I believe:

• The Colts are better than the Patriots, despite losing Sunday.
• Oregon is the best college football team in the country.
• No one will pay A-Rod anywhere near the $350 million Scott Boras is suggesting.
• It would be a travesty if injury ruined Adrian Peterson's pro career like it did his college career. He was amazing in his first year at both levels. Hopefully it continues in the pros.
• The Baltimore Ravens arent a very good football team, but they will play a close game with Pittsburgh because they matchup well with the Steelers.
• Charlie Weis better have an amazing offseason with his players. I have always been a supporter of his, but he has done a truly awful job with his team this year.
• Watching the Celtics open their season against the Wizards was the most enjoyable regular season NBA game I have seen since the days of MJ. Its amazing what basketball looks like when a team plays with passion emotion.
• The Patriots wont end the season undefeated. Its very unlikely they take the last game of the season very seriously. However, that game could mean quite a bit to the New York Giants, who have the pass rush to disrupt the Patriots offense (like the Colts did yesterday).
• Trading Kobe Bryant will almost surely fail the Los Angeles Lakers. I would still like to see it happen though.
• I cant get over how good of a three weeks an 8 team tournament that consisted of the teams Ohio State, LSU, Oregon, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Kansas and others would be. Its hard for me to imagine that this wouldnt be more profitable for the NCAA than the current bowl system.

Last week I was 3-2 picking against the spread. I will try my best again this week:

Green Bay (+2.5) @ Kansas CIty: I expect the packers to win this game outright. Kansas City's offense has struggled mightly this year against good defenses and I expect that to happen Sunday. While KC is a very tough place to win, Brett Favre appears to be connecting very well with Driver, Jennings and Jones. Green Bay in a low scoring game. CORRECT

San Diego (-7.0) @ Minnesota: San Diego has been playing great football recently. Antonio Gates has been having a monster season which should continue this weekend against a weak pass defense in Minnesota. Minnesota's lack of a passing threat will give them no chance against one of the NFL's elite. Chargers win easily. WRONG

Baltimore (+10) @ Pittsburgh: While Pittsburgh is clearly the better team in this matchup, the Ravens and Steelers almost always play tough games. The division lead is on the line Monday night and I expect a tough low scoring game. Baltimore covers.

Seattle (+1.5) @ Cleveland: The Browns have a bad run defense that will be exploited by Shaun Alexander and the Seahawks on Sunday. After a week off I expect Seattle to win a tight game in Cleveland against a suprisingly good Browns team. WRONG

Washington (-3.5) @ NY Jets: Washington isnt nearly as bad as the score of their game last week would indicate. The Jets however are a bad football team. Expect a big game from Clinton Portis as the Redskins roll. WRONG

FOR THE WEEK I AM 1-3 WITH THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME STILL TO GO. I AM 4-5 SO FAR ON THE SEASON.

Since I am late posting this week, it will be a quick version. So far this year I am 74-43 picking games straight up.

Arizona @ Tampa Bay: Arizona has struggled since their big win against Pittsburgh. I expect Tampa to respond after a tough home loss last week. CORRECT

Denver @ Detroit: Denver has an absolutely attrocious run defense. I expect Kevin Jones to have a big game at home and Mike Martz and company to mix in the pass effectively in another win for the suprising Lions. CORRECT

Carolina @ Tennessee: Despite a struggling offense, especially in the passing game, Tennessee has still been winning with excellent defensive line play. I expect that to continue at home in a tough game. CORRECT

Green Bay @ Kansas City: Teams genearlly struggle after a Monday night game and KC is a great home team, but I just dont see their offense mounting much of an attack against the Packer defense. I expect Green Bay to win another tough game at home. CORRECT

San Diego @ Minnesota: After a tough start, the Chargers are playing great football. While Minnesota has had a great running game this year, their passing game sucks. San Diego wins easy on the road. THIS IS MY SURVIVOR PICK OF THE WEEK. WRONG

Jacksonville @ New Orleans: Even though I was wrong on this last week, I am picking against Quin Gray. New Orleans has been playing much better football recently and I dont think the Jags will have the balance to win on the road. CORRECT

San Francisco @ Atlanta: Atlanta is in bad shape and the players arent happy. While the 49ers have been playing very poorly as well, I think their defense shuts down the Falcons and they win on the road. WRONG

Washington @ NY Jets: Washington isnt nearly as bad as the score showed last week. The Jets are bad though and Washington wins easy in the Meadowlands. Not a bad pick for Survivor Football as well. CORRECT

Cincinnati @ Buffalo: The Bills are playing much better football recently. Their defense gives up a lot of yards, but not many points. They are also facing a bad defense in Cincinnati. Buffalo hasnt scored many points this year though, even against a team like the Jets. Cincinnati's offense wins. WRONG

Seattle @ Cleveland: Cleveland has been a big suprise this week, while the Seahawks have been inconsistent. Despite early season struggles, I expect Shaun Alexander to have a big day and lead Seattle to a close road win. WRONG

New England @ Indianapolis: I expect this game to live up to the huge hype. I think the Patriots have the slight advantage because of their edge at defensive scheming. New England in a great game. CORRECT

Houston @ Oakland: I dont expect Oaklands offense be able to do much against the Texan defense. Josh McCown gets the start this weekend and I expect him to struggle. CORRECT

Dallas @ Philadelphia: This is a great rivalry that the Eagles have owned recently, winning the last 2, 4 of the last 5 and 12 of 14. I expect Dallas to win this game though simply due to superior talent. They are rested coming off a bye week and should hold onto their lead in the NFC East. CORRECT

Baltimore @ Pittsburgh: Two extremely physical football teams that hate eachother should make for a good Monday Night Football game. Pittsburgh is simply a better all around football team and should win a close game at home.

I picked a lot of road teams this week, which will probably lead to a bad record picking. We'll see...

FOR THE WEEK I AM 9-4 WITH THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME STILL TO GO. FOR THE YEAR I AM 83-47.

After days of speculation, the Dodgers finally made it official by announcing Joe Torre will be their next manager. Torre had a losing record before his time with the Yankees, but the Dodgers are still lucky to have him. Torre is great at handling the bright lights of a big city as well as keeping his team together. No current coach is more loved by his players. Torre may not be baseball's brightest mind, but he will be a great fit for the Dodgers. A manager will never be a miracle worker on any baseball team, but Los Angeles couldnt have hired a better candidate.

Joel Zumaya has to be one of the unluckiest current professional athletes when it comes to injury. For such an amazing pitcher that can throw as hard as anyone alive, Zumaya has had two random injuries. First he injured himself playing the video game Guitar Hero. His latest injury came when he was moving personaly items from his home in Southern California because of the tragic fires that destroyed so many homes. Zumaya now will need surgery, wont be able to throw a baseball until March and isnt expected to be back with the Tigers until mid-season. Hopefully, for his sake, this is the end of his bad luck.

Is it Sunday yet? As much as it is deserved, the hype for this weekend's game in Indianapolis where the Colts will host the Patriotes is getting old. Im just as excited as the next guy about this matchup, but the buildup has been endless. Whether its ESPN, the NFL Network or sports talk radio, the game is everwhere sports is being discussed. Two undefeated teams playing eachother this late in the season is unprecedented. They are CLEARLY the two best teams in the NFL right now and they have established a great modern day rivalry. But for the sake of sanity, Sunday cant come fast enough.

How much must it suck to be one of the better players on the Chicago Bulls right now. Virtually the entire sports world is on the edge of their seats wondering what is going to happen with Kobe Bryant, Bulls fans especially. But players like Luol Deng, Joahkim Noah, Ben Wallace, Tyrus Thomas and more really have no idea for what that means for their future. They go to work every day with the very real possibility that they could be on their way to Los Angeles to play for the Lakers, or for that matter some other city if there is a three way trade that is completed. It is in both teams best interest to get this situation settled as quickly as possible so both teams can move forward, trade or no trade. Especially for the Bulls, who are one of the best teams in the NBA without Kobe Bryant. It would be a shame if these speculations ruined what could be a special season.

Props to LSU head coach Les Miles for doing the right thing with linebacker Derrick Odom and Ryan Perrilloux. Odom was kicked off the team for his involvement in a bar fight. Perrilloux will not join the Tigers in their trip to Tuscalussa for their much hyped game against the Alabama Crimson Tide and the former LSU coach Nick Saban. While this seems like such an obvious move, few coaches would have taken such drastic measures with such a big game this weekend. Nice job Les.

Also props to ESPN for their selection of the Pittsburgh Steelers hosting the Baltimore Ravens as their Monday Night Football game this week. While the New England vs Indianapolis Colts was the obvious choice, CBS had the right to hold onto that game and they made the obvious decision. ESPN made the next best decision. They have made questionable choices in the past by choosing games like the New York Giants vs the Atlanta Falcons or the Arizona Cardinals vs the San Francisco 49ers. They got it right this week just like they got it right two weeks ago when they chose the Jaguars vs the Colts, despite the game not being an enjoyable one due to the injury of David Garrard. I hope the country tunes into a great rivalry Monday night. The game is sure to display some smash mouth football. I expect a Steeler victory, but it should be an entertaing game nonetheless.

1. New England Patriots: The top spot in the NFL is obviously up for grabs this weekend when the Patriots travel to Indianapolis for what should be a spectacular matchup. At this point, its hard not to rank the Pats as the best team in the NFL. This is clearly the most talented team Bill Bellichick has ever coach and the entire organization is motivated to prove the video taping scandal wasnt the reason the Patriots were able to create a modern day dynasty. The offense has been exceptional and they havent even been able to establish a running game most thought they would have. I look for the Patriots to suprise some people this weekend by running the ball with Maroney against the Colts undersized line. The Pats will obviously do what they do best though, which is spread the field and throw the ball. Tom Brady is on pace to destroy Manning's single season touchdown record and I dont see him letting up. What seperates the Patriots from the Colts is their abilty to scheme defensively. They have been playing most of the season without their best defensive player in Richard Seymore and have still kept their opposition from mounting any consistent threat. While the Colts are clearly the best offense they will play, I expect this to be the difference.

2. Indianapolis Colts: Its very difficult for me to not rank the defending champs at the number one spot when they havent done anything not to earn the top spot. In fact, they are clearly a better team this season than they were last season. They have been able to fill all of their key offseason losses and not miss a beat. They have the best pass rushing ends in the NFL and a healthy Bob Sanders has done wonders for the defense. The strong defense has allowed the offense to be more methodical in their domination. While they havent been as flashy this season as they were in past seasons, its clear this offense is able to impose its will on any defense. The fact that they are underdogs at home has to provide great motivation to a veteran led team. Sunday's game should be special.

3. San Diego Chargers: While the Chargers are only 4-3, its pretty clear to me that they are becoming the team everyone expected at the beginning of the season. Some even said they were the most talented team in the NFL, ahead of the Patriots and Colts. The team (especially the offense) has adapted to Norv Turner and they are beginning to play with great confidence. As the season progresses, I expect the addition of Chris Chambers to be huge for this team. While LaDanian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates are tremendous weapons for qb Phillip Rivers, having the outside threat of Chambers is going to make a great offense that much more difficult to defend. Their defense has also seemed to be more aggressive as the season has gone on, which is what they need to do with Shawn Merriman and Shaun Phillips at OLB. Whichever team (the Colts or the Pats) draws them in the playoffs is going to be very unlucky.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers: Even with a new coach, this team still resembles Pittsburgh teams of the past. They play extremely tough defense, ranking very high in the NFL in both pass and rush defense, and they feel like they can run the ball against any defense. Ben Roethlisberger's progression is what makes this team different. Ben has a unique ability to shake off defensive lineman, escape out of the pocket to keep the play alive, and find a reciever downfield. It does seem to matter which team the Steelers are playing, Ben is constantly shrugging defensive lineman off like they are cornerbacks. This makes it especially difficult to defend the Steeler offense. Once they get a lead, the Steelers play excellent time possession football, making it extremely difficult to come back. Each team only had 6 possessions in their game against the Bengals last weekend. That makes it especially difficult to come back against an aggressive defense.

5. Dallas Cowboys: This was a difficult pick as there are many teams playing good football right now. The Cowboys have great balance on offense with reciever Terrell Owens and Patrick Crayton as well as Tony Romo's go to target in Jason Witten at tight end. The running back combination of Julius Jones and especially Marion Barber has also been very effective, making the Cowboys extremely difficult to defend. While they lost by a pretty wide margin at home to the Patriots, the score was somewhat misleading as the Cowboys were leading in the third quarter, making them the only team that has challenged the Patriots this season. Their defense has some question marks, but I expect there will be continuous improvment under new coach Wade Wilson.

Missing Out:

Green Bay Packers: They have had a strong start to the season despite an inconsistent running game. They have one of the best young defenses in the league anchored by two excellent cornerbacks. To go with that defense, Brett Favre now has an emerging Greg Jennings and James Jones at wide reciever to go along with the always consistent Donald Driver. This team is definitely a contender for the Super Bowl in the NFC.

New York Giants: Since week 2, this team has been playing at an entirely different level defensively. After two losses to Dallas and Green Bay, the Giant defense, anchored by exceptional defensive ends, has been playing fabulous football. Eli Manning to Plexico Burress has been an extremely reliable option for the offense and the combination of Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward at running back has provided good balance. Despite the early losses to the Cowboys and Packers, I still expect the Giants to challenge them in the NFC. I just cant put them ahead of either of those teams at this point.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Part of putting the Jaguars in this list of contenders is the assumption that qb David Garrard will come back healthy for the offense. While the Jags had impressive victory over the weekend in Tampa Bay lead by Quinn Gray, I dont see that success continuing. The Jags are an extremely physical team that will wear their oposition down, both offensively and defensively. However they need Garrard to provide a balanced offense that can keep defenses guessing. With that threat, the combination of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew will be tough to stop for any defense.

Keep an eye on:

Tennessee Titans: The defense has been very strong but the offense has been struggling a bit. They will need to play better if they want to beat the NFLs best. Still they are a young, intriguing team.

New Orleans Saints: A team with very high expectations to begin the season is playing much better football halfway through the season. The defense has considerably improved and their offense has been better despite not living up to expectations. In the NFC South, this team is very much a contender.

Not a True Threat:

Baltimore Ravens: Despite a 4-3 start, this team has had some serious struggles that will only get worse as the season continues. They still have games against the Chargers, Colts, Patriots, as well as two against the Steelers and one against the Bengals (a team that has beat them 5 out of 6 times).

Cleveland Browns: Their only win on the road came against the St. Louis Rams, who again lost Steven Jackson to injury. Despite a relatively easy remaing schedule, road division games in Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati will keep this team from making the playoffs.

The entire sports world is debating the ethics of the Patriots running up the score on the Redskins this past Sunday. With the score 38-0 late in the game, the Patriots chose to go for it on 4th and 1 instead of kicking a short field goal, ultimately leading to a touchdown. Instead of leaing 41-0, the Patriots were now up 45-0 and eventually won 52-7. The Redskins said the Patriots lacked respect for the game. Many fans and those in the media are claming the Patriots lack sportsmanship. And still others are claiming that in professional sports, if you want someone to stop scoring points, it is up to your team to stop them. The truth is everyone is right. The bigger question is why the Patriots feel the need to embarrass their opposition as badly as possible. The Patriots are clearly on a mission to prove their greatness in light of the cheating allegations. But doesnt a score of 38-0 do a pretty good job of that? What does an extra touchdown do? And is it really worth the injury of a key player in garbage time? Multiple members of the media have mentioned the possibility of a cheap shot aimed at Tom Brady's knees if the Patriots tactics continue. While I would never support something like that, the Patriots would only have themselves to blame.

The sports world, especially Yankees fans, also seems pissed off at Alex Rodriguez for opting out of his contract without even negotiating with the Yankees first. All I have to say to Yankee fans is you get what you deserve. In 4 years, A-Rod had over 170 homeruns and 500 RBI's and it will soon be announced the he won his second MVP while with the team. Yet he was booed more than he was cheered with the Yankees. Try to name another time in baseball when one of the greatest players in the history of the game batted 8th in the order. The Yankees organization is hiring a new manager, many key players are free agents right now and the team has a lot of holes. How can you blame A-Rod. He is simply being smart. And he will almost definitely end up in a better situation than he was in with the Yankees. The team and their fans got what they deserve. Deal with it.

The NBA season begins tonight...and I really dont care. The leagues talent is balencing out between confrences, which should make for an interesting playoffs. The regular season is still largely unwatchable though. There is very little reason to pay close attention until March.

When was the last time the defending superbowl champions were undefeated after seven games, playing at home and still underdogs. Im not much of a betting man, but if you told me before the season that the Colts were undefeated, playing at home and still 6 point underdogs....I would still take the Patriots. I think the Colts are a great team. Their defense is light years ahead of where it was last season. The offense is as balanced as ever. The Patriots are simply better though. I still expect a great game in Indy this Sunday. Take the Patriots and lay the points.

Joe Torre is in line to become the new manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers got themselves a great manager. A Major League Baseball manager has two main roles. The first is to have the respect of his players and get the players to preform at their highest level possible. The second is to put his players in the best possible position to win. No one is better at the first than Joe Torre. His players love him and play hard for him. There is also no denying Joe's baseball competence. A manager cant work miracles, but nonetheless the Dodgers are lucky to have Torre.

Congratulations to the Boston Red Sox on their second World Series championship in 4 seasons. The Red Sox are in a great position to build on this success as they have a lot of young talent in Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Hideki Okijima, Jonathan Papelbon, Jon Lester, Kevin Youkilis, and others mixed in with some great veteran talent like Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Josh Beckett, and Jason Varitek. However the Sox have some tough decisions to make. World Series MVP Mike Lowell is a free agent an is going to command a lot of money. Expect the Yankees to come after him strong. Curt Schilling is also a free agent, and while he is aging, it will be hard to replace his presence if they decide to let him go. There is also the question of the possibility of Alex Rodriguez joining Red Sox nation. It will be interesting to see some of the decisions the organization makes this offseason in an effort to repeat.

A Bengals fan's perspective of the Steelers 24-13 victory:

First of all, I have to give credit to the Steelers for playing a hell o####ame. They came to Cincinnati, played a Bengal team in need of a win, and won by a pretty wide margin. The game was closer than the score indicated, but the fact of the matter is the Steelers made big plays in crucial situations while the Bengals did not.

It started in the first quarter after the Steelers were forced to punt after their first drive. The Bengals were moving the ball effectively on a tough Steeler defense before they came up short in the redzone. That would be a theme all game long. The Bengals were forced to kick a field goal. The Steelers then took the ball and scored consecutive touchdowns with a Bengals punt mixed in. The next two drives is what seperated the Steelers from the Bengals yestersday. Again the Bengals were moving the ball effectively all the way down to the Steeler 2 yard line where it was 4th and 1 with just over 2 minutes left in the half. After taking a timeout, Marvin Lewis decided to kick a field goal instead of go for the first down/touchdown.  After holding the Bengals to a field goal once again, the Steelers were able to score another touchdown right before halftime, making the score 21-6. What could have been a 14-10 game was now a 15 point lead for the Steelers.

The Bengals were able to hold the Steelers to only 3 points in the second half, but the Steelers were able control the clock, keeping the ball for 6-8 minutes per drive. The Bengals were able to score a 3rd quarter touchdown, but when they were driving in the 4th in an attempt to make it a 3 point game, Kenny Watson fumbled just inside the 20, furthering the Bengals redzone difficulties.

The long and short of it is that the Steelers made big plays when they needed them and were able to beat the Bengals in Cincinnati, all but ending their hopes for the playoffs. The Steelers are now 5-2 and have to be loving that the media is only paying attention to the Colts and Patriots.

I have decided to pick 5 games a week against the spread and post them here. Here they are for week 8.

Tampa Bay (-3.5) vs. Jacksonville: Honestly, I am simply picking against Quinn Gray at qb for the Jaguars. Without any threat of a passing game, I think the Jaguar running game wont be as effective as usual. Also, teams traveling after a Monday night game historically struggle. I think the Bucs will win a relatively low scoring game. 1.0 units. RESULT: WRONG

Philadelphia (-1) @ Minnesota: This is a must win game for the Eagles, who have had a disappointing start to the season and cant risk falling even further behind a strong division. Minnesota rookie Adrian Peterson has had a sensational start to the season, but the lack of passing game for the Vikings ultimately leads to their demise at home. I expect the Eagles to come out strong in support of their coach Andy Reid, whose job was called for this week by a local news paper. Donovan McNabb should have a pretty strong game against a weak Viking pass defense. 1.0 units. RESULT: CORRECT

Buffalo (+3) @ NY Jets: The Jets have had a very disappointing start to the season while the Bills are riding high after an upset against Baltimore last weekend. The Jets defense has badly struggled this year. They are playing a 3-4 defense without a true nose tackle. This is making life hell for their linebackers, who never get to run free. With the loss of Jonathan Vilma, the Jets defense is going to be in even worse shape. Expect Marshawn #### to have a big day in New York. The Bills had a lot of tough losses to begin the year, none more difficult than the blown lead to Dallas on Monday night. They are starting to play well however and should win this game outright. 1.0 units. RESULT: CORRECT

St. Louis (+3) vs. Cleveland: St. Louis has had a terrible start to the season and it didnt get any better last week as they were embarrassed by division rival Seattle. However they get their best player in Steven Jackson back this weekend. That has to be a huge emotional lift for the Rams. Cleveland simply doesnt have a good run defense and I expect Jackson to have a good day. As Jackson gets going, expect the Rams to gain confidence and win a close game at home. 1.0 units. RESULT: WRONG

Indianapolis (-6.5) @ Carolina: I said earlier that teams coming off a Monday night game usually struggle on the road the following week. However I am still picking the Colts because I dont think the Panthers, led by Vinny Testaverde, will be able to acomplish much offensively. The Colts defense has been significantly better this year, to the point that their pass defense is ranked number 1 in the league. I expect a close game in the first half, but the Colts will seperate themselves in the second half. Dont expect the Colts to overlook the Panthers in anticipation for next Sundays showdown against the Patriots. They have too much leadership in their lockerroom to do that. 1.0 units. RESULT: CORRECT

For the week, I was 3-2 with my picks. +0.7 units. Not bad.

In this weeks pick, I am taking the New York Giants to beat the Miami Dolphins in London. I usually follow the rule of always picking a team playing at home in survivor football, but this game is tough to pass up for me. With Ronnie Brown out, its hard for me to imagine the Dolphins doing anything against a Giants defense that has been spectacular since the 3rd week of the season. Also, Eli Manning to Plexico Burress has been a lethal combination this year and I would expect that to continue against an aging Dolphin defense. When the Dolphins traded Chris Chambers, they clearly sent the signal they are building for the future. In that mode, I simply dont see them beating a surging Giants team.

Other options, depending on who you have picked alread this year:

Tampa Bay to beat Jacksonville. I just dont see the Jags winning on the road with Quin Gray as their qb.

San Diego to beat Houston. I dont like this pick as much because of the tragedy in Southern California. Its hard to know if the Chargers will come out strong for their community or have their minds somewhere else.

Tennessee to beat Oakland. I dont like this matchup for Oakland as I dont think their running game will get much going against a good Titan defense.

New England to beat Washington. New England at home is a safe pick against almost everyone this year.

So far this year I have already picked:

Week 1: Pittsburgh (at Cleveland)

Week 2: Chicago (vs KC)

Week 3: New England (vs Buffalo)

Week 4: Dallas (vs St. Louis)

Week 5: Tennessee (vs Atlanta)

Week 6: Baltimore (vs St. Louis)

Week 7: Seattle (vs St. Louis)

IN THE END, THE GIANTS, CHARGERS, TITANS AND PATRIOTS ALL WON WHILE THE BUCANEERS SUPRISINGLY LOST TO THE JAGUARS.

Detroit @ Chicago: Chicago builds off the momentum of a come from behind win against Philadelphia last weekend and beats their division rival at home. Detroit isnt as good as their 4-2 record suggests. WRONG

Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati: Cincinnati needs this game to save their season. A win and they are within one game of the division lead. A loss and they are 3 games back with little hope left. The Bengals pull it out with their backs against the wall. WRONG

Indianapolis @ Carolina: Carolina is in terrible shape this weekend at quarterback going against the leagues best pass defense. David Carr will start if healthy, but neither he or the aging Vinny Testaverde are good options. Indy rolls into next weeks showdown against the Patriots. CORRECT

Oakland @ Tennessee: Oaklands best chance this weekend is to run the ball in Nashville. Unfortunately the Titans have one of the best rush defenses in the NFL. With Vince Young returning, the Titans build off last weeks last second victory. CORRECT

Cleveland @ St. Louis: The Rams are finally able to pull out their first win of the season this week, leaving Miami as the lone winless team in the NFL. Steven Jackson has a huge game in his return against a weak Cleveland rush defense. WRONG

NY Giants @ Miami: Its the NFLs debut in England. Unfortunately London will get to see the Giants dismantle the Dolphins. With the Dolphins lone bight spot Ronnie Brown out for the season, expect the Giants defense to dominate. CORRECT

Philadelphia @ Minnesota: Despite Adrian Peterson's amazing season, the lack of passing game kills the Vikings chances in this one. Expect the Eagles to rally around head coach Andy Reid after his job was called for by a local newspaper. CORRECT

Buffalo @ NY Jets: The Jets season has been an utter disappoint. Expect the Bills to pound Marshawn #### against a weak New York rush defense that will be even worse with the loss of Jonathan Vilma. CORRECT

Houston @ San Diego: It appears this game will be played in San Diego on Monday Night despite the tragic fires hitting southern California. The Chargers finally appear to be the team everyone expected them to be to begin the season. They will come out strong in honor of their community. CORRECT

Jacksonville @ Tampa Bay: With the loss of David Garrard for a month, the Jaguars are in trouble. Sitting at 4-2, they are going to struggle to win a game with Gray at qb. That wont happen this weekend as Tampa is anxious to avenge their loss last week at Detroit. WRONG

New Orleans @ San Francisco: The 49ers had a strong start to the season but their offense has simply let their defense down of late. All of this while the Saints have played considerably better on defense recently. The Saints offense will do just enough to win. CORRECT

Washington @ New England: Joe Gibbs jokingly said his team will be the biggest underdog in the history of sports this weekend. They will be the biggest underdog in the NFL this weekend though. New England rolls to 8-0 in preperation for their showdown with the Colts. CORRECT

Green Bay @ Denver: Denver has the worst rush defense in the NFL. Unfortunately the Packers are the worst team in the NFL at running the ball. Denver's exceptional pass defense will force Favre into enough mistakes, leading to a Bronco victory on Monday night. WRONG

So far this season I am 66-37 at picking NFL games.

FOR THE WEEK I WAS 8-5, MOVING TO 74-42 FOR THE SEASON.

Watch this clip.

It epitomizes what the city of Pittsburgh is all about.

Hilarious!

One of the more underrated rivalries in the NFL heats up again this week when the Cincinnati Bengals host the Pittsburgh Steelers. The rivalry is so underrated that Steeler fans will even try to convince themselves they dont care about the Bengals. Those who think this way seem to forget their head coach leading the team in a chant of "We Dey," mocking the Bengals and the city of Cincinnati, after the Steelers beat the Bengals in the 2005 playoffs, a game in which Kimo Van Oelhoffen tore Carson Palmer's ACL in his left leg. If that wasnt enough Cowher again led his players, as well as the entire city of Pittsburgh, in another "We Dey" chant during the Steelers Super Bowl Parade. Clearly this game is just as important to the Steelers as it is to the Bengals.

 A week ago this game had very little appeal. The Bengals were 1-4 and coming off an embarrassing preformance against a mediocre -at-best Kansas City Chiefs team. The Steelers, fresh off their bye week, were 4-1 and in control of the AFC North Division. All of that changed when the Bengals beat the New York Jets to move to 2-4 while the Steelers lost in Denver to the Broncos to fall to 4-2. Now the Bengals can move right back into contention in the division with a win while the Steelers can all but end the Bengals season with a win in Paul Brown Stadium this weekend.

The Steelers have won their last 6 games in Cincinnati, including ending the Bengals season each of the last two seasons, while the Bengals have won 3 of their last 4 in Pittsburgh. The Bengals will be fighting for their lives this weekend to reverse that trend.

And dont think for a second the Bengals forget the feeling Pittsburgh gave them after losing 23-17 in overtime after place kicker Shayne Graham, the most accurate active kicker in the NFL, missed a 39 yard field goal with 8 seconds remaining in regulation.

It will all be on the line this Sunday in Cincinnati.

Early in the week, Tom Archdeacon of the Dayton Daily News wrote an article titled "Bengals Have Issues; Chad Not One of Them." The article came in response to an onslaught of rumors and discussion of the Cincinnati Bengals possbily trading Chad Johnson. These rumors hit their peak when Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported that the Bengals were considering trading Johnson in the offseason. Later Mortensen admitted that he misinterrpretted the information he recieved.

The fact of the matter is the Bengals and the Cincinnati community are lucky to have Chad Johnson. Sure he struggles to channel his frustrations in a positive way at times. But that doesnt change the fact that his work ethic is unparralleled, nobody cares more about winning and he is a model citizen and generous within the community.

Chad doesnt play defense. He isnt one of the many injured Bengals. He doesnt play a role in their undermanned personell department. And he hasnt been arressted.

Its unfortunate Cincinnati fans and the media are turning their eyes away from the real problems that plague the Bengals.

 Read the full article here.