So, here we are, the last Sunday of games before Thanksgiving, meaning it's time to prepare for turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberries and pumpkin pie by gorging ourselves on some NFL action.  There's still two undefeated teams left in the league, and some solid games on the slate across the board.  With that said, and kickoff being just a few hours away, let's get ready to dive into the games, shall we?

Last week was another up and down week for me, as I went 8-6, but I still haven't fallen to .500 or worse in any week this season, despite some teams attempting to drag me down with subpar performances.  This week there are no teams on byes, and there won't be for the rest of the season, which is good for all you fantasy owners out there who hate having to shuffle guys in and out of the lineup and replace your stars with middle of the road at best options.  

As always, I remind you, the loyal readers, I pick the games for fun and straight up.  I don't deal in point spreads, and I don't spend money on games.  If you do bet money, I strongly implore you not to spend more than you can afford to lose.  If you get your leg broken, your wife divorces you, your girlfriend dumps you, your dog bites you, your cat tries to claw your eyes out, or you get fired, that's your own fault.  I take no responsibility for the ramifications of what's involved or what happens to you.  If you do take the advice and win, feel free to send me money.  I'm not against that at all.

On to the games:

Cleveland at DETROIT (-3.5):  1-8 vs. 1-8.  What excitement.  Who's the unluckiest people in the country?  Besides Lions and Browns fans, it would be anyone that actually ATTENDS this game, or Cleveland residents, as the game won't be blacked out there like it will be in Detroit as they didn't sell out the game.

Buffalo at JACKSONVILLE (-8.5):  Maurice Jones-Drew should have another big game against the Bills run defense that has been the worst in the league.  The Dick Jauron regime is over, and Perry Fewell becomes the first black coach in Bills history.  Ryan Fitzpatrick upends Trent Edwards as the starter at QB.

PITTSBURGH (-11) at Kansas City:  Should be a nice rebound game for the Steelers after choking against the Bengals last week.

INDIANAPOLIS (-1.5) at Baltimore:  Not sure how Baltimore is only a 1.5 point underdog when Manning and the Colts are undefeated and lighting up the scoreboard, while the Ravens are banged up.  I don't see the Ravens getting a win here and the Colts go to 10-0.

ATLANTA (-7) at New York Giants:  Not convinced that the Giants can snap the four game losing skid against the Falcons, especially with their inability to stop the pass.  Matt Ryan needs to get back on track though before ATL falls out of the playoff race.

San Francisco at GREEN BAY (-6)

Seattle at MINNESOTA (-10.5):  Another free win for the Vikings this month.  How about you know, actually scheduling some competition instead of looking like a college non conference schedule?

Washington at DALLAS (-11):  Which Dallas team shows up, the one that beat the Eagles on the road, or the one shut out for 59 plus minutes against Green Bay on the road?

NEW ORLEANS (-11) at Tampa Bay:  Not sure the Saints will cover as they've struggled lately when it comes to covering big spreads the past few weeks, and Tampa has looked better the last couple weeks.  Then again, that's why I don't pick with the spreads.  Saints win the game.

ARIZONA (-9) at St. Louis:  The Rams looked better last week against the Saints, but the Cardinals are rolling right now and have been winning handily lately.  Kurt Warner makes another triumphant return to the Gateway City.

New York Jets at NEW ENGLAND (-10.5):  The Jets are slumping, dropping five of six, and Mark Sanchez has twice as many picks (10) as TD passes (5) in that span.  The Patriots are seething after their last second fade against the Colts last week and seek revenge for a loss to the Jets earlier this season when they didn't score an offensive touchdown.

CINCINNATI (-9) at Oakland:  Larry Johnson signs with the Bengals this week and gets ready to play with Cedric Benson being banged up.  Oakland sucks, as evidenced by them tanking against Kansas City in the Suckfest last week.  Oakland did bench JaMarcus Russell in favor of Bruce Gradkowski this week, though I don't think that will make much of a difference when it comes right down to it.

SAN DIEGO (-5.5) at Denver:  The Broncos are reeling, dropping three straight after winning their first six.  The Chargers are streaking on the right side of things.  Kyle Orton is most likely not to play for Denver after spraining his ankle last week, meaning Chris Simms gets his first start since September 2006 after he needed emergency spleen surgery when he was hurt while playing for Tampa Bay.

Philadelphia at CHICAGO (+3)

Tennessee at HOUSTON (-4.5):  The Titans have won three straight since Vince Young came back in the mix and showed signs of life.  The Texans are coming off a bye and still have playoff aspirations.  They'll need to find a way to stop Chris Johnson from running wild like he did in week two when he lit them up.

That's the week on tap...enjoy the games, and Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

        

In his NFL coaching career, and especially in Buffalo, Dick Jauron was unable to rack up enough wins to keep his team moving forward and making progress when it came to making the postseason and placating the fans.

Tuesday, it cost Jauron his job in Buffalo. 

Owner Ralph Wilson Jr. fired the embattled coach after a 3-6 start to this season, a major disappointment given the addition of Terrell Owens on the offensive side of the ball.  They went to the no huddle offense, and with playmakers all over the offense (Owens, Lee Evans, Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson manning skill positions), things seemed to be looking up for a team that had not made the playoffs this decade.

Instead, the starters didn't score an offensive touchdown in the preseason.  Offensive coordinator Turk Schonert was fired less than two weeks before the season opener, and replaced by Alex Van Pelt.  They fumbled away two games they could have won (against New England, when Leodis McKelvin coughed up the ball on a kick return with just over 2 minutes to go, and against Cleveland, when Roscoe Parrish fumbled a punt leading to the winning field goal in the Browns lone win this season.)  The offense scuffled, and they've only broken 300 yards once this season as a team (in week two against Tampa Bay.)

There was the cutting of Langston Walker, a starting tackle, right before the season started, leading to yet another shuffling of a makeshift offensive line.  Then there were injuries, moving guys around to positions they were unfamiliar with.  Couple that with two rookies on the offensive line, and you have problems.  Lynch missed the first three games with a suspension from off the field issues.  Since coming back, he's been sub par at best, averaging just 3.2 yards per carry.  Owens leads the league in drops and has a catch to target ratio of about 45 percent. 

The defense has been riddled with injuries as well, especially in the linebacker corps.  Paul Posluszny broke his arm for the second time in his career.  Kawika Mitchell suffered a knee injury and is out for the season.  Keith Ellison has a quad injury.  There were other injuries as well.  Donte Whitner has had a thumb problem.  McKelvin is on injured reserve.  Terrence McGee has been banged up.  Ashton Youboty is hurt now in the secondary.  Bryan Scott has missed time as well this season, leaving Perry Fewell to try and mix and match as much as possible to make combinations work. 

The Bills have been shredded on defense, especially on the run game, giving up 5.1 yards a carry and are dead last against the run.  They've got their work cut out for them the last seven games of the season, with some tough opponents still on the slate with New England, Miami, Atlanta, and Indianapolis looming.  Instead, it looks like another year of discontent in Buffalo.

Fewell will get a seven game audition to show he can coach in the NFL.  He's already made one change, putting Ryan Fitzpatrick back under center instead of Trent Edwards.  Fitzpatrick was 1-1 in his two starts, but sparked the Bills to an overtime win over the Jets when Edwards suffered a concussion in October as well.  The speculation about who will be the new coach in Buffalo abounds with all kinds of names in the mix.

Apparently the Bills were chasing former Raiders and Bucs coach Jon Gruden, who just signed a multiyear extension with ESPN and Monday Night Football.  Mike Shanahan is being mentioned heavily at the moment and talk is that he will meet with Wilson and CEO/COO Russ Brandon next week.  There also has been former Super Bowl coaches Mike Holmgren, Brian Billick, and Bill Cowher mentioned as well.  It will be interesting if one of those big names decides to take over a reclamation project that the Bills obviously are, or if it will be someone else like Jim Fassel, Jim Haslett, Herm Edwards or Marty Schottenheimer for example. 

The Bills' players downplayed the firing, saying that the focus was on Jacksonville and their attempt to snap a losing skid.  That game can be seen Sunday at 1 pm ET on CBS or you can listen to it on Buffalo's 97 Rock.  We'll see if the change makes any difference for the fortunes of the franchise.

        

Who would have thought we'd be in week ten of the NFL season already?  It's mid November, the temperatures are starting to drop, and every game is that much more important to the contenders.  In a week and a half, it will be Thanksgiving, and for the first time in a long time, John Madden won't be around on television to have a turducken.  There is one massive matchup between top teams today along with a battle for supremacy in the AFC North.  

Of course, what would a week in the NFL be without a dud game or two.  It's the Toilet Bowl in Oakland as the Chiefs travel to take on the Raiders in a AFC West battle.  The Titans look to run their win streak to three against struggling Buffalo.  Then there are your potential blowouts:  Minnesota and Detroit, New Orleans and St. Louis, and on Monday night no less, the Browns and Ravens.  Plus you'll see a rematch of the Ice Bowl from so long ago when the Cowboys travel to Lambeau to face the struggling Packers.

There already was one game this week, as the 49ers stopped a four game losing skid by upending the Bears in a low scoring battle 10-6.  Jay Cutler threw five picks, raising his league leading total to 17 and putting a dent in the Bears playoff hopes.  That made me 0-1 so far this week, because I liked Chicago to win.  Last week I was 8-5, making my mark 85-43 going into this week, so 85-44 now.  
As usual, I feel compelled to put this disclaimer in:  I do not pick the games based on the point spread, nor do I wager money on any sporting contests.  I do not advocate doing so unless you actually have money to lose, because as in life, there are no certainties other than death and taxes.  If you choose to not listen to this advice and bet the mortgage and lose, then I am not responsible if you get your legs broken, pieces of your anatomy removed, divorced, dumped, or anything else.  I refuse to be held accountable for the stupidity of others.

That said, on with the games:

Jacksonville at NEW YORK JETS (-7):  Not sure about the line on this one, but David Garrard is streaky and Jacksonville is not necessarily a strong road team.

DENVER (-3.5) at Washington:  The Broncos are reeling a bit after getting walloped the last two weeks by Baltimore and Pittsburgh.  The Redskins have been beaten up, beaten down and kicked sideways.  Look for Denver to get back on track with a road win.

Cincinnati at PITTSBURGH (-7):  The Bengals beat the Steelers on a last minute touchdown earlier this season and by virtue of that, have the current tie breaker for the division lead.  The Steelers are on a five game win streak, and look to win at home.  Chad Ochocinco stirred up bulletin board material by saying he was going to send mustard to the Steelers because "once they fall behind at Heinz Field, they won't be able to ketchup," but Marvin Lewis dropped the hammer on that.  This will be a game full of animosity.

Buffalo at TENNESSEE (-8.5):  The Titans run game vs. the Bills run defense is the key factor.  Buffalo hasn't stopped anyone on the ground this season, and that is a losing proposition with Chris Johnson running the ball.  Trent Edwards returns under center for Buffalo after suffering a concussion last month against the Jets.

Detroit at MINNESOTA (-16.5):  If I was playing the line, I'd probably take DET with the points, because Minnesota always struggles against them.  However, this is a Lions team that blew a 17-0 lead on the road last week against Seattle.  Minnesota is much better than the Seahawks.

NEW ORLEANS (-14) at St. Louis:  Undefeated Saints vs. the one win Rams in a battle that will most likely be one sided.  The only way the Rams stay close is if they follow Carolina's lead and pound the ball with Steven Jackson and eat the clock.  Jackson has run for almost 800 yards despite the Rams being clobbered repeatedly.  I don't see much changing in that realm today, but he'll probably have a good game.

ATLANTA (-1.5) at Carolina:  Matt Ryan needs to step up with a better game than he's had the past three weeks.  Battle of top flight running backs as Michael Turner faces DeAngelo Williams in this one.  If it comes to the aerial game, I'm taking Ryan over Jake "Daylight Come and we wanna" Delhomme.

Tampa Bay at MIAMI (-10):  It's a battle of Florida and two young "QBs of the future" as Josh Freeman leads the surging (see: winners of one straight) Bucs take on the Dolphins and Chad Henne.  That said, I am glad that this game most likely will be nowhere on a TV near me barring a fluke.

Kansas City at OAKLAND (-2):  Hey you!  Tired of those dark circles under your eyes?  Can't get enough sleep because you're stressed because of work, your marriage, your kids, the fact that you want to batter your relatives with a crowbar, or your neighbors with a sledgehammer?  Tune into this game and GUARANTEE yourself three plus hours of peaceful sleep.  Plus, get the melodic tones of Gus Johnson calling the game absolutely FREE just for tuning in!  Call now and we'll DOUBLE the order!  All you have to do is TiVo or DVR this game and you'll be able to sleep WHENEVER you want!

Seattle at ARIZONA (-8.5):  This should put the Seahawks officially out of the race in the NFC West, provided the Cardinals actually learn to play at home.  They're 1-3 at University of Phoenix Stadium, and 4-0 on the road, including last week's thumping of the Bears at Soldier Field.

Philadelphia at SAN DIEGO (-1):  If this game is close in the final minutes, a huge edge goes to the Chargers.  Andy Reid has shown his inability to manage the clock late in games.  Meanwhile, Philip Rivers led the Chargers to a winning touchdown in the final minute last week to beat the Giants.  San Diego is on a roll again, and playing at home, while Philly has to go cross country, gives them the nod in my book.

DALLAS (-3) at Green Bay:  Aaron Rodgers has been sacked 37 times already this season.  That doesn't project to get any better with a hungry Dallas defense that loves to rush the passer.  Plus, it's not December, so Tony Romo should be good...this week.

New England at INDIANAPOLIS (-2.5):  The guru (Bill Belichick) vs. the rookie (Jim Caldwell).  Manning vs. Brady, Moss vs. Wayne.  Two of the powerhouses of the AFC collide in Indianapolis tonight in an all out war.  This could be one of those, whoever has the ball last wins kind of games.  Look for an offensive bonanza.

BALTIMORE (-11) at Cleveland:  The former Browns take on the current Browns on Monday night.  Brady Quinn is back at QB, mainly due to Derek Anderson's inability to do, well, just about anything outside of throwing interceptions.  No truth to the rumor that Vinny Testaverde was close to signing a deal before realizing that he would have had to face Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, among others.

There's week ten folks...enjoy the games and we'll be talking about Ochocinco's $20,000 fine for trying to bribe an official last week, among other things in the NFL as well. 

        

Week 9 of the NFL comes to us this week, and with it comes the midway point of the convoluted 17 week schedule.  Eight weeks gone, eight weeks still remain on the docket to see who will make the playoffs in the quest for the elusive Lombardi Trophy, the Holy Grail of professional football.

Along with week nine are a couple of big time games, including a divisional rivalry on Sunday night, when Tony Romo and Dallas travel to the city of Brotherly Love to face Donovan McNabb and the Eagles.  Then on Monday night, the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers travel to the Mile High City to take on the Broncos, whose undefeated season came crashing back to earth with a sickening thud last week in Baltimore.  

Speaking of undefeated teams, we'd like to congratulate the Colts and Saints for extending their marks to 7-0 with wins last week.  The Colts needed a touchdown pass from...Joseph Addai? in order to beat the 49ers, while the Saints lit up the scoreboard and managed to hold off the Falcons.  Both teams face division rivals this week, as the Colts face an improving Houston squad, and the Saints get a up and down Carolina team that is coming off a big win on the road against Arizona last week.  

On the flip side of undefeated, we'd also like to congratulate the Tennessee Titans and the St. Louis Rams, who both got off the schneid of being undefeated in the win column last week.  The Titans beat Jacksonville 31-13 in Vince Young's first start since week one of the 2008 season, mainly due to the running of Chris Johnson, and Jacksonville's questionable play calling.  Maurice Jones-Drew only gets EIGHT carries?  He had 177 yards and two scores.  Give the man the ball.  The Rams won for the first time in more than a YEAR, snapping a 17 game losing skid over the poster boys for losing in recent years, the Detroit Lions, on Steven Jackson's 25 yard TD run with just under two minutes to play, his first of the year.  That leaves the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the lone winless team left in the league.  

It was a rough week last week, as I only went 7-6, thanks to Jacksonville and Detroit giving up wins to teams with no wins for starters.  Denver was the only team I picked that was flat out obliterated, though Arizona did score some garbage time points to cut the gap against Carolina, and Tennessee scored in the fourth quarter to put the hammer down on the Jags and their ineffective offense.  For the year, my record still stands at a health 77-38, which I can live with.  

As always, I pick the games straight, not with the spread, and for entertainment purposes.  I don't wager money on the games and don't recommend you do either unless you can afford to lose it without getting maimed by your spouse, significant other, kids, random street people, bookies, loan sharks, or wild animals.  I'm not responsible for any losses you may take because you were foolish enough to wager on games with the mortgage, but if you win, I'll gladly take a cut of the winnings as a "consultant."

To the games:

Kansas City at JACKSONVILLE (-7):  Oh joy.  Want to bet that this game is on TV here?  The Chiefs will be without Larry Johnson, who is still serving his team mandated suspension after making gay slurs to the media and questioning his head coach Todd Haley before the Chiefs last week.  The Jaguars need to get the ball in the hands of Maurice Jones-Drew FAR more than they did last week.  He's the most explosive, dynamic player on the offense.  Use him.

BALTIMORE (-3) at Cincinnati:  The Bengals stole a win from the Ravens in Baltimore last month in the closing seconds after Ray Lewis kept a drive alive with a personal foul penalty when it looked like he was going to decapitate Chad Ochocinco.  The Bengals have been able to handle business in the division, beating the Steelers, Ravens and Browns, but can they keep the momentum going?  The Ravens are coming off a whipping of the Broncos and have revenge on their minds.

Houston at INDIANAPOLIS (-8.5):  The Colts won ugly last week, as it took four Matt Stover field goals and the aforementioned Joseph Addai TD pass to Reggie Wayne to get a win over the 49ers.  That's right, the Colts won with Peyton Manning throwing NO touchdown passes.  The Texans needed to put together a big fourth quarter after being stymied for three quarters against the Bills after turning the ball over three times in the first.  The big problem for Houston is the loss of tight end Owen Daniels with an ACL injury.  He really took the pressure off Andre Johnson.  It will be interesting to see who totes the rock for Houston, Steve Slaton, who was benched after fumbling last week, or Ryan Moats, who stepped in with 125 yards and 3 scores.

Washington at ATLANTA (-9):  The Redskins are a team that is inept offensively.  Granted, Matt Ryan has struggled the last couple weeks, but we're talking about Washington here.  This is a team that beat the Rams 9-7 and LOST to the Lions.  I think the Falcons can handle this one fairly easily.

GREEN BAY (-9.5) at Tampa Bay:  I'm not even going to talk about this one.  Until Tampa Bay can show some semblance of offense, it's a waste of time and space.

Arizona at CHICAGO (-3):  Cards undefeated on the road, Bears undefeated at home.  Problem is, the Bears beat a doormat (Cleveland) last week, while Arizona lost to a doormat (Carolina).  I'm not convinced that Arizona is quite as good as they should be, especially with an inability to get playmakers like Larry Fitzgerald involved.  Throw in the traveling to a notorious cold weather city in November, though the weather won't be as much of a factor today, and I think the Bears find a way to prevail.  

Miami at NEW ENGLAND (-10.5):  Full of bulletin board material in this one between two teams that hate each other.  Joey Porter made a comment that Tom Brady has his own set of rules with officials.  That said, Pats are coming off a bye, which gave all their banged up weapons a week to rest.  Not the best time to have to face a team like that.  This could be close, but it could just as easily be a blowout.

Carolina at NEW ORLEANS (-13):  Note to John Fox:  regardless of how much Steve Smith complains, DO NOT THROW THE BALL.  Play like Navy did yesterday, run almost every down out of the option.  You have talented backs.  Why lengthen the game and give the Saints more possessions?  Besides, Jake Delhomme likes to throw picks.  Turnovers + short fields + more possessions = lots of New Orleans points and a Carolina loss.

Detroit at SEATTLE (-10):  Who cares?

Tennessee at SAN FRANCISCO (-4):  The Titans are happy about their first win.  The 49ers take solace in playing the Colts close.  Neither team has the QB that started the opener for them starting now.  Both of them were high draft choices (Alex Smith #1 overall, Vince Young #3) that haven't met expectations.  Should be interesting, but I'm not sold on Tennessee winning on the road on the west coast.  Young has a lot more to prove than one game.

SAN DIEGO (+5) at New York Giants:  The Giants have lost three straight after winning five in a row to start the year, and are coming off a 40-17 pounding at the hands of the Eagles, yet they're FAVORED by 5?  Is this because Oakland played tough against San Diego?  The Giants can't stop the pass to save their lives and I can't see them winning.this one if Philip Rivers plays the way he has this season.  Eli Manning needs to get some help from the defense instead of having to try and play shootout with other teams.

Dallas at PHILADELPHIA (-3):  McNabb has been really good at home in his two outings and while Romo has been good on the road, divisional road games are a lot different than playing Tampa Bay.  This will be close, but I think that the Eagles have just enough in the tank to take it on an Akers field goal late.

PITTSBURGH (-3) at Denver:  After laying that egg last week against Baltimore, I can't take the Broncos seriously against a tough defensive team like Pittsburgh.  The Steelers have some flaws, but I'll take Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers D over Kyle Orton any day of the week, especially with a questionable run game behind him.  The Steelers drop Denver for the Broncos' second straight loss.

So that's week nine in a nutshell folks...sit back, relax with your favorite snacks and beverages, and enjoy what the NFL has to offer for you this week.  We'll be back with more exciting stuff as it comes out.

        

After a start that was the worst in the long, storied and sometimes sordid history of the Toronto Maple Leafs, perhaps there is a glimmer of hope that things aren't as bad as they looked throughout the first month of the 2009-10 campaign.

The Leafs earned at least one point for the sixth straight contest last night with a 3-2 victory on the road over the equally hapless and struggling Carolina Hurricanes.  After starting the season 0-7-1, the Leafs are 2-0-4 since, and while that isn't setting the world ablaze, one point is better than none on any night.  On the flip side, Carolina, who won the Stanley Cup just a scant few years ago, have fallen on extremely hard times.  Playing last night without big scoring threats Eric Staal and Ray Whitney, the Canes have gone 0-8-3 in their last eleven games to fall to a league worst 2-10-3 on the season under retread coach and former Leafs bench boss Paul Maurice.

Toronto fell behind early, as they've been prone to do this season, giving up the opening goal for the thirteenth time in fourteen contests so far this year.  In fact, after twenty minutes, Carolina held a 2-0 lead and the Leafs looked flat and uninspired.  However, they tied it up with a pair of goals in the second by John Mitchell and Nikolai Kulemin to go to the locker room knotted at a pair after forty minutes.  Then with Carolina pressing in the third period, when they outshot the Leafs by an 18-8 margin, Jason Blake ripped the game winner midway through the stanza on a power play to give the Leafs the decisive marker in the contest.  

The Leafs have had to rely on a lot of youth due to injuries and lack of veterans in the forward slots.  Phil Kessel, who was acquired from Boston in September for two first round picks and a second round selection, made his season debut on Tuesday night against Tampa and looked like he hadn't missed a step.  He assisted on Blake's winning goal last night and gives the Leafs an extremely dangerous scorer on the front line, something they lacked last season.  After logging 23 minutes against Tampa, Kessel played 19:42 last night and was a +1 to go with the assist on the winner.  If he can ignite what has been a sputtering offense, the Leafs will at least have a chance at respectability.  I am harboring no illusion of the postseason, but making that pick going to Boston a non lottery selection would be nice.  

Defensively, coach Ron Wilson is still trying to find the right pairings.  Tomas Kaberle has been a rock on the blueline, leading the team with 18 points on two goals and a team leading 16 helpers.  After him though, there has been a lack of consistency.  Mike Komisarek and Francois Beauchemin have yet to really make an impact, especially considering the free agent dollars that Brian Burke lobbed at them.  Garnet Exelby and Jeff Finger have been healthy scratches on several occasions as well, and coach Ron Wilson has been trying to figure out who to keep in the lineup and who to sit down.  

Vesa Toskala has been hurt in net again, and when he has played, has been downright atrocious.  In five outings, he's gone 0-2-2 with a goals against of 5.13 and a weak save percentage of just .836 in those outings.  He was chased after one period against Washington in a start on October 3rd and then missed two and a half weeks with an injury.  His last start before the Halloween shootout loss to Montreal was a 7-2 thrashing by the New York Rangers on October 12th.  That's given a chance for rookie Jonas Gustavsson to steal the spotlight and the job.  The rook has been solid if unspectacular in minding the Leafs net, going 2-2-3 in seven outings with a 2.84 goals against and a save percentage of 90.8, or seven plus percentage points better than what Toskala has posted.  

One thing the Leafs have managed to do is get a lot of rubber on opposing netminders.  They've outshot their opponents in eight of the fourteen games, and matched the shot total of the opponent in a ninth contest.  What might be most important is the sudden uptick in successful penalty kills.  After being lit up for multiple power play tallies six times in the first eleven games, and at least one power play goal against in 10 of those 11, the Leafs have successfully killed off 11 straight penalties over the last three games.  In that span, they've still been able to light the lamp with the man advantage, connecting on four of seventeen chances.  

Toronto looks to extend its point streak to seven when the defending Western Conference Champions, the Detroit Red Wings, come to town at the Air Canada Centre tonight on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada at 7 ET/6 CT.  Perhaps the Leafs should use the visitors dressing room for tonight's game.  They're 0-4-2 at the Air Canada Center as opposed to 2-3-3 on the road.  Man, do I miss Coach's Corner with Don Cherry, and watching Ron McLean try to play the straight man to Grapes' zaniness.  If you can, tune in and watch. 

        

Yesterday was Halloween, so you know what that means.  Kids across the country went out dressed up as everything under the sun, racking up candy left, right and center.  That means that you have a bunch of sugar addled kids running around, potentially disturbing your ability to watch football on this, the first Sunday in November. 

That simply will not do.  There's some quality games on, and I'm not talking about the Lions/Rams debacle that I'm sure will be stinking up FOX's early broadcast here, instead of an actual good game that people would want to watch.  Watching games like that for football fans is like a supermodel looking for the best weight loss pill: it's an option, but wholly unnecessary.  That said, it's a fact of life when you live in a town where a team continues to suck more than an industrial Hoover, that you're going to get stuck watching some extremely crummy games.

Last week was 9-4, making me 70-32 on the season.  It's interesting to note that the Bills are better when I pick against them (2-1) than when I pick them (1-3).  Since I'm sticking with Houston over them today, maybe they'll even their record going into the bye.  We'll see how that plays out, but with some big games on tap throughout the day, it looks like a great Sunday for football, IF you don't live here in St. Louis.

As always, I pick the games for fun, not money.  If you choose to follow my predictions, take note that I pick straight and not against the spread, and I am not responsible if you blow all your money on a "sure thing" only to watch a team like Tennessee score 48 points to break out of their losing skid, costing you the mortgage, and possibly parts of your anatomy.  That would be your own problem, not mine, and personally, to be honest, I'd probably laugh at you for being so stupid.  NEVER bet more than you can afford to lose.  That's why I don't bet money.

On to the games:

DENVER (+3.5) at Baltimore:  Who would have thought that the Broncos would get rid of Jay Cutler for Kyle Orton and be undefeated as the calendar flipped to November?  The Ravens are reeling a bit and are at a crossroads.  Their once proud defense has taken some hits lately, giving up points like they were still the old Cleveland Browns.  That negates the impressive development Joe Flacco and the offense has had.  I look for Denver to take a close one, mainly due to the inability of the Ravens to hold teams late.

Cleveland at CHICAGO (-14):  The Browns are atrocious.  If it wasn't for Roscoe Parrish fumbling a punt setting up a late field goal against the Bills, they would still be in the zero win club with Tennessee, Tampa Bay and St. Louis.  Now they go to Soldier Field where the Bears are playing well, and are primed to stomp the Browns into oblivion.  Who's next in the Browns QB line since Mangini pulled Quinn, and Anderson is on a short rope?  Will they become the first NFL team in decades to run the option and put Josh Cribbs back there full time?

HOUSTON (-3) vs. Buffalo:  Like I said, the Bills do better when I pick against them than when I pick them to win.  Ryan Fitzpatrick gets his second consecutive start for the concussed Trent Edwards.  The Bills defense has forced ten turnovers in the past two games.  If that trend continues, it might be a good day for Buffalo fans.  Terrell Owens needs to catch the ball instead of playing butterfingers (he leads the league with seven drops.)  Matt Schaub has already set a team record for TD passes in a season with 16, and Andre Johnson is going to give it a go with a bruised lung from all reports.  Buffalo will have to stop the run in order to have a chance.

Minnesota at GREEN BAY (-3):  Favre and the Vikings fell from the ranks of the unbeaten last week when they had to go on the road in a hostile environment, both crowd wise and weather wise.  His two turnovers in the fourth quarter that led directly to 14 points were the difference in the ballgame.  While Favre had great success at Lambeau Field during his career, now he goes there as a 40 year old man in the jersey of a division rival.  The Vikings won against Green Bay about a month ago in the Metrodome, but I think it turns out a different story in Cheesehead land today.

San Francisco at INDIANAPOLIS (-13.5):  The Colts are rolling under new coach Jim Caldwell in the early part of the season.  The 49ers have had to battle some injuries and are replacing Shaun Hill with former first overall pick Alex Smith at quarterback.  Smith looked good, throwing three second half TD passes to Vernon Davis against Houston, but he also threw a pick in the final minute when they were driving for a potential tying field goal.  A rusty Smith versus a sharp Peyton Manning doesn't bode well for Mike Singletary's club, especially if it's a shootout.

Miami at NEW YORK JETS (-3):  One would have to think that the Jets will be better prepared defensively for the Wildcat formation that shredded them a few weeks ago on Monday Night Football.  That pretty much was the major factor that changed the complexion of the ballgame completely.  The Jets will suffer from the loss of Leon Washington, an explosive, versatile weapon, and Mark Sanchez will need to protect the ball better than he has in recent weeks in order to survive.  The Jets can't afford to lose this game, in the division, at home, if they want to stay in the race and in their fans good graces.

St. Louis at DETROIT (-4):  Nothing like a battle between a no win team and a one win team.  Maybe it will end in a tie.  I hope that the two CBS channels show two different games so I don't have to watch this.

Seattle at DALLAS (-10):  Tony Romo struggles at the new stadium it seems, but the Seahawks are up and down.  They blow out Jacksonville and get stomped by Arizona.  Now they are coming off a bye, but they are not nearly the team they were a few years ago.  I don't expect much from them against Dallas and their offensive weaponry.

Oakland at SAN DIEGO (-16.5):  There is not a whole lot to say about this one.  The Raiders have regressed badly since nearly stealing a win from the Chargers on Monday night in the opening week of the season, to the point that they were smashed 38-0 by the Jets last week.  San Diego is healthy, with plenty of weaponry , and is back on track after smashing the Chiefs last week at Arrowhead 37-7.  Philip Rivers has been lights out, and JaMarcus Russell has stunk it up.  This could be a blowout.

JACKSONVILLE (+3) at Tennessee:  The Jags smacked the Titans in the mouth earlier this season.  The Titans are 0-6 and are coming off a bye.  Now, conventional wisdom will tell you that winless and unbeaten teams coming off byes are 46-28-1 in recent years.  However, I'm not convinced that Vince Young can lead the Titans to a win.  Quarterback changes usually lead to conflict within teams, and especially with teams that struggle.  The Jags have been better of late, barring the Seattle debacle, and I expect them to keep Tennessee winless in a smash mouth contest.

Carolina at ARIZONA (-10.5):  The Cardinals have rebounded of late, and the Panthers continue to struggle mightily, turning the ball over four times against Buffalo.  John Fox hasn't said how long he'll keep with Jake Delhomme at quarterback either.  The defense will need to find a way to shut down Kurt Warner and company.  It doesn't look promising for the Panthers in the desert, as the NFC champs look to seize control of a watered down NFC West, especially with the 49ers playing the Colts.

New York Giants at PHILADELPHIA (+2):  The Giants have suddenly forgotten how to play defense, and that doesn't bode well against an Eagles big play offense that can score from anywhere on the field.  Donovan McNabb had a big game in his lone home start this season, and LeSean McCoy is fully capable of stepping in for the injured Brian Westbrook.  Eli Manning and his young receiver corps will have to step up and the run game tandem of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw will have to help control the clock.

Atlanta at NEW ORLEANS (-11):  The Saints are flying high, especially after last week's huge comeback over the Dolphins.  Trailing 24-3 right before the half, they outscored Miami 43-10 the rest of the game to score a 46-34 win and remain unbeaten.  Meanwhile, the Falcons struggled against Dallas, falling 37-21 and need a big game from Matt Ryan and company to try and stay in the NFC South race.  It might be tough sledding keeping up with the high powered New Orleans offense and Drew Brees however.  This could be a shootout and entertaining all around.

There you go with week eight and the contests on the slate.  Remember there is no Sunday night game this week due to game four of the World Series, which means that I can go to bed early since there will be no late game.  Enjoy the contests and we'll see you soon.

        

Here we roll into week 7 with the last slate of games before October blows on by and into November, meaning Thanksgiving is just a few weeks off, then Christmas right around the corner.  It's the last week for teams to continue trick or treating, as some teams have masqueraded as poor teams playing under their talent level, or some that have flown higher than they should have so far.  The Jets have started off well, only to crash and burn the past few weeks.  That's a prime example of a team needing to find its way back.

There are still three winless teams left in the league, and only two of them play this week.  Tennessee is a 10 point underdog against the bye this week.  Of the two teams actually on the gridiron this week, neither are expected to break that trend this week, as both teams are double digit underdogs against opponents from the other conference.  As always, I pick games straight up, not against the spread, and I don't bet money.  If you do, and you blow the mortgage, the car payment, or your kid's tuition, it's not my problem.  I was 8-5 last week, leaving my mark at 61 up and 28 down through the first six weeks. 

That said, let's roll with the games on the books this week:

SAN DIEGO (-6) at Kansas City:  Congratulations to Todd Haley for getting his first win as a head coach last week over Washington in the battle of offensive Native American team names, not to mention just flat offensive teams.  The Chiefs shouldn't have too much of a problem winning this one, even with the short week after dropping the game on Monday night to Denver.

INDIANAPOLIS (-15) at St. Louis:  Guess what's the ONLY early game I can watch today?  Yep...I hate the broadcast schedule.

CHICAGO (-1) at Cincinnati:  I soured a bit on the Bengals after they tanked last week against Houston.  It makes me wonder if they've just been impersonating an improved team.  Chicago is coming off a tough loss against Atlanta, but the Falcons forced them into mistakes.

GREEN BAY (-9) at Cleveland:  Is this sucky teams at home weekend?  I NEVER pick four road teams in a row.

Minnesota at PITTSBURGH (-6):  We'll have to see about how well Favre does in less than beneficial conditions.  Playing at Heinz Field in the elements is a bit different than throwing in the Metrodome. 

NEW ENGLAND (-16) at Tampa Bay:  Remember last week, when New England beat up a winless team?  If you TiVo'd that game, then you don't need to watch this one.

SAN FRANCISCO (+3) at Houston:  The Texans are just too up and down for me.  I like what Mike Singletary has done for the 49ers and we'll finally get a look at Michael Crabtree.  Will he do anything?  Too early to tell, but what does he care?  He got paid.

NEW YORK JETS (-6) at Oakland:  This is a sign of how far the Jets have fallen lately.  They started off like gangbusters, only to get maimed by New Orleans, clipped late by Miami, and turned the ball over more than Angola against the 92 Dream Team against Buffalo.  Is Mark Sanchez going to try and pull a Vinny Testaverde and say he's color blind?  10 completions to his team, five to Bills defenders.  Oakland zapped Philadelphia last week...could they pull a second upset with no offense to speak of?

Buffalo at CAROLINA (-7):  Sure, the Bills surprised me last week when I picked against them.  They also gave up an astounding 318 rushing yards, which doesn't bode well when you're playing a team that loves to run the ball and has a duo of talented backs in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.  Ryan Fitzpatrick gets the start for the Bills at QB as Trent Edwards is out with a concussion.  Maybe the Bills will surprise me again.

NEW ORLEANS (-7) at Miami:  Drew Brees vs...Chad Henne?  I didn't like the matchup when it was Drew Brees vs. Chad Pennington.  The Saints put up 48 on the G-men last week and they have a top notch defense.  Miami will be hard pressed to match up, even with the Wildcat working.

ATLANTA (+4) at Dallas:  The Cowboys are too flaky for me.  If they were a pie crust, that's one thing, but to be stretched to OT by Kansas City doesn't instill confidence.  Marion Barber is still banged up with a broken thumb, but apparently all three of their running backs are to be back in the mix.  The Falcons are tough though, and can play on both sides of the ball.  I like them in an upset.

ARIZONA (+7) at New York Giants:  Sorry Eli...after last week's bomb against the Saints, I'm not convinced that the defense can hold up, or that the offense can score enough points to keep up.  The Cards will throw with abandon and have the playmakers to make the Giants dizzy.  The Giants will need big plays to scrape a win.

PHILADELPHIA (-7) at Washington:  Jim Zorn has had the playcalling duties ripped away, but won't be during the season supposedly.  That merely puts him in lame duck status.  Philadelphia is ticked off about losing to Oakland, and will be looking to take it out on Washington. 

Enjoy the games everyone, as hopefully your choices are better than mine.  Of course, this has to be a rarity, me picking 11 of 13 road teams as potential winners.  We'll see you soon.

        

All right, so all the early games are over, and the late games are underway.  The Bills are minus Trent Edwards, who was smacked and taken to the locker room moments ago.  Mark Sanchez hasn't been sharp either, going 3 of 9 for 23 yards and an interception.  Elsewhere, New England has just gone up 24-0 on Tennessee on a second Brady to Moss touchdown pass.  That gives me hope that maybe they'll switch to the Buffalo game and I can turn off the radio feed to crash on the couch. 

Let's take a look at what happened in the early games in comparison to what I picked:

Kansas City at WASHINGTON (-6):   I had hoped that this game wouldn't be on TV here.  That didn't pan out, as one of the CBS stations showcased this game, much to my chagrin.  More to my chagrin, Washington tanked, dropping a 14-6 decision to Kansas City, who was winless coming in.  Jim Zorn just felt the hot seat ratchet up a couple hundred degrees.  I think I'd rather deal with people that have mesothelioma than consider picking Washington anytime soon.

Houston at CINCINNATI (-5.5):  I thought the Bengals might be prime for a letdown,and that they weren't accustomed to success, but I figured to give them the benefit of the doubt playing at home.  What did they do?  Of course.  They lost, going down in flames 28-17, making me 0-2 so far.  Not a promising start.

Cleveland at PITTSBURGH (-14):  I figured Cleveland was in for a tough road today and went with Pittsburgh.  After all, the Steelers had won 11 straight over Cleveland, and the Browns offense doesn't really scare anyone when you get right down to it.  The Browns special teams scored as many TDs as the offense.  However, that wasn't enough, as Pittsburgh wins 27-14.  They wouldn't have covered, but like I said, I play the games straight up, so a win is a win.

Baltimore at MINNESOTA (-3):  I figured this game would be full of hits, but I wouldn't have guessed that it would have been as high scoring when you figure the defenses involved.  In a game that went down to the wire, the Vikings had to survive a missed 44 yard field goal at the final gun to prevail 33-31.  Baltimore dropped their third straight despite 385 yards passing from Joe Flacco.

St. Louis at JACKSONVILLE (-9.5):  Who would have thought the Rams would show so much intestinal fortitude in this one?  They took the lead on a couple occasions, tied the game in the dying seconds, and took the Jaguars to overtime.  However, Maurice Jones-Drew wouldn't be stopped and the Jags kept St. Louis winless for the sixteenth consecutive game.

New York Giants at NEW ORLEANS (-3):  Eli Manning had a rude awakening in his homecoming as Drew Brees threw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns again.  The Saints are burning out scoreboards across the NFL, as they posted 48 in today's game.  So much for a battle of unbeatens.

CAROLINA (-3) at Tampa Bay:  The Panthers blew a two touchdown lead before rallying to down the Bucs by 7, 28-21.  I guess one plus for Tampa Bay would be the kick return by Sammie Stroughter for a touchdown.  After not having a kick return for a TD in the first 30 years of the franchise, they have 3 in the last three years.

Detroit at GREEN BAY (-14):  The Lions didn't stick to the positives of that win a couple weeks ago.  They fell behind early, and never hit the scoreboard in this game, as the Packers rolled to a 26-0 blanking to go to 3-2 on the year. 

Not too shabby in the early games, going 6-2.  On the late games, the Jets, Cardinals and Patriots are ahead on my picks, while the Eagles somehow, inexplicably, are trailing the Raiders at the break.  Randy Moss was shaken up right before the two minute warning in the New England game, which has the Pats now up 31-0 and in possession of the ball at the Tennessee 30.  It's so bad, that Tom Brady has one incompletion in 18 attempts, while Kerry Collins has 1 completion in 8. 

A lot of snow coming down in Foxborough as well...and the score has now just ballooned to 37-0 with the extra point pending as Brady has broken the 300 yard barrier and his fourth TD pass of the half.  Please CBS, change the game feed already.

We'll see how the rest of the games pan out this week to see how the final tally goes.

        

Yesterday was just more proof of how crazy the college football season can be.  Top teams stretched to the limit, or in some cases, beyond.  Last second plays deciding the outcome of games one way or the other.  Surprising undefeated teams, while teams expected to roll struggled.  Injuries, upsets, pain and suffering all rolled into one small package.  This is what late October Saturdays are all about when you get right down to it. 

Sure, it might not be as exciting as watching Lifetime and seeing size four and six women complain about how they need liposuction to get rid of their belly fat, but most red blooded males wouldn't do that without checking their pride at the door.

The top ranked Florida Gators were 24 point underdogs over Arkansas, yet it took two missed field goals by the Razorbacks, and a last minute drive capped by a 27 yard field goal with 9 seconds to go in order to escape with a 23-20 win.  They were the fortunate ones when you get right down to it.

Two other top 10 teams (#4 Virginia Tech and #7 Ohio State) were beaten, by #19 Georgia Tech and unranked Purdue respectively.  #3 Texas survived Oklahoma 16-13, as the Sooners lost Sam Bradford again, and racked up a pathetic negative 15 yards rushing.  #6 USC nearly blew a three touchdown fourth quarter lead against Notre Dame, but survived as Jimmy Clausen couldn't hit on two passes in the dying seconds from the USC 4.  Boise State struggled to beat Tulsa by 7, 28-21, making people in the media question if they are a team in contention for a BCS berth. 

Two other ranked teams, #15 Nebraska and #17 Kansas, also were beaten, Nebraska blasted by Texas Tech, while Kansas fell behind Colorado big. only  to come back to try and steal a win.  However, Colorado had the last laugh scoring with just over 8 minutes to go and held off the Jayhawks despite opportunities in the closing minutes, including one on the last play. 

It will be interesting to see how the polls pan out after this week's results.  Only six teams are still unbeaten in the AP poll, those being Florida, Alabama, Texas, Boise State, TCU and Iowa.  With the Gators ineffectiveness and struggles to put away Arkansas, while Alabama stuffed South Carolina, coupled with the Longhorns scuffling in the Red River Shootout, would give the Crimson Tide my vote for #1 if I had one to give this week.  I fully expect Iowa to crack the top ten after being 11th last week, and for Ohio State to be gone from the top ten now as well. 

Finally, we offer our condolences to the Connecticut Huskies and the family of starting cornerback Jesper Howard. who died this morning after being the victim of an on-campus stabbing.  Howard started and played in the Huskies contest yesterday against Louisville, and the UCONN website still lists that the perpetrator is at large.  Senseless violence rears its ugly head again in sports.  It's something we'll never really come to terms with.

        

Week six is here already, which means another round of bye weeks for your fantasy lineups and potential dud games on your TV screen as well depending on where you live.  Three games have the stigma of carrying two touchdown lines, and if you are stuck watching sucky games like that, as I did last week, my condolences.  Hell, I even predicted there would be a 6-3 game last week.  I just didn't expect that for the second time in three years, Buffalo and Cleveland would combine to NOT score a touchdown in a game against each other.

Last week was another up week for me in the picks, as I went 10-4, upping the season mark to 53-23 through five weeks.  For you math kids out there, that's a winning percentage of 69.74 percent on the season.  I can live with that.  That leads to the normal disclaimer, found below:

Since kickoff is just a few hours away, I'm just going with the picks this week.  As always, I pick straight, not with the lines, and I don't bet money.  If you do great, but it's not my fault if you blow the mortgage and your wife skins you.  I'm also not responsible if you deal with a bookie and they decide to send out a leg breaker because you forgot to pay back the vig on what you owed.

Also, for those of you interested, I'm working on doing interviews with a talented trio of female wrestlers in Christie Ricci, Alere, and Candice Lerae.  I also plan on working on a follow up piece to what I have written about the Lingerie Football League with the Seattle Mist's Jenna Bloczynski in the near future as well.  I'm hoping to have all those done by the end of the month. 

Finally, it's my 33rd birthday Thursday, so feel free to send money.  Paypal is fine...it's ckubala@gmail.com for all that, and you'll be eternally damned to the 9th circle of hell, aka Rams and Lions games for all eternity, if you don't do so.  On with this week's games:

Kansas City at WASHINGTON (-6):  Please, don't show this game on TV here.  I'd rather watch infomercials about the Foreman grill, Proactiv or the best eye cream on the market today.

Houston at CINCINNATI (-5.5): This could be a good game.  The problem for Cincinnati is that they aren't accustomed to success.  Will they be primed for a letdown after a last minute win over Baltimore?

Cleveland at PITTSBURGH (-14):  Could it get much worse for Cleveland?  You score six points against Buffalo and now you have to deal with an angry mob known as the Steelers defense.  Note to Derek Anderson:  Duck.

Baltimore at MINNESOTA (-3):  Young gun Joe Flacco against old gunslinger Brett Favre.  Two smashmouth defenses to boot.  Expect a lot of hard hitting to go down in the Metrodome.  This one could be painful all round.

St. Louis at JACKSONVILLE (-9.5):  The Jags are the NFL's version of Jekyll and Hyde.  They beat Houston and bombed Tennessee, then go to Seattle and get obliterated 41-0.  Maurice Jones-Drew has criticized play calling.  Fortunately, this is almost as good as a bye, because the Rams are terrible.  Early odds has the bye week favored by 6 over St. Louis.

New York Giants at NEW ORLEANS (-3)

CAROLINA (-3) at Tampa Bay:  Does anyone WANT to watch this?

Detroit at GREEN BAY (-14):  Stafford still questionable, and talk that Calvin Johnson might not play.  Green Bay is tough at home, and Detroit has no success beating them at Lambeau.

PHILADELPHIA (-14) at Oakland:  Don't show this game on TV either.  I had to suffer through the first half of the Giants/Raiders last week.  You want a synopsis of this game?  Read last week's writeup.

ARIZONA (+3) at Seattle:  I don't like the Seahawks.  They're too up and down.  At least with the Cardinals you know what you're getting:  a lot of passing plays.

Buffalo at NEW YORK JETS (-9.5):  I picked the Bills against Miami...they got smashed.  I picked them against Cleveland, and despite the Browns setting a franchise record for fewest passing yards in a game, they lost.  The Jets defense has been cuffed around lately, but I don't think the Bills can pull it off, after scoring a total of 20 points the past three games.  Maybe they'll surprise me.

Tennessee at NEW ENGLAND (-9):  Tom Brady has been average.  Kerry Collins and Tennessee have been flat out bad.  Look for a pattern to continue here.  How the Titans have fallen.

Chicago at ATLANTA (-3):  Two good offenses and a couple of banged up defenses.  This one could easily see scores in the high 20s and low 30s on both sides.  Look for big days from Jay Cutler and Matt Ryan.

Denver at SAN DIEGO (-3):  Yes, I took Denver in an upset last week and it paid off.  That was in Denver, not on the road, against a divisional opponent, that they tend to have issues with.  San Diego has LaDainian Tomlinson back and ready to go, and Philip Rivers has been lights out throwing the ball.  This might be the end of the line for the Broncos unbeaten skein.

That's week six...hopefully you get a GOOD game on your TV.