By: Kevin Cottrell Jr. 

GREENER PASTURES...Ever stepped out of your proverbial door in life and wonder why your neighbor's grass was greener than yours? Have you ever asked them their secret? Well in sports athletes tend to envy others manicured grass and eventually opt to hop that fence! In fact, last Tuesday Allen Iverson and the Nuggets questioned their ability to win with A.I. in uniform and they figured his best answer would be to get traded to the Detroit Pistons. Sure the Nuggets have struggled in the past. Sure the Pistons have reached six straight Conference finals but yet in still when Iverson arrived in the Motor City he still had to assume his role on the Piston assembly line. As for Chauncey Billups, he's already obtained Iverson's ultimate goal of winning a title (and being named MVP) and he now gets to perform in front of his home crowd. But keep in mind Chauncey was happy to be in Detroit. One week later Billups has led Denver to a 3-0 record while Iverson & Co. have struggled with a dismal 1-2 record. Sure the season is early and the Pistons may still reach their seventh straight Conference Final but for Iverson to obtain the beautiful green grass he's still going to have to mow that lawn.

I. NFL Week 11 Predictions: (Last Week: 7-7) Sure last week was mediocre and while I too could opt for greener pastures I've decided to trim my predicting hedges and get back on track in week 11. All 32 teams will be in action beginning with an AFC East battle tonight! Here we go!

1. Jets (6-3) @ Patriots (6-3) (Th. 8:15 pm NFL Network)- The last time these two teams met Tom Brady and the Patriots were set to complete their goal of winning the Super Bowl and Brett Favre and the Jets were just trying to learn each others strengths and weaknesses. 10 weeks and an injured Tom Brady later, the two are set to face off for sole possession of the AFC East lead. The Patriots seem to be clicking on offense once again despite Brady's absence. Obviously the scoreboard isn't ringing up at its record-setting '07 pace but the chains are moving. As for the Jets Favre has yet to consistently make plays down the field but on the heels of RB Thomas Jones, Brett has been limited to simply managing the game. But this isn't any game. In Foxborough the forecast is cold and rainy which means conditions will be sloppy, if Jones isn't able to find creases in the Pats' defense, Brett will be expected to drop back and make key throws down the field in the midst of the slop. While Favre is the all-time leader in touchdowns he too sits in first in the interception category. Although Brady will be absent the Patriots should come out with the same result. W. Prediction: PATRIOTS by 7

2. Broncos (5-4) @ Falcons (6-3) (1:00 CBS)- Quick ask yourself, do you believe....in the Falcons? Yes, after coming off a season where their franchise QB was sent to prison, their first year coach quit...prior to the end of the season and they drafted a QB and put the team on his shoulders from day one, who knew they would be in position to win their division? Sure you did...As the Broncos look to bring their high-powered offense into the Georgia Dome the Falcons will feature their underrated pass defense that forced Drew Brees into three interceptions last week. Broncos QB Jay Cutler has played at a Pro Bowl level at times (along with WR Brandon Marshall) but it's their defense that keeps opponents hanging around. After attending a Falcons game this season my belief is that it will be tough for anyone to come in the dome and defeat the dirty birds. If you don't believe me their 4-0 home record will answer all of your questions. Prediction: FALCONS by 3

3. Bears (5-4) @ Packers (4-5) (1:00 FOX): When Bears head coach Lovie Smith accepted the responsibility of leading the Monsters of the Midway the first thing he committed to as Head Coach was defeating the Green Bay Packers. Not only has Smith been successful in doing so he's won 8 out of 10 meetings between their Cheesy rivals. But enough with the history lesson, the Packers defense is hobbled. And their ability to stop the run is non-existent. With Bears rookie sensation Matt Forte coming to town this will pose a problem for the Lambeau Leapers. Look for Chicago to come out and control the clock running the ball and involving their tight ends. Without the services of Packers LB Nick Barnett their defense will have to alter their attack. This game will live up to its billing with a lot of hitting and trash talking but as long as Lovie Smith is manning the sidelines the outcome should remain the same. Prediction: BEARS by 6

4. Titans (9-0) @ Jaguars (4-5) (4:15 CBS)- The Titans will travel to Jacksonville boasting a league best 9-0. Every week that they win their bulls eye gets bigger and their schedule couldn't be any tougher traveling to a division foe that has absolutely nothing to lose. The Jags' have been known for the tough defense but their offense has struggled as of late. If the Titans can't find a way to gain more than 20 yards on 29 rushes as they did against Chicago, the Jags' will make their flight home a long one. One of the toughest things to do in football is run the ball on the road but the only thing tougher is actually winning on the road. If you really want to know my "expert" opinion, the Titans are simply due for a loss. Prediction: JAGUARS by 3

**GAME OF THE WEEK**

5. Cowboys (5-4) @ Redskins (6-3) (8:15, NBC)- The Game of the Week features yet another NFC rival that will face off after regrouping during their bye week. The 'Skins may be without Clinton Portis and the 'Boys are hoping to come in to Landover with a healthy (and effective) Tony Romo. Nevertheless, the biggest difference between the two rivals is that the Cowboys had extra time to acclimate their newest addition in WR Roy Williams. In the past few weeks he's literally had to learn on the fly but with an extra week of reps without being injured will allow Tony and Roy to get a better feel for one another and simply make life difficult for opposing defenses. The Redskins have been playing well all season long but with the Cowboys backs being slammed against the wall I expect them to come out swinging and throwing down field. This game too should live up to its hype and the road team shall be victorious. Prediction: COWBOYS by 6

***Quick Picks***

Eagles over Bengals

Colts over Texans

Saints over Chiefs

Dolphins over Raiders

Giants over Ravens

Vikings over Buccaneers

Panthers over Lions

49ers over Rams

Cardinals over Seahawks

Steelers over Chargers

Browns over Bills

II. Sports Ventz