NFL Week 10 Preview & BRB Pick 'Em Update

Dear Mr. Goodell,

Why does the NFL play on Thursday nights?

I mean, the short weeks late in the season can't be good for the health of players. The quality of the game is hurt by the lack of time for game-planning, and everyone knows this is true because when was the last time anyone saw a quality game on Thursday? Speaking of seeing a game...it's on the NFL Network, which means not everyone will see the game.

Also, it means that fantasy owners and NFL pick 'em players have to be on top of the ball much earlier in the week. Of course, that means people who do weekly previews or pick 'em wrap-ups need to write it earlier in the week...ruining a schedule that works. Thursday night football is inconvenient for all parties involved. Keep the NFL on Sundays and Mondays.

Love,
TexansDC

P.S.: Jump to see the NFL Week Preview
P.P.S.: Pick 'Em League Update is after the Week 10 Preview.
P.P.P.S.: Pickers, do not forget the Thursday game!

 

Baltimore Ravens (6-2) @ Atlanta Falcons (6-2) (Thursday 11/11 at 7:20 pm CST)
Anything can happen on a short week. It is a shame that a potential Super Bowl preview won't be seen by a nationwide audience. I think Baltimore's got a better defense. Baltimore wins 24-17.

Detroit Lions (2-6) @ Buffalo Bills (0-8) (Sunday 1/14 at Noon CST)
I broke my one rule last week and paid the price. I won't make the same mistake twice. Buffalo gets beat down by the young Lions. Detroit wins 37-24.

Houston Texans (4-4) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4)
The league's two most erratic teams bring their terrible defenses into Jacksonville. For the winner? A brief strand of hope at a potential wild card run...at least for another week. For the loser? A string of posts about draft prospects and potential new coaches. If it comes down to the offense, I'm going....Houston wins 35-27.

Tennessee Titans (5-3) @ Miami Dolphins (4-4)
Randy Moss in Tennessee. Honestly, I don't think it will be a move the pays off because of his terrible attitude. Tennessee, hate 'em or megaloathe them, is a team that works and buys into the team concept. That's not Moss. Miami's also a good match for Tennessee since they have an aggressive defense and big offensive line. Miami wins 20-17.

Minnesota Vikings (3-5) @ Chicago Bears (5-3)
Last week, Brett Favre led another game-tying drive while setting a career-high in passing yards during a single game. The Vikings have renewed life, especially since they have division games ahead. The Bears are sputtering. Minnesota wins 23-20.

New York Jets (6-2) @ Cleveland Browns (3-5)
The Browns are a few field goals away from being 5-3. Why say this? They're better than 3-5. They've had back-to-back wins against New Orleans and New England, so why not play the hot hand? The young Browns are confident and will give New York all it can handle. Cleveland wins 26-20.

Cincinnati Bengals (2-6) @ Indianapolis Colts (5-3)
The Bengals don't have the defense to beat Indianapolis. I just don't see it. Indianapolis wins 31-20.

Carolina Panthers (1-7) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-3)
The Panthers have no offense if DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart can't play. The Bucs, in defeat, showed they can play with the better teams in the NFC. Tampa Bay wins 16-3.

Kansas City Chiefs (5-3) @ Denver Broncos (2-6) (Sunday 11/14 at 3:05 CST)
The Broncos cannot defend anything. Kansas City wins 27-13.

Seattle Seahawks (4-4) @ Arizona Cardinals (3-5) (Sunday 11/14 at 3:15 CST)
The Seahawks looked pretty bad this week, and now they're on the road against the fiesty Arizona Cardinals. I just think Seattle plays badly on the road, and Arizona finds ways to stay in games despite their bad quarterback play. I wonder if Arizona will make a run at Donovan McNabb this summer? Arizona wins 23-17.

Dallas Cowboys (1-7) @ New York Giants (6-2)
The Giants? So hot right now. This is going to be a beatdown. New York wins 34-13.

St. Louis Rams (4-4) @ San Francisco 49ers (2-6)
The Niners return home to meet the surprising NFC West Division Leading St. Louis Rams. If the Niners are going to mount a comeback to make a playoff run, this is a must-win game. I think the extra time for Troy Smith to prepare will help the Niner offense and their defense can do enough to win. San Francisco wins 24-20.

New England Patriots (6-2) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) (Sunday 11/14 at 7:20 pm CST)
The Patriots got bullied by a physical Cleveland team last week. The Steelers? They'll do the same. Pittsburgh wins 26-20.

Philadelphia Eagles (5-3) @ Washington Redskins (4-4) (Monday 11/15 at 7:30 pm CST)
Donovan McNabb against his old team will take a backseat to Donny Mac against his current coach in the media coverage of this game. Either way, I think a healthy Philly team should roll on because that offense should be too much for Washington the second time around. Philadelphia wins 27-17.

Bye Week Teams:
Green Bay Packers (6-3)
Depleted, worn down, but somehow the Packers keep winning. They have a big post-bye game against the Vikings that will go a long way in determining the division. How good is future Defensive Player of the Year Clay Matthews?

Oakland Raiders (5-4)
Surprise! The Raiders are a winning team and second-place in the AFC West. They're learning how to win. Can they make this blogger's prediction of an AFC West Championship for the Silver and Black come true?

New Orleans Saints (6-3)
Their offense finally had a good day last week. Their running backs should get healthy, so the Saints can march on to defending their Super Bowl Championship. Can they beat Atlanta for the NFC South crown?

San Diego Chargers (4-5)
Look out, they've won two in a row and have a woeful Broncos team after the bye. Can the Chargers pull it off again?


BRB Pick 'Em League Update
Week Nine may go down as the best week in BRB Pick 'Em History. Forty-one(!!!) pickers hit weeks over .500 while 19 picked 10-12 games correctly. That's just outstanding work by all and worth pointing out.

We've now entered the part of the schedule that could separate the BRB Pickers. From here on out, there will be games on Thursdays, some Saturdays, and the traditional Sunday and Monday. The standings could get shuffled, and simply submitting a full week could get anyone a win and coveted spot here. Who can make a charge to the top? Well, how about the Week Nine winner of the Andre Johnson Award for Ass-Kicking and Excellence...USMC_Texas.

Last week, I raved about Goomba's near-perfect week as the best we'll see. USMC_Texas proved me wrong in one week's time. It's fitting really, as we'll bid farewell to John McClain a bit later in the post, so it's naturally fitting that a man who speaks well of him gets to put up the best week any picker will see until next week this season. USMC_Texas went 12-1 and only missed a three-point confidence selection. It's truly a stunning fact that USMC_Texas earned 97% of the total points this week. The remarkable thing? A few weeks back, USMC_Texas earned the Charley Casserly...and now he's rebounded to this: 12-1, 88 points out of 91...and sitting in 13th for points and six games behind the overall best record. It's safe to say he's got that #1 spot in his crosshairs...and when a Marine has you in their crosshairs...well, that's a spot I don't want to be in.

Let's all congratulate and raise a glass to Mr. Near-Perfect himself: USMC_Texas - Week Nine BRB Pick 'Em Winner of the Andre Johnson Award for Ass-Kicking and Excellence.

"Should've Put Money On It" Game of the Week: Forty-six out of 46 BRB Pickers chose Green Bay to beat Dallas. Mmmm, that's good hatred.

"We Know Nothing" Game of the Week: Forty-two out of 46 BRB Pickers were disappointed in seeing Cleveland manhandle New England. Props to chrisd21, peytonsurdaddy, Jaws, and texanmaniac for nailing the pick.

Sippin' on Battle Red Drank: ChadillacSHSU, dillotex, Taco Joe, Jordann, Distant_Texans_Fan, Remember the Alamo, papabear, NWestTexan, HoustonTransplant, tehGrindCrusher, txknight, Shake, RED56, and texanmaniac all put down 13 maxmium confidence points on the Texans.

Hidin' Out In the Back of the Meeting Hall: USMC_Texas, trex76, AllenOU, bigfatdrunk, Xmant2000, riversmccown, CowboyH8er, SATexan, pvavocalist, and Jahon all picked against the Texans.

The Rex Grossman "F**k It, I'm Goin' Deep" Award: Only one underdog won this week, Cleveland, and chrisd21 threw down 13 max points on them. This is the fourth time (in his six weeks) that Chris has won the Rexy. Chris is going deep so often that Rexy may not be a proper comparison anymore....perhaps it's time to upgrade him to the level of the ol' Textslinger - Brett Favre.

The David Carr Misguided Faith Award: Others picked Buffalo and eight-point underdogs Tampa Bay and Arizona, but I said I would write about myself if I picked Buffalo. I broke my lone rule and paid for it. I shouldn't have picked Buffalo and now will predict them to go 0-16 because I don't see a single winnable game for them. Buffalo sucks, as do I for picking them. Watch them win this week...

The Charley Casserly Decision Making Award: When 6-7 is a bad week, you know it's a competitive Pick 'Em League. RED56 picked six underdogs and paid the price for being risky...but you can't blame him for wanting to make ground up...and even still he was .500ish. Charley admires your success.

For Comparison's sake...strictly straight up:
ESPN Average: 10-3 (76-54) .
BRB Pickers: 9-4 (75-55).
Jerome Solomon: 10-3 (74-56).
TexansDC: 8-5 (71-59).

We say good-bye to John McClain this week as he didn't submit picks for the second straight week. This week? I bet Baylor's crushing defeat to Oklahoma State probably made the General too depressed to think about NFL picks.

BRBer with the best weekly record: USMC_Texas (USMC) 12-1.
BRBer with the most weekly points: USMC_Texas (USMC) 88 points.
Overall best record: SATexan 85-45 leads by 2 game over CowboyH8ter (AJ Open Downfield).
Overall points leader: SATexan (Cake) 730 points leads by 57 points over CowboyH8ter (AJ Open Downfield).

Don't forget to submit your picks for Thursday's game and the rest by Sunday, BRB Pickers. Congrats once again USMC_Texas! Enjoy this weekend's slate of football and GO TEXANS!