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NFL Pro Football 2006 Week 8 Picks
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Fearless Rick's NFL Week 8 Picks - Early Games
Rick Gagliano | 10/25/06
All times Eastern - Click here for late Sunday and Monday night games.
8-5 ATS last week
Sunday, October 29
1:00 pm Arizona at Green Bay (-3 1/2, 44 1/2) - Candidate for worst game of the week. Arizona is 1-6, allowed Oakland to win their first game of the season last week, fired their offensive coordinator after losing to Chicago on Monday night a week before, opponents have scored 21 or more points in every game but one and it's likely to be somewhat chilly in Green Bay this weekend.
Need more reasons? The Packers won their second game of the season, but haven't won at home yet. Brett Favre.
Reasons to go outside and rake the leaves until near the end of the 4th quarter: The Packers' defense may be worse than Arizona's. They have yet to allow less than 20 points and have twice given up more than 30.
Despite the obvious assessment that these are two bad teams, the game will likely be close, maybe even overtime.
Prediction: Packers 31 Cardinals 30
So, too, Cincinnati, as Carson Palmer threw for 240 and 2 TDs without an interception and engineered the game-winning drive. The defense also played exceedingly well, holding the Panthers to just 14 points and 60 yards rushing.
These two teams are pretty much a statistical dead heat, suggesting that the game will be very close throughout. Both have playoff aspirations, both are 4-2. Atlanta is 1-1 on the road, Cincy 1-2 at home. Give Atlanta the special teams edge, and a slight turnover edge.
Close call, but the Falcons get the nod here.
Prediction: Falcons 23 Bengals 21
Stout defenses for both teams indicate that this will be low scoring, but if any team can crack the Baltimore D, it would be Drew Brees and the high-flying Saints' offense, ranked 5th overall in passing yards per game at 245.3. While the Ravens are especially stingy against the run (71.2 yards allowed per game, 2nd in the NFL), they have also picked off a league-leading 11 passes.
While Brees will almost certainly stand in well against the Baltimore rush, the keys to this game are the performances of Ravens' QB Steve McNair and Saints' budding superstar, Reggie Bush. If McNair has a solid outing, the Ravens can win, but if Bush gets loose, all bets are off.
The consensus is that the 5-1 Saints will continue to win at home and put the clamps on a somewhat shaky Baltimore offense.
Prediction: Saints 20 Ravens 13
Tennessee, after playing the Colts nearly even on Oct. 8, won on the road at Washington, 25-22 on the 15th, and had last week off. with Vince Young now operating behind center regularly, there's reason to believe in the Titans' upside.
While neither of these squads are headed to the playoffs anytime soon, each can play important roles as spoilers down the stretch and this should be a fun game to watch, if only for the expectation of future stars.
It could be a relaxing day for David Carr, who has led the league in taking sacks two years running, as the Titans are a league low in that category with just 8. Houston's defense also appears to be jelling nicely and they may come up big on more than a few occasions here.
Prediction: Texans 27 Titans 21
The Jags are the most up and down team n the league, looking like champs one week and chumps the next. After pounding the Jets 41-0 and a bye week, they came out totally flat against Houston and dropped a 27-7 bomb. They are also a decidedly bad road team, having lost all three of their visiting events.
The Eagles are 2-1 at home, and at 4-3 and a bye next week, sorely need this win. McNabb and RB Westbrook will have to play error-free and the Philly defense will handle the rest.
Prediction: Eagles 21 Jaguars 14
Both teams will be led by backup QBs, but Damon Huard has had five games as the starter already, whereas Seattle's QB, Seneca Wallace, has only the emergency service from last week's 31-13 loss to Minnesota to bank on.
With the depletion of Seattle's offense, KC may be able to take it to them defensively, and that's welcome, as the Chiefs have allowed 72 points in their last two games, though they were against Pittsburgh and San Diego.
Seattle suffers without a ball control offense, as evidenced by their last 4 games, in which they've allowed 30, 37, 28 and 31 points. They're likely to give up 30+ again, and that puts another loss on their record.
Prediction: Chiefs 34 Seahawks 20
Prediction: Bears 40 49ers 13
Why? Well, the Giants are coming off a short week, having defeated Dallas, 36-22 on Monday night. OK, they've won three straight, including the last two on the road. So the Giants are good.
Tampa Bay has won two in a row, albeit at home, but they did beat two pretty good teams - Philadelphia and Cincinnati - and are playing with renewed confidence. Their defense is sound, as usual, and the offense is beginning to click with QB Bruce Gradkowski, RB Carnell Williams and a pair of young, fast receivers, Joey Galloway and Michael Clayton. There's plenty to like about the 2-4 Buccaneers, especially considering their last 2 losses were by a combined 5 points. Also, with a win here, the Bucs may be able to get back into the NFC South race, as they get the Saints at home next week and then travel to Carolina on Monday, Nov. 13.
Now, the Giants can put up points in bunches, but their defense gives up plenty as well, so expect a score somewhere in the middle range. Tampa Bay has plenty of motivation and momentum and will be in this one 'til the end.
Prediction: Buccaneers 24 Giants 20
All times Eastern - Click here for late Sunday and Monday night games
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