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KodiakJag · 11-15-2019, 12:12 AM

I'm filling in for Bullseye while health issues prevent him from posting. Bullseye, we all miss you and hope your situation improves.

5 years ago, Bullseye started this column. Here is the link to the original post. From that first post that drew only 2 responses before the games finished, interest in his annual pick'em pool has grown substantially and now includes many of the regular participants on the board. Thanks to Bullseye for starting this tradition, now in its 6th season. We'll do our best to keep it going in your absence.

Last Sunday sucked. In a week that saw multiple upsets, the surprisingly resilient Titans managed to steal one at home from the Chiefs. Later that day, the Colts somehow found a way to lose at home to the visiting Dolphins. Brian Hoyer's performance as Colt's QB in that game could be summed up by the famous words of Bill Parcells: "incredible ineptitude". Congratulations to the few participants who managed to avoid last week's 0-2 trap. Now for the picks:

Game 1 (Houston @ Baltimore)

This week, the Texans (6-3) travel to Baltimore (7-2) to take on the red-hot Ravens, who, besides playing some outstanding football lately, are the only team to knock off the Patriots so far this season. That 37-20 thumping in week 9 became a rallying cry for Pats haters and solidified Baltimore's Lamar Jackson's status as a quarterback who won't wilt on big stages. Riding a 5-game win streak that includes victories against the Patriots, Steelers and Seahawks, the Ravens figure to present a formidable challenge to the Texans.
The Texans are coming off an unexpected blowout of the Jaguars in London which established them as the front runner for the AFCS division crown. Winners of 4 of their last 5 games in which they averaged 32 points per game, the Texans enter a difficult 3-game stretch in which they will have to play the Ravens, Colts and Patriots in successive weeks.

This game will showcase offensive powerhouses going up against average defenses. My guess is the Ravens will pull out the win in a high-scoring game.

Ravens 30
Texans 26

Game 2 (Jacksonville @ Indianapolis)

Our Jaguars travel to Lucas Oil Stadium to take on the Colts in this season's first meeting between these two divisional rivals. Some similarities come to the forefront. Both teams have similar W/L records (4-5 vs. 5-4). Both teams are still hoping to be playoff-bound. Both teams have been competitive in almost every game. In their last games, both teams saw poor performances by backup quarterbacks lead to "home" losses that were expected to be wins. Both teams have starting quarterbacks coming back from significant injuries.

The similarities end there. In the race to win the AFCS, the Colts still control their own destiny, while the Jaguars do not.

Pop quiz question #1: Whose defense gives up more yards per game?
Pop quiz question #2: Whose offense gains more yards per game?

My initial answer was "Colts" to both. If your answer to both questions was "Jaguars" then people may look at you funny but you would be correct.

In this game, several questions come to the forefront, and they mostly revolve around the Jaguars QB position:

Will Foles be fully healthy?
Will Foles have to spend a few games to knock rust off and get up to game speed?
Will he be gun-shy because of the injury?
Is Foles really any good?
Will the O-line hold up and will the offense rally around him?
Will our defense finally play up to its ability like we know they can?

Too many question marks for me to be confident in a Jags victory this week, to be honest.

Colts 17
Jaguars 13
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[font=Arial]Last Week 0-2[/font]
[font=Arial]Overall 21-11[/font]

[font=Arial]Pete Prisco last week 1-1[/font]
[font=Arial]Pete Prisco overall 16-16[/font]

"We believe in victory!" - Gus Bradley
"I don't want to believe. I want to know." - Carl Sagan