Week 4 Picks

Tough line-up this week: the very, very smart men in Las Vegas are starting to catch up to who's who in the NFL this year, and there's a bunch of lines I'm not in love with either way. The straight up winner is in bold, the spread winner has the line listed next to it.

Last Week:
10-6 Straight Up
10-6 Against the Spread
Year to date:
29-19 Straight Up
28-20 Against the Spread
2-1 Upset Specials

Baltimore Ravens (+1.5) @ Pittsburgh Steelers
*Upset Special* I say this is the week that sending out a fourth-string quarterback finally catches up with the red-hot Steelers. I also say this is the week the Ravens remember they're supposed to be a Super Bowl contender, and stop ruining my fantasy season.

Denver Broncos @ Tennessee Titans (-6.5)
You know who's not going to put up with Kyle Orton throwing for 400 yards? Since starting the season 0-6 and switching to Vince Young at quarterback last year, the Titans are 10-3, and a stifling pass defense is a big part of that.

Cincinnati Bengals (-3) @ Cleveland Browns
Seneca Wallace put up over 400 passing yards against me in Madden last night. If I was in charge of the Bengals, and this was a video game instead of a real one, the Browns would totally have a shot.

Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers (-14.5)
After a frustrating, penalty-ridden loss last week, do you even want to think about how angry the ancient demon viking lord is? Especially to a team that bears the sign of Ursa Minor, a constellation he personally created with his bare hands and force of will. I would not want trade places with Shawn Hill this week.

Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints (-13.5)
The Saints are probably not good enough to win the Super Bowl again this year. That being said, the Panthers aredefinitely bad enough to make the Saints look like contenders to repeat.

San Fransisco 49ers @ Atlanta Falcons (-7)
The talking heads had everyone convinced the 49ers would sleepwalk to the NFC West championship, and were borderline Super Bowl contenders. Then the season started, and everyone remembered that their quarterback is Alex Smith. Firing your offensive coordinator three weeks in does not bode well for your season.

Seattle Seahawks (-1) @ St. Louis Rams
The Seahawks have been a surprise early on, knocking off two preseason division favorites in San Fransisco and San Diego. Future fantasy stud Sam Bradford looks for career victory #2.

New York Jets (-5.5) @ Buffalo Bills
Contrary to reports out of the Jets locker room, Darelle Revis is not missing this game due to injury, but rather because he isn't needed: nobody is better at neutralizing Buffalo receivers than Buffalo's own quarterbacks.


Indianapolis Colts (-7) @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Maurice Jones-Drew fantasy owners have this one circled as the game he finally lives up to some of his potential this year. Unfortunately, the Jags will probably be too far behind too early to commit to the ground game.

Houston Texans (-3) @ Oakland Raiders
Houston was exposed a bit last week in the battle for Texas, but the Raiders don't have anywhere near the same kind of firepower that the Cowboys have. Houston gets back on track here.

Arizona Cardinals (+8) @ San Diego Chargers
Who are these Chargers? Could they really start the year 1-3? It says here that they can't, but it also says here that this is an early must-win game for the Bolts.

Washington Redskins @ Philadelphia Eagles (-5.5)
Perhaps instead of worrying so much about whether or not he'll get booed in his return to Philly, Donovan McNabb should be more worried about whether or not he'll get a win. Michael Vick doesn't just look like he's back to his old self, he looks better than ever.

Chicago Bears (+4) @ New York Giants
I do not even want to think about the possibility of a 4-0 start for the Bears.

New England Patriots (-1) @ Miami Dolphins
Miami finds itself on prime-time against a superior AFC East opponent for the second straight week. Expect similar results.