Week 4 picks and things

In a week that saw the best team in college football upset on a Friday night. A $137 million pitcher suddenly becoming a bargain and a few more ranked teams getting upset, its suddenly not out of the realm of possibility that all these events are setting us up for one more cataclysmic event this Sunday. For some odd reason the majority of the super powers are idle this week leaving us with the poo poo platter. The Super Bowl contestants are off this week, as are the upstart Dolphins, resilient Colts, the patchwork Seahawks and the refreshingly new Detroit Lions.

So here we go with the power rankings. Before I start, I changed my ranking of teams not based on all the whining I heard over the weekend of where I put certain NFC East teams, but because I genuinely feel that these are the best teams in that specific order. No bias and last Sunday proved a few things to me that I feel very strongly about. So without further adieu:

Power Rankings going into week 4:
(last week’s rating)

32. (32) St Louis Rams- Scott Linehan thinks that the reason their defense has been giving up so many points is because Marc Bulger is a bad quarterback. Scott Linehan is the reason I have never given up hope that I too could become an NFL head coach some day. Did you know their starting QB (Trent Green) is one concussion away from being a vegetable?
31. (31) Kansas City Chiefs- The only person more surprised that Tyler Thigpen was a starting QB then the rest of America, was Tyler Thigpen. His name just doesn’t sound like a stud QB. They really have to do research on the relation between certain sounding names and their record as a starting QB.
30. (23) Cleveland Browns- Only because I realized they have four more national television games left. What’s more frustrating to Cleveland fans? Lebron constantly showing up to show “support” to their local teams by wearing an NY hat and letting Cleveland fans know early that he’s leaving or Braylon Edwards dropping every pass thrown right in his lap?
29. (28) Oakland Raiders- They scared the heck out of the Bills last week, but good teams know how to pull those games out, and the bad teams know how to give those games up. Enough said.
28. (30) Detroit Lions- Not based on any field related merit, but just based on the fact that common sense prevailed and the Fords finally grew the grapefruits to fire Matt Millen. Its only up from here Lion fans.
27. (27) Atlanta Falcons- Let’s see how Matt Ryan handles the road? They’ve been real good at home. By the way, John Abraham has six sacks already. When this guy’s healthy, he’s a beast. When he clips a nail the wrong way he’s out 3-4 weeks. The reason the Jets traded him.
26. (29) Cincinatti Bengals- Showed me a lot last week. But this offense needs more time to get it together and that defense is still horrendous. AWOL alert for Chad Johnson.
25. (21) Houston Texans- They are only going up from here with a huge chunk of their final games being played at Reliant Stadium. Should be a good test for this team this week with a confident Jacksonville team ripe off saving their season coming.
24. (26) Miami Dolphins- Even if I got the wrong home team in last week’s game and said weird things happen to the Patriots (even with Brady there) in South Florida and the game was played in Foxboro, the truth was put to the light. The trickery of the Dolphins can’t continue but it served notice to AFC East teams that they don’t plan on being a doormat this year.
23. (24) Seattle Seahawks- Getting their guys back will be a huge plus for a team playing with practice squad signees.
22. (25) San Francisco 49ers- Some men were just never meant to coach and were meant for being offensive coordinators. Right Mike Martz? Comeback player of the year alert: Frank Gore.
21.(22) Arizona Cardinals- If Anquan Boldin keeps playing for a new contract like this, then that can only mean huge things for Ken Whisenhut’s team that is going into an easily winnable game against the Jets.
20. (15) New York Jets- Uh oh, that’s the sound of Jet fans realizing that there is another side to country boy Brett Favre. The ugly side reared its head early making it impossible late to win the game.
19. (19) New Orleans Saints- So much for the reformed defense huh Sean Payton?
18. (18) Tampa Bay Bucs- Ok Tampa fans, their defense is a bit better than I thought. So sue me!
17. (13) Chicago Bears- I almost forgot that Kyle Orton was their starting QB. I almost forgot. No Devin Hester spells a lot of trouble. Rookie of the year alert: Matt Forte.
16. (12) Minnesota Vikings- I know they won their game last week, but still, its Gus Frerrote. Its Gus Frerrote.
15. (11) Jacksonville Jaguars- They could be sitting 0-3 right now. Easily. The Jags are in dire straits and need to put some wins together. They can start by playing a tough Houston team also reeling.
14. (17) Washington Redskins- Playing well, but should be handled rather easily today against the Cowobys.
13. (16) Denver Broncos- Winning on both luck and offense. At some point, that defense will get exposed and it won’t be pretty.
12. (8) Carolina Panthers- Maybe they should let Steve Smith just sit out more often.
11. (5) New England Patriots- They fell for the same trick over and over again against the Dolphins. I think everyone’ figuring out that Belichiek isn’t so much of a genius without Brady.
10. (7) Indianapolis Colts- They get one over the Pats because they still have Manning under center.
9. (10) Buffalo Bills- can’t move them up any further if they need the last minutes to beat the Raiders.
8. (20) Baltimore Ravens- Two real good RB’s and a decent third option, a great defense and a solid QB who limits mistakes. Gee, when have I seen a Baltimore team like this?
7. (9) San Diego Chargers- Can’t move these guys up with their defense playing as badly as it has been.
6. (2) Pittsburgh Steelers- Can’t give them any love after that clunker last week. Perhaps Big Ben is more hurt than I first thought.
5. (1) Green Bay Packers- Looked like they weren’t even in Dallas’ league last week. They need Al Harris back.
4. (14) Tennessee Titans- I underestimated their defense. They are just punishing. Can’t get any stingier than that unit and it should get even better when Jeff Fisher finally unleashes Chris Johnson on everyone. Think about how much respect I’m showing this team knowing that Kerry Collins is their starting QB.
3. (6) Philadelphia Eagles- Teed off on the Steelers. Wasn’t even close that game. Should be concerned about Brian Westbrook though.
2. (3) New York Giants- Yes they kept it close to the Bengals. But if you watched that game, you just knew the Giants were going to pull it out. They turned it on at the right time. They’ve got a very deep roster.
1. (4) Dallas Cowboys- They are clearly the best team in the league ::VOMIT:: The Cowboys have a special player in that Felix Jones.


So here comes Week four and let’s go:

Broncos (-9) Over Chiefs- Does this need any explanation?
Bengals (-3.5) over Browns- The Brady Quinn era is sure to be warming up in the back in the middle of this game.
Texans (+7.5) Over Jags- How did the Jags suddenly become more than a touchdown favorite over a division rival? How?
Jets (-1) Over Cardinals- yeah I know that I said that the Cards should be able to win this week, but something changed in the fifteen minutes that I wrote that sentence and this. Favre mania will prevail. Its raining in NY so the field will be slick and it will come down to the ground game, sorry Cards.
49ers (+6) over Saints- No Jeremy Shocky, their defense giving up major points, the Saints look like a team in more than just unrest, but distress. Taking the underdog and the Mike Martz offense.
Panthers (-7.5) over Falcons- Bombs away should be the theme today with Steve Smith’s coming out party today against the Falcs.
Titans (-3) over Vikings- I feel sorry for every offensive player after this game. I really do.
Packers (+1.5) over Bucs- I don’t know why it seems so personal with myself and the Bucs, but I just can’t explain it.
Bills (-8) over Rams- I was going to put the Rams to take this one, but then I realized that the Bills have Marshawn Lynch who’s photo on every sports website looks like Adam Jones ( you know, Pacman), mugshot, if he were smiling.
Chargers (-7) over Raiders- Every person is slamming their head against their desk for taking LDT and not taking his back up Sproles to shore up the chances that LDT would suffer a slip up this season.
Eagles (-3) over Bears- The Eagles don’t want to be the team to break the NFC East’s perfect record against every other division.
Redksin (+11) over Cowboys- Funny things happen to Dallas when they play this team.
Ravens (+5.5) over Steelers- A lot of missing Steelers this week, which means it could be a long day for Big Ben on Monday Night.

Last Week: 7-9
Season: 25-22