Week 4 NFL Picks

Not a good week last week, but the NFL officials are back this week, and hopefully good picking success will be as well.

Last Week:  8-8 (.500)

Overall:  28-20 (.583)

Week 4 Picks:

Browns vs. Ravens

Panthers vs. Falcons

Patriots vs. Bills

Vikings vs. Lions

Chargers vs. Chiefs

Seahawks vs. Rams

49ers vs. Jets (This one could get ugly late)

Titans vs. Texans

Raiders vs. Broncos

Dolphins vs. Cardinals

Bengals vs. Jaguars

Saints vs. Packers (Green Bay will come out wanting to prove something)

Redskins vs. Buccaneers

Giants vs. Eagles (This game could start to signal the beginning of the end of the Andy Reid-Michael Vick era)

Bears vs. Cowboys

Week 5 College Football Picks

Week 4 was a pretty decent week, but Arkansas and Georgia Tech let me down again.  For week 5, only one real stretch of a pick.

Last Week:  26-3 (.897)

Overall:  113-16 (.876)

Week 5 Picks:

#8 Stanford vs. Washington

Ole Miss vs. #1 Alabama (Alabama will win, but Ole Miss might surprise some people at how long they stay in this game)

#2 Oregon vs. Washington State

Towson vs. #3 LSU

#4 Florida State vs. South Florida

Tennessee vs. #5 Georgia (Game could be closer if Georgia is looking ahead to next week’s game against South Carolina)

#6 South Carolina vs. Kentucky (Game could be closer if South Carolina is looking ahead to next week’s game against Georgia, but Gamecocks have payback on its mind from 2010 loss)

#25 Baylor vs. #9 West Virginia (Team with ball last might win game)

#12 Texas vs. Oklahoma State

#14 Ohio State vs. #20 Michigan State

#15 TCU vs. SMU

#17 Clemson vs. Boston College

#18 Oregon State vs. Arizona

#19 Louisville vs. Southern Miss

Wisconsin vs. #22 Nebraska

#24 Boise State vs. New Mexico

Middle Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech

North Carolina State vs. Miami (FL)

Duke vs. Wake Forest

Idaho vs. North Carolina

Louisiana Tech vs. Virginia

Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati

Arkansas vs. Texas A&M (It only gets worse for the Razorbacks)

Missouri vs. UCF

A Letter to Roger Goodell on NFL Officials

If I could, this would be the letter I would write to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in regards to the NFL on the current officials’ lockout.  Please note this was posted prior to the Monday Night Football game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks.

Dear Mr. Goodell,

Please pay the real NFL officials the money they deserve, so that the legitimacy of the NFL is no longer compromised.

Now I understand that is a bold opening statement, but I think it is warranted considering the situation that you have created.  I also understand that no one was hoping it would get to this point, of using replacement officials into the regular season, but it has, and it isn’t pretty.

I am tired of spending every Monday and Tuesday examining where the replacement officials messed up games, as opposed to highlighting the great moments of the weekend.  It appears to me, as a casual fan, there are at least five mistakes, five missed calls in each game.

Please do not get me wrong, I understand that the regular officials are not perfect either.  They miss calls, they make mistakes too.  However, the biggest difference is that I have confidence in the regular officials, because they know how to control the game, and for the most part, get everything right.  With the replacement officials, I don’t feel that way.

Remember back in grade school, when you had a substitute teacher for a couple of days in the same class.  It was nice the first day or so, because you didn’t really have to do anything and you could get away with a lot.  After a couple days of this, you actually started to miss the regular teacher, because not a whole lot is being done, and the teacher is losing control of the class.  That is how I feel this current situation, with the replacement officials on the field, is becoming.

I fear that the longer the regular officials remain locked out, and the game intensity picks up nearing the playoffs, it will continue to get worse.

I do want to commend the NFL and yourself for doing the best you can in bringing the replacement officials up-to-speed.  I know that cannot be easy.  But there is a reason that the replacement officials aren’t members of the group of officials that are locked out.

So I beg and plead that the league to work quickly and compromise with the locked out officials to get them back on the field.  I think we are all realizing that they deserve the money that they are asking for.  This way we can get back to a solid product on the field, and back to the standard that the NFL should be at.  Plus, I miss seeing Ed Hochuli’s guns on a weekly basis (Come on, I know you do too, right?).

In closing, I wish nothing but success for the NFL and yourself, this year and in the future.

Sincerely,

Adam, NFL fan since 1990

Week 3 NFL Picks

It was not the greatest week of NFL picks.  But it is not as disappointing as some teams with playoff aspirations are 0-2 (Saints come to mind real quick).

Last Week:  9-7 (.563)

Overall:  20-12 (.625)

Week 3 Picks:

Giants vs. Panthers (Carolina struggles in pass defense, don’t need to go into New York’s passing offense)

Rams vs. Bears

Bills vs. Browns

Buccaneers vs. Cowboys

Lions vs. Titans

Jaguars vs. Colts

Jets vs. Dolphins

49ers vs. Vikings

Chiefs vs. Saints

Bengals vs. Redskins

Eagles vs. Cardinals (Watch out for a Kevin Kolb “chip-on-the-shoulder” game)

Falcons vs. Chargers

Texans vs. Broncos (Too much offense for Broncos to handle)

Steelers vs. Raiders

Patriots vs. Ravens

Packers vs. Seahawks

Week 4 College Football Picks

Still not a bad week picking college football games, some of them were bad picks, others the teams didn’t exactly come through.  But hopefully, the good luck continues in week four.

Last Week:  27-6 (.818)

Overall:  87-13 (.870)

Week 4 Picks:

BYU vs. #24 Boise State

Florida Atlantic vs. #1 Alabama

#2 LSU vs. Auburn

#22 Arizona vs. #3 Oregon (Watch out though for Arizona, could be a Pac-12 shocker for the second week in a row)

#10 Clemson vs. #4 Florida State (Very evenly matched game to determine top team in ACC, home field advantage is difference)

Vanderbilt vs. #5 Georgia (Georgia should win, but Vanderbilt might give the Bulldogs a run)

#15 Kansas State vs. #6 Oklahoma (Upset special of the week)

Missouri vs. #7 South Carolina (Will be a closer game than people think)

Maryland vs. #8 West Virginia

#18 Michigan vs. #11 Notre Dame (Count me on the Notre Dame bandwagon.  Don’t know how far they’ll go, but it’s a decent team)

California vs. #13 USC

Kentucky vs. #14 Florida

UAB vs. #16 Ohio State

Virginia vs. #17 TCU

Oregon State vs. #19 UCLA

#20 Louisville vs. Florida International

Eastern Michigan vs. #21 Michigan State

South Alabama vs. #23 Mississippi State

Idaho State vs. #25 Nebraska

Bowling Green vs. Virginia Tech

Army vs. Wake Forest

Miami (FL) vs. Georgia Tech

East Carolina vs. North Carolina

Memphis vs. Duke

Citadel vs. North Carolina State

Ole Miss vs. Tulane

Rutgers vs. Arkansas

South Carolina State vs. Texas A&M

Akron vs. Tennessee

Connor Shaw vs. Dylan Thompson: An Unexpected QB Controversy [UPDATED]

9/18/2012 UPDATE:  Gamecocks Head Coach Steve Spurrier said in his weekly press conference on Tuesday that Connor Shaw will start against Missouri.

For the first time in several years, it looked like the South Carolina Gamecocks would not have to deal with a quarterback controversy.

But after QB Connor Shaw had to leave Saturday’s game versus UAB with a re-injury to his right shoulder, it appears that’s where Gamecocks’ head coach Steve Spurrier has found himself.

Dylan Thompson has provided the Gamecocks with an aerial assault that has not been seen since early 2011, in the last two weeks.  However, one could argue that was against two significant lesser teams.

Shaw, who admitted Saturday that he has a small fracture in his injured shoulder, is back in a day-to-day mode, and no one will know his availability until later this week.  This will probably be something that goes on the rest of this season.

That puts the spotlight on Dylan Thompson, who had only played mop-up duty until replacing Shaw against Vanderbilt, and earning the start against East Carolina.

Thompson has proven he can put up great numbers against lesser teams, even making it look like at times the old “Fun n’ Gun” Spurrier days from Florida.  But the big question will become whether or not that translates into SEC play.

This is where the history of Steve Spurrier factors in to where the Gamecocks go from here.  That is a long history of rotating quarterbacks in a game.

South Carolina fans remember the back and forth game between Chris Smelley and Stephen Garcia against Arkansas a few years ago.  But Spurrier also did it at Florida with Jesse Palmer and Rex Grossman, or even going back to the rotation of Doug Johnson and Noah Brindise.

This will probably be the answer to this controversy, depending on Shaw’s health.  Spurrier’s best option is to go with whoever has the hot hand, whichever player is moving the offense more efficiently and effectively.  The opponent will also make a difference.

But this is still Shaw’s job to lose.  He is the guy who has proven that he can win the big game in the SEC.  Thompson has merely put up great numbers against significantly weaker teams.

Both quarterbacks have different skills, but you have to go with the guy who got you mentioned in the national championship picture, unless Shaw’s health or performance, gives you reason to play somebody else.

Also, when in doubt, you’ve got a decent (sarcasm) running back in the back-field.

NFL Picks Week 2

Not a bad start to the NFL season, the only disappointments were by teams with high hopes, only to be embarrassed on the field in Week 1.  That’s right, I’m calling you out New York, New Orleans, Green Bay, and Carolina.  I’ll give Pittsburgh a rest, to much emotion with Peyton Manning’s return.

Last Week:  11-5 (.688)

Week 2:

Bears vs. Packers (Bears looked impressive, but that was the Colts, this is the Packers)

Chiefs vs. Bills

Browns vs. Bengals

Vikings vs. Colts (Might be the best game of the weekend, should be a tight battle, but Adrian Peterson is the difference)

Raiders vs. Dolphins

Cardinals vs. Patriots

Buccaneers vs. Giants (If Tampa Bay plays the same they did last week, this game will be closer)

Ravens vs. Eagles (Philadelphia’s saving grace last week was facing the Browns.  They can’t play that bad and expect to compete against Baltimore)

Saints vs. Panthers (Whichever team loses this one, will be scratching their heads for answers)

Texans vs. Jaguars

Redskins vs. Rams

Cowboys vs. Seahawks

Jets vs. Steelers

Titans vs. Chargers

Lions vs. 49ers

Broncos vs. Falcons

College Football Week 3 Picks

The first losses of the college football picks came in week 2.  A couple of them were on bold picks, but I felt better once Arkansas lost.

Last Week:  28-7 (.800)

Overall:  60-7 (.896)

Week 3 Picks

#1 Alabama vs. Arkansas  (Not such a toss-up as it was a week ago)

#2 USC vs. #21 Stanford  (Should be a close game, but USC has a little too much offense)

Idaho vs. #3 LSU

Tennessee Tech vs. #4 Oregon

Wake Forest vs. #5 Florida State

Florida Atlantic vs. #7 Georgia

UAB vs. #8 South Carolina

James Madison vs. #9 West Virginia (West Virginia looking to put another 70 (or so) on the board)

#20 Notre Dame vs. #10 Michigan State  (Two teams I don’t trust, but I trust the Fighting Irish just a little more)

Furman vs. #11 Clemson

California vs. #12 Ohio State

#13 Virginia Tech vs. Pittsburgh

#14 Texas vs. Ole Miss

North Texas vs. #15 Kansas State

#16 TCU vs. Kansas

Massachusetts vs. #17 Michigan

#18 Florida vs. #23 Tennessee (Tennessee will be the 2012 surprise in the SEC, and this game being in Knoxville is the difference)

North Carolina vs. #19 Louisville

Houston vs. #22 UCLA

South Carolina State vs. #24 Arizona

#25 BYU vs. Utah

Bethune-Cookman vs. Miami (FL)

Connecticut vs. Maryland

Virginia vs. Georgia Tech

Boston College vs. Northwestern

South Alabama vs. North Carolina State

North Carolina Central vs. Duke

Louisiana-Monroe vs. Auburn (Louisiana-Monroe will return to reality, not because its a better team, just the wave of emotion has to end at some point)

Presbyterian vs. Vanderbilt

Texas A&M vs. Southern Methodist

Western Kentucky vs. Kentucky

Arizona State vs. Missouri (Arizona State is proving to be a really good team)

Mississippi State vs. Troy

College Football Week 2 Picks

Last week the picks were a perfect 32-0.  Not too shabby to kick off the college football season.

However, this week, maybe a little more risky on a couple of picks.

Last Week’s Record: 32-0

Western Kentucky vs. #1 Alabama

#2 Southern Cal vs. Syracuse

Washington vs. #3 LSU

Fresno State vs. #4 Oregon

Florida A&M vs. #5 Oklahoma

Savannah State vs. #6 Florida State

#7 Georgia vs. Missouri (This game should be closer than expected, Missouri will put up a tough fight to win its first conference game in the SEC)

#8 Arkansas vs. Louisiana-Monroe

East Carolina vs. #9 South Carolina

#11 Michigan State vs. Central Michigan

Ball State vs. #12 Clemson

#13 Wisconsin vs. Oregon State

UCF vs. #14 Ohio State

Austin Peay vs. #15 Virginia Tech

#16 Nebraska vs. UCLA (UCLA might put up a fight in this one, but Nebraska has too many weapons)

New Mexico vs. #17 Texas

#18 Oklahoma State vs. Arizona

Air Force vs. #19 Michigan

Grambling State vs. #20 TCU

Miami (FL) vs. #21 Kansas State

Purdue vs. #22 Notre Dame

Missouri State vs. #23 Louisville

#24 Florida vs. Texas A&M (A young Florida team with success in the SEC will be shocked at the atmosphere at Kyle Field and the 12th man)

Duke vs. #25 Stanford

North Carolina State vs. Connecticut

Maryland vs. Temple

Penn State vs. Virginia

Maine vs. Boston College

North Carolina vs. Wake Forest

Presbyterian vs. Georgia Tech

Auburn vs. Mississippi State

Georgia State vs. Tennessee

UTEP vs. Ole Miss (Mississippi won easily last week after a slow start, but they can’t do that twice)

Kent State vs. Kentucky

Vanderbilt vs. Northwestern (It is hard to beat Northwestern, even if Vanderbilt has more talent)

Week 1 NFL Picks

Keeping with tradition, here are the Week 1 NFL Picks, any comments will be posted in parentheses.

Last Season:  177-79 (.691 winning percentage)

Cowboys vs. Giants (Giants just have too much)

Colts vs. Bears

Eagles vs. Browns

Rams vs. Lions

Patriots vs. Titans

Falcons vs. Chiefs  (This game will be closer than people expects)

Jaguars vs. Vikings

Redskins vs. Saints

Bills vs. Jets (Hard game to pick, final score could be in single digits for both teams)

Dolphins vs. Texans

49ers vs. Packers

Seahawks vs. Cardinals (True toss-up game)

Panthers vs. Buccaneers

Steelers vs. Broncos (Steelers’ defense makes difference in Peyton’s return)

Bengals vs. Ravens

Chargers vs. Raiders

College football Week 2 picks will be posted later in the week.