5)
1* Penn St (-2.5) @ Ohio State 8pm
I have to throw a small unit on this game just to have action. Look I have fallen in love with this Penn State team this year and think it will be a good way to send Joe Pa off by winning a Big 10 championship and maybe even a chance at the National Championship game. OK ..it is still early to be talking National Championship, but if they win this one at the Horseshoe, we mine as well start talking. This game will get off to a slow start and will probably be low scoring. Terelle Pryor is looking good and has a very good future, but I don't think he is ready for this big game yet. Go easy on this game fellas. Pick: Penn State (-2.5)
Beans' Weekly Winners: Week 9
Texas Tech (+1) at Kansas, noon
The Weekly was somewhat shocked to see this line. Texas Tech comes into this game riding its longest undefeated start in 30 years by winning each of their first seven games. Tech QB Graham Harrell is one of the reasons why the entire nation is focused on the Big XII. Over his last four games he's completed nearly 80% of his passes, even while some of his top wide outs have been banged up. Well the bad news for Kansas is that Michael Crabtree and Co. should be healthy and ready to explode this weekend in Lawrence. Kansas QB Todd Reesing is one of the most underrated players in the nation. He seems to always be overlooked because of the elite talent at his position within his conference. Reesing is a very good college quarterback, but can the offensive line give him enough time to make plays? The KU O-Line ranks 73rd in the nation in sacks allowed, and is going up against a defensive front which seems to be coming into its own. Ultimately we think that the underachieving offensive line won't be able to protect Reesing enough or run the ball enough to keep the Red Raider offense off the field. Kansas will put up points, but it won't be enough to stop Weekly Favorite Mike Leach's high octane offense.
South Florida (-3.5) at Louisville, 3:30pm
The Bulls still aren't getting the respect they deserve from the odds makers. A healthy South Florida team is going to be very, very tough to beat in the Big East this year. Don't let Louisville's 4-2 record fool you, they've played a glorified Sun Belt schedule. Three of their four wins have come over Tennessee Tech, Memphis and Middle Tennessee State. Thanks to that soft schedule RB Victor Anderson has averaged 7.0 yards per carry and rushed for six touchdowns. It is highly unlikely that he's going to be able to put up numbers like that against this South Florida defense, which means the ball will be in the hands of QB Hunter Cantwell. Against the aforementioned soft schedule, Cantwell has thrown for just eight touchdowns and eight interceptions, not a good ratio. The Bulls have a veteran team and know how to win on the road. They've won all three road games in 2008 and have won eight of their last ten away from Tampa. The Bulls are on a roll, tough away from home and playing an untested opponent. All signs point to a double-digit victory.
Penn State at Ohio State (+2), 8pm
Ohio State isn't playing in the national championship, whether they run the table or not. Don't let any Buckeyes tell you that they deserve it if they win out. They don't. This is a different team than the one who lost to USC, but that embarrassing USC loss still counts. The key here is that they are a different team than the one in early September. We saw it last week in their dominating win at Michigan State. Everyone knows what a healthy Beanie Wells can do, but Terrelle Prior is the one who is making the biggest difference for the OSU offense. He can make plays with his legs that Todd Boeckman can only dream about. More importantly, this Buckeye defense is one of the best in America, better than anything these Lions have seen. Penn State's first year starting QB Daryll Clark has been extremely impressive, but playing the Buckeyes at the Horseshoe is a different animal. Clark is playing behind an offensive line which is just okay, nothing special. Let's see how Clark responds to playing under college football's brightest lights, in the face of intense pressure from an incredibly fast defense. Penn State hasn't won in Columbus since 1978, we think that streak will continue.
UNLV at BYU (-23.5), 2pm
The Cougars are coming off their first loss in over a year. This is still a really good football team, and potent offense. QB Max Hall is one of the nation's best passers, one loss won't change that. Last week they ran into a TCU defense which, when playing well, can be as good as anyone in America. The Horned Frogs were the more focused team and took it to BYU. BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall is one of the brightest young coaches in college football and we expect his team to come out ready to dominate a lesser opponent. UNLV had an impressive win at then No. 15 Arizona State. A few weeks later that win doesn't look quite as impressive, since it looks like it's going to be a rebuilding year in Tempe. The Runnin' Rebels are coming off of three straight conference losses and have given up 229 points in seven games. The Cougars are ready to light up the scoreboard in front of the home crowd and stay in the hunt for a Mountain West championship. Cougars run away from the Rebels in this one.
The Weekly was somewhat shocked to see this line. Texas Tech comes into this game riding its longest undefeated start in 30 years by winning each of their first seven games. Tech QB Graham Harrell is one of the reasons why the entire nation is focused on the Big XII. Over his last four games he's completed nearly 80% of his passes, even while some of his top wide outs have been banged up. Well the bad news for Kansas is that Michael Crabtree and Co. should be healthy and ready to explode this weekend in Lawrence. Kansas QB Todd Reesing is one of the most underrated players in the nation. He seems to always be overlooked because of the elite talent at his position within his conference. Reesing is a very good college quarterback, but can the offensive line give him enough time to make plays? The KU O-Line ranks 73rd in the nation in sacks allowed, and is going up against a defensive front which seems to be coming into its own. Ultimately we think that the underachieving offensive line won't be able to protect Reesing enough or run the ball enough to keep the Red Raider offense off the field. Kansas will put up points, but it won't be enough to stop Weekly Favorite Mike Leach's high octane offense.
South Florida (-3.5) at Louisville, 3:30pm
The Bulls still aren't getting the respect they deserve from the odds makers. A healthy South Florida team is going to be very, very tough to beat in the Big East this year. Don't let Louisville's 4-2 record fool you, they've played a glorified Sun Belt schedule. Three of their four wins have come over Tennessee Tech, Memphis and Middle Tennessee State. Thanks to that soft schedule RB Victor Anderson has averaged 7.0 yards per carry and rushed for six touchdowns. It is highly unlikely that he's going to be able to put up numbers like that against this South Florida defense, which means the ball will be in the hands of QB Hunter Cantwell. Against the aforementioned soft schedule, Cantwell has thrown for just eight touchdowns and eight interceptions, not a good ratio. The Bulls have a veteran team and know how to win on the road. They've won all three road games in 2008 and have won eight of their last ten away from Tampa. The Bulls are on a roll, tough away from home and playing an untested opponent. All signs point to a double-digit victory.
Penn State at Ohio State (+2), 8pm
Ohio State isn't playing in the national championship, whether they run the table or not. Don't let any Buckeyes tell you that they deserve it if they win out. They don't. This is a different team than the one who lost to USC, but that embarrassing USC loss still counts. The key here is that they are a different team than the one in early September. We saw it last week in their dominating win at Michigan State. Everyone knows what a healthy Beanie Wells can do, but Terrelle Prior is the one who is making the biggest difference for the OSU offense. He can make plays with his legs that Todd Boeckman can only dream about. More importantly, this Buckeye defense is one of the best in America, better than anything these Lions have seen. Penn State's first year starting QB Daryll Clark has been extremely impressive, but playing the Buckeyes at the Horseshoe is a different animal. Clark is playing behind an offensive line which is just okay, nothing special. Let's see how Clark responds to playing under college football's brightest lights, in the face of intense pressure from an incredibly fast defense. Penn State hasn't won in Columbus since 1978, we think that streak will continue.
UNLV at BYU (-23.5), 2pm
The Cougars are coming off their first loss in over a year. This is still a really good football team, and potent offense. QB Max Hall is one of the nation's best passers, one loss won't change that. Last week they ran into a TCU defense which, when playing well, can be as good as anyone in America. The Horned Frogs were the more focused team and took it to BYU. BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall is one of the brightest young coaches in college football and we expect his team to come out ready to dominate a lesser opponent. UNLV had an impressive win at then No. 15 Arizona State. A few weeks later that win doesn't look quite as impressive, since it looks like it's going to be a rebuilding year in Tempe. The Runnin' Rebels are coming off of three straight conference losses and have given up 229 points in seven games. The Cougars are ready to light up the scoreboard in front of the home crowd and stay in the hunt for a Mountain West championship. Cougars run away from the Rebels in this one.
Big Willy Style's Football Friday
College Football
4* Pitt (-10) over Rutgers - Pitt is surging, Rutgers is Rutgers again. They will have a hard time scoring against the Panthers D, hopefully this is the only team that dwells in NJ that fails in Pitt this weekend.
4* Georgia Tech (-14) over Virginia - I love Georgia Tech's option offense carving through weak Virginia D this week. Virginia will aslo have a miserable time putting points up on the board on the road against a strong Yellow Jacket defense.
3* Tennessee (+5) over Alabama - In a crazy college football season, I just have a funny feeling this is the week Bama's luck runs out. Yes even if it is by a Phil Fullmer coached squad.
3* Florida St. (-5.5) over Virginia Tech - I really like the Noles chances of finally winning a big game, by knocking off the Hokies and their young QB Tyrod Taylor going into a hostile environment.
2* Georgia (+1.5) over LSU - Georgia has found their groove and I think it continues in Baton Rouge this week. They are about to vault their way back into the national championship conversation.
Pro Football
5* Jaguars (-7) over Browns - The jags are rested and healthy and coming off a bye after a huge road win in Denver. They are ready to make a push in the AFC and it starts this week with a thrashing of the Browns at home.
4* Chiefs (+13.5) over Jets - This is what's great about betting.... THIS is what the greatest thing about betting is.... You bet to cover the spread.... HELLO?!?!?!? YOU BET... TO COVER....THE SPREAD. You don't bet to just bet it!!! That's the great thing about betting: you bet to cover the spread! And I don't care if you don't have any money. You go bet to cover the spread. When you start tellin' me it doesn't matter, then quit gambling. Get out! 'Cause it matters.
3* Titans (-4) over Colts - The Colts losses this year has been at the hands of teams that have been much more physical than they are. I cant think of a worse matchup for the Colts, they're season is in trouble.
3* Bengals (+9) over Texans - The Bengals have gotten so close every week to finally busting in the win column, and I really think they have a chance to win this outright, but like I said before... YOU BET... TO COVER... THE SPREAD.
2* 49ers (-5) over Seahawks - Bet against a Mike Singeltary coached team and tell me if you live to say so.
4* Pitt (-10) over Rutgers - Pitt is surging, Rutgers is Rutgers again. They will have a hard time scoring against the Panthers D, hopefully this is the only team that dwells in NJ that fails in Pitt this weekend.
4* Georgia Tech (-14) over Virginia - I love Georgia Tech's option offense carving through weak Virginia D this week. Virginia will aslo have a miserable time putting points up on the board on the road against a strong Yellow Jacket defense.
3* Tennessee (+5) over Alabama - In a crazy college football season, I just have a funny feeling this is the week Bama's luck runs out. Yes even if it is by a Phil Fullmer coached squad.
3* Florida St. (-5.5) over Virginia Tech - I really like the Noles chances of finally winning a big game, by knocking off the Hokies and their young QB Tyrod Taylor going into a hostile environment.
2* Georgia (+1.5) over LSU - Georgia has found their groove and I think it continues in Baton Rouge this week. They are about to vault their way back into the national championship conversation.
Pro Football
5* Jaguars (-7) over Browns - The jags are rested and healthy and coming off a bye after a huge road win in Denver. They are ready to make a push in the AFC and it starts this week with a thrashing of the Browns at home.
4* Chiefs (+13.5) over Jets - This is what's great about betting.... THIS is what the greatest thing about betting is.... You bet to cover the spread.... HELLO?!?!?!? YOU BET... TO COVER....THE SPREAD. You don't bet to just bet it!!! That's the great thing about betting: you bet to cover the spread! And I don't care if you don't have any money. You go bet to cover the spread. When you start tellin' me it doesn't matter, then quit gambling. Get out! 'Cause it matters.
3* Titans (-4) over Colts - The Colts losses this year has been at the hands of teams that have been much more physical than they are. I cant think of a worse matchup for the Colts, they're season is in trouble.
3* Bengals (+9) over Texans - The Bengals have gotten so close every week to finally busting in the win column, and I really think they have a chance to win this outright, but like I said before... YOU BET... TO COVER... THE SPREAD.
2* 49ers (-5) over Seahawks - Bet against a Mike Singeltary coached team and tell me if you live to say so.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Thursday Night with Big Baby Dean
2* Auburn (+3.5) @ West Virginia 730pm
Both teams are horrible this year and are not very good ATS. Pat White will be back in the WVU offense and will be playing in front of a home crowd. Well in this matchup I will take the SEC team over the Big East. The Big East is flat out awful. Yes Tuberville and the Auburn Tigers have been playing like crap this year, but that is against some beastly teams in the SEC. They were supposed to lose those games anyway. Also, Auburn's defensive coordinator has seen this spread offense before while coaching the defense at Pitt the last few years. And oh yea, they held Pat White and Steve Slaton to 9 points that game. I went against WVU once on Thursday and am going against them again. Take the points.
Pick: 2* Auburn (+3.5)
And now for the NFL Weekly Wrap Up...
A long time reader by the name of Mister Ted asked if he can do a writeup for the NFL this week..and what the hell why not..Mister Ted has a great football mind and is up for the task each week. Come back for more of Mister Ted...
* The Dolphins have done a nice job in upsetting teams like the Patriots and Chargers, but stupid throws such as the one Chad Pennington made on Sunday will absolutely kill your chances of winning. You can't be giving any team, let alone the offensively challenged Ravens, free points. Eat the ball, take the sack, and it's a whole different game.
* Talk about inconsistent football, look no further than the Chargers. The final score doesn't do this game justice…the offense mustered 70 yards on the ground (40 for LT), coughed the ball up twice, and Rivers threw a pick. The Bills, meanwhile, are playing perfect football; balanced offensive attack, no turnovers, minimal penalties, and winning both sides of the line of scrimmage. Dick Jauron for Coach of the Year, you heard it hear first.
* The Saints welcomed back Shockey and Colston to the lineup, but unfortunately for Sean Payton neither of them can play defense nor hang onto a football (Shockey lost a fumble, Colston 2 drops, 0 catches)... The Panthers have a nice combo at RB, and a healthy Delhomme throwing to S. Smith to keep the safeties out of the box. That's a good recipe for winning.
* At 0-7, it's pretty clear that the Bengals need some changes on both sides of the football. That's what happens when you draft players who would rather make the police blotter than the stat sheet. They lack a presence at running back, Carson Palmer's best days may be behind him, and their best player on defense is NFC-East castoff Dhani Jones.
* Wasn't the Bears/Vikings game suppose to be a defensive struggle? Apparently not with the two teams combining for 28 points in the first quarter alone. How much more of the Gus Frerotte Show will Coach Brad Childress subject his team to? Seven interceptions coupled with a 72.6 QB Rating won't win many games...Kyle Orton on the other hand has a QB Rating of 91.4…that's how you effectively manage a game.
* Plaxico Ramirez? Or does Manny Burress sound better? To Plax's credit though, that offensive pass interference call was ridiculous…everybody who watched the game knows that. But to get penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike is detrimental to the team. Shut up and play, let the coach yell at the refs. He needs to stop pulling this bullshit because the games from here on out are only going to get tougher for the G-Men.
* Kudos to DeMarcus Ware for recording a sack for the tenth straight game…that's a pretty incredible accomplishment. Other than that there were not many highlights for the Cowgirls. They got man-handled by an inferior offensive line and the offense looks lost without Romo.
* The Titans are 6-0 with Kerry Collins under center. Like Orton, Collins manages the game perfectly…11 completions, 120 yards, and hand the ball off to Chris Johnson or Lendale White. Lather, rinse, repeat if necessary, then sit back and watch your defense dominate opponents. If you haven't already, throw the towel in on the Herm Edwards regime in KC. I am convinced that this franchise strives for mediocrity year-in, year-out.
* The same can be said for Detroit; at least they fired GM Matt Millen before he can mess up another draft. This team won't be competitive until 2010... Don't write in Chris Johnson as ROY just yet; Steve Slaton continues to rack up numbers with a much weaker offensive line.
* I really thought they would be a more watchable team this year with Brett the Jet at QB, but honestly I haven't been entertained once by the Jets this season. Sunday was no different against the Raiders. How did they lose this game with all of those penalties Oakland committed, not to mention Thomas Jones' best day as a Jet? Don't say because of a lucky kick by Janikowski in OT, because this game had tie written all over it and honestly, it looked like Mangini would have been ecstatic with that.
* The Browns fought hard and valiantly, but in the end they couldn't tie it up with a game-ending field goal. Clinton Portis is having an MVP-like year, and Campbell continues to play solid football. This is the second best team in the tough NFC East, and third or fourth in the Conference.
* Peyton looked a lot like Eli did against the Vikings the past two seasons. Two interceptions returned for touchdowns, one of them coming at the 1-yard line. Unacceptable… Ryan Grant finally produced what millions of fantasy football owners expected him to do all season: produce like the 2nd round pick he was suppose to be.
* Poor Mike Holmgren. His last memories as a head coach will be Seneca Wallace throwing lame ducks to Koren Robinson; I don't think any coach deserves that….Talk about dedicated, all-out football players, and Earnest Graham fits the bill. This guy has been filling in at FB the past two weeks and doing a great job as lead blocker for Warrick Dunn. With Dunn and Graham in the backfield together, the offense has produced back-to-back victories in convincing fashion.
* When your QB injures his finger on the first play of the game, he'll be in for a long night. Cutler was misreading coverages, throwing with less velocity, and missing his spots all night. Great time for a bye week. Andre Hall's stat line for MNF: 2 carries, -7 yards, and 2 fumbles lost. WOW. Mike Shanahan really found a keeper there…
Both teams are horrible this year and are not very good ATS. Pat White will be back in the WVU offense and will be playing in front of a home crowd. Well in this matchup I will take the SEC team over the Big East. The Big East is flat out awful. Yes Tuberville and the Auburn Tigers have been playing like crap this year, but that is against some beastly teams in the SEC. They were supposed to lose those games anyway. Also, Auburn's defensive coordinator has seen this spread offense before while coaching the defense at Pitt the last few years. And oh yea, they held Pat White and Steve Slaton to 9 points that game. I went against WVU once on Thursday and am going against them again. Take the points.
Pick: 2* Auburn (+3.5)
And now for the NFL Weekly Wrap Up...
A long time reader by the name of Mister Ted asked if he can do a writeup for the NFL this week..and what the hell why not..Mister Ted has a great football mind and is up for the task each week. Come back for more of Mister Ted...
* The Dolphins have done a nice job in upsetting teams like the Patriots and Chargers, but stupid throws such as the one Chad Pennington made on Sunday will absolutely kill your chances of winning. You can't be giving any team, let alone the offensively challenged Ravens, free points. Eat the ball, take the sack, and it's a whole different game.
* Talk about inconsistent football, look no further than the Chargers. The final score doesn't do this game justice…the offense mustered 70 yards on the ground (40 for LT), coughed the ball up twice, and Rivers threw a pick. The Bills, meanwhile, are playing perfect football; balanced offensive attack, no turnovers, minimal penalties, and winning both sides of the line of scrimmage. Dick Jauron for Coach of the Year, you heard it hear first.
* The Saints welcomed back Shockey and Colston to the lineup, but unfortunately for Sean Payton neither of them can play defense nor hang onto a football (Shockey lost a fumble, Colston 2 drops, 0 catches)... The Panthers have a nice combo at RB, and a healthy Delhomme throwing to S. Smith to keep the safeties out of the box. That's a good recipe for winning.
* At 0-7, it's pretty clear that the Bengals need some changes on both sides of the football. That's what happens when you draft players who would rather make the police blotter than the stat sheet. They lack a presence at running back, Carson Palmer's best days may be behind him, and their best player on defense is NFC-East castoff Dhani Jones.
* Wasn't the Bears/Vikings game suppose to be a defensive struggle? Apparently not with the two teams combining for 28 points in the first quarter alone. How much more of the Gus Frerotte Show will Coach Brad Childress subject his team to? Seven interceptions coupled with a 72.6 QB Rating won't win many games...Kyle Orton on the other hand has a QB Rating of 91.4…that's how you effectively manage a game.
* Plaxico Ramirez? Or does Manny Burress sound better? To Plax's credit though, that offensive pass interference call was ridiculous…everybody who watched the game knows that. But to get penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike is detrimental to the team. Shut up and play, let the coach yell at the refs. He needs to stop pulling this bullshit because the games from here on out are only going to get tougher for the G-Men.
* Kudos to DeMarcus Ware for recording a sack for the tenth straight game…that's a pretty incredible accomplishment. Other than that there were not many highlights for the Cowgirls. They got man-handled by an inferior offensive line and the offense looks lost without Romo.
* The Titans are 6-0 with Kerry Collins under center. Like Orton, Collins manages the game perfectly…11 completions, 120 yards, and hand the ball off to Chris Johnson or Lendale White. Lather, rinse, repeat if necessary, then sit back and watch your defense dominate opponents. If you haven't already, throw the towel in on the Herm Edwards regime in KC. I am convinced that this franchise strives for mediocrity year-in, year-out.
* The same can be said for Detroit; at least they fired GM Matt Millen before he can mess up another draft. This team won't be competitive until 2010... Don't write in Chris Johnson as ROY just yet; Steve Slaton continues to rack up numbers with a much weaker offensive line.
* I really thought they would be a more watchable team this year with Brett the Jet at QB, but honestly I haven't been entertained once by the Jets this season. Sunday was no different against the Raiders. How did they lose this game with all of those penalties Oakland committed, not to mention Thomas Jones' best day as a Jet? Don't say because of a lucky kick by Janikowski in OT, because this game had tie written all over it and honestly, it looked like Mangini would have been ecstatic with that.
* The Browns fought hard and valiantly, but in the end they couldn't tie it up with a game-ending field goal. Clinton Portis is having an MVP-like year, and Campbell continues to play solid football. This is the second best team in the tough NFC East, and third or fourth in the Conference.
* Peyton looked a lot like Eli did against the Vikings the past two seasons. Two interceptions returned for touchdowns, one of them coming at the 1-yard line. Unacceptable… Ryan Grant finally produced what millions of fantasy football owners expected him to do all season: produce like the 2nd round pick he was suppose to be.
* Poor Mike Holmgren. His last memories as a head coach will be Seneca Wallace throwing lame ducks to Koren Robinson; I don't think any coach deserves that….Talk about dedicated, all-out football players, and Earnest Graham fits the bill. This guy has been filling in at FB the past two weeks and doing a great job as lead blocker for Warrick Dunn. With Dunn and Graham in the backfield together, the offense has produced back-to-back victories in convincing fashion.
* When your QB injures his finger on the first play of the game, he'll be in for a long night. Cutler was misreading coverages, throwing with less velocity, and missing his spots all night. Great time for a bye week. Andre Hall's stat line for MNF: 2 carries, -7 yards, and 2 fumbles lost. WOW. Mike Shanahan really found a keeper there…
Saturday, October 18, 2008
BIG BABY DEAN'S PICK SLIP
4* Miami (-3) @ Duke 330pm
Recently Miami has been playing a lot of teams close. In this game Miami will shut down the run game and make Duke one dimensional by passing the ball. This will be a field position game early on but I feel Miami's run game will wear down a young Duke team. Miami will get its first win in the ACC this year over the Blue Devils. Pick: 4* Miami (-3)
3* UNC @ Virginia (+4.5) 330PM
Where did Virginia come from this year? They have surprised me as I thought they would be the ACC doormats along with DUke this year. They are on a roll and I'll take them here as a home dog over the Tar Heels who are coming off a hard fought game against Notre Dame. UNC will be without WR Brandon Tate who has been a reason for their early success. The North Carolina defense will come to play and keep this game close. Pick: 3* Virginia (+4.5)
3* Virginia Tech (+3) @ Boston College 800pm
These teams always keep it close. I look for it to be a big defensive battle with lots of special teams. Special teams advantage goes to Virginia Tech. Looking for BC's kicker to miss some key FGs in this game once Va Tech's defense stifles the Eagle offense. Virginia Tech will not have it easy on offense either. Tyrod Taylor is in his first year starting and will be under pressure all game from the BC defense. Va Tech is on a roll now and BC will not stop them.Pick: 3* Virginia Tech (+3)
4* Missouri @ Texas (-4) 800pm
If this game were played last week, I would be on Chase Daniel and the Missouri Tigers. But after the Texas performance in the Red River Shootout last week over Oklahoma, what can I say....I'm impressed. Hopefully they will not let me down. This game will also be a back and forth game with a lot of points on the board. Texas will win this game and be #1 in the first week of the 2008 BCS standings.Pick: 4* Texas (-4)
3* California @ Arizona (+2.5) 1000PM
Arizona is looking good this year and it is due to Willy Tuitama, Nic Grigsby and the veteran Wildcat team. In years past, this spread would have been double digits..even in Tucson. Well even the oddsmakers know Arizona is not the doormat they used to be. They are legit this year and will take it to the California Bears.Pick: 3* Arizona (+2.5)
Recently Miami has been playing a lot of teams close. In this game Miami will shut down the run game and make Duke one dimensional by passing the ball. This will be a field position game early on but I feel Miami's run game will wear down a young Duke team. Miami will get its first win in the ACC this year over the Blue Devils. Pick: 4* Miami (-3)
3* UNC @ Virginia (+4.5) 330PM
Where did Virginia come from this year? They have surprised me as I thought they would be the ACC doormats along with DUke this year. They are on a roll and I'll take them here as a home dog over the Tar Heels who are coming off a hard fought game against Notre Dame. UNC will be without WR Brandon Tate who has been a reason for their early success. The North Carolina defense will come to play and keep this game close. Pick: 3* Virginia (+4.5)
3* Virginia Tech (+3) @ Boston College 800pm
These teams always keep it close. I look for it to be a big defensive battle with lots of special teams. Special teams advantage goes to Virginia Tech. Looking for BC's kicker to miss some key FGs in this game once Va Tech's defense stifles the Eagle offense. Virginia Tech will not have it easy on offense either. Tyrod Taylor is in his first year starting and will be under pressure all game from the BC defense. Va Tech is on a roll now and BC will not stop them.Pick: 3* Virginia Tech (+3)
4* Missouri @ Texas (-4) 800pm
If this game were played last week, I would be on Chase Daniel and the Missouri Tigers. But after the Texas performance in the Red River Shootout last week over Oklahoma, what can I say....I'm impressed. Hopefully they will not let me down. This game will also be a back and forth game with a lot of points on the board. Texas will win this game and be #1 in the first week of the 2008 BCS standings.Pick: 4* Texas (-4)
3* California @ Arizona (+2.5) 1000PM
Arizona is looking good this year and it is due to Willy Tuitama, Nic Grigsby and the veteran Wildcat team. In years past, this spread would have been double digits..even in Tucson. Well even the oddsmakers know Arizona is not the doormat they used to be. They are legit this year and will take it to the California Bears.Pick: 3* Arizona (+2.5)
DIRTY WEASEL
6* VIRGINIA +4.5 North Carolina
DIRTY WEASEL'S TOP GAME... The Cavs are really starting to play well after a terrible start. They began the season 1-3 including losses to USC and @ UConn, however they have won their last two games vs. pretty good competition. UVA killed maryland and then stuck it to East Carlina. This team is under valued right now because of their poor start. Their opponent, North Carolina is over valued giving the Dirty Weasel a great opportunity to make this one one of the top games of the year... bet big and expect big things
3* Oregon state -15.5 WASHINGTON
Oregon state is still very much in the Pac-10 hunt, especially with a big win over USC. Washington on the other hand is not... Washington is 0-5 and 0-2 in conference play... the season has slipped away very quickly. This sets up for a PAC 10 blow-out... take orgeon state to score first and never look back.
3* memphis +8 EASTERN CAROLINA
eastern carolina has been one of the biggest surprises and disapointments this year. Since the great start... the have lost their last 3 games and I wouldnt be surprised if Memphis made it 4... at worst case memphis covers this game.
DIRTY WEASEL'S TOP GAME... The Cavs are really starting to play well after a terrible start. They began the season 1-3 including losses to USC and @ UConn, however they have won their last two games vs. pretty good competition. UVA killed maryland and then stuck it to East Carlina. This team is under valued right now because of their poor start. Their opponent, North Carolina is over valued giving the Dirty Weasel a great opportunity to make this one one of the top games of the year... bet big and expect big things
3* Oregon state -15.5 WASHINGTON
Oregon state is still very much in the Pac-10 hunt, especially with a big win over USC. Washington on the other hand is not... Washington is 0-5 and 0-2 in conference play... the season has slipped away very quickly. This sets up for a PAC 10 blow-out... take orgeon state to score first and never look back.
3* memphis +8 EASTERN CAROLINA
eastern carolina has been one of the biggest surprises and disapointments this year. Since the great start... the have lost their last 3 games and I wouldnt be surprised if Memphis made it 4... at worst case memphis covers this game.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Beans' Weekly Winners: Week 8
North Carolina at Virginia (+4.5), 3:30pm
This is a case of bad timing for the Tar Heels. UNC learned this week that star WR Brandon Tate will be sidelined for the rest of the year with a knee injury, a major blow to Carolina's ACC title hopes. Where did this Virginia team come from? They were left for dead two weeks ago following an embarrassing 31-3 loss to, of all schools, DUKE! Their coach was as good as gone and everyone was looking to 2009. But suddenly after two convincing wins over Maryland and East Carolina, the Cavs are alive and well again. We're going to ride the hot hand and take the points at home. Without Brandon Tate for the first time since 2004 (the senior has played in every game starting from his Freshman year), Carolina will rely heavily on a defense which has created scoring opportunities and that can only take you so far. Carolina hasn't won a game at Virginia since 1981, don't look for that to change on Saturday.
Georgia Tech (-2.5) at Clemson, noon
The Bowden Era at Clemson is done. This comes as little surprise to many of us paying attention to Clemson the past three years. The Tigers have underachieved and finally Bowden was going to get fired because of it eventually. This could be good for Clemson in the long run, but in the short run -- it might be a long year. Clemson is 1-3 against FBS competition and will be without QB Cullen Harper and RB CJ Spiller. They were struggling for points against Maryland and Wake Forest with those two which means that they are really going to struggle without them against a tough Georgia Tech defense. Another Weekly Favorite, Georgia Tech Head Coach Paul Johnson looks like he has quickly done a great job. The Jackets are 5-1 and sitting at 2-1 in the ACC Coastal Division and are 8th in the nation in rushing at 255 yards per game -- classic Johnson. Look for the Jackets to contain a listless Tiger offense as they move closer to an ACC title game birth.
Syracuse at South Florida (-24), noon
The Weekly witnessed Syracuse first hand last weekend at West Virginia. The Orange probably played as well as they possibly could, and could still only muster two field goals. In the past three meetings South Florida has brutalized Syracuse to the tune of 95-20, and it looks like the talent gap has never been wider. The Bulls are finally starting to get healthy, especially defensive anchor George Selvie who should be close to 100% for the first time in over a month. South Florida is at home and coming off a bye, while Syracuse is making their second long road trip in as many weeks. Boasting the top offense in the Big East, USF will have no problems disposing of one of the worst defenses in all of America. Bulls in a laugher.
Ohio State (-3.5) at Michigan State, 3:30pm
Ohio State has been flying under the radar for weeks now. This is not the same team who got their jock handed to them by Southern Cal. Freshman sensation Terrelle Prior has given this team some much needed athleticism, as well as a spark, and pre-season Heisman Trophy candidate RB Beanie Wells is back in action. Michigan State has been riding the back of their own Heisman trophy hopeful, in Weekly Favorite Javon Ringer. Ringer has literally carried the Spartans to the top of the Big Ten, carrying the ball an incredible 247 times in just seven games. In his past two games Ringer has seen his yards per carry drop to just 3.5 and 3.6 yards per carry. These are down drastically from 5 and 6 yards per carry averages earlier in the season. Could it be that Ringer is feeling the effects of those 247 carries? We think so. Ringer won't be able to carry the burden this week, as Ohio State keeps control of Big Ten.
Good Luck.
Many Hundos.
This is a case of bad timing for the Tar Heels. UNC learned this week that star WR Brandon Tate will be sidelined for the rest of the year with a knee injury, a major blow to Carolina's ACC title hopes. Where did this Virginia team come from? They were left for dead two weeks ago following an embarrassing 31-3 loss to, of all schools, DUKE! Their coach was as good as gone and everyone was looking to 2009. But suddenly after two convincing wins over Maryland and East Carolina, the Cavs are alive and well again. We're going to ride the hot hand and take the points at home. Without Brandon Tate for the first time since 2004 (the senior has played in every game starting from his Freshman year), Carolina will rely heavily on a defense which has created scoring opportunities and that can only take you so far. Carolina hasn't won a game at Virginia since 1981, don't look for that to change on Saturday.
Georgia Tech (-2.5) at Clemson, noon
The Bowden Era at Clemson is done. This comes as little surprise to many of us paying attention to Clemson the past three years. The Tigers have underachieved and finally Bowden was going to get fired because of it eventually. This could be good for Clemson in the long run, but in the short run -- it might be a long year. Clemson is 1-3 against FBS competition and will be without QB Cullen Harper and RB CJ Spiller. They were struggling for points against Maryland and Wake Forest with those two which means that they are really going to struggle without them against a tough Georgia Tech defense. Another Weekly Favorite, Georgia Tech Head Coach Paul Johnson looks like he has quickly done a great job. The Jackets are 5-1 and sitting at 2-1 in the ACC Coastal Division and are 8th in the nation in rushing at 255 yards per game -- classic Johnson. Look for the Jackets to contain a listless Tiger offense as they move closer to an ACC title game birth.
Syracuse at South Florida (-24), noon
The Weekly witnessed Syracuse first hand last weekend at West Virginia. The Orange probably played as well as they possibly could, and could still only muster two field goals. In the past three meetings South Florida has brutalized Syracuse to the tune of 95-20, and it looks like the talent gap has never been wider. The Bulls are finally starting to get healthy, especially defensive anchor George Selvie who should be close to 100% for the first time in over a month. South Florida is at home and coming off a bye, while Syracuse is making their second long road trip in as many weeks. Boasting the top offense in the Big East, USF will have no problems disposing of one of the worst defenses in all of America. Bulls in a laugher.
Ohio State (-3.5) at Michigan State, 3:30pm
Ohio State has been flying under the radar for weeks now. This is not the same team who got their jock handed to them by Southern Cal. Freshman sensation Terrelle Prior has given this team some much needed athleticism, as well as a spark, and pre-season Heisman Trophy candidate RB Beanie Wells is back in action. Michigan State has been riding the back of their own Heisman trophy hopeful, in Weekly Favorite Javon Ringer. Ringer has literally carried the Spartans to the top of the Big Ten, carrying the ball an incredible 247 times in just seven games. In his past two games Ringer has seen his yards per carry drop to just 3.5 and 3.6 yards per carry. These are down drastically from 5 and 6 yards per carry averages earlier in the season. Could it be that Ringer is feeling the effects of those 247 carries? We think so. Ringer won't be able to carry the burden this week, as Ohio State keeps control of Big Ten.
Good Luck.
Many Hundos.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Big Baby Dean's NFL PickSlip Week 6
Sorry for no college picks yesterday..one of my friends passed the Bar Exam for CT and there was a huge celebration in Hoboken.....
onto the NFL Picks.... Big Card today to make up for it
6* Houston Texans (-3) vs Miami Dolphins
Love Houston here at home, should have beaten Colts last week and Miami is due for a letdown
4* Baltimore Ravens(+4) @ Indianapolis Colts
The Colts are still not the same this year and the Baltimore Defense will keep this game close and hound Peyton all day. The Baltimore Defense may have more pts than the Baltimore offense today. Take the pts.
2* Jacksonville Jaguars (+3.5)@ Denver Broncos
Cutler facing an even tougher defense that will give him fits. Will be a close game...take the pts
2* Carolina Panthers (+1) @ Tampa Bay Bucs
John Fox has this team ready to take on the Bucs...will be a battle all day but look for steve smith and delhomme to get going today
2* Philadelphia Eagles (-4.5) @ San Francisco 49ers
No Westbrook, reggie brown, or shawn andrews...no problem...no way philly loses this one...their defense will help them big time and force JT Osullivan to make bad decisions all game. Philly is always ready to face a Mike Martz offense.
2* Seattle Seahawks (-1.5) vs Green Bay Packers
Seahawks in a revenge game from last years playoff loss to the Packers. Even without Hasslebeck. The Seahawks are a totally different team at home and still have a bad taste from last week. Aaron Rodgers is one hit away from being knocked out of the game.
1* Chicago Bears / Atlanta Falcons under 43.5
I dont have huge reasons for this game but just think it will be a defensive battle all day.
1* Detroit Lions (+13) @ Minnesota Vikings
Love taking lot of pts in a divisional matchup (even if the Lions are the worst team in NFL)
Good Luck to everyone today!
onto the NFL Picks.... Big Card today to make up for it
6* Houston Texans (-3) vs Miami Dolphins
Love Houston here at home, should have beaten Colts last week and Miami is due for a letdown
4* Baltimore Ravens(+4) @ Indianapolis Colts
The Colts are still not the same this year and the Baltimore Defense will keep this game close and hound Peyton all day. The Baltimore Defense may have more pts than the Baltimore offense today. Take the pts.
2* Jacksonville Jaguars (+3.5)@ Denver Broncos
Cutler facing an even tougher defense that will give him fits. Will be a close game...take the pts
2* Carolina Panthers (+1) @ Tampa Bay Bucs
John Fox has this team ready to take on the Bucs...will be a battle all day but look for steve smith and delhomme to get going today
2* Philadelphia Eagles (-4.5) @ San Francisco 49ers
No Westbrook, reggie brown, or shawn andrews...no problem...no way philly loses this one...their defense will help them big time and force JT Osullivan to make bad decisions all game. Philly is always ready to face a Mike Martz offense.
2* Seattle Seahawks (-1.5) vs Green Bay Packers
Seahawks in a revenge game from last years playoff loss to the Packers. Even without Hasslebeck. The Seahawks are a totally different team at home and still have a bad taste from last week. Aaron Rodgers is one hit away from being knocked out of the game.
1* Chicago Bears / Atlanta Falcons under 43.5
I dont have huge reasons for this game but just think it will be a defensive battle all day.
1* Detroit Lions (+13) @ Minnesota Vikings
Love taking lot of pts in a divisional matchup (even if the Lions are the worst team in NFL)
Good Luck to everyone today!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
DIRTY WEASEL ( KEEP ON ROLLING )
BAYLOR -4.5 VS IOWA ST (5*)
The Bears were playing pretty good football until they ran into the best team in the land last week. HICCUP!!! bounce back week - write it down
GEORGIA -12.5 VS TENNESSEE (4*)
feel bad for the vols in this one... they havent played good football all year and now the enter the hornet's nest. Not only that, the Bulldogs have had this game circled in RED after losing @ UT last year 35-14. blow in the making!!!
MISSISSIPPI STATE +3 VS VANDERBILT (3*)
As far as I am concerned... vanderbilt is the worst undefeated team in the land. ENOUGH SAID
TEXAS AM +3.5 VS KANSAS STATE (3*)
Kansas state defense is awful. no reason they should be favored on the road. take the aggies on this one.
no picks but I like oklahoma to wax the team that beat up on my school in the colorado buffaloes last week and speaking of the buffs... we might just go into kansas and win... very young team that hasnt played to their potential this season so anything can happen...
and one other side note... F*CK BOSTON!!! 75-1 odds in the begginning of the season for tampa to make it to the world series... lets go TAMPA!!!
The Bears were playing pretty good football until they ran into the best team in the land last week. HICCUP!!! bounce back week - write it down
GEORGIA -12.5 VS TENNESSEE (4*)
feel bad for the vols in this one... they havent played good football all year and now the enter the hornet's nest. Not only that, the Bulldogs have had this game circled in RED after losing @ UT last year 35-14. blow in the making!!!
MISSISSIPPI STATE +3 VS VANDERBILT (3*)
As far as I am concerned... vanderbilt is the worst undefeated team in the land. ENOUGH SAID
TEXAS AM +3.5 VS KANSAS STATE (3*)
Kansas state defense is awful. no reason they should be favored on the road. take the aggies on this one.
no picks but I like oklahoma to wax the team that beat up on my school in the colorado buffaloes last week and speaking of the buffs... we might just go into kansas and win... very young team that hasnt played to their potential this season so anything can happen...
and one other side note... F*CK BOSTON!!! 75-1 odds in the begginning of the season for tampa to make it to the world series... lets go TAMPA!!!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Beans' Weekly Winners: Week 7
Vanderbilt at Mississippi State (+2.5), 2:30pm
A couple of major factors at play here. Isn't Vandy 5-0? Isn't Mississippi State 1-4? Didn't Vandy just beat a ranked Auburn team? Is this the same Mississippi State team who got beaten by Louisiana Tech? Yes, yes, yes and yes. Okay, then why is Vandy only a 2.5 point favorite? That's the million dollar question. We think that's because the Commodores aren't as good as their 5-0 record and the Bulldogs are better than their 1-4 record. Vandy ranks 115th in Division 1-A in total yards. Eventually that's going to come back to bite them. You have to be able to move the ball to win games. An opportunistic defensive will only take them so far. If they fail to create turnovers they are in lots of trouble. As for the Bulldogs, they had a nice showing in their last game two weeks ago at LSU, losing 34-24. Freshman QB Tyson Lee had an incredible debut considering the defense he was facing, going 17-26 for 175 yards, a touchdown and no picks against the Tigers. The other major factor at play working against Vandy is the same one which was working for Vandy last weekend. Mississippi State is coming off a bye week, while Vandy scratched and clawed for sixty minutes with Auburn last week. Add in that the Commodores have to travel to Mississippi, and we have an upset in the making.
Nebraska at Texas Tech (-21), 3pm
Texas Tech has finally hit its stride, just in time for a reeling Nebraska defense to travel to Lubbock. The Huskers are the last Division 1-A team to play on the road this year, and they won't be warmly welcomed by a Red Raider offense which is ranked 2nd in the nation in total yards and 1st in passing yards. Tech QB Graham Harrell is on pace to become 2nd on the NCAA's list of all time passing yards, in just three years as a starting QB. Insane. Nebraska couldn't handle Virginia Tech or Missouri, they surely aren't going to suddenly be able to handle Texas Tech. The last time the Huskers traveled to Lubbock the Red Raiders hung 70 on the board. Look for Harrell, Crabtree and company to light up the scoreboard in an easy Tech win.
LSU at Florida (-6), 8pm
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner didn't need any extra motivation this week. Foolishly, the LSU defensive line gave it to him. Whether the Ricky-Jean Francois meant it or not, he gave Tebow some bulletin board material. Tim Tebow is the kind of player thrives in the spotlight and we think this is his time to shine. LSU sophomore QB Jarrett Lee played well on the road at Auburn, but this Florida team and The Swamp are a different animal. Unlike Auburn, Florida is proven at the quarterback position which will end up being the difference in this game. Look for a fast Gators' defense to cause Lee problems all day long, as the Gators hold LSU to 14 points or fewer and Florida wins by ten.
Oklahoma State at Missouri -- Over 78.5, 7pm
Yup, we're going with the "If It's That High, It's That High For A Reason" Theory. The Tigers and Pokes feature the second and third highest scoring teams in the nation, averaging 53.4 and 52.6 points per game. Let's start with Missouri. The Tigers have had 49 straight possessions without a 3-and-out. We'll repeat that for effect. The Tigers have had 49 straight possessions without a 3-and-out. That may be the greatest offensive accomplishment in the modern era. Mizzou has playmakers all over the field and the best quarterback in the nation. They'll be going up against a young secondary, who won't be capable of slowing down this ridiculous offense. Everyone knows how prolific Missouri is, but nobody seems to realize how good Okie State is. QB Zac Robinson has led 13 touchdown drives which have lasted under two minutes. The Cowboys average over 300 yards a game on the ground and Missouri's run defense has been suspect all year. Look for the Tigers to hang close to 60 on the board and the Cowboys to be somewhere in the high 30's. It's going to be that kind of game.
Good Luck. Many Hundos.
A couple of major factors at play here. Isn't Vandy 5-0? Isn't Mississippi State 1-4? Didn't Vandy just beat a ranked Auburn team? Is this the same Mississippi State team who got beaten by Louisiana Tech? Yes, yes, yes and yes. Okay, then why is Vandy only a 2.5 point favorite? That's the million dollar question. We think that's because the Commodores aren't as good as their 5-0 record and the Bulldogs are better than their 1-4 record. Vandy ranks 115th in Division 1-A in total yards. Eventually that's going to come back to bite them. You have to be able to move the ball to win games. An opportunistic defensive will only take them so far. If they fail to create turnovers they are in lots of trouble. As for the Bulldogs, they had a nice showing in their last game two weeks ago at LSU, losing 34-24. Freshman QB Tyson Lee had an incredible debut considering the defense he was facing, going 17-26 for 175 yards, a touchdown and no picks against the Tigers. The other major factor at play working against Vandy is the same one which was working for Vandy last weekend. Mississippi State is coming off a bye week, while Vandy scratched and clawed for sixty minutes with Auburn last week. Add in that the Commodores have to travel to Mississippi, and we have an upset in the making.
Nebraska at Texas Tech (-21), 3pm
Texas Tech has finally hit its stride, just in time for a reeling Nebraska defense to travel to Lubbock. The Huskers are the last Division 1-A team to play on the road this year, and they won't be warmly welcomed by a Red Raider offense which is ranked 2nd in the nation in total yards and 1st in passing yards. Tech QB Graham Harrell is on pace to become 2nd on the NCAA's list of all time passing yards, in just three years as a starting QB. Insane. Nebraska couldn't handle Virginia Tech or Missouri, they surely aren't going to suddenly be able to handle Texas Tech. The last time the Huskers traveled to Lubbock the Red Raiders hung 70 on the board. Look for Harrell, Crabtree and company to light up the scoreboard in an easy Tech win.
LSU at Florida (-6), 8pm
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner didn't need any extra motivation this week. Foolishly, the LSU defensive line gave it to him. Whether the Ricky-Jean Francois meant it or not, he gave Tebow some bulletin board material. Tim Tebow is the kind of player thrives in the spotlight and we think this is his time to shine. LSU sophomore QB Jarrett Lee played well on the road at Auburn, but this Florida team and The Swamp are a different animal. Unlike Auburn, Florida is proven at the quarterback position which will end up being the difference in this game. Look for a fast Gators' defense to cause Lee problems all day long, as the Gators hold LSU to 14 points or fewer and Florida wins by ten.
Oklahoma State at Missouri -- Over 78.5, 7pm
Yup, we're going with the "If It's That High, It's That High For A Reason" Theory. The Tigers and Pokes feature the second and third highest scoring teams in the nation, averaging 53.4 and 52.6 points per game. Let's start with Missouri. The Tigers have had 49 straight possessions without a 3-and-out. We'll repeat that for effect. The Tigers have had 49 straight possessions without a 3-and-out. That may be the greatest offensive accomplishment in the modern era. Mizzou has playmakers all over the field and the best quarterback in the nation. They'll be going up against a young secondary, who won't be capable of slowing down this ridiculous offense. Everyone knows how prolific Missouri is, but nobody seems to realize how good Okie State is. QB Zac Robinson has led 13 touchdown drives which have lasted under two minutes. The Cowboys average over 300 yards a game on the ground and Missouri's run defense has been suspect all year. Look for the Tigers to hang close to 60 on the board and the Cowboys to be somewhere in the high 30's. It's going to be that kind of game.
Good Luck. Many Hundos.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Big Willy Style's Football Friday (on thursday night)
College Football
4* Oklahoma (-6) over Texas - This should be a fun one to watch with the Sooners pulling away late. Hard to go against a team as stacked as Oklahoma in the red river shootout where they always seem to come through when this game gets this much attention. Colt Mccoy pulls a Chris Simms on Saturday.
3* Florida (-6) over LSU - Wait for this line to go down before kickoff because trust me it will. Florida is too strong on offense for LSU to keep up and oh yea they are playing in the swamp where LSU just never wins.
3* Mississippi St (+2.5) over Vanderbilt - Vandy will still be hungover after last week's landmark victory over Auburn. This seems like a classic letdown game and Vandy is too experienced to prevent the upset.
2* Georgia (-12) over Tennessee - Can Georgia finally blow away a team that doesnt belong on the field with them. PLEASE!?!?!?!
Pro Football
5* Panthers (+1) over Bucs - Almost too good to be true in my opinion. The Bucs struggled to move the ball last week on the poor Denver defense. Just imagine what the Panthers will do to them. Not to mention Carolina has one of the most underrated offenses in the league, hammer the boys from NC on Sunday.
3* Falcons (+3) over Bears - Atlanta has been great at home and just won a huge game on the road to give them a major boost of confidence. The Bears may be a little over confident in this one after two straight wins, and are facing the dreaded back to back road game situation which they do not fare well in.
3* Saints (-7) over Raiders - The saints are too good to be mediocre for too long. The reeling Raiders come in with a new head coach playing a pissed off New Orleans squad. Bad combo if you ask me.
2* Cardinals (+4.5) over Cowboys - I can see Arizona winning outright here. The Cowboys cant stop anybodys passing game and look for Kurt Warner to absolutely light them up at home, and start absolute chaos in big D.
2* Vikings (-13) over Lions - Just bet against the Lions until they resemble a professional sports organization. Just do it ok.
College Football YTD (16-14) 0 units
Pro Football YTD (12-10-2) +2.1 units
Pending: Bears (3-2) under 7.5 wins (5 units) and Titans (5-0) over 8 wins (2 units)
4* Oklahoma (-6) over Texas - This should be a fun one to watch with the Sooners pulling away late. Hard to go against a team as stacked as Oklahoma in the red river shootout where they always seem to come through when this game gets this much attention. Colt Mccoy pulls a Chris Simms on Saturday.
3* Florida (-6) over LSU - Wait for this line to go down before kickoff because trust me it will. Florida is too strong on offense for LSU to keep up and oh yea they are playing in the swamp where LSU just never wins.
3* Mississippi St (+2.5) over Vanderbilt - Vandy will still be hungover after last week's landmark victory over Auburn. This seems like a classic letdown game and Vandy is too experienced to prevent the upset.
2* Georgia (-12) over Tennessee - Can Georgia finally blow away a team that doesnt belong on the field with them. PLEASE!?!?!?!
Pro Football
5* Panthers (+1) over Bucs - Almost too good to be true in my opinion. The Bucs struggled to move the ball last week on the poor Denver defense. Just imagine what the Panthers will do to them. Not to mention Carolina has one of the most underrated offenses in the league, hammer the boys from NC on Sunday.
3* Falcons (+3) over Bears - Atlanta has been great at home and just won a huge game on the road to give them a major boost of confidence. The Bears may be a little over confident in this one after two straight wins, and are facing the dreaded back to back road game situation which they do not fare well in.
3* Saints (-7) over Raiders - The saints are too good to be mediocre for too long. The reeling Raiders come in with a new head coach playing a pissed off New Orleans squad. Bad combo if you ask me.
2* Cardinals (+4.5) over Cowboys - I can see Arizona winning outright here. The Cowboys cant stop anybodys passing game and look for Kurt Warner to absolutely light them up at home, and start absolute chaos in big D.
2* Vikings (-13) over Lions - Just bet against the Lions until they resemble a professional sports organization. Just do it ok.
College Football YTD (16-14) 0 units
Pro Football YTD (12-10-2) +2.1 units
Pending: Bears (3-2) under 7.5 wins (5 units) and Titans (5-0) over 8 wins (2 units)
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Big Willy Style's week 5 recap
- So it appears I was wrong about the Redskins, they've suddenly won 4 in a row including 2 straight divisional road games, a near impossible task in any division, especially the NFC east this season. I certainly did not see this coming after watching them in week 1 in the swamps of north jersey
- Speaking of the G-men, they scored 44 points against a solid defense without Plaxico Burress. Yes it was extremely impressive, but the theory that they can be successful without him is insane, they are going to need him healthy and happy to emulate the success of last season (starting to break out in a cold sweat at that thought).
- Thank you to Ronnie Brown and the Miami Dolphins for running this new wildcat offense. They have absolutely flabbergasted the two participants in the AFC championship game last year with it, and maybe it could spark a light bulb in coaches heads around the league.
- For the first time in my gambling career I marked off a game as a loss only to learn about an hour later that I in fact won that bet. I'll give you one guess which game that was. Sorry Dean.
- What a huge win for Matt Ryan's Atlanta Falcons. Always big to get a road win with a rookie QB against a better team to build serious confidence. Now if it can just carry over next week at home against da bears.
- Speaking of them, they absolutely drubbed Detroit this week. It's possible the two worst teams in NFL history (rams and lions) are in the league this season. Now if we could only get them to play each other.
- A questionable roughing the passer call on the Ravens sparked a late Kerry Collins drive for the winning touchdown. If you havent believed in the Titans yet, just know that Kerry freakin Collins orchestrated a game winning TD drive on the road, against his super bowl 34 tormentor with the Giants, the Baltimore Ravens. Thanks for saving that good game against them 8 years later chief.
- Denver's defense, not offense actually was the reason for their victory against Tampa Bay. Then again it was against a miserable passing offense, but whatever works.
- If J.T. O'Sullivan (what a great name) cuts down on his mistakes, he can be a real good QB in this league. They had the Pats on the ropes but too many dumb INT's cost them dearly.
- The Bengals might be the most competitive 0-5 team in NFL history. Give them credit for coming back after falling behind 17 points early on the road. It may be too late for them but they are going to give their opponents fits down the road.
- Once Trent Edwards went down it was all over for the Bills in Arizona. Their stout defense was obliterated by the Cardinals who have as good an offense as anybody, and got a big bounceback win.
- An absolutely enormous come from behind win for the Steelers on Sunday night. They are going to need those victories as it has been statistically determined that they have the most difficult schedule the NFL has seen in 25 years. And they are 4-1.
- What a wacky game on Monday night. A blocked FG for a TD, two punt returns by Reggie Bush in the 2nd half, and Gus Frerotte leading a game winning drive in the 4th quarter (did I just say that?).
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Big Baby Dean's NFL PickSlip Week 5
4* Tampa Bay Bucs @ Denver Broncos (-3)
Cutler and the Broncos will rebound after that awful performance at Kansas City. Tampa Bay has an absolutely brutal non-divisional road ATS record under Jon Gruden when they have a divisional game the following week. Pick: Denver (-3)
3* New England Patriots @ San Francisco 49ers (+3)
This Patriot team is not the same without Brady. Look what happened 2 weeks ago when they played Miami. Frank Gore is better then Ronnie Brown and the niners are a bit underrated. Ill take JT O'Sullivan over Cassell any day. Also, Patriots traveling out west. 49ers may win outright. Pick: San Francisco (+3)
2* Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans(+3)
Houston may be 0-3, but they played Pittsburgh, Tennessee, and Jacksonville who are all no joke. Those are some tough defenses. Indianapolis on the other hand is missing Bob Sanders and run defense has not looked good at all. This will probably be a very high scoring game. Look for Houston to hang close with the Colts in this one. Pick: Houston (+3)
2* Washington Redskins (+5.5) @ Philadelphia Eagles
This will be a close game all the way. The NFC East is no joke this year. With a banged up Westbrook, this game will be a tight one. Jason Campbell has been on fire and has not thrown one interception this year. I cant wait to watch Santana Moss vs Asante Samuel. Should be a good one. Pick: Washington (+5.5)
1* Tennessee Titans (-3) @ Baltimore Ravens
This game will be a good game if you like to watch defenses. Will be a low scoring affair. However, I think that MNF game took too much out of Baltimore. Kerry Collins worries me a little but I think with his experience, they win a close one vs Baltimore. Pick: Tennessee (-3)
Cutler and the Broncos will rebound after that awful performance at Kansas City. Tampa Bay has an absolutely brutal non-divisional road ATS record under Jon Gruden when they have a divisional game the following week. Pick: Denver (-3)
3* New England Patriots @ San Francisco 49ers (+3)
This Patriot team is not the same without Brady. Look what happened 2 weeks ago when they played Miami. Frank Gore is better then Ronnie Brown and the niners are a bit underrated. Ill take JT O'Sullivan over Cassell any day. Also, Patriots traveling out west. 49ers may win outright. Pick: San Francisco (+3)
2* Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans(+3)
Houston may be 0-3, but they played Pittsburgh, Tennessee, and Jacksonville who are all no joke. Those are some tough defenses. Indianapolis on the other hand is missing Bob Sanders and run defense has not looked good at all. This will probably be a very high scoring game. Look for Houston to hang close with the Colts in this one. Pick: Houston (+3)
2* Washington Redskins (+5.5) @ Philadelphia Eagles
This will be a close game all the way. The NFC East is no joke this year. With a banged up Westbrook, this game will be a tight one. Jason Campbell has been on fire and has not thrown one interception this year. I cant wait to watch Santana Moss vs Asante Samuel. Should be a good one. Pick: Washington (+5.5)
1* Tennessee Titans (-3) @ Baltimore Ravens
This game will be a good game if you like to watch defenses. Will be a low scoring affair. However, I think that MNF game took too much out of Baltimore. Kerry Collins worries me a little but I think with his experience, they win a close one vs Baltimore. Pick: Tennessee (-3)
Saturday, October 4, 2008
DIRTY WEASEL IS BACK
3* ARIZONA -21 vs WASHINGTON
Huskies are down and out. I believe that they will pack it in for the season and Arizona will roll all over them!!!
3* OHIO ST -2 vs WISCONSIN
Great value here. Ohio state is still at top team and a team to be wreckened with. Buckeyes are very undervalued and they will show it today.
4* MIAMI -2 vs FLORIDA STATE
Take MIAMI in this one... this rivarly is not the rivalry of the past but MIAMI is clearly the better team. Florida state is just not that good... Miami thinks they have found something special in freshmen quarterback Robert Marve. I agree
5* OKLAHOMA STATE -25 vs TEXAS A&M
A classic match up of strength vs. weakness in this one. I look for OSU to get ahead early and this one and they will never look back. I know 25 points is a lot but dont worry they will cover easily.
Huskies are down and out. I believe that they will pack it in for the season and Arizona will roll all over them!!!
3* OHIO ST -2 vs WISCONSIN
Great value here. Ohio state is still at top team and a team to be wreckened with. Buckeyes are very undervalued and they will show it today.
4* MIAMI -2 vs FLORIDA STATE
Take MIAMI in this one... this rivarly is not the rivalry of the past but MIAMI is clearly the better team. Florida state is just not that good... Miami thinks they have found something special in freshmen quarterback Robert Marve. I agree
5* OKLAHOMA STATE -25 vs TEXAS A&M
A classic match up of strength vs. weakness in this one. I look for OSU to get ahead early and this one and they will never look back. I know 25 points is a lot but dont worry they will cover easily.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Big Baby Dean's PickSlip for 10/3
It was a crazy opening month here at The Pick Slip and each of our contributors had their ups and downs. Those who know me personally know that I love to brag. Well, now is my first time to brag at the Pick Slip. I got off to a slow start in picking games this season. However, has anyone been following the last few weeks??? I hope at least one other person was tailing my picks! For those who haven't Big Baby Dean is currently on a 17-1-1 hot streak in both NCAA and NFL. I am up 28.5 units right now and loving it. With one more win I will tie the New England Patriots record from last year. Hopefully mine will end much better than theirs did. With all that said, be careful of my picks this week because when I talk shit like this, I usually set myself up to FAIL! Not only that, but we are in week 6 of NCAA and week 5 of the NFL and the oddsmakers have a lot of statistics and data to really set the lines to make it hard to pick winners.
The first month of the season is now over and with a lot of game film and stats, Big Baby Dean has enough to dissect almost every team in the country. I know I have some favorite conferences and teams to watch this year, while other conferences are struggling. The trick is to know when to ride the hot team and when to get off of them before they lose.
Onto the NCAA picks for the week...
2* Iowa @ Michigan State (-6.5) 12PM ET
If you have been following my picks, you will know that I have been all over the Spartans the last few weeks. It looks like I caught them at the right time. Hopefully they can cover at least one more week for me. I liked this line at -9.5 earlier in the week and now thanks to DR Bob picking Iowa it dropped down to -6.5. As a result, I am only putting 2 units on this game because I don't like the drastic line move. Hopefully after this week, people will be tailing Big Baby Dean and as soon as I release my plays the lines will drop with all the money going on the side I pick! Iowa will be focused on stopping Javon Ringer, so hopefully Michigan State will put a few playaction passes in to keep them honest. Other than that, keep feeding Javon Ringer the ball and he will lead MSU to victory.
Pick: Michigan State (-6.5)
3* Maryland (-13.5) @ Virginia 7PM ET
Maryland has caught Big Baby Dean's eyes the last few weeks. They are on a 3 game win streak and have upset two Top 20 teams (California and Clemson). The reason why I am not afraid to lay 2 td's on the road in this ACC matchup is because they are playing the doormats of the ACC. Virginia got smoked by Duke last week 31-3. Wait a second...go back and read that last sentence. Maryland should have an easy time with this one. Pick: Maryland (-13.5)
Earlier in the week I had circled a bunch more games, but after going back over them tonight I do not feel as confident in them. The oddsmakers have gotten better and it is tough to find which games they leave for you to exploit. For instance, here is a game that I liked earlier in the week but have decided not to pick:
When looking over the Michigan-Illinois game, I circled Illinois. Now after a few days have passed and reading more information about this game and seeing the line stay at 2, I think this line is fishy. From what I gather, Illinois looks like the trendy dog pick this week and the line hasn't moved at all. Even though I like Illinois in this game, something is telling me to stay away. Be careful if playing this game.
Don't force any picks on Saturday to try and win money back quickly. Let the games come to you. There is still a lot of season (and bowl season) left.
Check back tomorrow night for my NFL Picks.
The first month of the season is now over and with a lot of game film and stats, Big Baby Dean has enough to dissect almost every team in the country. I know I have some favorite conferences and teams to watch this year, while other conferences are struggling. The trick is to know when to ride the hot team and when to get off of them before they lose.
Onto the NCAA picks for the week...
2* Iowa @ Michigan State (-6.5) 12PM ET
If you have been following my picks, you will know that I have been all over the Spartans the last few weeks. It looks like I caught them at the right time. Hopefully they can cover at least one more week for me. I liked this line at -9.5 earlier in the week and now thanks to DR Bob picking Iowa it dropped down to -6.5. As a result, I am only putting 2 units on this game because I don't like the drastic line move. Hopefully after this week, people will be tailing Big Baby Dean and as soon as I release my plays the lines will drop with all the money going on the side I pick! Iowa will be focused on stopping Javon Ringer, so hopefully Michigan State will put a few playaction passes in to keep them honest. Other than that, keep feeding Javon Ringer the ball and he will lead MSU to victory.
Pick: Michigan State (-6.5)
3* Maryland (-13.5) @ Virginia 7PM ET
Maryland has caught Big Baby Dean's eyes the last few weeks. They are on a 3 game win streak and have upset two Top 20 teams (California and Clemson). The reason why I am not afraid to lay 2 td's on the road in this ACC matchup is because they are playing the doormats of the ACC. Virginia got smoked by Duke last week 31-3. Wait a second...go back and read that last sentence. Maryland should have an easy time with this one. Pick: Maryland (-13.5)
Earlier in the week I had circled a bunch more games, but after going back over them tonight I do not feel as confident in them. The oddsmakers have gotten better and it is tough to find which games they leave for you to exploit. For instance, here is a game that I liked earlier in the week but have decided not to pick:
When looking over the Michigan-Illinois game, I circled Illinois. Now after a few days have passed and reading more information about this game and seeing the line stay at 2, I think this line is fishy. From what I gather, Illinois looks like the trendy dog pick this week and the line hasn't moved at all. Even though I like Illinois in this game, something is telling me to stay away. Be careful if playing this game.
Don't force any picks on Saturday to try and win money back quickly. Let the games come to you. There is still a lot of season (and bowl season) left.
Check back tomorrow night for my NFL Picks.
Beans' Weekly Winners: Week 6
Missouri (-10) at Nebraska, 9pm
Just what The Weekly needs, a little dose of Chase Daniel. The leading Heisman candidate brings his high powered offense into Lincoln for a chance to beat Nebraska on their home turf for the first time in a long time. The Tigers are averaging 53.4 points per game and just over 400 yards per game passing. In addition to what we knew was going to be a prolific passing game, Mizzou RB Derrick Washington has picked up right where Tony Temple left off last season. Thanks to Washington and Daniel's mobility Missouri can truly beat you in the air or on the ground. This is going to a problem for the Cornhuskers. New Husker head coach Bo Pellini is a defensive guru, but he hasn't had the time to resurrect the once famous Blackshirt defense. Last week the Nebraska "D" gave up 35 points to an offensively challenged Virginia Tech team. Expect the Tigers to hang another 40 or 50 on the scoreboard as they get their first win in Lincoln in over 30 years.
Kansas (-12) at Iowa State, 12:30pm
Well if the theme for the last two weeks was Auburn and whoever Navy was playing, this week looks to be Big XII road favorites. It just so happens that Kansas' favorite whippin' boy is Iowa State. In the past two seasons the Jayhawks have beaten up on the Cyclones to the tune of 86-17. No too much has changed from those last two years. Kansas has lost a lot of buzz recently because of their loss to South Florida (a game they should have won) and the fact that there are four Big XII teams not named Kansas in the Top 10. Thanks to the lack of buzz around the Jayhawks there's only a 12 point spread on this game, and we see lots of value in it. Saturday is the day that the Jayhawks will put it all together on the offensive side of the ball as 2007's leading receiver Dexton Fields will be back after missing games with an injured foot. Fields went for 11 catches, 109 yards and 2 touchdowns in last year's contest against the Cyclones. The addition of Fields, as well as a 95th ranked Cyclone rushing defense, will take pressure off of the lagging rushing game. This game should be over by halftime.
Rutgers at West Virginia (-14), noon
Two big factors at play here. One: the Mountaineers may have finally put it together. Two: Rutgers stinks. We know it was just Marshall, but a win is a win and West Virginia looked pretty good in their win last week. The supposed downfall of Patrick White has been thoroughly overplayed. He has completed 73.3% of his passes and thrown for seven touchdowns and only one interception. This team isn't going to contend for a national title and they all know it, but they also know that a Big East title and BCS appearance are well within their grasp. On the other hand, you have a 1-AA quality team disguised as a major program. Mike Teel has thrown for two touchdowns and seven interceptions. He didn't even play well against Morgan State last week (11-18, 188 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception) and the team only amassed 297 total yards. This Rutgers team is worse than the one who let West Virginia torment them last year, in Piscataway mind you, by the score of 38-3. West Virginia embarrasses Rutgers on Saturday -- this is a layup.
Auburn at Vanderbilt (+3.5), 6pm
Illinois (+2.5) at Michigan, 3:30pm
We love battle tested teams who are fighting for their lives. The Fightin' Illini have already played, and been competitive in, two games against Top 10 programs. They've been on the losing end of both games, vs. Missouri and at Penn State, but have played pretty well in both games. Michigan is still trying to find an identity. They've had an up and down season thus far due to inconsistent play of their young players in prominent roles -- especially at the quarterback position. The Illini have missed Rashard Mendenhall, but QB Juice Williams is a veteran leader and this is a must win game. Thanks to last year's success the expectations were high for this group of Illini and after losing the Big Ten opener at Penn State last weekend, they'll need to take care of the Wolverines this weekend in order to stay in Big Ten championship contention. We'll take the team with more to lose in this game, as Illinois has to have this game. Illini by double digits.
Big Willy Style's Football Friday
College Football
3* Vanderbilt (+3.5) over Auburn - The cinderally commies (I love calling them that) keep rolling this week. Auburn has quietly decided to not be an elite football team this year.
3* Colorado (+12.5) over Texas - I see the Buffs playing a spirited game very similar to what they did against West Virginia a couple weeks ago. It's also time for Texas' yearly bedshit to a in-conference underdog.
3* Texas Tech (-7) over Kansas St. - Time for the Red Raiders to prove their worth. Simply too much firepower here for the wildcats to handle, even despite the hostile environment.
2* Stanford (+6.5) over Notre Dame - I just dont like Jimmy Clausen, thats really the only reason I got for you im sorry.
2* North Carolina (-7.5) over Uconn - Most people are just going to see Uconn's #23 ranking and jump on the points. I am not like most people.
Pro Football
5* Broncos (-3) over Bucs - You can lock this one up. Denver's offense has been literally unstoppable at home, and Brian Griese has tried everything to prevent his team from winining the past couple of weeks. He wont be so lucky this week in Denver, my favorite NFL game all season thus far.
4* Colts (-3) over Texans - Call it a sucker bet if you would. But the Colts are not starting 1-3 and not losing to this division rival. As I've always said about this team, they are at their best when their backs are against the wall.
3* Saints (-3.5) over Vikings (monday night) - RIP 2008 Minnesota Vikings, we heard all about you coming into the season yet we hardly knew you during it.
2* Bengals (+16.5) over Cowboys - The Bengals offense finally figures it out against an awful Dallas secondary this week and explodes, making this a competitive game. The over looks nice here too.
1* Redskins (+6) over Eagles - It's all about Brian Westbrook's health. If he doesnt play or is limited, the Eagles are a completely different team. There is not a more valuable player to a team in the NFL than B-West is to the Eagles.
College Football YTD (13-12) -2.5 units
Pro Football YTD (9-9-1) -1.6 units
Pending: Bears (2-2) under 7.5 wins (5 units) and Titans (4-0) over 8 wins (2 units)
3* Vanderbilt (+3.5) over Auburn - The cinderally commies (I love calling them that) keep rolling this week. Auburn has quietly decided to not be an elite football team this year.
3* Colorado (+12.5) over Texas - I see the Buffs playing a spirited game very similar to what they did against West Virginia a couple weeks ago. It's also time for Texas' yearly bedshit to a in-conference underdog.
3* Texas Tech (-7) over Kansas St. - Time for the Red Raiders to prove their worth. Simply too much firepower here for the wildcats to handle, even despite the hostile environment.
2* Stanford (+6.5) over Notre Dame - I just dont like Jimmy Clausen, thats really the only reason I got for you im sorry.
2* North Carolina (-7.5) over Uconn - Most people are just going to see Uconn's #23 ranking and jump on the points. I am not like most people.
Pro Football
5* Broncos (-3) over Bucs - You can lock this one up. Denver's offense has been literally unstoppable at home, and Brian Griese has tried everything to prevent his team from winining the past couple of weeks. He wont be so lucky this week in Denver, my favorite NFL game all season thus far.
4* Colts (-3) over Texans - Call it a sucker bet if you would. But the Colts are not starting 1-3 and not losing to this division rival. As I've always said about this team, they are at their best when their backs are against the wall.
3* Saints (-3.5) over Vikings (monday night) - RIP 2008 Minnesota Vikings, we heard all about you coming into the season yet we hardly knew you during it.
2* Bengals (+16.5) over Cowboys - The Bengals offense finally figures it out against an awful Dallas secondary this week and explodes, making this a competitive game. The over looks nice here too.
1* Redskins (+6) over Eagles - It's all about Brian Westbrook's health. If he doesnt play or is limited, the Eagles are a completely different team. There is not a more valuable player to a team in the NFL than B-West is to the Eagles.
College Football YTD (13-12) -2.5 units
Pro Football YTD (9-9-1) -1.6 units
Pending: Bears (2-2) under 7.5 wins (5 units) and Titans (4-0) over 8 wins (2 units)
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