At the quarter mark, Houston is at the head of the class with a 3-1 record. While you wonder how much Ryan Fitzpatrick limits them, they seem to be playing really good football now. Watt is dominance incarnate, pressuring QBs and scoring TDs on both sides of the ball. Indy is in second, having rebounded nicely from two tough losses to start the season. After a surprising win in KC to start week 1, Tennessee has come back to earth, even prompting coach Whisenhunt to declare he may have overestimated the team. The Jaguars are in D.A.L. The good news for the Jaguars is they have decided to start Bortles and he has shown flashes of brilliance alongside the typical rookie mistakes. The bad news is that the defense, which is supposed to be the team's calling card, has been absolutely terrible, especially in the secondary.
Now for the picks...
Baltimore
(3-1) at Indy
(2-2)-the Ravens seem to have handled the Ray Rice controversy well under the circumstances. Baltimore is 6th in offense and is going against a suspect Indy defense. However, Baltimore has lots of injuries, including to LT Eugene Monroe and stud pass rusher Terrell Suggs. Andrew Luck is on fire. Indy wins 28-20.
Pittsburgh (2-2) at Jacksonville
(0-4)-the popular stat this week is that Steelers Def. Coordinator Dick LeBeau is 17-2 against rookie QBs as defensive coordinator with the Steelers, and his defense faces rookie QB Blake Bortles in his second start for the Jaguars. However, this current edition of the Steelers' defense isn't the same quality group that has led the Steelers to top ten caliber defenses over the years. Guys like Polamalu and Harrison have had great careers but are currently past their prime. Harrison, 36, just returned from retirement. They have injuries on that side of the ball, with speedy rookie linebacker Ryan Shazier and veteran CB Ike Taylor out. The Steelers rank 16th in yards, 20th in points, 17th against the pass, 15th against the rush and 19th in sacks. While the Jaguars are anything but a juggernaut, they have shown signs of offensive improvement over the last game and a half. They went toe to toe with the Chargers for a half, and showed signs of being able to run the football. If nothing else defensively, this team can get after the QB, while the Steelers have always had problems protecting Roethlisberger. I have been predicting the Jaguars will win in the next two weeks. At a roughly similar stage in the team's inaugural season, the expansion Jaguars beat the AFC Super Bowl representative Pittsburgh Steelers 20-16 for the team's first ever home win. The past is prologue. In a pick borne of cold scientific analysis, complete objectivity, and 100% homerism free thought :woot: , in an October surprise, Jaguars 20
-Pittsburgh 16.
Cleveland
(1-2) at Tennessee
(1-3)-Both the Browns and tacks come into this game healthy. Jake Locker appears to be healthy enough to return to the lineup this week. Whether that helps much against a good Browns defense (3rd overall) is another matter. Though I have growing contempt for the Browns, I think Hoyer and company escape the hole known as Nashville to get the win, only to return to their own hole in Cleveland. Browns
win 23-16.
Last week: 2-1
Overall: 9-5
Quote:At the quarter mark, Houston is at the head of the class with a 3-1 record. While you wonder how much Ryan Fitzpatrick limits them, they seem to be playing really good football now. Watt is dominance incarnate, pressuring QBs and scoring TDs on both sides of the ball. Indy is in second, having rebounded nicely from two tough losses to start the season. After a surprising win in KC to start week 1, Tennessee has come back to earth, even prompting coach Whisenhunt to declare he may have overestimated the team. The Jaguars are in D.A.L. The good news for the Jaguars is they have decided to start Bortles and he has shown flashes of brilliance alongside the typical rookie mistakes. The bad news is that the defense, which is supposed to be the team's calling card, has been absolutely terrible, especially in the secondary.
Now for the picks...
Baltimore
(3-1) at Indy
(2-2)-the Ravens seem to have handled the Ray Rice controversy well under the circumstances. Baltimore is 6th in offense and is going against a suspect Indy defense. However, Baltimore has lots of injuries, including to LT Eugene Monroe and stud pass rusher Terrell Suggs. Andrew Luck is on fire. Indy wins 28-20.
Pittsburgh (2-2) at Jacksonville
(0-4)-the popular stat this week is that Steelers Def. Coordinator Dick LeBeau is 17-2 against rookie QBs as defensive coordinator with the Steelers, and his defense faces rookie QB Blake Bortles in his second start for the Jaguars. However, this current edition of the Steelers' defense isn't the same quality group that has led the Steelers to top ten caliber defenses over the years. Guys like Polamalu and Harrison have had great careers but are currently past their prime. Harrison, 36, just returned from retirement. They have injuries on that side of the ball, with speedy rookie linebacker Ryan Shazier and veteran CB Ike Taylor out. The Steelers rank 16th in yards, 20th in points, 17th against the pass, 15th against the rush and 19th in sacks. While the Jaguars are anything but a juggernaut, they have shown signs of offensive improvement over the last game and a half. They went toe to toe with the Chargers for a half, and showed signs of being able to run the football. If nothing else defensively, this team can get after the QB, while the Steelers have always had problems protecting Roethlisberger. I have been predicting the Jaguars will win in the next two weeks. At a roughly similar stage in the team's inaugural season, the expansion Jaguars beat the AFC Super Bowl representative Pittsburgh Steelers 20-16 for the team's first ever home win. The past is prologue. In a pick borne of cold scientific analysis, complete objectivity, and 100% homerism free thought :woot: , in an October surprise, Jaguars 20
-Pittsburgh 16.
Cleveland
(1-2) at Tennessee
(1-3)-Both the Browns and tacks come into this game healthy. Jake Locker appears to be healthy enough to return to the lineup this week. Whether that helps much against a good Browns defense (3rd overall) is another matter. Though I have growing contempt for the Browns, I think Hoyer and company escape the hole known as Nashville to get the win, only to return to their own hole in Cleveland. Browns
win 23-16.
Last week: 2-1
Overall: 9-5
I like your reasoning here though I think you underestimate the level of scoring we'll see overall, and I agree with your picks.
I think Andrew Luck is too good to lose at home to what the Ravens will bring in, not that it won't be a tough game. I'm thinking something like 31-28 colts
The Jaguars game just seems magnetic for an upset somehow. We know the steelers defense ain't what she used to be, as they say, and I think Bortles is ascending much more quickly than people realize. I see the Jaguars winning this one in spite for an inspired effort by the Steelers offense. I think Bradley and Co will get the defense just good enough to stop so many of the boneheaded broken coverages and Bortles step up in a BIG way with 4 TD passes and 300+ yards. 35-31 Jaguars
The fact that jake locker is back is really pretty irrelevant. The one thing the Browns do well is cover, and locker is headed for another subpar game while hoyer does just enough in front of an almost empty and uninspired nashville crowd. 17-13 Brownies.
10-4 overall.
3-0 last week.
Colts over Ravens
Cowboys over Texans
Steelers over Jaguars
Browns over Titans
Edit: Looks like you forgot Cowboys/Texans Bullseye
Quote:10-4 overall.
3-0 last week.
Colts over Ravens
Cowboys over Texans
Steelers over Jaguars
Browns over Titans
Edit: Looks like you forgot Cowboys/Texans Bullseye
Right, and I followed his lead.
I'll join you in predicting the cowboys over the texans/
Dallas over Houston
Baltimore over Indy
Browns over Titans
Jags over Steelers
Least that's how I see it. 2-1 last week and 8-6 overall.
9-5 on the season.
3-0 in Week # 4.
Week # 5 selections
Dallas over Houston. The Texans don't have the firepower on Offense to match the Cowboys firepower and exploit the Cowboys Defense.
Indianapolis over Baltimore. Probably a close game but the injury to Ravens LT Eugene Monroe tilts the game to the home team.
Cleveland over Tennessee. The Browns Defensive unit looks like the difference in this contest.
Pittsburgh over Jacksonville. Should be a hard fought game. The Steelers experience is a significant factor.
Does anybody think what the other AFCS teams do is irrelevent because we obviously are not going to the playoffs?
I have to hope a win this weekend does not help the Texans and Colts because I hate the Cowboys and Ravens.
Cleveland over Tennessee
Dallas over Houston
Indianapolis over Baltimore
Jacksonville over Pittsburgh
Last Week 3-0
Overall 9-5
Im heading in 6-4
Jags over Steelers(come on guys help me out here...)
Indy over Balt
Browns over titans
And cowboys over texans.
Three and one this week...with the one loss being my Jaguars.
Did anyone else see the Texans/Cowboys overtime? CBS switched to it here after our game with the score 17-17.
I saw one of the most amazing catches ever wehn Dallas had the ball. Dez Bryant wrapped his arm around a Texan's arm when he juggled it to complete the catch. I never saw anyone do that before.
4-0 this week.
14-4 overall...
Quote:Did anyone else see the Texans/Cowboys overtime? CBS switched to it here after our game with the score 17-17.
I saw one of the most amazing catches ever wehn Dallas had the ball. Dez Bryant wrapped his arm around a Texan's arm when he juggled it to complete the catch. I never saw anyone do that before.
That is the sort of play Bortles is attempting with TWO (2) of his INTs this year.
In both instances, Robinson didn't win the jump ball. I am not sure if Bortles can help with better ball placement or not.
I can't wait until we start winning those situations.
Quote:4-0 this week.
14-4 overall...
When did your D get so good? They shut down the ravens for most the game as much as your offence tried to let them back into it...
Quote:That is the sort of play Bortles is attempting with TWO (2) of his INTs this year.
In both instances, Robinson didn't win the jump ball. I am not sure if Bortles can help with better ball placement or not.
I can't wait until we start winning those situations.
Robinson fell down, so we will never know if ball placement could have been better.
Half of his interceptions were called "a rookie trying to do too much."
Quote:That is the sort of play Bortles is attempting with TWO (2) of his INTs this year.
In both instances, Robinson didn't win the jump ball. I am not sure if Bortles can help with better ball placement or not.
I can't wait until we start winning those situations.
He can keep throwing those. An int which goes 40 yards is fine. A pick 6 less so
Quote:He can keep throwing those. An int which goes 40 yards is fine. A pick 6 less so
But what if a pick six is 40 yards?
Quote:But what if a pick six is 40 yards?
Well then its likely he has made a terrible throw...
Quote:When did your D get so good? They shut down the ravens for most the game as much as your offence tried to let them back into it...
Surprised me, just as much as it surprised you. Although, not surprising the way Vontae has played this year. Easily one of best CBs this year. You know, that OTHER trade Grigson went for. Oh, and Luck was as clutch as ever when we needed him (not surprising). He was laser sharp in the 4th.
The Colts & Ravens acted like they wanted the other team to win. Colts had 4 turnovers (Fumble on punt, Bradshaw fumble, 2 INTs). Ravens had 3 turnovers (muffed punt, Smith fumble, 1 INT)
Defenses shined that game. Was a good game though.