NFL Game Picks: Week 9

Well, I finally had my breakout week last week when my game predictions actually started coming true (thank you for saving me Matthew Stafford) as I went 12-2 last week on my way to a total record of 71-49 for the year so far. Can I keep it up this week? Probably not. But here's hoping! Week nine of the NFL season doesn't feature any real marquee match-ups, perhaps the most notable being Saints and Jets, simply because you have the story of two brothers facing each other on the football field. I mean, it's no HarBowl, but it's something! Last week it was the rich getting richer with many of the top teams in the NFL finding a way to win games again (funny how that works). Still, we are nowhere close to being done with this season yet, and several dark horse contenders still have time to make some noise before they hang up their cleats (I'm looking at you, Tennesee and San Diego). Those teams are still exciting to watch, oh, and those guys that are still undefeated in the land of barbecue are pretty fascinating too.

Byes this week: Giants, Lions, Broncos, Jaguars, 49ers, Cardinals

Bengals at Dolphins
27-20 Bengals
In the early parts of the year, both of these teams seemed like young squabs that were about to make the leap into AFC contention. Fast forward a few weeks, and these teams have gone in completely opposite directions, with the Bengals making the leap and the Dolphins falling backwards, due to an inability to protect their quarterback and said quarterback's refusal to get the ball out quickly. The Dolphins offensive line will actually be weaker this week as right tackle Jonathan Martin had a mental breakdown at the team facility. Expect the Begals front four to take advantage. In all seriousness, thoughts and prayers go to Martin and his family, in the hope that he is able to get help and counseling for his illness (because that's what it is).

Falcons at Panthers
31-17 Panthers
Like the game above, the Panthers have been on a tear and the Falcons can't get off the ground. The Falcons' offensive line is having a rough year, and the Panthers' scary front seven is probably way more than this group can handle. Matt Ryan will rebound slightly from his rough outing against the Cardinals last week, but asking Matty Ice to best Superman with the piece he currently has around him is a pretty tall order.

Chiefs at Bills
20-18 Chiefs
Another week, another win for the Kansas City Chiefs against a backup quarterback. Thad Lewis is officially starting this game for the Bills even though he suffered a rib injury against the New Orleans Saints last week. The Cheifs' pass rush is not going to be kind to that injury. The Chiefs' games have pretty much fallen into a routine at this point: not a lot of scoring, the game is close late even though the Chiefs have been in front most of the day, and the Kansas City defense closes the door with a big play to let their offense run out the clock. Expect more of the same this week!

Vikings at Cowboys
30-14 Cowboys
The Cowboys are going to be a little angry after their last second loss to Detroit last week. Luckily for them, next on their schedule is a team that's not too strong in the secondary, so Tony Romo and Dez Bryant should be able to work out their frustration to their heart's content. And did I mention that Christian Ponder will be starting again for the second week in a row, for no explainable reason? You're welcome, Dallas defense.

Titans at Rams
21-10 Titans
Coming off of their bye, the Titans should have a much healthier Jake Locker under center, while the Rams will still be putting Kellen Clemens out there. With competent quarterback play the Titans should cruise to a win in this game, as Clemens puts a good old Halloween scare into just about nobody on defense, while Locker has shown plenty of improvement in year three. The Titans are still in the thick of a playoff push, and getting their starter back should help them stay alive in the AFC South.

Saints at Jets
33-16 Saints
The Jets have yet to lose (or win) back to back games this season, but that trend may finally be snapped against the Saints in a great brother vs brother match-up on defense. Rob Ryan has been fielding one of the most surprising units in the league, and while Rex Ryan is fielding a much improved unit, his is coming off their worst performance possibly ever in his tenure last week against the Bengals. Unlike Rex, Rob is paired with an offensive mastermind in Sean Payton, and their partnership is what puts their team over the top and into the heart of Super Bowl conversation.

Chargers at Redskins
27-21 Chargers
The Chargers come out of an off week well rested and facing a reeling team in the Redskins, so expect Mike McCoy to have his squad ready to make a statement before they have to start squaring off against the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Cheifs. Philip Rivers should be able to carve up the Redskins' weak secondary, and the balance the Chargers have been able to establish on offense should keep the ball in Charger hands most of the game. RGIII is coming off perhaps the worst performance of his career against Denver, and probably still has the bruises to show for it, so this week is probably not the week he breaks out in 2012 form. Operation Patience continues.

Eagles at Raiders
17-10 Raiders
Chip Kelly's offensive wizardry has fallen prey to poor quarterback play, and thus his much heralded offense has scored a total of three points in the last two games (the team put up seven last week against the Giants, but that was on a special teams play). The Raiders actually have sneaky talent on defense, and they should be able to flex their muscles again after securing a win against Pittsburgh last week despite little offensive help. Terrelle Pryor doesn't put up big points, but with this defense he really doesn't have to. Dennis Allen may be the man for the job in Oakland after all.

Buccaneers at Seahawks
27-7 Seahawks
This match-up seems a little unfair, as the 7-1 Seahawks get the winless Buccaneers at home, where they're practically unbeatable. The Seahawks have definitely had their struggles, but there's no way the Legion of Boom secondary is scared of what Mike Glennon might do to them. No way. The big (maybe only) thing to watch for this game is whether Percy Harvin makes his debut in a Seattle uniform. With Sidney Rice now out for the year, the Seahawks need Harvin to contribute quickly on offense.

Ravens at Browns
24-23 Browns
These are not the Super Bowl champion Ravens we are seeing on the field every week this year, and the defending champs would take a huge shot to the gut  if they lose to the Browns this week. Unfortunately for them, I see that happening. The Ravens ground game has been one of the worst in the NFL this year even though it was thought that the team had a potent one-two punch in Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce. The Browns front actually excels in stopping the run though, so don't expect anything to change this week. Jason Campbell gave a spark to the Browns' offense last Sunday against the Chiefs, and it's very possible he carries that momentum back home and uses weapons Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron to keep these Browns rolling as one of the surprise teams of the year.

Steelers at Patriots
26-18 Patriots
Ben Roethlisberger has already called this game a "must-win" for the Steelers, as at five losses any more numbers in the loss column could start spelling doom for postseason hopes. Getting a win in Foxborough, however, seems like a much taller task than these Steelers are capable of. Their offensive line is getting no push for the running game, and that's the one area on defense where the Patriots are vulnerable. On offense, the Pats are still figuring things out, but the Steeler defense's age has been showing all year and they're not going to force Tom Brady into any mistakes, no matter how hard they try.

Colts at Texans
28-17 Colts
Both of these teams are fresh off byes in time for prime-time football, but only one of these squads truly deserves a national audience. The Texans season has been cruel to them, with multiple injuries and shoddy quarterback play dooming a pretty talented team. For this game, the Texans will be starting Case Keenum again, but the young starter may not have talent in the backfield behind him because Arian Foster and Ben Tate are both banged up. This game may not be that competitive, but it is an important eye test game for both teams. How do the Colts look without Reggie Wayne? And what do the Texans have in Case Keenum?

Bears at Packers
28-14 Packers
The Packers have owned this rivalry as of late, and with backup Josh McCown under center for the Bears that seems unlikely to change this time around, especially with the Packers at home in Lambeau. Aaron Rodgers has been dominating opponents recently with pinpoint throws all over the field, and rookie runner Eddie Lacy has been helping truck this offense along at a deliberate pace to give the injured Packers' defense plenty of rest. The Bears' defense has been struggling, giving up 45 points in its last outing, and their only silver lining all year has been their ability to keep forcing turnovers. Unfortunately, now they're facing a Packers' offense that has no problem keeping the ball on the ground, as well as the quarterback with the lowest interception percentage in NFL history. The odds don't look good for Da Bears to take back this rivalry.

NFL Power Rankings: Post Week 8

We are now just about halfway through the NFL season this week, and the pecking order in the NFL is getting clearer and clearer all the time. In fact, the top of the NFL seems all but certain, as the top nine teams in my power rankings last week went 8-0 last weekend (the Colts were on a bye). The top five teams in each conference seem all but set (but not the order), meaning that it will be up to just a few teams to fight for the number six seed for the playoffs. Since we are not at midseason, this week's power rankings will not only rank each team, but point out the major awards contenders for each team:

1. Kansas City Chiefs: 8-0 (1)
MVP: Jamaal Charles
DPOY: Justin Houston, Tamba Hali
COY: Andy Reid

2. Indianapolis Colts: 5-2 (2)
DPOY: Robert Mathis
COY: Chuck Pagano

3. Denver Broncos: 7-1 (4)
MVP: Peyton Manning

4. New Orleans Saints: 6-1 (5)
MVP: Drew Brees
OPY: Jimmy Graham
DPOY: Cameron Jordan
COY: Sean Payton

5. Seattle Seahawks: 7-1 (3)
DPOY: Richard Sherman
COY: Pete Carrol

6. Green Bay Packers: 5-2 (6)
MVP: Aaron Rodgers
OROY: Eddie Lacy

7. San Francisco 49ers: 7-1 (7)
DROY: Eric Reid

8. Cincinnati Bengals: 6-2 (8)
OPY: AJ Green
OROY: Giovanni Bernard

9. New England Patriots: 6-2 (9)
DPOY: Aqib Talib

10. Detroit Lions: 5-3 (11)
OPY: Calvin Johnson

11. San Diego Chargers: 4-3 (12)
MVP: Philip Rivers
OROY: Keenan Allen
COY: Mike McCoy

12. Carolina Panthers: 4-3 (14)
DROY: Star Lotulelei

13. Dallas Cowboys: 4-4 (10)
OROY: Terrance Williams

14. Chicago Bears: 4-3 (15)
COY: Marc Trestman

15. New York Jets: 4-4 (13)
OROY: Geno Smith
DROY: Sheldon Richardson

16. Baltimore Ravens: 3-4 (16)
DPOY: Terrelle Suggs

17. Tennessee Titans: 3-4 (18)

18. Oakland Raiders: 3-4 (26)

19. Arizona Cardinals: 4-4 (24)
DROY: Tyrann Mathieu

20. Miami Dolphins: 3-4 (17)

21. Buffalo Bills: 3-5 (20)
DPOY: Mario Williams
DROY: Kiko Alonso

22. Cleveland Browns: 3-5 (28)

23. New York Giants: 2-6 (29)

24. St. Louis Rams: 3-5 (23)
DPOY: Roberrt Quinn

25. Pittsburgh Steelers: 2-5 (22)

26. Philadelphia Eagles: 3-5 (21)

27. Atlanta Falcons: 2-5 (19)

28. Washington Redskins: 2-5 (25)

29. Houston Texans: 2-5 (27)
DPOY: JJ Watt
OROY: Deandre Hopkins

30. Minnesota Vikings: 1-6 (30)

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 0-7 (31)

32. Jacksonville Jaguars: 0-8 (32)

NFL Week 8 Tuesday Whip-Around: Trading Spaces?

The NFL trade deadline comes at 3 pm today, but if everything plays out as expected the deadline will end on a rather soft note. Not many big deals are expected to go down, as only a few teams can really justify giving up on their season at the halfway point and start giving away assets. Hakeem Nicks was popular trade bait for Giants' fans, but now that the team has won their last two games the organization can claim that their season isn't over yet (and somehow, it actually isn't). Josh Gordon was thought to be next on the block after Trent Richardson for the Browns, but after seeing his dominance the last few weeks, it will take a monster offer for the Browns to move him, and even then, would you trade away that kind of talent? The Vikings are listening to offers on Jared Allen, but if he leaves through free agency this offseason the team will still acquire a conditional pick next year, so their asking price will be probably higher than teams may be willing to spend on an aging pass rusher, who looks like he may already have hit a wall in terms of his play. The deal that makes too much sense to actually happen is Tony Gonzelez to the Chiefs, as he is wasting his final season sticking it out with the Falcons and he could actually have that one last shot at a title by returning to his original team (who could really use solid production at the tight end position right now). Tony has actually expressed openness to a trade, but the Falcons organization remains staunch in their position to not trade him, even though a playoff run seems impossible and Tony's retirement following the season is all but certain. Will that climate change at the deadline? Check at 3 pm to find out!

Now, the big takeaways from each game this week:

Panthers 31, Buccaneers 13

1. The Panthers and Cam Newton's hot streak continues! For Greg Schiano and the Bucs...not so much #still winless
2. The calls for Greg Schiano's head aren't going to quiet down anytime soon, and every week more and more of them seem to be coming from inside the Tampa locker room
3. Rookie Mike Glennon didn't throw an interception this time out, but his yards per attempt is an area in need of MUCH improvement. Without receiver Mike Williams for the rest of the year, he's probably going to struggle in that area for a while.

Lions 31, Cowboys 30

1. Matthew Stafford has guts, I'll tell you that. His last minute drive to give the Lions the win was sheer perfection, and his final QB sneak was pure genius. Pure genius.
2. Oh, and that Calvin Johnson guys kind of had a good day too (14 catches for 329 yards, second most in NFL history). Pretty soon, people may start talking about Calvin/Jerry like we talk about Manning/Brady.
3. There's been plenty of coverage of Dez Bryant's "blow-up" on the sideline during this game, but the actual audio of the event is sadly tame. Dez said he was being all positive with his teammates, and he actually was.

49ers 42, Jaguars 10 (London)

1. The 49ers just keep shoving the ball down team's throats, only passing 16 times but still recording a blowout win overseas.
2. Good news for Jaguars' fans: Maurice Jones-Drew looked good, rushing for 75 yards and picking up another 47 yards receiving.
3. The bad news for Jaguars' fans: They're as good at winning overseas as they are in the U.S.

Cheifs 23, Browns 17

1. The Chiefs had a scare at home for the second week in a row, but their defense clamped down and closed out the game again. Hey look, this team is still undefeated.
2. Starting Jason Campbell was a good choice Rob Chudzinski, a good choice.
3. Josh Gordon seems to thrive when the trade rumors ramp up, catching five balls for 132 yards and a touchdown.

Patriots 27, Dolphins 17

1. It looked like the Dolphins might actually stake their claim in the AFC East when they were up 17-3 at halftime, but an epic collapse in half two showed that they're still not ready to take charge just yet.
2. The Patriots' run game helped them turn things around, as Steven Ridley and LeGarrette Blount led the way to big points in half two.
3. The Patriots suffered another big injury Sunday, losing right tackle Sebastian Vollmer to a leg injury for the rest of the year. All has not gone well in Foxborough during 2013.

Saints 35, Bills 17

1. Rookie receiver Kenny Stills has scary deep ball ability for this offense, because yeah, Drew Brees needed more weapons.
2. Jimmy Graham still got two touchdowns with one bad leg, leading many of us to question why we stay at home when we have the sniffles.
3. The legend of Thad became the legend of Thud Sunday afternoon, as the Saints were able to put plenty of pressure on the quarterback, including two sack fumbles recovered in Bills' territory.

Giants 15, Eagles 7

1. The Giants two game win streak has them just two games out of the NFC East. That's somehow a fact after they started 0-6.
2. Chip Kelly's offense has gone back to crashing and burning, but it's really hard to succeed in this league when you don't have competent quarterback play (re: Vikings, Jaguars, Texans).
3. Matt Barkley actually moved the ball pretty well for the Eagles, but turnovers killed drives. That's life with a rookie, especially one that wasn't supposed to see the field this year.

Bengals 49, Jets 9

1. I dabbled Andy Dalton with faint praise last week, but there was nothing faint about his performance on Sunday. The Red Rocket threw for over 300 yards again and this time managed to add five touchdown passes.
2. Four of those throws went to Bengals' receiver Marvin Jones. I'm still not sure who this guy is, but the Bengals are probably happy to have him.
3. Rex Ryan said after the game that he was going to burn the game tape of this blowout loss. Good call Rex, good call.

Raiders 21, Steelers 18

1. Terrelle Pryor is faster than the Steelers' entire defense. That's why the Steelers are now up to five losses.
2. Give this game to the Raiders' defense. They got virtually no offensive help (and no points) for the entire second half but they still hung on to give this team its third win of the season, more than I thought this team would win all year.
3. The Steelers' offensive line is both bad and beat up, with their backups seeing plenty of game action against the Raiders. That's why rookie runner Leveon Bell could only muster a 1.8 yards per carry average on the day.

Cardinals 27, Falcons 13

1. Yikes, Atlanta. Matty Ice seems to defrost in the desert, as in his last two meetings with the Cardinals he has thrown nine interceptions.
2. Last year it was Alfred Morris. This year's sixth round running back gem is Andre Ellington, whose 80 yard touchdown run, despite minimal blocking, should seem eerily similar to Vikings fans.
3. Steven Jackson has been a pretty big disappointment for the Falcons this year, and the back may have run out of tread on his tires. His stat line Sunday: 11 carries for six yards, with a longest gain of four yards.

Broncos 45, Redskins 21

1. Peyton Manning actually threw three interceptions on two bad ankles Sunday afternoon, and this team still finds a way to put up 45 points. Simply incredible, especially because they only had seven points at halftime.
2. The Denver defense clearly heard their critics this week, putting on their best performance of the season. Von Miller looked like himself again, and that tends to help out a team.
3. RGIII was absolutely pummeled in this game and had perhaps the worst game of his short career before being pulled early. Operation Patience might be wearing thin in the capitol.

Seahawks 14, Rams 9

1. So this game came down to a 4th and one with four seconds left on the Seattle one yard line. Raise your hand if you saw that coming.
2. Outside of one long Golden Tate touchdown catch, the Seahawks had 55 net yards of offense in this game. That's scary bad ineptitude for a title contender, especially because the Rams' defense has bene a rather disappointing group this year.
3. How about rookie Zac Stacy taking it to the Seattle defense? If the rookie stays healthy he's emerging as a workhorse candidate for the Rams, carrying 26 times in this game for 134 yards.

Rodgers' Revenge: Packers Stomp over Vikings

Well, Sunday night was no 31-3 (the game in 2010 against the Packers that got Brad Childress fired), but Sunday night's game at the Metrodome will be an embarrassing loss in Vikings' lore, especially since it was Bthe last game of this rivalry at the Metrodome. The Vikings were actually competitive score-wise throughout most of the first half, with Cordarrelle Patterson's opening kickoff return giving the team an early lead. However, the Packers came back on offense to regain the lead, as Aaron Rodgers was surgical against the Vikings defense, always knowing when to strike and never letting the unit get off the field. In the end, Rodgers and the Packers never punted, the only two Vikings' "stops" resulting in field goals. The final score, 44-31, is not indicative of the wide disparity between these two teams, as 14 of the Vikings points came when a Packers victory was pretty much a guarantee, especially because the Packers' offense was unstoppable. Like last week, this week's game reflection is going to take on the form of a rant in the end, simply because the ineffectiveness of this team is universal. It's hard to grade individual position units when they're all failing. It's hard to judge offensive players when their quarterback gives them no chance. I wish there was more I could say about this team, but that's this team's reality right now. The #3 overall pick is where they're projected to be next year, and that seems well in hand. Start taking some looks at Mariota and Bridgewater.

Quarterback: D
Christian Ponder's numbers would actually suggest that he had his best 2013 start so far, as he completed two thirds of his passes and didn't turn the ball over for the first time this season, finishing with a quarterback rating of 90. The eye test however, shows how statistics sometimes lie to us. Ponder did not inspire confidence when this game was still competitive, showing no pocket presence and not pulling the trigger on throws that were there. To even put up offensive points while the game was still close, Ponder needed the assistance of a personal foul call and a very questionable pass interference call. In Ponder's defense, it's very hard to win a game when your defense never gives you the ball, though Ponder could have done more to give that defense a little extra rest.

The Rest of the Offense: B
The sad thing about Ponder's bad outing is that it actually disguised a decent showing from the rest of the offense. The offensive line played a decent game, giving Adrian Peterson room to run and giving Ponder what should have been enough time to get a pass off on most plays. They did take a few penalties that doomed drives for the offense, but this was still one of their better outings. Center John Sullivan did look shaken up near the end of the game, which could be an interesting injury to monitor this week. Sullivan has not looked like himself this year after being named to the Pro Football Writer's Association All-Pro team last year (not the Associated Press team though) and it may be time to give him a rest. The receivers and tight ends around Ponder also showed up to play, as Kyle Rudolph and Cordarrelle Patterson had some impressive leaping grabs on bad Ponder passes. Toby Gerhart looked great near the end of the game too in relief of AP (right before the trade deadline, no less). The Vikings aren't a bad offensive football team right now. They just have no quarterback to prove that to people.

Defense: F
The Packers' never punted. They scored 44 points. The Green Bay Packers didn't convert on 3rd or 4th down only twice during the entire game. Those two failures led to two field goals. The Packers held the ball for over 40 minutes during the game, because this defense could just never find a way to get itself off the field. The defensive line played well early on, but as they wore down throughout the game the Packers were able to run straight up the middle with Eddie Lacy and James Starks. The linebackers also initially played strong, but soon Eddie Lacy was bouncing off tackles left and right as he kept the ball in the Packers' hands. The secondary was as good as invisible on the field, as Rodgers' only missed five of his passes. On third down, Rodgers' was 10/10 for a 172 yards and a touchdown. There's just no excusing this type of play, as every level of the defense failed. The Packers came into the game banged up, with Jordy Nelson the only reliable threat in the passing game. Nelson ended up with seven catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns, though that was on the coaches as well as the players.

Special Teams: B-
The most exciting part of the night for the Vikings was by far the opening kickoff, which rookie Cordarrelle Patterson proceeded to take pack for a touchdown. Patterson showed great vision, speed and explosiveness, like he has the entire season, and even took another kickoff back past the 40. The Vikings' coverage unit though, gave up a punt return for a touchdown, almost negating the great positives Patterson provided.

Coaching: F
Yeah, this staff is as good as gone next season. The decision making by this coaching staff is baffling, and it once again led to an embarrassing prime time showing for this team. The decision to start Christian Ponder made no sense, as the team made it clear that it had moved on from Ponder, meaning backup Matt Cassel should get the start since he at least had played better in his two games of action than Ponder has in now four games. The defensive game plan seemed tangible, but was a complete failure. The Vikings ganged up on the run at the start of the game, to actually good success, but then the secondary could do nothing to stop Rodgers' on third down. As mentioned before, Jordy Nelson was the only reliable receiver for the Packers, but he was often left in single coverage, usually against rookie Xavier Rhodes. On Nelson's 76 yard touchdown catch, he was in coverage with linebacker Chad Greenway. Why the Vikings didn't have multiple people of Nelson is a mystery, as is their decision to not put their "number one" corner, Chris Cook, opposite him. Did I mention that nothing defensive coordinator Alan Williams did worked on third down? Because that's what happened, sadly.

Vikings Week 8 Preview: Hey, it can't get any worse, right?

The Vikings chose about the worse time of the season to have two back to back prime time games, as the entire American public is getting to witness their implosion. The Vikings take on the Green Bay Packers this week, and I'm sure when Sunday Night Football picked up this game they were hoping for a part two to one of the most exciting games of the season last year, when Christian Ponder actually won a shootout against Aaron Rodgers at home to put the Vikings in the playoffs (Adrian Peterson coming nine yards shy of the single season rushing record didn't hurt, either). The quarterbacks are the same for this re-match, but the circumstances couldn't be different. This time, Ponder isn't coming in to prove to fans that he's the quarterback of the future, because this organization has already said that soon he'll be a quarterback of the past. The Vikings aren't close to the playoffs this time, and if the Packers defeat them at home the Vikings will be practically guaranteed to be out of the playoffs with six losses, even though the season will not even be halfway over. Leslie Fraizer is already looking like a lame duck, and one more egg on national television will all but ensure the Vikings will be hiring in 2014. At this point, it would just be great if the Vikings didn't embarrass themselves like they did in the game that got Brad Childress fired, when the Packers romped the Vikings 31-3. As always, here's the key questions coming into Sunday's game:

Offense
Does Christian Ponder have any confidence in himself anymore?
Christian Ponder gets to start again for the Minnesota Vikings, but I think he's well aware that he's not starting because the coaches want him too. Ponder has been on the bench now for the Vikings' past three games and standing on the sideline probably did nothing to help his skills. Ponder's biggest issue during his tenure with the Vikings was a perceived lack of confidence, which caused him to struggle to push the ball downfield or make big plays, and that confidence isn't likely to have skyrocketed while he was riding the pine.

More importantly, does this offense have confidence in him?
Besides just Ponder, how confident is the rest of this offense? They are starting their third quarterback in as many weeks, and I'm sure that no one on this team is happy about that. Players have to be getting fed up with the organization and the coaching staff changing things up week to week, and it's pretty possible that the rest of the offense just won't want to show up Sunday night. I can't really blame them, I wouldn't be happy if this team was starting Ponder again after he led you to three straight losses. The players know that starting Ponder is a backwards move, and who knows whether they'll still give maximum effort for him anymore.

How will Peterson's hamstring hold up, if he actually gets the ball?
Adrian Peterson missed practice this week with a hamstring injury, revealing to the media that it's been tight for the past few weeks and it's made him tentative running through holes and blocks. It's been clear that Peterson is not playing the same as he was last year, but of course part of that has to do with the regression of the offensive line and play calling that takes the ball out of his hands. The Vikings decided to throw 53 passes with Josh Freeman last week in his first start and only give AP the ball 13 times, even though the game was still close late. Will the Vikings use their best offensive player this week, the one that was responsible for getting them into the playoffs last year? I sure hope so.

Defense
Can this team hold Aaron Rodgers to a non-historic day?
Aaron Rodgers' passer rating when playing the Vikings is the highest in history for a quarterback against a single opponent. Rodgers has simply had the Vikings' number since he took over in Green Bay, the only notable slip-ups being when the Vikings swept Rodgers when Brett Favre first game to town. The Vikings should have plenty of intel on Rodgers by this point in his career, especially when they play him twice a year, so it's up to the coaching staff to actually adjust a find a way to slow that man down. Is that likely? Probably not, but if this staff wants to keep their jobs that's what they have to do.

Will this team be able to slow Eddie Lacy down?
During most of Rodgers tenure the team has been known to be very pass-happy, but now rookie runner Eddie Lacy has stepped up and provided balance to the Pack attack. Lacy was injured earlier in the season, but coming off on the Packers' bye he is averaging over 100 yards per game and is pulling ahead in the offensive rookie of the year race. Lacy's emergence has been especially important because many of the Packers' receiving threats have been injured, and Lacy has been able to take the pressure off the passing game. In order to find a way to win this game, the Vikings will have to stop the run (something they're supposed to be known for) via Eddie Lacy, and ironically actually force the ball into Rodgers' hands more.

Will the defense be able to take advantage of the Packers' limited stock of weapons?
The Packers' receiving threats are nursing some injuries right now, as receivers James Jones and Randall Cobb and both recovering for this team while tight end Jermichael Finley actually just got released from the hospital from a hit he took last week against the Browns. With these losses, the Packers' receiving corps is dangerously thin, and they've been forced to rely on second year player Jarrett Boykin, who was undrafted coming out of college and only has 14 NFL catches to his name. At tight end, the Packers will be starting fourth year man Andrew Qaurless. Have you ever heard of him? Of course not. Rodgers is playing with as talent poor a group of weapons as he had his entire career, and the Vikings need to take advantage of this fact if they want to come out ahead Sunday. Can this secondary step up its game? Against Rodgers, once again, not likely.

This prediction piece may seem a tad on the negative side, and that's because I'm simply in a pretty dark place right now when it comes to this team. The Monday Night debacle was one of the worst football games I've had to witness in my entire life, and now a short week to face the Packers at home doesn't exactly smell of success to me. I'm trying to keep my heart in this season, but already it's extremely attempting to simply look ahead and marvel at the possibilities a new coach and quarterback could bring. It's very hard for me to believe at this point that this team is going anywhere, and I'm almost dreading sitting through this game. If you want a better football experience this weekend, check out Oregon vs UCLA. It should be a great game, and one of those signal callers just might be wearing purple in 2014.

NFL Game Picks: Week 8

All the injuries that piled up last week made a lot of game predictions go sour, and how the injuries play out this week might ruin predictions yet again! I can immodestly say that I botched my picks for last week, only going 7-8, because I thought games like Denver-Indy were slam dunk. Just like I thought Jets-Patriots would be with Gronk back in the fold. I also didn't expect the Philly offense to collapse in on itself after how well Nick Foles had been playing, because even before the team was forced to put Matt Barkley out there, hope for getting on top of the NFC East had been lost. Can the Eagles rebound this week against the now winning Giants, who have had a win streak under Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning of at least four games every season? Read below to find out!

Byes: Colts, Texans, Bears and Chargers

Panthers at Buccaneers
Carolina 28-17
Tampa Bay is at home, but I'm not sure that's a place Greg Schiano wants to be right now. The climate in Tampa is red hot, with fans erecting a billboard trying to get Schiano off of this team. This team has lost 11 of its last 12 games, which is scary bad. Now this team is going to have to contend with a hot Carolina team, with Cam Newton coming off the best two game stretch of his career so far. Newton has been on an absolute tear, and the Buccaneers defense has been floundering the last two weeks. That match-up doesn't bode well for Schiano, who may be on the street sooner than people expect.

Cowboys at Lions
31-27 Lions
Call me crazy, but I'm picking the Lions two games in a row at home, even though they disappointed me last week. This match-up could shape up to be a quarterback duel, as both defensive lines have played well but the secondaries on both teams have been pretty bad. The Cowboys had a good performance last week, but that was mainly due to Foles poor ball placement, there were still plays to be made. The Lions may still try to use a running game, something the Cowboys will struggle to do without DeMarco Murray, and so this game may come down to how well Sean Lee can cover Reggie Bush. Lee is one of the best linebackers in the game, but at some point Bush is going to be make him miss, opening up the game for Detroit at home.

49ers at Jaguars (London)
49ers 24-6
London gets its second NFL game of the season this week, and unfortunately they're probably not going to get a very good one. The 49ers are humming again after losing two games early on in the year, and there's nothing to suggest the Jaguars will even come close to hanging with them across the sea. The Jaguars are currently the worst in the league at stopping the run, which is not good when you're facing a team that ran the ball 40 times last week.

Browns at Chiefs
Chiefs 21-10
Jason Campbell will get his first start this year for the Cleveland Browns, unfortunately it comes on the road against a great defense. Sound familiar? It's pretty much the same situation that Houston faced last week starting Case Keenum, and while Keenum performed better than expected he still wasn't able to get his team a win. At home, the Chiefs pass rush has been lethal, and Campbell might end up having bad flashbacks to his start against the 49ers last year. Alex Smith won't put up that many points, but he really doesn't need to.

Dolphins at Patriots
Patriots 24-23
This is the game many people were pointing to in the offseason, as the Dolphins chance to take the AFC East from the New England Patriots. I don't see it happening for them though. The Patriots defense has been vulnerable against the run after the loss of Vince Wilfork, but the Dolphins haven't found a lot of success running the football, mainly because their offensive line hasn't been up to snuff. The Dolphins just don't look ready to take the next step yet, especially with Rob Gronkowski coming back for the Patriots.

Bills at Saints
Saints 31-18
The Bills had a great win last week with Thad Lewis under center, but defeating the Dolphins and taking on the Saints at the Superdome are two very different things. The Saints have let their anger and frustration fester over a week because of the bye, and odds are Sean Payton is going to take out his anger on Buffalo. Jimmy Graham may not be ready to go, but that shouldn't slow down Drew Brees enough to make this game close. Payton will most likely go back to his running game, which was very effective last game.

Giants at Eagles
Eagles 27-20
The Giants got their first win of the season Monday night, but anyone watching the game knew that it was hardly an impressive win. The Giants are on their fifth string running back. The team just doesn't look like it's trying hard anymore, they're just trying to get through the season healthy as possible. Meanwhile, Michael Vick will return for the Eagles, and he'll be eager to show Chip Kelly that he's a much better option than Nick Foles could ever hope to be.

Jets at Bengals
Bengals 24-13
The Bengals come home after a successful two week road trip, a place they haven't lost at this season. For the Jets, it's time for Geno Smith to look like a rookie again, and Mike Zimmer's defense will certainly help him look flustered throughout the afternoon. The Jets took to their run game against the Patriots in their overtime win, but the Bengals are too good against the run for that strategy to work again. The ball has to get into Geno's hands, but he's not trustworthy enough to hold onto it throughout a game yet.

Steelers at Raiders
Raiders 20-18
The Steelers have come out of their bye nicely, winning their previous two games, but Terrelle Pryor may bedevil this defense too much for them to win again on the road. The Steelers lack athleticism of the defensive side of the ball due to age, and so Pryor may be scrambling around all over the field Sunday while the Steelers try to catch up. Big Ben should have plenty of bright moments, especially now that he's supported by a running game, but Pryor may keep the ball out of his hands too much for him to put this team in a position to win.

Falcons at Cardinals
Falcons 28-24
This game was actually tough to call, as both of these teams have some major flaws. The Falcons defense has been rough this season, but at least this offense has offered hope despite some major injuries. Steven Jackson will also be returning to the Falcons, so the Falcons may be able to establish some form of ground attack to take at least some pressure off of Matt Ryan. On the other side, Carson Palmer has been anything but effective, and it's practically guaranteed that he'll give the Falcons a few freebies.

Redskins at Broncos
38-27 Broncos
The Broncos lost their first game of the season last week, but don't expect them to stay down for long. The Redskins gave up over 40 points when the Bears had their backup quarterback in the game, so imagine what Peyton is going to be able to do against this defense. RGIII's rushing ability may help him keep pace with Peyton, but the Broncos are actually solid against the run, and sooner or later RGIII is going to feed the ball to Peyton, who may have a hard time not scoring on this defense.

Packers at Vikings
Packers 34-14
Aaron Rodgers has the highest passer rating against the Vikings as any quarterback has against a single franchise ever. Do you expect this secondary to change that? There is an argument to be made that Ponder could repeat the success he had against the Pack last year, but there was build-up and excitement to that game, it was for a playoff spot. This time this team already has very little to play for, and even if Ponder tries to repeat his performance, this team just might not have enough energy to help him out.

Seahawks at Rams
Seahawks 28-13
The Rams wanted Brett Favre to come in and start this game for them against the Seahawks, even though he's 44. That should tell you how much faith they have in their backup quarterback situation with Sam Bradford done. The Seahawks are tough to face even with your best quarterback out there, and the loss of Bradford will be too much for this team to overcome for the rest of the year.

NFL Power Rankings: Post Week 7

Well, here we are, almost halfway through the season, and by virtue of being the only undefeated team the Kansas City Chiefs sit atop the rankings. Even more surprising might be the second team on the list, as wins against the Seahawks, 49ers and now the Broncos, all of whom have been atop these rankings at one point, have propelled the Colts to the #2 position. The Colts have beaten these three teams that have a 17-1 record when not facing Indy. Every time the Colts face a powerful opponent, the team elevates their game and gets a win. This isn't even the Andrew Luck show like people thought it might be, as the entire Colts' roster is contributing to their wins. Their defense is significantly better than last year, especially in the secondary. Robert Mathis is a defensive player of the year front-runner, and it looks like he's going to challenge the single season sack record. The Colts only have two losses after going through the toughest part of their schedule, and after the bye it looks like they're going to be able to clean up in the AFC South. Their toughest remaining contest might be the Chiefs, actually. Who thought a Colts and Chiefs game could be one of the biggest match-ups of the year? That game could have serious playoff implications.

1. Kansas City Chiefs: 7-0 (2)
Welcome to the top of the mountain Chiefs, you may not be up here long but you've certainly earned this spot. With seven wins already, this team is practically guaranteed to make the playoffs already, and now that the Broncos are in the loss column, they are actually in the driver's seat for home field advantage in the playoffs. Is it likely that they are going to be able to defeat the Broncos in their divisional match-ups? Maybe not, but there's definitely a chance. The Cheifs have a great home field advantage, and it's not impossible that the Chiefs could actually push Denver down to a wild card spot. Did anyone think those games would actually hold this much weight? Andy Reid probably did, and that's why the man's practically a lock for Coach of the year already.

2. Indianapolis Colts: 5-2 (8)
Just like the Chiefs, the Colts may not stay at the peak of the mountain for very long here, but they've certainly earned this spot. The loss of Reggie Wayne may loom large for this team, as Reggie was always reliable and was a fantastic leader both on and off the field for this team. It's been suggested that the Colts may try to trade for a receiver, but their stockpile of draft picks is already pretty low since they gave up a first rounder for Trent Richardson. No matter what, this team will persevere, as the Colts have been no strangers to hardship and still come out on top.

3. Seattle Seahawks: 6-1 (3)
This defense remains solid, but Russel Wilson is starting to become the story of this team. He's been scary good, considering that he's playing with a very poor offensive line and weapons that don't inspire envy. Wilson made some unbelievable plays on the run against the Cardinals, and he made a pretty good defense look silly, simply because there was nothing the Cardinals could do to stop him. Percy Harvin is also back practicing and pretty soon will be ready to help this team out. It'd be shocking if this team wasn't still playing well into January.

4. Denver Broncos: 6-1 (1)
Well, the Broncos aren't going to be the 2007 Patriots. Is that really so bad? This defense needs to spend the rest of the season putting itself together, as there's going to be a game when Peyton and this offense will be unable to put up 30 plus points. The offensive line is banged up right now and if Peyton can't complete passes the running game doesn't get going. The Broncos aren't going anywhere, but this team has issues it needs to fix and they're now going to have to regain the lead in their own division.

5. New Orleans Saints: 5-1 (5)
The Saints had their bye this week, resting after their last second loss to the New England Patriots. The over-under on how many times Sean Payton watched that touchdown pass this week is set around 30.

6. Green Bay Packers: 4-2 (6)
The Packers are still humming along in control of the NFC North, even as more and more of the weapons around Aaron Rodgers disappear. Jermichael Finley suffered what looked to be a horrible injury on Sunday, and even though he has now been released from a hospital there's still no definite timetable for his return. Rodgers keeps making lemonade out of lemons though, as he's now turned youngster Jarett Boykin into a legitimate threat on the perimeter. At the same time, Eddie Lacy is stepping up to pick up the slack, as the rookie runner has more yards than any other back in the past three weeks. Yeah, pre-draft concerns about Lacy don't seem so troubling now, do they Denver? (How's Montee Ball doing again?)

7. San Francisco 49ers: 5-2 (7)
The 49ers stumbled a little bit out of the gate, but this team has returned to its winning formula and now seems like it will be ready to defend its NFC title at the end of the year. The run game has returned to wear down opponents, and Colin Kaepernick is starting to regain his playoff form even if his receivers still aren't able to give him much separation at times. The defense is playing deadly as well, even without Aldon Smith on the outside pressuring the quarterback. The return of Michael Crabtree is still on the horizon for this team, as is the return of Mario Manningham, and with those two receivers back in the mix the 49ers are going to return to being one of the most complete teams in the NFL. What counted as "adversity" for this team was only a few weeks on the outside of the playoff picture. Now, they're right back in the middle.

8. Cincinnati Bengals: 5-2 (9)
The Bengals got a big win on the road Sunday, defeating the Lions in a close game on their home turf. AJ Green and this defense shined on the road, as only Calvin Johnson leaping into triple coverage could stop this defense from holding one of the most effective offenses in the NFL in relative check. Green made plenty of great catches, even though the deep passes from Andy Dalton were often poor. Dalton's defenders will point to his great stats on the day, but he underthrew a bunch of passes when Green was wide open. That's foreboding for this team's possible postseason future.

9. New England Patriots: 5-2 (4)
Well, Gronk is finally back, but this offense still has the same issues it has had all season. The problem is that this defense has now gotten much weaker without Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo, and it may no longer be capable of carrying this team while Brady and his receivers start to click. It looked like Brady may have started to develop chemistry with his young weapons, but on Gronk's first game back he targeted him 17 times even though Gronk didn't look like himself. This team is still on track to take care of the AFC East, but the Patriots have made it hard to trust them for the first time in a while.

10. Dallas Cowboys: 4-3 (12)
The Cowboys surprised a lot of people on Sunday, when their defense shut down Chip Kelly's normally explosive attack with a bunch of spare parts on the defensive line. The Cowboy's backups and depth on the line have played better than anyone could have expected, and they were actually able to hold Lesean McCoy in check throughout the day. Sean Lee looked amazing on that day, giving the Cowboys a defensive player just as valuable than Demarcus Ware. The Cowboys aren't firmly in control of the NFC East, but they certainly look to be the division's most complete team.

11. Detroit Lions: 4-3 (10)
The Lions lost a tight game at home on Sunday, and now they've lost the lead in the NFC North to the Packers. The Bengals are a quality opponent, but when you're at home these are the kind of games the Lions have to win if they want to be taken seriously as NFC contenders. Megatron played lights out, making some ridiculous catches, showing no ill effects from the knee injury that's been limiting him in practice the past few weeks. The major weakness of this team is still the secondary, as Andy Dalton was able to pick apart this unit from the pocket even though he didn't make perfect throws. The Lions are going to need to stop opposing quarterbacks if they want to try to compete with the Packers, but that doesn't seem likely anytime soon.

12. San Diego Chargers: 4-3 (15)
If you aren't taking the San Diego Chargers seriously, you should. Philip Rivers is first or second in every major statistical passing category, and he would easily be the MVP if not for Peyton being Peyton. Rivers is leading a flawed team to plenty of success, and his turnaround with Mike McCoy has been nothing short of miraculous. The Chargers may actually sneak into the AFC playoffs, and Rivers' offensive firepower may allow this team to actually compete with the Broncos in their two match-ups. The AFC West is hands down the best division in football, and the best part is the teams involved haven't played each other that much yet. The best is yet to come.

13. New York Jets: 4-3 (20)
It seems like every single week I alternate talking about a solid or horrible performance by Geno Smith. Instead of talking about a win by Geno Smith, how about the coaching job of Rex Ryan, recognizing what the Patriots are doing on field goal attempts? Ryan is definitely not a dead man walking in this town anymore, and he's brought this team to the edge of being in the playoff hunt. Geno Smith's guarantee that he was taking the Jets to the playoffs doesn't seem so crazy anymore. The last time the Jets had a quarterback that went around making guarantees, it worked out pretty well for them!

14. Carolina Panthers: 3-3 (19)
Cam Newton is playing lights out football right now, and he's brought this team to the brink of contention. Can he keep it up though? Newton has been one of the most streaky players in the NFL since he's arrived, but this year he's getting hot a lot earlier than normal. The Panthers will have to hope that Newton doesn't flame out anytime soon, as Ron Rivera's job security certainly depends on it. Rivera may be able to rest easy for a while though.

15. Chicago Bears: 4-3 (11)
The Bears got a pretty bad gut punch on Sunday, losing a key defender in Lance Briggs and their quarterback, Jay Cutler. This defense fell to pieces when faced with the legs of Robert Griffin III, giving up 45 points to a team that almost never scored in the first half coming into the game. The defense has lost a huge step with injuries and age, and they gave up a huge number of points even though they were able to force a turnover in the game. Can Josh McCown keep this team in game when a defense may not be able to support him? He has the weapons and a quarterback friendly coach, but this might be a little above a backup's pay grade.

16. Baltimore Ravens: 3-4 (13)
The Ravens, one of the most consistent organizations for the past half-decade, seem to be falling apart a little bit. Their offensive line isn't great, but there's no question that Ray Rice just isn't himself this year. He's lost some speed, and that's causing the run game of the Ravens to flounder. The Ravens are so far away from the formula that won them a world championship just this past year, which seems like forever ago already. Could the Ravens actually miss the playoffs for the first time in six years? They're going to need Ray Rice to get up to speed and balance out this offense if they want a chance.

17. Miami Dolphins: 3-3 (14)
The protection issues in Miami have become such a dead horse, but each game they play requires another beating. Your quarterback can't be hit as often as Tannehill has, and that's forced the Dolphins' hand this week in a trade for Bryan McKinnie from the Ravens. McKinnie had a great postseason run last year, but he did anything but impress in the regular season so far. This issue is not likely to be solved with a mid-season trade, and that issue might be enough to keep the Dolphins out of the postseason.

18. Tennessee Titans: 3-4 (18)
The Titans got Jake Locker back on Sunday, but he didn't quite look himself. Locker could use some extra time to heal, but there's no doubt that he's still an upgrade over backup Ryan Fitzpatrick. Locker is having a very impressive season so far this year, even though expectations were extremely low for him coming into the season. This Titans team has certainly exceeded expectations so far, and if Locker can get healthy and confidently lead this team the rest of the way, this team still has plenty of upside.

19. Atlanta Falcons: 2-4 (22)
Matt Ryan looked great throwing the ball around the Georgia Dome Sunday, even though both Julio Jones and Roddy White never saw the field due to injuries. This defense still does not expire, but Ryan looked ready to do his best to make sure the Falcons don't completely lose the rest of the season. Ryan may get some help this week when Steven Jackson returns, as this team still has no presence on the ground to speak of. The Falcons aren't going to be able to achieve what they hoped to this season, but it looks like Ryan will make sure they don't go down without a fight.

20. Buffalo Bills: 3-4 (23)
The Bills have been one of the most fun teams in the NFL to follow this year. The Bills. Every single game they have played so far has been filled with tension, and they have surprised many by winning games even though they've had a rookie or a practice squad quarterback at the controls. Thad Lewis has now won more games this year than Christian Ponder or Josh Freeman. Think about that, Vikings fans.

21. Philadelphia Eagles: 3-4 (16)
The Eagles had a chance to take control of the NFC East, but their offense came up short. Extremely short. Nick Foles left the game early with a concussion, and afterwards rookie Matt Barkley looked a lot like a typical 4th round rookie. Just not ready. Even with Foles at the helm though, this offense couldn't move the ball, which is embarrassing because the Cowboys have suffered plenty of injuries on the defensive side of the ball and the Eagles should have been able to take advantage. They couldn't, and going back to Michael Vick at quarterback just doesn't seem like a recipe for long term success.

22. Pittsburgh Steelers: 2-4 (24)
The Steelers are on the up and up following their bye week, taking out two quality opponents in the Jets and Ravens. The Steelers have little room for error the rest of the season, but they're certainly not planning for 2014 yet either. Ben Roesthlisberger has performed admirably with the pieces that have been put in place around him, as he continues to make classic escape plays when his line allows pressure to be put on him. Leveon Bell is healthy now too, and it taking the pressure off Big Ben with a reliable ground game. That formula may let Pittsburgh sneak back into relevance, though even one slip up could send their season tumbling again.

23. St. Louis Rams: 3-4 (17)
The Rams did not have a good day Sunday, and now their starting quarterback Sam Bradford is out for the res of the season. The team has signed Brady Quinn off the street, but none of the quarterbacks on this roster inspire much confidence, which could cause this team to fall down the rankings in the coming weeks. Sorry Rams fans, but this is a quarterback league, and you may not have one anymore.

24. Arizona Cardinals: 3-4 (21)
The Cardinals' defense did its best to get to Russel Wilson Thursday night, but there are just some things you cannot defend. Carson Palmer looked about the same as he does in every start, which is he puts up mediocre numbers and fails to stop turning the ball over. Bruce Arians has to be running out of patience, because there has been no improvement in Palmer's play as he grows accustomed to Arians' system. Did I mention this offensive line is still awful? You can't be excited to be a quarterback in Arizona right now.

25. Washington Redskins: 2-4 (27)
RGIII is looking better and better as the weeks go on, and putting up 45 points on the Bears Sunday was certainly a great step in his recovery. RGIII has also developed quick chemistry with rookie tight end Jordan Reed, as the pair connected often on the field, so much so that the team is now shopping tight end Fred Davis. Of course, this defense is still stopping no one, not even the Bears' backup quarterback, and even if RGIII gets fully healthy they may hold this team back.

26. Oakland Raiders: 2-4 (25)
The Raiders were off this week, so Terrelle Pryor had time to heal his body after being sacked 10 times by Kansas City. He probably had a few bruises.

27. Houston Texans: 2-5 (26)
The Texans season seems beyond repair already, as they've already lost more games than they did all of last season and have lost linebacker Brian Cushing for the rest of the season...again. The good news is that quarterback Case Keenum played very well on the road against the NFL's best defense, and he may at least be an upgrade on beleaguered starter Matt Schaub. Is that going to be enough to save possibly the most disappointing season in the NFL? Yeah, probably not.

28. Cleveland Browns: 3-4 (29)
Rob Chudzinski finally benched Brandon Weeden this week, announcing backup Jason Campbell will get the start for the Browns for the first time this season. Weeden has simply been atrocious as a starter this season, attempting throws that any NFL quarterback should know not to make. The organization has made it clear that they want to move on from him, as Weeden is already 30 years old even though he is only in his second NFL season. You can't do much worse than Weeden, and maybe Campbell will be able to give this team a tiny fraction of the spark Brian Hoyer did.

29. New York Giants: 1-6 (31)
Well, the Giants won a game! Did they look good doing it? Absolutely not. This team still tried to hand the ball to the Vikings, the Vikings are just too bad to take advantage of obvious Giant miscues. This team seems to know that it's bad. This is a team that knows it can go nowhere in 2013. They're just trying to stay healthy for 2014, and along the way they just happened to stumble onto a team willing to give them a game.

30. Minnesota Vikings: 1-4 (28)
No comment. Just....no comment.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 0-6 (30)
Greg Schiano at least probably got a good laugh watching Josh Freeman Monday night.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars: 0-7 (32)
At least you're headed for a vacation to London Jaguars! That could be fun....