Week 9 Guess the Lines

Scott: 10-3 week and back with a vengeance! We switch things up this week as Matty will take the hammer and no-sell any possible jokes I make (who am I kidding, they're not funny). I got nothing much to add this week, other than why are we talking so much about teams who suck (Cowboys and Vikings, I’m looking at YOU here) and not about a ton of feel good stories like the Raiders, Bucs and Jaguars?

Matt: Let's get one thing straight here, the Jags aren't a feel good story. They still can't fill their stadium or televise home games, and by this time 2012 They'll be the LA Magic. On to the lines.

Tampa Bay at Atlanta - Scott: Atlanta comes off the bye week while the Bucs are at 5-2 and tied for the division lead. Somehow, I think that means little to the people who bet or make these lines. Atlanta by 6 ½.

Matt: The NFC’s version of Miami @ Baltimore, undefeated on the road meets undefeated at home. J-Free hasn’t convinced everyone yet. Falcons by -6.

Actual line: Atlanta by 8. Point to Scott.

Chicago at Buffalo (in Toronto) – Scott: The NFL continues its efforts to alienate anyone outside the good ol’ US of A with this one. Chicago is a couple of lucky wins away from joining Dallas and Minnesota in the ‘talented but suck’ club, while Buffalo has gone to overtime two straight weeks on the road against quality opponents. Still, it’s the Bills. Chicago by 1.5.

Matt: The Bears couldn’t have caught the bye at a better time, temporarily stopping the free fall. What can you say about the winless Bills… back to back losses in OT in which they should have won… Heartbreak City!! Time to show that AFC scum is better than NFC scum? Bears by -2.

Actual line: Chicago by 3. Point to Matt.

New England at Cleveland – Will the Pats have Randy Moss back for this one? Or will he be saluting Bill Belichick on somebody else’s podium? Cleveland plays tough, but the Patriots don’t have a 6-1 record for nothing. Patriots by 10 ½.

Matt: Patriots are the newly anointed “best team in the NFL”, Cleveland coming off bye and win over the champs – but I don’t think anyone has illusions that the Browns are any good… yet. Pats by -7.5.

Actual line: New England by 5. Point to Matt.

NY Jets at Detroit – Scott: The Lions always play tough, and it will be interesting to see their young offensive stars go up against a blitzing, hard-hitting defense. Still though, the Jets are a top team, despite what their offense did against Green Bay. Jets by 4.

Matt: No doubt, the Lions have a different look with Stafford back under center. Jets are unbeaten on the road. Detroit by -1.

Actual line: Jets by 4. Point to Scott.

New Orleans at Carolina – Scott: Do we believe the Saints are back after a big Sunday night victory over the Steelers? Or do we make them prove it another week against the lowly Panthers? I think Vegas has bought in. New Orleans by 10.

Matt: Could this be the blowout game we’ve all been waiting for from the Saints? NO by -10.5.

Actual line: Saints by 7. Point to Scott.

Miami at Baltimore – Scott: Miami is starting to get to the point where they should be giving points on the road and getting them at home. I don’t trust their offense though. And Baltimore is rested after a week off. Baltimore by 3 ½.

Matt: Fish don’t lose on the road, Ravens don’t lose at home, something has got to give... Ravens come off the bye. Bmore by -5.

Actual line: Baltimore by 6. Point to Matt.

San Diego at Houston – Scott: So the Chargers have the most yards for, the least yards against, and are 3-5? That makes about as much sense as trying to figure out which Houston team is going to show up in any given game. Houston by 3.

Matt: I don’t read too much into last week’s outcomes, SD seemingly always beats the Titans, and Houston always loses in Indy. Vegas might read too much into the Charger’s win though. Texans by -3.5.

Actual line: San Diego by 1.5. Point to Scott.

Arizona at Minnesota – Scott: I actually thought they killed Brett Favre with that chin shot, but like (choose movie reference here – Michael Myers, The Terminator, the dismembered knight in Monty Python), he just can’t be stopped. And thanks to Derek Anderson for being who we thought he was last week. Minnesota by 7 ½.

Matt: The Dallas Cowboys should send the Vikings some cookies. Despite being the league’s biggest disappointment, Minny is hogging all the headlines. Should we start assuming that Zona will always use both QBs in every game? Vikes by -4.

Actual line: Minnesota by 8. Point to Scott.

NY Giants at Seattle – Scott: This game is a test of just how much Vegas thinks of the Seahawks at home. The Giants are arguably the NFC’s best team right now, and New York being New York, Seattle won’t get it’s typical home respect this week. Giants by 1.

Matt: If Manning started the way he did in Dallas, in Seattle (or 80% of the other teams), they lose for sure, but Dallas thought they had that game won in the 1st quarter and took their foot off the gas. Eli usually doesn’t have two bad games in a row. Hawks by -1.

Actual line: NY Giants by 4. Point to Scott.

Indianapolis at Philadelphia – Scott: Probably my toughest game to pick as there are so many variables with Mike Vick back, the Colts playing on Monday night, big name injuries on both sides.. Indy by 2.

Matt: Why the #$%& isn’t it flex schedule time yet?? Vick is back, Philly coming off the bye, Peyton won last week passing to a set of old speakers and a trash can. Eagles have not been especially good at home. Pick’em?

Actual line: Eagles by 3. Point to Matt.

Kansas City at Oakland – Scott: Hands up everyone who thought at the beginning of the 2010 season this game would be for the AFC West lead! Al Davis just had somebody raise his corpse’s hand. Raiders by 2 ½.

Matt: Why the #$%& isn’t it flex schedule time yet?? Don’t worry, these two will get another chance at the evening feature in week 17. Just a couple years ago we had Broncos-Chargers in week 17 for the division title, might we have another such battle with the other two teams this year? Probably not. Chiefs are human on the road, as is usually the case with young teams (unless that team is headed by J-Free!). Raiders by -2.

Actual line: Oakland by 3. Point to Scott.

Dallas at Green Bay – Scott: They really need to start the flex schedule a little sooner. I have zero interest in watching Jon Kitna. But hopefully Aaron Rodgers can win me my fantasy game. That’s all I’ve got on this one. Green Bay by 6 ½.

Matt: Why the #$%& isn’t it flex schedule time yet?? So we could boot this shitty game out of the Sunday Nighter. The promos for this game since last Sunday have been laughable, what can you say about the Boys to hype them up, seriously… Packers by -6.5.

Actual line: Green Bay by 8. Tie.

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati – Scott: Another weird game, Pittsburgh off a tough game, Cincy beat the Steelers in both matchups last week, Monday Night football.. But I still can’t go against the team I think wins it all this seasons because of one bad game. Steelers by 2 ½.

Matt: Why the Well, the all-division dominant mystique from last year evaporated when the Browns beat them this year, but the Bengals still beat the Ravens, and the Steelers have looked *gulp* worse, since the rapist has returned. (added afterwards: So... Cincy won both matchups last "week" huh? hahaha) Steelers by -3.

Actual line: Pittsburgh by 4 ½. Point to Matt.


Week Score: Scott 7, Matt 5, Tie 1.

YTD: Scott 5, Matt 2, Tie 2