No introduction needed, on to the picks.

Cardinals (1-2) at Falcons (2-1)
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA

The Falcons D will be without Hartwell and Abraham, which are both pretty big blows to the team.  The Cardinals offense should be pretty good, but I think the speedy DeAngelo Hall will shut down Fitzgerald. (Or Boldin)  On the other side, the Falcons offense was nothing last week, but that was an incredibly unique situation.  The Cardinals defense will have no chance in stopping the Falcons running game, and even Mike Vick can pass against this secondary.

Falcons win 34-24

Saints (3-0) at Panthers (1-2)
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

I honestly am still not sold on the Panthers being that great.  However, the Saints defense I do not think will have an answer for a healthy Steve Smith.  The Saints O should be good, but I think that being in Charlotte will make the difference.

Panthers win 27-24

Vikings (2-1) at Bills (1-2)
Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, NY

I thought that the Bills defense would be good.  Then last week the Jets destroyed them at home.  The Vikings offense shouldn't make many mistakes with Brad Johnson, and the Bills offense seems mistake prone.

Vikings win 17-7

Chargers (2-0) at Ravens (3-0)
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD

Both of these teams have something in common, they haven't faced any team that has any talent.  I think both defenses will be solid, but look at the running game.  The Chargers have the great LDT, and Ravens have...Jamal Lewis.  Running game will give the Chargers enough.

Chargers win 17-10

Dolphins (1-2) at Texans (0-3)
Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX

Here's the story of these two teams.  They suck, the end.  The Dolphins D I don't believe will be able to get pressure on Carr, while the Texans D should do enough against the bad Dolphins offense.  Plus, home field advantage.

Texans win 24-17

Cowboys (1-1) at Titans (0-3)
LP Field, Nashville, TN

The Titans are beyond bad.  The Cowboys D should disrupt that horrible offense, and the Cowboys should have no problem scoring on the Titans.

Cowboys win 31-10

49ers (1-2) at Chiefs (0-2)
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO

The 49ers offense is a bit banged up, with a couple injuries.  The 49ers D will not be able to stop LJ, and the secondary is weak enough so that Huard just has to not be stupid.  Alex Smith...let's not talk about him...

Chiefs win 28-10

Colts (3-0) at Jets (2-1)
Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

The Colts can not stop the run, but luckily for them, the Jets can't run the ball.  The Colts defense has success when the other team has to pass, because the Colts have great pass rushers.  The Jets D is also no match for the Colts offense, even without a running game.

Colts win 27-13

Lions (0-3) at Rams (2-1)
Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, MO

The Lions are pretty bad, and I think that Steven Jackson will have success running the ball.  The Rams D is weak, but the Lions offense is also pretty weak.

Rams win 24-7

Jaguars (2-1) at Redskins (1-2)
FedEX Field, Landover, MD

The Redskins offense has been very questionable.  The Jags D is great, and they will stop Portis, which will allow for lots of turnovers from the Redskins offense.  The Jags offense will be decent enough to pull this offense.

Jaguars 20-10

Patriots (2-1) at Bengals (3-0)
Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH

The Pats have looked average at best this year.  The defense has not been that impressive, and the Bengals offense at home should eat them alive.  The defense should be decent against the Pats.

Bengals win 37-24

Browns (0-3) at Raiders (0-2)
McAfee Colisieum, Oakland, CA

The toliet bowl game here.  Both teams are pretty bad, but the Browns at least have some form of a defense, something the Raiders don't have.  Even at home, the Browns pull it out.

Browns win 13-3

Seahawks (3-0) at Bears (3-0)
Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

This game should be great.  Shaun Alexander is hurt, and even if he plays, he's still facing a great Bears D in Chicago.  The D should get the Bears the field position to score enough to win it for them.

Bears win 17-13

Packers (1-2) at Eagles (2-1)
Lincoln Finanical Field, Philadelphia, PA

The Eagles have a great defense, and the Packers have a questionable offense that is very turnover prone.  Plus, the Packers defense is horrible, and McNabb should eat them alive.

Eagles win 42-17

And now for the College Football pick special...

(1) Ohio State at (13) Iowa
Somewhere in Iowa, I don't know where.

I am tempted to pick the upset, but Iowa won't be the team to beat Ohio State.

Ohio State wins by some number.

THAT'S ALL I GOT!

For those of you who have played the series, you know all of the basics, and I'm not gonna bore you with the all of the stuff that has been in the game for years. Today, we look at what changes there are in Madden 07.

Among them is a new way to kick field goals, with what I call the kick-o-meter. Basically, you pull back on one of the analog sticks, then let go. Pretty simple, I actually kick better than I ever have, and I struggled with this kick--o-meter on NCAA 07.

Also, the new blocking controls. I am terrible at it, my blockers tend to completly whiff, but it is a great idea, espically since my lineman tend to go braindead. If you can master the leadblock controls, you could have a crazy good running game.

Franchise Mode: Training Camp remains the same, except the kicking drill is a bit shorter because with the new meter you kick faster. I still am waiting for a legit offensive lineman drill. (Trench Fight sucks, I can't do jack in that drill) And how does getting by other O-lineman help a O-lineman? Seriously!

NFL Network mode, basically a fancyier practice mode, nothing special there.

Superstar mode is a bit different. For one, you don't get to call the plays, which for me has been a bad thing. When your player is on the field, you play him. When he isn't, you can either chose to control the team normally, or let it simulate. The only problem with simulating is that for me my teams are incredibly stupid on offense.

Back to Franchise, the owner's box has changed 0. You'd think they'd update that, but they haven't. One new thing I like is the "Player Roles" that each player can get. These roles effect almost anything from player attributes, to opponant attributes. No guarantee I get them all, but here is a list of all of the roles. (Many players could apply for mulitple roles, but you only get a max of 2 a player)

NFL Starter: Pretty straight foward, a player who starts 12 games a year earns the role, gets a 3% value boost as well. But they lose morale if they don't play.

Injury Prone: If a player's injury rating and toughness rating are low enough, they get this, which lowers their trade value and market value.

1st Round Pick: 1st rounder expects to play every game by their 3 year in the league, value goes up by 7%

Fan Favorite: Player has to be 90 overall or better, and be with one team for 5 or more years. Value goes up by 10%, and increases attendance.

Franchise QB: Player's value goes up by 10%, and his entire offense gets ratings boosts.

Captain Comeback: QB who gets 10 4th quarter comebacks in their career, value goes up by 6%.

QB of the Future: Goes to a QB drafted high and is young. Trade value rises, and they expect to start by year 3. (Sadly, this role doesn't go to newly drafted QB's...)

Game Manager, goes to a QB between 89-81 overall, expects to play 4 games a year.

Underachiever: Any 1st round pick who's overall is really low. Value drops by 8% and other players lose attributes.

Fumble Prone: Low carry rating and lots of fumbles make it happen, value drops by 10%, loses carry rating on 3rd down and in the 4th Q.

Offensive Playmaker: Value goes up by 6%, gets attribute boosts at clutch times.

Feature back: RB who expects 75% of the carries and to start each game. OL ratings get boost.

Future Star: Young player who's really good, trade value up 25%.

Deep Threat: Fast reciever, who needs 3 catches a game. Value up by 4%, QB's rating boosted and DB rating lowered.

Possession Reciever: Expects average of 2 first downs a game. Value up by 3%, and QB and his ratings increase.

Go to Guy: Expects a lot, but QB's ratings go up a ton.

Return Speicalist: Returner gets boosts

Team Mentor: Young players at the mentors position get boosts.

Team Captain: Value goes up 1%

Team Leader: Overall and Morale has to be high. Value up by 5%, younger players get Awareness boost.

Distraction: Player who's morale is low, Value drops by 8%, team loses some awareness.

Pass Rusher: Expects 3 sacks a year, OL's attributes get dropped, DB's go up.

Run Stopper: OL loses ratings, LB's and Safeties get a little better.

Defensive Playmaker: Value up by 7%, get's boosts in the clutch

Defensive Enforcer: Expects 10 big hits a year, tackling goes up.

Shutdown Corner: WR and QB's attributes drop.

Clutch Kicker: Most make 3 game winning kicks to get role, gets boost in 4th Quarter.

That's all I think for the roles. Pretty good.

Free agency during Franchise offseason is a bit better, because teams aren't afraid to get rid of good players. Some great free agents become available through cuts. (I got Peppers, Moss, Levi Jones, and McNair in one offseason)

Draft kinda sucks. The College All Star game is alright, but you only can work out 8 players, you have to do well with them to learn anything about them. And then most players all you get on them are the 40 time and such. Luckily I copied overalls from NCAA 07 to know who's good at what, but it is a bit of a disadvantage.

Punts are still almost impossible to actually return, that will probably never change.

If you liked the past Madden's, you'll like this too. They are good games, I recommend you buy buy buy.

NEXT VIDEO GAME REVIEW: I might review NHL 07 when I get it...stay tuned.

Well it is time for some random crap-ed-ness-icity-ness.  Yeah, I think I just made up the biggest word ever.  Let's go.

 First I will start off by saying that Bloggers Around the Horn will not return this week, as I am crazy busy.  Plus it was meant for only when ATH is bumped from the air, and this week it will be on each day.  The next time Around the Horn is off on a Friday, it will return however.  Onward...

Have things gone from bad to worse for the Tampa Bucs?  The last 3 weeks, the defense has been crap, the running game non-existant, and passing game also weak.  Now quarterback Chris Simms is now out indefinetly after a spleen injury.  Now, their QB is a rookie in Gradkowksi, and the amazingly average Tim Rattay, who is average at best.  They likely will be at the bottom on the division.

Odell Thurman is an idiot.  Last year, with a 2nd round pick, he came in and had a great rookie season for the Bengals.  He had 106 tackles, 5 forced fumbles, and 5 interceptions, certainly great numbers for any linebacker, espically a rookie.  But because of drugs this schmuck is ruining a promising career.  He already started the year with a 4 game suspension for violating the leagues substance abuse policy, which is already stupid.  Now he's been charged with drunken driving, which is even stupider.  This guy needs to wake up, and realize he is throwing his life away.  And for what?  Alcohol?  What a jackass....

Ken Griffey Jr. is now 10th on the all time home run list.  A great accomplishment, but does anyone wonder how much higher up this guy would be if he could have stayed healthy?  Also, unfortunatly for Griffey, he played in the "steroid era." and because of that, he will be among those labeled a juicer, when there is not any proof he ever did anything.  It's a shame that those players who were clean the last 10 or so years will be labeled cheaters just because others did.

 
The Louisiana Superdome re-opens tonight, which is truely remarkable.  But the question is, how long will the Saints stay in New Orleans?  It's a sad question to ask, but a reasonable one, as owner Tom Benson wanted to move the team before the Hurricane.  Los Angeles would certainly make him more money.  It would be a heartless move, but lets be real, the Almighty Dollar runs all...

Which makes me add, I hope the NFL doesn't add any teams.  Right now, the 4 teams in 8 divisions system works perfectly.  Adding a team would off balance the schedules among other teams, so right now I want to see 32 teams.  If LA gets a team, it might be a relocated franchise...and unfortunatly it might be the Saints.

So Jeremy Shockey is running his mouth again.  It's amazing that if Terrell Owens would have said what Shockey said, the media would be talking 24/7 about it and calling T.O. the biggest douche on the planet.  Yet Shockey can rip his coaches, and it doesn't get too much attenion.  A shame.

Seemingly everyone is already shooing in the Yankees to be in the World Series, but do people forget about the Tigers and Twins?  Sure, the Yankees lineup is better, but I don't think anyone would say that the Yankees pitching is better than the Tigers or the Twins.  Just food for thought.

The NHL regular season will be back soon, which unfortunatly few people notice.  Hockey really is an exciting sport, but the league is mis-ran.  For one, the games are on OLN, which 1 out of every 2000 people basically have.  It's hard for anyone to watch your product, yeah that's smart.  Also, isn't it supposed to be Canada's sport?  Why are only 6 of the 30 teams in Canada?  And why do some cities like Anaheim, San Jose, and Columbus have teams?  The league has been horrible managed, and it's a shame, because it's an exciting sport.  It is a total sham that poker gets more TV time on sports networks then a true sport.  A total sham...

THAT'S ALL I GOT

 

Rivjo: I've been told I know everything about nothing and I'm here to prove it. It's about to get late early for you other guys. Second place ain't so bad guys. Show me the way to the winner's lounge Mr. NFL.

(MUTE) I think Adande copyrighted the "Lounge." Hee hee. Finally, in Gold we have Burger21

Burger: Good Afternoon Mr. NFL. Thanks for inviting me to be on this great show with such distinguished panelists (please don't mute me right away for sucking up). I am burger21, and I have a temperature of 104 - or is it 100.4 - anyway, I am All Sports - All the time and I am here to drop the Truth on you!

I hope for your sake you score more than your Steelers did last week. Anyway, let's start it off with the First Word!


THE FIRST WORD

Week 3 of the great NFL season starts this Sunday, and there is some interesting matchups. Among them, two power offense vs power defense games with the Jags and Colts, and the Steelers and Bengals. Not to mention the disapointment Bowl for the Panthers and Bucs. Gentlemen, I ask, which of these games this week is the most important? We will start with Burger.

Burger: Lots of intriguing match-ups this week - Indy vs. Jax, Bears vs. Vikings, Giants vs. Seahawks - and of course the temptation is there for me to select my Steelers' big showdown with Cincy. This is a huge game for the champs to re-establish themselves after the letdown in Jacksonville Monday, and as a divisional game it means much more. (+3) However, the question is which game is the most important and when considering that you have to look at the big picture, and the clear cut winner in that regard is the Monday night game between the Falcons and Saints in New Orleans. Yes, certainly the Saints, and perhaps the Falcons also, will be absent from contending for the Super Bowl this year, but this game goes beyond the standings and implications and hits the heart of America dead center. (+3) This will be the first time the Saints play in their city in a meaningful game since the horrific events of Hurricane Katrina last year. (+2) The game will be a rebirth for a team, a city, a stadium, and a region; and will solidify the reputation of good 'ole American resolve and fortitude. While emotions and fanfare will be off the charts, this game also is vital for the Saints to play well in, if not win, because after all the hoopla fades away, it still comes down to football and the fans of New Orleans need to know they have a promising future in their team. (+2) We've all empathized with "Aints" fans over the years, with the bags over their heads and their wacko owner, but over the past year they have become like an adopted orphan to many, and everyone wants to see this team exemplify the nation's resiliency with a rise to glory. They may be 2-0, but everyone knows those wins came against bottom dwellers Cleveland and Green Bay, so they need a superlative effort and strong showing against a contender so that their thoughts can begin to include playoff aspirations down the road (+3) (mocking Jim Mora - "Playoffs! Playoffs!! You're talking about Playoffs!!!??) With the debut of Drew Brees and the dawning of the Reggie Bush era, this is a 'can't miss' event for all football fans. Even Morten Anderson is making a return for old time's sake! (+1)

Good stuff Burger, Rivjo, what say you?

Rivjo: It may be only week 3 but there are tons of HUGE games already. For example, all 6 AFC playoff teams from last year square off against each other on Sunday. (+3) Two of the three games are grudge matches featuring squads that were eliminated by their opponent. In one revenge special, Cincinnati heads into the Pittsburgh looking to wipe their butts with some "terrible towels".(+3) In the other, New England looks to settle their post-season score as Denver and the much-maligned Jake Plummer journey to Foxboro. (+2) Finally, Jacksonville looks to get physical with Peyton Manning and the Colts in the Dome, where only one team can leave undefeated with the division lead.(+2) Heck, the Carolina-Tampa Bay game in the NFC South may be even more important than any of these since whoever loses here might already be kissing the playoffs good-bye. (+2)

The most important game in the league though is on Monday Night Football. Atlanta gets the privilege of being the first team to visit the New Orleans Superdome as they take on the Saints. All eyes in America will be on the good folks of Louisiana as they welcome pro football back to the region ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. Sure it's probably going to be a blowout but this is by far the most meaningful event of the week. The others are just games. This is much deeper than that. (+4)

Alright, Wiseguy, go.

Wiseguy: I got to go with Carolina Panthers vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Carolina came into the season with such high expectations and where everyone's Super Bowl pick, but in the last two weeks they have been exposed to some serious weaknesses. (+4)The biggest, obviously, is the fact that their offense can't run without Steve Smith. (+2) They are 30th in total team offense for the past two weeks without Smith, last year they were 8th with him. (+2) Good stat.

And now to Tampa, where to begin. The offense has been outscored by the Raiders (that by itself is sad), (+3) Chris Simms is on pace to throw 48 ints, and Cadillac Williams has yet to rush for more than 50 yards in a game.(+2) That doesn't sound like a team that won its division a year ago. This game has to be Simms's coming out party or he will be holding a clipboard instead of the pigskin.

Plus, no one wants to start the season 0-3. (+2)

Ok, Neo, you?

Neo: Without a doubt, Carolina against Tampa Bay. Both these clubs were highly touted coming into the season, and after this game, one of these clubs will be 0-3, and be facing a major uphill climb to get back into the playoff picture. (+3)

The Panthers have been struggling to get out of the gate this season. Whether its Steve Smith's hamstrings or John Fox's playcalling, nothing has been up to snuff so far. (+3) The offense has been sputtering, with only one TD scored in the first two games, (+2) and Jake Delhomme sporting an anemic 61.5 rating. If Smith does not return soon, all hope could be lost for the Panthers, no matter how good that defense is. (+2)

And the Buccos offense is even worse. At least the Panthers got a TD. Chris Simms has just looked lost this year, with no TDs, 6 INTs and a passer rating of 40. (+4) Where's Brian Greise when you need him, eh Gruden? (+1) Cadillac Williams has a major case of the sophomore jinx going on right now, gaining just 59 yards. And that 11:1 turnover ratio can't be helping much either (+2). So who do you pick?

Go for the team that has managed to score. Panthers win 13-3.

(HORN) Ok, two picks for Panthers/Bucs, two for Falcons/Saints. I'm surprised no one picked the Jags/Colts or Steelers/Bengals matchups, possibly AFC Championship previews...Onward...


The New York Mets season has been pretty good, they were the first to clinch a playoff birth in the MLB, and based on record, are far superior of every other NL team. However, anything can happen in the playoffs. With that, I ask, How far do the Mets go in the playoffs? Wiseguy start us off.

Wiseguy: NLCS. I don't see them winning the NL because of one major thing that they lack- pitching, pitching, and pitching.(+2) Their top two starters, Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine, both have injury and performance issues heading into the playoffs. (+2) In Martinez's case, he's back from the DL (injured calf), but he was roughed up by the lowly Pirates in his first start since rejoining the rotation.(+3) Glavine, since the All-Star break, has an ERA of 5.03 with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of only 1.76 (+4) Great stat. If the first-half Glavine shows up, the Mets - particularly with their potent offense - should be just fine, but if the recent Glavine incarnation is the one on the mound, then the NL's best team could be in trouble. (+2)

And the back of the rotation is nothing to be proud about either. John Maine is a rookie and has never pitched in the bright lights of New York during playoff time (+1). Steve Trachsel (4.96 ERA) was been very inconsistent all year and I don't know if El Duque can turn into that dominant playoff pitcher he is known for being. I got the Dodgers beating them in 6. (+1)

Dodgers eh? Alright then, NeoAC you're up.

Neo: Let's look at the Mets projected path as of right now.

Mets have the best division record so they would end up playing the wild card, which will likely be either Los Angeles, San Diego or Philadelphia. We'll give San Diego the West for now so lets focus on the other two. The Dodgers fared much better against the Mets than the Phillies did, with a 3-4 record against compared to Phila's 6-9. The Dodgers also won the series set 4-3 with the Liberty Boys, so in a one-game playoff they will likely emerge victorious. (+3) Against the Mets however, they would be tired from both the wildcard race and the playoff game, so New York takes round one. (+2)

In the next round, I project they would face the Padres anyway, given St. Louis's recent struggles with the injury bug and their scarcity of starting pitching. (+2) The Mets owned the Padres more than they did the Dodgers, taking that series 5-2. The Padres don't have the offense to deal with the power the Mets put behind the ball. So we'll give the Mets the NL pennant as well. (+2)

However, being the best team in the NL this year is like being the best hockey team in Malaysia. (+2) Funny stuff It just doesn't matter when you go up against the big boys. New York, like everyone else except San Francisco and Florida, had a losing record against the AL, going 6-9 against The Yankees, Boston, Toronto and Baltimore. (+3) If the Athletics or Tigers win the AL, they might have a chance, but if the Twins or Yankees show up to play, it'll be game over for the Amazin' Mets. (+2)

Ok, Rivjo?

Rivjo:

As much as it pains me to admit this, I can't see any team truly eliminating the Mets in the National League. Since the season started you've been getting a sense of destiny about this club that GM Omar Minaya has put together. (+3) If anyone can get to them, they'll be most vulnerable in the first round series. After a long period of meaningless games it will be interesting to see if the Mets can simply turn the intensity on again. (+3) They should probably root for the Padres to win the NL West and the Phillies the wild card. It's in their best interest to have the Dodgers lose out since L.A. has 3 quality starters in Derek Lowe, Brad Penny and Greg Maddux to go along with a solid veteran line-up. (+5) The only scenario where I have the Mets not making the World Series is if they draw the Dodgers first and get stunned in the short 5 game series.(+2) Even so I don't see it happening. I predict another Subway Series and an eventual loss to my love em' or hate em' Yankees. Call it a "homer pick" but it is was it is. (+1)

Ok, and Burger?

Burger:

You know, a lot of people look at the Mets as a young team, primarily because of emerging stars like David Wright and Jose Reyes and because they've been off the radar for several seasons, but this really is a veteran ball club with Carlos Delgado, Pedro, Tom Glavine, Paul LoDuca, Jose Valentin, and now Shawn Green. (+5) These guys have been in some big games, albeit for different teams, but they have post season experience and know what it takes to win. (+2) The big games Willie Randolph has been through as a player and coach with the Yankees can't be understated either. (+2)They seem to have all the pieces in place but there are some questions that linger, foremost of which is the health and subsequent effectiveness of their pitching. (+2) surrounded Pedro and Glavine going in to this season and their injury setbacks have done nothing to alleviate those doubts. (+3) How they fare in the final week of the season should tell a great deal about their chances. The Cardinals have pitching stability issues of their own, but I like the make up of their bench much better - the Mets counter with the ageless Julio Franco - so they will have difficulty getting past them. (+3) In the end though I think they prevail and make it through the NL, only to lose another Subway Series to the Yankees.
Doubts as to how much was left in the tank
(+1) Extra point for mentioning the ageless wonder Franco. (HORN) So that's end of round 1, and I find it interesting that you guys are certain on the Yankees, interesting. Well right now NeoAC leads with 33, Burger has 32, and Rivjo and Wiseguy both have 30, Wow, I gave everyone too many points, here's a (MUTE) for all of you. Commercial time, coming up, Buy or Sell!


The Greatest game show of the all, the Price is RIght! Every Monday-Friday at 11 AM ET on CBS.

BUY? OR SELL?

Buy or sell time, lets do it!

First up, last week in the NFL, there was 3 overtime games. In one of them, the team that one the coin toss (Broncos) scored before the Chiefs could even touch the ball. It also lead to a fun arguement between Phil Simms and Jim Nantz during the game. My question, Buy or Sell the NFL's current overtime system? Rivjo, you lead off.

Rivjo:

I'm selling the NFL overtime system. Who would buy it? Quite frankly I think it's awful. You bust your hump for 60 minutes only to have all your hard work ruined by losing a coin flip, a good kick return, a couple of first downs and a field goal. (+3) Okay, so maybe it's a little harder than that but each team should at least get the same number of possessions.(+2) On second thought, if it was a good idea to hijack the 2-pt conversion from college I say we do the same with its overtime system. Now that's exciting. (+2)

Wiseguy?

Wiseguy: I would guarantee each team one possession. But it wouldn't be like college. If the first team to get the ball scores, they would have to kick off and stop the other team from doing the same, not give them the ball at the 25 yard line. (+3) It's a pretty simple solution. This way, each team has a chance to win the game. (+1)

Gotcha, and for some reason FOX is being screwy with the colors there. Burger what say you?

Burger:

I'm selling this. I love the fact that the college system gives each team - offense and defense - the chance to compete and prove their mettle. (+2) Think of the classics we've seen: OSU-Miami for the National Championship; last year's Orange Bowl between FSU-Penn State. (+3) Even this year think about the incredible goal line stands by Iowa against Syracuse that may save their season.(+2) Great games should not come down to a coin flip. The only change I would make would be starting each team farther back than the 25 so it's not just an automatic field goal contest. (+2)

And Neo?

Neo: Sell. It relies too much on chance. Adopt the college system and just be done with it. The game will be better for it, it will give the fans more to cheer about. And there will be no more ties! Except in soccer, but that doesnt count. (+3)

Next, so far this season, Rex Grossman has been great. Altough it was against Detroit and Green Bay, Grossman has put up great passing numbers, but questions still loom about when he will get injured, as he always does. Gentlemen, Buy or Sell Grossman staying healthy the entire year? Burger?

Burger:

I'm buying for now, but I'm keeping my receipt for a return or exchange later. He is displaying a greater presence in the pocket and seems calm and less reckless as his confidence grows, but he hasn't been tested by a strong defense yet (though looking at their schedule he won't face many strong defenses). (+3)

3 points for the answer, but a (MUTE) for "keeping the reciept,", that was weak. Wiseguy?

Wiseguy: The last time Rex was healthy for a full season was his senior year at Florida. I have a feeling he'll get injuryed this year; my prediction is week 9 vs. the Dolphins. (+3)

NeoAC?

Neo: Sell. There's a reason Brian Greise was brought in in the off-season (Yikes! Two Greise mentions in one show. Eerie). I just don't think Grossman can manage to stay off the injured list a whole year. Him being carted off the field is a part of an average NFL season, much like talk about Drew Bledsoe getting benched. (+4)

Two Griese mentions, I suppose that deserves a (MUTE) Rivjo?

Rivjo:

I'm buying Rex staying healthy. He's playing behind a veteran offensive line that is going to keep him on his feet. Center Olin Kreutz is one of the best in the business. In fact Olin is so tough he broke fellow Bears lineman Fred Miller's jaw in a dispute last year. Miller by the way goes 6 ft 7 in and weighs 320 pounds. It's behind them now and keeping Rex safe should be easy compared to that. I am selling on Grossman having lots more 300-yards/4 touchdowns games though. (+5)

Ah, dap for the O-Line! I like, you get another point. (+1) Onward...

The Jaguars last week absolutely destroyed the Steelers offense. The week before, they did a good job against the Cowboys. Buy or Sell the Jaguars as the NFL's best D? Neo?

Neo: I think I may Buy this one. But its on a rental basis first. Lets see how they fare against Indianapolis before I make the full purchase. If its not them, I'm going to say the best D is back in Baltimore. (+3)

So you sorta bought it, and sorta didn't, meh (MUTE) Rivjo?

Rivjo:

I'm selling Jacksonville as the best defense in the league. It's too early for them to be crowned that yet. They have been impressive for sure but against whom? Dallas has potential on offense but they have not had enough time to gel with the pre-season T.O. hamstring escapades. As for Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger was probably rushed back far too soon from his appendectomy. Let's see what the Jags do against the Colts this Sunday before we jump to any conclusions. (+4) Wiseguy?

Wiseguy: Sell- Sure they looked great on Monday night, but that was against a bad Steelers offense with a still injuryed Ben Roethlisbeger. If they blank the colts, then I'll change my mind. But until then, the Bears have the best defense. (+3)

Burger? It was your team that got trampled, what say you?

Burger: As much as this pains me to admit, I have to buy this until some one proves other wise. The Bears' defense will once again put up gaudy stats against inferior competition; the Panthers seem in disarray; and the Steelers' defense is great but their gambling style lends to giving up a few big plays a game, so the Jags are it for now. They can really cement their claim as the best defense if they can shut down the Colts in Indy this week. (+3)

(HORN) I think we all agree that we need to see the Jaguars play the Colts. Ok, first cut time, and as we look at the scores, Wiseguy6, you are the low man, final thoughts?

Wiseguy: Forget about the last game, Adrian Peterson still needs to get strong consideration for the Heisman. It's not his fault the officials absolutely sucked. He played like warrior and deserves the recognition.
(MUTE) Ok, your done for the day, Out of Bounds is next!



This program sponsored by Evil Monkeys local 231.

Ok, 2 down, here's how they stand. Rivjo leads with 46, Burger right behind him with 45, and NeoAC Bringing up the rear with 40.

OUT OF BOUNDS

This week's college football schedule doesn't look as exciting as last week. Only featuring two games with two ranked teams, and one of those games both teams are in the 20's. My question for you is, of all of the this weekends games, give me one upset. We shall start with Neo.

Neo: Not a lot to pick from, like you said, but I think I feel most secure taking North Carolina St. over #20 Boston College. The Eagles have just been skating on thin ice along the entire season so far. They almost let Central Michigan take them into overtime, they survived Clemson only thanks to a missed extra point attempt in OT, and somehow Brigham Young also managed to push them into the extra frame. (+6) I have a feeling they are about to make like that Pakistani acid girl from Family Guy. (+3) Love the FG reference. I know North Carolina St. has been horrible so far, losing to Akron and Southern Miss, but there is hope. Soph. Daniel Evans will make his first college start against the boys from Chestnut Hill, and he looked very good in mop-up duty, going 8/11 for 96 yards and a TD. Chuck Amato is also going to be pulling out all the stops for this games, because if he doesn't start now, he'll be lucky to last until the end of the season. (+2)

Burger?

Burger:

This question is an obvious attempt to get me to go on record in picking my Nittany Lions over OSU, and I have every confidence that they can and will show up strong in that game. I'm no fair-weather fan so I'll go ahead and say it! Penn State wins! But I expect them to win so that is not my upset pick of the week. (+4)

While I think Michigan may be primed for a let down game against Wisconsin, another potential letdown game jumped out at me even more: Louisville at Kansas State. The Cards got past their big test against Miami and have a relatively easy road until their big showdown with West Virginia. I can easily see a stumbling block for them in the 3-0 Wildcats. (+3)


Rivjo what do you have?

Rivjo:

I hate to make this prediction, especially since I support the Golden Domers, but I have to do it. So many intangibles go into this pick. Currently The Fighting Irish are ranked 12th. Unless you were under a rock last week everybody knows that they were beat down at home by Michigan. (+3) This week they must travel to Michigan State to play the unranked Spartans (3-0) who are fresh off a victory over Pittsburgh. Last year the Spartans upset Notre Dame in South Bend and will be very hungry to make it two years in a row. (+2) I think Brady Quinn and company are still reeling from the disappointment of watching their National Championship hopes dashed and will lay another egg. (+3) Anyone who called them over-rated can give himself another pat on the back. I wonder if the team has begun to believe the critics themselves. (+2)

(HORN) Wow, interesting picks from this one. Well let's look at the scores, Rivjo you're save. And NeoAC, you fall just one short of Burger with 51. Parting shots?

Neo: Well, I guess its back to the Great White North for me. I just want to say, look for the Weekend Pickoff on Friday night, and if anyone still cares, the NHL season starts in a month! Go Oilers!

(MUTE) NHL Season shall be great. Ok, Showdown up next, featuring Rivjo and Burger21. Two men enter, only one will survive. And Adam Best has got to love seing two of his guys in the showdown. Showdown after this commercial!

Stephen Colbert, delivering truthiness Monday-Thursday on Comedy Central.

SHOWDOWN

Alright, Showdown between Rivjo and Burger21. Lessss Go!

Earlier this week, Morten Andersen signed a deal with the Falcons. The old kicker is 46 years old, older than any active player by 4 years. The question is, at what age does he finally retire? Rivjo start us off.

Rivjo:

As long as Morton can still kick field goals I say stick around forever. I think he will finally retire in the year 2010, even though it most certainly wouldn't be as a regular. He will not only turn 50 years old that year but he will also have played pro football during 4 separate decades. Morton began his career in 1982 and I could see some former team letting him kick an extra point to accomplish this feat.

Burger:

I think it's great that Anderson is back with the Falcons, especially going to New Orleans - the scene of his best years - Monday night, but this is a one year signing and he will be done for good after this season, or before if he fares poorly.

I like Rivjo's faith in the Great Dane, he gets the point. Next up.

NASCAR's second race in the ridiclous "Chase" is this week at Dover. Who ya got? Burger?

Burger:

Last week was a perfect example of why I dislike this "Chase" system. Jimmie Johnson was leading most of the season, only to have a crash and now he's in the basement of the leader board because they have to start over? What is that? I think JJ wins in Dover and quiets his "can't close the deal" critics. He won this race there last year and has 3 wins, 7 top tens, 4 top fives, and a pole in ten career starts at Dover.

Nobody in "The Chase" needs a win more than Jimmy Johnson. After his wreck last week in New Hampshire he dropped all the way down to 9th in the standings. He can't afford another poor showing and I look for him to drive the wheels off of the car. Jimmy has 3 career wins at this track and here comes number 4. After all, his luck can't always stay awful during Chase Races, can it? He'll be the man to beat in Dover.

I like the Stats from Burger, he gets the point. And finally for the game.


I'm sure all of you know about the insanity that is the Oklahoma-Oregon craziness. The people at Oklahoma want loss not to count against them in the BCS Standings. The Referees have already been suspended, and OU is threating to cancel future games against Pac-10 teams. The question is, is Oklahoma in the right for continuing to push this? Or should they just move on. Rivjo?

Rivjo:

Haven't we been here before with useless protests? I mean sure, the replay official butchered the call on the onside kick but what does Oklahoma expect to happen? Should they line-up the players and reply it again on a mutual day off? That's not happening, nor will the ruling be overturned, so just move on. Letting Oregon get back in the game in the first place, by allowing their offense to march up and down the field, had just a little bit to do with the loss too.

Burger:

Sports history is littered with teams that lost games they think they should have won due to poor officiating. You can go through the tape of every game to pull out missed or wrong calls. While the complaints and petitions to the league officials of both conferences were justified, asking for the game to be erased is over the top. The on-side kick was not the final play of the game. Even though the call was erroneous the Sooners still had an opportunity to stop the Ducks from scoring, and had a shot at a game winning field goal as time expired.

Welcome to the Winner's Lounge. Speaking of winners, just who the heck is going to win the NL wild card? Does it matter? Are the glasses of the "contenders" half empty or full? They do have to play the Mets right? As the Mets steam-rolled all season long through the National League, it became a foregone conclusion that they were the cream of the crop. Well, all teams play for one reason and one reason alone. As Herm Edwards so vociferously reminded us a few years back, "You play to win the game!"

There are still a lot of excited fans in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Philadelphia. They die a thousand deaths with each loss and experiencing a thousand dreams with each win. A berth in the playoffs is like a lottery ticket. As long as you have one, you have a chance. Good luck to all you baseball lovers wishing on a star. The best is yet to come. If you are a fan of the Royals, Pirates or some other struggling team, then by all means jump on the nearest good-looking bandwagon. It doesn't make you a bad person. It makes you a fan looking to identify with something appealing, even if just on a temporary basis. Otherwise shut your traps if we see another Subway Series and go watch football instead.

See ya when I see ya!

(MUTE) I think Adande will sue you for using the lounge, Burger anything you want to add?

Burger: Thanks once again, NFL, for letting me play along today. This has been great.

The 2006 Ryder Cup between the defending cup champion European Team and the American contingent opens today at the K Club in Ireland. NBC golf analyst Johnny Miller said recently that this year's American team is "the worse team we've ever fielded." The Golf Channel's Steve Duemig seems to think that Miller's comments were made to stir the pot a little bit in order to rile up the US golfers. I disagree. First off, these are the best golfers in the world playing for their country after being embarrassed two years ago - they shouldn't need any extra motivation than that. And I'm a little confused on how a team with the 1-2-3 ranked players in the world could be the 'worse' at anything. Exactly how could our team be better? What Americans left off the squad by the captain (Tom Lehman) could have made this better than the 'worse' with the top three in the world already on board? We may have four rookies on the squad but there are first timers in every cup and the Europeans had that many last time. No, this is more of the same old - same old from Miller. His on air arrogance is one of the most disdainful aspects of golf coverage, especially for this pristine event. He is widely known for being overly cynical and belittling in his commentary, beyond the norm for unbiased critique, and the players have little respect for him. When asked about his reaction to Miller's comments, Chris DiMarco replied "I never agree with anything Johnny Miller says or writes." Miller seems to me to be egotistical and is jealous of the modern players for their success and recognition. While he was widely regarded as talented and successful in his own career, he was always in the shadow of Jack and Watson, and never seems to get over that he isn't getting the attention he thinks he's due. His stinging barbs aimed toward Tiger and Phil and others are not within the scope of his duties, and as an American in a day when cheap shots toward Americans are in vogue the world over; I view his jaded pessimism as unprofessional and unpatriotic. He could have easily stated his views about the rookies on the team and our poor performances of late without using terms like 'worse' in regard to the squad of his own nation. I will tune in to cheer on our team and watch the compelling play by the best in the world from both sides; but I will also exercise my right to do as our good host Mr. NFL has done in this episode of Around The Horn - and use my MUTE button.

And I shall use my (MUTE) button after that book you just wrote. Neo, Wiseguy anything you want to add?

Wiseguy and Neo: (MUTE) Forget about it! That ends the second edition of Bloggers Around the Horn. If you interested in being a part of it, send me an email, it's over in the About me section.

And remember, Do not spam categories!


HORN

Burger21
Rivjo
Wiseguy6
NeoAC

It is time for Excuse the Distraction! As PTI is off for the week, I always provide your dose of sports in my cheap ripoff. Let's start it off!

Week 3 starts this Sunday for the NFL season, and as always, there is some interesting games. The Jaguars are a team with a great defense, and are often forgotten and neglected by the fans and media. They have a chance to prove their worth against the powerhouse of the AFC South, the Colts. You've got the Bengals and the Steelers, high powered offense vs high powered defense in the division. You've got Bucs and Panthers, two teams that were supposed to be good, but have flopped to this point. You've got the Saints first game back in New Orleans against a hot Falcons team. Once again, it is looking to be another great week in the NFL. (Picks coming next)

The college football season is low on the ranked team matchups, only with one game between two #20's, and the Ohio State vs Penn State game. I think Ohio State, like any other highly ranked team early, is over-rated. Penn State I don't is like what they played in South Bend, but that game is at Ohio State, which makes it tougher. But at the end of this week, I think there will be a huge upset in college football. Maybe it will be Arizona over USC, maybe Kentucky over Florida, maybe Wisconsin over Michigan, or some other upset. I don't know which one, but there will be a big upset.

Well, a lot has been made about a possible "Subway Series" featuring the Yankees and Mets in the World Series. I'm not totally sold on it for different reasons. The Yankees do have a crazy good lineup, but is a little weak with the starting pitching. Plus they play incredibly tough competition with the Twins/TIgers. The Mets don't have as tough of opponants, but they also have starting pitching issues. Of course the big markets get the coverage, but in the postseason, it's all about getting hot at the right time. I'm not sure about any team being better in the NL than the Mets, but the Wild Card has advanced to the World Series the last two years. (Ironically both times the Astros). While football season owns, baseball season is just heating up.

Time for commercial...


Sponsored by the Bloggers edition of Around the Horn, tommorow, featuring Rivjo, Wiseguy7, NeoAC, and Burger21.

It's now time for my NFL Week 3 picks! I got 14 of 16 right last week....so this week I'm bound to get them all wrong...

Redskins (0-2) at Texans (0-2)
Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX

The Redskins may actually have a running game this week, as Clinton Portis is at full speed. The lack of running game has killed the Redskins to this point. I think the Redskins secondary shuts down the pass, and the Texans have no running game to speak of.

Redskins win 20-10

Jets (1-1) at Bills (1-1)
Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, NY

The Bills defense has been tough the last few weeks, and are looking to regain the 2004 form when they were one of the best. They also have Takeo Spikes coming back. The Bills defense won't allow Pennington to throw for 300 yards, and the Jets running game is beyond terrible. Even with a weak offense, the Bills win this one.

Bills win 13-3

Packers (0-2) at Lions (0-2)
Ford Field, Detroit, MI

The question is, which Lions D are we going to get? The defense which shut down the Seahawks, or the defense destroyed by Da Bears? The Packers D is bad, and I think Kevin Jones will run well. The Lions lack offense, but against the Packers, they should get good field position off of Brett's INTs.

Lions win 16-10

Jaguars (2-0) at Colts (2-0)
RCA Dome, Indianapolis, IN

It's great defense versus great offense. The Colts running game is pretty bad, and the Jaguars killed Willie Parker last week. The Colts will not be able to run the ball, forcing a lot of passes. However, I'm not sold on the Jaguars offense doing much even against a very shaky Colts defense. I think this one will be incredibly close, but home field advantage will pay off in that loud dome for the Colts. (And it is LOUD, I've been there)

Colts win 20-17

Bears (2-0) at Vikings (2-0)
Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN

The Bears D is crazy good again, and I don't think the Vikings offense will good enough to put up very many points. I don't think Grossman and the Bears offense will play great, but I think 17 points will be all the need.

Bears win 17-10

Titans (0-2) at Dolphins (0-2)
Dolphin Stadium, Miami, FL

The Titans are the team we knew would stink, but the Dolphins we thought would be decent. So far, they've had no offense, but the Titans defense is pretty bad. I think Culpepper gets his act together, and the offense does something. Plus, they are at home.

Dolphins win 27-17

Bengals at Steelers
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA

Another battle putting high powered offense vs high powered defense. The Steelers offense is weak, but I don't buy great things from the Bengal D, after a lot of injuries last week. The Steelers D is still the Steelers D, even against a great offense with the Bengals. Once again, home field will be the ultimate factor for me in this game.

Steelers win 21-20

Panthers (0-2) at Buccaneers (0-2)
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

The battle of two teams everyone thought would be good. The Panthers will have Steve Smith back, and he boosts that offense incredibly. The Bucs D has proven soft the last two weeks, and the offense is pretty bad. The Panthers will shut down Simms like everyone else, and finally win.

Panthers win 24-10

Ravens (2-0) at Browns (0-2)
M&T Bank Stadium, Balitmore, MD

The Browns offense is bad, and the Ravens defense is good. The defense will give them good field position enough to squeak out a win over a lackluster Browns team.

Ravens win 10-3

Giants (1-1) at Seahawks (2-0)
Qwest Field, Seattle, WA

The Seahawks offense has to get going at some point. The Giants defense is weak, the Hawks should score a lot on them. The Giants offense is also solid, but they will be facing a serviceable defense, and a loud Seattle crowd.

Seahawks win 34-24.

Rams (1-1) at Cardinals (1-1)
Cardinals Stadium, Glendale, AZ

I really don't know with the Rams, one week they destroy the Seahawks, the next week the 49ers beat them. The Cardinals offense should be good, and the Rams offense should good. This should be high scoring, and I will go with the home team.

Cardinals win 34-30

Eagles (0-2) at 49ers (1-1)
Monster Park, San Francisco, CA.

The Eagles just melted down last week. Other than that, they have been passing very well and they face a weak 49ers secondary. However, Frank Gore is showing signs of being big time back. I'm tempted to pick the upset, but the Eagles D will be too tough.

Eagles win 27-20

Broncos (1-1) at Patriots (2-0) (SUNDAY NIGHTER)
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA

Both of this teams have yet to play like they are supposed to play. The Broncos have stopped the run, and I think they will stop Maroney, forcing Brady to pass against a solid secondary. The Broncos need to run the ball, a lot. Passing the ball has been their downfall, and if they run, I think they will get this upset.

Broncos win 16-10

Falcons (2-0) at Saints (2-0) (Monday Nighter)
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA

As much as I'd like to think that being back in New Orleans will carry them to victory, I have to go the other way. No one has stopped the Falcons running attack, and I don't see the Saints doing it. The Falcons defense has also played great, I think they will stop Bush, and end up pulling this upset. I do kinda hope I am wrong however.

Falcons win 24-14

That's it for the picks.....Commercial...


Sponsored by the NHL. "Hey, remember us?" Season starts October 6th....

On that note, let's go to the Big Finish!

Tigers only lead by half a game on the Twins as I write this, who wins the division?
Tigers, overall a better team.

Ryder Cup started today, who ya got?
Gotta root for my USA! Plus, they've angered Tiger Woods...

NASCAR at Dover, who ya got?
Let's make this fun, I predict a win for Dale Jarrett

Finally, I start my playoffs on Madden tommorow, can I win it all?
With the Colts I can, with my 49ers, well.....

WELL THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION OF ETD, I'll try to do better next time. I'm MrNFL, and this re-airs by clicking the refresh button.

MAKE SURE TOMMOROW TO TUNE IN TO THE 2nd EDITION OF BLOGGERS AROUND THE HORN!


And remember, don't spam categories, and spay and neuter your pets...


ETD