The Kitchen Sink

Gonna try to touch upon a bit of everything in this one. Ok, deep breathe now...

- Theo Epstein backed away from a 3-year deal, averaging $1.5M per year, with the Red Sox today. The root of all of this is the strained relationship between Epstein and Larry Lucchino, the latter of which is a firm believer that the sun rises in the morning, because he signs off on it.

This is bad news for the Red Sox, from a baseball and public relations standpoint. Basically, it validates a lot of what players like Manny Ramirez, David Wells, Keith Foulke, etc...say about playing in Boston. By signing on the dotted line, you're essentially relinquishing your right to privacy. Why? Because if the 31-year old GM has cited that as a reason for him walking away, can you imagine what the actual players (who are more visible) have to go through?

Now, I will say this about the whole situation: For $1.5M a year, Theo could've sucked it up. Take a look at Brian Cashman, who just re-signed with the Yankees. Are you going to tell me that the pressure to win in Boston even compares to the need to win in New York? Much like the two teams payrolls, expectations in Boston are high, but not nearly as high as New York.

And having to deal with "Big Stein" is probably more stressful than a nobody like Larry (bleepin') Lucchino! Then again, Cashman has seen his hair vanish over the years, while his dependency on Rolaids has soared.

Oh well. I'm still abiding by the "5 Year Rule" with the Red Sox, made popular by Bill Simmons.

- In 10 days, I'll be off to Seattle. I'm looking forward to this vacation (this is the only week I'll actually be working a 5-day work week until after Thanksgiving), and I know it's going to be a good time. Obviously, the main reason I'm heading out there is the Seahawks-Rams game (which should be a good one), but I'm looking forward to seeing the city, as well.

I've given a lot of thought lately to getting out of here, so I'm curious to see if Seattle is someplace I'd like to live. Will know more about that in a few weeks, I guess.

- George Bush's "mulligan", Samuel Alito, scares the bejesus out of me. Clearly, Alito would be a conservative voice on the bench, and that's not something I'm keen on. Alito's mom, Rose, has already opened the floodgates by saying "Of course he's against abortion", which is not good news.

Alito scares me, because I think he'll be confirmed as smoothly as Chief Justice Roberts was. The Democrats really don't have any balls.

- If I see that "Fathead" commercial with Ben Roethlisberger, I'm going on a tri-state killing spree.

- After watching the NFL all day yesterday, and seeing about 2,800 spots for "Vampire Bats", I'm wondering if anybody actually watched that. As for me, all it did was firmly implant the song from the late, great Wesley Willis into my head. Rock over London, rock on Chicago. Budweiser, it's the King of Beers.

- Real quick recap of the NFL action:

- Thank you, Tedy Bruschi. His return made Chad Brown inactive on Sunday, and if that's going to be the case, I won't have to pay up on my "If Chad Brown plays in more than 9 games this year, I'll eat my shoes" wager I made to everyone I talk football with.

- I could watch that hit on Koren Robinson a hundred times, and not grow tired of it. Now, before you think I'm an evil guy, I like Koren. I wish him well in his attempt to get life and NFL career back on track. But man, that was a sweet hit.

- Steve Smith has moved past Chad Johnson in terms of creative end zone dances. Pretending to row a boat, in a game against the Vikings, was priceless. I think that's being overlooked by those that cover the NFL.

- I think that the Seahawks-Rams game on November 13th is going to be a dogfight. At 4-4, St. Louis isn't dead in the water. Vitt has that team playing well, and just look at what happens when you give the ball to Steven Jackson 20-25 times a game. The guy is an absolute monster.

- If Joey Harrington played like Jeff Garcia did yesterday, he'd be run out of the league. "Crisp" gets a free pass, though.

- I laughed at every one of McNabb's 12 incompletions to start the game yesterday.

- I like that the 3rd-string QB for the 49ers, Cody Pickett, was covering punts yesterday. The guy used to be a professional rodeo guy (I need a ruling on what to call that), and is fearless out there. And naturally, with injuries to Alex Smith and Ken Dorsey, he's going to start at QB next week against the Giants.

- Speaking of San Francisco, I bet Washington wishes they could play them every week. Way to not show up at all, fellas!

- I bet Priest Holmes keeps picking up his phone today. Shawne Merriman absolutely hammered him yesterday.

- I'm still hopeful that Brett Favre isn't going to retire, and if the team continues on its downward spiral, I think he almost has to come back for another season.

My Monday Night Prediction: Pittsburgh 27, Baltimore 9

NFL Week 8 - Mac's Picks

NFL Week 8 - Mac's Picks

Last week: 8-6
Overall: 54-47-1

My weekly efforts so far (9-7, 9-6-1, 5-9, 8-6, 8-6, 7-7, 8-6) reads like Dennis Erickson’s resume. Dom Capers would sell his soul to post those numbers, which is reason #3174 why I’d never wager on a team coached by him.

On to the picks!

Arizona at Dallas Even though the last 2 minutes of last Sunday’s Cowboys-Seahawks game is what caused the “permasmile” on my face, seeing Mrs. Doubtfire snap like that on his receivers coach was priceless. As far as this week’s game goes, take Dallas at your own risk. This is a team that has proven that they absolutely cannot close a team out (Washington, Giants, Seahawks), and Arizona plays hard every week. Pick: Cardinals +9 ½

Chicago at Detroit With a 4-3 record, the winner of this tilt is in the driver’s seat in the NFC North. Hey, before you laugh, I’ll remind some of you if the Patriots win this Sunday, they’ll be in the same boat. Pick: Lions –3 (How can you not like Crisp Garcia in his home debut?)

Cleveland at Houston If Vegas had the Browns giving points to the Texans I’d still pick the Browns. Houston is so terrible I’m convinced that a random group of Katrina refugees could beat them (too soon?). I mean, Houston attempted a grand total of 9 passes last week…and Carr was still sacked 5 times! Pick: Browns +1 ½

Green Bay at Cincinnati I’m still not sold on the Bengals. Yes, I’m aware that they easily could’ve been up 14-0 on the Steelers early last Sunday, which would’ve turned the whole game around. Whatever. The fact of the matter is they weren’t up 14-0, and their defense is exposed. The hardest thing for a team to do during the season is improve in stopping the run. Fortunately, Bronk got a call this week to fill in at RB for the Packers, so for this week, anyways, the Bengals get a reprieve on that one. Pick: Bengals –9 ½

Jacksonville at St Louis I'm enjoying the "Mike Martz Tying to Get Fired" phase, perhaps too much. He's taking the rest of the year to treat a bacterial infection in his heart, nobody thinks he'll actually coach the team next year, and he's secretly trying to call plays into the coach's booth? You've got to admire that! You know those are all deep passes to the tight end or QB draws with Jamie Martin. As for the actual game, with the injuries (as well as turmoil) the Rams have, and with Jacksonville's defense, this is a gimme for the Jags. Pick: Jaguars -3

Minnesota at Carolina This week, on a very special Love Boat, Captain Smoot and the gang get into all sorts of whacky adventures in the deep South. Actually, something clicked for the Vikings at halftime last week, and the team finally began playing up to their talent level. Of course, the threat of criminal charges usually inspires a team to behave, so you’ve got to consider that, too. Carolina wins, but as usual, fails to cover the spread. Pick: Vikings +8 ½

Oakland at Tennessee It only took Norv Turner 6 weeks to figure out that you need to be committed to the running game to win football games. LaMont Jordan had a breakout game, and I expect that to continue. Why? Moss is too gimpy to complain about not getting the ball enough. It’s that simple. Here’s another thing I find absolutely ludicrous: Since resurrecting his career in 2000, Kerry Collins has averaged nearly 16 interceptions per season. Through 6 games this year, he’s thrown only 1. Pick: Raiders –1 ½

Washington at NY Giants Do the Giants ever play road games? Seems like they’re home every week. Two quick reasons on why I’m taking the Giants this week:

1. Eli Manning is a different QB at home. Hey, he’s a Manning!
2. Washington just blew out one of the worst teams in the league, at home, and now must go on the road in a divisional game.

Speaking of that Redskins-49ers game, why were Mark Brunell, Clinton Portis and Santana Moss still in the game in the 4^th quarter? The game was over by the start of the 2^nd quarter, so what was Joe Gibbs thinking? Pick: Giants –2

Kansas City at San Diego A golden (gambling) opportunity availed itself on channel 706 last Sunday, when DirecTV aired the Chiefs-Dolphins game from Friday night. I know of at least one person I could’ve suckered into believing that was a live telecast. Pick: Chargers –6

Miami at New Orleans Nick Saban’s return to the LSU campus hasn’t exactly sent Baton Rougers to the box office. “Death Valley” is a cavern, and it appears as though it’s going to be quite empty. Oh, and the NFL is allowing the game to be broadcast locally, even though it’s nowhere near a sellout. It’s funny how they bend the rules for some things isn’t it? Pick: Saints –2 ½

Philadelphia at Denver Count me among those that are still unimpressed with the Eagles. You’ve got to run the ball, or at least attempt to, if you want to win. They thoroughly shut down “LT” last week, but still needed a great play on special teams, and the clock management skills of Marty Schottenheimer, to win that game. Pick: Broncos –3 ½

Tampa Bay at San Francisco The only interesting thing about this game is the line. Tampa, with Chris Simms at QB, is giving 11 points on the road. I hate this game. Pick: 49ers +11

Buffalo at New England Ok, I’ll say it: The AFC East is just as bad as the NFC North. Only difference between the two is New England has played the hard part of its schedule, and with cupcakes and gifts from the NFL (both Florida teams come to NE in December) remaining, the Patriots end record should be in the 10-6/11-5 area. Pick: Patriots –9 ½ (NE has won the last 3 games against by Buffalo by an average of 30 points)

Baltimore at Pittsburgh Bad news for the Ravens. Without Ed Reed and Ray Lewis, they stand no chance against the Steelers ground game. And come on, Anthony Wright on the road, on a Monday night in Pittsburgh? Yikes. Pick: Steelers –10

Michael Irvin Is A Big, Dumb Idiot

If I'm an executive for ESPN, I'm installing a digital clock in my office that runs down the months, days and hours until Michael Irvin's contract expires. Never in the history of sports broadcasting has an "analyst" brought less to the table than this guy.

His constant crotch-nuzzling of all things relating to the Cowboys and "the U" is beyond annoying, as his is inability to form a valid, coherent sentence.

Hey Michael, I know you fried a good portion of your brain doing blow off a hooker's ass at the "White House" in Plano, Texas, but you need to remember that just because you speak the loudest, it does not make you right.

So thanks for your definition of what a play-maker is ("a guy who makes plays". Wow, what insight), and your weekly fellatio session on a few former Hurricanes. But let me correct on tonight's selections:

5. LaVar Arrington, Washington Redskins. This turd finally was made active this week, after it took him nearly a month to realize that you have to practice well in order for the team to trust you to go out on the field and perform at the level they expect you to. And he gets to go out there and play against the 2nd worst team in the National Football League. Yeah, that was an amazing performance.

4. Santana Moss, Washington Redskins. Hey, I don't doubt Santana Moss. He's a hell of a wide receiever, and is making a lot of good CBs look absolutely foolish. Quick question, though: Do the 49ers have a good CB? Hell no. Why is on your list? He's a "U" alum.

3. Clinton Portis, Washington Redskins. 100+ yards and 3 TDs qualifies him for the list, but again, it was against the 49ers. Did I mention that Portis went to the "U"?

So 3 of Michael Irvin's "play makers" are Redskins, who played the 2nd worst team in the NFL. That's a tough performance .Surely, Irvin is going to redeem himself on his top 2, right?

2. Edgerrin James, Indianapolis Colts. Oh Michael. I thought you were going to redeem yourself. James had a good game...against the 0-6 Houston Texans. But, he's a "U" alum, so...

1. LaMont Jordan, Oakland Raiders. Ok, now Irvin has finally chosen a guy who deserves to be on this list. Jordan had 28 carries, 122 yards and scored 3 times. But what does Irvin say? He finally "earns that big money" Oakland gave him. Douchebag, the Raiders weren't giving him the damn ball the first 5 weeks of the year! This was the first game they committed to the run, and lo and behold, they easily beat the Buffalo Bills. Why didn't they give him the ball? Because they were trying to throw the ball deep to Randy Moss all the time (a move Irvin applauds), and their offense was sputtering.

So there, Michael Irvin is at least consistent in his idiocy, and his continued employment will make ESPN's football coverage a complete joke. Berman can no longer go a full sentence without running out of breath. Tom Jackson is a-scared of infuriating anyone after getting smacked down by Belichick 3 years ago. Steve Young, he of many concussions, is the lone voice of reason on that set.

What's that? Who are my "Top 5 PlayMakers" from this past Sunday? Glad you asked.

5. Jordan Babineaux, Seattle Seahawks. The 2nd year undrafted free agent out of Southern Arkansas came up with the big interception in the final seconds, and got the return yardage needed to give the Seahawks a chance to win the game. A chance they didn't squander.

4. Jeremiah Trotter, Philadelphia Eagles. The Pro-Bowl MLB had 9 total tackles, and it was predominantly his solid play that held LaDainian Tomlinson, the league's best RB, to a measly 7 yards of rushing.

3. Quintin Mikell, Philadelphia Eagles. The little-known DB blocked a FG by Nate Kaeding that teammate Matt Ware returned for the game-winning TD.

2. Eli Manning, New York Giants. Went 9-13 for 74 yards on the game's final drive, culminating in the game-winning TD with only 10 seconds left on the clock.

1. (tie) Paul Edinger/Josh Brown, Minnesota/Seattle. These two guys lined up to kick game-winning field goals as time expired. Both kicks were over 50 yards, which marked the 1st time in NFL history that two games were won with field goals of 50+ yards as time expired on the same day.

Breakin the Choke Hold

There's something pretty special brewing in Seattle, and I don't mean the coffee. I've been saying it since the Falcons game, but there's a much different feel with the 2005 Seahawks, and I can't quite put my finger on it.

Staying healthy is a possible answer, but there's more to it than that. They just seem...better, and while that's a vague brush with which to paint, it's probably the most accurate way to describe the 5-2 Seattle Seahawks. They're just...better than they were a year ago, when everyone was picking them to make a Super Bowl run.

I'm just starting to get my bearings following that win yesterday, and since I could probably write 1,500 words about that game, I'm going to give my observations from the rest of yesterday's action, and later I'll have my thoughts on the Seahawks game.

NO NFL FOR YOU!
Technically, it took place on Friday night, but I'm still livid about the NFL's decision not to broadcast that game nationally. I feel bad for anyone who lives in say, Georgia, but is a die-hard Chiefs fan who spent $200 on the NFL Sunday Ticket, but couldn't watch his favorite team play because the NFL doesn't want to jeopardize it's antitrust exemption.

And I understand that you don't want to intrude on high school and college football's turf, but c'mon people, get real. If you're over the age of say 21, and you're going to a high school football game, you fall into one of three categories:

1. A family member is playing in the game.
2. You work either at the school, or at the facility the game is being played at.
3. You don't have a law degree, but you know Megan's Law like the back of your van.

NFL SUNDAY
- The Steelers showed that they are still the team to beat in the AFC North, and if Cincinnati doesn't improve it's run defense, it won't matter how good Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson play.

- As Gorm mentioned to me while watching the game, watching the Lions-Browns game from yesterday could be a method to punish criminals. I think it might extend into the area of "cruel and unusual punishment", as the Browns have managed to put up 16 points on the scoreboard in the last 120 minutes.

- The NFL really should buy the New Orleans Saints breakfast. Or at least provide them with cab fare. Congrats go out to Jamie Martin, for getting his 1st NFL win at the tender age of 36. Hey, if Gabrielle Carteris can put on a prom dress at that age, Martin getting his 1st win isn't that shocking.

- Paul Edinger's 56-yard FG kept the SS Love Sponge from hitting an iceberg. At 2-4, the Vikings remain only a game behind the North-leading Lions and Bears (oh my!).

- If those injuries to Ahman Green and Robert Ferguson are severe (which they appear to be), say goodnight to the Packers. It's possible Favre returns again next year, since going out on this much of a low note cannot be too appealing to him.

- Terrell Owens has two weeks to think of an end zone celebration, and that's what he comes up with? Very weak, T.O.

- Not to take anything away from the Redskins, who played well, but is it really an accomplishment to score 52 points, at home, on the San Francisco 49ers, who are clearly rebuilding and starting a rookie QB? Is that anything to be excited about?

- Speaking of which, how about them Indianapolis Colts? 7-0 is nice, but it's real easy to get to when your opponents so far are a combined 14-30 (.318).

- Dom Capers is brilliant. To avoid keeping David Carr from getting killed, the Texans decided to throw only 9 passes on Sunday. Carr was sacked 5 times. Whoops!

- The only question I have about the Bears-Ravens game, is what did Soldiers Field hand out for this snorefest: No-Doz, or pillows?

- Someone told Norv Turner that giving the ball to LaMont Jordan would yield positive results, and in a rare moment of self-preservation, Turner took that advice. This led to a commanding Raiders victory. Will wonders never cease?

- I didn't watch much of the Giants-Broncos game, but I did notice that Tatum Bell is real good, and that the Giants won the game on a great play by Eli Manning and Amani Toomer. It's always nice seeing a sullen Mike Shanahan after a game.

- Why do I have, and start, Chris Brown on my fantasy football team (The Double Deuce)? No good has come from that partnership.

- Very impressed with the way the Cardinals played. Sure, Tennessee isn't very good, but that defense is starting to get physical, and some of that swagger from late in 2004 is beginning to return. Karlos Dansby is going to be a very special player in this league. It's almost too bad he plays in virtual obscurity in Arizona.

- I think Bill Parcells punching/shoving an assistant coach of his, and then yelling at a FOX camera man, shows how much of an asshole he is. It wasn't a penalty, Tuna. Plus, Bledsoe was looking at the other end zone while being dragged down by the time the flag was thrown. Get over it.

- If you want to blame Jose Cortez for missing that chipshot FG, I won't stop you. But I will point out that L.P. Ladouceur (Dallas long-snapper) made several bad snaps yesterday, including one on Cortez's missed FG. If you banish one, you might want to consider banishing two.

NFL Week 7 Macs Picks

NFL Week 7 – Mac’s Picks

Last week: A very lackluster 7-7. I’m the Hartford Whalers of prognostication.

Overall: 46-41-1

Detroit at Cleveland In the last 3 NFL drafts, the Lions have spent a 1st round draft pick on a WR, yet their leading WR is Kevin Johnson, a free agent originally expected to provide depth at the position. And people wonder why Joey Harrington Is struggling…In Cleveland, the Browns looked about as bad as you can possibly get last week. I don’t expect Dilfer to play as careless as that at home, though, which is why I’m taking the Browns. Pick: Browns –2 ½

Green Bay at Minnesota For a team this talented to be this bad, the Vikings have either quit on themselves, or weren’t that good in the first place. What the Bears did to them last week points to the latter. With the Packers, they’re coming off a bye week and even at 1-4, have enough of a veteran presence on that team to know that the season is far from over. Until Minnesota fires Mike Tice, I won’t take a team he’s associated with, even if it goes against the “home underdog” rule of gambling. Pick: Packers –2

Indianapolis at Houston I said it before the season: Dom Capers is the worst coach, perhaps in NFL history. His teams have finished 8-8 or better just one time in his entire career. At the same time, Art Shell hasn’t been able to get an interview for a head-coaching gig. Last week proved that even when the Colts spot their opponents a 17-point lead they can still cover a double-digit spread. With the Texans offense, that won’t be a concern. Pick: Colts –15

Kansas City at Miami This is actually a big for both teams. The Dolphins have a chance to pull to .500, which in the weak AFC East is huge. After watching Ricky Williams before and after the game on Sunday, it’s crystal clear why he’s playing football, and it has nothing to do with competitive desire. This is entirely about not wanting to cut a super-ball check for $8.6 million dollars. For Kansas City, with the way the Broncos are playing, they’ve got to win as many conference games on their schedule as they can to get in as a Wild Card. Pick: Chiefs +2

New Orleans at St. Louis It’s hard not to sympathize with the New Orleans Saints. It’d be easier if their owner wasn’t a total scumbag, but as far as the players go, you have to feel sorry for them. They’re living out of hotels and playing “home games” in their opponent’s stadium. Then their practice facility is taken over by athletes in the Special Olympics, and now comes word that in December, they’ll be evicted from the Alamodome, which is hosting a bridal show and the NCAA Women’s Volleyball tournament…St. Louis has had it’s fair share of adversity, too, which means this game might be halted at some point for a group hug. Pick: Saints +3

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati Last week I said that the Steelers could win without Ben Roethlisberger. Ok, I was wrong. You see, I forgot how terrible Tommy Maddox really is. My bad. For the Bengals, beating the Steelers will give them a 3-game lead in the division before Halloween. Seriously, look it up. When was the last time a Bengals team had a 3-game lead in their division before Halloween? Pick: Bengals (Marvin Lewis = NFL Coach of the Year)

San Diego at Philadelphia How good is LaDainian Tomlinson? He can run, catch and throw. Give him the ball, and just look…Sorry about that. The Chargers appear to have shaken off their early season funk, and are doing the smart thing on offense by putting the ball in LT’s hands as much as possible…I know I’m going to regret saying this, but Philadelphia just doesn’t impress, or even scare, me anymore. I have concerns about Terrell Owens going up against that bad Chargers secondary, but you know what, as long as the Eagles are going to ignore the ground game, I’m not convinced this team has what it takes to get to, or succeed in, the playoffs. There, I said it. Pick: Chargers +3 ½

San Francisco at Washington By trading Tim Rattay, the 49ers have essentially removed the training wheels on Alex Smith. It’s his show now, so get yourself a bowl of popcorn and enjoy the futility. His growing pains are going to be the stuff NFL Bloopers are made of…Washington has lost two tough road games in a row, so getting the 49ers right now will help stop the bleeding. Pick: Redskins –12 ½

Dallas at Seattle The national media is wary of both teams, and deservedly so. The Cowboys are 4-2, and in 1st place in the NFC East, but the Eagle game aside, have looked shaky. Plus, if Julius Jones is injured, it puts the game more into Drew Bledsoe’s hands, and that’s not going to be successful in the long run. For Seattle, they’re also 4-2, and in 1st place in what is generally regarded as a weak division. Obviously, I’m going to take Seattle, but blind loyalty isn’t the only reason.

For starters, the Seahawks have the #1-ranked offense in the NFL. And they’ve moved into this ranking with their starting WRs out with injuries. “But they’ve played the Texans (29th ranked defense), Rams (26th) and Falcons (25th) this year”, is what the skeptics would say. True, but they’ve also played (and moved the ball well against) the Jaguars (4th), Redskins (5th) and they blew out the Cardinals (15th).

With this game being played in Qwest Field, and the Seahawks getting solid production out of their WRs (did you know that Seahawk WRs have only 3 drops this year?) and Shaun Alexander, the Seahawks win a very tight game, and yes, they cover the spread. Pick: Seahawks –3 ½

Baltimore at Chicago If the Baltimore Ravens can make a veteran QB like Trent Dilfer play poorly, imagine what they’ll do to rookie QB Kyle Orton. Only trouble with that is, this week they’d have to do it on the road. And without All-Pro FS Ed Reed…For the Bears, beating the Vikings isn’t an impressive feat. But being able to dominate your opponent, any opponent, is something to hang your collective hats on. Pick: Bears

Buffalo at Oakland With Randy Moss on the mend, and your opponent ranking 30th in rush defense, a normal head coach would hand the ball to LaMont Jordan 25 times a game. You’d control the clock, wear down your opponent and come away with a much-needed win. Unfortunately, we’re talking about Norv Turner here, so anything can happen…The Bills haven’t won a road game this year, and I expect that trend to continue. Pick: Raiders –3

Denver at NY Giants The inability to win tough road games looks like another Manning family trait that Peyton and Eli share. I don’t know what he was thinking on some of those passes, but still, the Giants battled and had plenty of chances to win that game…Like Davy Jones, “I’m A Believer” now when it comes to the Denver Broncos. And yes, I fully expect that to bite me on the ass this week. Pick: Broncos +2


Tennessee at Arizona The Titans lost a tough one at home to the Bengals, but this isn’t a team I’d take lightly…For Arizona, I’m sure this one was circled on the calendar, with a great big “W” accompanying it. Not so fast, my friend. The Titans have an excellent pass rush, and keeping the QB upright isn’t something the Cardinal offensive line is known for. In the desert, I’m going with officer Fisher’s boys. Pick: Titans +3

NY Jets at Atlanta I expect a big game out of Curtis Martin this week, but if the Jets can’t get him going, it’s going to mean trouble for the Jets, who are playing without Kevin Mawae for the remainder of the season. If the Jets are forced to pass, the front four of the Falcons will get pressure, and make life miserable for Vinny Testaverde. Pick: Falcons –7

Ken Hamlin

Let me begin by stating that I'm a fan of Ken Hamlin. From day one, he asserted himself from his free safety position, and has delivered the type of punishing hits that can turn the momentum of games completely around.Want a random sampling? Here's one from his first NFL game (Hamlin is #26).
























And hits just like this have kept coming in his 2+ years as a defensive back in the NFL. The idiots on ESPN's Monday Night Countdown call it getting "jacked up". At 2:04 this morning outside "Larry's Nightclub", Ken Hamlin got "jacked up" himself.

The reports are still coming in, but Hamlin was involved in an altercation as he left the club, and he got the worst of it. Not only did Hamlin break his right hand, but he also has a fractured skull and a blot clot in his brain. He's in "serious, but stable" condition in the intensive car unit at Harborview Hospital in Seattle, and the next 24 hours are critical. Early signs are positive-that he'll survive. As far as his future in the game, that's an entirely different story.

The main concern right now is Hamlin's health, but the ongoing Seattle PD investigation is showing that Hamlin was not exactly the victim of random violence. The most damning evidence of this is the surveillance camera footage that KOMO-TV has obtained from the nightclub, which shows Hamlin as the aggressor in this incident. The nightclub owner has stated that Hamlin "sucker-punched" one of the individuals involved, but this is just one side of the incident. The police are referring to Ken Hamlin as the "victim" of assault, so that's important to remember when judging this situation.

This unfortunate incident does take a bit of the gleam off the Seahawks 42-10 win over the Texans, but I'm more concerned about Ken Hamlin. He is one of the team's leaders, and is just beginning to get some league-wide recognition for his play on the field. Hopefully, he'll be able to come back and be the same "Hammer" as he was before this incident, but it's not likely to be this season.

Seahawks Recap

It's easier to sleep after a primetime win, so I'll try to be brief:

Obviously, I'm happy after a win. To paraphrase Mack Strong, 'I don't care if it's 3-0, you don't apologize for a win'. Yeah, the Seahawks won 42-10, but it was against a winless team and in their own building. "Any given Sunday" is more than just a crappy movie, so the table can be turned relatively quickly.

What I Liked Tonight:

- I'll come out and say it: Pay Alexander, and pay him now. He's earned it, and while the Seahawks could probably make due without him, why chance it. The "market" value deal is 5-years, $25-30M with a $10M signing bonus. People don't realize it, but the Seahawks have ample cap room next year to absorb a deal of that magnitude, and still will be able to re-sign Steve Hutchinson, and there aren't many other players on this team scheduled to hit the open market.

Sure, it's not my money, but you want to keep as much of this group as you can, and you want keep them for as long as you can. It's a special offense (I'm sure they'll still be ranked #1, pending tomorrow night's Rams-Colts game), and Alexander is a major, major piece of it.

- I like the way the WRs are stepping up. Peter Warrick started for DJ Hackett, and had 3 catches for 53 yards. Joe Jurevicius continues to catch everything thrown his way, and Jerramy Stevens is having a breakout season. To put up 79 points in 2 games, without your #1 and #2 WRs, is a testament to the balance and depth the Seahawks have right now.

- It's great for Grant Wistrom to put his name into the "sack" column tonight. For the amount of money he's making, having 0 sacks through 5 games, on the surface, looks pretty bad. Now, if they had a stat for "sacks forced", he'd be leading the team. I honestly thought he was going to kill David Carr tonight.

- Jordan Babineaux will hit you, and you will feel it. For an undrafted CB, Babineaux is filling the nickel role perfectly, especially when you consider he's only supposed to be the 4th CB.

- I'm totally comfortable with Rocky Bernard as our pass-rushing DT. 4.5 sacks thus far, and he's improving at a point in the season he usually lags. Teamed with Craig Terrill, the Seahawks have gotten 6 sacks out of that duo in 6 games. Nice production.

What I Didn't Like Tonight (And I Don't Mean Joe Theismann, Though It Applies):

- Continued poor special teams plays. The penalties, the fumbles on kick returns, and the inability to get any significant return yardage, has got to change. If Bob Casullo doesn't get it turned around, his tenure in Seattle will be brief.

- Bryce Fisher, whenever you want to line up onsides, that would be swell. Do it once, it's no big deal. Do it repeatedly, then I have to wonder what side you want to play on.

- If this team ever starts creating turnovers, they'll be dangerous. NONE forced (again) today, and only 4 for the season. Yes, there were 2 forced fumbles, but none were recovered. The starting CBs have 0 INTs, and neither do any of our safeties.

This one falls in both categories, but I didn't like seeing this much of Leonard Weaver tonight. "The Hydrant" impressed the hell out of me, particularly his block that sprung Alexander on his 4th TD and his stiff arm on his own run, but this team needs a healthy Mack Strong.

More on the rest of the NFL action tomorrow.

We've Had A Chris Weinke Sighting

Unbelievable action in the 1pm games. Two go into overtime, 2 more games ending in the last minute of regulation, and another disappointing performance from the Minnesota Vikings.

Some instant analysis:

- Chris Weinke comes off the bench to lead the Panthers to a game-winning TD score. First time since 2002 that Weinke has seen action in a game, and he played very well. Obvious chemistry with Ricky Proehl, which makes sense, as they're both 47 years old.

- The Saints got robbed of a chance to win it in overtime. Peterson misses a FG attempt, only to get a shot at redemption due to a ticky-tack penalty. They are the 'Aints.

- Memo to John Fox: On the road, always take the points.

- Player of the Day (thus far): Jared Allen, DE for the Kansas City Chiefs. 3 sacks and 2 forced fumbles, Allen made life difficult for Mark Brunell.

- The Jaguars overtime win over Pittsburgh? Not that shocking. If Ward and Roethlisberger play, the Steelers win easily. With Tommy Maddox in there, the Steelers still nearly won that game. Jags should feel good, though. This is one they can build off.

- Yes, I am a jackass for changing my Bucs-Dolphins pick. Gus Frerotte on the road, Mac. Gus Frerotte on the road.

I'll be back later...

NFL Sunday

Making a quick change to my picks. With Cadillac Williams and Michael Pittman likely to miss this game, I don't trust Brian Griese to be able to play mistake-free football against the Dolphins. So, I'm changing my pick, and taking the 'Fins in this Floridian battle.

More updates later.

NFL Week 6 Mac's Picks

NFL Week 6 – Mac’s Picks

Last week: 8-6 Overall: 39-34-1

We’re getting closer to that 10-win week I got brewing in me. After looking at this week’s lines, I think we’ve got a winner here…


Atlanta at New Orleans (in San Antonio) I was going to make an obvious joke about Mike Vick (aka, Ron Mexico) heading to the Alamodome, but that’s too easy. What’s also easy is picking this game. The Saints got their heads handed to them a week ago, and lost their best offensive player in the process (Deuce McAllister). Not good times for the Saints. Pick: Falcons –5

Carolina at Detroit The Panthers may be 3-2, but I’m still waiting for them to come out and just dominate an opponent. For Detroit, come December, beating the Ravens at home like that might appear to be less impressive than it is in mid-October. Pick: Panthers +1

Cincinnati at Tennessee Unless it’s at home, I’m not real confident taking the Bengals and leaving points on the table. Pick: Titans +3

Cleveland at Baltimore When picking this game, you’re obligated to ask yourself the following question: If Anthony Wright was my QB, and we’re already losing, is 60 minutes enough time for him to orchestrate a comeback? (No references to the Seahawks-Ravens game in 2003, please. It’s well documented that the ‘Hawks got jobbed in that one.) I know how I’d answer that question. Pick: Browns +5 ½

Jacksonville at Pittsburgh As much as I like the Jaguars, Pittsburgh just scares the hell out of me. Under normal circumstances (i.e., Big Ben at 100%), this line would be much higher. Roethlisberger doesn’t have to play for the Steelers to win this game, and they’re a tough team to beat in Heinz Field (unless Belichick is coaching). Pick: Steelers –3

Miami at Tampa Bay The long trip to Tampa marks the start of the Ricky Williams “Up in Smoke” tour. Word out of Sabanville is that Williams will play a prominent role in the Dolphin offense this week. Meanwhile in Tampa, the Bucs got a look at what life would be like without wheels, as Cadillac Williams was out last week, and the Bucs offense looked lost in the Meadowlands. The rest will be beneficial in the long run. Pick: Bucs –4 ½

Minnesota at Chicago Playing this close to Lake Michigan might be distracting to some Vikings players. They’re quite the boat enthusiasts these days…Hey, a Bears win and a Lions loss means they’re tied for 1st place in the NFC Norris Division at 2-3! Pick: Bears –3

NY Giants at Dallas The Cowboys absolutely dismantled the Philadelphia Eagles a week ago, but lost in the euphoria was the news that ‘Boys RB Julius Jones has a bum ankle and likely won’t play this week. The Giants come in rested, and possessing one of the more potent scoring attacks in the NFL. This one could be an old-fashioned shootout. Pick: Giants +3 ½


Washington at Kansas City I got this in an e-mail this week:

“Well, at least we’re getting Warfield, Roaf and Welbourne back for this week’s game. Not many teams are getting this type of talent infusion this deep into the season”

Don’t underestimate what Willie Roaf’s presence means to the Chiefs ground game, and against Washington, teams need to be at full strength to be successful. But the real reason to take the Chiefs is this: Mile High and Arrowhead are two of the toughest places to go into and win, and the Redskins got them back-to-back. Oh, and if it weren’t for some iffy penalty flags, the Redskins don’t cover the spread last week in Denver. Pick: Chiefs –5 ½

New England at Denver The brutal schedule for the Patriots comes to an end, and to have a chance to go 4-2 is nothing short of a miracle with all the injuries they’ve had to overcome. I’m starting to believe in the legitimacy of the Broncos, but Belichick is in “pissed off mode” right now, so I’m not crossing him. Pick: Patriots +3

NY Jets at Buffalo Vinny Testaverde’s “Antique Road Show” heads upstate to battle the Kelly Holcomb-led Buffalo Bills in the Xanax Game of the Week! Pick: Bills –3

San Diego at Oakland If you watched the Chargers on MNF this week, and you’re familiar with the ways of the Oakland Raiders, wouldn’t you love the opportunity to wager on something like the “over/under for the amount of penalty flags thrown during the game”? Both teams are undisciplined, and this one is always an enjoyable slugfest. Pick: San Diego –2

Houston at Seattle A winless opponent is a nice reward for the Seahawks removing that 500-lb monkey from their backs. The Texans do not match up well with the Seahawks, and you don’t have to remind Shaun Alexander that he’ll be on a national stage. With 196 more rushing yards, Alexander will become the team’s all-time leading rusher. Pick: Seahawks –9 ½

St. Louis at Indianapolis Okay, there’s no doubt in my mind that the Colts are going to win this game. But the Rams can score with any team in the league so giving them nearly 2 touchdowns is ludicrous. Do yourself a favor and take the points (and the cannoli). Pick: Rams +13 ½

You Need To Purify Yourself In The Waters of Lake Minnetonka

In case you haven't heard the news, 15-20 members of the 1-3 Minnesota Vikings used an off day during their bye week to hold a "team building" exercise.

Did the Vikings go out to dinner and stick the rookie with the bill? No, of course not.

Did they throw on blouses, eyeliner and make a boring movie/album/career? No, of course not.

This group in purple rented two cruise boats on Lake Minnetonka and had themselves an orgy. Nothing says "team spirit" like group sex, right? (Side note, why is everything in Minnesota purple? Prince wore purple, and he's from there. The Vikings wear purple. Apparently, the rain in Minnesota is purple. Also, why does every team in Pittsburgh wear black and gold? Why do some people think cucumbers taste better pickled?)

This "bonding" exercise, which is currently under investigation, is just the latest in a series of public relations nightmares that new owner Zygi Wilf has had to endure since purchasing the team late last year. First there was the trade of the team's best player, Randy Moss, and then the head coach getting busted for scalping his allotment of Super Bowl tickets. And who could forget the one year suspension of RB Onterrio Smith for violating the league's substance abuse policy when he was caught with a drug-masking kit called "The Whizzinator" at an airport in May.

Before you think I'm about to admonish a group of professional athletes for something like this, let me be real clear: This is nothing new. Pick a sport, hell, pick a team, and you'll be able to unearth unsavory stuff just like this.

The Dallas Cowboys of the 1990s had the infamous "White House" in Plano, Texas, which was used by several players (including legendary douchebag Michael Irvin) for drugs and extramarital shenanigans. Soon-to-be-former Boston Red Sox CF Johnny Damon openly admits infidelity (and his punishment is a 2nd wife with a large collection of clear-heeled shoes and a penchant for pole dancing).

We know they haven't yet, but have you read the literary efforts of Jose Canseco or Lawrence Taylor? "LT" used to send hookers to the hotel rooms of his opponents. Do you think he'd do that if it didn't provide him with an advantage? Womanizing behavior by professional athletes is so common, Anna Benson, wife of New York Met pitcher Kris Benson, threatened to sleep with every teammate and staffer employed by the Mets if her husband was caught straying. And if I was a Met, I'd be giving Kris the "LT" treatment every road trip.

No, I'm not surprised at all that athletes participate in this type of behavior. What I am surprised at is the stupidity that's involved in this particular incident. One of the boats was rented to a "Fred Smoot", which isn't an alias, it's the name of the high-priced CB the team signed in the offseason. So at least authorities know where to go for some answers. Thus far, he's the only player to be named in the investigation, but my moles tell me that the identity of one of the other Culprits might be somewhat of a surprise.

This "Carnal Cruise" that the Vikings allegedly took part in sums up the 2005 Minnesota Vikings perfectly. Even during a bye week, they've found a way to come away losers. And keep in mind, they traded away the "problem child", Randy Moss, with the hope that the off-field nonsense would dissipate. How's that strategy working out?

With the team asking for over $400 million in public funds for a new stadium, incidents like this are certainly going to prompt Wilf to blow this team up as quickly as possible. Somewhere, Red McCombs is searching his couches for loose change, and he's having himself a good laugh at what his former team is dealing with.

Matt Hasselbeck: NFC Offensive Player of the Week

I'm hearing that Matt Hasselbeck will be named the NFC's Offensive Player of the Week. He was 27-38 for 316 yards and 2 TDs, despite playing without his top 2 weapons at the WR position. He also demonstrated some grit (below).






















What happened on that play was that the whistle had blown, but it was difficult to hear because of the crowd noise. The Rams DT (Damione Lewis) kept chasing Hasselbeck, who faked Lewis to the ground and then shoved the ball into Lewis' grill. I like that type of grit out of a QB.

Seahawks-Rams on NFL Network This Thursday

The NFL Network is showing the Seahawks-Rams game from this past Sunday on their Thursday edition of "NFL Game of the Week" at 9pm. Won't take much to figure out where I'll be at that time. Below is a shot of the game's deciding play.

That's 2nd year man Jordan Babineaux knocking the ball out of Shaun McDonald's hands. The fumble was recovered by Seahawks long-snapper Jean-Phillipe Darche.













In other 'Hawk-related news: After being carted off the field with his head immobilized, it appears that Michael Boulware is going to be alright. In fact, he may even play this Sunday night against the Houston Texans...In other injury news, CB Andre Dyson has a pulled hamstring, and is likely to miss a few weeks. Kelly Herndon will assume the starting LCB duties...OT Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack suffered a quadriceps injury, which will sideline him until after the upcoming bye week...No timetable is set for Darrell Jackson's knee, but it is being reported that he suffered the injury years ago, but has steadily worsened over time. They do expect him to return this season.

The Stat Rat: Shaun Alexander leads the NFL in rushing, and is on pace for 1800+ yards and 25 TDs...Matt Hasselbeck is currently 5th in the NFL passing yards, and hasn't turned the ball over in 4 games...Not surprisingly, the Seahawks moved into the league's #1 ranking offensively after posting 433 yards on the Rams...Defensively, the Seahawks are ranked 19th in the NFL (17th against both the run and pass)...Only Rod Coleman (2004 Pro Bowler) has more sacks (5.0) among NFC defensive tackles than the Seahawks Rocky Bernard (3.5).

Seahawks Recap and Much More on the NFL

Maybe I'm naive, but when I woke up this morning, I fully expected to spend half my morning reading about the Seattle Seahawks win over the St. Louis Rams yesterday. And I was wrong to think so.

Aside from the Seattle papers, little is being mentioned about that game nationally. Peter King gave it one line, in his "Fine Fifteen" part of his MMQB column. One line? Ok, I know you were in Green Bay this weekend Peter, but c'mon. One line in your entire column?

The Seahawks-Rams game was right there in terms of excitement with the Falcons-Patriots game, and it got one line in one of more well-respected NFL columns. The same amount of time was devoted to the type of coffee he drank this morning and how much Bobby Jenks weighs. You're better than that, Peter.


What I Liked About the Seahawks-Rams Game

1. Matt Hasselbeck. "Ok, Matt. You're going into St. Louis, who have beaten you guys 4 straight times. Sole possession of 1st place in the NFC West is on the line, and to make things more interesting, your top 2 targets on offense are out." How does Hass respond? 27-38, 316 yards and 2 TDs. Oh, and ZERO turnovers. Great performance.

2. Joe Jurevicius. I didn't think he'd make the roster, but man am I glad he was there yesterday. The guy came up with a tremendous performance, snagging 9 balls for 137 yards and a TD.

Speaking of the WRs, idiots like Sterling Sharpe, Michael Irvin and Chris Berman still like to mention the dropped passes of a year ago. Here are some interesting numbers for you three, since you're too damned lazy to do your own research:

In 2004, the Seahawks dropped 38 passes.
In 2005, the Seahawks have dropped 7 passes. Over a 16-game season, that would come out to 22.

Of the 7 that have been dropped thus far, only 3 have been by the WRs (2 by Engram, 1 by Jackson).

And if you think that Joe Jurevicius or DJ Hackett is going to drop a pass anytime soon, you didn't watch yesterday's game.

3. Lofa Tatupu. Another game, another big performance out of #51. The "rook" is leading the team in tackles (33), has 2 sacks and yesterday made an athletic play for his 1st NFL interception. He also caused Marshall Faulk (yes, that Marshall Faulk) to drop a short pass on 3rd down. For you Patriots fans who miss Tedy Bruschi, take a look at #51 for the Seahawks.

What I Didn't Like About the Seahawks-Rams Game (since I'm fair)

1. Mike Holmgren's Play-Calling on the 2nd-to-Last Drive. "Ohkay Mike, you've got a 6-point lead on the road in a must-win game. You have the ball at your own 20 yard line, and the Rams can only stop the clock once. You have the NFL's leading rusher and two All-Pro offensive linemen against a bad run defense. What do you do?". Well, if you're Mike Holmgren, you call 3 straight pass plays! They took a total of 45 seconds off the clock with that series before punting the ball away. Fortunately for Holmgren, Jordan Babineaux made a great play on special teams, forcing a fumble which the Seahawks recovered to preserve the win.

2. Michael Boulware's Injury. You never like to see any player taken off the field on a cart, but I had a tremendous lump in my throat on that one. Boulware is a special player, and someone the Seahawks are going to need if they want to go deep into the playoffs this year. Initial results are that he's going to be ok, and he was walking around in the locker room, and did fly back to Seattle with the team. Hopefully he'll be alright.

3. Special Teams Penalties. Maybe they're starting to come together on that unit, but Josh Scobey had a great kick return nullified by a holding penalty. They average about 2 of these per game, and it's got to stop. Scobey is the 1st KR the Seahawks have had in awhile that has the ability to take it all the way, so holding isn't exactly necessary.

Audibles

- You just knew that the Bengals would struggle in Jacksonville. That's a very tough defense Jack Del Rio has, and they made life very hard on the once 4-0 Bengals. Despite their struggles against good defenses (Chicago and Jacksonville), the Bengals have managed to get it going in the 2nd half. That's a positive sign for Marvin Lewis.

- Arizona continues to shoot themselves in the foot. One pass was picked off in the end zone, and Anquan Boldin gets stripped of the ball just as he about to break one for another long gain. They're a young group, but I'm wondering what 1-4 feels like to those pundits that predicted they'd win the NFC West. I'm guessing it doesn't feel very good...Carolina escapes with another win. Hey, I don't care if it's 3-0, a win is a win. And Carolina needed that one with Tampa and Atlanta losing yesterday.

- Donovan McNabb had a Roger Clemens-like performance yesterday, as the "Well, he's hurt" excuse is always at the ready when he doesn't do well. Ok, I'll buy that for McNabb, but what about Andy Reid? Did they forget their running plays at home?

- The ruling on the field is, Washington and Denver are both very good teams, but both may miss the playoffs due to a tough divisional schedule.

- I'm guessing the schedule makers really love the Colts. After a tough game against the San Francisco 49ers, they come home to play the hapless Rams on Monday Night Football. Then they get to play the winless Texans. Tough road to hoe for them Colts...I give the 49ers a lot of credit. There will be more games like this year for this group, but Mike Nolan has them pointed in the right direction. Frank Gore is going to be a very good RB in this league. There's absolutely no quit in that guy.

- After further review, the Texans are terrible. Do you know that David Carr is on pace to be sacked 108 times this year? Forget about Matt Leinart, they need help along that offensive line...Congratulations to Jarrett Payton, Walter's son, who scored his first NFL touchdown yesterday.

- I didn't see anything for either the Jets or Bucs to feel good about after that game. U-G-L-Y was the only word to describe it.

- Good win for the Patriots yesterday, but they don't win that game if Ron Mexico is playing QB. Next they travel to Denver, and with the depleted ranks in the defense, 3-3 wouldn't be a bad place to be heading into the Colts game...Allen Rossum is one of the best KRs in the NFL. He's also one of the worst CBs in the NFL.

- I guess it's true what they say about Gus Frerotte and the road. Miami's tough goal-line defense is all that kept this from being a blowout.

- Can you believe the Browns are 2-2? Another great game from Trent Dilfer yesterday. I always like seeing him do well. And with each passing week, Kyle Orton looks more and more like a rookie.

- When is reality going to set in for the Baltimore Ravens? With the talent they have on defense, they should not be 1-3 right now. And they should never lose by 18 to the Detroit Lions!...Speaking of which, Dre Bly? You are not Ed Reed. Take a knee next time.

- At 1-4, do you doubt that the Packers can win the NFC North? I don't doubt it, not for a second. However, they need to get Ahman Green back, because Tony Fisher isn't going to cut it with that offensive line....Yesterday's New Orleans Saints performance was brought to you by the United States Postal Service.

- Tonight's MNF Predicition: San Diego 31, Pittsburgh 17

NFL Week 5 - Mac's Picks

Some random NFL notes before we get to the Week 5 picks:

- I'd never feel comfortable with him as my team's QB, but let's give it up to Jake Plummer for refusing to let the green "Futbol Americanos" decal adorn his helmet last week. When Plummer wanted to honor his friend and former teammate, Pat Tillman, who was killed in Afghanistan while serving his country, by wearing the "40" decal on his helmet all last year, the NFL threatened to discipline Plummer for violating the league's uniform code. The Cardinals were the only team allowed to do so, further proving that the league has no idea on what it means to be a human being. Good for you, Jake.

- I have no idea why Sterling Sharpe is allowed to comment on the NFL. The shit that spews out of his mouth each week on NFL Playbook makes me wonder if "brain damage" isn't the real reason he retired from the NFL. All the guy does is talk out of both sides of his mouth, which makes me question the whereabouts of his colleagues testicles, because they never, ever, call him out on his inconsistent stances.

- Great piece by Peter King on "Inside the NFL" this week on Patriots VP/Personnel Guru Scott Pioli. If you missed it, Pioli mentions how he keeps a 2000 Fleer card framed in his office. The card is labeled "Rookies to Watch", and contains the images of Patriots 5th round pick, TE Dave Stachelski, and their 6th round pick, QB Tom Brady. Pioli keeps that framed, because it shows that they're such a smart front office, they drafted Stachelski ahead of Tom Brady. As much as I am of the opinion that the Patriots now appear to be headed for a non-playoff season, you have to sit back and marvel at how well they've constructed their team during their "dynasty".

Ok, let's get to the picks!


Last week: A disappointing 8-6, which fell short of my goal of 10-4. Still narrowly above .500, so I've got to atone for that this week.

Overall: 31-28-1

Baltimore at Detroit The Ravens helped further the notion that "defense wins Championships" back in 2000, and it's still a philosophy they hold dear. Eventually though, they'll have to score some points, and with Anthony Wright at QB, it's not going to happen anytime soon. Detroit was robbed of a win in Tampa a week ago, and they're a much different team at home. Though I'm wary of Harrington throwing against a secondary with Ed Reed in it, I like the Lions -1

Chicago at Cleveland Ok, this game is going to be an old school, grind-it-out, defensive stuggle. What else would you expect out of two head coaches named "Lovie" and "Romeo"? When in doubt, go with Dilfer. Pick: Browns -3

Miami at Buffalo Chad Pennington's bum right shoulder, and Mike Mularkey's bone-headed decision to pull JP Losman, have opened things up for the Dolphins to become the only serious challenger to the Patriots AFC East crown. They're a veteran group on defense, and they've won some tough ballgames thus far. Going into Buffalo is never easy, but the Bills have proven to be quite fraudulent after a promising 2004 season. Pick: Dolphins +3

New England at Atlanta With the way the Patriots run defense played last week, Atlanta is probably the last team they wanted to play this week. Brady may be 9-0 after a loss in his career, but there's only so much he can do. Pick: Falcons -2 1/2

New Orleans at Green Bay Even though the Packers are 0-4, you can't totally write them off in the abysmal NFC North. The Saints are a formidable road team, and they're likely to have Joe Horn back in the fold this week. Even with the addition of Willie Roaf's least favorite player, beating Favre in Lambeau is a tough challenge for anyone. Pick: Packers -3

Seattle at St Louis Beating St. Louis is not something the Seahawks are familiar with, and it won't be easy with both starting WRs (Bobby Engram, Darrell Jackson) in street clothes. This means that the starters are likely to be Joe Jurevicius and DJ Hackett, who have combined to catch 7 passes for 103 yards and 2 TDs in a Seahawks uniform (all by Jurevicius). For the Rams, Mike Martz's heart ailment will keep him off the sidelines, which might be a good thing for St. Louis. In what should be a wacky game, as it always is when these two teams meet, I'm predicting a monster performance from the Seahawks defense, and an even bigger outing for Shaun Alexander. Pick: Seahawks +3

Tampa Bay at NY Jets Usually I'm all over home 'dogs. Not this week. With the Jets retrieving Vinny Testaverde from the Del Boca Vista retirement condos to replace the injured Chad Pennington, the Bucs should have a field day blitzing the only QB in the NFL with an AARP card. Pick: Bucs -3 1/2

Tennessee at Houston A good rule of thumb is to never take a team that has already fired it's offensive coordinator this season. Another good gambling method is to never pick a team coached by Dom Capers. Pick: Titans +3

Indianapolis at San Francisco You'd have to know, or be, a 49er to think that they stand a chance this week. If Josh McCown can have a field day against the 49er secondary, what do you think Peyton Manning will do? Sure, 15 points is an awful lot to spot a team, but this is the Colts. They just blew out the Titans by 21 on the road, and the Titans defense is exponentially better than the 49ers. Pick: Colts -15

Carolina at Arizona Using the same logic from above, the Cardinals shouldn't be too excited about beating the 49ers. They still needed a huge game from Neil Rackers to win that one, and as schizonprhenic as the Panthers are at times, they'll handle the young Cardinals team with ease. Pick: Panthers -2 1/2

Philadelphia at Dallas Dallas has epitomized the term "inconsistent" thus far, but have a golden opportunity to silence some critics with back-to-back home divisional home games with the Eagles and Giants. The Eagles are proving to be quite the machine, as they just keep on winning, despite the injuries, double-digit deficits and a non-existent ground game. Philly shredded the Eagles in Big D on Monday night a year ago, and as the Redskins proved, Dallas is still vulnerable to the deep pass. Pick: Eagles -3

Washington at Denver I'll admit that I was wrong about Denver, but who honestly thought that raiding the Browns defensive line was a good idea? Also proving people wrong are the undefeated Washington Redskins, as Gregg Williams has that defense playing as good as anyone in the league right now. If they ever get Clinton Portis going, they could compete with the Eagles. Pick: Broncos -6 1/2

Cincinnati at Jacksonville The Bengals get their first real test of the season when they head down to Jacksonville this week. The Bengals played down to the Texans level a week ago, so I wouldn't be too surprised to see Jacksonville shake things up in the AFC by beating one of the lone unbeaten teams the NFL has right now. Pick: Jaguars -2 1/2

Pittsburgh at San Diego The Chargers offense has come alive the last two weeks, a direct result of giving the ball to LaDainian Tomlinson 25-30 times a game. Expect more of the same this week, as the Bolts hand Big Ben Roethlisberger his first 2-game losing streak of his NFL career. Pick: Chargers -3

Why October Is (Was) the Greatest Month

October is my favorite month of the year. In fact, it's not even close. The weather gets a bit crisper, and the leaves start to change colors before falling to the ground. Apples are to be picked, pumpkins to be carved. It gets darker a bit earlier, and waiting patiently at the end, is Halloween.

I used to love that day when I was a kid. I never had a good costume idea, but you didn't need one. It was about candy, not outfoxing your friends. We all had those cheap, plastic masks that were always so tight you could barely breathe. That low-quality rubber band would always break, and you'd spend half the night revealing Batman's true identity. It was pitiful, but you didn't care because there was candy to be had.

You were armed with an old pillowcase (and mocked those with the small, pumpkin-shaped baskets), a flashlight and the knowledge of who gave out the best candy a year ago. You'd venture out in small to medium-sized groups, hitting as many houses on as many streets as possible. The route was the same every year. You were organized and you and your friends gameplanned. "Eat your dinner, lads. Tonight we attack, and you'll need your strength" were the last words you and your friends would say to one another as you walked home from school.

Alas poor Yorick, there's the problem with Halloween these days. Due to the overwhelming fear our society has of the "super-predator", the kids don't get to be kids anymore. They don't get to go trick-or-treating in the traditional way. Instead, they're chauffeured around in Mom's SUV and dropped off door-to-door, because we all know that every child born after 1990, was born without the ability to walk. And don't even think about trick-or-treating during the evening hours. Oh no, all of that is to be done by the light of day. 4-foot tall Darth Vaders are not at all scary at 430 in the afternoon, so thank you Suzy SoccerMom for doing what you can to drain all the fun out of being a kid.

And oh, what fun they are missing. 10 kids frantically scurrying to the next house, 1 or 2 parents armed with a flashlight trailing slowly behind. The crumpling of plastic suits mixed with the snapping of rubber bands creating simultaneous symphonies throughout the streets of cities and towns worldwide.

And when you finally reach the age where it's no longer acceptable to go begging for bite-sized Snickers, you get to cause trouble. Ah, Mayhem, my old friend. When you hit those teen years, you'd do anything for a dozen or so eggs on Halloween night. You'd need a written note from a parent to purchase a dozen brown. The oval cholesterol bombs would vanish from households, and were cleverly stashed in the bushes, along with the toilet paper, hot dogs and whipped cream. Your costume this year: A juvenile delinquent, with bad acne.

The transformation was awkward, as puberty tends to be. However, over the course of a few years, you go from that kid that asked for another 1000 Grand bar, to that little shit who placed a cold hot dog with whipped cream underneath Mr. Johnson's car door handle. Your foray into being a teenage douchebag was sudden, albeit inevitable, and at the time you will think it's the coolest damn thing you will ever do. But man do you hope you don't get caught. You also get to spend the night walking around the town, "t.p." a few trees, bushes and houses, and throw some eggs at the kids in the other cliques. At the end of hte night, you'd go home and lie to your parents. "Yeah, I got hit with some eggs....No, I was just walking home....Are there any 1,000 grand bars left?". (The inner child never leaves, does it?)

And when you reach full-blown adulthood (or fake it, like I do), Halloween completely loses all it's charm in just a few, short years. Your friends throw some parties, where you all try to out-clever each other by going as something so original as a "famous person recently in the news for doing an embarassing thing" or "pop culture phenomenon of the moment"-type costumes. These types of costumes can be funny, but only because of the presence of alcohol. You have these parties for a few years, and you still fondly remember the time you dressed up like the construction worker from the Village People, became inebriated, and attempted to actually fix stuff. You laugh at the time your friends dressed up as the Gorton's fisherman, Richard Simmons (complete with onion-skin short shorts), Papa Smurf and in a kids-sized Batman costume (even though he was 25 at the time).

Then you move into the stage where you can't schedule a party that actually falls on Halloween because so-and-so has a big meeting the next day, or so-and-so can't go because his/her daughter has her dance recital that night, and you pretty much just give up on the whole thing. You've now reached the point where your friends are taking their kids out on Halloween, and thus, the game ends.

So now that I've reached that point where Halloween is another day on the calender, I'm going to make a real effort to enjoy that day this year. Like Eddie Money, I "want to go back...and do it all over", because I genuinely miss those days. I'm not saying I'm going to get dressed up, but I want to carve a pumpkin or two. I want to decorate the Mac Mansion a bit, and eat candy corn until it comes out my ears. But most all, I just want a 1000 Grand bar.