Picks of the Week, Week Five

[jedinite]

Not much I'm happy with this week. Even the games I'm picking I'm not very confident in.

Cleveland +6 over STEELERS (upset special)
Rookie QBs in the league don't usually win 3 games in a row. Parcels has the type of staff that can pick through Roethlisberger's past two performances and find some information that will offbalance the rookie. Weak teams on both sides. Steelers RB Duce Staley has a minor toe injury which might slow him down a little.

SEAHAWKS (-7) over St. Louis.
I don't know if Seattle can make it 4-0 coming off their bye week, but with the Rams coming to town i think its more likely. Rams secondary is beat up, and Seahawks RB Shaun Alexander is supposedly healed to 100% coming off the bye week.

NEW ORLEANS (-3) over Tampa Bay blatently stealing from Al
QB Chris Simms gets his first career start as Bucs coach Jon Gruden searches for an offensive spark. Tampa played a tough physical game last week against Denver and still lost. I think they have another letdown on the road, considering the Saints are trying to step up after their loss to Arizona last week. Saints running back D.McAllister is questionable but replacement A.Steckler had a decent showing last week. Saints have won 3 of last 4 against Tampa.

FALCONS (-6.5) over Lions (top pick)
I still like this game if its under a touchdown. Lions QB Joey Harrington has been sacked nine times, as much as he was sacked all of last season, and Atlanta is getting great pressure on the QB so far. Lions #1 CB Dre' Bly is also questionable with a knee injury.

COLTS (-9.5) over Raiders
Colts have covered every week so far, i think i'm going to recommend riding this train as long as it keeps going. Oakland won't have RB Tyrone Wheatley (shoulder) which should hurt their game considerably. Oakland looked stellar in week 3 and like trash in week 4. We'll see which team shows up.

Last week: 4 for 5 . Lost on the Raiders at Houston.
Season: 8 - 15, thanks to a 1/5 performance in week three. (i've only been posting picks here since week four, however) Thanks to betting at least double units on my top picks each week, plus sometimes upping bets on late games after loosing early, i'm still up 5.25 units for the season.

[jedinite]

PS: comments, critism (constructive or destructive), feedback and discussions welcome

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[NoChance]

My top pick this week is also Atlanta. Can anyone out there give me (us) reasons why picking Atlanta would be wrong?

I lean towards all your other picks except for Cleveland.

Also, the more I look at it, I am starting to like Dallas more and more. My upseat special this week would have to be San Diego.

[Gallopin Gael]

[ QUOTE ]
COLTS (-9.5) over Raiders
Oakland won't have RB Tyrone Wheatley (shoulder) which should hurt their game considerably.

[/ QUOTE ]

That should read "Oakland won't have QB Rich Gannon which should hurt their game cnsiderably."

Other than 1 run (v. Tampa for 60yds) Wheatley has looked like trash. They won't miss him that much. What they do (this week and for the rest of the season) will depend on how many mental mistakes Collins makes.

God help the Raider Nation...we're in for a long season. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]