Thurs Oct 31
West Virginia Mountaineers at #9 Baylor Bears: The Bears get a treat with this scheduling trick, as the Mountaineers don't really stand much of a chance against the lone unbeaten in the Big XII. BAYLOR
Georgia Southern Eagles at #19 Appalachian State Mountaineers: The other Mountaineers in the FBS face a fierce Eagles team, but the Mountaineers stingy defense will play havoc with the already-weakened Eagles offense. APPALACHIAN STATE
Fri Nov 1
#24 Navy Midshipmen at UConn Huskies: Should be an easy win for the Midshipmen. NAVY
Sat Nov 2
Top 25:
Wofford Terriers (FCS) at #5 Clemson Tigers: Easy win that won't affect Clemson's Top 25 position. The Top 5 won't shift, as the rest are on a bye. CLEMSON
#7 Oregon Ducks at USC Trojans: The Trojans can be tough, but I like Oregon's defense to make the difference in this game. OREGON
#8 Utah Utes at #22 Washington Huskies: Washington spent an extra week to prepare for this game, hoping the extra time would help them pull off the upset. I don't think so. Washington will fall, and fall out of the Top 25. UTAH
#10 Georgia Bulldogs at #20 Florida Gators: Each team took a bye to prepare for this game, so no advantage was taken there. Offensively, these two teams are fairly compatible. Defensively, that edge belongs to Georgia. That advantage will prove crucial. GEORGIA
#13 Michigan Wolverines at Maryland Terrapins: Last week we finally saw the Michigan offense we've been waiting for all season! If that wasn't a fluke, and instead an indication that they've gotten all of the mistakes squeezed out of this offense, then Maryland doesn't stand a chance, especially with the defense that Michigan packs. If the offense falls back to their mistake-filled ways, Maryland can pull off the upset. MICHIGAN
#14 SMU Mustangs at Memphis Tigers: The Mustangs face perhaps their greatest threat to their unbeaten season. Both teams have strong defenses. SMU's offense is a bit better, but can that overcome a home field advantage by their opponent? Defeating an unbeaten deserves to be considered an upset, so I'll pick SMU, but watch out for a Memphis win. SMU
Ole Miss Rebels at #15 Auburn Tigers: Auburn nearly beat LSU last week. Ole Miss won't be a threat. AUBURN
Virginia Tech Hokies at #17 Notre Dame Fighting Irish: The Irish will be irate, wanting a strong victory to help ease the pain of the disaster at the Big House. The Hokies should be the perfect patsy. NOTRE DAME
#21 UAB Blazers at Tennessee Volunteers: Tennessee pulled off a great upset last week, but I don't think they have it in them for two in a row. UAB
#25 Boise State Broncos at San Jose State Spartans: The Broncos defense will just swarm over San Jose. BOISE STATE
Big Ten:
Most of the ranked teams are off this week, but that doesn't mean we won't some exciting games.
Nebraska Cornhuskers at Purdue Boilermakers: Nebraska looks to salvage their season with a strong win against the Boilermakers, who just got boiled by Illinois last week. Purdue might want to recover strong, so this could be a tough game. Nebraska needs to prevent making the crucial mistakes that have cost them drives this season if they are going to win this game. NEBRASKA
Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Illinois Fighting Illini: Rutgers had to strain to beat Liberty last week. Illinois should extend their winning streak to three, and get back on the positive side. ILLINOIS
Northwestern Wildcats at Indiana Hoosiers: Indiana shouldn't have much trouble against division-trailing Northwestern. INDIANA
Other Games of Interest:
NC State Wolf Pack at Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Wake took an extra week to prepare, and they are certainly the stronger team right now. However, NC State started the season well. If they recapture what made them good, they will give the Demon Deacons a run for their money. WAKE FOREST
TCU Horned Frogs at Oklahoma State Cowboys: Ooh, this should be a good matchup! TCU's better defense against the dynamic offense of the Cowboys. I've found in those situations, the better defense usually prevails. TCU
Army Black Knights at Air Force Falcons: Army started the season strong, but they've slipped recently. This should be a convincing game for the Falcons. AIR FORCE
Cincinnati Bearcats at East Carolina Pirates: Cincy needs to keep pace ahead of UCF. Fortunately, beating the hapless Pirates will allow them to do that. CINCINNATI
Virginia Cavaliers at North Carolina Tar Heels: After last week's win, I've suddenly heard the national analysts proclaim the resurgence of North Carolina. Really? A 4-4 record and two 3-point wins over other 4-4 teams is a resurgence? Please. VIRGINIA
Sunday, October 27, 2019
NCAA Football 2019 Week 9 results
This week saw plenty of upsets! Oklahoma fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, one of three Top 25 teams to fall to unranked teams. Oklahoma had enough strong victories on their resume to maintain position; the other two fell from the ranks.
This week I begin my tracking of teams competing for their conference and division titles. We have some interesting races, and some which are nearly set already. All will be revealed later in the column.
The Top 25 has an interesting feel this week, as different windows of five positions show different conference dominance. The top five positions are covered by Big Ten and SEC, the next five by the Big XII and Pac-12, the Big Ten again for 11-15, then non-Power Five teams for the next ten positions.
Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (8-0) [1]
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0) [2]
3. Penn State Nittany Lions (8-0) [3]
4. LSU Tigers (8-0) [4]
5. Clemson Tigers (8-0) [5]
6. Oklahoma Sooners (7-1) [6]
7. Oregon Ducks (7-1) [9]
8. Utah Utes (7-1) [13]
9. Baylor Bears (7-0) [10]
10. Georgia Bulldogs (6-1) [11]
11. Wisconsin Badgers (6-2) [7]
12. Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-0) [15]
13. Michigan Wolverines (6-2) [18]
14. SMU Mustangs (8-0) [14]
15. Auburn Tigers (6-2) [12]
16. Iowa Hawkeyes (6-2) [16]
17. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-2) [8]
18. UCF Golden Knights (6-2) [23]
19. Appalachian State Mountaineers (7-0) [25]
20. Florida Gators (7-1) [20]
21. UAB Blazers (6-1) [21]
22. Washington Huskies (5-3) [22]
23. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (7-1) [NR]
24. Navy Midshipmen (6-1) [24]
25. Boise State Broncos (6-1) [26]
Dropped off: Missouri Tigers [#17], Texas Longhorns [#19]
On the Edge: Memphis Tigers (7-1), San Diego State Aztecs (7-1), Wyoming Cowboys (6-2), Cincinnati Bearcats (6-1), Air Force Falcons (6-2), USC Trojans (5-3), Iowa State Cyclones (5-3), Kansas State Wildcats (5-3)
Big Ten Report
There were some surprises. Ohio State, Illinois, and Minnesota both dominated far more than I expected. Michigan's dominance was an upset. Penn State's dominance over Michigan State wasn't too surprising. Iowa and Rutgers performed as expected, while Indiana got past an ever-more-struggling Nebraska squad.
Upset Watch
Holy cow, where there plenty! We were almost treated to one on Thurs, but SMU held off a Houston surge to prevail. But early games on Saturday set the tone. Miami beat Pittsburgh in a defensive battle, and then Kansas State lit up the scoreboard and blasted past a Sooners team that made way too many mistakes. The Big XII wasn't done producing upsets, as TCU then defeated Texas and Oklahoma State tripped up Iowa State. That evening, Kansas scored their second upset of the season in toppling Texas Tech.
The ACC had another upset in their arsenal, as Louisville capped the afternoon with an upset over division-leading Virginia. The SEC came along in the evening, as Tennessee toppled previous upset-meister South Carolina and Kentucky trounced Missouri. UCLA and Colorado State capped off the night by beating Arizona State and Fresno State, respectively.
Title Races
American Athletic East: Cincy leads with an unbeaten conference record. UCF trails by a game, but Cincy holds the tiebreaker, having already beaten them. Temple and South Florida each have two conference losses, and they are yet to face Cincy. If Cincy beats both of them, the title is theirs.
American Athletic West: Unbeaten SMU leads, yet they still need to face the three teams behind them. Memphis and Navy could pose some problems; Tulane not so much. Still, a loss to either Memphis or Navy puts that team in the driver's seat, as each has only one conference loss and would hold the tiebreaker over SMU.
ACC Atlantic: Unbeaten Clemson rules, but Wake Forest is only a game behind. Clemson has only two conference games remaining, against NC State and those Demon Deacons. Both games are "must wins" for the Tigers. For Wake, the only tough opponent (other than Clemson) would be Duke, who they could face again in the ACC Championship if the Demon Deacons beat Clemson.
ACC Coastal: Okay, this one is just a mess, with Virginia's loss and North Carolina's win. Let's look at this one again next week, as everybody is still eligible for this one.
Big XII: Oklahoma's loss puts Baylor in the driver's seat, sitting on top as the only unbeaten team. Baylor's remaining schedule is tough, though, facing TCU, Texas, and Oklahoma before finishing against Kansas, who has notched two upsets themselves. Oklahoma doesn't exactly have it easy, as they must play TCU, Baylor, and Iowa State. That means any of those, including Kansas State, could still swoop in and capture the title.
Big Ten East: It looks like the Ohio State - Penn State game will decide this title. Penn State has already beaten Michigan, so they already have a tiebreaker edge. For Michigan to win, they must win out while hoping Maryland beats Ohio State and both Ohio State and Minnesota beat Penn State. Michigan's chances are extremely slim.
Big Ten West: With a two-game lead over both Wisconsin and Iowa, this title is Minnesota's to lose. Unfortunately the Gophers have their toughest games ahead of them, facing both of those teams as well as Penn State. Minnesota must beat the winner of next week's Wisconsin-Iowa battle to lock down the title.
Conference USA East: This one is pretty wide open, with three teams on top and Middle Tennessee lurching just below.
Conference USA West: Louisiana Tech leads the division. They still face Marshall and UAB, but beating the Blazers is the big goal (Marshall is in the East division). That win would basically lock it in for the Bulldogs.
MAC East: Also a wide open division, with four teams having a serious chance. Let's see how this one plays out next week.
MAC West: Leader Ball State already beat Toledo. If they beat both Western Michigan and Central Michigan, they clinch. Western has a good shot, as they already beat Central. If the Broncos beat Ball State, they have the inside shot for the title.
Mountain West Mountain: Division-leading Boise State already beat Air Force and they host Wyoming, who have a poor road record. The Broncos travel to Utah State, though, who could win the division by beating Boise State and winning out, which would involve a victory over Wyoming. If Wyoming beats both Boise State and Utah State the Cowboys have a good shot.
Mountain West West: San Diego State has to travel to Hawaii. That is really the only threat to them capturing the division.
Pac-12 North: If Oregon wins one more game, their only threat is Oregon State.
Pac-12 South: USC holds the tiebreaker over Utah, but the Utes have the better schedule remaining. The Utes could win out, which would force USC to do the same.
SEC East: The upcoming Florida-Georgia game could decide this division. If Florida wins, they certainly have the easier schedule remaining, as Georgia has two other tough SEC opponents (Auburn and Missouri) after that.
SEC West: Alabama and LSU play this week. Even if the Tigers lose, they have the better schedule, but that would mean that Alabama would have to lose twice, which isn't likely. Truly, it appears that this week's game could decide this division.
Sun Belt East: Appalachian State still has to play all three of the teams behind them in the rankings, but the Mountaineers look tough enough to take those games. In fact, beating Georgia Southern and Georgia State would mean a win over Troy at the end of the season wouldn't even be necessary.
Sun Belt West: Louisiana already beat Arkansas State, so their only real competition is UL Monroe. They play the Indians during the final week, and that game might decide the division.
This week I begin my tracking of teams competing for their conference and division titles. We have some interesting races, and some which are nearly set already. All will be revealed later in the column.
The Top 25 has an interesting feel this week, as different windows of five positions show different conference dominance. The top five positions are covered by Big Ten and SEC, the next five by the Big XII and Pac-12, the Big Ten again for 11-15, then non-Power Five teams for the next ten positions.
Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (8-0) [1]
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0) [2]
3. Penn State Nittany Lions (8-0) [3]
4. LSU Tigers (8-0) [4]
5. Clemson Tigers (8-0) [5]
6. Oklahoma Sooners (7-1) [6]
7. Oregon Ducks (7-1) [9]
8. Utah Utes (7-1) [13]
9. Baylor Bears (7-0) [10]
10. Georgia Bulldogs (6-1) [11]
11. Wisconsin Badgers (6-2) [7]
12. Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-0) [15]
13. Michigan Wolverines (6-2) [18]
14. SMU Mustangs (8-0) [14]
15. Auburn Tigers (6-2) [12]
16. Iowa Hawkeyes (6-2) [16]
17. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-2) [8]
18. UCF Golden Knights (6-2) [23]
19. Appalachian State Mountaineers (7-0) [25]
20. Florida Gators (7-1) [20]
21. UAB Blazers (6-1) [21]
22. Washington Huskies (5-3) [22]
23. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (7-1) [NR]
24. Navy Midshipmen (6-1) [24]
25. Boise State Broncos (6-1) [26]
Dropped off: Missouri Tigers [#17], Texas Longhorns [#19]
On the Edge: Memphis Tigers (7-1), San Diego State Aztecs (7-1), Wyoming Cowboys (6-2), Cincinnati Bearcats (6-1), Air Force Falcons (6-2), USC Trojans (5-3), Iowa State Cyclones (5-3), Kansas State Wildcats (5-3)
Big Ten Report
There were some surprises. Ohio State, Illinois, and Minnesota both dominated far more than I expected. Michigan's dominance was an upset. Penn State's dominance over Michigan State wasn't too surprising. Iowa and Rutgers performed as expected, while Indiana got past an ever-more-struggling Nebraska squad.
Upset Watch
Holy cow, where there plenty! We were almost treated to one on Thurs, but SMU held off a Houston surge to prevail. But early games on Saturday set the tone. Miami beat Pittsburgh in a defensive battle, and then Kansas State lit up the scoreboard and blasted past a Sooners team that made way too many mistakes. The Big XII wasn't done producing upsets, as TCU then defeated Texas and Oklahoma State tripped up Iowa State. That evening, Kansas scored their second upset of the season in toppling Texas Tech.
The ACC had another upset in their arsenal, as Louisville capped the afternoon with an upset over division-leading Virginia. The SEC came along in the evening, as Tennessee toppled previous upset-meister South Carolina and Kentucky trounced Missouri. UCLA and Colorado State capped off the night by beating Arizona State and Fresno State, respectively.
Title Races
American Athletic East: Cincy leads with an unbeaten conference record. UCF trails by a game, but Cincy holds the tiebreaker, having already beaten them. Temple and South Florida each have two conference losses, and they are yet to face Cincy. If Cincy beats both of them, the title is theirs.
American Athletic West: Unbeaten SMU leads, yet they still need to face the three teams behind them. Memphis and Navy could pose some problems; Tulane not so much. Still, a loss to either Memphis or Navy puts that team in the driver's seat, as each has only one conference loss and would hold the tiebreaker over SMU.
ACC Atlantic: Unbeaten Clemson rules, but Wake Forest is only a game behind. Clemson has only two conference games remaining, against NC State and those Demon Deacons. Both games are "must wins" for the Tigers. For Wake, the only tough opponent (other than Clemson) would be Duke, who they could face again in the ACC Championship if the Demon Deacons beat Clemson.
ACC Coastal: Okay, this one is just a mess, with Virginia's loss and North Carolina's win. Let's look at this one again next week, as everybody is still eligible for this one.
Big XII: Oklahoma's loss puts Baylor in the driver's seat, sitting on top as the only unbeaten team. Baylor's remaining schedule is tough, though, facing TCU, Texas, and Oklahoma before finishing against Kansas, who has notched two upsets themselves. Oklahoma doesn't exactly have it easy, as they must play TCU, Baylor, and Iowa State. That means any of those, including Kansas State, could still swoop in and capture the title.
Big Ten East: It looks like the Ohio State - Penn State game will decide this title. Penn State has already beaten Michigan, so they already have a tiebreaker edge. For Michigan to win, they must win out while hoping Maryland beats Ohio State and both Ohio State and Minnesota beat Penn State. Michigan's chances are extremely slim.
Big Ten West: With a two-game lead over both Wisconsin and Iowa, this title is Minnesota's to lose. Unfortunately the Gophers have their toughest games ahead of them, facing both of those teams as well as Penn State. Minnesota must beat the winner of next week's Wisconsin-Iowa battle to lock down the title.
Conference USA East: This one is pretty wide open, with three teams on top and Middle Tennessee lurching just below.
Conference USA West: Louisiana Tech leads the division. They still face Marshall and UAB, but beating the Blazers is the big goal (Marshall is in the East division). That win would basically lock it in for the Bulldogs.
MAC East: Also a wide open division, with four teams having a serious chance. Let's see how this one plays out next week.
MAC West: Leader Ball State already beat Toledo. If they beat both Western Michigan and Central Michigan, they clinch. Western has a good shot, as they already beat Central. If the Broncos beat Ball State, they have the inside shot for the title.
Mountain West Mountain: Division-leading Boise State already beat Air Force and they host Wyoming, who have a poor road record. The Broncos travel to Utah State, though, who could win the division by beating Boise State and winning out, which would involve a victory over Wyoming. If Wyoming beats both Boise State and Utah State the Cowboys have a good shot.
Mountain West West: San Diego State has to travel to Hawaii. That is really the only threat to them capturing the division.
Pac-12 North: If Oregon wins one more game, their only threat is Oregon State.
Pac-12 South: USC holds the tiebreaker over Utah, but the Utes have the better schedule remaining. The Utes could win out, which would force USC to do the same.
SEC East: The upcoming Florida-Georgia game could decide this division. If Florida wins, they certainly have the easier schedule remaining, as Georgia has two other tough SEC opponents (Auburn and Missouri) after that.
SEC West: Alabama and LSU play this week. Even if the Tigers lose, they have the better schedule, but that would mean that Alabama would have to lose twice, which isn't likely. Truly, it appears that this week's game could decide this division.
Sun Belt East: Appalachian State still has to play all three of the teams behind them in the rankings, but the Mountaineers look tough enough to take those games. In fact, beating Georgia Southern and Georgia State would mean a win over Troy at the end of the season wouldn't even be necessary.
Sun Belt West: Louisiana already beat Arkansas State, so their only real competition is UL Monroe. They play the Indians during the final week, and that game might decide the division.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
NFL 2019 Week 7 results and Week 8 picks
We remain with two unbeaten teams and two winless teams. The NFC North had an unusual down week but not as bad as the week suffered by the AFC West. Houston was shocked by the Colts, who have silently taken the lead in the AFC South.
Power Rankings [Last week's rank]
1. New England Patriots (7-0) [1]
2. San Francisco 49ers (6-0) [2]
3. Green Bay Packers (6-1) [3]
4. Minnesota Vikings (5-2) [5]
5. Baltimore Ravens (5-2) [6]
6. Kansas City Chiefs (5-2) [10]
7. Buffalo Bills (5-1) [7]
8. Carolina Panthers (4-2) [8]
9. Dallas Cowboys (4-3) [13]
10. New Orleans Saints (6-1) [17]
11. Los Angeles Rams (4-3) [14]
12. Houston Texans (4-3) [9]
Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]
1. NFC North [1] : Detroit gives the division their first losing record since early in the season
2. NFC West [2] : Big wins by San Fran and the Rams offset a Seattle upset. This is now the only division without a losing team.
3. AFC South [4] : Only the Jags have a negative margin of victory, and it's only down by 4. They can get on the positive side this week against the Jets
4. NFC South [6] : A big win by the Saints and two byes actually helped this division
5. AFC East [5] : Having two of the best teams in the league doesn't help when you have two of the worst
6. AFC West [3] : KC is the only team with a winning record
7. AFC North [7] : Same situation as the AFC West, but Baltimore is the only team with a winning record
8. NFC East [8] : And here, Dallas is the only winning team
Thursday night
Washington Redskins at Minnesota Vikings: Another big loss for the Redskins. VIKINGS, 24-13
Sunday early games
Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints: The Cards winning streak dies at three as the Saints come marching in and roll over Arizona. SAINTS, 28-20
Cincinnati Bengals at Los Angeles Rams: It is almost hard to fathom how the talented Bengals could still be searching for their first win this late into the season, but it's true. RAMS, 27-20
Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts: Don't doubt Jacoby Brissett. He is leading the Colts well, and brought them to the AFC South lead. The Broncos defense might give them some trouble, but the Colts will prevail. COLTS, 21-17
Los Angeles Chargers at Chicago Bears: The Chargers are intimidated by tough defenses. That describes the Bears to a T. Watch the defense score a touchdown on a pick six. BEARS, 20-17
New York Giants at Detroit Lions: Detroit regains a winning record by blasting the improved but still struggling Giants. LIONS, 24-20
New York Jets at Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jags get on the winning side of margin of victory by pummeling the hapless Jets. JAGS, 23-13
Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills: With Dallas on a bye, it looks like a losing week for the NFC East. BILLS, 23-17
Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons: The Seahawks don't play well on the road, but the Falcons haven't been playing well anywhere. SEAHAWKS, 26-20
Tampa Bay Bucs at Tennessee Titans: The Titans even up their record as they outlast the clever but underachieving Bucs. TITANS, 24-20
Sunday late games
Carolina Panthers at San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers let their stiff defense stop the Panthers. 49ERS, 21-13
Cleveland Browns at New England Patriots: While I do not foresee a shutout, the Browns will be out of the game before halftime. PATRIOTS, 30-10
Oakland Raiders at Houston Texans: This should be an interesting game. On paper, the Texans should win this game easily. The Raiders can be tricky, though, and I expect this to be a very close game. TEXANS, 23-20
Sunday night
Green Bay Packers at Kansas City Chiefs: The Pack hope to make it a sweep by the NFC North, but the Chiefs are not going to make that easy. The absence of Patrick Mahomes, though, gives the Pack the edge. PACKERS, 24-20
Monday Night Football
Miami Dolphins at Pittsburgh Steelers: The winless Dolphins should hand an easy victory to the struggling Steelers. STEELERS, 27-13
Power Rankings [Last week's rank]
1. New England Patriots (7-0) [1]
2. San Francisco 49ers (6-0) [2]
3. Green Bay Packers (6-1) [3]
4. Minnesota Vikings (5-2) [5]
5. Baltimore Ravens (5-2) [6]
6. Kansas City Chiefs (5-2) [10]
7. Buffalo Bills (5-1) [7]
8. Carolina Panthers (4-2) [8]
9. Dallas Cowboys (4-3) [13]
10. New Orleans Saints (6-1) [17]
11. Los Angeles Rams (4-3) [14]
12. Houston Texans (4-3) [9]
Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]
1. NFC North [1] : Detroit gives the division their first losing record since early in the season
2. NFC West [2] : Big wins by San Fran and the Rams offset a Seattle upset. This is now the only division without a losing team.
3. AFC South [4] : Only the Jags have a negative margin of victory, and it's only down by 4. They can get on the positive side this week against the Jets
4. NFC South [6] : A big win by the Saints and two byes actually helped this division
5. AFC East [5] : Having two of the best teams in the league doesn't help when you have two of the worst
6. AFC West [3] : KC is the only team with a winning record
7. AFC North [7] : Same situation as the AFC West, but Baltimore is the only team with a winning record
8. NFC East [8] : And here, Dallas is the only winning team
Thursday night
Washington Redskins at Minnesota Vikings: Another big loss for the Redskins. VIKINGS, 24-13
Sunday early games
Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints: The Cards winning streak dies at three as the Saints come marching in and roll over Arizona. SAINTS, 28-20
Cincinnati Bengals at Los Angeles Rams: It is almost hard to fathom how the talented Bengals could still be searching for their first win this late into the season, but it's true. RAMS, 27-20
Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts: Don't doubt Jacoby Brissett. He is leading the Colts well, and brought them to the AFC South lead. The Broncos defense might give them some trouble, but the Colts will prevail. COLTS, 21-17
Los Angeles Chargers at Chicago Bears: The Chargers are intimidated by tough defenses. That describes the Bears to a T. Watch the defense score a touchdown on a pick six. BEARS, 20-17
New York Giants at Detroit Lions: Detroit regains a winning record by blasting the improved but still struggling Giants. LIONS, 24-20
New York Jets at Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jags get on the winning side of margin of victory by pummeling the hapless Jets. JAGS, 23-13
Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills: With Dallas on a bye, it looks like a losing week for the NFC East. BILLS, 23-17
Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons: The Seahawks don't play well on the road, but the Falcons haven't been playing well anywhere. SEAHAWKS, 26-20
Tampa Bay Bucs at Tennessee Titans: The Titans even up their record as they outlast the clever but underachieving Bucs. TITANS, 24-20
Sunday late games
Carolina Panthers at San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers let their stiff defense stop the Panthers. 49ERS, 21-13
Cleveland Browns at New England Patriots: While I do not foresee a shutout, the Browns will be out of the game before halftime. PATRIOTS, 30-10
Oakland Raiders at Houston Texans: This should be an interesting game. On paper, the Texans should win this game easily. The Raiders can be tricky, though, and I expect this to be a very close game. TEXANS, 23-20
Sunday night
Green Bay Packers at Kansas City Chiefs: The Pack hope to make it a sweep by the NFC North, but the Chiefs are not going to make that easy. The absence of Patrick Mahomes, though, gives the Pack the edge. PACKERS, 24-20
Monday Night Football
Miami Dolphins at Pittsburgh Steelers: The winless Dolphins should hand an easy victory to the struggling Steelers. STEELERS, 27-13
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
NCAA Football Week 9 picks
Thurs Oct 24
#14 SMU Mustangs at Houston Cougars: The Cougars are having a down year, so the Mustangs should remain in the ranks of the unbeaten. SMU
Fri Oct 25
USC Trojans at Colorado Buffaloes: Amazingly, the Trojans have advanced to second place in the Pac-12 South. Colorado is at the bottom, so USC should continue to chase Utah for the division title. USC
Sat Oct 26
Top 25:
#7 Wisconsin Badgers at #1 Ohio State Buckeyes: Some national analysts are figuring that Ohio State is ripe for an upset, especially Wisconsin lost last week and are itching to erase that embarrassment. Those analysts just want Ohio State to lose because they fear an unbeaten Ohio State in the playoffs will win the National Championship. Ohio State has brutalized Wisconsin in their last four meetings, and one of those was a Big Ten Championship where Wisconsin came in unbeaten and Ohio State had a loss. That was one of the WORST Badgers losses in school history. This one won't be so bad, but the Buckeyes will be even better than Illinois in finding ways to overcome the Badgers vaulted defense. OHIO STATE
Arkansas Razorbacks at #2 Alabama Crimson Tide: Should be a pretty easy win for the Tide. ALABAMA
#3 Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan State Spartans: Talk about easy victories, the Nittany Lions should overwhelm the spotty Spartans. PENN STATE
#12 Auburn Tigers at #4 LSU Tigers: This one could be closer than expected! Usually a defensive arm-wrestle, LSU's offense should make it more interesting. They like passing, while a ground game is the heart of Auburn's offense. LSU should win, but I think Auburn will bridge the margin. LSU
Boston College Eagles at #5 Clemson Tigers: Wake Forest may be the only team remaining on their schedule that Clemson needs to fear, including their opponent in the ACC Championship Game. CLEMSON
#6 Oklahoma Sooners at Kansas State Wildcats: After an easy non-conference run, the Wildcats are finding it hard to win in the conference. This game will affirm that. OKLAHOMA
#8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at #18 Michigan Wolverines: Michigan likes to play Notre Dame tough, but their offense is still making too many mistakes to beat the Irish this year. NOTRE DAME
Washington State Cougars at #9 Oregon Ducks: Oregon is a tough opponent, while the Cougars have been slipping recently. OREGON
Cal Golden Bears at #13 Utah Utes: Cal has lost their punch, while Utah is unbeaten at home. That streak will continue. UTAH
Maryland Terrapins at #15 Minnesota Golden Gophers: The Gophers lead the West division, and by the time this game starts they'll know if they can take a two-game lead in the division. They'll hold that lead. MINNESOTA
#16 Iowa Hawkeyes at Northwestern Wildcats: Iowa finds themselves two games back from Minnesota and need to keep winning to keep pace. Fortunately they play division-trailer Northwestern for a nice win. IOWA
#17 Missouri Tigers at Kentucky Wildcats: The Tigers get back on the winning track with a strong win against Kentucky. MISSOURI
#19 Texas Longhorns at TCU Horned Frogs: Texas needs a strong win to keep pace with Baylor and Oklahoma. They should get it, as TCU doesn't quite have the punch they usually have. TEXAS
#23 UCF Golden Knights at Temple Owls: Temple is a good team, and they could surprise UCF. The Owls might even take a lead into halftime, but UCF will come out and pound out a win. UCF
Tulane Green Wave at #24 Navy Midshipmen: The best defense in the American Athletic Conference will hold back Tulane's offense to gain its sixth win. NAVY
#25 Appalachian State Mountaineers at South Alabama Jaguars: Let's see, the best team in the Sun Belt against the worst team in the Sun Belt. Easy pick. APPALACHIAN STATE
Big Ten:
Illinois Fighting Illini at Purdue Boilermakers: Can Illinois make it two in a row? If they aren't still tired from partying so much after their Homecoming upset, that improving offense should outscore the Boilermakers. ILLINOIS
Liberty Flames at Rutgers Scarlet Knights: Liberty is actually doing well, but they've played mostly lower tier Group of Five teams and FCS teams. Rutgers should prevail, but watch for the upset. RUTGERS
Indiana Hoosiers at Nebraska Cornhuskers: If this game were played in Bloomington, or on a neutral field, I'd pick Indiana. However, the Cornhuskers get an extra boost at home, which might just be enough to lift them past the Hoosiers. NEBRASKA
Other Games of Interest:
Nevada Wolf Pack at Wyoming Cowboys: It hasn't been a great season for Nevada, while the Cowboys are riding into contention for the Mountain division title. WYOMING
Oklahoma State Cowboys at Iowa State Cyclones: Unfortunately these Cowboys will have a tougher time as the Cyclones are chasing a conference title. IOWA STATE
Virginia Cavaliers at Louisville Cardinals: The Coastal division leading Cavs are looking to capture a division title, and they won't let the sporadically-upright Cardinals get in their way. VIRGINIA
Memphis Tigers at Tulsa Golden Hurricanes: The Hurricanes have blown themselves out. MEMPHIS
Arizona State Sun Devils at UCLA Bruins: UCLA has seen some recent success after being an early season flameout, but they aren't playing consistently well enough to beat this strong squad of Herm Edwards. ARIZONA STATE
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at UTEP Miners: The Miners are looking for their first conference win. Keep looking! LOUISIANA TECH
San Diego State Aztecs at UNLV Running Rebels: The Rebels are also looking for their first conference win, and will also find only another loss. SAN DIEGO STATE
#14 SMU Mustangs at Houston Cougars: The Cougars are having a down year, so the Mustangs should remain in the ranks of the unbeaten. SMU
Fri Oct 25
USC Trojans at Colorado Buffaloes: Amazingly, the Trojans have advanced to second place in the Pac-12 South. Colorado is at the bottom, so USC should continue to chase Utah for the division title. USC
Sat Oct 26
Top 25:
#7 Wisconsin Badgers at #1 Ohio State Buckeyes: Some national analysts are figuring that Ohio State is ripe for an upset, especially Wisconsin lost last week and are itching to erase that embarrassment. Those analysts just want Ohio State to lose because they fear an unbeaten Ohio State in the playoffs will win the National Championship. Ohio State has brutalized Wisconsin in their last four meetings, and one of those was a Big Ten Championship where Wisconsin came in unbeaten and Ohio State had a loss. That was one of the WORST Badgers losses in school history. This one won't be so bad, but the Buckeyes will be even better than Illinois in finding ways to overcome the Badgers vaulted defense. OHIO STATE
Arkansas Razorbacks at #2 Alabama Crimson Tide: Should be a pretty easy win for the Tide. ALABAMA
#3 Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan State Spartans: Talk about easy victories, the Nittany Lions should overwhelm the spotty Spartans. PENN STATE
#12 Auburn Tigers at #4 LSU Tigers: This one could be closer than expected! Usually a defensive arm-wrestle, LSU's offense should make it more interesting. They like passing, while a ground game is the heart of Auburn's offense. LSU should win, but I think Auburn will bridge the margin. LSU
Boston College Eagles at #5 Clemson Tigers: Wake Forest may be the only team remaining on their schedule that Clemson needs to fear, including their opponent in the ACC Championship Game. CLEMSON
#6 Oklahoma Sooners at Kansas State Wildcats: After an easy non-conference run, the Wildcats are finding it hard to win in the conference. This game will affirm that. OKLAHOMA
#8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at #18 Michigan Wolverines: Michigan likes to play Notre Dame tough, but their offense is still making too many mistakes to beat the Irish this year. NOTRE DAME
Washington State Cougars at #9 Oregon Ducks: Oregon is a tough opponent, while the Cougars have been slipping recently. OREGON
Cal Golden Bears at #13 Utah Utes: Cal has lost their punch, while Utah is unbeaten at home. That streak will continue. UTAH
Maryland Terrapins at #15 Minnesota Golden Gophers: The Gophers lead the West division, and by the time this game starts they'll know if they can take a two-game lead in the division. They'll hold that lead. MINNESOTA
#16 Iowa Hawkeyes at Northwestern Wildcats: Iowa finds themselves two games back from Minnesota and need to keep winning to keep pace. Fortunately they play division-trailer Northwestern for a nice win. IOWA
#17 Missouri Tigers at Kentucky Wildcats: The Tigers get back on the winning track with a strong win against Kentucky. MISSOURI
#19 Texas Longhorns at TCU Horned Frogs: Texas needs a strong win to keep pace with Baylor and Oklahoma. They should get it, as TCU doesn't quite have the punch they usually have. TEXAS
#23 UCF Golden Knights at Temple Owls: Temple is a good team, and they could surprise UCF. The Owls might even take a lead into halftime, but UCF will come out and pound out a win. UCF
Tulane Green Wave at #24 Navy Midshipmen: The best defense in the American Athletic Conference will hold back Tulane's offense to gain its sixth win. NAVY
#25 Appalachian State Mountaineers at South Alabama Jaguars: Let's see, the best team in the Sun Belt against the worst team in the Sun Belt. Easy pick. APPALACHIAN STATE
Big Ten:
Illinois Fighting Illini at Purdue Boilermakers: Can Illinois make it two in a row? If they aren't still tired from partying so much after their Homecoming upset, that improving offense should outscore the Boilermakers. ILLINOIS
Liberty Flames at Rutgers Scarlet Knights: Liberty is actually doing well, but they've played mostly lower tier Group of Five teams and FCS teams. Rutgers should prevail, but watch for the upset. RUTGERS
Indiana Hoosiers at Nebraska Cornhuskers: If this game were played in Bloomington, or on a neutral field, I'd pick Indiana. However, the Cornhuskers get an extra boost at home, which might just be enough to lift them past the Hoosiers. NEBRASKA
Other Games of Interest:
Nevada Wolf Pack at Wyoming Cowboys: It hasn't been a great season for Nevada, while the Cowboys are riding into contention for the Mountain division title. WYOMING
Oklahoma State Cowboys at Iowa State Cyclones: Unfortunately these Cowboys will have a tougher time as the Cyclones are chasing a conference title. IOWA STATE
Virginia Cavaliers at Louisville Cardinals: The Coastal division leading Cavs are looking to capture a division title, and they won't let the sporadically-upright Cardinals get in their way. VIRGINIA
Memphis Tigers at Tulsa Golden Hurricanes: The Hurricanes have blown themselves out. MEMPHIS
Arizona State Sun Devils at UCLA Bruins: UCLA has seen some recent success after being an early season flameout, but they aren't playing consistently well enough to beat this strong squad of Herm Edwards. ARIZONA STATE
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at UTEP Miners: The Miners are looking for their first conference win. Keep looking! LOUISIANA TECH
San Diego State Aztecs at UNLV Running Rebels: The Rebels are also looking for their first conference win, and will also find only another loss. SAN DIEGO STATE
Monday, October 21, 2019
NCAA Football 2019 Week 8 results
Upsets still plauged some of the same conferences, and we lost two more teams from the ranks of unbeaten. There could be more to follow this week.
Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (7-0) [1]
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-0) [2]
3. Penn State Nittany Lions (7-0) [3]
4. LSU Tigers (7-0) [6]
5. Clemson Tigers (7-0) [5]
6. Oklahoma Sooners (7-0) [7]
7. Wisconsin Badgers (6-1) [4]
8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-1) [8]
9. Oregon Ducks (6-1) [9]
10. Baylor Bears (7-0) [10]
11. Georgia Bulldogs (6-1) [11]
12. Auburn Tigers (6-1) [12]
13. Utah Utes (6-1) [15]
14. SMU Mustangs (7-0) [16]
15. Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-0) [18]
16. Iowa Hawkeyes (5-2) [19]
17. Missouri Tigers (5-2) [13]
18. Michigan Wolverines (5-2) [14]
19. Texas Longhorns (5-2) [20]
20. Florida Gators (7-1) [22]
21. UAB Blazers (6-1) [23]
22. Washington Huskies (5-3) [17]
23. UCF Golden Knights (5-2) [24]
24. Navy Midshipmen (5-1) [NR]
25. Appalachian State Mountaineers (6-0) [NR]
Dropped off: Boise State Broncos [#21], Tulane Green Wave [#25]
On the Edge: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (6-1), Memphis Tigers (6-1), San Diego State Aztecs (6-1), Cincinnati Bearcats (6-1), Wyoming Cowboys (5-2), Virginia Cavaliers (5-2)
Big Ten Report
There were a few surprises this week. Both Michigan and Purdue fought a lot harder than I expected. Maryland continued to struggle, allowing Indiana the chance to beat them. However, the clear surprise was Illinois. I figured they would beat the spread, but I had no idea that they would beat Wisconsin outright. They scored more points than any other team against the Badgers, which was quite an accomplishment.
Wisconsin's loss, and a likely second loss by facing Ohio State this week, certainly puts Minnesota in the driver's seat for winning the division. The Gophers will probably lose to Penn State, but they could beat Iowa. If they do that, they could certainly win the division, especially since they finish the season against Wisconsin.
In the East, Ohio State definitely holds the edge, especially since Penn State's last two games have been within seven points. If Penn State can avoid an upset against Minnesota, both of them should be unbeaten when they face each other. If that's true, that game will determine the divisional winner. The game is in Columbus, which benefits the Buckeyes.
Upset Watch
Upsets struck many conferences. The Big Ten faced it in Champaign. The Pac-12 was struck on Thursday when UCLA slaughtered Stanford. Boston College beat NC State to bring an upset to the ACC. Vanderbilt beat Missouri to bring an upset to the SEC, and it knocked the Tigers down in the Top 25. Army was surprisingly upended by Georgia State, and Boise State fell from the ranks of unbeaten, and the Top 25, by a shocking loss to BYU.
Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (7-0) [1]
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-0) [2]
3. Penn State Nittany Lions (7-0) [3]
4. LSU Tigers (7-0) [6]
5. Clemson Tigers (7-0) [5]
6. Oklahoma Sooners (7-0) [7]
7. Wisconsin Badgers (6-1) [4]
8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-1) [8]
9. Oregon Ducks (6-1) [9]
10. Baylor Bears (7-0) [10]
11. Georgia Bulldogs (6-1) [11]
12. Auburn Tigers (6-1) [12]
13. Utah Utes (6-1) [15]
14. SMU Mustangs (7-0) [16]
15. Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-0) [18]
16. Iowa Hawkeyes (5-2) [19]
17. Missouri Tigers (5-2) [13]
18. Michigan Wolverines (5-2) [14]
19. Texas Longhorns (5-2) [20]
20. Florida Gators (7-1) [22]
21. UAB Blazers (6-1) [23]
22. Washington Huskies (5-3) [17]
23. UCF Golden Knights (5-2) [24]
24. Navy Midshipmen (5-1) [NR]
25. Appalachian State Mountaineers (6-0) [NR]
Dropped off: Boise State Broncos [#21], Tulane Green Wave [#25]
On the Edge: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (6-1), Memphis Tigers (6-1), San Diego State Aztecs (6-1), Cincinnati Bearcats (6-1), Wyoming Cowboys (5-2), Virginia Cavaliers (5-2)
Big Ten Report
There were a few surprises this week. Both Michigan and Purdue fought a lot harder than I expected. Maryland continued to struggle, allowing Indiana the chance to beat them. However, the clear surprise was Illinois. I figured they would beat the spread, but I had no idea that they would beat Wisconsin outright. They scored more points than any other team against the Badgers, which was quite an accomplishment.
Wisconsin's loss, and a likely second loss by facing Ohio State this week, certainly puts Minnesota in the driver's seat for winning the division. The Gophers will probably lose to Penn State, but they could beat Iowa. If they do that, they could certainly win the division, especially since they finish the season against Wisconsin.
In the East, Ohio State definitely holds the edge, especially since Penn State's last two games have been within seven points. If Penn State can avoid an upset against Minnesota, both of them should be unbeaten when they face each other. If that's true, that game will determine the divisional winner. The game is in Columbus, which benefits the Buckeyes.
Upset Watch
Upsets struck many conferences. The Big Ten faced it in Champaign. The Pac-12 was struck on Thursday when UCLA slaughtered Stanford. Boston College beat NC State to bring an upset to the ACC. Vanderbilt beat Missouri to bring an upset to the SEC, and it knocked the Tigers down in the Top 25. Army was surprisingly upended by Georgia State, and Boise State fell from the ranks of unbeaten, and the Top 25, by a shocking loss to BYU.
Thursday, October 17, 2019
NFL 2019 Week 6 results and Week 7 picks
Some interesting results as former power teams suffered their second (and in one case, third) loss in a row. The Jets and Redskins won their first game of the season, leaving the same number of winless teams as unbeaten teams (two).
Power Rankings [Last week's rank]
1. New England Patriots (6-0) [1]
2. San Francisco 49ers (5-0) [2]
3. Green Bay Packers (5-1) [4]
4. Seattle Seahawks (5-1) [5]
5. Minnesota Vikings (4-2) [8]
6. Baltimore Ravens (4-2) [6]
7. Buffalo Bills (4-1) [7]
8. Carolina Panthers (4-2) [11]
9. Houston Texans (4-2) [12]
10. Kansas City Chiefs (4-2) [3]
11. New Orleans Saints (5-1) [17]
12. Chicago Bears (3-2) [13]
Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]
1. NFC North [1] : Remains the only division without a losing team
2. NFC West [2] : The Rams lost again, but Arizona is looking better. A win by the Cards and Rams this week would ensure that this division doesn't have a team with a losing record either.
3. AFC West [3] : The Chiefs lost again, and the Chargers are falling, but the division is still solid
4. AFC South [4] : Tennessee is showing cracks, but the rest of the division holds their own
5. AFC East [6] : The Jets win helps, and the Fins only lost by one point
6. NFC South [7] : The Falcons hurt them and the Bucs are underachievers
7. AFC North [8] : Baltimore is the only team with a winning record
8. NFC East [5] : Washington's first win was the ONLY win for the division this week
Thursday night
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos: The Chiefs should return to winning ways against the Broncos, but their high-powered offense has to step it up, as it has evaporated the past couple of weeks. CHIEFS, 24-20
Sunday early games
Arizona Cardinals at New York Giants: Daniel Jones has given the Giants a spark. Yes, they lost last week, but they faced the mighty Patriots. Jameis Winston is too inconsistent to have much faith, but the rest of the Cards can be sneaky. I think the Giants will lead most of the game, but give up a late score. If that score doesn't happen, the Giants will win. CARDS, 23-20
Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts: Nobody is denying the capability of Jacoby Brissett now, although he has a tough challenge against the Texans. Certainly Deshaun Watson continues to impress, and the Texans defense is capable of shutting down the Colts. TEXANS, 27-23
Jacksonville Jaguars at Cincinnati Bengals: In most years, this would be an obvious Bengals pick. This year, the Bengals can't get it together enough to beat even a defensively-challenged team like the Jags. JAGUARS, 23-17
Los Angeles Rams at Atlanta Falcons: The Rams should win this game easily, but I'm not sure a win here will help their Power Ranking much, given the Falcons' collapse this season. RAMS, 28-23
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills: The Fins will keep searching for that elusive first win as the Bills register the largest margin of victory of the week. BILLS, 27-10
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions: The Lions become the first team with a losing record in the NFC North as they fall to the surging Vikings. VIKINGS, 24-20
Oakland Raiders at Green Bay Packers: The Pack continue to roll as they take advantage of a season with few injuries, a rarity with them. PACKERS, 27-20
San Francisco 49ers at Washington Redskins: The Redskins won't make it two in a row. 49ERS, 27-13
Sunday late games
Baltimore Ravens at Seattle Seahawks: If this game were in Baltimore, I'd pick it differently. Seattle is tough at home, and the Seahawks are riding a strong offense this season. Baltimore's defense is down a bit, and that will hurt them here. SEAHAWKS, 23-20
Los Angeles Chargers at Tennessee Titans: Both teams are 2-4 with very similar margins of victory. This will be a close game, and close games tend to favor the stronger defense. That's Tennessee. TITANS, 23-20
New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears: The Saints should win this game, but the Chicago defense is very tough. Hands down the Saints have the better offense, but that offense has taken a step back without Drew Brees. His absence gives the Bears the chance for the upset. BEARS, 17-16
Sunday night
Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys: The Boys defense will help them get back on the winning track, as will a strong game by Ezekial Elliot. COWBOYS, 27-23
Monday Night Football
New England Patriots at New York Jets: Sam Darnold is back, but the Pats pass rush will put him on his back. PATRIOTS, 31-16
Power Rankings [Last week's rank]
1. New England Patriots (6-0) [1]
2. San Francisco 49ers (5-0) [2]
3. Green Bay Packers (5-1) [4]
4. Seattle Seahawks (5-1) [5]
5. Minnesota Vikings (4-2) [8]
6. Baltimore Ravens (4-2) [6]
7. Buffalo Bills (4-1) [7]
8. Carolina Panthers (4-2) [11]
9. Houston Texans (4-2) [12]
10. Kansas City Chiefs (4-2) [3]
11. New Orleans Saints (5-1) [17]
12. Chicago Bears (3-2) [13]
Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]
1. NFC North [1] : Remains the only division without a losing team
2. NFC West [2] : The Rams lost again, but Arizona is looking better. A win by the Cards and Rams this week would ensure that this division doesn't have a team with a losing record either.
3. AFC West [3] : The Chiefs lost again, and the Chargers are falling, but the division is still solid
4. AFC South [4] : Tennessee is showing cracks, but the rest of the division holds their own
5. AFC East [6] : The Jets win helps, and the Fins only lost by one point
6. NFC South [7] : The Falcons hurt them and the Bucs are underachievers
7. AFC North [8] : Baltimore is the only team with a winning record
8. NFC East [5] : Washington's first win was the ONLY win for the division this week
Thursday night
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos: The Chiefs should return to winning ways against the Broncos, but their high-powered offense has to step it up, as it has evaporated the past couple of weeks. CHIEFS, 24-20
Sunday early games
Arizona Cardinals at New York Giants: Daniel Jones has given the Giants a spark. Yes, they lost last week, but they faced the mighty Patriots. Jameis Winston is too inconsistent to have much faith, but the rest of the Cards can be sneaky. I think the Giants will lead most of the game, but give up a late score. If that score doesn't happen, the Giants will win. CARDS, 23-20
Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts: Nobody is denying the capability of Jacoby Brissett now, although he has a tough challenge against the Texans. Certainly Deshaun Watson continues to impress, and the Texans defense is capable of shutting down the Colts. TEXANS, 27-23
Jacksonville Jaguars at Cincinnati Bengals: In most years, this would be an obvious Bengals pick. This year, the Bengals can't get it together enough to beat even a defensively-challenged team like the Jags. JAGUARS, 23-17
Los Angeles Rams at Atlanta Falcons: The Rams should win this game easily, but I'm not sure a win here will help their Power Ranking much, given the Falcons' collapse this season. RAMS, 28-23
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills: The Fins will keep searching for that elusive first win as the Bills register the largest margin of victory of the week. BILLS, 27-10
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions: The Lions become the first team with a losing record in the NFC North as they fall to the surging Vikings. VIKINGS, 24-20
Oakland Raiders at Green Bay Packers: The Pack continue to roll as they take advantage of a season with few injuries, a rarity with them. PACKERS, 27-20
San Francisco 49ers at Washington Redskins: The Redskins won't make it two in a row. 49ERS, 27-13
Sunday late games
Baltimore Ravens at Seattle Seahawks: If this game were in Baltimore, I'd pick it differently. Seattle is tough at home, and the Seahawks are riding a strong offense this season. Baltimore's defense is down a bit, and that will hurt them here. SEAHAWKS, 23-20
Los Angeles Chargers at Tennessee Titans: Both teams are 2-4 with very similar margins of victory. This will be a close game, and close games tend to favor the stronger defense. That's Tennessee. TITANS, 23-20
New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears: The Saints should win this game, but the Chicago defense is very tough. Hands down the Saints have the better offense, but that offense has taken a step back without Drew Brees. His absence gives the Bears the chance for the upset. BEARS, 17-16
Sunday night
Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys: The Boys defense will help them get back on the winning track, as will a strong game by Ezekial Elliot. COWBOYS, 27-23
Monday Night Football
New England Patriots at New York Jets: Sam Darnold is back, but the Pats pass rush will put him on his back. PATRIOTS, 31-16
Monday, October 14, 2019
NCAA Football 2019 Week 8 picks
Thurs Oct 17
UCLA Bruins at Stanford Cardinal : Neither team is playing up to their normal standards, but at least Stanford has been close sometimes this season. UCLA has just been atrocious. STANFORD
Fri Oct 18
Pitt Panthers at Syracuse Orange : An intense rivalry here, and those games are always unpredictable. Syracuse has been sloppy after a strong non-conference start, while Pitt has been looking decent. I'll pick Pitt, but don't be surprised if the Orange get up for this game. PITT
#1 Ohio State Buckeyes at Northwestern Wildcats : The Wildcats can sometimes surprise, but this Buckeyes team has shown they can take surprises and turn them into advantages. OHIO STATE
Sat Oct 19
Top 25:
Tennessee Volunteers at #2 Alabama Crimson Tide : This has not been a great year for Tennessee. This will just exemplify that. ALABAMA big
#14 Michigan Wolverines at #3 Penn State Nittany Lions : If Michigan can't stop making mistakes on offense, Penn State is going to turn those mistakes into points. I figure the defense will be responsible for at least 17 points for the Nittany Lions in what is likely to be a fairly one-sided affair. PENN STATE
#4 Wisconsin Badgers at Illinois Fighting Illini: Oh, I can't look! After what Wisconsin did to Michigan State last week, can a FIFTH shut-out be the result? I hope not, but an Illinois upset is definitely not happening! WISCONSIN
#5 Clemson Tigers at Louisville Cardinals : Louisville has allowed conference opponents more points than they've scored. That gap will get bigger after this game. CLEMSON
#6 LSU Tigers at Mississippi State Bulldogs : Prior to last week, I might have considered an upset possibility here. Not so now. LSU
West Virginia Mountaineers at #7 Oklahoma Sooners : If they can prevent a letdown after winning the Red River Rivalry, the Sooners should win easily here. OKLAHOMA
#9 Oregon Ducks at #17 Washington Huskies : Washington should play the Ducks pretty tough, but I don't think they'll play tough enough to get the upset. OREGON
#10 Baylor Bears at Oklahoma State Cowboys : Now HERE'S a potential upset. Despite two losses the Cowboys are still a very dangerous team. I'll pick the favorite, but watch out for the Cowboys! BAYLOR
Kentucky Wildcats at #11 Georgia Bulldogs : Georgia should bounce back nicely from their loss last week. GEORGIA
#12 Auburn Tigers at Arkansas Razorbacks : I don't think Auburn needed an extra week to prepare for the struggling Razorbacks. AUBURN
#13 Missouri Tigers at Vanderbilt Commodores : Missouri should roll here, maintaining their lead in the SEC East. MISSOURI
Arizona State Sun Devils at #15 Utah Utes : The Pac-12 has experienced more upsets this season than any other conference, and this one has the makings of the next one. The Sun Devils can be tricky, and should not be underestimated. I'll favor the offensive firepower of Utah, but this one could really go either way. UTAH
Temple Owls at #16 SMU Mustangs : Temple already knocked off one unbeaten team in Memphis. Can they make it two in a row? They are strong enough, but the extra week of prep could help SMU. SMU
#18 Minnesota Golden Gophers at Rutgers Scarlet Knights : Getting to 7-0 won't be difficult for the Gophers. MINNESOTA
Purdue Boilermakers at #19 Iowa Hawkeyes : Purdue ran off an offensive showcase last week against Maryland, but I don't think they'll do that against one of the toughest defenses in the country. Since Purdue's defense isn't so great, Iowa will score enough to put this away in the third quarter. IOWA
Kansas Jayhawks at #20 Texas Longhorns : Texas gets a great chance to bounce back from last week's loss by beating up on the Jayhawks. TEXAS
#21 Boise State Broncos at BYU Cougars : BYU isn't much of a threat this season. BOISE STATE
#22 Florida Gators at South Carolina Gamecocks : After last week's upset, Florida has to be concerned about coming to Columbia to face the currently hot Gamecocks. This could be a second consecutive upset for South Carolina, but that doesn't happen often, even in the SEC, so I won't pick it. Watch for it, though. FLORIDA
Old Dominion Monarchs at #23 UAB Blazers : Old Dominion isn't much of a threat this season. UAB gets a strong win. UAB
East Carolina Pirates at #24 UCF Golden Knights : East Carolina, normally a strong defensive team, is struggling this year. UCF gets a nice "bounce back" win. UCF
#25 Tulane Green Wave at Memphis Tigers : Tulane gets Memphis at just the wrong time! The Tigers want a strong win to erase the sting of their loss to Temple last week, and Tulane stands in the way. Tulane is a strong team, but Memphis is determined. I'm sorry, Green Wave, this seems ripe for an upset. MEMPHIS
Big Ten:
Indiana Hoosiers at Maryland Terrapins : Maryland wants to bounce back from last week's embarrassment against Purdue, but Indiana can be a tough team. Maryland can be tough when they want to be (just ask Texas), and they want to be this week. MARYLAND
Other Games of Interest:
Iowa State Cyclones at Texas Tech Red Raiders : Another potential upset, but I think the Cyclones have an advantage, as the Raiders got beat up a bit last week. IOWA STATE
New Mexico Lobos at Wyoming Cowboys : New Mexico is one of the worst teams in the Mountain West. Wyoming will prove it. WYOMING
Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Cincinnati Bearcats : Cincy will get another strong win as they battle Temple for lead of the American East division. CINCINNATI
UL Monroe Indians at Appalachian State Mountaineers : The Mountaineers continue their unbeaten streak by slaughtering the Indians (no political overtones intended). APPALACHIAN STATE
South Florida Bulls at Navy Midshipmen : The Bulls are another traditionally strong defensive team having a rough year. Their line will be stretched by Navy, opening up plenty of holes for their runners. NAVY
Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs : A win here would make the Bulldogs the only team in Conference USA West with an unbeaten conference record. They should get it. LOUISIANA TECH
San Diego State Aztecs at San Jose State Spartans : A strong defense by the Aztecs is making up for a struggling offense. The Spartans are struggling everywhere, so that defense will seal another win. SAN DIEGO STATE
UCLA Bruins at Stanford Cardinal : Neither team is playing up to their normal standards, but at least Stanford has been close sometimes this season. UCLA has just been atrocious. STANFORD
Fri Oct 18
Pitt Panthers at Syracuse Orange : An intense rivalry here, and those games are always unpredictable. Syracuse has been sloppy after a strong non-conference start, while Pitt has been looking decent. I'll pick Pitt, but don't be surprised if the Orange get up for this game. PITT
#1 Ohio State Buckeyes at Northwestern Wildcats : The Wildcats can sometimes surprise, but this Buckeyes team has shown they can take surprises and turn them into advantages. OHIO STATE
Sat Oct 19
Top 25:
Tennessee Volunteers at #2 Alabama Crimson Tide : This has not been a great year for Tennessee. This will just exemplify that. ALABAMA big
#14 Michigan Wolverines at #3 Penn State Nittany Lions : If Michigan can't stop making mistakes on offense, Penn State is going to turn those mistakes into points. I figure the defense will be responsible for at least 17 points for the Nittany Lions in what is likely to be a fairly one-sided affair. PENN STATE
#4 Wisconsin Badgers at Illinois Fighting Illini: Oh, I can't look! After what Wisconsin did to Michigan State last week, can a FIFTH shut-out be the result? I hope not, but an Illinois upset is definitely not happening! WISCONSIN
#5 Clemson Tigers at Louisville Cardinals : Louisville has allowed conference opponents more points than they've scored. That gap will get bigger after this game. CLEMSON
#6 LSU Tigers at Mississippi State Bulldogs : Prior to last week, I might have considered an upset possibility here. Not so now. LSU
West Virginia Mountaineers at #7 Oklahoma Sooners : If they can prevent a letdown after winning the Red River Rivalry, the Sooners should win easily here. OKLAHOMA
#9 Oregon Ducks at #17 Washington Huskies : Washington should play the Ducks pretty tough, but I don't think they'll play tough enough to get the upset. OREGON
#10 Baylor Bears at Oklahoma State Cowboys : Now HERE'S a potential upset. Despite two losses the Cowboys are still a very dangerous team. I'll pick the favorite, but watch out for the Cowboys! BAYLOR
Kentucky Wildcats at #11 Georgia Bulldogs : Georgia should bounce back nicely from their loss last week. GEORGIA
#12 Auburn Tigers at Arkansas Razorbacks : I don't think Auburn needed an extra week to prepare for the struggling Razorbacks. AUBURN
#13 Missouri Tigers at Vanderbilt Commodores : Missouri should roll here, maintaining their lead in the SEC East. MISSOURI
Arizona State Sun Devils at #15 Utah Utes : The Pac-12 has experienced more upsets this season than any other conference, and this one has the makings of the next one. The Sun Devils can be tricky, and should not be underestimated. I'll favor the offensive firepower of Utah, but this one could really go either way. UTAH
Temple Owls at #16 SMU Mustangs : Temple already knocked off one unbeaten team in Memphis. Can they make it two in a row? They are strong enough, but the extra week of prep could help SMU. SMU
#18 Minnesota Golden Gophers at Rutgers Scarlet Knights : Getting to 7-0 won't be difficult for the Gophers. MINNESOTA
Purdue Boilermakers at #19 Iowa Hawkeyes : Purdue ran off an offensive showcase last week against Maryland, but I don't think they'll do that against one of the toughest defenses in the country. Since Purdue's defense isn't so great, Iowa will score enough to put this away in the third quarter. IOWA
Kansas Jayhawks at #20 Texas Longhorns : Texas gets a great chance to bounce back from last week's loss by beating up on the Jayhawks. TEXAS
#21 Boise State Broncos at BYU Cougars : BYU isn't much of a threat this season. BOISE STATE
#22 Florida Gators at South Carolina Gamecocks : After last week's upset, Florida has to be concerned about coming to Columbia to face the currently hot Gamecocks. This could be a second consecutive upset for South Carolina, but that doesn't happen often, even in the SEC, so I won't pick it. Watch for it, though. FLORIDA
Old Dominion Monarchs at #23 UAB Blazers : Old Dominion isn't much of a threat this season. UAB gets a strong win. UAB
East Carolina Pirates at #24 UCF Golden Knights : East Carolina, normally a strong defensive team, is struggling this year. UCF gets a nice "bounce back" win. UCF
#25 Tulane Green Wave at Memphis Tigers : Tulane gets Memphis at just the wrong time! The Tigers want a strong win to erase the sting of their loss to Temple last week, and Tulane stands in the way. Tulane is a strong team, but Memphis is determined. I'm sorry, Green Wave, this seems ripe for an upset. MEMPHIS
Big Ten:
Indiana Hoosiers at Maryland Terrapins : Maryland wants to bounce back from last week's embarrassment against Purdue, but Indiana can be a tough team. Maryland can be tough when they want to be (just ask Texas), and they want to be this week. MARYLAND
Other Games of Interest:
Iowa State Cyclones at Texas Tech Red Raiders : Another potential upset, but I think the Cyclones have an advantage, as the Raiders got beat up a bit last week. IOWA STATE
New Mexico Lobos at Wyoming Cowboys : New Mexico is one of the worst teams in the Mountain West. Wyoming will prove it. WYOMING
Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Cincinnati Bearcats : Cincy will get another strong win as they battle Temple for lead of the American East division. CINCINNATI
UL Monroe Indians at Appalachian State Mountaineers : The Mountaineers continue their unbeaten streak by slaughtering the Indians (no political overtones intended). APPALACHIAN STATE
South Florida Bulls at Navy Midshipmen : The Bulls are another traditionally strong defensive team having a rough year. Their line will be stretched by Navy, opening up plenty of holes for their runners. NAVY
Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs : A win here would make the Bulldogs the only team in Conference USA West with an unbeaten conference record. They should get it. LOUISIANA TECH
San Diego State Aztecs at San Jose State Spartans : A strong defense by the Aztecs is making up for a struggling offense. The Spartans are struggling everywhere, so that defense will seal another win. SAN DIEGO STATE
Sunday, October 13, 2019
NCAA Football 2019 Week 7 results
Four teams fell from the ranks of unbeaten this week, leaving us with 12 teams. A full third of them, four teams, come from the Big Ten. SEC and Big XII contribute two teams each, and Clemson is the only other unbeaten from a Power 5 conference. Given schedules, we know at least five of these teams will lose at some point, as they play other unbeaten teams. It gets interesting.
Before I reveal my Top 25, I want to say something about Florida. I am sure I am going to get comments on dropping Florida all the way down to #22. After all, until late in the fourth quarter, weren't they playing LSU close? That is true, but until the two games before LSU, Florida looked lethargic. Furthermore, most of LSU's drives that did not result in touchdowns were due to LSU, not the vaulted Florida defense. That defense did not really show up. The Gators scored 28 points, but they aren't the first team to score that much against LSU this season. It shows that the Tigers defense has gotten a little lax as the team has focused on their new offense.
Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0) [1]
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-0) [2]
3. Penn State Nittany Lions (6-0) [3]
4. Wisconsin Badgers (6-0) [4]
5. Clemson Tigers (6-0) [5]
6. LSU Tigers (6-0) [6]
7. Oklahoma Sooners (6-0) [8]
8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-1) [9]
9. Oregon Ducks (5-1) [10]
10. Baylor Bears (6-0) [12]
11. Georgia Bulldogs (5-1) [7]
12. Auburn Tigers (5-1) [14]
13. Missouri Tigers (5-1) [17]
14. Michigan Wolverines (5-1) [15]
15. Utah Utes (5-1) [18]
16. SMU Mustangs (6-0) [16]
17. Washington Huskies (5-2) [20]
18. Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-0) [25]
19. Iowa Hawkeyes (4-2) [19]
20. Texas Longhorns (4-2) [13]
21. Boise State Broncos (6-0) [23]
22. Florida Gators (5-1) [11]
23. UAB Blazers (5-1) [NR]
24. UCF Golden Knights (4-2) [24]
25. Tulane Green Wave (5-1) [NR]
Dropped off: Wake Forest Demon Deacons [#21], Michigan State Spartans [#22]
On the Edge: Arizona State Sun Devils (5-1), Navy Midshipmen (4-1), Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (5-1), San Diego State Aztecs (5-1), Appalachian State Mountaineers (5-0), Cincinnati Bearcats (5-1), Wyoming Cowboys (4-2)
Big Ten Report
Things went pretty much as expected, including the fact that Penn State v Iowa would be a defensive battle. Purdue surprised Maryland (and me) by not only beating them, but slaughtering them. The Boilermakers found an offense. If they can keep it around, they might make some waves in the conference. Michigan maintained an offense, but they are still making mistakes, ones that Illinois exploited into points.
Wisconsin is establishing themselves as a defensive juggernaut. They notched their fourth shut-out of the season, this time against a ranked team. That defense, combined with their opposing-defense-exhausting pound-it-out ground game, certainly makes Wisconsin the favorite to win their division, and perhaps even frustrate conference favorite Ohio State.
Of course, Wisconsin's greatest challenge to the division title is the surprising Minnesota Golden Gophers. Granted, they have benefited from a great schedule where their early conference games were against relatively weak teams. In fact, the Gophers are likely to go 8-0 before they host Penn State. Still, you cannot doubt that Minnesota has power, and they know how to use it.
Upset Watch
The upsets began on Friday, as ACC Coastal division leading Virginia fell to Miami. The turnover chains came back out as the Hurricanes had a ferocious defensive stand. Defense was the mainstay of Tennessee's upset over Mississippi State. Defense was a factor in Georgia's surprising loss, but the Bulldogs were hurt more by some poor decisions on the part of QB Jake Fromm.
Defense was somewhat the issue in Wake Forest's first loss of the season, but it was the LACK of one. Wake couldn't stop Louisville at all, and fell short in a 121-point showcase when the Demon Deacons were engineering a great fourth quarter comeback.
Texas Tech nearly had an upset over Baylor, which would have given the Bears their first loss of the season. Tech failed to prevent Baylor from getting into position for a game-winning last-minute field goal that sent the game to overtime, and then failed to score in the second overtime to hold back Baylor.
Before I reveal my Top 25, I want to say something about Florida. I am sure I am going to get comments on dropping Florida all the way down to #22. After all, until late in the fourth quarter, weren't they playing LSU close? That is true, but until the two games before LSU, Florida looked lethargic. Furthermore, most of LSU's drives that did not result in touchdowns were due to LSU, not the vaulted Florida defense. That defense did not really show up. The Gators scored 28 points, but they aren't the first team to score that much against LSU this season. It shows that the Tigers defense has gotten a little lax as the team has focused on their new offense.
Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0) [1]
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-0) [2]
3. Penn State Nittany Lions (6-0) [3]
4. Wisconsin Badgers (6-0) [4]
5. Clemson Tigers (6-0) [5]
6. LSU Tigers (6-0) [6]
7. Oklahoma Sooners (6-0) [8]
8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-1) [9]
9. Oregon Ducks (5-1) [10]
10. Baylor Bears (6-0) [12]
11. Georgia Bulldogs (5-1) [7]
12. Auburn Tigers (5-1) [14]
13. Missouri Tigers (5-1) [17]
14. Michigan Wolverines (5-1) [15]
15. Utah Utes (5-1) [18]
16. SMU Mustangs (6-0) [16]
17. Washington Huskies (5-2) [20]
18. Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-0) [25]
19. Iowa Hawkeyes (4-2) [19]
20. Texas Longhorns (4-2) [13]
21. Boise State Broncos (6-0) [23]
22. Florida Gators (5-1) [11]
23. UAB Blazers (5-1) [NR]
24. UCF Golden Knights (4-2) [24]
25. Tulane Green Wave (5-1) [NR]
Dropped off: Wake Forest Demon Deacons [#21], Michigan State Spartans [#22]
On the Edge: Arizona State Sun Devils (5-1), Navy Midshipmen (4-1), Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (5-1), San Diego State Aztecs (5-1), Appalachian State Mountaineers (5-0), Cincinnati Bearcats (5-1), Wyoming Cowboys (4-2)
Big Ten Report
Things went pretty much as expected, including the fact that Penn State v Iowa would be a defensive battle. Purdue surprised Maryland (and me) by not only beating them, but slaughtering them. The Boilermakers found an offense. If they can keep it around, they might make some waves in the conference. Michigan maintained an offense, but they are still making mistakes, ones that Illinois exploited into points.
Wisconsin is establishing themselves as a defensive juggernaut. They notched their fourth shut-out of the season, this time against a ranked team. That defense, combined with their opposing-defense-exhausting pound-it-out ground game, certainly makes Wisconsin the favorite to win their division, and perhaps even frustrate conference favorite Ohio State.
Of course, Wisconsin's greatest challenge to the division title is the surprising Minnesota Golden Gophers. Granted, they have benefited from a great schedule where their early conference games were against relatively weak teams. In fact, the Gophers are likely to go 8-0 before they host Penn State. Still, you cannot doubt that Minnesota has power, and they know how to use it.
Upset Watch
The upsets began on Friday, as ACC Coastal division leading Virginia fell to Miami. The turnover chains came back out as the Hurricanes had a ferocious defensive stand. Defense was the mainstay of Tennessee's upset over Mississippi State. Defense was a factor in Georgia's surprising loss, but the Bulldogs were hurt more by some poor decisions on the part of QB Jake Fromm.
Defense was somewhat the issue in Wake Forest's first loss of the season, but it was the LACK of one. Wake couldn't stop Louisville at all, and fell short in a 121-point showcase when the Demon Deacons were engineering a great fourth quarter comeback.
Texas Tech nearly had an upset over Baylor, which would have given the Bears their first loss of the season. Tech failed to prevent Baylor from getting into position for a game-winning last-minute field goal that sent the game to overtime, and then failed to score in the second overtime to hold back Baylor.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
NFL 2019 Week 5 results and Week 6 picks
Visiting teams continue to dominate each week, and we had some shocking results this week. Green Bay beat Dallas and Kansas City fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, leaving just New England and San Francisco. Arizona and Denver won their first games, leaving just four winless teams. The Power Rankings shifted dramatically, so let's start there.
Power Rankings [Last week's rank]
1. New England Patriots (5-0) [1] : Don't count on them relinguishing the top!
2. San Francisco 49ers (4-0) [3]
3. Kansas City Chiefs (4-1) [2]
4. Green Bay Packers (4-1) [8]
5. Seattle Seahawks (4-1) [6]
6. Baltimore Ravens (3-2) [10]
7. Buffalo Bills (4-1) [7]
8. Minnesota Vikings (3-2) [11]
9. Dallas Cowboys (3-2) [4]
10. Philadelphia Eagles (3-2) [NR]
11. Carolina Panthers (3-2) [13]
12. Houston Texans (3-2) [15]
Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]
1. NFC North [1] : Still the only division without a losing team, and all of their teams are in the upper half of the league
2. NFC West [2] : Rams lost but the Cards won, as did Seattle and San Fran
3. AFC West [4] : Steadily moving up despite losses by KC and the Chargers
4. AFC South [3] : All four teams are clustered around the middle of the league's power rankings
5. NFC East [6] : Three teams lost this week, but Philly's boost into the Top Ten helped alot
6. AFC East [5] : Miami and the Jets are dragging this division down despite the efforts of the Pats and Bills
7. NFC South [7] : Atlanta is really dragging them down
8. AFC North [8] : One team with a winning record is not a great sign for the one mighty division
Thursday night
New York Giants at New England Patriots: The Pats are slaughtering every team they face, and the Giants will be no exception. PATS, 31-10
Sunday morning
Carolina Panthers v Tampa Bay Bucs: The Bucs will keep this game close, but the Panthers just have too much talent to be held down for four quarters. PANTHERS, 28-24
Sunday early games
Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens: The Bengals are searching for their first win. Keep searching. RAVENS, 27-16
Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs: Last week was a wake-up call to the Chiefs. They realized that they cannot get overconfident and assume their offense will drive the ball. Watch that offense return this week. CHIEFS, 28-24
New Orleans Saints at Jacksonville Jaguars: The Saints scored some touchdowns last week, something they couldn't do the week before, and they'll score a bunch against the Jags. SAINTS, 28-23
Philadelphia Eagles at Minnesota Vikings: Ooh, this game should be interesting. We have two with talented offenses, both coming off strong victories over New York teams. Home field hasn't meant much this season, so the Vikings don't really have an advantage from that. They do have an advantage with a stingier defense, which should make the difference in this close game. VIKINGS, 23-17
Seattle Seahawks at Cleveland Browns: The hype is dead, and the Browns are true to form. SEAHAWKS, 23-17
Washington Redskins at Miami Dolphins: Well, one of these teams will have their first victory of the season. The Dolphins are atrocious both offensively and defensively. The Redskins aren't much better, but they are better. REDSKINS, 23-13
Sunday late games
Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals: Like the Redskins v Miami, we have two poor one-loss teams going at it. Atlanta has really slipped, while the Cards have shown flashes of competence. I think we'll see another flash. CARDINALS, 27-24
Dallas Cowboys at New York Jets: The Cowboys want a strong game to bounce back from their loss to the Pack last week. Beating up on the pathetic Jets seems a great way to accomplish that. COWBOYS, 27-13
San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams: The Rams are reeling, having already suffered two losses. I think San Fran will make it three. 49ERS, 27-20
Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos: The Broncos won their first game of the season last season! They should savor that, as I don't see them getting their second one here. TITANS, 20-13
Sunday night
Pittsburgh Steelers at Los Angeles Chargers: The Chargers offense hasn't been too effective of late, but their defense is imposing. That will be enough to win, as the Steelers offense is already struggling, and a strong defense will just make that harder. CHARGERS, 23-13
Monday Night Football
Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers: This divisional clash is more interesting because each team has only one loss. Basically, the two top teams in the division are squaring off. The Packers have the stronger team, but the Lions have a great record against the Pack in the last three years. Unfortunately that record was achieved against mostly backup offensive players replacing injured Packers. Now the Packers have mostly their starting offense. That doesn't seem to bode well for the Lions. PACKERS, 24-17
Power Rankings [Last week's rank]
1. New England Patriots (5-0) [1] : Don't count on them relinguishing the top!
2. San Francisco 49ers (4-0) [3]
3. Kansas City Chiefs (4-1) [2]
4. Green Bay Packers (4-1) [8]
5. Seattle Seahawks (4-1) [6]
6. Baltimore Ravens (3-2) [10]
7. Buffalo Bills (4-1) [7]
8. Minnesota Vikings (3-2) [11]
9. Dallas Cowboys (3-2) [4]
10. Philadelphia Eagles (3-2) [NR]
11. Carolina Panthers (3-2) [13]
12. Houston Texans (3-2) [15]
Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]
1. NFC North [1] : Still the only division without a losing team, and all of their teams are in the upper half of the league
2. NFC West [2] : Rams lost but the Cards won, as did Seattle and San Fran
3. AFC West [4] : Steadily moving up despite losses by KC and the Chargers
4. AFC South [3] : All four teams are clustered around the middle of the league's power rankings
5. NFC East [6] : Three teams lost this week, but Philly's boost into the Top Ten helped alot
6. AFC East [5] : Miami and the Jets are dragging this division down despite the efforts of the Pats and Bills
7. NFC South [7] : Atlanta is really dragging them down
8. AFC North [8] : One team with a winning record is not a great sign for the one mighty division
Thursday night
New York Giants at New England Patriots: The Pats are slaughtering every team they face, and the Giants will be no exception. PATS, 31-10
Sunday morning
Carolina Panthers v Tampa Bay Bucs: The Bucs will keep this game close, but the Panthers just have too much talent to be held down for four quarters. PANTHERS, 28-24
Sunday early games
Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens: The Bengals are searching for their first win. Keep searching. RAVENS, 27-16
Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs: Last week was a wake-up call to the Chiefs. They realized that they cannot get overconfident and assume their offense will drive the ball. Watch that offense return this week. CHIEFS, 28-24
New Orleans Saints at Jacksonville Jaguars: The Saints scored some touchdowns last week, something they couldn't do the week before, and they'll score a bunch against the Jags. SAINTS, 28-23
Philadelphia Eagles at Minnesota Vikings: Ooh, this game should be interesting. We have two with talented offenses, both coming off strong victories over New York teams. Home field hasn't meant much this season, so the Vikings don't really have an advantage from that. They do have an advantage with a stingier defense, which should make the difference in this close game. VIKINGS, 23-17
Seattle Seahawks at Cleveland Browns: The hype is dead, and the Browns are true to form. SEAHAWKS, 23-17
Washington Redskins at Miami Dolphins: Well, one of these teams will have their first victory of the season. The Dolphins are atrocious both offensively and defensively. The Redskins aren't much better, but they are better. REDSKINS, 23-13
Sunday late games
Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals: Like the Redskins v Miami, we have two poor one-loss teams going at it. Atlanta has really slipped, while the Cards have shown flashes of competence. I think we'll see another flash. CARDINALS, 27-24
Dallas Cowboys at New York Jets: The Cowboys want a strong game to bounce back from their loss to the Pack last week. Beating up on the pathetic Jets seems a great way to accomplish that. COWBOYS, 27-13
San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams: The Rams are reeling, having already suffered two losses. I think San Fran will make it three. 49ERS, 27-20
Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos: The Broncos won their first game of the season last season! They should savor that, as I don't see them getting their second one here. TITANS, 20-13
Sunday night
Pittsburgh Steelers at Los Angeles Chargers: The Chargers offense hasn't been too effective of late, but their defense is imposing. That will be enough to win, as the Steelers offense is already struggling, and a strong defense will just make that harder. CHARGERS, 23-13
Monday Night Football
Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers: This divisional clash is more interesting because each team has only one loss. Basically, the two top teams in the division are squaring off. The Packers have the stronger team, but the Lions have a great record against the Pack in the last three years. Unfortunately that record was achieved against mostly backup offensive players replacing injured Packers. Now the Packers have mostly their starting offense. That doesn't seem to bode well for the Lions. PACKERS, 24-17
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
NCAA Football 2019 Week 7 picks
Wed Oct 9
Appalachian State Mountaineers at Louisiana Ragin Cajuns: Whoa! I nearly missed my chance to pick one, as an illness delayed my post by two days. Louisiana is having a great year, but getting past the Mountaineers is always an uphill battle. I like their chances to keep this close, and maybe score the upset, but I'll pick the favorite. APPALACHIAN STATE
Thurs Oct 10
Syracuse Orange at NC State Wolf Pack: After a promising early season, Syracuse has dropped off. NC State, however, remains a threat in the ACC. NC STATE
Fri Oct 11
Virginia Cavaliers at Miami Hurricanes: The Coastal-leading Cavs visit a Hurricane team breaking in a new QB. Nice matchup; for them, anyway. VIRGINIA
Colorado Buffaloes at #10 Oregon Ducks: The Ducks should slaughter the "up and down" Buffaloes. OREGON
Sat Oct 12
Top 25:
#2 Alabama Crimson Tide at Texas A&M Aggies: Bama should prove why A&M is not in my Top 25. ALABAMA
#3 Penn State Nittany Lions at #19 Iowa Hawkeyes: This game will basically wipe Iowa out of divisional contention. They can be tricky at home, but Penn State is the third most dominant team in the Big Ten (behind Ohio State and Wisconsin). PENN STATE
#22 Michigan State Spartans at #4 Wisconsin Badgers: And speaking of those aforementioned Badgers, they face a team whose defense is historically tough, in a season when Wisconsin has a historical defense. Can they produce a FOURTH shut-out? I don't think so, but a victory shouldn't be hard. WISCONSIN
Florida State Seminoles at #5 Clemson Tigers: The Tigers may not be as dominant as the Big Ten teams in the Top Five, but beating a struggling Seminoles team should be a piece of cake. CLEMSON
#11 Florida Gators at #6 LSU Tigers: Whoops, Florida just finished a fabulous win and they will face a major challenge. Still, if they keep this game close, they may not fall too far. LSU
South Carolina Gamecocks at #7 Georgia Bulldogs: This should be a fairly easy win for the Bulldogs. GEORGIA
#8 Oklahoma Sooners at #13 Texas Longhorns: Ooh, this should be good. Texas upset Oklahoma last year in the Red River Rivalry, and Oklahoma wants revenge. However, I'll bet Tom Herman and QB Sam Ehlinger have some surprises in store. I'll pick the favorite, but don't be surprised if Texas wins again. OKLAHOMA
USC Trojans at #9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish: USC might pull off the upset, but they still don't quite have it all together. NOTRE DAME
Texas Tech Red Raiders at #12 Baylor Bears: Depending upon the result of the Red River Rivalry, could Baylor end up the only unbeaten team in the Big XII? Maybe. BAYLOR
#15 Michigan Wolverines at Illinois Fighting Illini: Oh, how I would LOVE my Alma Mater to pull off the upset here, but that ain't happening. MICHIGAN
Ole Miss Rebels at #17 Missouri Tigers: Missouri gets to spread their new Top 25 wings against an Ole Miss team that can't quite find their balance. MISSOURI
#18 Utah Utes at Oregon State Beavers: The Beavers are always dangerous at home, and often engineer at least one upset against a ranked Pac-12 team a year. Could this be the week? If so, let's leave it as an upset. UTAH
#20 Washington Huskies at Arizona Wildcats: Here's another Pac-12 game that could end up an upset, and upsets have been prominent in this conference this year. Let's see, should I pick Arizona therefore? Again, if an upset is to happen, let's keep it an upset. WASHINGTON
Louisville Cardinals at #21 Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Wake took an extra week to prepare for this game, and I'm not sure they really needed to. Louisville is okay, but Wake is strong this year, and is preparing for a bout against defending National Champ Clemson. WAKE FOREST
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at #23 Boise State Broncos: Hawaii returns to the blue field of Boise leading the West division. However, Hawaii is much stronger at home, and Boise is devastating at home. BOISE STATE
Nebraska Cornhuskers at #25 Minnesota Golden Gophers: The Cornhuskers have a powerful offense that will stretch the Gophers defense, but Nebraska also has the third worst defense in the conference. This should be an offensive showcase that Minnesota will eventually win. MINNESOTA
Big Ten:
Maryland Terrapins at Purdue Boilermakers: Purdue has the second worst defense in the league, allowing the Terrapins offense to run wild. MARYLAND
Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Indiana Hoosiers: And Rutgers has the worst defense in the league. Owners of the worst offense as well, Indiana should have a fairly easy time of it. INDIANA
Other Games of Interest:
Mississippi State Bulldogs at Tennessee Volunteers: How will Tennessee bounce back from their shellacking last week? Not well, I'm afraid. MISSISSIPPI STATE
Washington State Cougars at Arizona Sun Devils: If the Cougars were hoping to get back into the Top 25, this game should shatter that. While they could generate another upset for the Pac-12, Arizona State seems too strong to let that happen. ARIZONA STATE
Cincinnati Bearcats at Houston Cougars: Cincy is having a good year; Houston is not. CINCINNATI
UConn Huskies at Tulane Green Wave: Tulane is riding a wave (pun intended) of great plays. They should wipe out UConn. TULANE
UAB Blazers at UTSA Roadrunners: An easy win for the Blazers. UAB
Navy Midshipment at Tulsa Golden Hurricane: The ground game of Navy will storm over the Golden Hurricane. NAVY
Appalachian State Mountaineers at Louisiana Ragin Cajuns: Whoa! I nearly missed my chance to pick one, as an illness delayed my post by two days. Louisiana is having a great year, but getting past the Mountaineers is always an uphill battle. I like their chances to keep this close, and maybe score the upset, but I'll pick the favorite. APPALACHIAN STATE
Thurs Oct 10
Syracuse Orange at NC State Wolf Pack: After a promising early season, Syracuse has dropped off. NC State, however, remains a threat in the ACC. NC STATE
Fri Oct 11
Virginia Cavaliers at Miami Hurricanes: The Coastal-leading Cavs visit a Hurricane team breaking in a new QB. Nice matchup; for them, anyway. VIRGINIA
Colorado Buffaloes at #10 Oregon Ducks: The Ducks should slaughter the "up and down" Buffaloes. OREGON
Sat Oct 12
Top 25:
#2 Alabama Crimson Tide at Texas A&M Aggies: Bama should prove why A&M is not in my Top 25. ALABAMA
#3 Penn State Nittany Lions at #19 Iowa Hawkeyes: This game will basically wipe Iowa out of divisional contention. They can be tricky at home, but Penn State is the third most dominant team in the Big Ten (behind Ohio State and Wisconsin). PENN STATE
#22 Michigan State Spartans at #4 Wisconsin Badgers: And speaking of those aforementioned Badgers, they face a team whose defense is historically tough, in a season when Wisconsin has a historical defense. Can they produce a FOURTH shut-out? I don't think so, but a victory shouldn't be hard. WISCONSIN
Florida State Seminoles at #5 Clemson Tigers: The Tigers may not be as dominant as the Big Ten teams in the Top Five, but beating a struggling Seminoles team should be a piece of cake. CLEMSON
#11 Florida Gators at #6 LSU Tigers: Whoops, Florida just finished a fabulous win and they will face a major challenge. Still, if they keep this game close, they may not fall too far. LSU
South Carolina Gamecocks at #7 Georgia Bulldogs: This should be a fairly easy win for the Bulldogs. GEORGIA
#8 Oklahoma Sooners at #13 Texas Longhorns: Ooh, this should be good. Texas upset Oklahoma last year in the Red River Rivalry, and Oklahoma wants revenge. However, I'll bet Tom Herman and QB Sam Ehlinger have some surprises in store. I'll pick the favorite, but don't be surprised if Texas wins again. OKLAHOMA
USC Trojans at #9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish: USC might pull off the upset, but they still don't quite have it all together. NOTRE DAME
Texas Tech Red Raiders at #12 Baylor Bears: Depending upon the result of the Red River Rivalry, could Baylor end up the only unbeaten team in the Big XII? Maybe. BAYLOR
#15 Michigan Wolverines at Illinois Fighting Illini: Oh, how I would LOVE my Alma Mater to pull off the upset here, but that ain't happening. MICHIGAN
Ole Miss Rebels at #17 Missouri Tigers: Missouri gets to spread their new Top 25 wings against an Ole Miss team that can't quite find their balance. MISSOURI
#18 Utah Utes at Oregon State Beavers: The Beavers are always dangerous at home, and often engineer at least one upset against a ranked Pac-12 team a year. Could this be the week? If so, let's leave it as an upset. UTAH
#20 Washington Huskies at Arizona Wildcats: Here's another Pac-12 game that could end up an upset, and upsets have been prominent in this conference this year. Let's see, should I pick Arizona therefore? Again, if an upset is to happen, let's keep it an upset. WASHINGTON
Louisville Cardinals at #21 Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Wake took an extra week to prepare for this game, and I'm not sure they really needed to. Louisville is okay, but Wake is strong this year, and is preparing for a bout against defending National Champ Clemson. WAKE FOREST
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at #23 Boise State Broncos: Hawaii returns to the blue field of Boise leading the West division. However, Hawaii is much stronger at home, and Boise is devastating at home. BOISE STATE
Nebraska Cornhuskers at #25 Minnesota Golden Gophers: The Cornhuskers have a powerful offense that will stretch the Gophers defense, but Nebraska also has the third worst defense in the conference. This should be an offensive showcase that Minnesota will eventually win. MINNESOTA
Big Ten:
Maryland Terrapins at Purdue Boilermakers: Purdue has the second worst defense in the league, allowing the Terrapins offense to run wild. MARYLAND
Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Indiana Hoosiers: And Rutgers has the worst defense in the league. Owners of the worst offense as well, Indiana should have a fairly easy time of it. INDIANA
Other Games of Interest:
Mississippi State Bulldogs at Tennessee Volunteers: How will Tennessee bounce back from their shellacking last week? Not well, I'm afraid. MISSISSIPPI STATE
Washington State Cougars at Arizona Sun Devils: If the Cougars were hoping to get back into the Top 25, this game should shatter that. While they could generate another upset for the Pac-12, Arizona State seems too strong to let that happen. ARIZONA STATE
Cincinnati Bearcats at Houston Cougars: Cincy is having a good year; Houston is not. CINCINNATI
UConn Huskies at Tulane Green Wave: Tulane is riding a wave (pun intended) of great plays. They should wipe out UConn. TULANE
UAB Blazers at UTSA Roadrunners: An easy win for the Blazers. UAB
Navy Midshipment at Tulsa Golden Hurricane: The ground game of Navy will storm over the Golden Hurricane. NAVY
Sunday, October 6, 2019
NCAA Football 2019 Week 6 results
Another rash of upsets, although the conferences involved were a bit different. The Big XII suffered some key losses and lost three teams from the Top 25. The very top didn't change, but lots of movement everywhere else.
Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0) [1]
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (5-0) [2]
3. Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0) [3]
4. Wisconsin Badgers (5-0) [4]
5. Clemson Tigers (5-0) [5]
6. LSU Tigers (5-0) [6]
7. Georgia Bulldogs (5-0) [7]
8. Oklahoma Sooners (5-0) [9]
9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-1) [11]
10. Oregon Ducks (4-1) [10]
11. Florida Gators (6-0) [20]
12. Baylor Bears (5-0) [19]
13. Texas Longhorns (4-1) [13]
14. Auburn Tigers (5-1) [8]
15. Michigan Wolverines (4-1) [23]
16. SMU Mustangs (6-0) [26]
17. Missouri Tigers (4-1) [NR]
18. Utah Utes (4-1) [18]
19. Iowa Hawkeyes (4-2) [12]
20. Washington Huskies (4-2) [14]
21. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-0) [21]
22. Michigan State Spartans (4-2) [15]
23. Boise State Broncos (5-0) [25]
24. UCF Golden Knights (4-2) [16]
25. Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-0) [NR]
Dropped out: Oklahoma State Cowboys [#17], Kansas State Wildcats [#22], TCU Horned Frogs [#24]
On the Edge: Memphis Tigers (5-0), UAB Blaers (4-1), Arizona State Sun Devils (4-1), Wyoming Cowboys (4-1), Cincinnati Bearcats (4-1), Navy Midshipmen (3-1), Tulane Green Wave (4-1)
Big Ten Report
Things went pretty much as expected, except Michigan emerged victorious from their battle with Iowa. Surprisingly, defense ruled in that game. Defense also ruled in the Wisconsin game, as they garnered their third shut-out of the season. Defense was also at play in the Northwestern - Nebraska bout.
Ohio State continues to lead everyone. Penn State seems their biggest threat in the East, although Michigan's victory over Iowa makes them a contender again. Wisconsin clearly leads in the West, but unbeaten Minnesota has emerged as a clear threat. Iowa is still in the mix.
Upset Watch
The Big XII conference was hit this week, as both Oklahoma State and TCU were shocked by conference opponents. For both teams, it cost them their Top 25 ranking. It was the second loss for each team, and UCF also suffered their second loss, boosting the status of Cincinnati. Lastly, Virginia Tech had been looking pretty pathetic this season, but their mustered a great defeat of home team Miami.
Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0) [1]
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (5-0) [2]
3. Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0) [3]
4. Wisconsin Badgers (5-0) [4]
5. Clemson Tigers (5-0) [5]
6. LSU Tigers (5-0) [6]
7. Georgia Bulldogs (5-0) [7]
8. Oklahoma Sooners (5-0) [9]
9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-1) [11]
10. Oregon Ducks (4-1) [10]
11. Florida Gators (6-0) [20]
12. Baylor Bears (5-0) [19]
13. Texas Longhorns (4-1) [13]
14. Auburn Tigers (5-1) [8]
15. Michigan Wolverines (4-1) [23]
16. SMU Mustangs (6-0) [26]
17. Missouri Tigers (4-1) [NR]
18. Utah Utes (4-1) [18]
19. Iowa Hawkeyes (4-2) [12]
20. Washington Huskies (4-2) [14]
21. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-0) [21]
22. Michigan State Spartans (4-2) [15]
23. Boise State Broncos (5-0) [25]
24. UCF Golden Knights (4-2) [16]
25. Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-0) [NR]
Dropped out: Oklahoma State Cowboys [#17], Kansas State Wildcats [#22], TCU Horned Frogs [#24]
On the Edge: Memphis Tigers (5-0), UAB Blaers (4-1), Arizona State Sun Devils (4-1), Wyoming Cowboys (4-1), Cincinnati Bearcats (4-1), Navy Midshipmen (3-1), Tulane Green Wave (4-1)
Big Ten Report
Things went pretty much as expected, except Michigan emerged victorious from their battle with Iowa. Surprisingly, defense ruled in that game. Defense also ruled in the Wisconsin game, as they garnered their third shut-out of the season. Defense was also at play in the Northwestern - Nebraska bout.
Ohio State continues to lead everyone. Penn State seems their biggest threat in the East, although Michigan's victory over Iowa makes them a contender again. Wisconsin clearly leads in the West, but unbeaten Minnesota has emerged as a clear threat. Iowa is still in the mix.
Upset Watch
The Big XII conference was hit this week, as both Oklahoma State and TCU were shocked by conference opponents. For both teams, it cost them their Top 25 ranking. It was the second loss for each team, and UCF also suffered their second loss, boosting the status of Cincinnati. Lastly, Virginia Tech had been looking pretty pathetic this season, but their mustered a great defeat of home team Miami.
Saturday, October 5, 2019
NFL 2019 Week 4 results and Week 5 picks
A busy week kept me from submitting this in time for Thursday's game. Week 4 had some interesting results, as the Cleveland Browns pounded the Baltimore Ravens, the Giants gained their second win in a row under Daniel Jones, the Saints beat the 'Boys without scoring a touchdown, and nearly all of the league-leading NFC North lost. Four previously unbeaten teams lost. We also had 11 visiting teams win, which is a shockingly high number.
Power Rankings [Last week's rank]
1. New England Patriots (4-0) [1] : Definitely looking like Juggernaut, although the Bills held that force in check
2. Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) [3] : won the offensive shootout in Detroit
3. San Francisco 49ers (3-0) [4]
4. Dallas Cowboys (3-1) [2]
5. Chicago Bears (3-1) [12]
6. Seattle Seahawks (3-1) [13]
7. Buffalo Bills (3-1) [7]
8. Green Bay Packers (3-1) [8]
9. Los Angeles Rams (3-1) [5]
10. Baltimore Ravens (2-2) [6]
11. Minnesota Vikings (2-2) [9]
12. Tennessee Titans (2-2) [14]
Division Rankings [Last week's rank]
1. NFC North [1] : Still holding the top as the only NFC division without a team with a losing record
2. NFC West [2] : Three teams with 3 wins help counter the Cards
3. AFC South [3] : All four teams have even records at 2-2. Weird
4. AFC West [5]
5. AFC East [4] : They have the best team in the league, but they also have two winless teams
6. NFC East [7]
7. NFC South [5]
8. AFC North [8] : Cleveland is the top team in the division. That says it all
Sunday early games
Arizona Cardinals at Cincinnati Bengals: Two of the worst teams in the league face off, as if many people care. The Bengals have just looked atrocious, while the Cards have had occasional flashes. CARDS, 27-24
Atlanta Falcons at Houston Texans: The Texans defense should hold back the Falcons while DeShaun Watson regains his footing. TEXANS, 23-17
Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers: The Ravens regain their winning ways by crushing the struggling Steelers. RAVENS, 30-20
Buffalo Bills at Tennessee Titans: The Titans are a force to be reckoned with, but the Bills just held the dynamic Pats to 10 points last week. That has to make Marcus Mariota concerned. BILLS, 23-16
Chicago Bears at Oakland Raiders: This game is in London, but starting at the standard 1pm EST. Londoners get to eat dinner during the game. Given the defenses on these two teams, that might be most tantalizing part of the game. Still, defense wins ball games, and the better defense will win this one. BEARS, 17-13
Jacksonville Jaguars at Carolina Panthers: With Cam Newton not practicing, it looks like both teams will start their backup QBs. Won't matter too much for Carolina, as their offense runs through Christian McCaffrey. That's good enough to win here. PANTHERS, 23-20
Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants: The Giants are on a roll, but the Vikings have the tools to stop them. Furthermore, the Vikings have something to prove after the Bears shellacked their offense last week. Watch them make up for that. VIKINGS, 30-23
New England Patriots at Washington Redskins: The Pats are another team with a chip on their offensive shoulder after the Bills slowed them down so completely. This will be horribly one-sided. PATS, 34-13
New York Jets at Philadelphia Eagles: Eagles get a nice boost destroying the winless Jets. EAGLES, 27-13
Tampa Bay Bucs at New Orleans Saints: Oh this might be a close game. The Saints showed great power last week in beating Dallas, especially on defense. The Bucs completely overwhelmed the Rams last week. For the Bucs, that was at home. I'm not sure they will duplicate such a performance on the road, but they will still give the Saints fits. SAINTS, 30-27
Sunday late games
Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers: The Broncos are 0-4 and still trying to get it together. They are the best winless team in the league, but that is little consolation. I don't think the fans will get much consolation this week, either. CHARGERS, 23-17
Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys have a bitter taste in their mouths after last week's loss in New Orleans. They want to bounce back, and they have the weapons to do so. The Pack are starting to show issues with their thin bench. COWBOYS, 24-16
Sunday night
Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs: The Colts offense is kicking, but not like the Chiefs'. CHIEFS, 31-23
Monday Night Football
Cleveland Browns at San Francisco 49ers: The Browns can celebrate a rare victory over the Ravens, but they won't get this one. 49ERS, 24-16
Power Rankings [Last week's rank]
1. New England Patriots (4-0) [1] : Definitely looking like Juggernaut, although the Bills held that force in check
2. Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) [3] : won the offensive shootout in Detroit
3. San Francisco 49ers (3-0) [4]
4. Dallas Cowboys (3-1) [2]
5. Chicago Bears (3-1) [12]
6. Seattle Seahawks (3-1) [13]
7. Buffalo Bills (3-1) [7]
8. Green Bay Packers (3-1) [8]
9. Los Angeles Rams (3-1) [5]
10. Baltimore Ravens (2-2) [6]
11. Minnesota Vikings (2-2) [9]
12. Tennessee Titans (2-2) [14]
Division Rankings [Last week's rank]
1. NFC North [1] : Still holding the top as the only NFC division without a team with a losing record
2. NFC West [2] : Three teams with 3 wins help counter the Cards
3. AFC South [3] : All four teams have even records at 2-2. Weird
4. AFC West [5]
5. AFC East [4] : They have the best team in the league, but they also have two winless teams
6. NFC East [7]
7. NFC South [5]
8. AFC North [8] : Cleveland is the top team in the division. That says it all
Sunday early games
Arizona Cardinals at Cincinnati Bengals: Two of the worst teams in the league face off, as if many people care. The Bengals have just looked atrocious, while the Cards have had occasional flashes. CARDS, 27-24
Atlanta Falcons at Houston Texans: The Texans defense should hold back the Falcons while DeShaun Watson regains his footing. TEXANS, 23-17
Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers: The Ravens regain their winning ways by crushing the struggling Steelers. RAVENS, 30-20
Buffalo Bills at Tennessee Titans: The Titans are a force to be reckoned with, but the Bills just held the dynamic Pats to 10 points last week. That has to make Marcus Mariota concerned. BILLS, 23-16
Chicago Bears at Oakland Raiders: This game is in London, but starting at the standard 1pm EST. Londoners get to eat dinner during the game. Given the defenses on these two teams, that might be most tantalizing part of the game. Still, defense wins ball games, and the better defense will win this one. BEARS, 17-13
Jacksonville Jaguars at Carolina Panthers: With Cam Newton not practicing, it looks like both teams will start their backup QBs. Won't matter too much for Carolina, as their offense runs through Christian McCaffrey. That's good enough to win here. PANTHERS, 23-20
Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants: The Giants are on a roll, but the Vikings have the tools to stop them. Furthermore, the Vikings have something to prove after the Bears shellacked their offense last week. Watch them make up for that. VIKINGS, 30-23
New England Patriots at Washington Redskins: The Pats are another team with a chip on their offensive shoulder after the Bills slowed them down so completely. This will be horribly one-sided. PATS, 34-13
New York Jets at Philadelphia Eagles: Eagles get a nice boost destroying the winless Jets. EAGLES, 27-13
Tampa Bay Bucs at New Orleans Saints: Oh this might be a close game. The Saints showed great power last week in beating Dallas, especially on defense. The Bucs completely overwhelmed the Rams last week. For the Bucs, that was at home. I'm not sure they will duplicate such a performance on the road, but they will still give the Saints fits. SAINTS, 30-27
Sunday late games
Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers: The Broncos are 0-4 and still trying to get it together. They are the best winless team in the league, but that is little consolation. I don't think the fans will get much consolation this week, either. CHARGERS, 23-17
Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys have a bitter taste in their mouths after last week's loss in New Orleans. They want to bounce back, and they have the weapons to do so. The Pack are starting to show issues with their thin bench. COWBOYS, 24-16
Sunday night
Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs: The Colts offense is kicking, but not like the Chiefs'. CHIEFS, 31-23
Monday Night Football
Cleveland Browns at San Francisco 49ers: The Browns can celebrate a rare victory over the Ravens, but they won't get this one. 49ERS, 24-16
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