10-17-2018, 08:06 PM
The good news for me is that I actually had a respectable week picking, going 3-1.
The bad news?
My Jaguars did NOT have a respectable week playing, losing 40-7. Boy did the national talking heads have a blast at the loss. But the more important and improbable aftermath wound up being a 3 way tie atop the division with the tacks, Texans and Jaguars sitting at 3-3.
Anyway, I'll keep this into short and get on with the picks.
tacks (3-3) vs Chargers (4-2)-this game would ordinarily be tough for the tacks, because the Chargers are a talented team and a trip to the far west coast is typically tough for a team coming from the East Coast. However, travel for both teams will make the game tough, because the game is being played in London. The tacks are coming off of a putrid performance against the Ravens, where Mariota was sacked ELEVEN (11) times, and the tack offense was shut out at home 21-0. It doesn't get any easier for the tacks, because the Chargers can rush the passer, even though Bosa is still out with a foot injury. The Chargers can also move the ball offensively. Question: Now that Khan has withdrawn his bid to buy Wembley Stadium, and the league met to discuss problems in Los Angeles for the Chargers, will the media hacks connect the dots and speculate the bolts will move to London? of course not! Why do I ask? Chargers 28, tacks 20.
Bills (2-4) at Colts (1-5)-The Bills are not exactly an offensive juggernaut, and that was before they lost starting QB rookie Josh Allen with an elbow injury this week. At least they would get a more experienced guy behind C, right? That may not be a good thing. They had to choose between perhaps the biggest INT machine the league has ever seen in Nathan Peterman, who lost the Texans game last week by throwing a last minute pick 6 in a 20-13 loss, and Anderson, who was just signed last week. The Bills, who have no OL and no WRs, chose Anderson. However, the Bills DO have a pretty good defense that will make things hard on Luck and the Colts' offense. Can the Colts' defense have any success against the Bills offense? I don't think they will have enough. Bills win 20-17.
Texans (3-3) at Jaguars (3-3)-the defending AFC South champion Jaguars return home after a disastrous 2 game road trip that saw them out scored by a combined 70-21. What in the world has happened to the defense? I could see having a hiccup against an insanely explosive offense like the Chiefs. But Dallas was struggling to much offensively, there was open speculation-not murmurings-about Jason Garrett's job security. The defensive struggles are not explained fully by the offensive injury issues. Houston's offensive line is still a sieve, and a notch or two below the lines in Dallas and Kansas City. Watson got sacked seven (7) times at home last week and has played with a collapsed lung. While Houston can rush the passer and Watt seems to be returning to past form, Jacksonville is the more desperate team, and has a lot to prove after the past two weeks. Jaguars win 23-13.
Last week: 3-1
Overall: 9-12
P.S.-For those of you not former Dallas/NFC East fans or for those of you too young to know or remember, Dallas' road jerseys were blue, but not the dark blue known today. it was a lighter shade of blue, and it seemed the team had a collective superstition about wearing them. Whenever NFC opponents had a big home game against Dallas, they would make them wear those blue jerseys. Given how the Jaguars have just come out with the team pants and are 0-2 with them, I hope they never wear them again.
The bad news?
My Jaguars did NOT have a respectable week playing, losing 40-7. Boy did the national talking heads have a blast at the loss. But the more important and improbable aftermath wound up being a 3 way tie atop the division with the tacks, Texans and Jaguars sitting at 3-3.
Anyway, I'll keep this into short and get on with the picks.
tacks (3-3) vs Chargers (4-2)-this game would ordinarily be tough for the tacks, because the Chargers are a talented team and a trip to the far west coast is typically tough for a team coming from the East Coast. However, travel for both teams will make the game tough, because the game is being played in London. The tacks are coming off of a putrid performance against the Ravens, where Mariota was sacked ELEVEN (11) times, and the tack offense was shut out at home 21-0. It doesn't get any easier for the tacks, because the Chargers can rush the passer, even though Bosa is still out with a foot injury. The Chargers can also move the ball offensively. Question: Now that Khan has withdrawn his bid to buy Wembley Stadium, and the league met to discuss problems in Los Angeles for the Chargers, will the media hacks connect the dots and speculate the bolts will move to London? of course not! Why do I ask? Chargers 28, tacks 20.
Bills (2-4) at Colts (1-5)-The Bills are not exactly an offensive juggernaut, and that was before they lost starting QB rookie Josh Allen with an elbow injury this week. At least they would get a more experienced guy behind C, right? That may not be a good thing. They had to choose between perhaps the biggest INT machine the league has ever seen in Nathan Peterman, who lost the Texans game last week by throwing a last minute pick 6 in a 20-13 loss, and Anderson, who was just signed last week. The Bills, who have no OL and no WRs, chose Anderson. However, the Bills DO have a pretty good defense that will make things hard on Luck and the Colts' offense. Can the Colts' defense have any success against the Bills offense? I don't think they will have enough. Bills win 20-17.
Texans (3-3) at Jaguars (3-3)-the defending AFC South champion Jaguars return home after a disastrous 2 game road trip that saw them out scored by a combined 70-21. What in the world has happened to the defense? I could see having a hiccup against an insanely explosive offense like the Chiefs. But Dallas was struggling to much offensively, there was open speculation-not murmurings-about Jason Garrett's job security. The defensive struggles are not explained fully by the offensive injury issues. Houston's offensive line is still a sieve, and a notch or two below the lines in Dallas and Kansas City. Watson got sacked seven (7) times at home last week and has played with a collapsed lung. While Houston can rush the passer and Watt seems to be returning to past form, Jacksonville is the more desperate team, and has a lot to prove after the past two weeks. Jaguars win 23-13.
Last week: 3-1
Overall: 9-12
P.S.-For those of you not former Dallas/NFC East fans or for those of you too young to know or remember, Dallas' road jerseys were blue, but not the dark blue known today. it was a lighter shade of blue, and it seemed the team had a collective superstition about wearing them. Whenever NFC opponents had a big home game against Dallas, they would make them wear those blue jerseys. Given how the Jaguars have just come out with the team pants and are 0-2 with them, I hope they never wear them again.